Current Affairs - Dec 1, 2025

Explanation:

Operation Sagar Bandhu was the coordinated Indian response to provide urgent humanitarian assistance, search-and-rescue, medical aid, and evacuation support to Sri Lanka following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The operation included rapid deployment of Indian Air Force and Navy assets — transport aircraft, helicopters and naval vessels — to deliver relief consignments, evacuate stranded nationals, and assist local authorities in rescue operations. Such operations reflect India’s regional disaster-response doctrine and its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy of maritime cooperation and neighbourhood support; they typically combine military logistics with diplomatic and consular outreach to ensure stranded citizens and affected communities receive immediate relief and onward support.

Explanation:

The name ‘Ditwah’ was submitted by Yemen as part of the list of names contributed by members of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) New Delhi / WMO regional naming system for the northern Indian Ocean. Countries in the region submit name lists in advance; those names are assigned sequentially when systems reach the naming threshold. The naming mechanism promotes consistent identification of storms across member states and improves public communication when warnings and advisories are issued.

Explanation:

Under World Meteorological Organization (WMO) conventions for the northern Indian Ocean, a system is classified as a tropical storm/cyclone once sustained winds reach or exceed Gale Force, which is typically around $63\, \text{kph}$ (34 knots). Below that speed a system is described as a depression or deep depression depending on intensity. Classification thresholds exist to ensure consistent warning levels and to trigger naming, preparedness measures and appropriate response actions by meteorological agencies and disaster-management authorities. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Explanation:

Cyclonic circulation direction is determined by the Coriolis effect arising from Earth’s rotation. In the Northern Hemisphere, air flows inward toward the low-pressure centre and is deflected to the right, producing anticlockwise rotation (when viewed from above). In the Southern Hemisphere the deflection is reversed, producing clockwise rotation around lows. This large-scale rotation is a defining characteristic of tropical cyclones and large extratropical lows and explains the mirror-image organisation of storm systems across the equator.

Explanation:

NISAR (NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is a flagship cooperative Earth-observation mission jointly developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It combines two radar bands (L-band provided by NASA and S-band provided by ISRO) to map changes to Earth’s surface, measure biomass and ice-mass changes, and monitor natural hazards such as earthquakes, land subsidence and flooding. The partnership leverages NASA’s experience with L-band SAR and ISRO’s operational expertise, creating a mission with broad scientific and societal applications for both countries and the global community. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Explanation:

NISAR operates in a Sun-synchronous Low Earth Orbit (LEO). A sun-synchronous orbit ensures the satellite passes over any given point on Earth at approximately the same local solar time, which is valuable for consistent lighting and repeat observations — critical for change-detection products that depend on comparable viewing geometries. In LEO the platform remains close enough for high-resolution radar imaging while completing many orbits per day to achieve frequent revisit times for monitoring dynamic processes such as surface deformation and flooding.

Explanation:

The NISAR satellite was launched aboard India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) configuration — the mission designation reported in mission plans and press releases referenced the GSLV family for delivering the heavier dual-frequency SAR payload to the required Sun-synchronous orbit. GSLV-class vehicles are used for medium-to-heavy payloads from Indian launch facilities; mission planning selects the launcher variant that matches mass and insertion accuracy requirements for the satellite’s target orbit.

Explanation:

The Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index 2025 ranks countries in Asia by a composite of capabilities and influence; the United States again figures at the top of the index due to its unmatched combination of military reach, economic capacity and diplomatic influence in Asia, followed by China. The index aggregates measures across eight domains — including military capability, economic resources, diplomatic and cultural influence — so the top positions reflect cross-cutting strengths rather than single-issue dominance. India’s improved placement to third indicates rising capability across several measures but a continuing gap against the two superpowers. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Explanation:

Analysts cited India’s recent operational experience and force modernisation — referenced in media coverage as including activities labelled Operation Sindoor — among the drivers improving some military and strategic indicators in the Asia Power Index. Such operations can influence indices by demonstrating logistics, force projection or recent combat experience that affects military capability rankings. The Index synthesises such developments alongside economic and diplomatic factors to produce its overall score.

Explanation:

The MH-60R ‘Romeo’ maritime helicopter is produced by Lockheed Martin (through its Sikorsky subsidiary). It is a multi-mission naval helicopter equipped for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), maritime surveillance, logistics and search-and-rescue. The platform integrates advanced sonar, radar, electronic support measures and weapons systems, making it a key asset for navies operating in littoral and blue-water environments; procurement agreements typically include lifecycle support and maintenance arrangements as part of the deal.

