Embraer to acquire 51% stake in Mahindra’s Novavayu Aerospace.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced an agreement on October 16, 2026 to acquire a 51% stake in Mahindra Group subsidiary Novavayu Aerospace Limited.
Key Highlights:
1. The purchase will give Embraer a controlling interest in Novavayu Aerospace.
2. The transaction is scheduled for completion by December 1, 2026.
3. The partnership covers commercial aviation and defence.
4. It seeks to improve regional air connectivity between smaller Indian cities.
5. It will support military-aviation modernisation and domestic aerospace manufacturing.
Additional Information:
1. Embraer is headquartered in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
2. Mahindra Group was established in 1945 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
CISF reorganises eight territorial sectors into specialised functional units.
Dated: 24 October 2026
CISF announced that eight of its 11 territorial sectors would become specialised functional units from November 1, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The restructuring replaces the region-based model with industry-specific sectors.
2. New functions cover government buildings and metro systems, coal, steel, petroleum and natural gas.
3. Power operations are divided into Power-I at Delhi and Power-II at Kolkata.
4. West Coast and East Coast Port sectors cover maritime infrastructure.
5. Atomic Energy, Department of Space and Airport sectors retain their existing arrangements.
Additional Information:
1. CISF was established in 1969 under an Act of Parliament.
2. It is a Central Armed Police Force under the Home Ministry and is headquartered in New Delhi.
Lingampalli Himaja enters James Dyson Award 2026 Global Top 20.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Andhra Pradesh student Lingampalli Himaja entered the James Dyson Award 2026 global Top 20 on October 21 for her voice-enabled Braille printer Rudhra.
Key Highlights:
1. Rudhra enables visually impaired users to create documents independently.
2. It uses Alexa for voice-to-text conversion and Raspberry Pi for processing.
3. Stepper motors and a solenoid emboss Braille dots on paper.
4. The device removes the need for manual reverse-character writing with slate and stylus.
5. The global winner was scheduled to be announced on November 4, 2026 with a £30,000 prize.
Additional Information:
1. The James Dyson Award is for university students and recent engineering and design graduates.
2. Braille is a tactile writing system invented by Louis Braille and World Braille Day is January 4.
Tadoba Tiger Reserve implements sensor-based wildlife waterhole system.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra launched a pilot sensor-based system on October 22, 2026 to automate water-level regulation at wildlife waterholes.
Key Highlights:
1. The first-of-its-kind Indian system uses a level sensor, controller and relay linked to pumps.
2. It starts pumping below a set water level and stops when the waterhole is full.
3. The reserve has 130 natural water sources and 350 artificial waterholes.
4. Most artificial waterholes use solar-powered pumping systems.
5. The objective is at least one functional waterhole in every core-area grid by end-2026.
Additional Information:
1. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve is in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra.
2. Tadoba became a National Park in 1955 and a Tiger Reserve in 1993-94.
Agriculture Ministry launches Khet Bachao Abhiyan Rabi 2026 in Karnal.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the nationwide Khet Bachao Abhiyan–Rabi 2026 in Karnal, Haryana on October 22, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The campaign runs from October 22 to November 30, 2026.
2. It promotes balanced fertiliser use based on soil testing and crop diversification.
3. It emphasises crop-residue management, natural farming and regenerative agriculture.
4. The programme targets about 1 crore participants through 4,150 teams.
5. More than 12,000 scientists and technical personnel are involved.
Additional Information:
1. Kisan Credit Card was introduced in August 1998 on the R.V. Gupta Committee’s recommendations.
2. PM Fasal Bima Yojana began on February 18, 2016 as a yield-based crop-insurance scheme.
PFRDA launches NPS Central portal for pension subscribers.
Dated: 24 October 2026
PFRDA launched NPS Central, a unified digital pension-services platform, on October 1, 2026 on the occasion of NPS Diwas.
