2 Nov – 8 Nov 202626 Oct – 1 Nov 202619 Oct – 25 Oct 202612 Oct – 18 Oct 20265 Oct – 11 Oct 202628 Sep – 4 Oct 202621 Sep – 27 Sep 202614 Sep – 20 Sep 20267 Sep – 13 Sep 202631 Aug – 6 Sep 2026
Weekly at a glance
- Mon 26 Oct — Cyclone Arnab heads for Andhra coast, Operation Trident hits North-East narco-finance, India's Ramsar tally reaches 103
- Tue 27 Oct — DAC clears ₹2.12 lakh crore defence buys; E100 notified as auto fuel; publishers take DPDP Act to Supreme Court
- Wed 28 Oct — India invites Pakistan to SCO Civilisational Dialogue; Supreme Court issues notice on DNPA's DPDP challenge and flags medicine mark-ups; ICRA sees fresh bad loans rising in FY27
- Thu 29 Oct — Cabinet clears ₹10,000-crore container scheme, PM-VGSY & 3% DA hike; Cyclone Arnab hits Andhra; India–Mexico launch PTA talks
- Fri 30 Oct — SC pushes bank liability for digital-arrest frauds; ISRO's NVS-03 to restore NavIC; India tops green hydrogen offtake
All topics — key facts for revision
26 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab to hit Andhra–Yanam coast on 28 October
- Landfall expected between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by forenoon of 28 Oct as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.
- Winds 115–125 km/h, gusting to 140 km/h; storm surge 1.0–1.5 m over East Godavari and Yanam.
- Name "Arnab" was contributed by Bangladesh to the North Indian Ocean list.
- Andhra Pradesh identified about 5.7 lakh vulnerable people for evacuation; Odisha on high alert, fishing suspended till 28 Oct.
DEFENCE Operation Trident: NCB strikes drug-hawala network in North-East
- About ₹100 crore in hawala transactions traced; 1,424 bank accounts frozen; property worth ₹17.82 crore attached.
- 18 arrests; 500 detonators and ₹12 lakh cash seized — a sign of narco-terror overlap.
- Route dubbed the "Death Triangle Corridor": Myanmar → Mizoram → Manipur → Assam → Tripura/Bangladesh.
- Government target: dismantle drug networks by 31 Dec 2029 under the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29).
ECONOMY RBI's ₹169-crore backup data centre opens near Bhubaneswar
- Cost ₹169 crore; 18.55-acre campus at Info Valley-II, Khordha district.
- Acts as backup to RBI's primary data centre at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai; supports payments, currency management and regulatory data.
- Site chosen for seismic stability and distance from border zones and subsea-cable landing points.
- Foundation stone laid on 22 March 2023.
DEFENCE Swavlamban 2026: Navy's 5th innovation & indigenisation seminar
- Documents released: Swavlamban 5.0, Compendium on Technology Imperatives and NAUSETU interface standards.
- Focus areas: maritime surveillance, counter-UAS, AI & quantum, NBCD and safety enhancers.
- Series began in 2022; aims to turn start-up/MSME innovations into deployable capabilities via iDEX.
- Separately, DRDO-NMRL's AIP module entered Setting-to-Work-2 at Hazira for a Kalvari-class submarine.
ENVIRONMENT Sukhna and Sauj Jheel take India's Ramsar tally to 103
- Network covers 13.87 lakh ha across 28 States/UTs; India is 1st in Asia by number of sites.
- Tamil Nadu has the most sites (20), followed by Uttar Pradesh (14).
- Largest site: Sundarban Wetland (WB, ~4.23 lakh ha); Surha Tal (UP) was the 100th site (June 2026).
- Sukhna is an artificial lake (1958) at the foothills of the Shivaliks.
ENVIRONMENT Siang mega-dam protests: RAF deployed in Arunachal
- Locals (largely Adi community) fear displacement, submergence and seismic risk; residents have blocked the Pre-Feasibility Report survey.
- Centre sees SUMP as a strategic buffer against China's ~60,000 MW Medog project on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
- State's sequence: PFR → SIA → EIA → DPR, before any final decision.
POLITY Vigilance Awareness Week 2026: "Probity for Prosperity"
- Precedes a 3-month preventive vigilance campaign (17 Aug–16 Nov 2026) in ministries, PSBs and PSUs.
- Campaign focus: disposal of pending complaints, cyber hygiene, transparent procurement on GeM and contract management.
- Week is observed around Sardar Patel's birth anniversary (31 Oct, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas).
IR India rebuts Pakistan at UN, blames it for stalled SAARC
- "Form 47" alludes to disputed results of Pakistan's February 2024 general election.
