Weekly Current Affairs (October 2026 – Week 5) – Exam Revision Notes
1) International Current Affairs
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Wins Brazil’s 2026 Presidential Election
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won Brazil’s 2026 presidential election, securing a fourth presidential term after defeating Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) in the second-round runoff. Brazil is the largest country in South America and a founding member of BRICS, making its elections important for India’s relations with Latin America.
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 regulates sharing of Ganges water during the dry season at the Farakka Barrage, West Bengal. Bangladesh fears freshwater shortages, agricultural losses and falling fish catches, especially in its north-west, and seeks a revised deal considering climate change, growing demand and the whole Ganges basin.
| Key Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Treaty signed | December 1996, for 30 years |
| Lean season covered | Mainly January to May, at Farakka |
| Extension | No automatic extension clause — continuation needs a fresh agreement |
| Farakka Barrage | Commissioned 1975 across the Ganga in West Bengal |
| Earlier agreement | 1977 |
India Voted UN General Assembly Resolution to End U.S. Embargo on Cuba
India voted in favour of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution in October 2026 calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba, reiterating that the restrictions should be lifted to support Cuba’s development. UNGA resolutions are recommendatory and non-binding.
2) National Current Affairs
India’s First Integrated Air Pollution Analysis Laboratory
Union MoS (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) at the Delhi branch of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Described as the world’s first integrated facility of its kind, it was set up under Mission Mausam for Delhi-NCR. Unlike conventional monitors, AATAL can identify the chemical composition, sources and health impacts of pollutants.
New RBI Data Centre in Bhubaneswar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Data Centre and Cyber Security Training Institute of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on 25 October 2026, to strengthen digital banking infrastructure and cybersecurity in the financial sector.
Tummidihatti Barrage
The Tummidihatti Barrage is a proposed irrigation project across the Pranahita River on the Telangana–Maharashtra border, emphasising gravity-based water conveyance to reduce dependence on electricity-intensive pumping. Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy requested Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to raise the barrage height from 148 metres to 152 metres; the 148-metre height was envisaged under a 2016 agreement between the two States.
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.
| Provision | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gujarat Animal Preservation Act, 1954 | Regulates and prohibits slaughter of specified animals; 2017 amendment made punishment for cow slaughter extend to life imprisonment — Gujarat the first State to do so |
| Article 48 (DPSP) | Organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern lines; preserve cattle breeds; prohibit slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle |
| Article 48A | Environmental protection; safeguarding forests and wildlife |
| State of Gujarat v. Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat (2005) | Supreme Court upheld Gujarat’s restrictions on slaughter of certain cattle |
Kerala to Revive Traditional Surangam Water Harvesting System in Kasaragod
The Kerala government plans to restore traditional underground water harvesting tunnels called Surangams across eight grama panchayats in Kasaragod district, to conserve rainwater, improve groundwater and sustain river flows amid declining rainfall and drought risk.
3) Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs
Operation Firewall-2026
The Andhra Pradesh Counter Intelligence Cell (CIC), with Naval Intelligence and Anti-Terrorist Squads (ATS) across 10 States, uncovered an alleged Pakistan-linked espionage network targeting sensitive Indian Navy information, in a coordinated crackdown code-named Operation Firewall-2026.
Cyclone Arnab 2026
Cyclone Arnab, a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS), developed over the Bay of Bengal on 26 October 2026 and approached the AP coast on 28 October. The IMD forecast its crossing of the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam. The name Arnab was contributed by Bangladesh and means ocean in Bengali.
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 a newspaper report, highlighting product standards, truthful labelling and protection against misleading food sales. An analogue is a substitute resembling a dairy product but made with replacement ingredients; the key issue is whether it is sold as standard paneer.
Bapatla Police Launch Samarth App for Election Security
Bapatla district police launched the Samarth mobile app to improve coordination during local body elections, bringing personnel tracking, emergency alerts and operational instructions into one system.
