NATIONAL NEWS

The Government of India Launches ‘YUVA Artificial Intelligence (AI) for ALL’ Course

The Government of India has launched ‘YUVA Artificial Intelligence (AI) for ALL’, a free national-level online course aimed at teaching basic AI skills to 1 crore (10 million) citizens.

The initiative was announced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the IndiaAI Mission, marking a major step toward AI inclusivity and digital empowerment.

The course is a 4.5-hour, self-paced programme designed to make AI easy, practical, and accessible, using Indian examples, simple language, and real-life case studies.

It is available free of cost on platforms such as FutureSkills Prime, Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi, and other major educational technology platforms.

After completion, learners receive an official Government of India certificate to showcase their newly acquired AI knowledge and skills.

The initiative helps bridge the AI knowledge gap by offering foundational AI literacy to citizens across India.

It supports India’s vision of becoming a future-ready, AI-driven digital economy, preparing learners for job markets where AI skills are increasingly important.

The course promotes ethical, safe, and inclusive AI practices, ensuring awareness of both the opportunities and risks associated with AI.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

‘Parasocial’ Named Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2025

Cambridge Dictionary has declared ‘parasocial’ as the Word of the Year 2025, reflecting the rise of one-sided emotional connections with celebrities, influencers, fictional characters, and AI chatbots.

The announcement coincided with the inclusion of 6,000 new words in the dictionary, featuring trending internet terms like ‘delulu’, ‘slop’, ‘skibidi’, and ‘tradwife’.

Parasocial is defined as an adjective describing a relationship or emotional bond felt toward a celebrity, fictional character, or AI personality, despite no real interaction.

The term ‘parasocial’ was first coined in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, and gained modern relevance with social media, livestreaming, and AI interaction.

The word entered the Cambridge Dictionary in 2023 after lexicographers recorded a significant rise in its usage across news and social media.

Other shortlisted words for 2025 included ‘pseudonymization’, meaning masking personal data, and ‘memeify’, meaning turning something into a meme.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Space Research Organization to Launch Oceansat in 2026

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan announced the launch of the Oceansat Satellite in 2026 using the first commercially built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-PSLV N1 rocket.

The announcement was made at the 7th India Manufacturing Show (IMS) 2025 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

ISRO plans to transfer 50% of PSLV development to an Indian industry consortium led by HAL and L&T.

Under the 2022 commercialisation initiative, NSIL signed a contract with HAL-L&T for end-to-end production of five PSLV-XL rockets.

This marks the first fully industry-led manufacturing of PSLV, allowing ISRO to focus more on advanced missions and R&D.

Earlier, PSLV rockets were entirely manufactured by ISRO.

Under the agreement, the industry consortium handles manufacturing, full rocket integration, avionics, testing, and launch support.

ISRO provides technology, design, mission approval, and launch infrastructure.

The move supports the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision in the space sector.

 

BANKING

RBI Expands Alert List of Unauthorised Forex Trading Platforms

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has expanded its alert list of unauthorised online forex trading platforms, adding seven new names, taking the total count to 95.

The latest additions to the list are Starnet FX, CapPlace, Mirrox, Fusion Markets, Trive, NXG Markets, and Nord FX.

All entities on the list are not permitted to conduct foreign exchange transactions under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.

None of these platforms are authorised to operate electronic trading platforms for forex dealings.

The RBI clarified that the list also includes entities, platforms, or websites that advertise, support, or provide training for unauthorised forex operations.

HDFC Bank Reclaims India’s Most Valuable Brand Title in 2025

HDFC Bank, with a brand value of $44.9 billion, has regained its position as India’s most valuable brand, surpassing Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in the 2025 Kantar BrandZ India rankings.

The bank’s brand value has increased by 377% since 2014, reflecting its strong long-term brand growth and market credibility.

HDFC Bank had earlier lost the top position to TCS in 2022, but reclaimed it in 2025, supported by brand initiatives such as “Vigil Aunty” and 30-minute digital auto loans.

The top five Indian brands in 2025 are HDFC Bank ($44.9bn),TCS ($44.23bn, Airtel ($41.07bn), Infosys ($25.54bn) and ICICI Bank ($20.63bn).

According to the report, India’s top 100 brands are valued at $523.5 billion, representing around 13% of India’s GDP, and 34 brands increased their value in 2025.

Eighteen new brands entered the list, including UltraTech Cement, which debuted at 7th place with a valuation of $14.5 billion, driven by consumer-focused brand positioning and retail solutions.

Retail brands Westside ($3.3bn) and Zudio ($2.5bn), both from the Tata Group, made their first appearance at ranks 38 and 52, respectively.

Zomato remained the fastest-growing Indian brand for the second consecutive year, rising 10 places to rank 21 and increasing its valuation by 69% to $6 billion, driven by expansion beyond food delivery.

Travel and lifestyle brands posted strong growth, with Taj ($2.9bn), IndiGo ($5.1bn), MakeMyTrip ($2.4bn), and Mahindra & Mahindra ($5.5bn) reflecting the rise of an “experience economy” in India.

