22nd October, 2026

1. India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 Begins in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
2. MHA Approves CISF Restructuring to Introduce Sector-Specific Functional Commands from November 1, 2026
3. NHAI Launches ‘Toll Plaza Feedback’ Feature on Rajmargyatra App to Improve Highway Services
4. MoES and AcSIR Sign MoU to Offer PhD Programmes Through 10 MoES Research Institutes
5. BharatCloud Signs MoU with Tatarstan IT-Park for India-Russia Al, cloud cooperation
6. VORAN-W&S Innovation Sign MoU for Gyroplane Technology and Manufacturing in India
7. Embraer to Acquire 51% Stake in Mahindra Group’s Novavayu Aerospace for IAF’s MTA Programme
8. DRDO Develops Portable ELINT System to Detect Enemy Radars and Counter Drone Threats
9. National Solidarity Day 2026 – October 20
10. Police Commemoration Day 2026 – October 21
11. MoH&FW Approved Operationalisation Ladakh’s first GMC from 2027-28 Academic Year
12. Women’s U19 T20 World Cup 2027 to Begin on January 21 in Bangladesh and Nepal
13. World Iodine Deficiency Day 2026 – October 21
14. Ipsos Quality of Care Perception Index 2026: Malaysia Ranks First, India Third
15. UNESCO Adds Three Indian Sites to World Heritage Tentative List in 2026
16. MeitY Constitutes Special Team to Investigate eMudhra PKI Security Incident
17. Varanasi Set to Witness IAF Air Show at Namo Ghat on October 22, 24 and 25
18. 9th India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise IBSAMAR 2026 Concludes in South Africa
19. India, New Zealand Sign MoC on Electronic Origin Data Exchange Under FTA
20. Army Commanders’ Conference Begins in New Delhi, Land Warfare Doctrine to Be Unveiled Friday
21. Ministry of Defence signs ₹770 crore contract with BEL for procurement of Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar
22. PM Modi condoles demise of Sengol artisan Vummidi Ethira
23. President Droupadi Murmu addresses 65th National Exhibition of Art award ceremony in New Delhi
24. Deputy Secretary in MEA Barkha Tamrakar delivers India’s national statement at UNGA Third Committee
25. India Reiterates Offer to Make Its Nuclear No-First-Use Commitment Part of a Multilateral Legal Agreement
26. India-UAE trade crosses 100 billion dollars; EAM Jaishankar calls for dialogue & diplomacy to resolve West Asia crisis
27. EAM S Jaishankar holds trilateral meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai on Energy and Connectivity
28. EAM Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio share views on advancing India-US ties in Mumbai, Discusses Trade, Energy, Security and Technology Ties
29. Faridabad’s Arshi Gupta wins Mini Max title at FMSCI RMC India National Karting Championship 2026
30. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024 & 2025 conferred on 106 young artists in performing arts
31. India crosses 300 GW of installed non-fossil fuel-powered electricity generation capacity
32. India to host 61st Meeting of International Committee of Legal Metrology in New Delhi
33. Ekta Vishnoi wins 3 Gold medals at World Masters Classic & Equipped Powerlifting Championships in USA
34. Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen takes oath as new Governor of Uttarakhand
35. Braj Mohan Ram takes oath as Odisha Governor at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar
36. India receives record FDI inflows of over $748 billion between 2014 and 2025
37. Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 to Begin in Ahmedabad on October 23
38. Overview of 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference Held in Cape Town, South Africa

National News

NHAI Adds Toll Plaza Feedback to Rajmargyatra App

• What: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a “Toll Plaza Feedback” feature on its Rajmargyatra mobile app, allowing national highway users to share their experiences and complaints about toll plazas.
• Tell me more:
  • The feature will help NHAI identify and monitor toll plaza services that need improvement and make highway travel safer, smoother and more convenient.
  • NHAI has also continued its “Clean Toilet Picture Challenge”, where each eligible vehicle reporting unclean toll plaza toilets with geo-tagged, time-stamped photos gets a ₹1,000 FASTag recharge.

Three Indian Sites Added to UNESCO Tentative List

• What: Three Indian sites, two in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and one in Chhattisgarh, were added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
• Tell me more:
  • Being on the Tentative List is the first step before nomination to the World Heritage List, which already has 45 Indian sites: 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed.
  • The Karst-mud-volcano Complex of Baratang has limestone caves and active mud volcanoes called “Jalki”, which the Geological Survey of India declared a Geo-Heritage Site in 2025.
  • The Andaman Subduction Volcanoes are on Barren Island and Narcondam Island, both protected areas that need wildlife wardens’ permission to enter.
  • The Sirpur Cultural and Archaeological Landscape lies along the Mahanadi River in Mahasamund district, Chhattisgarh, and has structures built between the 5th and 12th centuries CE.
  • Sirpur grew from a spiritual centre into a cultural and trading hub through support for many religions and commercial activities.