4) Polity & Governance
Judicial Appointments and the Collegium System
The collegium system has come under renewed scrutiny after remarks by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjay Kaul, who raised concerns that former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud may have discussed proposed appointments with the Union Government before the collegium formally considered them, reviving debates on judicial independence, transparency and accountability.
| Article | Constitutional Provision |
|---|---|
| Article 124 | Appointment of Supreme Court judges by the President after the required consultation |
| Article 217 | Appointment of High Court judges by the President after consultation with the CJI, the Governor and the HC Chief Justice |
| Case / Development | Significance |
|---|---|
| First Judges Case (1981) | Upheld primacy of the executive |
| Second Judges Case (1993) | Established the collegium and judicial primacy |
| Third Judges Case (1998) | Clarified and expanded the collegium’s composition and consultation |
| 99th Constitutional Amendment (2014) | Provided for the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) |
| NJAC Judgment (2015) | SC struck down NJAC for violating judicial independence (basic structure) |
5) Science & Technology
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
The Government is promoting CCUS to cut industrial emissions and reach net-zero by 2070. A PIB backgrounder of 27 October 2026 said CCUS is key for hard-to-abate sectors — steel, cement, power, refineries and chemicals. CCUS involves capturing CO₂, transporting it, and using it (urea, green methanol, synthetic fuels, construction materials) or storing it in depleted oil/gas reservoirs, deep saline aquifers or basalt formations.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Union Budget 2026–27 | ₹20,000 crore over five years for CCUS in five sectors |
| DST | CCUS R&D Roadmap — December 2025 |
| NITI Aayog | CCUS Policy Framework and Deployment Mechanism — November 2022 |
| IIT Bombay (May 2026) | India’s first Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory — captures up to 3 tonnes CO₂/day; research on storage in Deccan Trap basalts |
India’s Emerging Space Technologies
India is advancing reusable launch vehicles, next-generation rockets, advanced propulsion, docking, navigation and Earth observation, led by ISRO, supporting the goal of a US$44 billion space economy by 2033.
| Technology / Mission | Key Developments |
|---|---|
| Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) | Approved September 2024, ₹8,240 crore; 30 tonnes to LEO; partially reusable variant 14 tonnes |
| RLV – Pushpak | Three autonomous runway landings in 2023–24 |
| Scramjet | Flight-tested August 2016, Mach 6; uses atmospheric oxygen |
| Electric Propulsion | 1,000-hour life test of a 300 mN plasma thruster — March 2025 |
| Green Propulsion | Alternative propellants incl. ISROSENE (rocket-grade kerosene) |
| Nuclear Space Technologies | ISRO–DAE work on RHUs and RTGs |
| SpaDeX | India the fourth country to dock in space — 16 January 2025; power transfer April 2025 |
| NavIC | Regional navigation over India and up to 1,500 km beyond |
| NISAR | Launched 30 July 2025; NASA–ISRO; L-band and S-band radar |
| HysIS | Launched November 2018; hyperspectral imaging |
India’s First Gene-Edited Rice Varieties
India is advancing CRISPR-based gene editing and apomixis to improve productivity, climate resilience and food security. In 2025, India introduced two gene-edited rice varieties developed by ICAR scientists.
| Variety | Major Features |
|---|---|
| DRR Dhan-100 (Kamala) | Matures in ~130 days vs 150; ~20% higher yield (~5.4 t/ha); less water and labour |
| Pusa DST Rice-1 | Tolerant to saline and alkaline soils; ~10–30% higher yield in such conditions |
New Dwarf Planet Candidate 2026 ED138 Discovered Beyond Pluto
Scientists using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Chile, identified a distant icy object, 2026 ED138, that could be classified as a dwarf planet. It is estimated at 600–1,500 km in diameter at about 46 AU from the Sun (1 AU ≈ 149.6 million km).
India’s Cloud Ecosystem – MeghRaj 2.0
India is strengthening domestic cloud infrastructure through MeghRaj 2.0, indigenous data centres and the IndiaAI Mission for digital governance, AI and data sovereignty (a country’s control over data stored and processed under its laws). A PIB backgrounder of 29 October 2026 said India had 30 empanelled Cloud Service Providers as of September 2026.
| Initiative | Key Developments |
|---|---|
| MeghRaj (GI Cloud) | Launched 2014 by MeitY for cloud-based e-governance |
| MeghRaj 2.0 | AI-ready government cloud; adopted by 2,330 departments by September 2026 |
| Data centre capacity | 1.57 GW (August 2026); ~8 GW by 2030 |
| IndiaAI Mission | Outlay ₹10,371.92 crore; 45,000+ GPUs onboarded |
| BHASHINI | Migrated to Indian cloud (Yotta Data Services) — February 2026 |
| NIC | 4 National Data Centres and 24 Mini Data Centres |
| Cloud Selection Framework | Issued by MeitY — March 2026 |
| FutureSkills PRIME | MeitY–NASSCOM; 34 lakh registered by August 2026 |
6) Environment
Salt Marshes
A study in Nature by researchers from Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands, found that salt marsh vegetation and root systems reduce wave energy and prevent coastal erosion, even during extreme storms.
