Vikram Gaur becomes first IAF Additional Secretary in DMA.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Air Marshal Vikram Gaur was appointed Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs on October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  He is the first Indian Air Force officer appointed to this post.
2.  The Department of Military Affairs functions under the Ministry of Defence.
3.  Gaur earlier served as Joint Secretary for Air and Staff Duties.
4.  He also served as Air Officer Commanding for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
5.  The DMA was created on January 1, 2020.

Additional Information:
1.  The Chief of Defence Staff heads it as ex-officio Secretary.
2.  The Indian Air Force was established on October 8, 1932.

Nilakanta Sharma retires from international hockey.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Indian midfielder Nilakanta Sharma announced retirement from international hockey on October 28, 2026 after a nine-year career.

Key Highlights:
1.  He retired after India’s 13-0 win over Bangladesh at the Asian Champions Trophy in Jalandhar.
2.  Sharma earned 163 international caps and debuted against Belgium in 2017.
3.  He won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
4.  He won Asian Games gold at Hangzhou 2022 and Nagoya 2026.
5.  He also won silver at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Additional Information:
1.  He was part of India’s 2016 Junior World Cup-winning team.
2.  Hockey India was established in 2009.

Denmark tops WJP Rule of Law Index 2026; India ranks 88th.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2026 placed Denmark first and India 88th among 143 countries and jurisdictions.

Key Highlights:
1.  India scored 0.48 and slipped from 86th place in the previous year.
2.  Denmark scored 0.95, followed by Norway and Finland at 0.92.
3.  The United States ranked 30th, China 92nd and Russia 121st.
4.  The index measures eight factors including government constraints and absence of corruption.
5.  Other factors include rights, security, regulatory enforcement and justice.

Additional Information:
1.  Rule of law declined globally for the ninth consecutive year in 62% of countries.
2.  The World Justice Project publishes the index annually.

India and France sign manuscript MoU under Gyan Bharatam Mission.

Dated: 31 October 2026

India’s Culture Ministry and the National Library of France signed an MoU in Paris on October 26, 2026 to preserve and digitise Indian manuscripts.

Key Highlights:
1.  The agreement includes the National Archives of India and National Library in Kolkata.
2.  Its five pillars cover digitisation, repository sharing, technology exchange, conservation and research.
3.  Both sides will develop OCR and handwritten-text recognition for Indian scripts.
4.  Gyan Bharatam identifies and documents Indian-origin manuscripts worldwide.
5.  Vivek Aggarwal and BnF President Gilles Pécout signed the agreement.

Additional Information:
1.  The National Archives of India originated in 1891 as the Imperial Record Department.
2.  The National Library in Kolkata was established in 1948.

SBI launches cybersecurity Centre of Excellence CyRIS.

Dated: 31 October 2026

State Bank of India inaugurated CyRIS, a specialised Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, in Mumbai on October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The centre will research threat intelligence and cyber defence.
2.  Its specialised tracks cover digital forensics, malware analysis and ethical hacking.
3.  It will also work on fraud analytics, AI security and quantum-safe technologies.
4.  CyRIS will connect government bodies, regulators, financial institutions and fintech companies.
5.  Academia and technology partners will contribute to collaborative research.

Additional Information:
1.  The centre aims to strengthen digital protection and technical competence in finance.
2.  SBI was established on July 1, 1955 and is headquartered in Mumbai.

PB Money receives SEBI Online Bond Platform Provider licence.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Investment platform PB Money received SEBI’s Online Bond Platform Provider licence on October 29, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  PB Marketing and Consulting, a wholly owned PB Fintech subsidiary, operates the platform.
2.  It is registered as an OBPP and debt-segment stockbroker with the NSE.
3.  The platform partners with Paisabazaar for a unified bond-investment experience.
4.  It supports KYC, onboarding, bond discovery, evaluation, ordering and payment coordination.
5.  Retail users can access secondary-market bonds and debentures through the exchange.

Additional Information:
1.  Bonds can be compared by yield, credit rating and investment amount.
2.  SEBI became a statutory regulator under the SEBI Act, 1992.

Sanjay Singhal receives additional charge as ITBP Director General.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Senior IPS officer Sanjay Singhal was given additional charge as Director General of the ITBP from October 31, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The 1993-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre officer succeeds Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor.
2.  Singhal is serving as the 27th Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal.
3.  He assumed charge of SSB on September 1, 2025.
4.  He earlier served in ITBP as DIG and IG from 2008 to 2015.
5.  ITBP guards the India-China border in high-altitude Himalayan terrain.

Additional Information:
1.  SSB guards India’s 1,751 km Nepal and 699 km Bhutan borders.
2.  ITBP was established on October 24, 1962.