MeitY Forms Team to Probe eMudhra Security Incident

• What: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) formed a special team to investigate a security incident at eMudhra, a digital certification authority, after private keys linked to its digital certificates were compromised.
• Tell me more:
  • A flaw in eMudhra’s system created weak certificate keys that criminals could misuse to make fake websites. MeitY formed a probe team, and Google and Mozilla blocked the affected certificates.

India-UAE Trade Crosses $100 Billion since CEPA Signing

• What: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Mumbai, where India-UAE trade was noted to have crossed $100 billion.
• Tell me more:
  • Trade grew after the two countries signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in 2022, and the UAE is now India’s third-largest trading partner after the United States and China.
  • Ties are also supported by a local currency settlement system and a bilateral investment treaty, while defence, energy and technology cooperation is growing.
  • The two sides also discussed India’s participation in the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, which the UAE will host.

India, UAE, US Hold Trilateral Meeting in Mumbai

• What: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a trilateral meeting in Mumbai with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss energy, connectivity and current developments.
• Tell me more:
  • In a separate meeting, Jaishankar and Rubio discussed strengthening India-US ties in trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people links, along with the West Asia crisis.
  • Earlier, Jaishankar met Al Nahyan and noted that India-UAE trade has crossed $100 billion since the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed.
  • The visit came after US President Donald Trump gave India a waiver under the Russia Sanctions Act, offering relief from possible tariffs of up to 100% for buying Russian oil.
  • The US discussed diversifying India’s energy supplies, including Venezuela, with Rubio meeting Mukesh Ambani at Jamnagar refinery; the India-US trade deal is nearing finalisation, pending few issues.

India Scales Up Pumped Storage for Clean Energy

• What: India is expanding Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs), which store electricity using water and gravity, to support its growing solar and wind power, having crossed 300 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity by July 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • India targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, but solar and wind power vary with weather, creating a need to store extra electricity.
  • A PSP pumps water to an upper reservoir when extra power is available and releases it through turbines to generate electricity when demand rises.
  • India has 7.43 GW of operational PSP capacity across 10 projects and ranks fourth globally, while 15.87 GW across 11 projects is under construction.
  • The Central Electricity Authority plans to add 100.81 GW of PSPs by 2035–36, taking India’s total PSP capacity to 105.56 GW.
  • India has identified 320 PSP sites with 345.38 GW potential, and the Western Region, led by Maharashtra, has the highest share.
  • Government support includes 2023 PSP guidelines, a 100% inter-state transmission charge waiver for 25 years for projects awarded by 30 June 2028, and faster approvals.

India Hosts 61st CIML Meeting for First Time

• What: India will host the 61st Meeting of the International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML) for the first time in New Delhi from 26 to 28 October 2026, organised by the Department of Consumer Affairs with the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
• Tell me more:
  • OIML is an intergovernmental body set up in 1955 that develops international standards for measuring instruments used in trade, industry, healthcare and safety.
  • CIML is OIML’s main decision-making body that guides its technical and administrative work.
  • The meeting will help Indian manufacturers understand global measurement standards, reduce trade barriers, and ensure fair and accurate measurements for consumers.
  • The 60th CIML Meeting was held in Paris, France, in October 2025.

State News

Health Ministry Approves Ladakh’s First Medical College

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the start of Ladakh’s first Government Medical College in Leh from the academic year 2027–28, after a request by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

International News

Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

• What: The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly at its 81st session, is chaired by His Excellency James Martin Larsen, Permanent Representative of Australia.
• Tell me more:
  • The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, set up in 1945 with the United Nations, deals with humanitarian, social and cultural issues, especially promoting and protecting human rights.

First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

• What: The First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, set up in 1945, deals with disarmament, arms regulation and international security, promoting peace through cooperation and lower arms levels.
• Tell me more:
  • At the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, India repeated its offer to turn its No First Use policy and its pledge not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states into a multilateral legal agreement.

69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, South Africa

• What: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired a meeting to review India’s preparations for the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), hosted by the Parliament of South Africa in Cape Town.
• Tell me more:
  • The conference theme is “Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership”.
  • The Indian delegation will join six CPC workshops on fair trade, disability inclusion, climate resilience, artificial intelligence in parliaments, human rights and post-legislative scrutiny.
  • Other events include the 2026 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association General Assembly, the 42nd Small Branches Conference and the 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference.