- India blamed Pakistan for SAARC's paralysis since the 19th Summit (Islamabad, 2016) was called off after the Uri attack.
- India's regional focus has shifted to BIMSTEC and the Neighbourhood First policy.
IR Liechtenstein's Hereditary Prince on state visit; EFTA ties in focus
- India–EFTA TEPA: signed 10 March 2024, in force from 1 October 2025.
- EFTA committed $100 bn investment over 15 years and 10 lakh direct jobs — India's first FTA with a binding investment pledge.
- India–Liechtenstein diplomatic ties since 1993; this is the Prince's second India visit of 2026.
SOCIETY Free bus travel lifts women's mobility: Time Use Survey data
- Women (15–59) making at least one trip: 38.7% → 45.3% (+6.6 pts) in free-bus States; men only +3.7.
- In 12 other large States, women +4.4 pts vs men +7.6 — the gender gap widened there.
- Telangana (Mahalakshmi, Dec 2023): 43.7% → 54.6%; Andhra Pradesh (scheme only from Aug 2025): 40.8% → 41.6%.
- Care-related trips nearly tripled; paid-work trips rose 2.3 pts vs 1.2 elsewhere.
HEALTH DPDP rules and health data: hospitals face compliance test
- DPDP Act 2023; Rules notified 13 Nov 2025; most obligations apply from 13 May 2027.
- Patient = Data Principal, hospital = Data Fiduciary, vendors = Data Processors.
- Penalty up to ₹250 crore for failing reasonable security safeguards.
- Out-of-pocket spending is 43.4% of total health expenditure (NHA 2022-23) — costs may pass to patients.
27 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →DEFENCE DAC clears ₹2.12 lakh crore capital acquisitions — drones, helicopters, air defence
- About 82% of the procurement to be sourced from Indian industry.
- Army: High Mobility Vehicles, self-propelled tracked guns, VSHORADS, platform-based counter-UAS, long-range kamikaze drones.
- Navy: Active Offboard Decoy Systems against anti-ship missiles + indigenous naval platforms.
- IAF: Light Multi-Role & Special Utility Helicopters, air defence systems, mobile X-band Doppler weather radars.
ECONOMY E100 notified as auto fuel for flex-fuel vehicles
- Amendment is to Rule 115; E85/E100 usable only in OEM-designed flex-fuel vehicles — not in normal or E20-calibrated cars.
- Gross vehicle weight limit in the relevant table raised from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg; B100 biodiesel parameters standardised.
- Draft was published on 27 April 2026 for 30 days of comments.
- India has reached E20 blending ahead of the original 2030 target; ethanol capacity is about 20 billion litres.
ECONOMY RELIEF export risk-cover scheme extended till March 2027
- Launched on 19 March 2026 under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM).
- Component I: up to 100% risk cover, at no extra cost, for ECGC-covered consignments shipped 14 Feb–15 Mar 2026.
- Component II: 95% risk cover on fresh ECGC insurance for shipments to specified regions; premiums held at pre-disruption levels.
- Covers FCL, LCL and reefer cargo; energy shipments excluded; ECGC Ltd is the nodal agency.
HEALTH Five-nanobody 'cocktail' antivenom protects against Indian cobras
- Cocktail of five nanobodies derived from camelid (alpaca/llama) antibodies.
- Protected against spectacled & monocled cobras and both Indian king cobra species, even when given 30 minutes after envenoming.
- Made in microbial expression systems — no horse plasma needed; tiny doses effective.
- India records nearly 50,000 snakebite deaths a year — the highest in the world.
ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab: AP, Odisha step up evacuations ahead of landfall
- Name Arnab was contributed by Bangladesh to the regional list.
- Red alert (>200 mm/24 h) for Kakinada, East & West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR.
- Odisha: Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur on alert.
- 10 NDRF teams in AP, 16 more on standby; armed forces & Coast Guard ready.
ENVIRONMENT WMO: 'super' El Niño may be among the strongest on record
- Niño 3.4 anomaly rose from +1.6°C (June) to +2.5°C (August); Oct–Dec forecast near +3.7°C.
- Previous record: +2.6°C (Nov 2015–Jan 2016).
- India's 2026 southwest monsoon ended about 13% below normal (IMD).
- Below-normal Oct–Dec rainfall likely over central & southern peninsula; above-normal temperatures across South Asia.
POLITY News publishers challenge DPDP Act in Supreme Court; Centre gets notice
- Plea: no exemption for journalistic activity; consent rules could make routine news-gathering unworkable and expose sources.
- Challenges the Centre's power to requisition information from data fiduciaries.
- Also challenges the amendment to RTI Act Sec 8(1)(j) that widens the personal-information exemption.