Aditya wins gold at World Boxing U19 Championships 2026.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Indian boxer Aditya won the men’s 55 kg gold at the World Boxing U19 Championships in Budva, Montenegro on October 29, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Aditya defeated Russia’s Islam Magomedov by a 4-1 split decision in the final.
2.  India finished with four medals: one gold, one silver and two bronze.
3.  Megha Sheokand won silver in the women’s 80 kg category.
4.  Harshika earned bronze in the women’s 65 kg category.
5.  Prachi Tokas won bronze in the women’s 80+ kg division.

Additional Information:
1.  Budva in Montenegro hosted the championship.
2.  Montenegro’s capital is Podgorica and its currency is the Euro.

Uttarakhand budget expands to Rs.1.19 lakh crore.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami presented a supplementary grant that raised Uttarakhand’s FY 2026-27 budget to Rs.1,19,547.39 crore on October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The supplementary grant totals Rs.7,844.18 crore.
2.  Capital expenditure receives Rs.4,164.32 crore and revenue expenditure Rs.3,679.86 crore.
3.  Local bodies’ share in tax revenue rises from 10.5% to 12.5%.
4.  Rs.500 crore is provided under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment.
5.  Rs.1,100 crore supports paddy and wheat procurement.

Additional Information:
1.  Atal Ayushman Yojana receives Rs.100 crore for cashless cover up to Rs.5.5 lakh per family.
2.  Uttarakhand was created on November 9, 2000 as India’s 27th state.

Union Cabinet approves 3% DA and DR hike.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Union Cabinet approved an additional 3% Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners on October 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The increase is effective from July 1, 2026.
2.  The revised rate rises from 60% to 63% of basic pay or pension.
3.  The decision follows the accepted formula of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
4.  Its combined annual cost to the exchequer is estimated at Rs.10,016.10 crore.
5.  About 48.54 lakh employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners will benefit.

Additional Information:
1.  The 7th Central Pay Commission was formed in 2014 under Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur.
2.  Its recommendations took effect from January 1, 2016.

Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana for 2026-27 to 2030-31 on October 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The Centrally Sponsored Scheme has an outlay of Rs.7,395.55 crore.
2.  Its Central share is Rs.4,869.48 crore and State share Rs.2,526.07 crore.
3.  It covers more than 2.55 lakh Panchayats and traditional local bodies in non-Part IX areas.
4.  About 32 lakh elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries will benefit directly.
5.  PANCHAM will provide AI-enabled two-way communication in 17 Indian languages.

Additional Information:
1.  eGramSwaraj will support annual preparation of 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
2.  The 73rd Constitutional Amendment gave Panchayats constitutional status.

Cabinet approves Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Union Cabinet approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with an outlay of Rs.1,856.67 crore on October 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The scheme will run from 2026 to 2033-34.
2.  Dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones will support cluster-based production.
3.  Rs.1,130 crore is allocated to production-linked components.
4.  Anchor investment and turnover-linked support will attract brands and expand capacity.
5.  Rs.105 crore is earmarked for quality and international certification.

Additional Information:
1.  Centres of Excellence will research materials, protective gear and advanced manufacturing.
2.  The scheme aligns with Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.

Cabinet approves Rs.10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Union Cabinet approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme with a Rs.10,000 crore outlay on October 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The scheme will operate up to FY 2039-40 to reduce import dependence.
2.  Rs.859 crore will provide 3% annual interest subsidy on capital loans.
3.  Rs.8,991 crore is allocated to operational expenditure assistance.
4.  Rs.150 crore will support testing and certification facilities.
5.  Domestic capacity is targeted to rise ten-fold to 7.5 lakh TEUs annually.

Additional Information:
1.  The scheme may create 3,000 direct and more than 50,000 indirect jobs.
2.  The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the nodal ministry.

CBIC issues streamlined GST registration guidelines.

Dated: 31 October 2026

CBIC issued new GST registration guidelines on October 26, 2026 with simpler documents and faster processing timelines.

Key Highlights:
1.  Rule 14A applicants under the simplified mechanism can receive registration within three working days.
2.  Applications with successful Aadhaar authentication are processed within seven working days.
3.  Cases needing physical verification may take up to 30 days.
4.  Fast-track treatment applies when intended monthly ITC transfer is not more than Rs.2.5 lakh.
5.  Bank details are not mandatory at initial application but must be provided within 30 days of registration.

Additional Information:
1.  Officers use Form GST REG-03 for clarification and applicants reply through REG-04.
2.  GST was implemented in India on July 1, 2017.

Goa Shipyard launches Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel Srishti.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Goa Shipyard Limited launched the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel Srishti, Yard 1283, on October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Srishti means creation or the act of creating in Sanskrit.
2.  The vessel was indigenously designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited.
3.  The NGOPV class is being built concurrently at GSL and GRSE.
4.  It will conduct maritime surveillance and search and rescue missions.
5.  It can protect offshore assets and perform anti-piracy and disaster-relief duties.

Additional Information:
1.  The project advances Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India in defence manufacturing.
2.  Goa Shipyard is a Miniratna PSU under the Defence Ministry.

