Daily PIB Highlights (11th & 12th NOVEMBER)

Topic 1: Prime Minister’s Visit to Bhutan – Strengthening India–Bhutan Partnership

GS Paper 2: International Relations (Neighbourhood First Policy) / GS Paper 3: Energy, Renewable Energy & Infrastructure

Context:

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Bhutan, held bilateral discussions with His Majesty the King of Bhutan, and together inaugurated major hydropower and connectivity projects. The visit coincided with the 70th birth anniversary of the Fourth King of Bhutan and the exposition of Holy Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha.

Key Highlights

1. Strategic Interaction

• • • • PM met His Majesty the King of Bhutan in Thimphu.
      • Both leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation and regional/global issues.
      • PM conveyed condolences over the recent tragedy in Delhi.

2. Major Inauguration

• • • • 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project inaugurated jointly.
        • A landmark under the long-standing India–Bhutan hydropower partnership.

3. Announcements

• • • • Work to resume on 1200 MW Punatsangchhu-I main dam structure.
      • ₹4000 crore Line of Credit announced by India for Bhutan’s energy projects.
      • India allotted land in Varanasi for a Bhutanese temple and guest house.
      • Decision to set up an Immigration Check Post at Hatisar near Gelephu to support upcoming economic and tourism hub development.

4. MoUs Exchanged

MoU	Area of Cooperation	Key Focus
MoU on Renewable Energy	Solar, wind, biomass, battery storage, green hydrogen	Institutionalise renewable energy collaboration
MoU on Health and Medicine	Digital health, maternal care, communicable/non-communicable diseases	Telemedicine, joint research, capacity building
MoU between PEMA Secretariat & NIMHANS	Mental health services and professional training	Create in-country mental health courses, knowledge exchange

5. Cultural & Buddhist Diplomacy

• • • • PM and His Majesty paid obeisance to the Holy Piprahwa Relics of Lord Buddha brought from India.
      • The exposition aligns with the Global Peace Prayer Festival hosted by Bhutan.
      • PM emphasized India’s civilizational philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
      • India granted land in Varanasi for a Bhutanese monastery, deepening spiritual ties.

6. Connectivity & Youth Focus

• • • • Decision to connect Bhutan’s cities (Gelephu & Samtse) with India’s railway network.
      • Better access to Indian markets for Bhutanese industries and farmers.
      • Expansion of border infrastructure, digital payments (UPI integration), and support for youth collaboration:
        • Joint space partnership (students working on a satellite project).

Strategic Significance

• • India–Bhutan Hydropower partnership supplies clean energy to India and revenue to Bhutan.
  • Supports Bhutan’s status as the world’s first carbon-negative country.
  • Strengthens India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East diplomacy.
  • Counterbalances China’s growing engagement in the Himalayan region.

 

Topic 2: Udyog Samagam 2025 – Quality Manufacturing, QCOs & BRAP 2024 Evaluation

GS Paper 2: Governance, Centre–State Relations, Ease of Doing Business
GS Paper 3: Economy, Industrial Growth, Sustainable Manufacturing

Context:

At the second edition of Udyog Samagam 2025, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal reaffirmed the Central Government’s commitment to promoting quality manufacturing through Quality Control Orders (QCOs), strengthening Centre–State cooperation, and ensuring effective implementation of industrial incentives. The event also reviewed progress under Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) 2024 and felicitated best-performing States/UTs.

Key Highlights

1. Quality Manufacturing and QCOs

• • • • Quality Control Orders (QCOs) being made stricter to ensure only high-quality, certified products reach consumers.
      • QCO implementation in toys and plywood resulted in reduced substandard imports and strengthened domestic industry.
      • QCOs aim to create a culture of quality aligned with PM’s vision of “Zero Defect, Zero Effect.”

2. Centre–State Collaboration

• • • • Shri Goyal urged States to:
        • Establish third-party monitoring mechanisms for incentive disbursement.
        • Adopt escrow or RBI-linked payment systems to ensure timely release of incentives.
        • Reduce physical interface and move towards self-certification and digital approvals.
      • Appreciated the Madhya Pradesh model offering ready-to-use industrial facilities at nominal cost, generating large employment.