- Interim stay sought; next hearing on 17 November 2026.
POLITY ECI tells SC: CEC can be removed only like a Supreme Court judge
- Signed by CEC Gyanesh Kumar and ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi; approved unanimously.
- Rejected claims of internal friction; said news reports are not evidence.
- Three SIR orders (24 June 2025, 27 Oct 2025, 14 May 2026) were unanimous; Form 6 was not amended.
- On 5 October, the SC had said it would examine EC decisions and annul any not in accordance with law.
IR Mecca pact states hold first de-escalation talks in Tehran
- Pact signed in August 2026: an attack on one member is an attack on all.
- Attendees: Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, Türkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin; host – Iran's SNSC secretary.
- Pakistan has ratified; Türkiye's parliament is still ratifying.
- Houthi strikes hit near Mecca and King Fahd Airport in the past week.
IR China says it 'strictly abides' by border agreements amid LAC friction in Arunachal
- MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had flagged periodic disturbance along the LAC.
- ITBP DG Shatrujeet Kapur said face-offs continue at several points in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Beijing said both sides keep communication via diplomatic and military channels.
- Arunachal lies in the Eastern Sector of the ~3,488 km LAC.
28 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ECONOMY ICRA: Fresh Bad Loans to Rise in FY27, Private Banks Under Pressure
- Fresh NPA generation in FY27: 0.8% for PSBs vs 2.5% for private banks.
- In absolute terms: about ₹1 lakh crore (PSBs) and ₹1.3 lakh crore (private banks).
- Bank credit growth seen at 11.0–11.7% in FY27, down from 15.9% in FY26.
- System GNPA projected at 2.0–2.1%; slippages likely higher in H2 FY27.
ENVIRONMENT CCUS Pitched as Key to Net Zero for Hard-to-Abate Sectors at ESTIC-2026
- Target sectors: steel, cement, oil & gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, fertilisers.
- Union Budget 2026-27 proposed ₹20,000 crore over 5 years for CCUS, aligned with the Dec 2025 roadmap.
- Captured CO2 is either utilised (urea, fuels, building materials) or stored in deep geological formations.
- ESTIC-2026 is organised by CSIR; theme: 'Creative Minds, Catalyzing Science, Empowering Technologies'.
ENVIRONMENT Great Indian Bustard Rewilding: One Bird Lost to Desert Fox, Next Batch Under Review
- 11 captive-bred GIBs (about 6 months old) identified for phase-1 release.
- 2 satellite-tagged males released on 4 Oct at Sudasari (Sam); 2 more later — 4 in all.
- 3 surviving birds are safe and tracked by satellite; release of the remaining 7 paused for review.
- Birds bred at the WII-run conservation breeding centre at Sam, Jaisalmer.
SCI-TECH Nobel Laureate Backs Gene-Edited Crop Research in Indian Labs
- Bt cotton (2002) remains India's only commercially approved GM crop.
- Bt brinjal moratorium since 2010; SC gave a split verdict on GM mustard in July 2024.
- SDN-1 and SDN-2 genome-edited plants (no foreign DNA) exempted from GM rules in March 2022.
- ICAR released India's first two genome-edited rice varieties in 2025.
REPORT Just 3.2% of Glaciers Cause Over Half of Global Glacier Ice Loss
- These glaciers lost about 134 billion tonnes of ice a year.
- Study covered 216,502 glaciers (excluding Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets).
- Lake-ending glaciers flow 10% faster; ocean-ending ones 44% faster than land-ending ones.
- Relative to size, lake-ending glaciers lost ice about 57% faster; current models under-count them.
DEFENCE SIMBEX-2026 Concludes; Army Special Forces Head to Indonesia for Garuda Shakti
- SIMBEX began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King' — the Indian Navy's longest continuous bilateral exercise.
- 2026 edition: 21–26 Oct; RSN ship RSS Supreme; opening aboard INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta.
- Sea phase in the Bay of Bengal: anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare drills.
- Garuda Shakti: special forces drill on counter-terrorism and jungle operations.
IR First Since Op Sindoor: India Invites Pakistan to SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum
- Forum announced at the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe on 20 Oct.
- If he attends, it would be the first senior Pakistani ministerial visit since Bilawal Bhutto (Goa, May 2023).
- Pakistan chairs the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026–27 (from 1 Sep).
- India's line at SCO: 'no double standards' in dealing with terrorism.
IR Japanese Industry Delegation Pitches ₹8–10 Lakh Crore Investment in India
- Japan was India's top FDI source in Q1 FY27: record $5.71 bn, about 29% of $19.81 bn equity inflows.
