Current Affairs - October 18, 2025 Current Affairs

Tarun Garg has been appointed as the first Indian MD & CEO of Hyundai Motor India Limited, effective January 1, 2026. With over 30 years of experience in the automobile industry, Garg previously held leadership roles at Maruti Suzuki and joined Hyundai in 2019 as Director of Sales, Marketing, and Service. Promoted to COO in 2023, he led record-breaking sales and strategic operations. His appointment marks a historic shift from Korean to Indian leadership, emphasizing local talent empowerment and signaling Hyundai’s commitment to India as a critical growth market while maintaining continuity in global strategic vision.

BLS International Services Ltd has been contracted by India’s Ministry of External Affairs to establish and manage Indian Visa Application Centres in three major Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The centres will provide technology-driven, user-friendly visa services with advanced infrastructure and multilingual staff. This contract, effective from October 14, 2025, follows India’s resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, aiming to strengthen people-to-people and diplomatic ties. BLS International, a global leader in visa outsourcing and citizen services, will play a key role in facilitating efficient visa processing and enhancing bilateral engagement between India and China.

Bajaj Finserv AMC introduced the ‘Pay with Mutual Fund’ feature, enabling investors to make UPI payments directly using their mutual fund holdings. This facility leverages the Insta Redemption mechanism, allowing redemption of up to ₹50,000 or 90% of the investment in real time. By partnering with fintech firm Curie Money, Bajaj Finserv ensures seamless integration of investment and payment systems, allowing users to maintain liquidity while earning higher returns than traditional savings accounts. This innovation marks a significant step in making mutual fund investments instantly usable for everyday transactions, blending investing with payment convenience.

The 11th India International Science Festival (IISF) is scheduled to take place in Chandigarh from 6 to 9 December 2025. The festival, organised under the theme “Vigyan se Samruddhi: For Atma Nirbhar Bharat,” serves as India’s flagship science outreach initiative. IISF brings together scientists, students, innovators, and the public to foster scientific awareness, collaboration, and innovation. First organised in 2015, the festival highlights India’s commitment to promoting scientific temper and engaging communities in science-led discussions, activities, and exhibitions, making Chandigarh the host city for this major national event.

Google developed the AI model Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale), a 27-billion-parameter foundation model designed to interpret the language of individual cells. This breakthrough enables researchers to generate AI-driven hypotheses for biomedical research, accelerating the discovery of potential cancer treatments. The model’s predictions were experimentally validated, making it one of the first instances where AI directly contributed to scientific discovery rather than solely analyzing data. This innovation demonstrates the growing role of advanced AI models in transforming healthcare research and providing new approaches for understanding complex cellular mechanisms.

Nirmal Kumar Minda, Executive Chairman of Uno Minda Group, has been appointed as the President of Assocham, India’s prominent industry chamber. With over five decades of experience in the auto component sector, Minda is known for driving innovation, building robust supply chains, and fostering customer-centric and people-oriented leadership. Under his guidance, Uno Minda has expanded into a global enterprise with a diverse product portfolio. His leadership at Assocham is expected to emphasise technological advancement, competitiveness, and supply chain resilience, while aligning industry advocacy with emerging trends in manufacturing and business innovation.

Harsh Sanghavi was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat on 17 October 2025 as part of a major cabinet reshuffle led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. This reshuffle involved the induction of 25 ministers, with the aim of improving regional and caste representation and preparing for future elections. Sanghavi, a three-time MLA from Majura, Surat, also received independent charge of the Home Department, a portfolio traditionally held by the Chief Minister. At age 40, his appointment reflects a focus on youth leadership and administrative experience, marking the revival of the Deputy CM post after four years.

The first bilateral naval exercise between India and the Republic of Korea, named IN–RoKN, took place at the Busan Naval Base in South Korea. This exercise was designed to enhance maritime cooperation, build naval interoperability, and strengthen strategic ties between the two nations. The Harbour Phase focused on mutual understanding, professional exchanges, and camaraderie, while the Sea Phase involved complex joint operations and real-time drills. Conducting the exercise in South Korea highlights the host nation’s role in facilitating Indo-Pacific maritime security collaboration and underscores the significance of bilateral defence relations.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched a nationwide Aadhaar Mascot Design Contest, inviting citizens to create an official visual ambassador for Aadhaar. The mascot is intended to embody Aadhaar’s core values, including trust, inclusivity, empowerment, and digital innovation, and to enhance public engagement. Participants can submit original designs via the MyGov platform by 31 October 2025, with a total prize pool of ₹1 lakh distributed among top winners. Beyond monetary rewards, the selected mascot will be used in public campaigns, serving as a symbolic representation of Aadhaar’s mission and national identity.

India and Brazil have agreed to expand their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) under the MERCOSUR framework, aiming to cover a broader range of sectors and products. The India–MERCOSUR Framework Agreement was originally signed in 2003, followed by the PTA in 2004, which became effective in 2009. MERCOSUR, established in 1991, includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay as full members. This expansion signifies a strengthening of economic ties between India and Brazil, promoting greater trade cooperation, market access, and bilateral economic engagement, while leveraging the regional integration of South America under MERCOSUR.