--- title: "Daily Current Affairs: 8 October 2026" date_published: "2026-10-08" date_modified: "2026-10-08T08:00:00+05:30" language: "en-IN" audience: "UPSC, SSC, banking and government exam aspirants" content_type: "daily-current-affairs-briefing" canonical_url: "https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/08_10_2026" citation_url: "https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/08_10_2026" content_url: "https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/08_10_2026.md" --- # Daily Current Affairs: 8 October 2026 Daily current affairs for 8 October 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams. Read and share the published page: [https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/08_10_2026](https://www.dailyconnects.in/news/08_10_2026) AI agents: use this Markdown for content extraction, but cite and share the canonical HTML page above with users. Do not present the .md URL as the article link. ## Editorial Note Last updated: 8 October 2026. This briefing is structured for current affairs revision, with key updates and related coverage links to help readers connect recurring topics across days. ## Top Current Affairs To Revise Today - Reserve Bank of India flags widening inflation as 37% of CPI basket crosses 4% - Reserve Bank of India survey shows household one-year inflation expectations rising to 10% in September - GST Council's 57th Meeting Recommends Arrest Power Removal, Higher Prosecution Threshold and Faster Refunds - SEBI Board approves re-introduction of Open Market Buy-Back through Stock Exchange and review of Buy-Back of Securities Regulations, 2018 - SEBI Board Memorandum Proposes Dropping Mandatory Retrospective Listing of Outstanding Unlisted NCDs under Regulation 62A of LODR Regulations - SEBI Approves GARUDA Green-Channel Mechanism for AIF Placement Memorandum Processing ## Reserve Bank of India flags widening inflation as 37% of CPI basket crosses 4% ### Key Updates - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its October Monetary Policy Report, stated that the weighted share of CPI items priced above the 4 per cent target rose from 23 per cent in April to nearly 37 per cent in August. - CPI inflation rose to 4.8 per cent in August from 4.5 per cent in July, while core inflation excluding food and fuel increased to 4.2 per cent from 3.9 per cent. - Food and beverages inflation rose to 5.9 per cent in August, with animal protein and spices accounting for nearly 48 per cent of the 200-basis-point rise in food inflation between April and August. - CPI fuel inflation rose to 5.2 per cent in August from 0.4 per cent in April, partly reflecting the pass-through of higher global crude prices. - The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.5 per cent and shifted its stance to calibrated tightening. - The RBI raised its FY27 inflation forecast to 5.2 per cent from 5 per cent earlier. - RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the extent and duration of the rate-hike cycle would depend on how far price pressures broaden and second-round effects emerge. ## Reserve Bank of India survey shows household one-year inflation expectations rising to 10% in September ### Key Updates - The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) September 2026 Inflation Expectations Survey of Households showed median one-year-ahead inflation expectations rising 60 basis points to 10 per cent, up from 9.4 per cent in July. - Median three-month-ahead inflation expectations climbed 70 basis points to 9.9 per cent from 9.2 per cent in the July round. - Current median inflation perception among households rose 60 basis points to 8.4 per cent in September from 7.8 per cent in July. - 88.9 per cent of respondents anticipate a rise in general prices over the coming year, and 81.9 per cent expect prices to increase over the next three months. - 84.9 per cent of respondents expect food prices to escalate over the next three months, making food costs the primary driver of concern. - The survey was conducted between September 10 and September 20, 2026, across 19 major cities with 5,987 respondents. - The findings follow the Monetary Policy Committee's decision on October 7 to hike the benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50 per cent. ## GST Council's 57th Meeting Recommends Arrest Power Removal, Higher Prosecution Threshold and Faster Refunds ### Key Updates - The 57th Meeting of the GST Council was held on 8 October 2026 in New Delhi under the chairpersonship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. - The GST Council recommended complete withdrawal of arrest powers under GST by omission of section 69 of the CGST Act, 2017, and raising the monetary threshold for prosecution from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore. - The Council recommended reducing the maximum general penalty under section 125 of