- Interest in Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri high-speed rail corridors; autos and manufacturing.
- Asks: faster clearances, tax predictability, phased infrastructure, skilled manpower.
- India–Japan HR Exchange Action Plan: movement of over 5 lakh people in 5 years.
POLITY SC Issues Notice on News Publishers' Challenge to DPDP Act, 2023
- Challenged: Sections 7, 17(2), 18, 19, 27, 29, 36, 37, 44(3) of the Act and Rules 16, 17, 23 of DPDP Rules, 2025.
- Sec 44(3) amends RTI Act Sec 8(1)(j) to exempt all personal information from disclosure.
- Petitioners: consent rules could act as prior restraint on investigative reporting.
- CJI sought safeguards against misuse of any media exemption; next hearing 17 Nov.
HEALTH 'Patients' Lives, Not Commerce': SC Questions Why Most Medicines Escape Price Control
- Non-scheduled medicines ≈ 83% of market by value (petitioner); scheduled drugs = 18% by price (Centre).
- Examples: chemo injection ₹11,000 dealer price billed at ₹1.3 lakh; ₹15 saline sold for ₹270.
- Bench noted MRPs up to ~400 times procurement price; called the regulator's functioning 'defunct'.
- Centre: no legal bar to wider control, but follows a 'calibrated' policy (NPPP, 2012).
POLITY SIR Row: SC Says It Will 'Examine Everything' as Petitioners Seek Preservation of ECI Records
- Petitioners questioned changes to the online Form 6 (new-voter enrolment) made during the Bihar SIR.
- Petitioners got 10 days to file a rejoinder to the ECI's counter-affidavit.
- Matter listed next on 17 Nov, with fresh notice on the Form 6 dispute.
29 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →ECONOMY Cabinet clears ₹10,000-crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme
- Outlay ₹10,000 crore over FY 2027-28 to 2039-40 (3 years build + 10 years production support); ministry: Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
- Capacity target: from ~70,000 TEU to 7.5 lakh TEU/year (~10x); ~3,000 direct + 50,000+ indirect jobs.
- Components: OpEx assistance ₹8,891 crore, 3% interest subvention ₹859 crore, testing & certification ₹150 crore.
- Domestic content norm raised from 70% to 90%; land at major ports leased at 25% of notified rate.
ECONOMY Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme approved
- Anchor Investment Support + Turnover-Linked Support together ₹1,130 crore.
- ₹105 crore to help firms obtain International Sports Federation certifications.
- Dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs) via convergence with BHAVYA scheme and NICDC industrial parks.
- Centres of Excellence with R&D convergence through ANRF; aligned to Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.
ENVIRONMENT Cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra coast near Yanam
- Sustained winds 125-135 km/h, gusting to 150 km/h at landfall.
- 1.8 lakh+ people evacuated across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha; at least 3 deaths.
- Formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal; stalled off Narsapur-Kakinada before crossing.
- Name 'Arnab' (meaning 'ocean' in Bengali) was contributed by Bangladesh.
ECONOMY Jio Platforms debuts as India's second most valuable company
- IPO size ₹30,213 crore — entirely a fresh issue (no OFS); price band ₹1,065-1,119.
- Subscribed 22.19 times overall; QIB 70.66x, retail 2.27x; ~1.4 crore applications.
- Market cap at listing ≈ ₹12.50 lakh crore — 2nd only to parent Reliance Industries.
- Initial free float ~3% — a test of SEBI's relaxed norms for mega IPOs.
SCI-TECH ISRO readies GSLV-F18 to launch NavIC satellite NVS-03
- 20th flight of GSLV; satellite mass ~2,250 kg; GTO of 170 × 37,023 km.
- Carries an indigenous atomic clock along with procured clocks.
- Adds L1 signal to existing L5 and S bands; coverage India + 1,500 km beyond its boundary.
- NVS-02 (Jan 2025) could not reach its slot after an orbit-raising valve failed to get its ignition signal.
SCI-TECH PM opens ESTIC 2026: '3-year outcomes' push for deep tech
- 5,000+ delegates; 12 thematic priority domains incl. AI, quantum, semiconductors, Deep Ocean Mission.
- ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund and ANRF mechanisms flagged for deep-tech commercialisation.
- Startups grew from ~400 (2014) to 2.3 lakh+; ~50-60% in Tier-2/3 cities.
- Sessions on BioE3 strategy, homegrown LLMs and IndiaAI compute access.
POLITY PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: ₹7,395 crore to power Panchayats
- Centre ₹4,869.48 crore + States ₹2,526.07 crore; covers all States/UTs incl. bodies outside Part IX.
