Oct 2026

Which country has recently awarded Smit Machhar the Zayed II - First Class honor?

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Which scheme has the central government recently approved to strengthen rural local governance?

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY)

• Period: 2026–27 to 2030–31 (co-terminus with the Sixteenth Finance Commission period)
• ₹7,395.55 crore

Which state has recently chosen the Orange Oakleaf as its first state butterfly?

Chhattisgarh

• during the 15th meeting of the State Wildlife Board
• dead-leaf butterfly, it mimics a withered leaf when its wings are closed

11th joint special forces exercise, Garuda Shakti 2026, between?

India-Indonesia

• Army ex. at East Java, Indonesia
• Samudra Shakti - Naval
• Exercise Garuda - India - France

Which state will become the first in India to host DefExpo 2026?

Telangana

• at Hyderabad
• defence and aerospace expo

9th Hero Men's Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2026 inaugurated at?

Jalandhar, Punjab

• India, Malaysia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Bangladesh

Which has become the first disaster response force in India to receive ISO certification?

Uttarakhand (SDRF)

• to receive ISO 9001:2015 certification
• for its quality management system

Who has been appointed as the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)?

Sanjay Singhal

• Sanjay Singhal is currently the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

At which of the following locations was the 29th Energy Technology and Innovation Meeting held?

Goa

• Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Who is the author of the recently launched bok titled Timeless India?

Tarun Vijay

• Rajyasabha MP
• explores India's civilizational continuity, historical memory, and the protection of its tangible

India's rank out of 143 countries in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2026?

88th

• 0.48 (on a scale from 0 to 1, where higher scores indicate better rule of law performance)

Who became the youngest player to join the Women's Premier League (WPL)?

Uma Kashvi

• At the age of 15

Which indian Museum topped in World's 100 Best Museums 2026 list published by the Germany-based travel guide Worth a Journey?

Bihar Museum

• in Patna
• secured the 9th position globally
• 1st position in Asia

Youth Affairs, Ministry of Education, and UNESCO signed MoU to bring?

Clean Sport values into classrooms

• Exchanged at the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India's Clean Sport Conclave in New Delhi

SBI inaugurated its new Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence named?

CyRIS

• in Mumbai

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched the indigenous Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV)?

INS Srishti

• at its facility in Vaddem, Goa

The 2nd India & Republic of Korea Navy (IN–RoKN) bilateral exercise takes place at?

Busan Naval Base, South Korea

• featuring the Indian Navy stealth frigate INS Sahyadri

Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil launched the which mobile application?

Punah Bharan

• support scientific groundwater recharge planning across India

DRDO will host an exhibition of indigenous defer technology, VISV-2026 in?

New Delhi

• Theme: "Showcasing Defence Capabilities, Strengthening Global Partnerships
• To highlight India's self-reliance in indigenous defence technology

India's automobile industry has surpassed Japan to become the world's?

third-largest

• trailing only the United States and China
• valued at approximately ₹22 lakh crore

New species of giant water lily is named?

Victoria colombiana

• found in Colombia
• October 2026

Who won the men's Ballon d'Or award at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony held in London?

Harry Kane

• Women's Ballon d'Or (Ballon d'Or Féminin):
• Alexia Putellas (Barcelona / Spain)

Which country has given the name 'Arnab' to the cyclone that developed in the Bay of Bengal in October 2026?

Bangladesh

• meaning ocean or sea in Bengali

Who has won the award in the 'Behaviour: Invertebrates' category at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition?

Sitaram Raul

• for Shifting Sand

Which country has recently developed and deployed the ground-launched Filin cruise missile?

Russia

Which country has become the Third Largest exporter of weapons to Europe?

India

• Announced by Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh

Where will the Senior World Weightlifting Championships 2029 be held?

Ahmedabad

• This marks the first time India will host the senior edition

The Nav-Trinjan Initiative is associated with the state of?

Punjab

• Cultivating chemical-free, non-Bt desi (indigenous) and naturally colored organic cotton

The Indian Navy will host the 2026 7th Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) at?

Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi

• Theme: "Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation

Which state has officially granted approval for the launch of India's first cooperative sector airline?

Keralam

• tentatively named Co-Keralam

Who won the 2026 World Billiards Championship?

Pankaj Advani

• Shruthi Lakshminarayanan won the 2026 World Women's Billiards Championship

Who has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir?

Dr. Sajjan Singh Yadav

Which project launched to strengthen cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka?

SAMHITA

• South Asian Manuscript Histories and Textual Archive
• at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo to digitize 100 ancient Buddhist and historical manuscripts

The European Parliament awarded the 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to?

International Criminal Court (ICC)

• To honor the court's work in upholding international law

Who announced its decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)?

Poland

• during Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s official visit to India
• CDRI - Launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit

First country to receive financial assistance from the United Nations' Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD?