Explanation:

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reclassified Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as equity instruments to encourage wider participation by mutual funds and institutional investors. Treating REITs as equity instruments aligns regulatory categorisation with their economic function as entities that own and manage income-generating real estate and issue shares to investors. The reclassification aims to improve liquidity, widen the investor base and encourage structured real-estate financing through regulated market vehicles, while maintaining separate treatment for Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) where hybrid features may remain relevant.

Explanation:

SoLAR Phase II (Solar Irrigation for Agricultural Resilience in South Asia) is implemented by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). IWMI brings technical expertise in water management and irrigation systems, while SDC provides development financing and strategic support. The programme focuses on deploying climate-resilient solar-powered irrigation solutions for smallholder farmers across selected countries to improve water use efficiency, lower carbon intensity, and build agricultural resilience to climate variability.

Explanation:

Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India is an industry body that designs and manages the national television audience measurement system. Its mandate is to collect, process and publish viewership data using a panel-based metering approach and statistical sampling, providing broadcasters, advertisers and agencies with metrics on audience size and demographics. BARC does not regulate broadcasters, set content standards or perform censorship; its role is measurement and data provision that informs commercial decisions, programming and advertising buys.

Explanation:

ELVEs (Emission of Light and Very Low Frequency perturbations due to Electromagnetic pulse Sources) are transient red halos or rings in the lower ionosphere triggered by strong lightning return-stroke electromagnetic pulses. They appear as rapidly expanding rings of light at altitudes roughly between 80–100 km and can span hundreds of kilometres. ELVEs are part of a spectrum of transient luminous events (TLEs) — which also include sprites and blue jets — and are studied to understand atmospheric electricity, lightning coupling to the upper atmosphere, and ionospheric responses to severe storms.

Explanation:

Femicide is defined as the intentional killing of women or girls because of their gender — driven by misogyny, gender-based hatred or power relations that make women the specific target. International frameworks categorise femicides by offender relationship (intimate partners, family members, or others) and emphasise gender-motivated intent rather than incidental or non-gendered homicides. Recognition of femicide in law or policy intends to focus prevention, prosecution and support mechanisms on the unique social drivers and patterns of violence against women.

Explanation:

The planned IIT campus in Nigeria follows the model established by the IIT Madras–Zanzibar campus: an overseas campus arrangement where an Indian Institute of Technology partners with host-country stakeholders to operate a full-fledged higher-education campus abroad. Such models transplant Indian academic curricula, faculty exchanges and industry linkages to new regions while tailoring some courses to local economic and research priorities. These international campuses are part of India’s broader higher-education outreach strategy under policy measures encouraging cross-border collaboration.

Explanation:

India was re-elected to Category B of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026–27 term. Category B seats are allocated to states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade; membership on the Council gives elected countries a voice in shaping regulatory frameworks for maritime safety, environmental protection and training standards. Representation supports India’s engagement on global shipping rules, pollution controls (MARPOL), and initiatives addressing greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.

Explanation:

The revised Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seismic zonation under the updated Earthquake Design Code introduces Zone VI as the new highest-risk category, elevating the seismic-risk classification for the Himalayan arc. This reclassification is grounded in updated hazard assessment methods that prioritise geological faulting, recurrence intervals, and local site conditions over older administrative boundaries. The new map implies stricter design criteria, retrofitting priorities, and planning measures in areas now assigned to the highest-risk zone to reduce seismic vulnerability in critical infrastructure and residential construction.

Explanation:

The Central Ground Water Board’s 2025 groundwater quality assessment identifies nitrate contamination as the most pervasive pollutant across sampled locations, with a substantial fraction of samples exceeding the Bureau of Indian Standards and WHO guideline values. Nitrate commonly originates from agricultural fertiliser runoff, leaking sewage systems and animal waste — sources that are concentrated in agricultural and peri-urban landscapes. High nitrate levels pose health risks, particularly for infants (methemoglobinemia) and can indicate broader contamination pathways affecting shallow aquifers used for drinking and irrigation. The report also highlights regional issues with fluoride, salinity and trace metals, underscoring the need for targeted monitoring and management.

Explanation:

In the 2025 CGWB sampling, Punjab emerged among states showing the highest incidence of uranium above the recommended safe limit (30 ppb) in groundwater samples. Uranium anomalies in groundwater can be due to geogenic sources (uranium-bearing minerals in aquifer matrices) exacerbated by over-extraction, groundwater chemistry that mobilises trace elements, and region-specific hydrogeological conditions. Identifying hotspots allows public-health authorities to prioritise testing, install treatment or alternative supplies, and plan long-term aquifer management to reduce exposure risks.