- 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans a year on eGramSwaraj; 2.55 lakh online audits via AuditOnline.
- Training & digital handholding for ~32 lakh elected representatives and functionaries annually.
- AI-enabled PANCHAM platform in 17 languages; helps plan use of ~₹4.35 lakh crore 16th FC grants to rural local bodies.
HEALTH NPPA cuts MRPs of 543 cancer-drug brands by up to 93%
- Maximum cut 93.3% — a palbociclib brand fell from ₹40,421 to ₹2,720 per unit.
- Bevacizumab biosimilars cut 69-86%; originator Avastin unchanged.
- Keytruda (pembrolizumab) unchanged at ₹2.16 lakh; nivolumab prices also unchanged.
- 30% margin (excl. GST) = 42.86% mark-up over the price to stockist.
POLITY SC terms 'digital arrest' scams 'digital dacoity', refuses to club 35 FIRs
- Court: accused's right to seek transfer cannot override the rights of victims and investigators.
- Example cited: an 81-year-old victim from Ernakulam lost ₹1.90 crore routed through a mule account.
- Proceeds often moved abroad (e.g., Hong Kong, Bangkok), complicating victims' remedy.
- Plea withdrawn; consolidation may be considered if the investigating agency seeks it.
IR India and Mexico launch Preferential Trade Agreement talks
- Bilateral trade FY 2025-26: USD 7.83 bn (down 9.11%); exports USD 5.73 bn, imports USD 2.11 bn.
- ToR covers market access for goods, rules of origin, customs, SPS/TBT, trade remedies and dispute settlement.
- Focus sectors: autos, pharma, electronics, chemicals, agri-food, energy and critical minerals.
- Mexican business mission to India proposed for Q1 2027.
IR India invites all SCO members, incl. Pakistan, to Civilisational Dialogue Forum
- Proposed by the PM at the Tianjin SCO Summit (Sept 2025); announced by Rajnath Singh at the SCO Heads of Government meeting, Dushanbe (20 Oct 2026).
- First invite to a senior Pakistani minister since the May 2025 conflict; last such visit was the Goa SCO FMs' meet (May 2023).
- Pakistan chairs the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-27; next summit in Islamabad (2027).
- India reiterated 'no double standards' on terrorism and accountability for its sponsors.
30 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →SCI-TECH NVS-03 on GSLV-F18 to Restore NavIC Services
- Third of five second-generation NVS satellites; mass about 2,232 kg; I-2K bus.
- Carries an indigenous rubidium atomic clock from SAC Ahmedabad — replacing failed imported clocks.
- Signals in L1, L5 and S bands; L1 enables NavIC on mass-market phones/wearables.
- Placed first in GTO, then a geosynchronous slot (~32.5° E).
ENVIRONMENT India Leads Global Green Hydrogen Offtake: 5.55 Lakh MTPA
- Equals ~11% of the 5 MMT/year by 2030 mission target; 23 agreements since 2023.
- >70% volumes earmarked for export (Japan, Korea, Germany); investment >₹90,000 crore.
- SIGHT: 6.7 lakh t/yr green ammonia for 11 fertiliser plants; 30,000 t/yr green H2 for refineries.
- Mission outlay ₹19,744 crore; targets 125 GW RE addition, ~50 MMT CO2 avoided yearly.
ECONOMY 24th PM-KISAN Instalment: ₹18,680 Crore Released Today
- >9.34 crore farmer families; >₹18,680 crore via DBT.
- Cumulative >₹4.47 lakh crore paid in 23 earlier instalments.
- Benefit ₹6,000/year in 3 equal instalments; 100% central funding; launched 2019.
- Gujarat: 52.33 lakh families get >₹1,051 crore this round; e-KYC mandatory.
ECONOMY Textile PLI Round 4: Portal Reopens with Lower Threshold
- Covers MMF apparel, MMF fabrics and technical textiles.
- Part-2 minimum turnover cut from ₹200 crore to ₹100 crore.
- Tenure extended to FY2033-34 for Round-4 approvals only.
- Textile exports grew 17.51% in Sept 2026 but only 2.38% in Apr–Sept.
ENVIRONMENT Hanging Glaciers Put Badrinath Township at Avalanche Risk
- Earlier inventory mapped 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin (~71.7 sq km).
- Modelled flow heights up to ~51 m at Badrinath; Mana and Hanuman Chatti also exposed.
- NGT had taken suo motu cognisance of the risk in 2026.
- Drivers: glacier retreat, seismicity, unplanned pilgrim infrastructure.
HEALTH Kufri Jamunia: Biofortified Purple Potato Against Hidden Hunger
- Released 2024; rich in anthocyanins, carotenoids, vitamin C, plus higher iron and zinc.
