National Current Affairs
Ladakh has been officially declared as India's first 100% Organic Union Territory on October 25, 2026, recognising its complete transition toward chemical-free agricultural practices across Leh and Kargil districts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Uttar Pradesh and Odisha on October 25, 2026, where he inaugurated a garment manufacturing facility in Varanasi, witnessed the Indian Air Force Day Aerial Display 2026 at Namo Ghat under the theme Wings over Ganges (marking the 94th anniversary of the IAF), and inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India's Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026, which aims to provide administrative and financial autonomy to the eastern districts of Nagaland.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989 ( specifically Rule 115 and Rule 115E) to permit the use of E85 and E100 (up to 100% bioethanol) fuels in specially designed flex-fuel vehicles.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) introduced a Concessional Local Pass via FASTag under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2026 for non-commercial vehicle owners residing within 20 kilometres of a National Highway fee plaza, with annual fees set at Rs 1,500 outside municipal limits and Rs 3,000 within local town limits.
MoRTH proposed making Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) conforming to AIS-185 mandatory for all new M1-category car models from October 2030, while AEBS and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) conforming to AIS-162 will become mandatory for trucks from October 1, 2027.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Union Health Ministry strictly prohibited the reuse of single-use medical devices and disposable surgical items across all healthcare facilities in India.
A Very Severe Cyclonic Storm named Cyclone Arnab made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, on October 28, 2026, hitting the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with wind speeds of 125 to 135 kmph.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti C. R. Paatil launched the Punah Bharan mobile application for the scientific identification and planning of artificial groundwater recharge zones across India.
Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the world's first integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to identify real-time sources of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference (AWC 2026) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, held under the theme Powering the Global South.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Indian Army launched a joint training initiative to train 600 Civil Defence Master Trainers across 12 States and Union Territories (50 trainers per State/UT) in the first phase.
Bihar Museum in Patna was ranked 1st in Asia and 9th globally among the world's best museums.
Purana Qila (a 16th-century fort) has been selected as the principal venue for the India Biennale 2026, and Jantar Mantar in Central Delhi was also officially added as an exhibition venue alongside over 20 heritage sites.
The Supreme Court of India noted that 14 states have agreed to increase the retirement age of district judicial officers from 60 to 62 years, following its earlier directive.
Goa hosted the Goa AI Tech Conclave 2026, where the state unveiled the Goa AI Policy, established an AI Centre of Excellence, and launched the BHASHINI Konkani Large Language Model (LLM).
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented a supplementary budget of Rs 7,844.18 crore for FY 2026-27 at the Legislative Assembly in Bhararisain, Gairsain, taking the state's total budget to Rs 1.19 lakh crore.
Rajasthan announced plans to formulate India's first dedicated State Veterinary Policy; Rajasthan also ranks first in India in livestock insurance policies issued under the Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana, with over 26 lakh policies issued.
The Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved proposals to designate Kolamarka Conservation Reserve and Expanded Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary as full-fledged Wildlife Sanctuaries and approved 14 new conservation reserves.
The 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Exhibition 2026 and the 2nd National Urban Conclave were organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Odisha Government in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Union Minister of State for AYUSH and Health Prataprao Jadhav launched the 4th edition of the Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign (TFYC 4.0), a 60-day public health drive in New Delhi to create tobacco-free educational campuses.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) announced that DPIIT-recognised startups in India crossed the 2.5 lakh milestone (reaching 2,50,046 startups across over 770 districts), generating more than 25.42 lakh direct jobs, and launched the 6th National Startup Awards.
International Current Affairs
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was re-elected as the President of Brazil for a historic fourth term.
Christine Lagarde announced her early resignation as the President of the European Central Bank (ECB), which will take effect on February 7, 2027.
Milton Dick, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, was elected as the 32nd President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) for a three-year term; the 154th IPU Assembly will be held in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2027.
In the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2026, India ranked 88th, while Denmark topped the global index at 1st position.
Nepal became the first beneficiary country of the global Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) (established at COP27), receiving a provisional allocation of USD 20 million in response to the August 2026 glacial-lake outburst flood.
Ukraine officially joined the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) Security Cooperation Support Partnership (headquartered in Capellen, Luxembourg), allowing Ukrainian defence firms access to NATO procurement opportunities despite Ukraine not being a NATO member.
Greece approved a landmark legislation imposing a social media ban for children under 15 years of age, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027.
