🇮🇳 National News & Economy
Banking holiday update: Contrary to common belief, banks in India are open on 29 November 2025. The day falls on a fifth Saturday of the month — and since there’s no special holiday declared, banking operations continue as usual. Digital banking services remain unaffected.
Soaring gold-backed lending: According to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), loans against gold jewellery have surged by a massive 128.5% year-on-year, reaching ₹3.38 lakh crore by October 2025. This type of secured lending now comprises nearly a quarter of the growth in banks’ personal-loan books. Meanwhile, housing, vehicle, and education loans rose as well, signalling a broad-based credit expansion with a tilt toward secured borrowing.
Policy & governance highlights:
The government inaugurated a new semiconductor training lab at Mohali under the Semiconductor Complex Ltd. (SCL), with the vision of positioning India as a global “Semiconductor Nation”. The initiative reflects India’s push for self-reliance and technological capacity building.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor appealed to poets and writers to promote unity and counter radicalisation — underscoring cultural and social initiatives in sensitive regions.
The 56th edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) concluded in Goa, wrapping up another chapter in India’s cultural engagement and film diplomacy.
Important legal & fraud-case update: A special court rejected the plea of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi to drop proceedings under the fugitive economic offender (FEO) law in the high-profile fraud case linked to the state-run Punjab National Bank (PNB). This marks a significant judicial development in one of India’s largest banking fraud cases.
Economic growth discussion: The government hailed the 8.2% GDP growth in the second quarter of 2025-26 as a sign of “India’s enterprise and hard work.” However, opposition voices cautioned that such high growth may not be sustainable unless private investment picks up momentum.
🌍 International News & Global Affairs
Air travel disruption due to A320 software glitch: Several airlines — including top Indian carriers — have grounded their fleets of Airbus A320-family aircraft worldwide for urgent software and hardware upgrades. Over 200 to 350 A320 planes in India are impacted, leading to flight cancellations and delays. Passengers are urged to check flight status before travel, as the upgrade might take 2–3 days.
Humanitarian crisis — Sri Lanka floods: Severe flooding in Sri Lanka, worsened by cyclone-induced rains, has claimed dozens of lives, left many missing, and triggered emergency relief efforts. The damage has raised alarms over further humanitarian fallout and has drawn international attention.
Geopolitics & global headline news: The global media spotlight also fell on geopolitical tensions and international developments — including maritime flashpoints and diplomatic moves — as countries weighed in on evolving global security and migration issues.
🏦 Banking & Finance — Relevance for Exam Aspirants
The dramatic rise in gold-backed loans — now a major component of retail credit — reflects shifting trends in borrowing behavior. For competitive exams, this underlines the importance of understanding secured versus unsecured lending, and how regulated entities like the RBI oversee and report these trends.
The banking-holiday update is a reminder of calendar-based exceptions relevant for banking operations — a common factoid/pattern that can appear in prelims or interview rounds.
The continued growth in housing, vehicle and education loans shows that banking credit is diversifying and expanding beyond traditional unsecured personal loans — helpful context for questions on banking sector health and credit penetration in India.
🎯 Other Notable Developments & Updates
Major technology push: The launch of the semiconductor training lab at SCL Mohali underscores India’s commitment to ramping up its hardware manufacturing capacity. This is significant for those following India’s tech-industrialization journey and “Make in India” ambitions.
Cultural diplomacy & soft power: The successful conclusion of IFFI enhances India’s global cultural outreach. Film festivals — often a blend of diplomacy and cultural exchange — continue to boost India’s soft power.
Legal accountability and financial scrutiny: The rejection of Mehul Choksi’s plea reinforces the government’s resolve to pursue economic offenders, send a message to white-collar crime, and reinforce investor and depositor confidence.
