Current Affairs - October 31, 2026 Current Affairs

ISRO successfully launched the GSLV-F18 rocket carrying the NVS-03 navigation satellite on October 30, 2026, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The launch took place at 11:51 PM IST, and the satellite was successfully placed into its intended orbit. NVS-03 is the third satellite in the second-generation Navigation Satellite series developed to strengthen India's Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system. The GSLV-F18 is a three-stage launch vehicle featuring solid, liquid and cryogenic propulsion stages. The mission aims to improve India's independent positioning, navigation and timing capabilities.

Jatin Kumar Nayak has taken charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). Before this appointment, he served as Executive Director (Finance) at REC Limited. He brings over 30 years of experience in the power, mining and metals sectors, with expertise in corporate finance, project evaluation, resource mobilisation and financial management. During his career, he has held important positions in organisations such as REC, NHPC, Hindustan Copper and NALCO. He holds a Master of Commerce degree from Utkal University and is also a qualified Company Secretary and Fellow Member of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India.

The house-to-house enumeration for India's Census 2027 is scheduled to take place from January 25 to February 28, 2027. The schedule was announced by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India on October 30, 2026. Before this phase, self-enumeration will be conducted from January 10 to January 24, allowing individuals and households to submit their information digitally. March 1, 2027, at 00:00 hours, has been fixed as the reference date for collecting population data. The census will gather important demographic information, including population size, age, literacy, occupation and living conditions.

Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force. He assumed responsibility on 1 November 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. Before this appointment, he served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command. Commissioned as a fighter pilot in 1988, Walia has nearly four decades of distinguished military service. He has held several important operational and command positions and served as Defence Attaché in Japan and South Korea. He has also received the Vayu Sena Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his distinguished service.

PhonePe launched the 'Tatkal NPS' facility on 28 October 2026 in partnership with major banks to make retirement savings more accessible through instant and paperless investments. The service allows eligible Indian citizens to begin investing with a minimum contribution of ₹250. Users can complete the registration process using their existing bank KYC details and secure OTP authentication. The facility also enables instant generation of a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN). Partner banks include State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank. The National Pension System is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

India’s foreign exchange reserves declined to $719.8 billion in the week ended October 2026, marking the seventh consecutive weekly fall. The reserves decreased by approximately $1.3 billion from the previous week's level of $721.1 billion. The decline was mainly driven by a reduction in gold reserves due to lower international gold prices. During the reporting week, foreign currency assets recorded an increase, while gold reserves declined. India's forex reserves had previously reached a record high of $785.7 billion in September 2026. Changes in gold valuations, international currency movements and Reserve Bank of India interventions can influence the country's foreign exchange reserves.

India secured the 88th position among 143 countries and jurisdictions in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2026, with an overall score of 0.48. This represents a decline from its 86th position in the previous year. Denmark topped the global rankings with a score of 0.95, followed by Norway and Finland. The index evaluates countries based on eight factors, including constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, fundamental rights, open government, regulatory enforcement, and civil and criminal justice. Globally, the rule of law declined for the ninth consecutive year, affecting 62% of countries surveyed.

Saina Nehwal and Rahul Dravid have been nominated as representatives of the sporting community on the Organising Company Board for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Their inclusion will bring valuable experience from international sports and help ensure an athlete-focused approach to planning and organising the event. Saina Nehwal is an Olympic medallist and former world number one badminton player, while Rahul Dravid is a former captain of the Indian cricket team and its head coach. The 2030 Commonwealth Games will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, marking the centenary edition of the competition. Their nominations aim to strengthen sports representation in the organising process.

Sanjay Singhal, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been given the additional charge as the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) with effect from 31 October 2026. He is currently serving as the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a position he assumed on 1 September 2025. Singhal previously served in the ITBP as Deputy Inspector General and Inspector General between 2008 and 2015. The ITBP operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is responsible for guarding the sensitive India-China border across the Himalayan region.

Mexico is the country with which India has formally launched negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). Both countries signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) on 28 October 2026, establishing the framework, scope and roadmap for the negotiations. The proposed agreement aims to strengthen bilateral economic relations, improve market access and create resilient supply chains. Key areas of discussion include trade in goods, rules of origin, customs procedures, trade facilitation and dispute settlement. Cooperation will also focus on sectors such as automobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, energy and advanced manufacturing. The initiative originated from discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during the G7 Summit in June 2025.

Air Marshal Vikram Gaur was appointed as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) on 27 October 2026, becoming the first officer from the Indian Air Force to hold this position. The DMA functions under the Ministry of Defence and plays an important role in promoting integration among the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Before this appointment, Air Marshal Gaur served as Joint Secretary (Air and Staff Duties) and Air Officer Commanding for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Department of Military Affairs was established on 1 January 2020 and is headed by the Chief of Defence Staff.