RBI Grants Final Approval to PayGlocal to Operate as a Cross-Border PA

PayGlocal has received final authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator (PA) with expanded scope for inward and outward cross-border transactions.

The authorization enables PayGlocal to facilitate global payment flows, offering seamless acceptance and remittance services for Indian merchants and international clients.

This approval strengthens PayGlocal’s role as a regulated digital payments player in India’s fintech ecosystem.

The new approval follows its earlier Payment Aggregator – Online (PA-O) license granted in September 2024.

PayGlocal supports merchant onboarding across multiple sectors, including retail, education, exports, software services, and travel, enabling efficient cross-border payment settlements.

The platform enables Indian exporters, freelancers, and businesses to receive funds from global customers and allows foreign merchants to accept payments from Indian consumers through cards, UPI, and various payment gateways.

PayGlocal uses a robust technology stack, featuring multi-currency accounts, fraud prevention systems, intelligent payment routing, and automated compliance tools.

The platform ensures compliance with RBI mandates, including Know Your Customer (KYC), anti-money laundering rules, and sanction screening guidelines.

South Indian Bank Introduces ‘SIB HER Account’

South Indian Bank (SIB) launched the SIB HER Account, a premium savings account designed exclusively for women including NRI customers, during an event held in Kochi, Kerala.

The account aims to provide financial, insurance, lifestyle, and wellness benefits tailored to women’s needs throughout their financial planning journey.

The account is available to women aged 18–54, including NRIs, with a monthly balance requirement of ₹50,000, which is waived if a Fixed Deposit (FD) of ₹1 lakh is maintained or debit card spends reach ₹50,000.

The account offers an auto-sweep facility above ₹1 lakh, along with unlimited ATM withdrawals and free NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, cheque books, and demand drafts.

Customers can open up to three family add-on accounts and receive a 50% waiver on locker rent.

The account provides ₹1 crore air accident insurance, ₹1 lakh personal accident cover, discounted cancer care insurance up to ₹25 lakh, and reduced premium on women-specific term insurance for cover of ₹2 crore and above.

Customers also receive concessions on retail loans including home, vehicle, and business loans, with up to 50% waiver on processing fees and a one-day sanction facility for the HER Power Business Loan.

RBI Authorises Easebuzz to Operate as a Full-Service Payment Aggregator

Easebuzz has received authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a full-service Payment Aggregator (PA).

With this approval, Easebuzz can now provide online, offline, and cross-border payment services to merchants.

The approval places Easebuzz alongside other licensed players such as Infibeam Avenues and PayU, which also received PA-P licences for offline digital payments.

The PA licence enables Easebuzz to offer a complete payment services suite, including online payment acceptance, PoS devices, UPI soundboxes, and cross-border inward and outward payment solutions.

BoB and Small Industries Development Bank of India Signed MoU

Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) have signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to scale up credit flow and working capital support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and startups.

Under the agreement, both institutions will jointly finance MSMEs, enable SIDBI-sanctioned borrowers to access BoB’s working capital platform, and support export-focused enterprises with customized banking solutions.

SIDBI will contribute through its Venture Debt Programme, while Bank of Baroda will offer advisory services, structured financial products, and customized credit solutions for growth-stage startups.

The MoU also includes strategic collaboration for incubators, accelerators, and MSME clusters, combining BoB’s extensive branch network with SIDBI’s expertise in micro-enterprise development.

 

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

India Slips to 23rd Rank in Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026

India has slipped 13 places from its previous ranking to 23rd position in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026, mainly due to the absence of any national deadline to exit coal usage.

The report noted that no country is doing enough to prevent dangerous climate change, leaving the top three global positions vacant.

The CCPI 2026 is jointly published by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute, and Climate Action Network at the United Nations (UN) COP30 Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil.

It is an annual independent monitoring tool assessing climate mitigation performance of 63 countries and the European Union, which together account for over 90% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

India stands at 23rd position with a score of 61.31, slipping from last year’s rank and moving from a ‘high performer’ to a ‘medium performer’ category.

The report labelled India among the biggest global producers of oil, gas, and coal.

The CCPI highlighted that global climate action demands a time-bound coal phase-down, eventually leading to a coal phase-out, along with redirecting fossil subsidies toward decentralised community-owned renewable energy systems.

Rankings for CCPI 2026:

4th: Denmark – 80.52

5th: United Kingdom (UK) – 70.8

6th: Morocco – 70.75

Bottom: Saudi Arabia – 11.9

66th: Iran – 14.33

65th: United States of America (USA) – 21.84

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank

Karnataka Bank appointed Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for one year starting 16 November 2025, following RBI approval on 14 November 2025.

Prior to this, Bhat served as Additional Director (MD & CEO) for three months from 16 July 2025, after the sudden resignations of the previous top executives.

The RBI granted a one-month extension for his tenure starting 16 October 2025 before approving the full one-year term.

The leadership appointments followed the resignations of former MD and CEO Srikrishan Hari Hara Sarma and former ED Sekhar Rao in June 2025, which created leadership gaps in the bank.