Quick revision of the 17 current affairs posts dated 12 October to 18 October 2026, with the key fact of each.
The posts of this week, in date order. Open any post for the full explainer, source and exam angle.
- 12 Oct | International Affairs | 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.
- 12 Oct | Economy & Business | 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.
- 13 Oct | International Affairs | 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.
- 14 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 14 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 14 Oct | Economy & Business | 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.
- 14 Oct | Banking & Finance | 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.
- 15 Oct | Economy & Business | 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%.
- 15 Oct | International Affairs | 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.
- 15 Oct | Sports & Culture | 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.
- 16 Oct | Sports & Culture | 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.
- 16 Oct | Economy & Business | 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.
- 17 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 17 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 17 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 18 Oct | National Affairs | 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.
- 18 Oct | International Affairs | 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.