Nepal

• $20 million recived

India's rank in the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World 2026 report?

88th out of 165

• score of 6.62 out of 10

Which Brazilian President secured a historic fourth term in office?

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

• October 26, 2026 presidential runoff election
• Lula won 51.79% of the valid votes

India's first 100% organic Union Territory?

Ladakh

• Mission MODI: The achievement is part of the Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI)

13th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM)-Plus held in?

Cebu, Philippines

• Rajnath Singh to lead the Indain deligation

India will expand its space infrastructure to how many functional launch pads by 2029?

Four

• currently 2 at Sriharikota
• Expansion A third launch pad
• Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu

Who will receive the inaugural Dr. Bhupen Hazarika National Award?

Usha Mangeshkar

• National Award is a cultural honor instituted by the Government of Assam

Which Indian physicist has won the Oskar Klein Medal for 2026?

Ashoke Sen

• first Indian to receive this honor
• for Gravity from Strings and Strings from Gravity

India finished in which place at the 2026 Asian Para Games?

Fourth

• in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
• 114 medals (30 gold)

The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) launched which Operation?

Operation Almas

• carrying out a series of coordinated attacks against Pakistani security forces

Who became the youngest female chess player to earn the International Master (IM) title?

Bodhana Sivanandan

• 11 Year

Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) Inaugurated at?

IITM Delhi

• under the Centre’s Mission Mausam

RBI's second data center and a cyber security training institute Inaugurated in?

Odisha

backup/companion to the primary facility in Navi Mumbai

Who secured the top position nationally for implementing Mission Karmayogi?

Uttar Pradesh

• Rajasthan second and Jammu and Kashmir taking third place
• reimagine and modernize public-sector capacity building

Which Government launched SANGAT Mental Health Clubs across 40 colleges?

Punjab

• Part of the state's flagship 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' (War Against Drugs)

Droupadi Murmu released the commemorative ₹200 coin for 200th birth anniversary of?

Pujya Mata Sahib Hasi Devi Ji

• revered fifth spiritual head of the historic Shadani Darbar

National Geographic included which city in its Best of the World 2027 list?

Jaipur

• 300th Anniversary: Jaipur approaches its tricentennial
• 300 years since its foundation in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

Who is hosting the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum?

India

• Chairperson: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
• Theme: "Fostering Parliaments for People"

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released the updated?

Land Warfare Doctrine 2026

• during the Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi
• Supersedes the previous Land Warfare Doctrine released in December 2018

C-DOT established its sixth Centre of Excellence (CoE) at?

IIT (BHU), Varanasi

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)
• for Advanced 5G and 6G technology

United Nations Day 2026 was observed on?

October 24, 2026

• 81st anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945
• 2026 Women farmers year

Who won gold medal in the 50m rifle three positions SH1 event with a world record?

Mona Agarwal

• at para asian games 2026

The 14th edition of Namaste Bharat 2026 exhibition has commenced in?

Singapore

• showcasing traditional textiles, handicrafts, organic food items, and authentic millet based products to the international audience

NASA's Perseverance rover reached a total driving distance of?

28.10 miles (45.22 kilometers) on Mars

• breaking the previous off-world record of 28.06 miles (45.16 kilometers) set by the Opportunity rover

Harsaran Bir Kaur Pandey Authored which book?

The Evolution of TV News in India: From Doordarshan to Digital Disruption – An Insider's Account

inaugural Sikkim Adventure Tourism Fest 2026 will be held from?

November 1 to 7, 2026

• Linkhim Tar (approx. 6,500 feet above sea level)
• hosted by Sikkim's Tourism and Civil Aviation Department

first-ever documented human infection and death from?

Shamonda virus

• in France
• pathogen that typically affects livestock.

England's Harry Brook scores the fastest double century ODI cricket, off?

114 balls

• aginst Srilanka
• gill scored in 117 ball against West Indies

ISRO is scheduled to launch which navigation satellite?

NVS-03

• GSLV Mk II rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
• restore and strengthen India's standalone regional position, navigation, and timing (PNT)

33rd edition of the bilateral maritime exercise SIMBEX-2026 between?

Singapore and India

• begins in Visakhapatnam

Who won the gold medal in the compound mixed team para-archery event?

Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar

• at the 2026 Asian Para Games
• India defeated Indonesia 151–148 in the final

DRDO developing indigenous man-portable Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) system that is for?

to detect radar and drone signals

• to improve frontline tactical through its
• Hyderabad-based Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL)

Central government launches the nationwide Khet Bachao Abhiyan-Rabi 2026 from?

Haryana

• Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

The 14th edition of India Chem 2026 officially began in?

Mumbai

• Partner Country: Japan
• Theme: "Advantage Bharat: An Emerging Global Chemicals Hub
• Inaugurated By: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, J.P. Nadda

World Bank proposes the which urban development project for Rajasthan?