Key Highlights:
1. Protean, KFintech and CAMS jointly developed and manage the portal.
2. Subscribers can log in with a registered mobile number and date of birth through OTP.
3. The platform supports AI-assisted onboarding with CKYC and DigiLocker integration.
4. It issues an electronic PRAN and links to Pension Sahayak for grievances.
5. New-subscriber onboarding charges on NPS Central are Nil.
Additional Information:
1. PFRDA is a statutory regulator under the PFRDA Act, 2013 and the Ministry of Finance.
2. NPS began for government employees in January 2004 and opened voluntarily to all citizens in May 2009.
ZSI discovers three new centipede species in Western Ghats.
Dated: 24 October 2026
ZSI and Malabar Christian College researchers identified three new centipede species in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka on October 20, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The species are Rhysida quadrispinosa, Rhysida coorgensis and Rhysida neyyarensis.
2. Rhysida quadrispinosa has four distinctive spines on its hind legs.
3. Rhysida coorgensis was named after the Coorg region.
4. Rhysida neyyarensis was named after Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
5. The discovery raises India’s recorded Rhysida species count to 23.
Additional Information:
1. ZSI was established on July 1, 1916 and is headquartered in Kolkata.
2. Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary is in Kerala and forms part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve.
Essar Ports to develop Rs.2,276 crore terminal at Kandla.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Deendayal Port Authority approved Essar Ports to develop a multipurpose cargo terminal at Tuna Tekra, Kandla, Gujarat on October 21, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The estimated project cost is Rs.2,276.06 crore.
2. It will be developed under a Public-Private Partnership framework.
3. The terminal will handle 18.33 million tonnes of cargo annually.
4. Four berths will have a combined length of 1,200 metres.
5. An 18-metre draft will accommodate Cape-size vessels up to 170,000 DWT.
Additional Information:
1. Deendayal Port was formerly known as Kandla Port and is one of India’s 12 major ports.
2. Kandla Port was renamed Deendayal Port in 2017.
Bangladesh and Nepal to host 2027 U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.
Dated: 24 October 2026
The ICC announced that Bangladesh and Nepal will co-host the third U19 Women’s T20 World Cup from January 21 to February 6, 2027.
Key Highlights:
1. The tournament will feature 16 teams and 41 matches.
2. Teams are divided into four groups of four.
3. India is the two-time defending champion.
4. India begins its campaign against the West Indies on January 22 in Kathmandu.
5. The semi-finals will be played on February 4 in Chattogram and the final on February 6.
Additional Information:
1. The ICC was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Dubai.
2. The inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup was held in South Africa in 2023 and won by India.
VORAN and W&S Innovation partner for gyroplane technology in India.
Dated: 24 October 2026
VORAN Private Limited and Poland-based W&S Innovation signed an MoU on October 22, 2026 for gyroplane aviation and light-aircraft manufacturing in India.
Key Highlights:
1. The project will follow a Build, Operate and Transfer model.
2. It focuses on the X2 advanced gyroplane and AAT Taifun aircraft.
3. The X2 has retractable landing gear, GPS navigation and thermal imaging cameras.
4. The partners will explore aircraft manufacturing and maintenance units in India.
5. The agreement also covers pilot training, technical skills, technology transfer and IP licensing.
Additional Information:
1. VORAN was incorporated in 2026 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
2. W&S Innovation is a Polish aviation firm specialising in gyroplane design and engineering.
Devadas Chimakode selected for Karnataka Janapada Academy Award 2026.
Dated: 24 October 2026
Veteran folk artist Devadas Chimakode was selected for the Karnataka Janapada Academy’s annual honorary award for 2026 on October 22, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The 56-year-old artist belongs to Chimakod village in Bidar district.