India and Mexico formally launched negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) after signing the Terms of Reference to boost bilateral trade and investment.
Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein paid an official visit to India from October 25 to 28, 2026, holding bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on trade, technology, and the India-EFTA TEPA implementation (which commits USD 100 billion FDI over 15 years).
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk concluded a high-level official visit to India to strengthen bilateral ties in defence, Artificial Intelligence, and digital infrastructure.
At the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Yerevan, Armenia, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav delivered India's national statement reaffirming commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
During CBD COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released its first global coral reef assessment under the Red List of Ecosystems (RLE), warning that 96% of assessed coral reef ecosystems face the risk of collapse by 2075.
India and Sri Lanka collaborated on the South Asian Manuscript Histories and Textual Archive (SAMHiTA) Palm-Leaf Manuscript Digitisation Project at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo, aimed at digitising 100 ancient Buddhist manuscripts.
The 10th India-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter-Terrorism was held in New Delhi, focusing on counter-radicalisation, terror financing, and cooperation under SCO-RATS.
The Earthshot Prize 2026 announced that its annual awards ceremony will make its India debut in Mumbai, Maharashtra on November 16 and 17, 2026.
A United Nations (UN) report on women in armed conflicts revealed that over 37,000 civilians were killed in conflicts globally in 2025, with women and girls accounting for 25% of fatalities (at least 25 women and girls killed daily), and around 170 million women and girls surviving on less than USD 3 per day in conflict zones.
Economy and Finance
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) released its Monthly Economic Review for October 2026, projecting India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate at 7.35% for the second quarter (Q2: July-September) of FY 2026-27 (FY27).
According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth slowed to a four-month low of 6.7% in September 2026 (down from a revised 7.8% in August 2026).
India's Eight Core Industries recorded an accelerated growth of 9% in September 2026, marking the highest growth in the new data series since April 2024, driven by coal, refinery products, and iron ore sectors.
According to DPIIT data, India recorded Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows of USD 94.53 billion in FY 2025-26, taking cumulative FDI inflows over the 12-year period (2014-15 to 2025-26) to USD 843 billion.
The Union Cabinet approved an additional 3% hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, effective from July 1, 2026, raising the rate from 60% to 63% of Basic Pay/Pension, with an annual exchequer impact of Rs 10,016.10 crore.
The Ministry of Finance notified November 1, 2026 as the effective date for key Finance Act 2026 amendments concerning post-supply discounts, provisional GST refunds under the Inverted Duty Structure (IDS), and export refunds.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) amended the CGST Rules, 2017 to set strict timelines and deemed approval rules for GST registration applications if no action is taken by a proper officer within the stipulated period.
The Department of Commerce extended Component II of the RELIEF (Resilience and Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) initiative until March 31, 2027.
NLC India Limited (NLCIL), a Navratna CPSE, signed MoUs worth Rs 37,000 crore with the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (IPICOL) to establish a 3,200 MW (4 × 800 MW) ultra-supercritical thermal power plant (Rs 35,000 crore) and a beach-sand mineral project (Rs 2,000 crore) in Odisha.
The Assam Cabinet, chaired by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, approved a Rs 303.69 crore investment proposal by Welspun Group's Weetek Plastic Private Limited in Rangia, Kamrup district.
Niger emerged as one of India's leading African soybean suppliers in the 2025-26 marketing year, with shipments exceeding 4,30,000 tonnes alongside suppliers like Benin, Togo, and Nigeria.
The Port of Montreal (Canada) and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding for five years to strengthen trade along the Mundra-Montreal shipping corridor.
Banking and Financial Services
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised the Bank Leverage Ratio Framework under Basel III norms, mandating a minimum leverage ratio of 4% for Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs), 3.5% plus applicable buffer for branches of Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs) in India, and 3.5% for all other banks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Greenfield Data Centre and Enterprise Computing and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
State Bank of India (SBI) launched CyRIS (Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to enhance threat intelligence, cyber resilience, and security capabilities across the Indian financial sector.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced a new Early Pay-in Margin Framework, allowing eligible clients to utilise the value of securities delivered through early pay-in toward margin requirements on subsequent cash-market trades, effective from February 22, 2027.
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under MeitY and Bank of India (BOI) signed an MoU to explore and deploy Quantum Technologies and advanced computing for banking innovation and cybersecurity.
YES BANK launched a specialised savings account named YES vibez tailored specifically for Generation Z (Gen Z) customers.