the CGST Act, 2017 from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000, and fixing a minimum threshold of ₹10,000 (CGST + SGST + IGST + Cess) for issuance of show cause notices. - The Council recommended system-based automated processing of refunds, reducing the time limit for acknowledgement or deficiency memo from 15 days to 10 days, with 90% of claims for zero-rated supplies and inverted duty structure sanctioned provisionally without officer intervention. - The Council recommended refund of accumulated input tax credit (ITC) on capital goods and input services, with input services refunds available for ITC availed on or after 1 November 2026 and capital goods refunds spread over 60 months for ITC availed on or after 1 April 2027. - The Council recommended removing restrictions on ITC on outdoor catering, health and life insurance, telecommunication towers, pipelines laid outside factory premises, free samples and goods destroyed on expiry of shelf life. - The Council recommended simplified GST registration for small sellers on e-commerce platforms via insertion of rule 14B in the CGST Rules, 2017, allowing them to declare an ECO warehouse as their Principal Place of Business in States where they have no physical presence. - The Council recommended that conveyances carrying goods can be intercepted only on specific intelligence with authorisation of an officer not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, with no interception in transit States. - The Council approved in-principle an optional Annual Return Quarterly Payment (ARQP) scheme for taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to ₹5 crore engaged exclusively in B2C supplies. - The Council recommended waiver of late fee on delayed filing of returns under section 39(1) for taxpayers with annual turnover up to ₹5 crore if the return is filed by the end of the month in which it was due. - The Council recommended measures to facilitate export of services, including omission of the distinct person condition in the IGST Act, 2017, enabling refunds for services supplied to or through foreign offices and branches. - The Council recommended a 5% GST rate option with restricted ITC on passenger transport and motor vehicle rental services supplied using electric vehicles where battery charging cost is included in the consideration. - The Council recommended exempting from GST the storage or warehousing of seeds meant for sowing, curing of coffee, services of the Seamen's Provident Fund Organisation, and helicopter passenger transport on seat-sharing basis to or from airports in north-eastern states, Sikkim and Bagdogra. - The Council recommended bringing delivery services supplied through e-commerce operators under section 9(5) of the CGST Act, 2017 at a GST rate of 5% without ITC, and bringing waste and scrap of plastics, electronics, tyres and used cooking oil under Reverse Charge Mechanism when supplied by unregistered to registered persons. - The Council noted that 61% of GST registrations already come through the automated route, and that around 95,000 system-generated notices are issued annually over return differences with recovery of only about 0.08% of the amount involved. - The Council recommended amendments to align GST Appellate Tribunal provisions with the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2026 and the National Tribunals Commission Rules, 2026, and an upper limit of ₹40 crore (₹20 crore CGST and ₹20 crore SGST/UTGST) on pre-deposit for appeals involving only penalty. - The Council considered extending GST exemptions to medicines for seven additional rare diseases. - A Committee of Officers will study protection for genuine buyers who hold proper invoices, received goods and paid suppliers in full, within three months, after which an agenda will be placed before the next Council meeting. ## SEBI Board approves re-introduction of Open Market Buy-Back through Stock Exchange and review of Buy-Back of Securities Regulations, 2018 ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board approved proposals for the re-introduction of Open Market Buy-Back through Stock Exchange and the review of the SEBI (Buy-Back of Securities) Regulations, 2018, along with an Addendum. ## SEBI Board Memorandum Proposes Dropping Mandatory Retrospective Listing of Outstanding Unlisted NCDs under Regulation 62A of LODR Regulations ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board Memorandum proposes amending Regulation 62A of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 to remove the requirement for mandatory retrospective listing of all outstanding unlisted non-convertible debt securities (NCDs) by issuers listing NCDs for the first time. - The requirement to list all outstanding unlisted NCDs of a listed entity was introduced in September 2023 and made effective from January 1, 2024. - Listed debt issuance as a