Current Affairs - October 25, 2026 Current Affairs

A total of 18,093 villages were declared Adarsh Grams under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) as of September 8, 2026. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to improve socio-economic conditions in villages with a Scheduled Caste population of 50% or more. It supports infrastructure development, education, and access to essential services. The scheme covers more than 47,200 villages and 47.79 lakh citizens, with 46,944 development works completed and 27,032 Village Development Plans prepared. PM-AJAY is a 100% centrally funded scheme that also supports student hostels and digital monitoring of development activities.

Kattupalli Shipyard, operated by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is the location selected for Maersk’s first planned drydocking operation in India. The Singapore-flagged container vessel Maersk Chattogram is scheduled to undergo maintenance at the shipyard near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, beginning on October 20, 2026. The work includes a comprehensive 10-year planned maintenance cycle, a scheduled special survey, and overhauls of the vessel’s hull, structure, machinery, and propulsion systems. This milestone follows the maritime partnership between Maersk and L&T, established to explore shipbuilding, ship repair, and knowledge exchange. The collaboration also aims to strengthen India’s position as a global maritime hub.

Japan launched the Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission in October 2026 to collect soil samples from Phobos, the larger and innermost moon of Mars. The spacecraft was launched aboard Japan’s H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Centre. The mission aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos to investigate its origin and determine whether Mars’s moons formed from a giant impact or were captured asteroids. The mission also includes the Idefix rover, developed by France and Germany, to survey the surface. The spacecraft is expected to return its samples to Earth in 2031.

Rourkela, Odisha, is the location of the Livelihood Business Incubation Centre established to promote skill development and entrepreneurship among Scheduled Tribe (ST) youth. A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), and SAIL-Rourkela Steel Plant to strengthen livelihood opportunities for ST youth. Established in 2018, the centre is recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It provides training in areas such as mushroom farming, bakery manufacturing, welding technology, and furniture manufacturing. Over 600 students have benefited and established businesses in various trades.

Embraer, a leading Brazilian aerospace company, announced an agreement on October 16, 2026, to acquire a 51% stake in Novavayu Aerospace Limited (NAL), a subsidiary of India’s Mahindra Group. This majority stake will give Embraer a controlling interest in the company. The transaction is scheduled for completion by December 1, 2026. The strategic partnership aims to strengthen India’s commercial aviation and defence sectors by expanding domestic aerospace manufacturing, improving regional air connectivity, and modernising military aviation capabilities. The collaboration will also leverage Mahindra Group’s established industrial presence to explore emerging opportunities in India’s growing aerospace market.

Karnal, located in Haryana, was the venue for the launch of the nationwide ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan – Rabi 2026’ by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on October 22, 2026. The campaign runs until November 30, 2026, and aims to promote sustainable agricultural practices across India. Its key objectives include balanced fertiliser use based on soil testing, crop diversification, crop residue management, natural farming, and regenerative agriculture. The initiative targets approximately one crore participants and involves 4,150 teams working with Krishi Vigyan Kendras and ATMA. It also promotes Farmer IDs, wider Kisan Credit Card coverage, and awareness of crop insurance under PMFBY.

Pakistan successfully conducted a test launch of the Fatah-II Extended Range ballistic missile on October 15, 2026, to enhance its deep-strike capabilities. The missile is an upgraded version of the Fatah-II guided rocket system and succeeds the Fatah-I. It incorporates advanced avionics, an improved navigation system, inertial navigation combined with satellite guidance, and terminal guidance for precision strikes. The standard Fatah-II has an operational range of approximately 400 kilometres, although the range of the extended version was not disclosed. The missile is designed to target military positions and radar installations using conventional warheads, forming part of Pakistan’s evolving military capabilities.

Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen is the theme of the fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, scheduled to be held from November 28 to December 12, 2026. The theme focuses on the ethical and moral wisdom of the Thirukkural, a classical Tamil text authored by the saint-poet Thiruvalluvar. The work contains 1,330 couplets divided into three sections: Aram (Virtue), Porul (Wealth), and Inbam (Love). Kashi Tamil Sangamam aims to strengthen the civilizational connection between Tamil Nadu and Kashi under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, promoting cultural exchange and appreciation of Tamil heritage.

Policybazaar is the digital insurance brokerage platform through which Canara HSBC Life Insurance offers its USD-denominated Global Wealth Plan, launched in October 2026. The plan is designed for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) customers and is distributed through GIFT City, India's International Financial Services Centre. It is a unit-linked insurance plan (ULIP) that provides investment opportunities in global equities, debt funds, gold, and silver, with premiums and benefits processed in US dollars. The product offers three variants: Wealth, Wealth Plus, and Wealth Forever. It also features zero allocation and administration charges, along with loyalty additions and maturity boosters, depending on the selected variant.

Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, hosted the Fisheries Investors & Exporters Conclave 2026 on October 23, 2026. The event was organised by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh to promote investment and export opportunities in the inland fisheries sector. During the conclave, the Madhya Pradesh Fisheries Investment and Export Guidelines, 2026, were launched, and standard operating procedures for inland-state exports were released. Madhya Pradesh was also designated a Reservoir Fisheries Cluster, utilising its 4.50 lakh hectares of water area to support fisheries development, infrastructure expansion, and export-oriented growth.