3. Ease of Doing Business – BRAP 2024 Results

• • • • BRAP 2024 covered 434 reforms across 25 reform areas (Business Entry, Construction Permits, Labour Regulations, Utilities, Land Administration, Sector-specific services, etc.).
      • Assessment methodology:
        • 70% weightage: User feedback
        • 30% weightage: Evidence/documentation
      • National feedback survey:
        • 5,83,365 businesses reached
        • 1,33,776 interviews completed

Top Achievers:

• • Uttarakhand, Punjab – Top achievers across 5 reform areas.
  • AP, WB, J&K, Kerala, TN, MP, Telangana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh – 4 reform areas.
  • Maharashtra, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh – 3 reform areas.
  • Gujarat, Karnataka, Tripura – 2 reform areas.
  • Goa, Meghalaya – 1 reform area.

State Classification under BRAP 2024:

• • Category Y (Established business systems): Odisha, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Uttarakhand, J&K, Karnataka (Fast Movers)
  • Category X (States/UTs with developing systems): All North-Eastern States & UTs (Aspirers)

4. Sustainable Industrial Growth & Sectoral Support

• • • • Industries urged to adopt sustainable manufacturing practices aligned with Zero Effect, Zero Defect.
      • Called upon States to promote:
        • Innovation and skill development
        • Women participation and startups
        • Deep-tech and future-tech industries
      • In fisheries sector (PM Matsya Sampada Yojana):
        • Support for cold-chain infrastructure
        • Financial assistance for cooperatives and deep-sea vessel purchase

Strategic Significance

• • Institutionalises a quality-first and sustainability-first manufacturing culture.
  • BRAP evaluation shifts focus from paperwork to actual user experience and service delivery.
  • Enhances investor confidence via timely incentive disbursement mechanisms.
  • Works as an enabler to attract industries and boost exports through high-quality standards (QCOs) and FTAs.

 

Topic 3: India Reaffirms Commitment to Equity & Climate Justice at UNFCCC CoP30 (Belém, Brazil)

GS Paper 2: International Relations, Multilateral Institutions, Global Diplomacy
GS Paper 3: Environment, Climate Change, Climate Finance

Context:

At the Opening Plenary of UNFCCC CoP30 in Belém, Brazil, India delivered statements on behalf of BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) and LMDC (Like-Minded Developing Countries), strongly emphasizing equity, climate justice, climate finance, and protection of multilateralism in global climate negotiations.

Key Highlights

1. Stand for Multilateralism & Climate Justice

• • • • India cautioned against unilateral climate-related trade measures, terming them protectionist and against Article 3.5 of UNFCCC.
      • Reaffirmed multilateral cooperation and international climate obligations under:
        • UNFCCC Convention
        • Kyoto Protocol
        • Paris Agreement

2. Climate Finance – Critical Enabler

• • • • Climate finance remains the biggest barrier to higher ambition.
      • India demanded:
        • A clear, universally accepted definition of climate finance.
        • Fulfillment of Article 9.1 (legal obligation of developed countries to provide finance).
        • Scaled-up public finance flows, especially for adaptation.
      • Highlighted that adaptation finance needs to increase 15 times the current level to meet requirements of developing nations.

3. Adaptation First – “CoP30 must be the CoP of Adaptation”

• • • • India called for a strong outcome on Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
      • Supported:
        • UAE–Belém Work Programme
        • Launch of Baku Adaptation Roadmap
      • Stressed that reporting for developing countries must be flexible and based on national circumstances.

4. Technology Access – A Right, Not a Bargaining Tool

• • • • India demanded:
        • Removal of intellectual property barriers.
        • Affordable and equitable access to climate technologies.
        • A strong outcome on Technology Implementation Programme.

5. Just Transitions Must Be People-Centric

• • • • Underlined a Just Transition Work Programme rooted in:
        • Equity and fairness,
        • Respect for developmental gaps,
        • No section of society being left behind.

6. Responsibility of Developed Nations

• • • • Developed nations must:
        • Reach net-zero earlier,
        • Invest more in negative emissions technologies,
        • Ensure finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
      • BASIC + LMDC reiterated that CBDR–RC (Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities) remains the cornerstone of climate negotiations.

Strategic Significance

• • Strengthens India’s leadership voice of the Global South.
  • Positions India as a defender of climate justice and multilateralism.
  • Reinforces the narrative that developed countries must take historical responsibility and provide predictable finance and technology.

 

Topic 4: National Green Hydrogen Mission – ₹100 Crore Pilot Launch for Biomass-Based Hydrogen & Progress under NGHM

GS Paper 3: Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen, Climate Change, Infrastructure & Investment
GS Paper 2: Governance, International Collaboration (Energy Transition)

Context:

At the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025) at Bharat Mandapam, Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi announced a ₹100 crore Call for Proposals for biomass-based hydrogen pilot projects under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). He also launched the official logo of NGHM and highlighted the Mission’s progress in positioning India as a global hub for green hydrogen.