- Yield 32–35 t/ha; ~90% marketable; medium-maturing.
- Recommended for North Indian plains; 6–8 weeks dormancy.
- Potato = a staple reaching poor households cheaply — ideal biofortification carrier.
POLITY SC: Banks Must Compensate Digital-Arrest Victims on Due-Diligence Failure
- Compensation not less than the amount lost; Court favoured strict liability.
- AG R. Venkataramani: RBI rules likely operational by December 2026.
- Bench mulled risk-grading accounts, stalling unusual transactions and alerting police.
- MeitY and DoT also framing measures; intermediaries like messaging apps under scrutiny.
POLITY SC: Firecracker Orders Flouted, Seeks Proof of Enforcement
- Only green crackers were permitted, yet banned crackers were widely used.
- Only 9 of 29 CAQM units were found functioning.
- Court: an absolute ban is not the answer; wants on-ground enforcement data.
- Delhi cited 608 anti-smog guns and a winter action plan.
IR ADMM-Plus at Cebu: India Offers Battle-Tested Counter-Terror Expertise
- Theme: "Navigating Our Future Together"; cited Operation Sindoor.
- India & Malaysia co-chair the EWG on Counter-Terrorism for 2024–27.
- 2026 declared ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation; 2nd AIME held.
- Indian Navy in Gulf of Aden anti-piracy since 2008.
ENVIRONMENT Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: Protests Turn Violent in Arunachal
- NHPC tasked in April 2022 to prepare the pre-feasibility report.
- 23 Oct bandh across Siang, Upper Siang, East Siang; violence in Pasighat, ~40 personnel injured.
- Fears: submergence of villages, ancestral land, forests; high seismic risk.
- Aim: flood moderation and water security against upstream diversion.
Prelims rapid-fire — 30 facts
| J&K Accession Day (26 Oct): Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 Oct 1947; Infantry Day is 27 Oct. |
| Asian Para Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya, Japan): India's record 114 medals — 30 gold, 35 silver, 49 bronze. |
| Mann Ki Baat: 139th episode aired on 25 Oct; programme began on 3 Oct 2014. |
| CBD COP17: Under way at Yerevan, Armenia (19–30 Oct); reviews the Kunming-Montreal GBF (23 targets for 2030). |
| Digital Agriculture Mission: 11 crore Farmer IDs created under AgriStack, ahead of the 31 Mar 2027 target. |
| Mission Mausam: AATAL lab at IITM Delhi to trace Delhi-NCR pollution sources, linked to the AIRWISE forecast system. |
| SC Collegium recommends Justice P. Sam Koshy as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. |
| Tigress T-138, moved from Valmiki TR (Bihar) to repopulate Buxa TR (West Bengal), has strayed into Assam. |
| Infantry Day (27 Oct) marks the 1947 air-landing of 1 SIKH at Srinagar to defend J&K. |
| MoRTH holds a Transport Mela under the PARIVARTAN scheme in Delhi-NCR on 28 Oct 2026. |
| GeM promotes 'The AABHAR Collection' of heritage products to support local artisans. |
| Kudankulam (Tamil Nadu) – India's largest nuclear plant, built with Russia (VVER reactors); cybersecurity in focus. |
| 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum (New Delhi) adopted the New Delhi Joint Declaration: condemned the Pahalgam attack, sought UNSC and global financial reforms. |
| Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 (CVC): 27 Oct–2 Nov, the week of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary (31 Oct); CVC set up in 1964 (Santhanam Committee). |
| MoRTH amended the CMV Rules, 1989 to add E100 alongside E85 for emission certification of flex-fuel vehicles. |
| 61st CIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) meeting: 26–28 Oct, New Delhi — first time in India. |
| SC issued notice to the Centre on petitions against the law mandating six stanzas of Vande Mataram. |
| Arunachal government held talks with dam-affected people over the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project on the Siang (Brahmaputra). |
| Arnab cyclone name contributed by Bangladesh; means 'ocean'. |
| Jio IPO (₹30,213 crore) was entirely a fresh issue with 22.19x subscription. |
| NVS-03 adds the L1 band to NavIC's L5 and S bands. |
| ESTIC 2026 venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi; 12 thematic domains. |
| SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum: 20-22 Nov 2026, New Delhi. |
| New cancer-drug MRPs effective 9 November 2026; 137 non-scheduled molecules under 30% margin cap. |
| 14th International Tourism Mart at Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), 29–31 Oct; ~27 countries invited — showcases 'Ashta Lakshmi' North-East. |
| RBI (7 Oct 2026) hiked repo 25 bps to 5.50%; SDF 5.25%, MSF 5.75%; stance 'calibrated tightening'. |
| CPI (base 2024=100) Sept 2026: 5.54%; food inflation 7.74%; RBI target 4% ± 2%. |
| Piyush Goyal: India's 9 FTAs/trade deals cover 38 developed countries; India-US deal to protect farmers' interests. |
| SC Collegium recommended 9 advocates as judges of the J&K and Ladakh High Court. |
| Homi J. Bhabha born 30 Oct 1909 — father of India's nuclear programme; three-stage programme (thorium focus). |
Data points of the period
$721 bn
India's foreign exchange reserves (week ended 16 Oct 2026)
Down about $5 bn in the week — the third straight weekly fall in October. FCA $591.8 bn, gold $105.8 bn (up $706 mn), SDR $18.5 bn, IMF reserve position $4.79 bn.
