Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of  September  15th & 21st October 2026. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2026 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs October 15th  & 21st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is observed annually on 13 October to raise awareness about disaster risk reduction and recognise efforts to reduce disaster vulnerability and losses of life, livelihoods, the economy and health.
• The Department of Posts is observing National Postal Week 2026 from 9 to 15 October, commencing with World Post Day on 9 October 2026.
• World Food Day is observed annually on 16 October to raise awareness about global hunger, food security and the importance of ensuring access to nutritious food for everyone.
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (PAILRD) is observed annually on 15 October, particularly in the United States and Canada, to honour and remember babies lost through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death and other causes of infant loss.
• Global Handwashing Day is observed annually on 15 October to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing with soap in preventing diseases and protecting public health.
• World Students’ Day is observed annually on 15 October to commemorate the birth anniversary of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India.
• World Standards Day is observed annually on 14 October to recognise the contributions of experts and organisations involved in developing international standards and to highlight the importance of standardisation in global trade, economic development and cooperation.
• International Day of Rural Women is observed annually on 15 October to recognise the contributions, achievements and resilience of rural women and highlight their role in agriculture, food production, food security and rural community development.
• World Anaesthesia Day is observed annually on 16 October to commemorate the development of modern anaesthesia and recognise its importance in surgical care.
• International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed annually on 17 October to raise awareness about poverty and promote global efforts to eradicate it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING, FINANCE & BUSINESS

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the minimum daily Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) maintenance requirement for scheduled banks from 90% to 99%, effective from the reporting fortnight beginning 16 October 2026.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its October 2026 World Economic Outlook (WEO) titled “Resilience Under Strain, Urgent Choices.”
• The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released the Trade and Development Report 2026, titled “The Geoeconomics of Development.”
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) raised its forecast for global merchandise trade volume growth in 2026 to 9%, up from 1.9% projected in its March outlook.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank Limited on 14 October 2026, selecting M/s 10955230 Canada Inc., whose parent entity is Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., as the strategic buyer.
• India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation rose to a series-high of 39% in September 2026, compared with 9.92% in August 2026, driven by rising prices of food articles, manufactured products, and fuel and power.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced stricter foreign exchange (forex) derivative regulations on 10 October 2026 to curb excessive speculation, prevent duplicate hedging and ensure orderly functioning of the forex market amid pressure on the Indian rupee.
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) launched three new insurance plans: New Jeevan Dhara-II (Plan 892), Health Shield (Plan 907), and New Cancer Cover (Plan 908).
• Karnataka Bank Limited launched Trade Konnect, a digital platform that enables customers to submit import, export and outward cross-border remittance requests online without visiting a physical bank branch.
• Business Monitor International (BMI), a unit of Fitch Solutions, raised India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for FY 2026–27 (FY27) to 5% from its earlier estimate of 6.8%.
• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) entered into an agreement with Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company (India) to distribute general insurance products through the bank’s existing banking channels.
• Securities Transaction Tax (STT) collections rose by nearly 53% to ₹40,214.36 crore in FY 2026–27 up to 17 September 2026, compared with ₹26,305.72 crore during the corresponding period of the previous year.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notified a Common Advertisement Code (CAC) for market intermediaries through amendments to the SEBI (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008.
• Astranova Mobility announced on 14 October 2026 that its lending subsidiary, NovaFusion Capital, received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
• NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with London Stock Exchange plc (LSE) to strengthen capital market cooperation between India and the United Kingdom (UK).
• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), launched two specialised credit risk insurance products: Shipbuilding Project Credit Risk Insurance Policy (SbPCP) and Business Credit Shield Policy – Shipbuilders (BCSPS).
• ReNew Energy Global plc, one of India’s leading decarbonisation solutions companies, secured a USD 100 million (approximately ₹955 crore) debt financing facility from the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO (Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden) to support renewable energy projects under construction.
• The Government of India (GoI) announced the formation of a new Standing Committee under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework to strengthen tax administration and expand the taxpayer base.
• Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced in India on 1 July 2017, bringing several Central and State taxes under a common framework and advancing the principle of “One Nation, One Tax.”
• HSBC India (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India) announced a ₹200 crore philanthropic programme for 2026–2030 to strengthen financial literacy across India.
• The World Bank Group plans to increase its financial support for critical minerals fivefold, targeting USD 19 billion in financing between 2026 and 2030.
• Karnataka Bank Limited (KBL) launched “Nava Dhamaka 2026 – Enhancing Banking Experience” in Bengaluru, Karnataka, introducing nine banking solutions across investments, digital banking, payments, customer engagement and lending.