Banking and Economy

Embraer to Acquire 51% Stake in Novavayu Aerospace

• What: Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer will buy a 51% stake in Novavayu Aerospace Limited, an Indian company of the Mahindra Group, and the deal is expected to be completed by 1 December 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The 51% stake will give Embraer control of Novavayu Aerospace and strengthen its business ties with the Mahindra Group.
  • The deal will help Embraer grow in India’s commercial aviation and defence sectors by combining its aerospace expertise with Mahindra’s industrial presence in India.
  • India’s aerospace sector offers growth opportunities through rising air travel and regional connectivity demand, alongside defence modernisation and efforts to strengthen domestic aircraft manufacturing.

India Receives Record $748 Billion FDI since 2014

• What: India received a record of over $748 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) between 2014 and 2025, while the government eased FDI rules in key sectors over the past decade.
• Tell me more:
  • Foreign investment of up to 74% is allowed in defence, while 100% is allowed in telecom, insurance and space.
  • The number of countries investing in India rose from 89 to 112.

Reports and Indices

India Ranks 3rd in Ipsos Healthcare Perception Index

• What: India ranked 3rd among 32 countries in the Ipsos Quality of Care Perception Index, released by market research company Ipsos, which ranks countries by how people rate their healthcare quality.
• Tell me more:
  • In India, 68% of people rated healthcare quality positively, and 64% trusted the healthcare provided to them.
  • India stood out for high trust, easy access and positive outlook about healthcare, but affordability remains its biggest healthcare challenge.
  • Top 10 countries in Quality of Care Perception Index:

Defence News

5th India-Australia Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 Begins in Kerala

• What: The 5th edition of the India-Australia joint military exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 began at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and will run from 19 October to 1 November 2026 with about 120 soldiers from each army.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian contingent includes troops from the Garhwal Rifles and other arms and services, while the Australian contingent has troops from 13 Brigade.
  • The exercise follows the theme “Joint Sub-Conventional Operations in Island and Coastal Environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate”.
  • For the first time, an observer delegation from New Zealand is joining the exercise, whose 4th edition took place at Irwin Barracks, Perth, Australia, from 13 to 26 October 2025.

CISF Adopts Domain-Based Command Structure from November 1

• What: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will shift from a territory-based to a domain-based command structure from 1 November, after approval by the Ministry of Home Affairs, to strengthen security at India’s critical infrastructure and strategic establishments.
• Tell me more:
  • The change aims to build sector-specific expertise, standardise security practices and improve coordination by placing establishments of the same sector under one command, regardless of location.
  • Existing sectors will become specialised ones such as Power-I, Power-II, Coal, Steel, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and a sector for government buildings, museums, monuments and mass rapid transit systems.
  • The Western and Southern Sectors will become the West Coast Port and East Coast Port Sectors to secure seaports, while the CISF already guards 13 major ports.
  • The CISF is India’s nodal seaport security force after being recognised as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
  • The CISF, set up in 1969 with headquarters in Delhi and about 2.70 lakh personnel, will keep its existing Airport, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space sectors.

DRDO to Develop Man-Portable Electronic Intelligence Modules

• What: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has issued a tender to develop man-portable electronic intelligence (ELINT) modules, which are small systems that capture and study signals from enemy radars and other antennas.
• Tell me more:
  • The tender has been issued by the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad.
  • ELINT modules help identify enemy radars, jam them, locate drone operators and warn of hostile drones, even in remote mountains.

IAF Holds 94th Anniversary Air Show in Varanasi

• What: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will hold a grand air show at Namo Ghat in Varanasi on 22, 24 and 25 October to mark its 94th anniversary.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932.
  • The IAF’s Sarang Helicopter Display Team performed during full-dress rehearsals over the Ganga ahead of the main event.

Ninth IBSAMAR Naval Exercise Concludes in South Africa

• What: The ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) Exercise 2026 concluded at Simon’s Town, South Africa, after ten days of joint activities by the three countries’ navies.
• Tell me more:
  • IBSAMAR aims to improve coordination among the three navies for smoother joint operations at sea, with the closing ceremony addressed by INS Tarkash’s Commanding Officer.