Down about $5 bn in the week — the third straight weekly fall in October. FCA $591.8 bn, gold $105.8 bn (up $706 mn), SDR $18.5 bn, IMF reserve position $4.79 bn.
~88%
India's crude-oil import dependence
Roughly 88% of India's crude-oil needs are met by imports — the core rationale behind E20 (already achieved) and the new E100 flex-fuel push; ethanol capacity now stands near 20 billion litres a year.
Roughly 88% of India's crude-oil needs are met by imports — the core rationale behind E20 (already achieved) and the new E100 flex-fuel push; ethanol capacity now stands near 20 billion litres a year.
2.5%
Fresh NPA generation, private banks (FY27, ICRA projection)
Over 3x the 0.8% projected for public sector banks; about ₹1.3 lakh crore of fresh bad loans, driven by unsecured retail and MSME stress, while credit growth slows to 11.0–11.7%.
Over 3x the 0.8% projected for public sector banks; about ₹1.3 lakh crore of fresh bad loans, driven by unsecured retail and MSME stress, while credit growth slows to 11.0–11.7%.
60% → 63%
Dearness Allowance / Dearness Relief for central employees & pensioners (w.e.f. 1 July 2026)
+3 percentage points approved by the Cabinet on 28 Oct 2026; benefits ~48 lakh employees and ~68 lakh pensioners; cost ~₹10,016 crore. DA is revised twice a year using the AICPI-IW (Labour Bureau).
+3 percentage points approved by the Cabinet on 28 Oct 2026; benefits ~48 lakh employees and ~68 lakh pensioners; cost ~₹10,016 crore. DA is revised twice a year using the AICPI-IW (Labour Bureau).
7.3%
FY27 GDP growth outlook (Finance Ministry, October review)
Raised from 7.1%; risks flagged: crude oil, rupee, El Niño. CPI Sept 2026: 5.54% (Aug: 4.83%); WPI 11.39%; forex ~$721 bn (~10.3 months import cover); RBI repo 5.50%.
Raised from 7.1%; risks flagged: crude oil, rupee, El Niño. CPI Sept 2026: 5.54% (Aug: 4.83%); WPI 11.39%; forex ~$721 bn (~10.3 months import cover); RBI repo 5.50%.
10 practice MCQs — UPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to wetlands in India, consider the following statements: 1. India now has 103 Ramsar sites, the highest number in Asia. 2. Keoladeo National Park and Loktak Lake are currently on the Montreux Record. 3. The Ramsar Convention is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: the Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty outside the UN system, with its Secretariat at Gland, Switzerland and UNESCO as depositary.
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: the Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty outside the UN system, with its Secretariat at Gland, Switzerland and UNESCO as depositary.
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean: 1. Names are drawn from a list adopted by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. 2. A 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' has maximum sustained winds of 118–166 km/h. 3. Yanam, near the landfall zone of Cyclone Arnab, is a part of Andhra Pradesh. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Yanam is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry, surrounded by Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari region.
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Yanam is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry, surrounded by Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari region.
Q3. With reference to the recent notification permitting E100 fuel in India, consider the following statements: 1. It was issued by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. 2. E100 can be used in any petrol vehicle calibrated for E20. 3. The original target year for E20 under the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018 was 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
E100 was added under Rule 115 of CMVR, 1989 (G.S.R. 911(E)). It may be used only in OEM-designed flex-fuel vehicles, not in E20-calibrated cars, so statement 2 is wrong. The 2018 policy targeted E20 by 2030; the 2022 amendment advanced it to ESY 2025-26.
E100 was added under Rule 115 of CMVR, 1989 (G.S.R. 911(E)). It may be used only in OEM-designed flex-fuel vehicles, not in E20-calibrated cars, so statement 2 is wrong. The 2018 policy targeted E20 by 2030; the 2022 amendment advanced it to ESY 2025-26.
