15th October, 2026

1. Putin Ratifies India–Russia Agreement on Temporary Employment of Citizens
2. TRISHNA Satellite Mission 2027: ISRO-France Mission, Objectives and Features
3. DRDO Successfully Tests Quantum Key Distribution Platform for Secure Defence Communications
4. Friendliest Cities in the World 2026: Mérida Tops the List, Delhi Among the Lowest-Ranked
5. Indian Navy to Commission Indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel Samarthak on October 16, 2026
6. India proposes developing joint India-ASEAN research agenda, focused on maritime security & emerging technologies
7. India signs preferential trade agreements with 38 developed nations in four years: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal
8. Indian Army’s Assam Regiment wins Gold Medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales
9. India records 21% decline in new TB cases between 2015 and 2024
10. India’s public debt-to-GDP ratio falls from 61% to 55% in five years says, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
11. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announces two specialised credit risk insurance products for shipbuilding industry
12. RDIF Announces First Cohort of 19 Second Level Fund Managers with Rs 7,131 Crore Commitment
13. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Launches DBIM-Compliant DAHD Website
14. TDB-DST & Peptris Technologies Signed Agreement under RDI to accelerate AI-driven Drug Development
15. Union MoS Shripad Yesso Naik Attends 20th EAS Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Philippines
16. LIC Launches 3 New Insurance Plans for Retirement Income, Health and Cancer Coverage
17. KVB & Zurich Kotak General Insurance Partners to Distribute Insurance Products
18. Karnataka Bank Launches Trade Konnect Digital Platform for Forex and Cross-Border Remittances
19. Fitch’s BMI Raises India’s GDP Growth Forecast to 7.5% for FY27
20. Adani Enterprises & Jabil Signed MoU for 50:50 JV to manufacture AI data Centre hardware in India
21. NCC Founder and Padma Shri Awardee Dr. A.V.S. Raju Passed Away at 89
22. World Standards Day 2026 – October 14
23. Mahila Kisan Diwas 2026 – October 15
24. International Rural Women’s Day – October 15
25. World Students’ Day 2026 – October 15
26. Cabinet Approves IDBI Bank Stake Sale to Fairfax for ₹52,878 Crore
27. Oscar Whitfield Wins Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026
28. 10th National Convention of Agrivision – Indian agriculture transcended the era of scarcity to self reliance, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan
29. Former Prez Kovind releases Hindi edition of autobiography in Lucknow, praises UP’s progress under CM Yogi Adityanath’s leadership
30. Cabinet approves 78 days’ Productivity Linked Bonus for over 11.4 lakh railway employees
31. PM Modi to inaugurate, dedicate five major development projects worth ₹3,350 crore in Ladakh today
32. FM Nirmala Sitharaman arrives in Bangkok on official visit, receives welcome at Suvarnabhumi Airport
33. Jaishankar arrives in Abu Dhabi to attend 2nd Raisina Middle East Forum
34. Nagaland Youth Resources and Sports Department wins SKOCH silver award for Grassroots Football Festival
35. India’s coir exports surged 305% to ₹6,614 crore in last financial year
36. World Skating Games: Anandkumar wins silver in men’s 1000-meter sprint category
37. Over 1.06 Lakh Participants Engaged in Anti-Drug Awareness Under Sankalp Abhiyan
38. FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets UK Chancellor John Healey in Bangkok

National News

Russia Ratifies Temporary Employment Agreement with India

• What: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law, ratifying an agreement with India that creates a framework for citizens of each country to work temporarily in the other country.
• Tell me more:
  • The State Duma (lower house) adopted the law on October 1, and the Federation Council (upper house in Federal Assembly) approved it on October 2.
  • India and Russia signed the agreement in New Delhi in December 2025, alongside an agreement to cooperate in combating irregular migration.

