Current Affairs 31 October 2026

India–Bangladesh Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty Nears Expiry

Bangladesh has urged India to negotiate a new Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty before the existing 30-year agreement expires on 12 December 2026. The treaty, signed in 1996, regulates the sharing of Ganges River water between India and Bangladesh during the dry season at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal.

Bangladesh has expressed concerns that failure to renew the agreement could worsen freshwater shortages, agricultural losses and declining fish catches, particularly in its northwestern regions. It is seeking a revised agreement that considers climate change, growing water demand and the needs of the entire Ganges River basin.

What is the Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty of 1996?

The treaty was signed between India and Bangladesh in December 1996 for a period of 30 years. It establishes arrangements for sharing Ganges water at the Farakka Barrage during the dry season, particularly from January to May.

The treaty does not contain an automatic extension clause. Therefore, its continuation beyond December 2026 requires further agreement between the two countries.

Major Issues in the Water-Sharing Negotiations

Importance of the Farakka Barrage and Joint Rivers Commission

The Farakka Barrage, commissioned in 1975, is located across the Ganga in West Bengal. Water-sharing disagreements between India and Bangladesh emerged following its construction. An earlier water-sharing agreement was reached in 1977.

The Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) provides an institutional mechanism for cooperation on transboundary water resources between the two countries. India and Bangladesh share 54 transboundary rivers, making river-water management an important aspect of bilateral relations.

Environmental and Economic Significance

Reduced freshwater availability affects agriculture, fisheries, and river-dependent livelihoods in Bangladesh. The Gorai River, a distributary of the Ganges system, carries freshwater towards the Sundarbans and helps limit saltwater intrusion.

India Voted UN General Assembly Resolution to End U.S. Embargo on Cuba

India voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba in October 2026. India reiterated its position that the restrictions should be lifted to enable Cuba to pursue its economic development and improve the welfare of its people. UNGA resolutions are generally recommendatory and non-binding.

What is the U.S. Embargo on Cuba?

The United States imposed a comprehensive trade embargo on Cuba in 1962, restricting most trade and financial transactions between the two countries. The embargo has remained a major issue in international relations for several decades.

The UN General Assembly has repeatedly adopted resolutions calling for an end to the embargo. These resolutions express the position of the international community but are not legally binding.

Note: The capital of Cuba is Havana, and the official currency is the Cuban Peso (CUP).

Gujarat Court Awards Life Imprisonment in Cow Slaughter Case

A court in Gandhinagar district, Gujarat, sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in a cow slaughter case involving the seizure of 277 kg of beef.

Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954

The Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954, regulates and prohibits the slaughter of specified animals in Gujarat. Through an amendment in 2017, the State government strengthened the punishment for cow slaughter, providing for imprisonment that may extend to life.

Gujarat became the first Indian State to introduce life imprisonment as a punishment for cow slaughter through this amendment. The legislation reflects the State’s legal framework for cattle protection.

Constitutional Provisions Related to Cow Protection

Article 48 of the Indian Constitution, under the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs), directs the State to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines. It also calls for steps to preserve and improve cattle breeds and prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle.

Article 48A, by contrast, deals with environmental protection and the safeguarding of forests and wildlife.

The Supreme Court has also examined the constitutional validity of cattle slaughter restrictions, including in State of Gujarat v. Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat (2005), in which it upheld Gujarat’s restrictions on the slaughter of certain cattle.

Kerala to Revive Traditional Surangam Water Harvesting System in Kasaragod

The Kerala government is planning to restore traditional underground water harvesting tunnels known as Surangams across eight grama panchayats in Kasaragod district. The initiative aims to conserve rainwater, improve groundwater availability and sustain river flows amid declining rainfall and increasing drought risks.

What is a Surangam?

A Surangam is a traditional groundwater harvesting structure consisting of a horizontal tunnel excavated into a laterite hill. Groundwater naturally seeps into the tunnel through the surrounding soil and rock and flows out for collection and use.

During the monsoon, rainwater infiltrates the laterite formations and replenishes underground water reserves. The stored groundwater subsequently flows through the tunnels, providing a water source during the dry summer months.

Surangams are particularly associated with Kasaragod district in northern Kerala and represent an indigenous, gravity-based water harvesting technique.

Andhra Pradesh Announces One-Year Ban on Analogue Paneer

Andhra Pradesh’s Food Safety Department has announced a one-year ban on analogue paneer, according to the newspaper report. The development highlights product standards, truthful labelling and protection against misleading food sales.

What is an analogue product?

In this context, an analogue is a substitute resembling a dairy product but made with replacement ingredients. The central regulatory issue is whether a substitute is represented or sold as standard paneer, misleading consumers about what they are buying.

Regulatory background

An FSSAI public notice dated 22 April 2026 had already directed food businesses to stop selling cheese analogues under the name paneer. It called for clear product identification, disclosure where applicable, and verification of incoming raw materials.

Bapatla Police Launch Samarth App for Election Security

Bapatla district police have launched the Samarth mobile application to improve coordination during local body elections. The platform brings personnel tracking, emergency alerts, and operational instructions into a common system for police deployment.