Key Highlights

1. Biomass-Based Hydrogen Pilots Announced

• • • • ₹100 crore allocated for pilot projects to develop innovative biomass/waste-to-hydrogen production technologies.
      • Pilots to be implemented through BIRAC, encouraging participation from industries, startups, and research institutions.
      • Builds on ₹100 crore already sanctioned for hydrogen startups under NGHM.

2. NGHM – India’s Green Hydrogen Strategy

• • • • Mission launched in 2023 with ₹19,744 crore outlay.
      • Objective: decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors (steel, shipping, fertilizer, long-haul transport).
      • India aims to become a global hub for hydrogen production and exports.

3. Progress under SIGHT Programme

• • • • Incentives awarded:
        • 3,000 MW/year domestic electrolyser manufacturing,
        • 8.62 lakh metric tonnes/year green hydrogen production.
      • India now records world’s lowest green ammonia price: ₹49.75/kg (for 7.24 lakh MTPA).

4. Investments, Jobs, and Economic Impact

• • • • NGHM expected to:
        • Mobilise over ₹8 lakh crore investment,
        • Generate 6 lakh jobs,
        • Save ₹1 lakh crore annually in fossil fuel imports.

5. Pilots & Infrastructure Created

• • • • ₹132 crore invested in green steel pilots.
      • ₹208 crore sanctioned for 37 hydrogen vehicles and 9 refuelling stations.
      • ₹35 crore sanctioned for India’s first hydrogen bunkering facility (VO Chidambaranar Port).

6. Skills, Standards, and Certification

• • • • 43 hydrogen skill qualifications approved; 6300+ trainees certified.
      • Frameworks launched:
        • Green Hydrogen Standard (2023),
        • Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme (2025),
        • 128 technical standards developed.

7. Hydrogen Valleys & Export Ecosystem

• • • • Establishment of Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters:
        • Jodhpur, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Kerala.
      • India has a cost advantage in hydrogen production, enabling exports to:
        • EU, Japan, South Korea.

Strategic Significance

• • Accelerates India’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • Reduces import dependence and improves energy security.
  • Establishes India as a global supplier of affordable green hydrogen.
  • Expands R&D and industrial innovation ecosystem through biomass-based pilots and hydrogen valleys.

 

Topic 5: RPF Initiatives for Passenger Safety – Rescuing Children, Saving Lives, Preventing Crimes & Recovering Lost Valuables

GS Paper 2: Governance, Welfare of Vulnerable Sections, Law & Order
GS Paper 3: Internal Security, Disaster & Crime Prevention, Technology in Policing

Context:

Indian Railways and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) are implementing multiple nationwide missions to ensure passenger safety, crime prevention, child protection, and recovery of lost belongings. Between January and October 2025, RPF undertook extensive rescue, crime-prevention, and anti-trafficking operations across stations and trains.

Key Highlights

1. Operation ‘Nanhe Farishtey’ — Rescuing Vulnerable Children

• • • • Focus: Rescue children in distress, abandoned, or separated from families.
      • 16,450 children rescued (Jan–Oct 2025) — including 1,586 children in October alone.
      • The rescued children are handed over to Child Welfare Committees and rehabilitated through proper authorities.
      • Operation strengthens the protective role of Railways as a lifeline for citizens, especially vulnerable children.

2. Operation ‘Jeevan Raksha’ — Preventing Fatalities on Tracks

• • • • Mission specifically structured to save lives from accidental falls on tracks, slipping while boarding/exiting trains, or other distress situations.
      • 2,658 lives saved (Jan–Oct 2025); 296 persons rescued in October 2025.
      • RPF personnel intervene within seconds, showcasing quick decision-making and bravery under pressure.

3. Operation ‘NARCOS’ — Crackdown on Drug Trafficking

• • • • RPF empowered under the NDPS Act since 2019, enabling search, seizure and arrest.
      • 1,794 cases detected; NDPS worth ₹197.19 crore recovered; 1,450 arrests made (Jan–Oct 2025).
      • Railways, being a major mass-transport system, is often exploited by traffickers; RPF’s crackdown ensures that rail infrastructure is not misused for criminal networks.

4. Operation ‘Amanat’ — Returning Lost Valuables to Passengers

• • • • A passenger-centric initiative — RPF traces left-behind belongings and returns them to rightful owners.
      • 42,210 articles valued at ₹70.66 crore recovered (Jan–Oct 2025).
      • Builds trust and emotional confidence among passengers, reinforcing that Railways is not just a transport system, but a secure one.