Air India and SBI Card partnered with Visa to launch a new co-branded credit card offering travel benefits for members of Air India's Maharaja Club loyalty programme.
India Post and UTI Mutual Fund signed an MoU to strengthen pan-India doorstep Know Your Customer (KYC) verification services for mutual fund investors using the postal network.
PhonePe partnered with leading banking institutions to roll out digital National Pension System (NPS) and government-backed pension savings accessibility aimed at first-time investors, millennials, and Gen Z.
Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) disbursed its first major maritime loans, providing Rs 150 crore to the Dredging Corporation of India and Rs 110 crore to Goa Shipyard Limited.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) partnered to invest in One Planet Partners' first Private Equity (PE) fund in India.
The Government of India reiterated the pause/discontinuation of new primary tranches under the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme, noting that the existing maximum investment limit per fiscal year remains 4 kg for individuals/HUFs and 20 kg for trusts.
Government Schemes and Policies
Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS): Approved by the Union Cabinet with a budgetary outlay of Rs 10,000 crore up to FY 2039-40 to establish a globally competitive domestic shipping container manufacturing ecosystem in India.
Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY): Approved by the Union Cabinet as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with a total financial outlay of Rs 7,395.55 crore for a five-year period from FY 2026-27 (FY27) to FY 2030-31 (FY31) to transform grassroots Panchayat governance.
Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme: Approved by the Union Cabinet with a total outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore from FY 2026-27 to FY 2033-34 (FY34) to promote indigenous manufacturing of high-quality sports equipment under the Khelo India initiative.
PLI Scheme for Textiles (Modifications): The Ministry of Textiles modified the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Textiles, extending its tenure up to FY 2033-34 exclusively for applicants approved under Round 4 and reducing minimum investment thresholds to boost participation.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Initiative: Completed two years of implementation on October 29, 2026 (launched on October 29, 2024); it provides free health coverage under AB PM-JAY to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of socio-economic status.
NMMS 2.0 Mobile App: Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the upgraded National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) 2.0 app to strengthen real-time attendance monitoring under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G).
PM-DAKSH Scheme Progress: The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) reported that the PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi) scheme has trained 1.87 lakh candidates, with 96,162 candidates successfully placed in employment.
ESIC New Amnesty Scheme 2025 Extended: The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment extended its one-time dispute resolution New Amnesty Scheme 2025 until December 31, 2026.
PM-KUSUM Expansion: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi announced the inclusion of a dedicated large-scale agrivoltaics programme under the next phase of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme.
Defence and Science & Technology
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved a major indigenous shipbuilding project worth over Rs 40,000 crore to build 8 Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) for the Indian Navy.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved capital acquisition proposals (Acceptance of Necessity) worth Rs 2.12 lakh crore, with 82% sourced from domestic industry, covering Active Offboard Decoy Systems (AODS) for the Navy, Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radars and helicopters for the IAF, and High Mobility Vehicles (HMVs), VSHORADS, and Light Multi-Role Helicopters (LMRH) for the Army.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released the revised Indian Army Land Warfare Doctrine 2026 (replacing the 2018 doctrine) during the Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, focusing on AI, drones, precision warfare, and multi-domain operations.
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched the fourth indigenous Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) named Srishti (Yard 1283) for the Indian Navy at Vasco-da-Gama, Goa on October 27, 2026.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh represented India at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Cebu, the Philippines, under the 2026 chairmanship theme Navigating Our Future, Together.
The 11th edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti 2026, a bilateral joint special forces exercise between India and Indonesia, commenced at Banyuwangi, Indonesia (scheduled from October 27 to November 6, 2026).
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri, an indigenously built stealth frigate, participated in the India-Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) Bilateral Exercise at Busan Naval Harbour, South Korea.
INS Trishul conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Italian Naval Ship Carlo Margottini.
DRDO completed crucial testing of its indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Energy Module, inaugurated virtually by Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh; the module will be handed over to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) for integration into a Kalvari-class submarine in early 2027.
Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) signed a five-year MoU with Indian AI company Sarvam AI to develop sovereign Artificial Intelligence applications across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Indian defence startup IG Defence signed an MoU with Oman-based MSA Global LLC to co-develop and localise advanced defence systems for Oman and the GCC region.
The Technology Development Board (TDB) sanctioned Rs 116 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund to Manastu Space Technologies (towards a Rs 277.63 crore project) to build green propulsion systems for satellites and launch vehicles.