7) Defence
Exercise Garuda Shakti 2026
The 11th edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti, a bilateral Special Forces exercise between India and Indonesia, began on 27 October 2026 in Banyuwangi, Indonesia, and runs until 6 November 2026.
8) Schemes
Pradhan Mantri Vikasit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PMVGSY)
The Union Cabinet approved PMVGSY as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to strengthen grassroots governance and rural development, from 2026–27 to 2030–31, coinciding with the Sixteenth Finance Commission. It aims to build the capacity of about 32 lakh elected representatives and officials across 2.55 lakh+ Panchayats and traditional local bodies, and help Panchayats use the ~₹4.35 lakh crore of rural local body grants recommended by the 16th Finance Commission for 2026–31.
| Key Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Total outlay | ₹7,395.55 crore — Centre ₹4,869.48 crore, States ₹2,526.07 crore |
| Planning | ~2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans a year on eGramSwaraj |
| Audit | At least 2.55 lakh online audit plans a year via AuditOnline |
| Communication | Pancham — AI-based platform in 17 Indian languages; each campaign to reach 1 crore+ citizens |
| Coverage | All States and UTs, incl. traditional rural local bodies; plans reviewed by a Central Empowered Committee |
Khelo India Sports Equipment Manufacturing Scheme
The Union Cabinet approved the Khelo India Sports Equipment Manufacturing Scheme with an outlay of ₹1,856.67 crore for 2026 to 2033–34. Announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, it aims to boost domestic sports equipment manufacturing, investment, jobs and exports, through Dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs).
Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS)
The Union Cabinet approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) with a proposed outlay of ₹10,000 crore. Announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, it aims to build a globally competitive container industry, reduce imports and strengthen maritime logistics. It supports greenfield and brownfield units; under the Interest Subvention Assistance (ISA) component, ₹859 crore will provide a 3% annual interest subsidy on eligible term loans.
9) Awards & Honours
Ashoke Sen Becomes First Indian to Receive Oskar Klein Medal 2026
Theoretical physicist Ashoke Sen has been awarded the 2026 Oskar Klein Medal, becoming the first Indian to receive it. The award is associated with Stockholm University and the Nobel Committee for Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Sen, the ICTS-Infosys Madhava Chair Professor at ICTS, Bengaluru, delivered the memorial lecture in Stockholm on 22 October 2026, titled “Gravity from Strings and Strings from Gravity”. The medal was established in 1988 in honour of Swedish physicist Oskar Klein (1894–1977).
10) Ranks & Reports
Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2027–28
The National Statistics Office (NSO) has conducted ASUSE since 2021–22 to collect data on India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector — manufacturing, trade and services enterprises important for jobs and GVA. For the first time, ASUSE 2027–28 will include questions on gender-specific constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, plus questions on electricity sources and investment in fixed assets over a longer reference period.
11) Committees & Conferences
12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 Held in New Delhi
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held in New Delhi on 26–27 October 2026 under the theme “Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centered Development”, bringing together Presiding Officers and representatives of the 10 BRICS member countries.
13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, in October 2026, said India is ready to share its counterterrorism expertise with ASEAN countries.
12) Important Days
Janjatiya Gaurav Divas 2026
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs announced nationwide Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada (Tribal Pride Fortnight) from 1 to 15 November 2026, culminating in Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on 15 November, the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda (Dharti Aaba).
The Government declared 15 November as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in 2021. Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary was marked during 2024–25 as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh.