Strategic Significance

• • Demonstrates Railways’ shift from asset protection to passenger-centric policing.
  • Enhances public trust in Railways as a safe, reliable, and welfare-oriented system.
  • Use of technology (CCTV, data analytics, digital tracking) enables faster detection and coordinated rescue efforts.
  • RPF becoming a partner in governance deliverables — child protection, crime suppression, rescue, and citizen service.

 

Topic 6: First-ever Presidential Visit to Botswana – Deepening India–Botswana Partnership

GS Paper 2: International Relations, India–Africa Engagement, Bilateral Cooperation

Context:

On the final leg of her State Visit to Angola and Botswana, President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu reached Gaborone (Botswana) marking the first-ever Presidential visit from India to Botswana. She held one-to-one and delegation-level talks with Botswana’s President H.E. Duma Gideon Boko, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across priority sectors.

India–Botswana Bilateral Relations-

Historical & Political Engagement

• • Established diplomatic relations in 1966.
  • Shared membership in the Commonwealth, G-77, and multilateral development forums.

Economic Partnership

• • India is among the largest importers of diamonds from Botswana.
  • Indian investments present in mining, ICT, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors.
  • Botswana benefits from India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme for African nations.

Development & Capacity Building

• • Multiple Botswana officials trained in India under:
    • ITEC (Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation Programme),
    • ICC R scholarships,
    • Skill development and digital governance programs.

Health Diplomacy

• • India supplies affordable medicines.
  • Growing cooperation in telemedicine and digital health.

People-to-People Ties

• • Over 7,000 Indian-origin community members contribute in trade, healthcare, and academia.
  • India–Botswana relations exemplify South–South development partnership, combining trade, technology, conservation diplomacy (Project Cheetah), and people-centric cooperation.

Key Highlights of meeting

1. Strategic Diplomacy

• • • • This is India’s first Presidential visit to Botswana since diplomatic ties began.
      • Botswana indicated the visit as the first State Visit hosted after President Boko assumed office, reflecting high regard for relations with India.
      • Leaders discussed collaboration for Botswana’s development priorities and India’s vision for Africa under the India–Africa Forum Summit framework.

2. Expanding Bilateral Cooperation

Both leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in:

• • • • Trade & Investment
      • Renewable Energy
      • Agriculture
      • Health & Affordable Medicines
      • Education & Skill Development
      • Defence & Digital Technology

The President noted that this visit is significant as India and Botswana will celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.

3. Project Cheetah – Wildlife Conservation Partnership

• • • • President Murmu expressed appreciation to Botswana for agreeing to send cheetahs to India under the next phase of Project Cheetah.
      • The move supports India’s goal to reintroduce cheetahs into the Indian ecosystem after seven decades.
      • Reflects cooperation in environmental and wildlife conservation diplomacy.

4. Agreement on Pharmacopoeia & Medical Support

• • • • Signing of an agreement on Pharmacopoeia cooperation:
        • Enables easier access to high-quality and affordable Indian medicines in Botswana.
      • India to supply essential ARV medicines as requested by the Government of Botswana—supporting its public health efforts.

Strategic Significance

• • Strengthens India’s Africa outreach and South–South cooperation.
  • Expands India’s presence in Africa’s energy, digital, pharmaceutical and education sectors.
  • Reinforces India’s identity as a trusted development partner, and not an extractive power.
  • Deepens people-centric diplomacy: medicine access, wildlife conservation, education partnerships.

Conclusion:

The first-ever Presidential visit to Botswana marks a pivotal moment in India–Botswana ties. With new agreements, expansion of cooperation in priority sectors, and Botswana’s contribution to Project Cheetah, the visit reinforces India’s approach to Africa based on mutual respect, development partnership, and shared progress.

 

Topic 7: Sahitya Akademi – Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 Announced

GS Paper 1: Indian Culture – Art & Literature / GS Paper 2: Welfare and Promotion of Language & Cultural Institutions

Context:

The Sahitya Akademi will confer the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025 (annual awards for children’s literature) on 14 November 2025 at Triveni Auditorium, New Delhi. The awards will be presented by the President of Sahitya Akademi, Madhav Kaushik.