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an MoU with IIT (BHU) Varanasi to establish its 6th Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Advanced 6G and Quantum Technologies.
HCLTech and Japan's Rapidus opened new semiconductor centres in Karnataka, while INOX India inaugurated a Semiconductor Training Centre in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Scientists developed the Lumina Simulation, an advanced computational model mapping the first two billion years of the early universe, including dark matter and radiation interactions.
ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute developed Kufri Jamunia, India's new biofortified purple-fleshed potato variety rich in anthocyanins and antioxidants.
Botanical researchers discovered a new pink-flowering plant species named Osbeckia assamensis in Manas National Park, Assam, two new flowering plant species named Ophiorrhiza shidiensis and Ophiorrhiza pemae in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, a microscopic land snail in Kolhapur's Tilari region (Maharashtra), and an eyeless cave freshwater snail named Erhaia dijiang in Yunnan Province, China.
Sports Current Affairs
5th Asian Para Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan): India finished 4th in the overall medal standings with a historic haul of 114 medals (30 Gold, 35 Silver, and 49 Bronze), while China topped the medal tally. Para-athletics contributed the highest share for India with 65 medals (22 Gold, 19 Silver, 24 Bronze).
Key Indian Performers at Asian Para Games 2026: Archer Sheetal Devi won three medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver) and set a world record of 1,402 points in the compound mixed-team qualification round alongside Toman Kumar; shooter Mona Agarwal set a world record (357.5 points) in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event; Sumit Antil defended his men's javelin throw Gold in a podium sweep alongside Mahendra Gurjar (Silver) and Sandip Sanjay Sargar (Bronze); other notable gold medallists included Nitesh Kumar, Naveen Sivakumar, Haney, Sandeep, and archers Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi.
70th Ballon d'Or Awards 2026 (London, UK): England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won his first Men's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Englishman in 25 years (since Michael Owen in 2001) and the fifth overall to win the award. Spain's Alexia Putellas won the Women's Ballon d'Or for the third time (after 2021 and 2022), while Mexico's Charlyn Corral won the Women's Gerd Muller Trophy.
European Chess Club Cup 2026 (Budva, Montenegro): Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin (representing Novy Bor Chess Club) and Koneru Humpy (representing Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo, which won the Women's Team title) won Individual Gold medals, Pentala Harikrishna won an Individual Silver medal, and Karthikeyan Murali won an Individual Bronze medal.
11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, an English chess prodigy of Indian origin, became the youngest woman in chess history to earn the open International Master (IM) title at the European Women's Chess Club Cup 2026, also joining the top 10 youngest IMs overall.
Yonex French Open 2026 (Badminton): Held at Arena Grand Paris, France, South Korea's An Se-young won the Women's Singles title by defeating India's P. V. Sindhu (who finished as Runner-up). France's Christo Popov won the Men's Singles title.
World Boxing U19 Championships 2026: Russia topped the overall medal table, while Indian boxer Aditya won a Gold medal for India.
Formula 1 United States Grand Prix 2026: Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix 2026, marking his ninth career win.
LA28 Olympic Slogan: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) Organising Committee unveiled Stars Align as the official slogan for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Clean Sport Conclave: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Ministry of Education (MoE), and UNESCO signed a tripartite MoU at NADA India's Clean Sport Conclave in New Delhi to integrate anti-doping and fair sport values into school curricula.
Cricket Retirement: Indian women's top-order batter Sabbhineni Meghana (S. Meghana) from Andhra Pradesh announced her retirement from all formats of international cricket at the age of 30.
Awards, Appointments, Books, and Obituaries
Princess of Asturias Award for Sports 2026: Argentine football legend Lionel Messi was conferred the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Sports in Oviedo, Spain.
Oskar Klein Medal 2026: Renowned theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen became the first Indian physicist to win the prestigious Oskar Klein Medal for his pioneering work in string theory.
UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2026: Indian Army officer Major Abhilasha Barak (the first woman combat aviator of the Indian Army) received the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2026 for her service with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
First Class Order of Zayed II (UAE): Indian commercial pilot Captain Smit Machchhar was awarded the First Class Order of Zayed II, a high civilian honour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for saving 174 passengers aboard a Flydubai flight.
UMI Conference Best Metro Award: The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) won the award for Metro Rail with the Best Passenger Service and Satisfaction for the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat RRTS corridor.
Japan's G-Mark Good Design Award: Shabari Naturals, a tribal enterprise initiative from Maharashtra, won Japan's G-Mark Good Design Award for its sustainable packaging.