ESIC extends New Amnesty Scheme 2025 until December 2026.

Dated: 31 October 2026

ESIC extended the New Amnesty Scheme 2025 by three months until December 31, 2026 on October 29.

Key Highlights:
1.  The original period ran from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
2.  It covers court cases filed up to March 31, 2025.
3.  Employers and insured persons with disputes under the ESI Act are eligible.
4.  Ad-hoc assessments may be settled by paying actual contribution and interest with zero damages.
5.  Cases may be withdrawn after dues and 10% of disputed damages are paid.

Additional Information:
1.  The scheme seeks out-of-court settlement and reduced litigation.
2.  ESIC is a statutory body under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948.

India and Mexico launch Preferential Trade Agreement negotiations.

Dated: 31 October 2026

India and Mexico signed the Terms of Reference on October 28, 2026 to formally begin negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement.

Key Highlights:
1.  The framework sets the scope, modalities and roadmap for the negotiations.
2.  It covers market access, rules of origin and customs facilitation.
3.  It also addresses dispute settlement, sanitary measures and technical barriers.
4.  Priority sectors include automobiles, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
5.  Critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, energy and agri-food are also covered.

Additional Information:
1.  The initiative followed a Modi-Sheinbaum meeting at the June 2025 G7 Summit.
2.  Mexico’s capital is Mexico City and its currency is the Mexican Peso.

DPIIT launches sixth edition of National Startup Awards.

Dated: 31 October 2026

DPIIT launched the sixth National Startup Awards on October 27, 2026 during the 10th anniversary year of Startup India.

Key Highlights:
1.  Applications are open from October 27 to November 20, 2026.
2.  The edition has 20 sectoral and three special categories.
3.  Twelve new sectors include biomanufacturing, defence, space-tech and blue economy.
4.  A new Student Innovator or Aspiring Entrepreneur category covers school and college students.
5.  Eligible startup winners receive Rs.25 lakh each.

Additional Information:
1.  The student category has a separate Rs.25 lakh total prize pool across four sub-categories.
2.  Startup India was launched on January 16, 2016.

Jal Shakti Ministry launches Punah Bharan mobile app.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Union Jal Shakti Minister launched the Punah Bharan mobile application on October 28, 2026 for scientific groundwater recharge planning.

Key Highlights:
1.  BISAG-N developed the app with the National Water Mission.
2.  It identifies potential artificial recharge zones within a 3 km radius.
3.  It recommends suitable artificial recharge structures for local terrain.
4.  Inputs include rainfall, groundwater yield, slope, drainage and water levels.
5.  The linked portal provides village-level maps, GIS tools and thematic layers.

Additional Information:
1.  The National Water Mission targets a 20% increase in water-use efficiency.
2.  BISAG-N is an autonomous scientific society headquartered in Gandhinagar.

India releases four biodiversity publications at CBD COP-17.

Dated: 31 October 2026

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav released four Indian publications on biodiversity, biosafety and benefit sharing at CBD COP-17 in Yerevan on October 28, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The Environment Ministry organised the release with the National Biodiversity Authority and UNDP.
2.  The I-OECMs Guidelines 2026 recognise conservation beyond traditional protected areas.
3.  The fifth national report covers India’s governance under the Cartagena Protocol.
4.  A CBD handbook explains international biodiversity processes from an Indian perspective.
5.  India’s ABS Success Story records leadership in access and benefit sharing.

Additional Information:
1.  The National Biodiversity Authority was established in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
2.  The Cartagena Protocol governs movement of living modified organisms.

PhonePe launches Tatkal NPS for micro retirement investments.

Dated: 31 October 2026

PhonePe launched Tatkal NPS with major banks on October 28, 2026 for instant paperless micro-investments in retirement savings.

Key Highlights:
1.  Users can begin contributions with a minimum of Rs.250.
2.  A one-time registration charge of Rs.100 plus 18% GST applies.
3.  Indian citizens aged 18 to 85 years are eligible.
4.  Applicants need PAN and an Aadhaar-linked bank account with completed KYC.
5.  Existing PRAN holders cannot open another account through the service.

Additional Information:
1.  PRAN is generated instantly using secure OTP-based bank KYC.
2.  Partner banks include SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank.

Orange Oakleaf named Chhattisgarh State Butterfly.

Dated: 31 October 2026

The Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board selected the Orange Oakleaf as the official State Butterfly on October 27, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The butterfly’s scientific name is Kallima inachus.
2.  It won 3,000 of 5,813 votes in a public online poll.
3.  Closed wings resemble a dry leaf while open wings show orange, black and blue.
4.  Chhattisgarh became India’s ninth state or Union Territory with an official butterfly.
5.  A 2025 survey recorded 201 native butterfly species in the state.

Additional Information:
1.  Maharashtra became the first state to adopt a state butterfly in 2015.
2.  Madhya Pradesh also recognises the Orange Oakleaf as its state butterfly.