India-France TRISHNA Satellite Targets Water and Crop Monitoring

• What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the India-France Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment (TRISHNA) mission by 2027 or early 2028 to monitor water stress, crop health and urban heat.
• Tell me more:
  • TRISHNA will provide Earth observation data at nearly 60-metre resolution and revisit the same location every three days near the equator.
  • The satellite will carry two instruments: a thermal infrared instrument developed by Airbus Defence and Space under France’s Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), and another instrument developed by ISRO.
  • The mission will monitor evapotranspiration, vegetation, water quality, urban heat islands, glacier dynamics and surface temperatures to support water and food security research.
  • The satellite will operate in a sun-synchronous orbit approximately 761 km above Earth, with a planned mission life of five years.

ASEAN-India Defence Think Tank Forum in New Delhi

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-India Defence Think Tank Forum in New Delhi and called for stronger defence cooperation between India and ASEAN countries to tackle shared regional challenges.
• Tell me more:
  • ASEAN is central to India’s Indo-Pacific vision, and India’s Act East Policy reflects a long-term commitment to Southeast Asia as an equal partner.
  • Singh proposed a joint India-ASEAN research agenda on maritime security, cyber threats, emerging technologies, disaster response and defence industry cooperation.
  • 2026 is designated as the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation for better maritime information sharing and joint responses to emergencies, piracy and illegal fishing.

21st MSDC Adopts Maritime Vision Targets in Mumbai

• What: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced two specialised credit risk insurance products under the National Shipbuilding Mission at the 21st Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) meeting in Mumbai.
• Tell me more:
  • 21st Maritime State Development Council (MSDC):
    • This was the first MSDC meeting after the Council became a statutory consultative body under the Indian Ports Act, 2025.
    • Originally established in 1997, the Council now has an enhanced mandate to promote integrated maritime growth, coordinated policymaking and planned maritime infrastructure development.
  • Insurance Policies:
    • Both policies were developed under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) and aim to reduce financial risks in large-scale ship manufacturing.
      • Shipbuilding Project Credit Risk Insurance Policy (SbPCP): Developed by ECGC Ltd to cover export shipbuilding projects.
      • Business Credit Shield Policy Shipbuilders (BCSPS): Developed by The New India Assurance Co. Ltd to protect domestic shipbuilding projects.
    • The Central Government will subsidise insurance premiums and directly support insurers when shipyards file claims, protecting shipyards against delayed milestone payments and sudden global market changes.
  • Digitalisation and Ease of Doing Business:
    • All ports must integrate with MSW Sagar Setu (Maritime Single Window) by March 2027 to establish unified digital processes nationwide.
    • The Council also mandated the electronic publication of port tariffs to improve transparency.
    • Sonowal launched the Ready Reckoner for Implementing One Nation One Port Process (ONOP), a guide for major and other-than-major ports.
      • The ONOP is a reform initiative launched by the MoPSW to create uniform operating procedures, standard workflows, and consistent documentation across all major and selected minor ports in India.
    • The guide compiles relevant central government circulars and outlines state and Union Territory governments’ responsibilities for accelerating ONOP implementation and inter-ministerial reforms.
  • Long-Term Maritime Vision:
    • The Council adopted priorities from the National Perspective Plan and discussed the targets of Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047).
    • These initiatives aim to make India’s ports and shipping sector future-ready, competitive and aligned with global standards, while promoting cooperative federalism and port-led industrialisation.

RDIF Approves 19 Fund Managers in First Cohort

• What: The ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF) has announced its first cohort of 19 Second Level Fund Managers (SLFMs), with a total RDIF commitment of ₹7,131 crore.
• Tell me more:
  • The Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) approved 14 Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) and 5 Focused Research Organisations (FROs) as SLFMs on October 8, 2026.
  • The Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme was launched in November 2025.
  • An Independent Business Unit under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Department of Science and Technology (DST), manages the RDIF.
  • The SLFMs will channel RDIF funds to Eligible Technology Enterprises (ETEs) working at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above, and are expected to raise matching private capital.
  • The move aims to reduce India’s dependence on imported technologies and make India a global hub of technology development.

