State PCS - West Bengal (WBCS)

• 26 Nov 2025

Exercise SURYAKIRAN (2025)

Why in News? 

The 19^th edition of India–Nepal Joint Military Exercise SURYAKIRAN-XIX began on 25^th November 2025 at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. 

Key Points 

• About Exercise SURYAKIRAN: 
  • Exercise SURYAKIRAN is a bilateral military exercise between the Indian Army and the Nepal Army, held annually, with hosting duties alternating between the two countries. 
  • It aims to enhance interoperability, strengthen military diplomacy, and deepen India–Nepal defence cooperation. 
  • The exercise primarily focuses on counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and jungle/mountain warfare terrain common to both armies. 
  • It is conducted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which deals with peacekeeping duties related to threats to peace, breaches of peace, and counter-terrorism scenarios.
    
• About the 2025 Edition: 
  • The 2025 edition of the exercise is being hosted at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, from 25^th November to 08^th December, 2025. 
  • The Indian contingent comprises 334 personnel, mainly from the Assam Regiment while the Nepalese contingent also includes 334 personnel, primarily from the Devi Datta Regiment. 
  • The 2025 edition highlights incorporation of niche and emerging military technologies, such as: 
    • Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) 
    • Drone-based ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) 
    • AI-enabled decision-support tools 
    • Unmanned logistics vehicles 
    • Armoured protection platforms 

Nayi Chetna 4.0 Campaign

Why in News? 

The Union Minister for Rural Development, alongside the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, launched ‘Nayi Chetna 4.0’, a national campaign under the DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission). 

Key Points 

• The fourth edition of Nayi Chetna – Initiative for Change focuses on strengthening women’s safety, mobility, dignity, and socio-economic participation, especially in rural India. 
• The campaign will run nationwide from 25th November to 23rd December 2025, led by the extensive network of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM. 
• Emphasis given on elimination of substance abuse, which was termed a major cause of domestic violence, and village-level campaigns for violence-free communities. 
• The initiative stresses women’s voices in governance, safe public spaces, shared domestic responsibilities, and recognition of women’s economic roles.
  

DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission) 

• The DAY-NRLM was launched in 2011 and later restructured in 2015 to strengthen its implementation framework and outreach. The mission is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development. 
• The scheme aims to reduce rural poverty by promoting self-employment, skill development, and sustainable livelihoods through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). 
• It primarily focuses on mobilizing rural women into SHGs, providing them with credit linkages, capacity-building support, and enhanced access to markets. 
• It includes key components such as financial inclusion, digital literacy, and the diversification of livelihood activities to improve and stabilize household incomes in rural areas.