Monthly Current Affairs Roundup: October 2026

This roundup lists the current affairs posts published for October 2026, grouped by category. Open the individual post for the full explainer, source and exam angle.

NATIONAL AFFAIRS (11)

• First Tigress Released in Buxa Tiger Reserve on 2 October 2026 Under a Phased Tiger Reintroduction Programme: On 2 October 2026 a tigress (T138) brought from Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar was released in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, beginning a phased tiger reintroduction programme during Wildlife Week.
• Navy's First Fleet Support Ship Surya Launched at Visakhapatnam: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched Surya, the first of five indigenously built fleet support ships for the Indian Navy, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam on 6 October 2026.
• Cabinet Sets Up the Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority to Plan India's Transport Network: On 6 October 2026 the Cabinet approved the Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority, a special purpose vehicle to prepare a national transport master plan and appraise projects costing Rs 500 crore or more.
• PM Inaugurates the 10th India Mobile Congress, Warns of Cyber Fraud and Deepfakes: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi on 8 October 2026; the four-day event ran from 7 to 10 October under the theme "Scale Without Boundaries".
• 1st BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting Adopts New Delhi Declaration: India hosted the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi on 10 October 2026; member states adopted the New Delhi Declaration to combat cross-border terrorism, human trafficking, and cybercrime.
• Health Ministry Launches JOSH Campaign Under TB-Mukt Bharat Mission: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) campaign in October 2026, deploying rapid diagnostic squads across 55 priority districts in 11 states.
• Cabinet Renames and Continues the National Social Assistance Programme With Rs 53,428 Crore: On 14 October 2026 the Cabinet approved continuing the National Social Assistance Programme for 2026-27 to 2030-31 with Rs 53,428 crore, renamed the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana, with a higher disability pension.
• Supreme Court-Appointed High Powered Enquiry Committee Launches Portal for Complaints on July 2026 Violence at Jantar Mantar and Elsewhere: The High Powered Enquiry Committee set up by the Supreme Court to examine violence in Delhi's Jantar Mantar area and other places in July 2026 launched a portal (hpec.nic.in), a Home Ministry release of 17 October 2026 said.
• NPPA Caps Trade Margin at 30% on 137 Anti-Cancer Drugs, Cutting MRPs by Up to 70% From 9 November 2026: On 17 October 2026 the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority capped the trade margin on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs at 30% of MRP, expected to cut their maximum retail prices by up to 70% from 9 November 2026.
• PM Expresses Grief Over Kolkata Stampede and Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia From PMNRF on 17 October 2026: The Prime Minister said on 17 October 2026 that the Kolkata stampede was extremely distressing and announced Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the next of kin of each person who died and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
• PM Announces Rs 2 Lakh Ex-Gratia for Victims of the Gwalior Mishap on 18 October 2026: On 18 October 2026 the Prime Minister expressed grief over lives lost in a mishap in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, announcing Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF for the kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (11)

• INS Trishul Arrives at Valencia, Spain, After Exercise Varuna With the French Navy: The stealth frigate INS Trishul reached Valencia, Spain, on 30 September 2026 during a Mediterranean and Atlantic deployment, after taking part in the 24th edition of Exercise Varuna with the French Navy at Toulon.
• Indian Parliamentary Delegation Led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Leaves for 153rd IPU Assembly in Tanzania: An Indian delegation led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh left on 3 October 2026 for Arusha, Tanzania, for the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly held from 5 to 9 October on the theme of inclusivity, trust and opportunities.
• Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026: Optogenetics: Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel share the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for work that showed how light can control cells and gave neuroscience the tool called optogenetics.
• Nobel Prize in Physics 2026: Francis Halzen and IceCube: Francis Halzen wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for leading the IceCube observatory in Antarctica, which first caught very high-energy neutrinos from space.
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026: Kagan and Soai: Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai share the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work on how a small preference for one mirror-image molecule can be magnified during synthesis.
• Nobel Prize in Literature 2026: Anne Carson: The Swedish Academy gave the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature to the Canadian poet and classicist Anne Carson for a body of work that reinvents literary forms in conversation with classical writing.
• Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Navi Pillay: The Norwegian Nobel Committee gave the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to the South African jurist Navi Pillay for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
• Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 2026: Robert Hall and Michael Woodford: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford for their work on microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation.
• Global Hunger Index 2026: India Ranks 102nd with Serious Hunger Level: In the 2026 Global Hunger Index report released by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, India ranked 102nd out of 122 countries with a score of 24.1, placing it in the 'Serious' hunger category.
• 12th Session of the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Roads Held at Bharat Mandapam on 15 October 2026: The 12th session of the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Roads and Road Transportation was held in New Delhi on 15 October 2026, focusing on tunnel and bridge engineering, sustainable infrastructure and digital road management.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Represent India at the 25th SCO Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe on 19-20 October 2026: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 19 and 20 October 2026 for the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of Government; the previous meeting was in Moscow on 18 November 2025.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS (9)