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Election Commission of India: 1. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court. 2. An Election Commissioner can be removed from office only on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner. 3. Under the 2023 Act, the Chief Justice of India is a member of the committee that selects the Chief Election Commissioner. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 flow from Article 324(5). The 2023 Act constituted a panel of the PM, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM — the CJI is not a member, so statement 3 is wrong.
Statements 1 and 2 flow from Article 324(5). The 2023 Act constituted a panel of the PM, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM — the CJI is not a member, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q5. With reference to SIMBEX, consider the following statements: 1. It began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King'. 2. Its 2026 edition was hosted at Visakhapatnam. 3. It is a trilateral exercise involving India, Singapore and Thailand. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
SIMBEX is a bilateral India–Singapore exercise (not trilateral; SITMEX is the trilateral with Thailand). It began in 1994 as Lion King; the 33rd edition was held off Visakhapatnam.
SIMBEX is a bilateral India–Singapore exercise (not trilateral; SITMEX is the trilateral with Thailand). It began in 1994 as Lion King; the 33rd edition was held off Visakhapatnam.
Q6. Consider the following statements about the Great Indian Bustard: 1. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. 2. It is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. 3. It is the state bird of Gujarat. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: C
The GIB is Critically Endangered and in Schedule I; it is the state bird of Rajasthan, not Gujarat. Its last stronghold is Desert National Park, Jaisalmer.
The GIB is Critically Endangered and in Schedule I; it is the state bird of Rajasthan, not Gujarat. Its last stronghold is Desert National Park, Jaisalmer.
Q7. With reference to the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) approved in October 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. 2. It aims to raise India's container manufacturing capacity to 7.5 lakh TEU per year. 3. It provides a 3% annual interest subvention on eligible term loans. How many of the above statements are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
Answer: C
All three are correct: CMPS (₹10,000 crore, till FY 2039-40) is run by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, targets 7.5 lakh TEU/year and offers 3% interest subvention (₹859 crore component).
All three are correct: CMPS (₹10,000 crore, till FY 2039-40) is run by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, targets 7.5 lakh TEU/year and offers 3% interest subvention (₹859 crore component).
Q8. Consider the following statements about the NVS-03 satellite: 1. It is to be launched by the PSLV. 2. It adds an L1 navigation signal to NavIC. 3. NavIC's service area extends up to 1,500 km beyond India's boundary. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV, so statement 1 is wrong. It adds the L1 band and NavIC covers India plus 1,500 km around it.
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV, so statement 1 is wrong. It adds the L1 band and NavIC covers India plus 1,500 km around it.
Q9. With reference to the NVS-03 satellite, consider the following statements: 1. It is being launched by the PSLV. 2. It carries an indigenous rubidium atomic clock. 3. It transmits navigation signals in the L1, L5 and S bands. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV. It carries an indigenous rubidium clock (SAC Ahmedabad) and transmits in L1, L5 and S bands.
NVS-03 flies on GSLV-F18, not PSLV. It carries an indigenous rubidium clock (SAC Ahmedabad) and transmits in L1, L5 and S bands.
Q10. Consider the following statements about the ADMM-Plus: 1. Its 13th meeting was held at Cebu in the Philippines. 2. India and Malaysia co-chair its Experts' Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for 2024-27. 3. All members of the Quad are participants in the ADMM-Plus. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
The 13th ADMM-Plus met at Cebu; India–Malaysia co-chair the EWG on CT (2024–27); India, US, Japan and Australia (Quad) are all among the 8 Plus partners.
The 13th ADMM-Plus met at Cebu; India–Malaysia co-chair the EWG on CT (2024–27); India, US, Japan and Australia (Quad) are all among the 8 Plus partners.
Mains practice questions
- "Disrupting the money trail is now as important as seizing drugs." Examine this statement in the context of narco-trafficking in India's North-East. (15 marks, 250 words)
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 seeks to secure informational privacy, but critics argue that it may chill journalism and dilute the Right to Information regime. Critically examine. (15 marks, 250 words)
- Price regulation covers only a small share of India's pharmaceutical market by value. Examine the gaps in the current drug-pricing framework and suggest measures to make medicines affordable without hurting innovation. (GS2, 15 marks, 250 words)
- "Panchayats receive more money than ever, yet plan and spend it poorly." In the light of the PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana, examine how capacity building and digital tools can deepen democratic decentralisation. (GS2, 15 marks, 250 words)
- "Digital arrest frauds expose a regulatory gap between banking, telecom and platform governance." Examine the case for fixing strict liability on banks for such frauds. (GS3, 15 marks, 250 words)
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