Daily Current Affairs- 30th November 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 30th November 2025

India to Establish First National Coral Reef Research Centre in Andaman

In the News: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced plans to establish India's first National Coral Reef Research Institute (NCRRI) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 29, 2025. The institute will be located at Chidiyatapu in South Andaman district with an investment of ₹120 crore, marking a significant step toward advanced coral reef conservation and management in India.

Key Points:

• Project Details: National Coral Reef Research Institute (NCRRI) to be established at Chidiyatapu, South Andaman, with a budget allocation of ₹120 crore by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Institutional Role: NCRRI will function as the nodal and monitoring agency for coral reef research across India, centralizing conservation and management efforts at the national level.
• Announcement Context: Plans announced by Sivaperuman, Officer-in-Charge of the Zoological Survey of India's Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre, during a three-day workshop on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity of Island Ecosystems (November 27-29, 2025).
• Ecological Significance: Coral reefs provide natural coastal protection against storms and work as cushions against waves, preventing loss of life and property in coastal regions.
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of four biodiversity hotspots in India, with 11,069 animal species (terrestrial and marine) documented, including 1,123 endemic species representing 10.72% of India's faunal components.
• Existing Research Infrastructure: ZSI's Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre (established April 21, 1977) has conducted 970 major field surveys and 600 extensive undersea surveys monitoring coral reef health, reporting about 11,050 species of fauna.
• Digital Initiative: QR code-based system to be introduced at ZSI Museum in Sri Vijay Puram (formerly Port Blair), enabling digital access to photographs and information related to displayed species.
• Climate Change Concerns: Former ZSI Director Kailash Chandra highlighted impacts of rising sea levels and increasing temperatures on marine habitats, particularly coral reefs, during the workshop announcement.
• Geographic Distribution: India's coral reefs are mainly restricted to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kutch, Palk Strait, and Lakshadweep Islands, with total estimated area under coral reef at 2,375 km².

Uttar Pradesh Crosses 1 GW Residential Rooftop Solar Capacity Under PM Surya Ghar

In the News: Uttar Pradesh achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 1 Gigawatt (GW) rooftop solar capacity under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana scheme on November 27, 2025. With approximately 2.9 lakh (290,000) homes now solar-powered, UP has emerged as a leading state in residential rooftop solar installations, contributing 13% of India's total rooftop solar capacity additions in Q1 2025.

Key Points:

• 1 GW Milestone: Uttar Pradesh reached 1.08 GW sanctioned capacity under PM Surya Ghar Yojana, with over 1 lakh (100,000) rooftop solar systems installed as of November 2025. Approximately 290,000 homes now have solar installations.
• PM Surya Ghar Scheme Launch: Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana launched in February 2024 to make rooftop solar accessible for households by reducing upfront costs and promoting decentralized clean energy adoption.
• Subsidy Structure: Beneficiaries receive 70-80% subsidy of total installation cost for rooftop solar systems up to 3 kW capacity. Maximum subsidy available up to ₹78,000 (₹1.08 lakhs for larger systems).
• UP's National Standing: UP contributed 13% of India's total rooftop solar capacity additions in Q1 2025, ranking third after Gujarat (16%) and Maharashtra (14%). UP recorded highest compounded quarterly growth rate of over 15% in residential rooftop solar between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025.
• Application Status: 10.73 lakh applications received on official portal as of March 2025. Total 4,119 applications submitted for solar installation, with 3,537 plants already operational as of November 2025.
• Future Targets: UP aims to install 25,000 new rooftop solar plants over next two years. Target of 2.65 lakh rooftop solar systems for FY 2025-26, with monthly target of 22,000 installations (approximately 300 units per district). Goal to achieve 28,468 operational solar plants by March 2027.
• Implementation Agency: Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) at helm of implementation process, monitoring real-time progress using cutting-edge technology.

IMF Assigns India a 'C' Grade for Its GDP and National Accounts Data

In the News: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) assigned India a 'C' grade for its national accounts statistics, including GDP and Gross Value Added (GVA), in its annual Article IV consultation review released on November 27, 2025. This second-lowest rating indicates persistent data shortcomings that hamper effective economic surveillance, despite India's Q2 FY 2025-26 GDP growth reaching 8.2%, a six-quarter high.

Key Points:

• IMF Grading Scale: Four-tier evaluation framework - A (adequate for surveillance), B (some shortcomings but broadly adequate), C (shortcomings that somewhat hamper surveillance), D (serious shortcomings that significantly hamper surveillance).
• India's Rating: National Accounts Statistics received 'C' grade (second-lowest rating). Consumer Price Index (CPI) received 'B' grade. Overall statistical rating across all data categories: 'B' (prices, government finance, external sector, monetary and financial statistics all rated 'B').
• Previous Assessment: India's national accounts statistics also received 'C' grade in 2024 assessment. IMF stated "data weaknesses have remained broadly unchanged" since previous report.
• Timing of Review: Assessment released November 27, 2025, coinciding with announcement that Q2 FY 2025-26 GDP data would be released November 28, 2025 (later showing 8.2% growth).
• Outdated Base Year (2011-12): Current GDP and CPI series use 2011-12 base year, failing to reflect current production technology and user preferences. Base year increasingly misaligned with structural changes in economy (digitization, GST rollout, UPI-led formalization, e-commerce, gig economy).
• Deflator Issues: Over-reliance on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for deflating nominal values instead of internationally aligned Producer Price Index. WPI excludes services (57% of GDP) and is highly sensitive to commodities, making real GDP volatile and inaccurate.
• Measurement Discrepancies: "Sizeable discrepancies" between production approach (income method) and expenditure approach to estimating GDP. Differences in data sources and coverage lead to gaps, particularly regarding informal sector and expenditure mapping.
• Informal Sector Coverage: Limited coverage of informal sector (45-50% of employment). Rough extrapolations used for construction, trade, and household consumption. IMF urged improvements in capturing structural changes in economy.
• Lack of Seasonally Adjusted Data: National accounts not seasonally adjusted, making difficult to interpret short-term quarterly movements. Absence urged as area needing improvement.
• Data Frequency and Timeliness: IMF noted data are timely and sufficiently frequent but affected by methodological shortcomings. Regular release schedule maintained.
• Upcoming Reforms: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) updating GDP and CPI base years and methodologies. New GDP series with 2022-23 base year scheduled for release February 27, 2026, along with second advance estimate for 2025-26. Updated CPI inflation data based on 2023-24 Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) to be published in February 2026.

