Reports and Indices Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Global Firepower (GFP) Index 2025 ranks the world’s strongest militaries using over 60 factors like manpower, defense budgets, logistics, and technology. The United States ranks 1st, with over $860 billion defense budget, advanced technology, and global reach across land, sea, air, and cyber domains. Russia holds the 2nd position, backed by its massive tank, artillery, and nuclear arsenal, along with modernization of S-500 air defense and hypersonic missile programs. China ties with Russia, driven by rapid military modernization, focus on cyber warfare, and expansion of its blue-water navy. India ranks 4th, emphasizing Atmanirbhar Bharat and indigenous defense projects like Tejas Mk1A, Arihant-class submarines, and BrahMos upgrades.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released the 2025 Adaptation Gap Report titled “Running on Empty” ahead of COP30 in Brazil. The report warns that wealthy nations have failed to meet their climate finance promises, leaving developing countries vulnerable. It highlights that adaptation finance needs of developing nations will reach US310–365 billion per year by 2035, while current flows are only US26 billion (2023). Adaptation aims to help countries adjust to climate impacts like floods, heatwaves, and rising seas. The report calls adaptation a lifeline, not a cost, as global climate risks intensify. India supports making COP30 the “COP of Adaptation,” stressing finance and technology sharing.

Notes:
The International Migration Outlook 2025 report was recently released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2023, about 2,25,000 Indian citizens acquired the nationality of OECD countries. India and China together accounted for one-third of all international students studying in OECD member countries. The report highlights India’s growing global mobility in terms of both citizenship acquisition and educational migration.

Notes:
A joint report by the Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) stated that India now has the world’s third-largest pipeline of clean industrial projects after China and the USA. The pipeline requires an estimated $150 billion in investment to become operational. This investment is almost double India’s total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in FY25. Most projects are greenfield facilities in chemicals, hydrogen, port infrastructure, and core industrial assets. These projects will boost Make in India, enhance domestic supply chains, and make India a global clean industrial hub. India’s growth in steel, cement, chemicals, aviation, and shipping sectors is driving industrial expansion and employment.

Notes:
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released the State of the Climate Update for COP30. 2025 is projected to be the 2nd or 3rd warmest year on record. The last 11 years, including 2025, are the warmest 11 years in recorded history. This indicates global efforts are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals. The period 2015–2025 will be the warmest 11-year span in 176 years. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) reached record levels in 2024 and continue rising in 2025. Renewable energy adoption is expanding. Climate action plans are increasingly guided by science-based climate services

Notes:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) released a new report titled “Shaping the Deep-Tech Revolution in Agriculture” on November 7, 2025. The report was launched under WEF’s Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture Initiative (AI4AI), established in 2021 to promote inclusive and sustainable farming. It identifies seven deep-tech domains driving agri-transformation — Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), Computer Vision, Robotics, Edge Internet of Things (IoT), Satellite-enabled Remote Sensing, CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats), and Nanotechnology. These technologies can transform how crops are grown, monitored, protected, and distributed, boosting productivity, resilience, and sustainability.

Notes:
The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) report Global Cooling Watch 2025 was released on 11th November at COP30, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Belém, Brazil. Global cooling demand is projected to triple by 2050, potentially doubling emissions to 7.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Sustainable Cooling Pathway can cut emissions by 64% and save $43 trillion in electricity and grid costs by 2050. Measures include passive cooling (shading, ventilation, reflective surfaces, green spaces), low-energy and hybrid systems, high-efficiency equipment, and fast HFC refrigerant phase-down under the Kigali Amendment. Rapid power-sector decarbonisation can reduce cooling emissions by 97%, nearing net-zero by mid-century.

Notes:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Report 2025, India’s total tuberculosis (TB) cases have reduced by 21% in the last decade — nearly double the global average of 12%. TB cases in India dropped from 237 per lakh population in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024. Mortality due to TB also declined from 28 per lakh in 2015 to 21 per lakh in 2024. The Health Ministry credited the progress to an improved case-finding approach that enhanced diagnosis and treatment coverage. There has been no significant rise in multidrug-resistant TB cases.

Notes:
India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% for Q2 FY26 (July–September), driven by strong private consumption and a resilient services sector. India’s GDP grew 5.6% in Q2 FY25 and 7.8% in Q1 FY26, the fastest in five quarters. The National Statistical Office (NSO) will release official GDP data on November 28, 2025. Growth was supported by steady real income rise among both upper- and lower-income groups. From the supply side, growth came from a resilient services sector and manufacturing exports aided by a favourable base effect. Retail inflation eased faster than expected, boosting real wages and consumption.

Notes:
In the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026, released by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network at UN COP30, India slipped 13 places to 23rd position with a score of 61.31. India fell from a high to a medium performer due to no coal-exit deadline and continued coal block auctions. CCPI notes medium performance in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, Climate Policy and Energy Use, and low in Renewable Energy. India shows strong intent with 50% non-fossil capacity achieved early, rising renewable auctions and work on green finance taxonomy and a national carbon market.