DAHD Launches New Website as per DBIM Guidelines

• What: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) has launched a website following the Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) Version 3.0 of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Tell me more:
  • The revamped website was launched to improve accessibility, transparency and citizen-centric services through advanced search, Bhashini-enabled multilingual support, persona-led navigation and centralised content management.
  • It acts as a one-stop digital hub for the flagship schemes and initiatives of DAHD.
  • These schemes include Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), National Livestock Mission (NLM) and Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP).
  • Users can access information on livestock health, dairy development, livestock management, scheme guidelines and related digital platforms.

India Attends 20th EAS Energy Ministers’ Meeting

• What: Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik represented India at the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Philippines, focusing on regional energy cooperation and energy security.
• Tell me more:
  • India welcomed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2026–2030 and backed the ASEAN Power Grid initiative.
  • India will train 400 professionals on grid connectivity for the ASEAN Power Grid, as announced at the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit in 2025.
  • India and Singapore are exploring a 2,000 megawatt (MW) cross-border power link, with one option being a 3,000 kilometre land corridor from Imphal via Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia.
  • India’s installed power capacity reached 558.8 gigawatt (GW) by September 30, 2026, with 308 GW (55%) coming from non-fossil sources.
  • India offered to share its experience in renewable energy, grid integration, energy storage and green hydrogen with EAS countries.

10th National Convention of Agrivision Held in Delhi

• What: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced at the 10th National Convention of Agrivision in Delhi that an Agriculture Council will soon be set up to regulate private agricultural colleges.
• Tell me more:
  • The council will take action against agricultural colleges that violate standards or issue fake degrees to protect the credibility of B.Sc. Agriculture and M.Sc. Agriculture degrees.
  • India’s agricultural production increased by 49% between 2014 and 2024, ranking first globally in rice production and exports and second in wheat production.
  • With India’s average landholding at just 0.96 hectares, Chouhan emphasised integrated farming involving animal husbandry, fisheries and beekeeping.

Cabinet Approves 78 Days’ Bonus for Railway Employees

• What: The Union Cabinet has approved a Productivity-Linked Bonus (PLB) equal to 78 days’ wages for about 11.4 lakh railway employees, with a maximum payout of ₹17,951 for each eligible employee.
• Tell me more:
  • The Productivity-Linked Bonus aims to recognise railway employees’ performance and motivate them to improve the efficiency of railway operations. It is paid every year before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays.

Yuva Sanwad Mela Spreads Awareness Against Substance Abuse

• What: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports organised the ‘Yuva Sanwad Mela’, reaching over 1.06 lakh participants across 200 institutions to spread awareness against substance abuse.
• Tell me more:
  • The mela, held through MY Bharat and the National Service Scheme (NSS), marked the end of Month 1 of the 100-week Sankalp Abhiyan with the theme ‘My Health, My Pride’.
  • Month 2 will focus on physical fitness and sports under the theme ‘Fit Youth, Addiction-Free Youth’.
  • The mela had three parts: youth dialogues, awareness stalls and cultural performances like street plays.

State News

PM Modi Inaugurates ₹3,350 Crore Development Projects in Ladakh

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicate five development projects worth around ₹3,350 crore in Ladakh through video conferencing to boost connectivity, energy, cultural heritage conservation and water security.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat, Leh, will protect the region’s prehistoric rock art.
  • Project Him Sarovar, aligned with Mission Amrit Sarovar, has developed 40 water bodies across 40 villages for water conservation.
  • Key projects include a new airport terminal with an annual capacity of 35 lakh passengers, the Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road connecting Leh to Himachal Pradesh, and hydroelectric and transmission projects to strengthen electricity supply.

International News

2nd Edition of Raisina Middle East Forum in Abu Dhabi

• What: Raisina Middle East is co-hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and ORF Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UAE and the Ministry of External Affairs, India.
• Why: This two-day-long international forum aims to establish a high-level conversation that will convene relevant stakeholders, including representatives from government, academia, media and the private sector.
• Tell me more:
  • External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Abu Dhabi to attend the 2nd Raisina Middle East Forum and review the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings Held in Bangkok

• What: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, on a five-day visit to attend the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
• Tell me more:
  • The visit, from October 14 to 18, also includes the Group of Twenty (G20) and Group of Seven (G7) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meetings.
  • Sitharaman will meet Thailand’s Deputy PM and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, the finance ministers of Switzerland, Japan, Luxembourg, Bhutan and Curaçao, and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
  • Sitharaman will speak at an Atlantic Council fireside chat on India’s growth.
  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met United Kingdom (UK) Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey in Bangkok on the sidelines.
  • Both leaders discussed the successful conclusion of the 4th India-UK Financial Markets Dialogue and related financial technology meetings, and confirmed that the 14th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) will be held in December 2026.

