Current Affairs - October 26, 2025 Current Affairs

The Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2025 will be celebrated from October 24 to 31 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. This annual UNESCO-led event aims to promote awareness, education, and policy dialogue on the importance of media and information literacy in the digital age. The 2025 theme, “Minds Over AI: MIL in Digital Spaces,” focuses on empowering individuals to use and evaluate information ethically in an AI-driven world. The celebration brings together global stakeholders—educators, policymakers, and media professionals—to strengthen critical thinking, combat misinformation, and ensure ethical use of artificial intelligence in communication.

The Bajrang Setu, India’s first glass suspension bridge, is being built in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Set to open by December 2025, it will replace the historic Laxman Jhula, which was closed in 2019 due to safety concerns after nearly a century of service. The new bridge spans 132 meters and features glass walkways on both sides, allowing pedestrians to enjoy breathtaking views of the Ganga River. Designed with modern engineering standards, Bajrang Setu combines safety, durability, and visual appeal. Beyond improving connectivity, it is expected to boost tourism, local business, and Rishikesh’s reputation as a spiritual and adventure destination.

Max Verstappen clinched victory at the 2025 United States Grand Prix, marking his third win in four races and reigniting the Formula 1 title battle. Driving for Red Bull, Verstappen dominated from pole position, building a significant lead and showcasing his trademark consistency. The win also included success in the sprint race, reinforcing his late-season momentum. With this triumph, Verstappen now sits just 40 points behind Oscar Piastri and 26 behind Lando Norris, keeping his hopes alive for a record fifth consecutive drivers’ championship. His commanding performance in Austin highlighted his skill, resilience, and championship-caliber precision.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced ‘UPI Help’, an AI-based assistant designed to provide real-time support for users facing issues such as failed or delayed transactions, unclear payment statuses, and mandate queries. Integrated with the UPI Dispute Resolution (UDIR) framework, it automates complaint handling and ensures faster resolution without the need for manual intervention. It also allows users to manage their UPI Autopay mandates, view active subscriptions, and track grievances through a transparent system. By leveraging AI, UPI Help aims to enhance trust, convenience, and efficiency across India’s digital payment ecosystem.

The Central Government has announced that the updated nomination rules under the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025 will take effect from November 1, 2025. These reforms aim to make the nomination process for deposits, lockers, and safe custody articles more flexible and transparent. Customers can now nominate up to four individuals simultaneously or successively, ensuring clearer entitlement and quicker settlement in case of the depositor’s death. The changes are part of broader initiatives to strengthen governance, depositor protection, and efficiency in India’s banking system, aligning with modern financial practices and customer convenience.

Sunil Amrith, an Indian-origin historian and Yale University professor, won the 2025 British Academy Book Prize for his book The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years. The £25,000 prize honours outstanding non-fiction that deepens public understanding of global issues through scholarly research. Amrith’s work traces five centuries of human-environment interaction, exploring how empire, capitalism, and industrialization have shaped ecological change worldwide. His recognition underscores the growing importance of environmental history and highlights the contributions of Indian-origin scholars to global academic discourse. The British Academy praised his book for reframing history through an ecological lens.

The new UPI feature ‘Pay with Mutual Fund’ enables users to make instant transactions directly from their liquid mutual fund holdings. Instead of transferring money to a bank account before payment, the system instantly redeems the required amount from the mutual fund and processes it in real time through UPI. This innovation bridges investment and payment systems, offering both liquidity and higher returns compared to traditional savings accounts. Backed by ICICI Prudential AMC, Bajaj Finserv AMC, and Curie Money, it marks a global first for India in fintech, revolutionizing how digital transactions integrate with personal investments.

The historic Darbar Move tradition has been revived in Jammu and Kashmir after being suspended for four years. This 150-year-old administrative practice involves the biannual shifting of government offices between Srinagar and Jammu—Srinagar serving as the summer capital and Jammu as the winter capital. Originally initiated in 1872 by Maharaja Gulab Singh to ensure accessible governance during harsh winters, the tradition symbolises unity and coexistence between the two regions. Its revival not only restores a significant cultural and political legacy but is also expected to boost Jammu’s winter economy, benefiting local businesses and strengthening administrative ties.

India was re-elected as the Vice-Chair of the COP10 Bureau under the International Convention against Doping in Sport during the 10th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP10) held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Representing the Asia-Pacific region, India’s re-election reinforces its leadership in promoting clean sport and ethical governance at the global level. The Indian delegation, led by senior officials from the Sports Ministry and NADA, actively contributed to discussions on anti-doping education, compliance, and policy reform. India’s proposal to integrate the Values Education through Sport (VETS) initiative was also praised for advancing global efforts toward integrity and fair play in sports.

India’s foreign exchange reserves crossed the $700 billion mark in October 2025, reaching $702 billion according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This milestone reflects strong macroeconomic fundamentals and resilience amid global financial volatility. The rise was largely driven by an increase of $6.1 billion in gold reserves, supported by higher global gold prices, even as foreign currency assets declined due to RBI’s market interventions. Maintaining such high reserves provides India with a crucial financial cushion against global uncertainties, stabilises the rupee, enhances investor confidence, and ensures sufficient import cover for over ten months, reinforcing economic stability.