Army Commanders’ Conference to Release Land Warfare Doctrine

• What: The Indian Army’s twice-a-year Army Commanders’ Conference began in New Delhi, where top Army leaders will discuss security challenges, operational preparedness and modernisation until 23 October.
• Tell me more:
  • The Chief of the Army Staff, General Dhiraj Seth, is chairing the conference, which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address.
  • Singh will release the Land Warfare Doctrine, a framework to prepare the Indian Army for the changing nature of warfare and future conflicts.
  • Singh will also unveil the annual United Nations Journal and honour Indian Army personnel for their work as United Nations peacekeepers.
  • General Seth will give awards for Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety to recognise environmental sustainability and aviation safety.
  • The Army has named 2026 the year of Networking and Data Centricity as part of its goal to become a future-ready force.

MoD Signs ₹770 Crore Radar Deal with BEL

• What: The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth about ₹770 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited to buy Improved Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLR-I) for the Army’s air defence.
• Tell me more:
  • LLLR-I detects and tracks fighter-sized targets and mini and micro drones, prioritising aerial threats to help the Army counter unmanned aerial systems.

Awards

President Murmu Presents 20 Lalit Kala Akademi Awards

• What: President Droupadi Murmu presented 20 Lalit Kala Akademi Awards (India’s National Academy of Art) to artists of the 65th National Exhibition of Art in New Delhi on 21 October 2026, and honoured Grand Prize winners and Honourable Mentions of the 3rd Print Biennale India, 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The exhibition supports India’s creative economy, and the Akademi and the Ministry of Culture are encouraging the sale of artworks to give artists direct income.
  • The Akademi was inaugurated on 5 August 1954 by Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and is the youngest of three Akademies set up by the Government of India in the field of Visual Arts.
  • The other two Akademies are Sangeet Natak Akademi for performing arts and Sahitya Akademi for literature.
  • Awardees include Chandra Shekhar Sain (sculpture), Gopal Chandra Naskar (painting), Pankaj Kumar Sharma (drawing) and Pritam Madhukar Deuskar (printmaking).

106 Artists Receive Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

• What: Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat conferred the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024 and 2025 on 106 young artists in music, dance and drama in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Established by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2006, the award honours young artists up to 40 years of age, with each recipient receiving ₹25,000, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.
  • Awardees include Akram Khan Behrupiya (folk dance), Manisha Srivastava (folk music), Hito Kiho (choir music), Subhashree Swain (Chhau dance) and Ghanshyam Sahu (playwriting).

Important Days

National Solidarity Day 2026 – October 20

• National Solidarity Day is observed annually on 20 October to honour soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the 1962 Sino-Indian War (October 20–November 20, 1962), marking its 64th anniversary in 2026.

National Police Commemoration Day 2026 (67th Edition) – October 21

• India observed National Police Commemoration Day on 21 October to honour police personnel who died on duty, remembering the 1959 killing of 10 CRPF personnel by Chinese troops during border patrol.

World Iodine Deficiency Day 2026 – October 21

• What: World Iodine Deficiency Day, also called Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day, is observed every year on 21 October to spread awareness about the importance of iodine and the effects of its deficiency.
• Tell me more:
  • India started the National Goitre Control Programme in 1962 to tackle iodine deficiency.
  • In 1992, the programme was expanded and renamed the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP).
  • NIDDCP aims to reduce iodine deficiency disorders and ensure that households consume enough iodised salt.
  • The programme works through surveys, awareness campaigns, promotion of iodised salt, and laboratory checks of iodine levels in salt and in urine to measure people’s iodine intake.

Sports

U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 Schedule Announced

• What: The International Cricket Council Under-19 Women’s Twenty20 World Cup 2027 will be held in Bangladesh and Nepal from 21 January to 6 February, with 16 teams playing 41 matches at four venues.
• Tell me more:
  • Matches will be played at the TU International Cricket Stadium and Upper Mulpani International Cricket Ground in Kathmandu, and at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and BSSFLMRCS, Chattogram, in Bangladesh.

Arshi Gupta Becomes Youngest Rotax Mini Max Champion

• What: Ten-year-old Arshi Gupta from Faridabad, India’s youngest National Karting Champion, became the world’s youngest driver to win the Rotax MAX Challenge (RMC) Mini title by winning the Mini Max category in Bengaluru.
• Tell me more:
  • The win came at the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India RMC India National Karting Championship 2026.
  • After winning the Micro Max category in 2025, Arshi is one of the few drivers to win two RMC categories in consecutive years.
  • Arshi is the youngest driver globally selected for the Formula One Academy Discover Your Drive programme and has received the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile President’s Medal.

Ekta Vishnoi Wins Three Golds in World Powerlifting

• What: Indian Revenue Service officer Ekta Vishnoi won three gold medals at the World Masters Classic and Equipped Powerlifting Championships in Nevada, United States, in the M2 (50–59 years) 57 kg category.
• Tell me more:
  • Vishnoi won three gold medals in squat, deadlift and overall total with 362.5 kg, defeating Canada and Japan; he serves as Joint Secretary, Department of Biotechnology.