Banking and Economy

India Signs Nine FTAs Covering 38 Developed Nations

• What: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India has signed nine Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) covering 38 developed nations over the past four to four and a half years to expand market access for Indian businesses.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s trade agreements covered economies with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $10 trillion before 2014, which has now risen to nearly $70 trillion.
  • India has completed FTAs with the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
  • India is negotiating with Canada, Mexico, Mercosur, Israel, Chile, Eurasian countries and the remaining four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

India’s Public Debt-to-GDP Ratio Falls From 61% to 55% in Five Years: Ashwini Vaishnaw

• What: Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi that India aims to become a trusted partner in semiconductor design, manufacturing and testing.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s public debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio fell from 61% to 55% over the past five years.
  • The government aims to reduce the economy’s vulnerability to global uncertainties and ensure sustained growth.
  • Trust and cybersecurity are gaining importance alongside cost in global semiconductor supply chains, as India’s progression from mobile phone assembly to component exports guides its semiconductor, railway and defence manufacturing ecosystems.

LIC Unveils Retirement, Health and Cancer Insurance Plans

• What: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched three plans, New Jeevan Dhara-II, Health Shield and New Cancer Cover, which will be available to buy from October 19, 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • New Jeevan Dhara-II is a deferred annuity savings plan that gives guaranteed lifelong income after retirement, with guaranteed annuity rates fixed at policy start.
  • Health Shield provides family health cover with fixed daily hospital cash, lump sum payouts for major surgeries and critical illnesses, and guaranteed premiums for 15 years.
  • The New Cancer Cover pays 25% of the sum assured for early-stage cancer and 100% for major-stage cancer, irrespective of treatment costs, plus a monthly income of 1% of the sum assured for 10 years after a major-stage diagnosis.
  • Customers can buy these plans offline through agents and brokers or online through the official LIC website.

Karur Vysya Bank Partners Zurich Kotak for Insurance

• What: Karur Vysya Bank has entered into an agreement with Zurich Kotak General Insurance Company Limited to distribute general insurance products to its customers as part of its existing bancassurance activities.
• Tell me more:
  • Bancassurance means banks selling insurance products to their customers.
  • The bank informed stock exchanges about the agreement under Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

Karnataka Bank Launches ‘Trade Konnect’ Digital Trade Platform

• What: Karnataka Bank has launched ‘Trade Konnect’, a digital platform that allows customers to submit requests for import, export and outward cross-border remittance transactions online anytime, anywhere, without visiting a branch.
• Tell me more:
  • The platform provides businesses engaged in international trade and individuals sending money abroad with a secure, efficient digital channel, enhancing customer experience and accelerating the bank’s digital transformation.
  • MD and CEO of Karnataka Bank – Raghavendra S Bhat

Adani and Jabil to Form AI Hardware Joint Venture

• What: Adani Enterprises Limited and US-based Jabil have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to form a 50:50 joint venture for making Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data centre equipment in India.
• Tell me more:
  • The JV will manufacture AI infrastructure equipment, including racks, servers, storage, networking, power and cooling systems, and transformers, with multi-gigawatt capacity, installation services, and plans to serve domestic and export markets.
  • India’s data centre capacity is projected to reach 5-8 gigawatts by 2030 due to growing AI adoption, cloud computing and data localisation needs.
  • The project aligns with the Adani Group’s plan to invest $100 billion in 5 gigawatts of green-energy-powered, AI-ready data centres by 2035.