Basic About Sahitya Akademi

• • Established in 1954, Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Letters) is India’s premier literary institution.
  • An autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
  • Mandate: Promote and preserve literature in Indian languages.
  • Recognises works in 24 Indian languages listed under the Akademi’s constitution (aligned with the 8th Schedule, plus English and Rajasthani/Santali).
  • Major activities:
    • Publication of books (classics, contemporary works, translations)
    • Conducts writers’ meets, literary festivals, seminars
    • Grants literary fellowships (highest honor: Sahitya Akademi Fellowship)

Basic About Bal Sahitya Puraskar

• • Instituted in 2010 by Sahitya Akademi.
  • Awarded annually to outstanding children’s literature in each recognized language.
  • Given for:
    • Novels, short stories, poetry, plays, folk literature, biographies for children.
  • Includes:
    • ₹50,000 cash prize
    • Bronze plaque

Purpose: Encourage and recognise creativity in children’s literature and promote a reading culture.

Key Highlights of Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2025

• • Awards announced for 24 languages authored by writers across genres: poetry, stories, novels, plays, and non-fiction.
  • Eminent Gujarati writer Varsha Das will be the Chief Guest.
  • Awardees’ Meet scheduled on 15 November 2025, where writers will share their creative journeys.

Examples of 2025 award-winning works (illustrative sample):

• • Assamese – Mainaahantar Padya (poetry), Surendra Mohan Das
  • English – Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold (stories), Nitin Kushalappa MP
  • Malayalam – Penguinukalude Vankaravil (novel), Sreejith Moothedath
  • Telugu – Kaburla Devatha (story), Gangisetty Sivakumar
  • Urdu – Qaumi Sitare (articles), Ghazanfar Iqbal

Strategic Significance

• • Strengthens children’s literature ecosystem across regional languages.
  • Encourages young readers to engage with vernacular literature, preserving linguistic diversity.
  • Promotes cultural continuity by recognising authors contributing to early literary imagination of children.

 

Topic 8: India’s Leadership in Green Hydrogen Transition – ICGH 2025 & Hydrogen Valleys Initiative

GS Paper 3: Renewable Energy, Technology & Innovation, Green Hydrogen, Infrastructure / GS Paper 2: Governance, International Collaboration, Science & Technology Policy

Context:

At the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025) in New Delhi, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced four Hydrogen Valleys and referred to the recently launched ₹1 lakh crore RDI (Research, Development & Innovation) Scheme to accelerate deep-tech and clean energy innovation.

Key Highlights

1. India’s Hydrogen Economy Vision

• • • • Clean energy is now an economic and strategic necessity, not just an environmental choice.
      • India aims to invent, lead, and commercialize clean hydrogen technologies, not merely adopt them.
      • The hydrogen economy is positioned as a pillar of India’s energy security and industrial competitiveness.

2. Announcement: Four Hydrogen Valleys

• • • • Four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) coming up across India.
      • Purpose: Demonstrate complete hydrogen value chain — production → storage → transport → utilization.
      • Investment: ₹485 crore total
        • ₹169.89 crore under National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)
        • ₹315.43 crore from industry and research consortiums
      • Conceptualized by DST, now integrated into MNRE’s NGHM.

Hydrogen Valleys will function as:

• • • • Living laboratories for pilot projects
      • Platforms for industry-academia collaboration
      • Hubs for standardization and policy development

3. ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme

• • • • Launched on 3 November 2025 by PM Modi.
      • Corpus: ₹1 lakh crore
        • ₹20,000 crore allocated to Department of Science & Technology (DST)
      • Objective:
        • Strengthen deep-tech research
        • Accelerate clean energy innovation
        • Encourage startup and industry participation
      • Shifts R&D from government-led funding to a collaborative funding model.

4. Institutional Framework & Mission Innovation

• • • • Establishment of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) as a major reform:
        • Integrates academia–industry–government collaboration.
        • Aligns research with national priorities like energy transition and sustainability.
      • Under Mission Innovation 2.0, India is working with global partners to:
        • Reduce cost of green hydrogen to USD 2/kg by 2030
        • Scale Hydrogen Valley model globally

5. EV & Hydrogen Synergy (MAHA–EV Mission)

• • • • Focus on indigenous innovation in:
        • Advanced batteries
        • Hydrogen fuel cells
        • Charging infrastructure (India-specific solutions)

Strategic Significance

• • Enhances energy security by reducing fossil fuel dependence.
  • Positions India as a global supplier of affordable green hydrogen.
  • Creates a robust research–startup–industry ecosystem for hydrogen technologies.
  • Supports India’s goal of achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 through clean industrial growth.

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