• State Bank of India (SBI) won Global Finance magazine’s World’s Best Consumer Bank 2026 award for the second consecutive year and the Best Bank in India 2026
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited, now known as ICICI Life Insurance Limited, introduced its new brand identity and tagline, ‘Har Kal Aasaan’, to make life insurance simpler and more accessible to Indian customers.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Japan signed financing agreements with AM Green Ammonia (India) Private Limited, a Hyderabad-based company established by the founders of Greenko Group, to develop a large renewable-powered green ammonia plant in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL AND STATE NEWS

• The Prime Minister GatiShakti National Master Plan completed five years on 13 October 2026, marking progress in integrated infrastructure planning and development in India.
• The first Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Home Ministers’ Meeting concluded in New Delhi with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, under the chairmanship of the union home minister.
• The 3rd International Bharat 6G Symposium 2026 was inaugurated by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi.
• The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) completed its first year, with all 100 identified agricultural districts preparing District Action Plans.
• Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam received Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) Approved status in September 2026 for meeting prescribed standards for tiger conservation and protected area management.
• Nagaland launched the Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (SAY-SOBLOK) through a three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) and BRAC International.
• Under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) initiative, ₹440 crore has been approved to upgrade nine Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the Surat and Visakhapatnam clusters.
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), under the Government of India, launched its website compliant with Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) Version 3.0, introduced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed ₹2.02 crore in Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) funds to 27 States and 3 Union Territories to support biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and local community livelihoods.
• According to a study by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India's Ayush services economy was valued at US$36.92 billion in Financial Year 2024–25, recording a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 91% since Financial Year 2022–23.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicate five major development projects worth approximately ₹3,350 crore in Ladakh through video conferencing. He will also address the gathering.
• The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five years, from 2026–27 to 2030–31, with a total outlay of ₹53,428 crore.
• President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the National SARAS Livelihoods Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
• The Central Government of India has approved the country's accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) to strengthen India's presence in high-seas fisheries, expand access to valuable marine resources and enhance its participation in global fisheries governance.
• The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol completed 10 years on 15 October 2026. Adopted in Kigali, Rwanda, on 15 October 2016, it aims to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases widely used in refrigeration and air- conditioning.
• Shri Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health and Family Welfare, launched the 14th edition of India Chem 2026, the biennial flagship event of India's chemicals and petrochemicals industry. It will be held in Mumbai from 22 to 24 October 2026.
• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), organised a one-day orientation session at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, to prepare for the formal launch and rollout of Nurturing Aspirations Through Vocational Training for Young Women and Adolescent Girls 2.0 (NAVYA 2.0).
• The Department of Commerce has established a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Utilisation Cell to explain the benefits and opportunities available under free trade agreements and help Indian businesses maximise their use. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal announced the initiative.
• Joseph Vijay, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, launched the Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Ecosystem Scheme at the State Secretariat in Chennai to attract investments in semiconductor manufacturing and strengthen Tamil Nadu’s position as a hub for advanced electronics manufacturing.
• Shri Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, inaugurated the Shilp Samagam Mela at the Dasara Exhibition Grounds in Mysuru, Karnataka, and visited the handicraft exhibition stalls.
• The 21st Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) meeting concluded in Mumbai, marking the first meeting of the Council after it received statutory recognition under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, notified on 15 May 2026.
• Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, laid the foundation stone of India’s first High-Altitude Health Research Centre of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at Keylong in the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.
• India’s total number of Ramsar sites has increased to 103 following the inclusion of Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh.
• The Union Government constituted a committee headed by Ramesh Chand, former member of NITI Aayog, to examine sugarcane farmers’ concerns and recommend measures to address them.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) launched the BIS Silver Refinery Scheme, introduced seven new Indian Standards covering emerging technologies, clean energy mobility, healthcare and building materials, and released standardisation roadmaps for sustainable agriculture and manufacturing on World Standards Day 2026 in New Delhi.
• Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, inaugurated the first battery-powered solar power project in Spiti Valley, marking a step towards expanding renewable energy infrastructure in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a 78-day Productivity-Linked Bonus (PLB) worth ₹2,009.61 crore for 11,40,770 eligible railway employees, recognising their performance during the financial year 2025–26.
• The Supreme Court of India ruled that individuals converting from Hinduism to Islam or another non-Hindu religion cannot automatically claim reservation benefits under a Backward Class category solely on the basis of their pre-conversion caste or community status.
• P. Radhakrishnan, Vice-President of India, inaugurated KAUMARACON-2026, the third edition of the international conference on Kaumarabhritya (Ayurvedic paediatrics), organised by the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi.
• NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub released the Data Centre Evaluation Framework to help State governments plan and facilitate the sustainable growth of data centres across India.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is planning to introduce stricter Bharat Stage VII (BS-VII) emission standards for new cars and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) from 1 April 2029, according to a draft Gazette notification.
• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 18th Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for September 2026.
• The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), under Digital India Corporation (DIC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, Government of Manipur, organised the BHASHINI Rajyam Workshop, Manipur Chapter, in Imphal.
• Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through Cooperation) and under the leadership of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, the Ministry of Cooperation has mandated the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2026 (MSCARO, 2026).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), released the 2026 Living Planet Report (LPR) titled “The Science of Hope.”
• The Government of India approved the rollover of a ₹30 billion (₹3,000 crore) currency swap facility for the Maldives to support its financial stability and liquidity needs.
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) operationalised India’s resident diplomatic mission in San José, the capital of Costa Rica, effective 10 October 2026.
• The Central Government notified amendments to the India–Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) on 13 October 2026, introducing the Principal Purpose Test (PPT) to prevent treaty abuse and tax avoidance.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Murugan from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect.
• T. M. Balakrishnan Nair, Director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), was elected Chair of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Sub-Commission for the Indian Ocean (IOCINDIO).
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the appointment of Subhas Chandra Lal Das (SCL Das), a retired 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre, as the part-time Chairperson of the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB).
• Pakistan was named the incoming Chair of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) for 2027 during the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings held in Bangkok, Thailand.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• Oscar Whitfield, a 14-year-old British photographer living in Zimbabwe, was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 for his black- and-white photograph titled “Labour of Love”, featuring a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung.
• United States President Donald Trump presented the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla, at a ceremony held in Washington, United States, under the summit titled “Science: A New Golden Age.”

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The ePlane Company and Noida International Airport signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop infrastructure and operational frameworks for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft and future Advanced Air Mobility
• ReNew Wind Energy Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of clean energy company ReNew, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra Government to develop an integrated green data centre park worth ₹70,000 crore in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
• Chhattisgarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore-based ITE Education Services to strengthen technical and vocational education and training during Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s visit to Singapore.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the National Culture Fund (NCF) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to undertake heritage conservation and development works at three prominent sites:
  • Hampi, Karnataka.
  • Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Bekal Fort, Kerala.
• The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) entered into a partnership to strengthen boxing in India through structured talent identification and athlete development.
• The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Academy of RUDSETI (NAR) to establish uniform training standards, improve administrative quality and facilitate systematic capacity building across Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) across India.
• Indian and Canadian entities signed commercial agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in Karnataka, in the presence of Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Minister of International Trade.
• India and Myanmar signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for implementing Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework for the Financial Year 2026–27 (FY 2026–27).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Navy (IN) and the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN) commenced the bilateral maritime exercise KONKAN-26 from 8 to 15 October 2026.
• The Indian Army (IA) launched the Bharat Rice initiative on 12 October 2026 in New Delhi, Delhi, to provide superior-quality rice directly to defence personnel.
• A 17-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) mountaineering team successfully scaled Mount Mukut, at an elevation of 7,045 metres, on 7 October 2026.
• The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 came into force on 8 October 2026, following a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• The Indian Navy deployed INS Tarkash, a frontline guided-missile stealth frigate, to South Africa to participate in the 9th edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise (IBSAMAR IX) 2026.
• The Indian Navy successfully completed its maiden command of a Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Task Force by relinquishing command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) on 14 October 2026 in Manama, Bahrain.
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), inducted an indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III, designated CG 875, into Coast Guard Region (West) at Coast Guard Air Station (ICGAS), Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
• The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) organised a nationwide Shramdaan under the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed defence contracts worth approximately ₹4,106 crore on 15 October 2026 for the GSAT-7C communication satellite for the Indian Air Force and Varunastra heavy-weight torpedoes for the Indian Navy.
• The 14th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) was held on 14 October 2026 at Incheon, Republic of Korea.
• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Samarthak, the first of class Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV), was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 16 October 2026.
• The 14th Joint Working Group (JWG) Meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and Mongolia was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 16 October 2026.
• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), launched the ‘Greater Than Us’ fundraising campaign of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur).
• The Indian Navy’s three-masted sail training ship INS Sudarshini departed Salalah, Oman, after a port visit from 14 to 17 October 2026, as part of its historic transoceanic deployment, Lokayan-2026.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a short-notice casualty evacuation mission using a C-130J aircraft, airlifting a critically ill 30-year-old civilian patient from Leh to Palam, Delhi, for further medical treatment.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPS & PORTALS

• Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar (Retd.), Chairman of the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC), launched the Committee’s dedicated digital web portal in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

• India ranked 84th in the October 2026 Henley Passport Index, sharing the position with Algeria and Mauritania.
