1. Top weekly highlights

The following official announcements are particularly relevant to competitive examinations:

• Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026: Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on 2 November.

• Pune Metro: Projects worth approximately ₹21,800 crore were inaugurated or launched on 3 November.

• Grid-scale energy storage: The Union Cabinet approved a ₹14,500 crore viability-gap-funding scheme for 92 GWh of energy storage systems on 4 November.

• Indian Navy: Contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore were signed for eight next-generation corvettes.

• DRDO: Successfully flight-tested the quasi-ballistic missile Pralay on 5 November.

• Indian Railways: Reported October 2026 freight loading of 145.07 million tonnes.

Sources:

2. National affairs and government schemes

A. Cabinet decisions

1. ₹14,500 crore energy storage funding scheme

The Union Cabinet approved a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme worth ₹14,500 crore to support the development of 92 GWh of grid-scale energy storage systems.

• Purpose: Support large-scale energy storage.

• Importance: Helps integrate renewable electricity into the power grid.

• Exam focus: VGF means Viability Gap Funding.

2. VISTAR scheme approved

The Cabinet approved the Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research (VISTAR) for 2026–27 to 2030–31.

• Focus: Statistical transformation, analytics and research.

• Implementing period: Five financial years.

3. Critical mineral processing support

The Cabinet approved a capital expenditure support scheme with an outlay of ₹2,814 crore for processing critical minerals, including lithium and nickel.

– Importance: Strengthening domestic mineral-processing capacity and reducing import dependence.

4. Fast Track Special Courts

The Cabinet approved the continuation of the centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Courts scheme for the speedy trial of rape and POCSO Act cases.

Source: Government of India’s Cabinet announcements.

B. Infrastructure and transport

Pune Metro projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for Pune Metro projects worth approximately ₹21,800 crore on 3 November 2026.

Indian Railways freight performance

Indian Railways recorded freight loading of 145.07 million tonnes in October 2026, according to the Ministry of Railways.

C. Defence and security

Next-generation corvettes

The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for eight next-generation corvettes for the Indian Navy.

Missile test – Pralay

DRDO successfully conducted a flight test of the quasi-ballistic missile Pralay on 5 November 2026.

Exercise Tiger Triumph 2026

The India–United States joint exercise Tiger Triumph 2026 concluded during the week. It is a bilateral tri-services exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

3. International affairs

India–Myanmar joint exercise

India and Myanmar commenced their inaugural tri-services joint HADR exercise, RAHAT MITRA, on 6 November 2026. The exercise focuses on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation.

BIMSTEC maritime security exercise

The maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise concluded at the Andaman and Nicobar Command on 6 November 2026.

Exam fact: BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

India–Canada defence dialogue

India and Canada held their inaugural Defence Dialogue during the week, marking an important development in bilateral defence engagement.

Editorial note: These are verified India-related international developments. A comprehensive set of separate global political and economic developments could not be independently verified for this edition, so speculative items have been excluded.

4. Economy and banking

RBI updates

The Reserve Bank of India released several important updates during the week.

Important banking concept:

• VRR: Variable Rate Repo.

• VRRR: Variable Rate Reverse Repo.

• LAF: Liquidity Adjustment Facility.

• T-Bills: Treasury Bills.

Tax devolution

The Union Government released ₹1,09,019 crore as regular tax devolution to states on 5 November 2026 to support capital spending and development and welfare expenditure.

5. Science, technology and space

IndiaAI Mission

The IndiaAI Mission announced indigenous foundation models under its IndiaAI Innovation Centre pillar:

• EKA-1 by Soket.

• Dhīr 2B by ZenteiQ.

• Dhīr 5B by ZenteiQ.

Exam focus: These developments relate to India’s domestic artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Space debris removal

India announced a vision of achieving debris-free space by 2030, highlighting the importance of space sustainability and debris-removal technologies.

Aadhaar offline verification

UIDAI onboarded 300 Offline Verification Seeking Entities (OVSEs), expanding the Aadhaar offline verification ecosystem.

6. Environment and climate

COP31 preparation

India stated that it would pursue solution-oriented and equitable climate action at UNFCCC COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.

Exam facts:

• UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

• COP: Conference of the Parties.

• COP31: Scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9–20 November 2026.

  Polidato

Organic fisheries cluster

Soreng district in Sikkim was designated India’s first notified Organic Fisheries Cluster under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

7. West Bengal special current affairs

1. Defence Minister visits Sukna

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the operational preparedness of the Trishakti Corps at Sukna, West Bengal, on 7 November 2026.

The review covered:

• Infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

• Deployment of advanced military equipment.

• Emerging technologies and operational preparedness.

Exam focus: Sukna is associated with the headquarters of the Indian Army’s XXXIII Corps, also known as Trishakti Corps.

2. Defence Minister visits Bagdogra

Rajnath Singh interacted with Indian Air Force personnel at Air Force Station Bagdogra on 7 November. He emphasised operational readiness, cyber resilience and information integrity.

3. GRSE delivers INS Amini

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, delivered the anti-submarine warfare shallow-water craft Amini to the Indian Navy on 5 November 2026.

Important facts:

• Built by: GRSE, Kolkata.

• Type: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.

• Indigenous content: Over 80%.

• Name derived from: Amini Island, Lakshadweep.

  Press Information Bureau

4. IIT Kharagpur achievement

Professor Suman Chakraborty, Director of IIT Kharagpur, was elected a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

8. Important appointments and awards

No additional appointment claims are included without sufficient verification.

9. Sports current affairs

Asian Para Games 2026

India achieved its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Other key facts:

• Indian para-athletes winning medals: 97.

• World records set: 5.

• Asian records set: 9.

• Next edition: Doha, Qatar, in 2030.

10. Important days and dates

11. Exam-focused one-liners

12. Weekly current affairs MCQ practice test

13. PDF-ready weekly revision summary