Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 17th November 2025

Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Renove:

For the first time, France recently published images of its latest-generation nuclear-capable supersonic air-to-surface cruise missile, the Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Renove (ASMPA-R).

• It is the newest version of the ASMP family of medium‐range, supersonic, nuclear‐capable cruise missiles.
• It was developed by France.
• It is integral to France’s nuclear deterrence, forming a key part of the air-based component of its nuclear triad.
• It retains a ramjet architecture, with dual air intakes along the body, enabling sustained supersonic flight at speeds around Mach 3.
• It has a range of roughly 600 kilometres.
• The warhead is understood to be the Tête Nucléaire Aéroportée (TNA) design.
• TNA is a so-called ‘dial-a-yield’ design with reported yield settings ranging from a minimum of 100 kilotons to a maximum of 300 kilotons.

Maram Naga Tribe:

Centre recently sanctioned Rs 9 crore under Jan Man Scheme for Maram Naga tribe development, welfare projects, and cultural preservation in Manipur.

• The Maram Naga tribe belongs to the Naga ethnic group, inhabiting the Northeastern part of India as well as the Western part of Myanmar.
• The Maram habitat falls under the Senapati district of Manipur.
• The Marams are surrounded by other Naga tribes in all directions.
• They are considered to be a part of the Tibeto-Burman family of the Mongoloid race.
• Linguistically, they belong to the sub-family of the Sino-Tibetan family.
• The people speak the Maram language. There are some variations in the way the dialect is spoken, corresponding with geographical location.
• They use Roman script in writing their language.
• Agriculture is the main occupation of the people.
• Shifting cultivation is the main cultivation practiced by them. They are also involved in wet cultivation.
• Hunting is the secondary occupation of Maram tribes.
• Maram tribes are the worshippers of supernatural benevolent and malevolent beings.
• The two major festivals of the Marams are Punghi (celebrated in July) and Kanghi (in December).
• The tribe also celebrates a unique festival called Mangkang around April every year, dedicated to the women folks.

Checkered Keelback:

A team from the Assam State Zoo and Botanical Garden recently recorded the first case of albinism in the checkered keelback (Fowlea piscator), also called the Asian water snake, in Assam.

• The Checkered keelback, also known commonly as the Asiatic water snake, is a medium-sized nonvenomous snake native to Asia.
• Scientific Name: Fowlea piscator
• It is typically found in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
• It is found in almost all parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
• It has a slender and elongated body, making it agile and fast.
• The average length is around 3-4 feet, and it weighs between 200-500 grams.
• Its body is stout and covered with keeled scales on the upper side.
• Its colour is olive-brown, olive-green or yellow, usually with black patches.
• Sometimes it is found in red too.
• Its underside is off-white or light yellow.
• Its head pointed and slightly broader than the neck.
• Its diet mainly consists of fish, frogs, and small reptiles.
• IUCN Ref List: Least Concern

Vrindavani Vastra:

The Assam Chief Minister recently left for London to initiate the process of bringing back the revered Vrindavani Vastra from the British Museum.

• It is a 400-year-old traditional textile from Assam, woven with the theme of Krishna’s various exploits.
• The childhood stories of Lord Krishna in Vrindavan, his divine pastimes, and various events are woven with thread on this cloth.
• It was made of woven silk using the complex ‘lampas’ technique. This technique requires two weavers working simultaneously.
• The designs were woven with a large variety of colored threads, like red, white, black, yellow, green, etc.
• It was created under the guidance of Srimanta Sankardeva, at the request of Koch king Nara Narayan, who ruled over parts of modern-day Assam and West Bengal.
• Nara Nararan had sheltered Sankardeva after the Vaishnav saint was targeted by the Ahom kingdom on the instigation of Brahmin priests in the state.
• The textile serves as a testament to Assamese weaving, incorporating elements from various artistic traditions, and travelled from Assam to Tibet before being acquired by the British Museum in 1904.
• The exhibit, acquired by the British Museum, is nine and a half metres long and is made up of several pieces of silk drapes and originally featured 15 separate pieces that were later assembled.
• A masterpiece of sacred art, the Vrindavani Vastra is a central part of Assamese Vaishnavism.

Ashtamudi Lake: Study

Researchers aim to unravel mechanisms driving unique cooperation between wild dolphins and traditional fishers in Ashtamudi Lake.

• It is a freshwater lake located in the Kollam District of Kerala.
• It is the second largest lake in Kerala, after Vembanad Lake.
• It covers an area of around 61.4 sq.km. The lake runs over a length of 16 kilometres.
• It is often referred to as the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is famous for its houseboat cruises.
• The word ‘Ashtamudi’ means Eight braids in Malayalam, which can be explained by the palm-shaped topography of the lake with multiple branches.
• The lake is fed by several rivers, including the Kallada River, and eventually drains into the Arabian Sea.
• It was designated as a Ramsar site in 2002.
• The historical significance of Ashtamudi Lake dates back to the 14th century, when the lake surroundings were the important port connecting the ancient city of Quilon to the rest of the world.
• Historical records of the Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta highlight Quilon City, on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake, as one of the major trading centers in the ancient period.
• The Ashtamudi region is also known for its traditional coir industry.
• The wetland supports 57 species of birds (6 migratory and 51 resident species) and 97 species of fish (42 typically marine, 3 estuarine, 9 estuarine-riverine, and 15 marine-estuarine).
• The lake supports several endangered and endemic species, such as the pearl spot fish, the mangrove crab, the otter, the water snake, the kingfisher, the egret, the heron, and the cormorant.

Exercise Garuda 2025:

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in the 8th edition of the air exercise ‘Garuda 25’ with the French Air and Space Force (FASF) at Mont-de-Marsan, France.

• It is a bilateral air exercise conducted between India and France.
• It aims to refine tactics and procedures in a realistic operational environment, enabling mutual learning and fostering interoperability between the IAF and the FASF.
• Indian Air Force will be participating with Su-30MKl fighter aircraft, C-17 Globemaster III, IL-78.
• During the exercise, the IAF’s Su-30MKI aircraft will operate alongside the French multirole fighters in complex simulated air combat scenarios, focusing on air-to-air combat, air defence, and joint strike operations.
• It also provides an opportunity for professional interaction, exchange of operational knowledge, and sharing of best practices between the two Air Forces.

Women soldiers in its Territorial Army:

The Army is planning to induct women soldiers in its Territorial Army (TA) battalions.The Indian Territorial Army (TA) is a part-time voluntary military force that supports and augments the regular Indian Army. It is a second line of defence after the regular Indian Army; it is not a profession, occupation or a source of employment.It is only meant for those people who are already in mainstay civilian professions; gainful employment or self-employment in a civil profession is a prerequisite for joining the TA. Motto: Savdhani Va Shoorta (Vigilance and Valour).