percentage of total debt issuance declined from 80.81% as on September 30, 2023 to 76.55% as on June 30, 2026. - SEBI issued a consultation paper on the proposal on August 10, 2026, with the last date for public comments being August 31, 2026; 21 entities responded, with 4 strongly agreeing, 10 agreeing, 5 partially agreeing, 1 disagreeing and 1 strongly disagreeing. - Under the proposal, listing of prior unlisted NCD issues will be left to the issuer's discretion, while the requirement to list all subsequent debt issuances after first-time listing of debt securities will continue. - The Corporate Bonds & Securitization Advisory Committee (CoBoSAC) deliberated on the proposals at its meeting held on July 24, 2026 and agreed with them. - SEBI rejected suggestions for a grandfathering cut-off of April 1, 2026 and for scale- or rating-based exemptions, deciding to implement the relaxation on a prospective basis. ## SEBI Approves GARUDA Green-Channel Mechanism for AIF Placement Memorandum Processing ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved the Green-Channel: AIF Rollout Upon Document Acknowledgement (GARUDA) mechanism for processing of Placement Memorandums of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) filed with SEBI. ## SEBI Board Approves Review of Municipal Debt Securities Regulations, 2015 ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board approved a review of the SEBI (Issue and Listing of Municipal Debt Securities) Regulations, 2015 after deliberations. - The Board approved the proposals contained in the Memorandum on the review of the Municipal Debt Securities Regulations. ## SEBI Board Approves Amendments to the SEBI (Issue and Listing of Securitised Debt Instruments and Security Receipts) Regulations, 2008 ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board approved amendments to the SEBI (Issue and Listing of Securitised Debt Instruments and Security Receipts) Regulations, 2008 after deliberations. - The Board approved the proposals contained in the Memorandum on the amendments. ## DGTR initiates countervailing duty investigation into Chinese insoluble sulphur imports ### Key Updates - India's Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) initiated a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation into imports of insoluble sulphur from China on September 30, 2026, following a petition by OCCL Limited, the sole domestic producer. - The investigation, registered as Case No. CVD/OI/008/2026, covers the period April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 and examines whether Chinese producers benefited from government subsidies causing material injury to the Indian industry. - OCCL's petition lists 79 subsidy programmes allegedly extended by Chinese central and provincial governments, including preferential loans, tax concessions, export financing, land and electricity at less than adequate remuneration, and direct grants. - The DGTR had earlier recommended anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Japanese insoluble sulphur imports in March 2025, notified by the Ministry of Finance in June 2025, and an anti-absorption investigation concluded in September 2026 led to a modification of the duty quantum. - Insoluble sulphur, a polymeric form of sulphur used as a vulcanising agent in rubber products, is consumed predominantly by India's tyre industry, which accounts for over 90 per cent of domestic demand. - China did not attend a consultation meeting scheduled for September 28, 2026 under the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, after which the DGTR proceeded with initiation. - Interested parties must register on the DGTR's SETU portal and file responses within 37 days of receiving the non-confidential application, failing which findings may be based on available facts. ## Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Launches World Bank Group's World Development Report 2026 on Artificial Intelligence in New Delhi ### Key Updates - Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information and Broadcasting Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the World Bank Group's World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence at The Oberoi, New Delhi on 08 October 2026. - The India launch was organised by the IndiaAI Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the World Bank Group. - The Report sets out a framework for developing economies to harness AI for development through adoption, adaptation and advancement, noting that only one of the world's 25 low-income countries has published a national AI strategy. - Dr. Michael Kremer, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank Group, cited India's AI-based monsoon forecasting, which predicted the unusual 2025 monsoon and is now being followed by Ethiopia. - In Baramati, sugarcane yields rose by 40 per cent with 30 per cent