Fairfax to Acquire 60.72% Stake in IDBI Bank

• What: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank to Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa’s Fairfax Financial Holdings for ₹52,878 crore ($5.5 billion).
• Tell me more:
  • This is the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India’s financial sector and the biggest government stake sale, which is expected to help meet the ₹80,000 crore disinvestment target this fiscal.
  • Fairfax will buy 30.48% from the government and 30.24% from the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) at ₹81 per share.
  • After the deal, LIC will hold 19% and the government 15%, and the government will exit the IDBI Bank board.
  • The deal needs approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which will conduct a “fit and proper” assessment, and from the Competition Commission of India.
  • Under RBI norms, Fairfax must reduce its holding to 26% within 15 years and follow a five-year promoter lock-in period.

Reports and Indices

Friendliest Cities Index 2026

• What: The Friendliest Cities Index 2026, commissioned by travel platform Fernwayer, analysed over 1.2 million Reddit comments about 200 cities.
• Tell me more:
  • It assessed how travellers described local residents as friendly, welcoming, hospitable, unfriendly or rude. The findings were published on September 23, 2026.
  • Top 10 Friendliest Cities in the World

• 10 Lowest-Scoring Cities in the World
  

World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2026

• What: India recorded a 21% fall in new tuberculosis (TB) cases between 2015 and 2024, while TB cases fell by 12% globally during the same period, according to the World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis Report.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s TB treatment coverage reached 92%, higher than the global average of 78%.
  • Under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, over 28 crore people were screened, over 20 lakh received TB Preventive Treatment, and 5.7 lakh new Ni-kshay Mitras joined.
  • The National TB Elimination Programme offers free TB screening and treatment at all public and private health centres.
  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Joint Squad for Health (JOSH) to increase community participation in the fight against TB.

GDP Forecasts

BMI Raises India’s FY27 Growth Forecast to 7.5%

• What: BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, has raised its growth forecast for India to 7.5% for Financial Year 2026-27 (FY27) from 6.8% earlier, citing sustained industrial growth and rising vehicle registrations.
• Tell me more:
  • BMI cut its FY28 (2027-28) growth forecast to 6.3% from 6.5% due to high oil prices, expected policy rate hikes and a strengthening El Niño.

Defence News

Indian Navy to Commission First Multi-Purpose Vessel

• What: The Indian Navy will commission Samarthak, the first of four Multi-Purpose Vessels, at Naval Base Karwar. Larsen & Toubro built the vessel under the Make in India initiative to support diverse naval operations.
• Tell me more:
  • Samarthak supports maritime surveillance, patrols, combat trials, salvage, unmanned systems, disaster relief and limited hospital services, using indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems.
  • The vessel’s crest features an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, symbolising strength, intelligence and agility. Its motto, “विजयार्थम् एकनिष्ठता”, means “Victory is Our Sole Aim.”
  • The Karwar Naval Base, officially known as INS Kadamba, is a major Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka, on the country’s western seaboard

Science and Technology

DRDO Tests Quantum Key Distribution in Live Network

• What: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully set up and tested a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform in the live network of test ranges at Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE), Chandipur.
• Tell me more:
  • The test showed that Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) can protect real-time observations and data during artillery and armoured weapon tests.
  • The DRDO developed QKD under its Microelectronic Devices, Computational Systems and Cyber Security cluster, with Taqbit Labs as its production partner.
  • QKD uses quantum physics to create and share secret keys, detect data interception, and provide secure encryption for defence, banking, telecommunications and national security communications.
  • DRDO develops these technologies through 15 DRDO-Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs) at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and other universities.

TDB Funds Peptris for AI-Based Drug Development

• What: The Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Ministry of Science has signed an agreement to fund Bengaluru-based Peptris Technologies Private Limited with ₹86 crore for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based drug development.
• Tell me more:
  • The project, named ‘VIGOR – Moving AI-Discovered Molecules from the Lab to the Clinic’, has a total cost of ₹172 crore.
  • TDB will provide the support through optionally convertible debt (OCD) under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund.
  • The project covers four experimental drugs: PEPR111 for neuromuscular disorders and cancer, PEPRX101 for hair loss, PEPR202 for neuropathy and PEPR112 for diabetes mellitus.
  • These drugs will move from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to TRL 6 through preclinical development, validation and preparation for clinical trials.
  • Peptris will use its own AI-based drug discovery platform and a global contract research organisation (CRO) network for drug development and validation.