2. He specialises in Suggi Kunitha, Halage, folk singing and instrumental music.
3. The award carries Rs.25,000 and a citation.
4. He was recognised for more than 35 years of service to folk traditions.
5. He was chosen to represent Bidar district for the state-level honour.
Additional Information:
1. Karnataka Janapada Academy is an autonomous body under the Karnataka Government.
2. Suggi Kunitha is a harvest dance and Halage is a circular percussion instrument.
33rd India-Singapore maritime exercise SIMBEX-2026 begins in Visakhapatnam.
Dated: 24 October 2026
The 33rd Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-2026, began at Visakhapatnam on October 21, 2026 and continued until October 26.
Key Highlights:
1. Singapore was represented by RSS Supreme.
2. The Indian Navy deployed INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta.
3. The harbour phase ran from October 21 to 23.
4. The sea phase was scheduled in the Bay of Bengal from October 24 to 26.
5. Drills covered anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare.
Additional Information:
1. SIMBEX was formally established in 1994 and was originally called Exercise Lion King.
2. It is the Indian Navy’s longest-running uninterrupted bilateral maritime exercise with a foreign navy.
UDAN completes 10 years and Modified UDAN is launched.
Dated: 24 October 2026
The UDAN regional-connectivity scheme completed 10 years on October 21, 2026 after the Modified UDAN phase was launched on July 4, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The scheme operationalised 687 routes and 95 aerodromes including 17 heliports and 2 water aerodromes.
2. It facilitated 1.72 crore passengers through more than 3.68 lakh flights.
3. Modified UDAN has an outlay of Rs.28,840 crore for FY2026-27 to FY2035-36.
4. It targets 100 airports from unserved airstrips and 200 modern helipads.
5. North-East India has 90 priority RCS routes and 12 operational aerodromes.
Additional Information:
1. UDAN began on October 21, 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016.
2. The first RCS-UDAN flight operated from Shimla to Delhi in April 2017.
Ladakh to get first Government Medical College in Leh.
Dated: 24 October 2026
The Health Ministry approved operationalisation of Ladakh’s first Government Medical College in Leh from the 2027-28 academic year on October 20, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. A one-time relaxation permits recruitment before 80% of permanent infrastructure is complete.
2. The college has 103 sanctioned regular faculty and support posts.
3. Recruitment will begin in phases from the 2027-28 session.
4. Clinical training will use the existing 200-bed SNM Hospital.
5. Two new buildings will temporarily serve as the academic block and student hostel.
Additional Information:
1. Ladakh became a Union Territory on October 31, 2019.
2. It was formed under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and comprises Leh and Kargil districts.
BharathCloud and Tatarstan IT Park sign AI collaboration MoU.
Dated: 24 October 2026
BharathCloud and Tatarstan’s IT Park signed an MoU on October 21, 2026 to strengthen India-Russia cooperation in AI and cloud infrastructure.
Key Highlights:
1. The agreement was finalised at the Russia-India Business Forum TIME in Kazan.
2. It supports joint ventures and cross-border business partnerships.
3. The parties will identify digital-infrastructure opportunities and tailored AI and cloud solutions.
4. BharathCloud proposed cloud embassies for secure international data management.
5. The Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association connected industry stakeholders from both countries.
Additional Information:
1. BharathCloud is headquartered in Hyderabad and operates as an Indian sovereign AI cloud provider.
2. Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan.
India hosts Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026, first in Global South.
Dated: 24 October 2026
India hosted the three-day Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 from October 21, marking the event’s first edition in the Global South.
Key Highlights:
1. TERI identified 47.5 million hectares, or 30% of India’s cropland, as technically suitable.
2. Six states account for nearly 50% of this potential.
3. Using 16 million hectares could generate 12,775 TWh annually.
4. Agrivoltaics may improve selected crop yields by 10-20% and reduce water use by about 30%.
5. The Global Agrivoltaics Climate-Zone Technical Framework was launched at the event.
Additional Information:
1. PM-KUSUM supports decentralised solar power and solar water pumps.
2. The global agrivoltaics market exceeded 18.4 GW of installed capacity in 2025.