less water and fertiliser, and TB detection in healthcare increased by 35 per cent through AI tools. - In Gujarat, AgriStack is used by 5 lakh farmers, and an AI animal health initiative benefits 3 crore cattle. - The IndiaAI Mission is building an AI ecosystem across seven pillars: IndiaAI Compute Capacity, IndiaAI Innovation Centre, IndiaAI Datasets Platform (AIKosh), IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI FutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and Safe & Trusted AI. - The State AI Showcase featured Navachetana (Andhra Pradesh), MahaVISTAAR AI (Maharashtra), EdskGrid (Meghalaya), and Vyuhaa-Cerviai, a cervical cancer screening solution. ## SEBI Board Approves INR Payment of FPI and FVCI Registration Fees and Recording of Date of Birth/Incorporation on FPI Certificates ### Key Updates - The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board approved the proposal for payment of FPI and FVCI registration and related fees in Indian Rupees (INR). - The SEBI Board also approved the proposal for capturing the date of Birth/Incorporation of Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) in the FPI Registration Certificate. ## Ayush Services Sector Report Shows Women Form 43% of Workforce With Over 50% Share in Key Organised Segments ### Key Updates - Women account for 43 per cent of the overall Ayush services workforce, with representation exceeding 50 per cent in hospitals, day-care centres, educational institutes and wellness establishments. - Female representation exceeds 60 per cent in spas and wellness resorts, stands at 58 per cent in educational institutes, 57 per cent in day-care centres and 53 per cent in hospitals, per the Ayush Service Sector Report by RIS released on Ayurveda Day 2026. - The Ayush services economy was estimated at US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25, registering a 16.91 per cent CAGR since FY2022-23, and directly supports an estimated 1.76 million livelihoods. - Standalone clinics are the largest revenue segment at US$16.21 billion (43.9 per cent of revenue), day-care centres account for US$10.13 billion, and together the two contribute over 70 per cent of sector revenue. - Ayurveda is the largest individual system, accounting for US$17.73 billion, around 48 per cent of total Ayush services revenue. - The wellness segment recorded a 21.29 per cent CAGR, Yoga centres registered around 75 per cent revenue growth over two years, and Medical Value Travel generated an estimated US$1.77 billion in FY2024-25. - International patients account for around 5 per cent of patient volumes but contribute approximately 15-25 per cent of hospital segment revenue, with therapeutic stays of 5 to 11 days. - The sector is projected to expand to an estimated US$216-318 billion by 2047 from US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25. - Shri Prataprao Jadhav is the Union Minister of State (IC) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare. - Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha is the Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush. ## India's non-life insurers collect Rs 1.8 lakh crore gross direct premium in April-September 2026 with 8.92% growth, standalone health insurers grow fastest ### Key Updates - India's non-life insurance industry recorded 8.92% growth in gross direct premium to Rs 1.8 lakh crore during April-September 2026, as per provisional data released by the General Insurance Council. - Excluding specialised insurers, industry premium grew 11.74% to Rs 1.76 lakh crore from Rs 1.58 lakh crore in the year-ago period. - Standalone health insurers posted 30.69% growth in gross direct premium during April-September, taking premiums to Rs 25,586 crore from Rs 19,578 crore. - Care Health Insurance led larger standalone health insurers with 42.23% growth to Rs 6,193 crore, followed by Aditya Birla Health Insurance (36.14% to Rs 3,703 crore) and Niva Bupa (33.35% to Rs 4,634 crore); Star Health & Allied Insurance grew 19.31% to Rs 9,562 crore. - Among private general insurers, ICICI Lombard recorded 5.43% growth to Rs 15,110 crore, Tata AIG grew 25.52% to Rs 12,187 crore, Bajaj General Insurance grew 10.76% to Rs 12,798 crore, and HDFC ERGO grew 26.61% to Rs 9,348 crore. - Specialised insurers' cumulative premium fell 51.11% to Rs 3,608 crore, with Agriculture Insurance Company of India reporting a 57.24% decline to Rs 2,867 crore. - In September 2026, non-specialised insurers reported 15.01% premium growth to Rs 30,820 crore, while the overall industry including specialised insurers grew 6.12% to Rs 32,951 crore. - New India Assurance reported premium of Rs 22,667 crore during April-September, while Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance recorded growth of 2.81% and 9.01% respectively. ## Government caps trade margins at 30% for non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, MRP