• GST Collections Rise 14.7% to Rs 2.04 Lakh Crore in September 2026: Gross GST revenue for September 2026 was Rs 2,03,521 crore, up 14.7 per cent from a year earlier, with import revenue up 25.9 per cent and domestic revenue up 10.1 per cent.
• NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba Calls for Light-Touch, Risk-Proportionate Regulation at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave: Speaking on 3 October 2026 at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave, NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba said regulation should manage risk without hampering innovation, competition and investment, and must be clear, consistent and predictable.
• Cabinet Commits Rs 10,000 Crore to a New SME Growth Fund for Direct Equity Investment: On 6 October 2026 the Union Cabinet approved the Government's commitment of Rs 10,000 crore to set up the SME Growth Fund, which will invest patient growth equity in small and medium enterprises.
• 57th GST Council Meeting: Process Reforms for Registration, Returns, Refunds and an Optional Scheme for Small Businesses: The 57th GST Council meeting on 8 October 2026 recommended process reforms on registration, returns, refunds and adjudication, an automatic registration route for small e-commerce sellers and an optional scheme for small consumer-facing businesses.
• India's IIP Industrial Production Accelerates to 8.0% in August 2026: According to MoSPI Quick Estimates, India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by 8.0% in August 2026, led by strong growth in manufacturing (9.0%) and electricity (12.3%).
• Retail Inflation (CPI) Accelerates to 5.54% in September 2026: MoSPI provisional data released on 12 October 2026 showed all-India year-on-year retail (CPI) inflation rose to 5.54% in September from 4.83% in August, driven by a 7.74% spike in food inflation.
• Cabinet Approves 78-Day Productivity Linked Bonus for 11.4 Lakh Railway Employees: On 14 October 2026 the Cabinet approved a Productivity Linked Bonus equal to 78 days' wages, costing Rs 2,009.61 crore, for 11,40,770 non-gazetted railway employees; the maximum payment is Rs 17,951 per person.
• India's Total Exports Rise 10.99% to US$ 80.75 Billion in September 2026; April-September 2026-27 Exports Reach US$ 476.2 Billion: The Commerce Ministry estimated September 2026 merchandise and services exports at US$ 80.75 billion (up 10.99%) with a trade gap of US$ 13.30 billion, and April-September 2026-27 exports at US$ 476.20 billion, up 13.84%.
• Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata Expressway: 36% Physical Progress on the Rs 1,248 Crore Gaya Package of the 672 km Corridor: NHAI reported on 16 October 2026 about 36% physical progress on Package VII of the 672 km Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata six-lane greenfield expressway, a 33.5 km stretch in Gaya district costing Rs 1,248.37 crore.

BANKING & FINANCE (2)

• RBI Raises Repo Rate to 5.50% and Moves to Calibrated Tightening: On 7 October 2026 the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50% and changed its stance to calibrated tightening, the first hike since February 2023.
• IDBI Bank Strategic Sale: Fairfax Entity Approved as Buyer for a 60.72% Stake at Rs 52,878 Crore: On 14 October 2026 the Government published details of the strategic restructuring of IDBI Bank: a Fairfax Financial Holdings entity is the approved buyer of a 60.72 per cent stake, for Rs 52,878 crore.

SPORTS & CULTURE (4)

• PM Congratulates India's Women's Hockey Team on Asian Games Gold After Over Four Decades: On 2 October 2026 the Prime Minister congratulated the Indian women's hockey team on winning the Asian Games gold medal, the first in over four decades.
• Asian Games 2026: India Finish Fourth with 85 Medals: At the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (19 Sep-4 Oct 2026), India won 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze) and finished fourth; China topped the table.
• PM Meets Asian Games 2026 Medallists on 15 October: Both Hockey Teams Won Gold and Women End a 44-Year Wait: Interacting with India's Asian Games 2026 medal winners on 15 October, the Prime Minister noted that both hockey teams won gold, the women's team after 44 years, and that both cricket teams medalled for a second straight Games.
• Women's Kabaddi Team Retains Asian Games Gold by Beating Iran 37-34; Railway Minister Meets the Team on 16 October 2026: India's women's kabaddi team defended its Asian Games title by beating Iran 37-34 in the final on 26 September 2026 at Aichi-Nagoya; Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw met the team on 16 October.