Pakistan and Egypt Renew Cooperation After Years of Stagnation

In the News: Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty visited Pakistan on November 29-30, 2025, marking the first high-level bilateral engagement after over a decade of stagnation. Pakistan and Egypt last held bilateral political consultations and Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meetings in 2010, making this a significant diplomatic restart between the two Major Non-NATO allies.

Key Points:

• High-Level Meetings: Dr. Badr Abdelatty met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during the November 29-30, 2025 visit to Islamabad.
• Business Council and Forum: Pakistan-Egypt Business Council to be established to institutionalize private sector cooperation. Pakistan-Egypt Business Forum to be co-chaired by both foreign ministers, with first meeting scheduled in Cairo in Q2 2026 alongside the reactivated Joint Ministerial Commission.
• Visa Facilitation for Business: 250 Pakistani business houses to be identified in Phase 1 (coordinated with FPCCI and chambers of commerce) for visa facilitation and whitelisting. Number to be increased to 500 in Phase 2 after six months. Egypt to follow parallel process for Egyptian businesses.
• Current Trade Volume: Bilateral trade currently stands at approximately $300 million, which both nations acknowledge is significantly below potential given their historic ties.
• Political Consultations: Senior official-level bilateral political consultations to resume in Q1 2026, after last being held in 2010. Joint Ministerial Commission to be reactivated after 15 years of dormancy.
• Educational Cooperation: Egypt announced doubling of Al-Azhar University scholarships for Pakistani students in 2025. This strengthens the existing educational exchange framework between the two countries.
• Regional Cooperation Agenda: Both nations agreed to collaborate on Gaza ceasefire implementation, reconstruction efforts in Gaza, and support for the two-state solution for Palestine in accordance with UN resolutions.
• Defense Cooperation Areas: Military exchanges, training collaborations, defense production cooperation, and joint counterterrorism efforts identified as priority areas. Egypt condemned recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Peshawar.
• Historical Context: Both countries are members of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and D8 (Developing-8). Diplomatic relations established in 1951. Pakistan provided military aid to Egypt during 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israel wars.

Sri Lanka Declares Emergency Amid Cyclone Ditwah Devastation

In the News: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency on November 29, 2025, following catastrophic flooding and landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone, which made landfall on November 28, 2025, has become Sri Lanka's deadliest natural disaster since 2017, with casualties exceeding 400 and nearly one million people affected across all 25 districts.

Key Points:

• State of Emergency: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared state of emergency throughout Sri Lanka via official gazette dated November 29, 2025 (released November 30), following demands from opposition leaders and doctors' trade union at an all-party meeting on November 28.
• Death Toll and Missing Persons: As of December 1, 2025, 334 confirmed deaths and nearly 400 people missing according to Disaster Management Centre (DMC). UN OCHA reported 212 deaths and 218 missing with 998,918 people affected across all 25 districts.
• Cyclone Details: Cyclonic Storm Ditwah (named by Yemen, after Detwah Lagoon on Socotra Island) made landfall on November 28, 2025, with wind speeds of 65 km/h (40 mph). Developed as 14th tropical depression and 4th cyclonic storm of 2025 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.
• Displacement and Shelters: Over 180,000 people from 51,000+ families sheltering in 1,094 government-run safety centers. Nearly 78,000 people displaced initially, with 43,991 individuals from 12,313 families moved to state-run welfare centers.
• Property Damage: Nearly 15,000 homes destroyed across the country. Approximately 968,304 individuals from 266,114 families affected by widespread flooding.
• Hardest-Hit Areas: Gampaha, Colombo, Puttalam, Mannar, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa districts most severely affected. Central mountainous tea-growing regions of Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy District severely impacted by landslides (51 deaths and 67 missing in Kandy alone).
• Rainfall: Torrential rainfall exceeding 300mm (11.8 inches) between November 27-28, 2025. Red-level flood warning issued for Kelani River valley, which burst its banks on November 29 evening.
• Airport Disruptions: 15 flights diverted from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Colombo to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Trivandrum, and Kochi between November 27-28. Nearly 300 people stranded at BIA for three days. 83 flights cancelled at Chennai International Airport.
• Financial Allocation: President allocated Rs. 1.2 billion for immediate disaster relief and Rs. 30 billion under 2025 Budget for emergency response. Parliament budget debates postponed for two days.
• India's Assistance (Operation Sagar Bandhu): India deployed two aircraft (Ilyushin Il-76MD and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules) with 80+ NDRF personnel, relief supplies, and rescue equipment. Il-76 arrived in Colombo at 12:18 PM on November 29. India deployed INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, and INS Sukanya for search and rescue operations. Two helicopters (Aérospatiale Alouette III and Mil Mi-17) deployed.