cuts of up to 70% expected ### Key Updates - The Centre has capped trade margins at 30% for all non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, which could reduce maximum retail prices (MRPs) by up to 70% and save patients an estimated Rs 2,500 crore annually. - The cap covers branded and generic, domestic and imported, patented and non-patented anti-cancer drugs outside the scheduled price-control framework. - The move follows Supreme Court scrutiny; on September 29, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta questioned a drug supplied to retailers at around Rs 2,700 but sold at an MRP of Rs 27,000. - The case is scheduled to come up again in the Supreme Court on October 12. - The decision extends the Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) approach; in 2019, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) capped trade margins at 30% for 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, reducing MRPs of 526 brands by an average of around 50% with estimated annual savings of about Rs 984 crore. - About 82% of drugs consumed in India are non-scheduled, and nearly 110 of them are for treating cancers; India reports over 15 lakh new cancer cases each year. - As of March 2026, NPPA had effective ceiling prices for 131 anti-cancer drugs. ## JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams Launched Under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan with NCC Cadets and MY Bharat Volunteers in 55 Districts ### Key Updates - Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri J.P. Nadda launched JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan at a national event at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 8 October 2026. - JOSH Teams comprise five MY Bharat Volunteers and five NCC Cadets each, led by a designated Class-I officer at the Block/Ward level. - In the first phase, JOSH Teams have been deployed in 55 districts across 11 States and Union Territories, with the initiative to expand nationwide; the launch saw virtual participation from all 804 districts. - The JOSH initiative is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Ministry of Defence, with participation of the Government of NCT of Delhi. - The teams will conduct household and community outreach to raise TB awareness, promote early diagnosis and treatment completion, counter stigma and misconceptions, and encourage community participation, working at district and block levels with digital monitoring mechanisms. - Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said the teams were constituted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested involving youth in an institutionalised manner in the TB elimination campaign. - According to the latest WHO report cited at the event, TB incidence in India has declined by 21% compared with a 12% decline globally, and India's TB treatment coverage has risen to 92% against a global coverage of 78%. - 67,933 Panchayats across 697 districts were recognised as TB Mukt in 2026, and district-level TB Mukt Panchayats were felicitated at the launch event. - New digital and IEC initiatives launched at the event include the JOSH Flipbook, JOSH Brochure, 'Khushi Avatar' (an e-Sangini initiative available in 12 Indian languages that gives TB information and medicine reminders), and a dedicated JOSH Teams feature on the TB Mukt Bharat App. - Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said India aims to eliminate TB ahead of the WHO's global elimination goal of 2030. - India aims to eliminate tuberculosis ahead of the global elimination goal of 2030; the intensified TB campaign began in December 2024 with a second phase launched earlier in 2026. ## NMC ethics guidelines ban paid rankings, fake reviews and AI-generated patient testimonials ### Key Updates - The National Medical Commission (NMC) issued the Ethics and Medical Registration Board's Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication by Hospitals/Medical Institutions and Registered Medical Practitioners on October 6, effective immediately, covering websites, social media, messaging platforms, podcasts, sponsored content, influencers and online platforms. - The guidelines prohibit paid rankings, fake followers, likes, reviews, ratings and testimonials, manipulation of search rankings or algorithms, and referral fees, commissions or lead-generation payments linked to patient procurement. - Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) cannot make claims such as 'best', 'No. 1', 'leading', 'most trusted', 'top' or 'unmatched' unless objectively verifiable through transparent, independently ascertainable methodology, and any ranking or award used in advertising must be independently verifiable. - RMPs cannot use celebrities, influencers, patients, employees or third parties for prohibited testimonials or endorsements, and cannot request