SUTRA

• Sustainable Urban Transformation in Rajasthan Accelerated (SUTRA)
• estimated at $385.7 million (over ₹3,500 crore)

UNESCO has included three Indian sites in its tentative list of World Heritage Sites?

2 Volcano sites of Andaman and Nicobar

• Sirpur Cultural and Archaeological Landscape (Chhattisgarh)
• Sep. - Bagh Cave Paintings, Udaigiri Caves, and Ginnorgarh Fort

The 2027 ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by?

Bangladesh and Nepal

• January 21 to February 6, 2027

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved which drug for cancer?

Zytorvi (toripalimab)

• Its Dr. Reddy's Laboratories drug
• for the treatment of esophageal cancer

Badr Defense Cooperation Agreement Mou signed between?

Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan, and Indonesia

• Badr meaning full moon
• signed in Doha, Qatar

Craftsman who created the Sengol, has passed away?

Vummidi Ethiraj

• in Chennai at the age of 99

Ipsos Quality of Care Perception Index 2026?

3rd

• trailing behind Malaysia & Singapore
• diabetes (40%), mental health (37%), and stress (33%)

The UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) has completed how many years?

10 years

• launch on October 21, 2016
• operational airports across India has expanded from 74 in 2014 to over 150+

The 23rd Law Commission is headed by Justice (Retd.)?

Dinesh Maheshwari

• National conference theme - Cooperative Federalism and Legal Refor

17th Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 17) has commenced in?

Yerevan, Armenia

• attending to review progress on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Who has been honored as the World's Best Consumer Bank 2026?

State Bank of India (SBI)

• by Global Finance magazine (New York)
• for the second consecutive year

India's Skyroot Aerospace and Who signed a contract for sunlight on Earth at night?

Reflect Orbital (USA)

• Skyroot will provide Vikram-1 & Vikram-1U rockets

The Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI) developed three biofortified potato?

• Kufri Neelkanth (2018)
• Kufri Manik (2021)
• Kufri Jamunia (2024
• combat hidden hunger by packing high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals directly into the tubers

The Supreme Court of India declared that children have a fundamental right to?

access and use the internet

• under Articles 21 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will transition from a geographical supervisory model to?

sector-specific command structure

• on November 1, 2026
• Eastern Sector (Ranchi) into the Coal Sector
• Central Sector (Bhilai) into the Steel Sector

The India-New Zealand FTA came into effect on?

October 20, 2026

The 5th India-Australia joint military exercise?

AustraHind

• commenced in Kerala
• AUSINDEX (Navy)
• Pitch Black (Air Force)

Who won India's first gold medal at the 5th Asian Para Games?

Mona Agarwal

• Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (R2)
• At Aichi-Nagoya, Japan

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped trade margins at?

30%

• for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs
• MRPs are anticipated to drop by up to 70%

61st International Committee of Legal Metrology held in?

New Delhi

• for the first time
• 26-28 oct. 2026

Who launched its first Annapurti Grain ATM?

Maharashtra

• at Nashik
• offering round-the-clock access to subsidised food grains for eligible ration cardholders

Who have been awarded the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar?

Akram Khan & Manzoor Khan

• from Rajasthan
• presented annually by the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Ministry of Culture

Who has officially become a new donor to the International Development Association (IDA)?

Mongolia

• World Bank Group's fund for the world's lowest-income countries

Go-Delhi Foundation with an initial corpus and budgetary outlay of ₹50 crore is for?

foundation will support Delhi’s growing startup ecosystem

• 21,000 DPIIT-recognised startups

The 7th AgriVoltaics World Conference is set to begin in?

New Delhi, India

• Theme: "Powering the Global South
• Integrating agriculture and solar energy

Who is launching the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX)?

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

• to return soil samples from Phobos, the larger moon of Mars

IMF and World Bank Group released what to combat cyber-fraud in digital finance?

Bangkok Blueprint

• Cyber-fraud costs the global economy an estimated $1 trillion annually
• The Asia-Pacific region accounted for 67% of global fraud losses in 2024

Which Memorial Youth Exchange Programme is a bilateral initiative between India and Poland?

The Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange

• Modi announced the program in August 2024
• Jamasaheb remembered in Poland as Dobry Maharaja (The Good Maharaja)

India's first privately developed micro missile interceptor system?

JWALA-MK1

• Noida-based defence startup IG Defence
• Short-range, surface-to-air kinetic

Which state has launched four major digital financial management initiatives?

Mizoram

• Mizoram CM - Lalduhoma
• Mizoram Integrated Works Accounts System (MIWAS)
• 100% Direct Benefit Transfer to beneficiaries

The eighth district of the Union Territory of Ladakh?

Sankoo

• carved out of the Kargil district