ModiWatch: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate development projects worth ₹12,100 crore ($1.45 billion) in Bihar today.

During his November 16–21 trip to three countries, PM Modi will attend the G20 conference in Brazil.

Countdown to state elections

First phase of voting in Jharkhand: Out of the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand, 15 districts will cast votes for the 43 that are up for grabs.

Opposition chief unhappy with security: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed he was a victim of “target scrutiny” when his bags were checked after his helicopter landed in Yavatmal District in Maharashtra.

Manifesto for Jharkhand elections: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which is contesting state elections in an alliance with the Congress party, has declared a manifesto that includes free kindergarten through doctoral education, interest-free agricultural loans, small—and medium-sized business loan waivers, the restoration of the Gramme Sabha's authority by rescinding the Forest Conservation Act's changes, and a 33% reservation for women in state government positions.

BJP and Congress appeal to the election commission: Both Congress and BJP approached the Election Commission of India accusing each other of violations of the poll code in election-bound states.

Congress targets BJP over farmers issues in Maharashtra: Congress accused the BJP government in Maharashtra of ignoring issues such as the exodus of manufacturing units from Pune’s Chakan industrial area and the alleged neglect of the sugar industry to farmer suicides, and water scarcity in Solapur.

Ties with China and Russia

More ties for India-China: Building on to border patrolling agreement, India and China are hoping to revert the situation as it was before the face-off started in April-May 2020 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Foreign Minister says progress in payments and logistics with Russia: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said there have been challenges to trade, especially with payments and logistics, however perceptible progress has been made in those areas.

India’s remarks for the UN: India has cautioned that “smokescreen” efforts in the existing UN Security Council framework to indefinitely postpone the expansion of permanent membership, affecting countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Parliamentary affairs

Opposition boycott leads to postponement of parliamentary panel: The study tour of the Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was postponed following a notice by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Increase in solar exports

Solar PV product exports reach $2 billion: According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research & Analytics report, India's solar photovoltaic (PV) product exports have surged to $2 billion, growing 23 times between 2022 and 2024.

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Goldman Sachs to partner with Jubilant Group: Goldman Sachs and the Bhartia family of the Jubilant Group are in advanced talks to collaborate on the potential purchase of a 40% share in Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB), the fully owned bottling company of the American beverage giant Coca-Cola in India.

American Tower Corp exits India: The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was notified by American Tower Corp that it lost $1.2 billion, when it sold its India division, ATC Telecom Infrastructure (ATC-TIPL), to Canadian asset management Brookfield.

Standard Chartered's plan for India: Standard Chartered Bank is pivoting toward wealth management in India, based on rising affluence, strong income growth in the wealth segment, and its global network.

Announcements by India Inc

E-commerce giant’s push towards EV: Flipkart, an Indian e-commerce giant, said that the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in its delivery fleet touched the 10,000 mark as part of its EV adoption push. The company aims to electrify its delivery fleet by 2030 fully.

Reliance’s plan for biogas plants: Over the next five years, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) plans to invest ₹65,000 crore ($7.8 billion) in Andhra Pradesh to establish 500 compressed biogas plants.

India’s gaming market to reach $9.2 billion: According to venture capital firm Lumikai's report, India's gaming market is expected to reach $9.2 billion by 2028-29, driven by a rise in advertisement revenue and in-app purchases.

Patent filing increase

India enters the top 10 for patent filings: According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024 report, India has secured sixth place globally in patent filings with 64,480 applications.

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All women battalion

Home Ministry approves all-women battalion: The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the first all-women battalion of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Views from the Op-Eds: Women in politics.

Aditi Narayani Paswan (The Indian Express) writes empowerment for women means the decentralisation of authority and power, with more room in electoral politics. She highlights the run of Kamala Harris in the US elections saying, it was high time that a woman, especially a woman of colour, held the highest office. She argues women in India have become “game changers, shaping electoral politics and defining electoral gains”. She adds that the Indian government has come up with many pro-woman policies due to the engagement of women in decision-making roles.

Meenakshi Lekhi (The Print) believes Kamala Harris’ loss was not connected to the fact that she is a woman but came down to policy choices and track record. She feels the loss for Harris should not be seen as a loss for women. Instead, it should be viewed as a missed chance for female leaders to demonstrate their abilities as peacekeepers. Meanwhile, Wiles' selection as the White House chief of staff is a positive development, she adds.

Delhi Today: Plenty of sunshine; air quality will be very unhealthy.

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