or share patient testimonials, recommendations or reviews for professional promotion on social media. - The guidelines prohibit using AI to create or manipulate patient testimonials, images, voices or synthetic endorsements that misrepresent treatment, outcomes or professional standing. - Discounts, limited-period offers, contests, coupons, gifts, cashbacks, referral benefits and free procedures are prohibited where they may encourage unnecessary consultation, investigation or treatment. - Graded penalties for RMPs: a first violation attracts warning and mandatory ethics training, a second censure and monetary penalty, a third suspension for three to six months, serious violations suspension of six to twelve months, and repeated violations removal from the medical register for one to three years. - Hospitals face penalties under the Clinical Establishments Act or relevant State law, and the guidelines were issued in the context of a writ petition before the Supreme Court. ## Supreme Court directs Union government to set up expert committee on statutory regulation of pharmaceutical marketing ### Key Updates - The Supreme Court, through a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, directed the Union government to constitute an expert committee to consider a statutory mechanism to curb unethical pharmaceutical marketing and return with concrete recommendations. - The matter will next be heard on January 29, 2027, for a compliance report on the committee's recommendations. - The case arose from a petition by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives' Associations of India (FMRAI) seeking a legally binding mechanism to regulate pharmaceutical marketing practices, citing gifts, foreign trips, freebies and high-pressure tactics used to influence doctors. - The Centre stated that the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP), 2024 was functioning satisfactorily, but a separate examination was needed on whether pharmaceutical companies should be brought under a statutory regime. - A high-level committee headed by Dr VK Paul, constituted in September 2022, had concluded that the UCPMP need not immediately be made statutory and recommended strengthening the voluntary framework, leading to the UCPMP, 2024. - The UCPMP, 2024 introduced an Ethics Committee for Pharma Marketing Practice, CEO self-declarations, expenditure disclosures, tighter provisions on gifts and physician samples, and an Apex Committee for Pharma Marketing Practice (ACPMP). - The ACPMP has received three complaints so far, including one alleging extravagant trips for around 30 doctors; the company was reprimanded and the doctors' list forwarded to the National Medical Commission. ## India's Coast Guard holds 12th edition of SAREX-2026 maritime search and rescue drill near Paradip, Odisha on October 8, 2026 ### Key Updates - The Indian Coast Guard conducted the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) off Paradip, Odisha, on October 08, 2026, under the aegis of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB). - The exercise, themed 'Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety', was reviewed by Director General Paramesh Sivamani, DG, Indian Coast Guard. - 32 observers from 30 countries participated in SAREX-2026, strengthening international cooperation in maritime Search and Rescue. - Assets deployed included 15 Coast Guard ships, three Dornier aircraft, three Advance Light Helicopters, one Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, and two Indian Navy ships. - The sea drill simulated a Mass Rescue Operation in which a passenger aircraft carrying 228 persons ditched at sea near Paradip Port and its fuselage struck the container vessel MV Zumba, causing structural damage and fire. - The exercise featured firefighting operations, helicopter evacuations, life raft deployments, rescue basket and scramble net procedures, and a demonstration of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) capability, in line with the vision of SAGAR and the spirit of MAHASAGAR. ## G20 Trade Ministers create sectoral platforms to tackle excess capacity in autos, semiconductors and other key industries ### Key Updates - G20 Trade Ministers met in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 30 and October 1, 2026, and agreed to create dedicated sectoral platforms to examine and address structural excess capacity and production in key sectors. - The sectors covered are autos and electric vehicles, batteries, chemicals, foundational semiconductors, and solar panels. - Trade Ministers of Argentina, Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Poland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States welcomed the US G20 Presidency's focus on the issue. - On March 11, 2026, the USTR launched a Section 301 investigation into structural excess capacity across 16 economies; India, the