Appointment - DMA Additional Secretary: Air Marshal Vikram Gaur was appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Ministry of Defence, becoming the first Indian Air Force (IAF) officer to hold the post.
Appointment - ITBP Additional Charge: Sanjay Singhal, Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), was assigned the additional charge as Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), effective from October 31, 2026.
Appointment - J&K Chief Secretary: The Ministry of Home Affairs appointed 1995-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav as the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir.
Appointment - FICCI President-Elect: Vijay Sankar, Chairman of The Sanmar Group, was appointed as the President-Elect of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for 2026-27.
Books in News: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book titled Advantage India: Reshaping the Future for an Equitable World. Former Governor Arif Mohammed Khan unveiled the English translation of the book The Story of Vande Mataram in New Delhi.
Obituaries: Former Prime Minister of Japan Yasuo Fukuda passed away at the age of 90; renowned Indian painter and former Rajya Sabha MP Jogen Chowdhury passed away at 87 in Kolkata; celebrated Tamil chef and Padma Shri awardee K. Damodaran (Chef Damu) passed away at 72 in Chennai; three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist para-athlete Neeraj Yadav passed away; and Oscar-nominated American actress Barbara Barrie passed away at 95.
Important Dates and Themes (October 25 to October 31)
October 24 to October 30, 2026: United Nations Disarmament Week 2026.
October 24 to October 31, 2026: Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2026.
October 26 to November 1, 2026: Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 (observed by the Central Vigilance Commission during the week in which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birthday falls).
October 27, 2026: 80th Infantry Day (Shaurya Diwas) observed by the Indian Army to commemorate the 1947 landing of Indian troops at Srinagar Airfield.
October 27, 2026: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2026.
October 28, 2026: International Animation Day 2026.
October 29, 2026: International Day of Care and Support 2026.
October 29, 2026: World Stroke Day 2026.
October 31, 2026: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) 2026, marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (first observed in 2014; also marks the anniversary of the formation of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on October 31, 2019).
October 31, 2026: World Savings Day (World Thrift Day) 2026 - Theme: AI Advises, human decides.
October 31, 2026: 13th World Cities Day 2026 - Theme: Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All (Global host city: Fuzhou, China).
Quick Revision One-Liners
First 100% Organic Union Territory of India declared on October 25, 2026: Ladakh.
Location of the newly inaugurated RBI Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute: Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
India's rank in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2026: 88th (Topped by Denmark).
Total medals won by India at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan: 114 medals (30 Gold, 35 Silver, 49 Bronze - 4th Rank).
Winners of the 2026 Ballon d'Or: Harry Kane (Men's) and Alexia Putellas (Women's).
Youngest woman in chess history to achieve the International Master (IM) title: Bodhana Sivanandan (11 years old).
First Indian physicist to be awarded the Oskar Klein Medal: Ashoke Sen.
Recipient of the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award 2026: Major Abhilasha Barak.
First country to receive financial assistance (USD 20 million) under the UN Loss and Damage Fund: Nepal.
Total outlay approved by the Union Cabinet for the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS): Rs 10,000 crore.
Total outlay approved for the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY) for FY27-FY31: Rs 7,395.55 crore.
Total outlay approved for the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme for FY27-FY34: Rs 1,856.67 crore.
Revised Dearness Allowance (DA) rate for Central Government employees effective July 1, 2026: 63% (increased by 3%).
Minimum Basel III Leverage Ratio mandated by RBI for Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs): 4%.
Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence launched by State Bank of India (SBI) in Mumbai: CyRIS.
Fourth Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) launched by Goa Shipyard Limited for the Indian Navy: Srishti.
Venue of the 11th India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise Garuda Shakti 2026: Banyuwangi, Indonesia.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm that made landfall near Yanam (Andhra Pradesh coast) on October 28, 2026: Cyclone Arnab.
Mobile application launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to map artificial groundwater recharge zones: Punah Bharan.
Official slogan unveiled for the Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) Olympic and Paralympic Games: Stars Align.
First Indian Air Force officer appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA): Air Marshal Vikram Gaur.
Newly appointed President-Elect of FICCI for 2026-27: Vijay Sankar.
Newly appointed Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir: Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav.
Biofortified purple potato variety developed in India: Kufri Jamunia.
Host city in India for the Earthshot Prize 2026 ceremony: Mumbai, Maharashtra.