• Welthungerhilfe (WHH), a Germany-based humanitarian organisation, released the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026 in collaboration with the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) and Helvetas.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Karmayogi Bharat signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi to develop and operate the Tribal Affairs Capacity Building Platform under the Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the Scheme of Amalgamation of the Indian branches of Emirates NBD Bank (National Bank of Dubai)J.S.C. (Public Joint Stock Company) with RBL Bank Limited, effective 1 December 2026.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The 8th India–UK Science and Innovation Council (SIC) Meeting was held in New Delhi, co-chaired by Jitendra Singh, India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Jonathan Reynolds, the UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Trade.
• The Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF) announced its first cohort of 19 Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs) as a major milestone in implementing India’s ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme.
• The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and YouTube unveiled the first four AI-enabled short films under the “Create with AI” programme in October 2026.
• Researchers from ARIES, Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO)/Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, and IIT Roorkee investigated the mystery of microwave polar brightening in the Sun.
• The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, signed an agreement with Peptris Technologies Private Limited, Bengaluru, Karnataka, to provide ₹86 crore in financial support under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
• The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, signed an agreement with ideaForge Technology Limited, based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to provide financial support of ₹151 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
• INSPIRE-MANAK stands for Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge and is a flagship initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, implemented in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation–India (NIF).
• Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), part of the Adani Group, signed a non-binding agreement with United States (US)-based manufacturing company Jabil Inc. to establish a 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) for manufacturing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data centre equipment in India.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully configured and tested its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform on the live network of the Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur, Odisha, on 14 October 2026.
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), launched the Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System (DSS) on 12 October 2026.
• The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), under Digital India Corporation (DIC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), enabled real-time multilingual communication at an international capacity-building programme organised by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) in Mussoorie.
• The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, signed an agreement with Panacea Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd. to support the development and commercialisation of an indigenous 32-slice Computed Tomography (CT) scanner.
• Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries India Limited, delivered 450 Nagastra-1R loitering munitions to the Indian Army (IA).
• The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications, in collaboration with IndiGo, organised a Digital Detox Campaign on 12 October 2026 during National Postal Week (9–15 October 2026).
• Researchers from the University of Kerala identified Melanterite in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu, and Gypsum in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and Tiruchirappalli Badlands, Tamil Nadu, establishing these locations as Martian analogue sites.
• The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, signed an agreement with QNu Labs Private Limited, Bengaluru, Karnataka, to provide ₹150 crore in financial support under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
• NTPC Limited (National Thermal Power Corporation), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), Government of India, signed a cooperation agreement with Africa50 to jointly develop commercially viable power projects across Africa.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully completed a series of Crew Module (CM)–Service Module (SM) separation tests for the Gaganyaan Mission at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Maneesha Kothekar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), launched CCRAS SPARK 5.0 and CCRAS Ayurshodh 2026 (Second Circular).
• Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) inaugurated a Quantum Research Lab at the IISc campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to strengthen industry–academia collaboration in quantum technology and semiconductor research.
• Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, an Indian private space technology company, signed a contract with Reflect Orbital, a United States (US)-based space technology startup, for two dedicated satellite launches using Skyroot’s Vikram family of rockets.
• Union Minister Piyush Goyal, from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Indian opener Shafali Verma was named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Player of the Month for September 2026, following her contributions to India’s title-winning campaigns in the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games.
• Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju, popularly known as Dr. AVS Raju, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) Limited, passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana, on 13 October 2026, at the age of 89.
• Annie Dillard, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and essayist, died at the age of 81.
• Punam Raut, an Indian women’s cricket team top-order batter, announced her retirement from all formats of international cricket with immediate effect.
• Mona Agarwal won the gold medal with a Games-record score of 250.0 points in the women’s 10-metre air rifle SH1 event at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

• Margaret Hamilton, a pioneering American computer scientist who helped develop software for National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Apollo missions, Passed away at the age of 90.
• Cheruvayal Raman, renowned Kerala traditional rice conservationist popularly known as ‘Nellachan’ (Father of Paddy), ‘Guardian of Native Paddy’, and ‘Living Paddy Gene Bank’, passed away at the age of 74 on 14 October 2026.
• Veteran Tamil film music director and composer Devanesan Chokkalingam, popularly known as Deva and nicknamed ‘Thenisai Thendral’, passed away on 17 October 2026 at the age of 75 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.