The fourth edition of the Indian Navy’s Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation Seminar Swavlamban 2025 will commence from 26th of this month in New Delhi.

Addressing a curtain raiser event in New Delhi today, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said that the Swavlamban 2025 will focus on the Indian Navy’s innovations and indigenisation efforts. He said that the event will be centered around the emerging and disruptive technologies to keep pace with the country’s changing security needs.

Ministry of Defence said that this year’s seminar will include dedicated exhibit zones highlighting niche equipments. The two-day seminar will also host in-depth brainstorming sessions on policy frameworks and procedures to accelerate the adoption of indigenous technologies. The Ministry said that the event aims to bring together innovators, industry partners, academia, MSMEs and Start-ups to strengthen the naval capabilities. The theme for Swavlamban 2025 is Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) of France today inked technical agreement to deepen collaboration in defence research and development. Defence Ministry said, this strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both nations to develop innovative solutions for future defence challenges.

DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat and Directorate General of Armaments Lieutenant General Gael Diaz de Tuesta signed the agreement in New Delhi. Under the agreement, the transfer of equipment, technologies will be available to both the countries. Key areas of cooperation outlined in this agreement include Aeronautical platforms, Unmanned vehicles, Advanced Materials for defence applications, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence, Space, Navigation, Advanced Propulsion, Advanced Sensors, Quantum Technologies, Underwater Technologies and other areas of mutual interest.

Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the empowerment and integration of women entrepreneurs from the informal sector into the country’s public procurement ecosystem.

The MoU focuses on promoting gender-responsive procurement by encouraging increased sourcing from women-led businesses, thereby expanding market access for women entrepreneurs under GeM’s Womaniya initiative.

The MoU was signed by Country Representative, UN Women India, Smt. Kanta Singh, and Additional CEO, GeM, Shri Ajit B. Chavan. CEO, GeM, Shri Mihir Kumar presided over the ceremony. In his presidential remarks, he said that the partnership reinforces GeM’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs by expanding their access to public procurement and creating forward market linkages through GeM.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 21st to 23rd to attend the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit. This will be the fourth consecutive G20 Summit held in the Global South.

The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that at the Summit, the Prime Minister will put forth India’s perspectives on the G20 agenda. Prime Minister is expected to speak in all three sessions of the Summit. On the margins of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Mr Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with some of the leaders present in Johannesburg. He will also be participating in the India-Brazil-South Africa Leaders’ Meeting being hosted by South Africa.

Financial services giant HDFC Bank, carrying a brand value of $44.9 billion, has surged past IT consulting behemoth Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to reclaim its crown as the country’s most valued brand, according to the 2025 Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Indian Brands report.

As the country’s largest private bank, HDFC Bank has seen its brand value rise 377 per cent since the first BrandZ India Report was released in 2014. Kantar BrandZ calculates brand value by a combination of financial matrices: The share of the parent company’s worth attributed to the brand; and brand contribution, which captures how much the brand drives demand and supports premium pricing.

India’s first Tesla Centre will open on November 26 at Orchid Business Park in Gurugram, adding a new physical location for the company after recent experience centres in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex and Delhi’s Aerocity.

Unlike the earlier experience centres, which mainly serve as display and brand-familiarisation spaces, the Gurugram Tesla Centre is a fuller retail hub meant for wider customer interaction. It is expected to handle consultations, bookings and test-drive support as Tesla expands its India presence.

Acclaimed actor Leonardo DiCaprio is all set to be honoured with the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the upcoming Palm Springs Film Festival for his performance in director Paul Thomas Anderson's latest drama One Battle After Another.

Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said, "In One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a riveting and emotionally charged performance, embodying a man pushed to his breaking point in the face of relentless adversity." He further added, "Across his career, DiCaprio has continually redefined what is possible in screen acting — bringing emotional depth, artistic integrity and fearless commitment to every role."

World Children's Day is celebrated annually on November 20 to promote international togetherness and awareness about children's rights and welfare. The date is significant because it marks the day the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. The purpose of World Children's Day is to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights, translating into dialogues and actions that will build a better world for children.

Though Universal Children's Day is celebrated on November 20, but different countries have their own Children's Day. In India, Children's Day is celebrated on November 14 to mark the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday (November 19, 2025) he was designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, as he hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a gala dinner at the White House.

"Tonight, I'm pleased to announce that we're taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them," Mr. Trump said.

"And I'm just telling you now for the first time, because they wanted to keep a little secret for tonight," Mr. Trump said of the designation, which only 19 other countries have previously received.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) will organise the maiden Earth Summit 2025-26 with the theme ‘Empowering rural Innovation for Global Change’ in Hyderabad on November 20 and 21.

The second edition of the conference series will take place in Gandhinagar on December 5 and 6, 2025, while the third meeting will be held in New Delhi in February 2026.

“The Summit will serve as a global platform to drive policy outcomes, investments, and collaborations that accelerate rural transformation. Industry leaders from across sectors will explore ways to bridge gaps between technology, finance, agriculture, and climate action,” Shaji K.V, Chairman, NABARD, said here on Wednesday.