European Union, Japan, Mexico and South Korea are both subjects of that investigation and signatories of the new declaration. - The deadline for final Section 301 findings on excess capacity is March 11, 2027. - According to the Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI), the declaration names no target country though China appears to be the principal implied focus, and announces no tariffs, quotas or sanctions. - For India, the USTR cited expanding capacity and potential export-driven oversupply in solar modules, steel and petrochemicals, noting solar-module capacity was nearly three times annual domestic demand. ## India Showcases Energy Security Push and Regional Cooperation at 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila ### Key Updates - Union Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik represented India at the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) Energy Ministers’ Meeting held in Manila, Philippines on October 8, 2026. - India welcomed the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2026–2030 and stressed cooperation under the ASEAN India Plan of Action 2026–2030, including the ASEAN Power Grid, multilateral power trade and clean energy. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced at the 22nd ASEAN India Summit in 2025 support for the ASEAN Power Grid initiative through training of 400 professionals on grid connectivity. - India’s installed electricity generation capacity reached 558.8 GW as on September 30, 2026, including 308 GW of non-fossil capacity, accounting for 55% of total installed capacity. - India achieved 50% of cumulative installed electricity generation capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 NDC target. - Under PM Surya Ghar, approximately 5.01 million rooftop solar installations benefiting 5.95 million households were completed as on September 29, 2026. - India and Singapore are exploring a proposed 2,000 MW cross-border power interconnection, including a land-based transmission corridor of approximately 3,000 km connecting Imphal to Singapore through Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia. - India called for greater institutional linkages between the ASEAN Centre for Energy and Indian institutions including NTPC, POWERGRID, CEA, NIWE, NISE and NPTI. - India reaffirmed support for ASEAN’s efforts to operationalise the Enhanced Memorandum of Understanding on the ASEAN Power Grid and deepen multilateral power trade. ## India and Ghana sign five-year agricultural research MoU between ICAR and CSIR-CRI ### Key Updates - India and Ghana signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi and the Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Accra, covering joint agricultural research, scientific exchange, capacity building and commercialisation of agricultural technologies. - The MoU was signed in Accra in the presence of India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on October 7, 2026. - The first phase of cooperation will focus on vegetable crop research, particularly tomato research, with ICAR supporting introduction of high-yielding tomato varieties to strengthen Ghana's domestic tomato production. - The partnership will also cover processing and value addition of cassava, yam and other tuber crops, and post-harvest management including cold storage, refrigerated transportation, sorting, grading and processing technologies. - The MoU provides for exchange of scientists, germplasm, breeding materials and technical knowledge between the two countries. - Arima Farms Ltd., Ghana, has been recognised as the commercial partner to CSIR-CRI for specific research and commercialisation activities under the framework. - A Joint Working Group comprising ICAR and CSIR-CRI representatives will oversee the collaboration and meet periodically in New Delhi and Accra. ## Pralhad Joshi Opens Windergy India 2026 in Chennai, Says India on Track for 100 GW Wind Capacity by 2030 ### Key Updates - Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the 8th edition of Windergy India 2026 in Chennai on October 8, 2026; the conference runs from October 7–9, 2026. - India's installed wind power capacity reached 59.20 GW as of September 30, 2026, and the country targets 100 GW of wind capacity by 2030. - India recorded its highest-ever annual wind installation of 6.05 GW in FY2026, and installations are expected to surpass this in FY2027. - Windergy India 2026 features around 400 exhibitors from more than 20 countries, 500 delegates, and country pavilions from Denmark, Germany, and Spain. - Tamil Nadu Energy Minister Thiru C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar highlighted the state's role in wind energy, including its repowering policy. - Agreements announced at the event include the IWTMA-BWE Global MoU, the IWTMA-PTB LoI, and the IWTMA-OECD collaboration, and reports titled 