November 12, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised agricultural development, smarter farming and farmer empowerment as key priorities for building a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Other major developments include India's preparations for the Prime Minister's visit to the Philippines for the ASEAN Summit, calls to strengthen defence intelligence capabilities, and India's 28th position in the Climate Change Performance Index.
Top India Headlines
- PM Modi Highlights Agriculture’s Role in Building Viksit Bharat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said agricultural development, smarter farming and farmer empowerment are essential to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. Addressing the Kisan Tak Bharat Agriculture Conference at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, he described agriculture as an integral part of India's culture and tradition.
- Rajnath Singh Calls for Stronger Intelligence and Surveillance Capabilities: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged the armed forces to continuously strengthen intelligence and surveillance capabilities to identify potential threats. He also called for maintaining offensive and defensive elements of surprise to ensure operational readiness against conventional and emerging threats.
- PM Modi to Attend ASEAN and East Asia Summits in Philippines: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Philippines for two days from November 16. He will participate in the 23rd ASEAN-India Summit and the 21st East Asia Summit in Manila.
- India Reaffirms Commitment to Climate Action Through LeadIT: Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reiterated India's commitment to climate action through initiatives such as the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). He chaired an interaction with Indian member companies of LeadIT and its project partners in New Delhi.
- President Murmu Highlights Role of Eklavya Schools in Tribal Education: President Droupadi Murmu said Eklavya Model Residential Schools provide quality education to tribal students and help develop their diverse talents. She emphasised that the development of every region and section of society is essential to achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.
- Farmers Should Be Recognised as Custodians of Agricultural Biodiversity: Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr P. K. Mishra called for recognising farmers as custodians and innovators of India's agricultural biodiversity. He emphasised linking traditional farming knowledge with scientific research and seed systems.
- Piyush Goyal Invites Global Investors to Make India Manufacturing Hub: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal invited global investors to consider India as a preferred destination for manufacturing, research and development, global capability centres and emerging technologies. He was addressing the inaugural session of the 31st CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
- PM Modi Urges Citizens to Build Developed India Before 2047: Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon citizens to work collectively towards making India a developed nation before 2047, when the country completes 100 years of independence. He made the remarks while addressing Diwali Milan at BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
- India and Indonesia Take Steps to Strengthen Defence Cooperation: India and Indonesia have taken further steps to deepen defence ties. A delegation from the 55th Army Higher Command Course of the Army War College visited the Indonesian National Armed Forces International Cooperation Centre in Jakarta.
- India Ranks 28th in Climate Change Performance Index: India secured the 28th position in the Climate Change Performance Index, which tracks climate mitigation performance across 64 countries and the European Union. The report assigned India an overall medium rating, with medium scores in greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and climate policy.
Other Major National Updates
- RBI Issues Revised Domestic Money Transfer Guidelines: The Reserve Bank of India issued consolidated directions on domestic money transfers, retaining existing transaction limits while strengthening safeguards for cash-based remittances. Individuals without bank accounts can remit up to ₹50,000 to a beneficiary's bank account through the specified facility.
- Global Crude Oil Prices Decline: Brent crude prices fell 0.6% to $92.17 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) declined 0.8% to $84.78 per barrel.
- Indian Stock Markets Close Higher: The Sensex gained 32 points to close at 81,911, while the Nifty advanced 44 points, or 0.2%, to settle at 25,299. The Nifty Midcap 100 rose 0.9%.
- Rupee Weakens Against US Dollar: The Indian rupee depreciated by 35 paise to trade at ₹94.04 against the US dollar. The dollar index stood at 102.89 during intraday trade.
- Gold and Silver Prices Decline: In the Indian bullion market, 24-carat gold fell 2.1% to ₹1,37,692 per 10 grams, while silver declined 2.6% to ₹1,81,040 per kilogram, according to the India Bullion and Jewellers Association.