Key features

• Location monitoring: the control room can view deployed officers and personnel through Google Maps.
• Emergency response: an SOS feature lets personnel alert authorities to urgent situations.
• Coordinated deployment: mobile patrols, striking forces, and special striking forces can be directed to trouble spots.
• Communication: send instructions to multiple personnel, and officer contact details support quick coordination.

Judicial Appointments and the Collegium System

The collegium system for judicial appointments in India has come under renewed scrutiny following remarks by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kaul. He raised concerns that former Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud may have discussed proposed judicial appointments with the Union Government before the collegium formally considered them. These remarks have revived debates over judicial independence, transparency and accountability in appointments to the higher judiciary.

Constitutional Provisions for Judicial Appointments

The Constitution provides for the appointment of Supreme Court and High Court judges by the President after consultation with specified constitutional authorities.

Evolution of the Collegium System

The collegium system was developed through Supreme Court judgments to safeguard judicial independence from executive interference.

Composition of the Collegium

• Supreme Court appointments: CJI and four senior-most Supreme Court judges.
• High Court appointments: CJI and two senior-most Supreme Court judges at the Supreme Court collegium stage.

New Dwarf Planet Candidate 2026 ED138 Discovered Beyond Pluto

Scientists using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile have identified a distant icy object, designated 2026 ED138, that could potentially be classified as a dwarf planet. The discovery highlights the observatory’s ability to detect faint celestial objects in the outer Solar System.

The newly identified object is estimated to have a diameter of approximately 600–1,500 kilometres and is located at an orbital distance of around 46 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. One astronomical unit represents the average distance between Earth and the Sun, approximately 149.6 million kilometres.

If further observations confirm that 2026 ED138 meets the required criteria, it could join the five dwarf planets currently recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU): Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris.

A dwarf planet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun, has sufficient mass to attain a nearly round shape, is not a satellite and has not cleared its orbital neighbourhood of other objects. Further observations are necessary to determine whether 2026 ED138 qualifies for this classification.

India’s Cloud Ecosystem – MeghRaj 2.0

India is strengthening its domestic cloud computing infrastructure through MeghRaj 2.0, indigenous data centres and the IndiaAI Mission to support secure digital governance, artificial intelligence (AI) and data sovereignty. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) backgrounder released on 29 October 2026, India had empanelled 30 Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) as of September 2026.

Cloud computing refers to delivering computing resources such as servers, data storage, software and processing power over the internet. Domestic cloud infrastructure can strengthen data sovereignty, which refers to a country’s ability to exercise control over data and its storage and processing under its legal framework.

Major Initiatives and Developments

13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus)

India has expressed its readiness to share its counterterrorism expertise with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to strengthen regional security cooperation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made the announcement at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Cebu, Philippines, in October 2026.

Major Announcements and Initiatives

What is ADMM-Plus?

The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) is a defence cooperation framework bringing together the 10 ASEAN member countries and eight dialogue partners: India, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

ASEAN Countries (11): Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor-Leste

Q1. Which of the following celestial objects was recently discovered by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile and identified as a potential new dwarf planet?
A. 2026 ED138
B. Haumea
C. Makemake
D. Eris

Q2. Which of the following is the Government of India’s domestic cloud computing initiative launched to promote e-governance and secure digital infrastructure?
A. DigiLocker
B. MeghRaj
C. BHASHINI
D. BharatNet

Q3. Which Indian State became the first to introduce life imprisonment as a punishment for cow slaughter through an amendment to its animal preservation law in 2017?
A. Uttar Pradesh
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Gujarat
D. Rajasthan

Q4. With reference to the traditional water harvesting system known as ‘Surangam’, consider the following statements:
1. Surangams are horizontal tunnels excavated into laterite hills to collect naturally seeping groundwater.
2. Surangams are traditionally associated with Kasaragod district in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q5. India is co-chairing the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024–2027 cycle along with which ASEAN country?
A. Indonesia
B. Philippines
C. Malaysia
D. Singapore

Q6. With reference to the collegium system for judicial appointments in India, consider the following statements:
1. The collegium system was established through the Second Judges Case (1993), which recognised the primacy of the judiciary in judicial appointments.
2. The Supreme Court Collegium for appointments to the Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.
3. The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), established through the 99th Constitutional Amendment, continues to function alongside the collegium system.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. With reference to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), consider the following statements:
1. India recently voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba.
2. Resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly are generally recommendatory in nature and are not legally binding on member states.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q8. With reference to the India–Bangladesh Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty, consider the following statements:
1. The treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years and is scheduled to expire in December 2026.
2. The treaty regulates the sharing of Ganges water at the Farakka Barrage in West Bengal during the dry season.
3. The treaty provides for automatic renewal for another 30 years upon expiry.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Which of the following countries recently became the 11th member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025?
A. Papua New Guinea
B. Timor-Leste
C. Sri Lanka
D. Bangladesh

Q10. Which of the following districts in Andhra Pradesh recently launched the ‘Samarth’ mobile application to improve police coordination and deployment during local body elections?
A. Palnadu
B. Prakasam
C. Bapatla
D. Guntur