Agriculture and Rural Development

India’s Coir Exports Rise 305% in 12 Years

• What: India’s coir and coir product exports registered a 305% rise from ₹1,630 crore in 2014-15 to ₹6,614 crore in 2025-26, as per the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Ministry.
• Tell me more:
  • India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of coir, accounting for about two-thirds of global production.
  • The Indian coir industry has a turnover of about ₹16,000 crore and contributes nearly 1% to India’s Gross Domestic Product.
  • Over the past 12 years, more than 21,000 coir units employing 2.3 lakh people registered on the Udyam Registration Portal, while over 68,000 people received sectoral training, with women accounting for more than 80% of trainees.
  • The United States, China, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom are major export destinations, with coir pith, fibre, yarn and tufted mats as key exports.

Awards

India’s Coir Exports Rise 305% in 12 Years

• What: India’s coir and coir product exports registered a 305% rise from ₹1,630 crore in 2014-15 to ₹6,614 crore in 2025-26, as per the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Ministry.
• Tell me more:
  • India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of coir, accounting for about two-thirds of global production.
  • The Indian coir industry has a turnover of about ₹16,000 crore and contributes nearly 1% to India’s Gross Domestic Product.
  • Over the past 12 years, more than 21,000 coir units employing 2.3 lakh people registered on the Udyam Registration Portal, while over 68,000 people received sectoral training, with women accounting for more than 80% of trainees.
  • The United States, China, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom are major export destinations, with coir pith, fibre, yarn and tufted mats as key exports.

Nagaland Wins SKOCH Silver Award for Baby League

• What: The Youth Resources and Sports Department of Nagaland has won the SKOCH Silver Award for its Grassroots Football Festival (Baby League), which promotes sports among young children in the state.
• Tell me more:
  • The SKOCH Award recognises excellence in governance, innovation and public service delivery.
  • Launched in June 2024, the annual Baby League gives children aged 5 to 12 years a chance to play organised football.

Important Days

World Standards Day 2026 – October 14

• Theme: ‘Shared Vision for a Better World’

Mahila Kisan Diwas 2026 – October 15

• International Rural Women’s Day is celebrated every year on October 15 by UN to honor the critical role and contribution of rural and indigenous women in agricultural development, food security, and rural poverty eradication.
• India’s Theme: The role of women farmers in developing agriculture and building a developed India
• UN’s Theme: “Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature”
• 2026 is the International Year of Women Farmers.

World Students’ Day 2026 – October 15

• World Students’ Day falls on October 15 every year, coinciding with Kalam’s birth anniversary in 1931.
• Kalam became the 11th President of India on July 25, 2002, and served until July 25, 2007.

Sports

Anandkumar Velkumar Wins Silver at World Skating Games

• What: Indian skater Anandkumar Velkumar won a silver medal in the men’s 1000-metre sprint at the World Skating Games 2026 in Paraguay, finishing just 4 milliseconds behind Italy’s gold medallist Duccio Marsili.
• Tell me more:
  • Taiwan’s Chia-Cheng Cheng won the bronze medal.
  • Velkumar became India’s first-ever senior world champion in speed skating last year with gold, and won India’s first-ever World Games roller skating podium with bronze, both in the 1000-metre sprint.

Miscellaneous

NCC Founder AVS Raju Passes Away at 89

• What: Dr Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju (AVS Raju), founder and chairman emeritus of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) Limited and Padma Shri awardee, passed away.
• Tell me more:
  • Raju entered the Guinness World Records in 2008 for the largest single-volume book of poems on Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Raju received the Padma Shri in 2010 in the Trade and Industry category.

Ram Nath Kovind Releases Hindi Edition of Autobiography

• Former President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the release ceremony of the Hindi edition of his autobiography, ‘Bharatiya Ganatantra Ki Vijaygatha, Mera Jeevan, Mera Sangharsh’, at a function held in Lucknow.

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