Ahmedabad to Host First Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026

• What: The first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship will be held at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from 23 to 31 October 2026, with 13 men’s teams and 10 women’s teams.
• Tell me more:
  • India, led by captain Surjeet Singh and vice-captain Naveen Kumar, is in Group A with Nigeria, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Group B has Bangladesh, Kenya, Canada, Australia, Scotland and Singapore.

Memorandum of Understanding

MoES-AcSIR MoU to Offer Earth Science PhD Programmes

• What: The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) declared an MoU at Prithvi Bhawan, New Delhi, recognising all ten MoES research institutes as AcSIR Associated Research Institutes.
• Tell me more:
  • Under the MoU, MoES will provide its research labs and scientists, while AcSIR will run the PhD courses.
  • All ten institutes of MoES have joined AcSIR’s current PhD admission round, and selected students will do their research there under MoES scientists recognised as AcSIR teachers.
  • After the research is complete, AcSIR will award the PhD degree, which will also mention the MoES institute where the student worked.
  • Any invention from a student’s research will name the student as the inventor, while inventions made jointly will be shared by MoES and AcSIR.

BharathCloud and Russia’s IT-Park Sign AI-Cloud MoU

• What: BharathCloud, a Hyderabad-based sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) cloud service provider, signed an MoU with the High-Technology Technopark “IT-Park” in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia, to boost AI and cloud cooperation and business partnerships between India and Russia.
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU was signed at the II Russia-India Business Forum “TIME” (Russia-India Mutual Efficiency Business Forum 2026), where businesses discussed cooperation in areas such as AI and cloud investment.
  • The Bharath Digital Infrastructure Association, which brings together industry stakeholders, also joined the MoU to explore AI and cloud partnerships between India and Russia.
  • BharathCloud has also proposed the idea of “cloud embassies” to strengthen digital infrastructure links across borders.
  • A cloud embassy (also called a data embassy) is a data centre located in another country but treated like that foreign country’s own territory for its data.

VORAN and W&S Innovation Sign Gyroplane Technology MoU

• What: Indian aviation startup VORAN Private Limited signed an MoU with Poland-based W&S Innovation – Aviation Artur Trendak to work together on gyroplane technology and explore future manufacturing of light aircraft in India.
• Tell me more:
  • Both companies will explore cooperation in aircraft design, engineering, product development, sales, pilot training, maintenance, skill development and market expansion.
  • VORAN aims to build India’s light aviation sector and already has a technology-transfer partnership with an Italian gyroplane maker with 30 years of experience.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • A gyroplane is an aircraft (similar to a helicopter) lifted by a freely spinning top rotor and pushed by a propeller. Both companies aim to advance gyroplane technology and explore light aircraft manufacturing in India.
  • Light aircraft: A small, low-weight plane, usually with one engine and a few seats, used for pilot training, private flying and short trips.

India-New Zealand Sign MoC on Origin Data Exchange

• What: India and New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) for the electronic exchange of origin data on traded goods, to help businesses use tariff benefits under their Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Tell me more:
  • The MoC was signed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and the New Zealand Customs Service, a day before the FTA came into force on 20 October.
  • Under an FTA, only goods that meet the rules of origin, which decide the country a product comes from, can get lower or zero customs duties.
  • The MoC lets customs authorities of both countries share origin data electronically in advance to check whether goods qualify for these lower duties.
  • This will improve customs cooperation, reduce information gaps and give traders more certainty in bilateral trade.
  • The FTA gives Indian goods such as textiles, garments, leather and engineering goods duty-free access to the New Zealand market.

Appointments

New Governors Take Oath in Uttarakhand and Odisha

• What: Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath as the new Governor of Uttarakhand at Lok Bhawan in Dehradun, while Braj Mohan Ram took oath as the new Governor of Odisha at Lok Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.
• Tell me more:
  • The Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice administered Bisen’s oath in Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s presence, while Orissa High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon administered Ram’s oath alongside Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Miscellaneous

Vummidi Ethiraj, Craftsman Who Designed Sengol, Passes Away

• What: Vummidi Ethiraj, the craftsman who designed the historic Sengol presented to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947, passed away.
• Tell me more:
  • The Sengol is a traditional sceptre that symbolises India’s civilisational heritage and the transfer of power at Independence.
  • In 2023, the Sengol was installed in the new Parliament building and given a place of honour.

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