13) Sports
Asian Para Games 2026
India achieved its best-ever performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 — 114 medals (30 gold, 35 silver, 49 bronze) — finishing fourth, behind China, Japan and Uzbekistan. The fifth edition was held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 18 to 24 October 2026. The next edition will be in Doha, Qatar, in 2030.
| Athlete | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Mona Agarwal | Two golds in para shooting; world record in women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 |
| Sheetal Devi | Two golds in para archery |
| Sandeep | World record — men’s 400m T64 |
| Haney | World record — javelin F37/38 |
14) Miscellaneous
Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch the Rain 2026 Campaign
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is implementing Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Catch the Rain (JSJB: CTR) 2026, launched on 1 June 2026, integrating JSJB with Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain. A PIB backgrounder of 26 October 2026 said 1.55 crore+ recharge and storage structures have been built under JSJB; an evaluation of 23 lakh JSJB 1.0 structures estimated 2.43 billion cubic metres of groundwater recharge (June–December 2025).
Recharge Mobile App
Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil launched the Recharge mobile app, developed by BISAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics) with the National Water Mission (NWM). It helps users identify potential artificial recharge areas within a 3-km radius and suitable recharge structures using geospatial data.
Quick Revision Table
| Topic | One-Line Summary |
|---|---|
| Lula Wins Brazil Election | Lula da Silva won Brazil’s 2026 presidential runoff against Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party, securing a fourth term. |
| Ganges Water Treaty | The 30-year India–Bangladesh Ganges Water-Sharing Treaty of December 1996, covering dry-season sharing at the Farakka Barrage (commissioned 1975), expires on 12 December 2026 and has no automatic extension clause. |
| UNGA Cuba Vote | India voted for the non-binding UNGA resolution in October 2026 calling for an end to the US embargo on Cuba imposed in 1962. |
| Cow Slaughter Law | Gujarat’s 2017 amendment to the Animal Preservation Act, 1954 made it the first State to allow life imprisonment for cow slaughter, linked to Article 48 and upheld in the Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat case (2005). |
| Surangam | Kerala will revive Surangams, horizontal tunnels dug into laterite hills for gravity-based groundwater harvesting, in eight grama panchayats of Kasaragod. |
| Cyclone Arnab | Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab formed over the Bay of Bengal on 26 October 2026 and was forecast to cross the AP–Yanam coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, its name (meaning ocean) given by Bangladesh. |
| Analogue Paneer Ban | AP’s Food Safety Department announced a one-year ban on analogue paneer, following an FSSAI notice of 22 April 2026 barring cheese analogues sold as paneer. |
| Collegium System | Articles 124 and 217 govern judicial appointments, with the collegium created by the Second Judges Case (1993) and the 99th Amendment’s NJAC struck down in 2015. |
| CCUS | Union Budget 2026–27 provided ₹20,000 crore over five years for CCUS, and India’s first Integrated CCUS Field Laboratory (3 tonnes CO₂/day) opened at IIT Bombay in May 2026. |
| Space Technologies | India’s NGLV (₹8,240 crore, 30 tonnes to LEO) was approved in September 2024, SpaDeX made India the fourth country to dock in space on 16 January 2025, and NISAR launched on 30 July 2025. |
| Gene-Edited Rice | ICAR’s gene-edited DRR Dhan-100 (Kamala) matures in about 130 days with about 20% higher yield, while Pusa DST Rice-1 tolerates saline and alkaline soils. |
| 2026 ED138 | The Vera C. Rubin Observatory found 2026 ED138, a possible dwarf planet about 46 AU from the Sun, which could join Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake and Eris. |
| PMVGSY | PMVGSY, a ₹7,395.55 crore Centrally Sponsored Scheme for 2026–27 to 2030–31, will prepare 2.55 lakh GPDPs a year on eGramSwaraj and use the AI platform Pancham in 17 languages. |
| CMPS & Khelo India Scheme | The Cabinet approved the ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme with a 3% interest subvention and the ₹1,856.67 crore Khelo India Sports Equipment Manufacturing Scheme with Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones. |
| Oskar Klein Medal | Ashoke Sen of ICTS Bengaluru became the first Indian to receive the Oskar Klein Medal (established 1988), lecturing in Stockholm on 22 October 2026. |
| ADMM-Plus | At the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, Rajnath Singh offered India’s counterterrorism expertise; ADMM-Plus includes eight dialogue partners including India. |
| Janjatiya Gaurav Divas | Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, declared in 2021, is observed on 15 November, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary, preceded by Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada from 1 to 15 November 2026. |
| Asian Para Games 2026 | India won a best-ever 114 medals (30 gold) and finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games (18–24 October 2026), with AP’s Ravi Karthik Budigina winning two silvers and a bronze in swimming. |
