India’s Clean Energy Transition Gets a Major Boost

Context: Recently, Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) has formally exchanged Government Orders (GOs) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh for a 1200 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project under Market-Based Operations, in Nandyal and a 50 MW Hybrid Solar Project.

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• The exchange of government orders took place during the Energy Session of the Andhra Pradesh Partnership Summit 2025 in Visakhapatnam.
• The energy session was organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Key Highlights of the Orders

• The Ministry of Power designated SECI as the implementing agency for the BESS project.
• The Battery Energy Storage System in Nandyal has a planned capacity of 1200 MWh and it will support grid stability and renewable energy integration.
• The 50 MW Hybrid Solar Project will supply cleaner power and it will enhance Andhra Pradesh’s renewable power mix.
• Both projects will be developed under the CAPEX Mode and SECI will invest fully in their execution.
  o CAPEX stands for Capital Expenditure. It means that the projects will be funded by investing in long-term assets, such as equipment and infrastructure, rather than through the company's day-to-day operating costs.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is supervising project development and ensuring alignment with national clean energy goals.

PLI Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights)

Context: The fourth round of the PLI Scheme for White Goods received significant investment commitments, reflecting rising participation from MSMEs.

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• The 4^th Round of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights), launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has attracted 13 applications with a net committed investment of Rs. 1,914 crore.
  o White goods refer to large household appliances, specifically air conditioners and LED lights, under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
• More than half of the new applicants are MSMEs, which indicates increasing confidence among smaller manufacturers in joining the AC and LED component value chain.
• The proposed investments span six states across thirteen districts and twenty-three locations and they are expected to support regional industrial development and employment.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods 

• The Union Cabinet approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED lights) in April 2021, to be implemented from FY 2021–22 to FY 2028–29 with an outlay of ₹6,238 crore.
• The PLI Scheme on White Goods is designed to create a robust component ecosystem for Air Conditioners and LED Lights Industry in India and make India an integral part of the global supply chains. 
• The overall status of the PLI Scheme for White Goods is that it has attracted ₹10,406 crore in committed investment from 83 approved companies, and it is projected to generate ₹1.72 lakh crore in production and create around 60,000 direct jobs.

GCC One-Stop Travel System

Context: The Gulf Cooperation Council has approved a unified one-stop travel system to simplify movement across member states during the 42nd meeting of interior ministers in Kuwait City.

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• The UAE and Bahrain will launch the pilot phase in December 2025.
• The system will allow Gulf citizens to complete all travel procedures including immigration, customs and security checks at a single checkpoint, eliminating the need for multiple inspections upon arrival.
• Once fully implemented, flying across the Gulf will be as simple as travelling between cities in the same country, with passengers able to land at their destination, collect baggage and exit without further formalities.
• A shared electronic platform will enable data-sharing and coordinated procedures among GCC states.
• The pilot will initially apply to air travel only, and expansion to all six GCC states will follow if successful.
• The initiative complements the upcoming GCC Grand Tours Visa, which will begin its pilot in late 2025.
• GCC countries are simultaneously progressing on the Gulf Railway project, which is scheduled for completion by December 2030.

Gulf Cooperation Council 

• It is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.
• The GCC was established in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1981 to coordinate, integrate, and interconnect member states in all fields to achieve unity among them.

National Press Day 2025

Context: India celebrates National Press Day annually on November 16 to honour the essential role of a free and responsible press in our society.

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• This year’s theme focuses on safeguarding press credibility amidst rising misinformation, highlighting the growing importance of accurate and ethical reporting.
• The day also commemorates the establishment of the Press Council of India.
• To honour outstanding contributions in print media, the National Award for Excellence in Journalism is presented annually on this Day.
• The number of registered publications in India has grown significantly, rising from 60,143 in 2004-05 to 1.54 lakh in 2024-25.
• India ranks 151st out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
• World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3.

Press Council of India (PCI)

• PCI is a statutory autonomous body, set up under the Press Council Act, 1978, mainly to preserve the freedom of the Press and improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country.
• PCI has formulated ‘Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ which the Journalists and Newspapers have to follow. 
• The Council takes cognizance, suo-motu or on complaints, of the contents in print media which are in violation of the ‘Norms of Journalistic Conduct’.

Plexconcil Celebrates 70 Years

Context: India is strengthening its plastics export capabilities with a focus on sustainability as PLEXCONCIL marks 70 years, highlighting opportunities for global leadership in responsible manufacturing.

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• The Export Excellence Awards Ceremony and the 70th anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) of PLEXCONCIL were held in Mumbai.
• A total of 148 Export Excellence Awards were presented to outstanding exporters for their performance during 2023–24 and 2024–25.
• The government urged the plastic sector to work towards achieving a domestic market size of USD 100 billion and export earnings of USD 25 billion in the next five years.

Plastics Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL)

• The Plastics Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL), established by the Department of Commerce  (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) on 15th July, 1955.
• It is a non-profit organisation registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (or section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013). 
• PLEXCONCIL represents over 2,500 exporters who manufacture/trade in plastics products ranging from plastics raw materials to semi-finished and finished items.
• PLEXCONCIL is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association and administered by the Committee of Administration (CoA). 
• PLEXCONCIL has played a major role in expanding India’s plastics exports from USD 16.5 million  (1955) to over USD 12.5 billion at present.

Asian Archery Championships 2025

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister has congratulated the Indian Archery team for their best-ever performance at the Asian Archery Championships 2025, bringing home a total of 10 medals, including six Golds, three silver and one bronze.

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• India topped the medal tally at the 2025 Asian Archery Championships, followed by South Korea and Chinese Taipei.
• Prime Minister highlighted the historic Recurve Men’s Gold medal, secured after a gap of 18 years.
  o Recurve archery is a sport using a recurve bow, a bow with limbs that curve away from the archer when unstrung, which gives it more power than a traditional bow.

Asian Archery Championships 2025

• The 24^th edition of the Asian Archery Championship 2025 was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 08 to November 14, 2025. 
• This year's championship is hosted by the Bangladesh Archery Federation (BAF) and World Archery Asia.
• This is the 3rd time that Bangladesh has hosted the Asian Championships.
• India hosted the first Asian Archery Championships in Kolkata in 1980, and the event has been held biennially since then.