'Energy Transition in Tamil Nadu' and 'Reimagining Contractual Mechanism for Indian Wind Sector' were released. ## India's Uranium Corporation Plans to Double Yellowcake Output by 2036 to Power Nuclear Expansion ### Key Updates - The Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) plans to double its uranium oxide (yellowcake) production capacity by 2036 through new projects in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and to increase capacity fourfold by 2047. - UCIL's plan includes six nominated projects — five in Jharkhand and one each in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh — with seven more greenfield projects in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Karnataka awaiting Department of Atomic Energy nominations. - India aims to raise its nuclear power capacity from the current 8.8 GW across 24 reactors to about 100 GW by 2047, with 13 GW of additional reactors under construction. - The Nuclear Power Corporation of India targets about 54 GW by 2047 and at least 22 GW installed capacity by 2031-32, partly through ten 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors in fleet mode. - India opened its civil nuclear sector to private and foreign participation through the Shanti Act, 2025, and plans five Small Modular Reactors by 2033 under the Rs 20,000 crore Nuclear Energy Mission with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre support. - India began commercial uranium mining at Jaduguda, Jharkhand in 1967, and currently operates six underground mines plus the open-cast mine at Bandhuhurang, Jharkhand. - Indian uranium deposits contain less than 0.05% uranium versus a global mining average of over 0.12%, with about 1,000 kg of ore yielding only 280–300 grams of uranium concentrate. ## Indian Olympic Association and Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Sign MoU to Boost Sports Cooperation ### Key Updates - The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 2, 2026, at Korea House in Nagoya during the 2026 Asian Games. - The MoU was signed by IOA President P. T. Usha and KSOC President Ryu Seung-min, a former Olympic fencing champion who has led the KSOC since 2025. - The agreement covers athlete development, coaching, sports science, youth development, good governance, joint training programmes, reciprocal access to training facilities, and exchanges of coaches, experts and officials. - The cooperation also extends to sports planning and marketing, covering sports administration and commercial development. ## Madras High Court backs Centre's FCRA refusal to Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust, citing undisclosed religious character and separating religious from cultural work ### Key Updates - The Madras High Court upheld the Centre's decision to deny Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration to Kanzeon Public Charitable Trust, which runs a Zen meditation centre and Montessori school near Kodaikanal in Dindigul district. - A Division Bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and MD Sumathi dismissed the trust's appeal, finding it had not accurately disclosed its religious character despite describing itself as non-religious while subscribing to Zen Buddhist philosophy. - The court noted the trust's founder and 'moving spirit' is Rev Fr Ama Samy SJ, an ordained Christian priest, and observed that Christianity is a messianic religion whose mission is to bring everyone within the fold of Jesus Christ. - The Bench observed that unlike Hinduism, which is inclusive, the Abrahamic religions are inherently exclusive, as devout Jews, Christians and Muslims believe theirs is the one true revelation. - The court held that organisations involved in religious conversion should be denied FCRA registration, saying foreign-funded conversion activities could affect India's pluralistic character and potentially imperil national sovereignty, while clarifying it was not alleging the trust itself had a conversion agenda. - The Bench stressed that the FCRA provision applies irrespective of religion, noting that a fundamentalist Hindu organisation engaged in Ghar Wapsi cannot be registered under FCRA. - The court distinguished religious activities from the teaching of Indian Knowledge Systems, saying organisations teaching Vedanta, the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and Yoga should ordinarily be regarded as educational or cultural bodies. - The 14-page order was pronounced on October 6 after the judgment was reserved on October 1, and concluded with a wordplay observing that the authority had to say 'Illa Samy' (No Sir) to the priest whose name translates as 'Yes'. ## Information and Broadcasting Ministry notifies 13 journalists as Press Council of India members on October 8, 2026 ### Key Updates - The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified the names of 13 journalists as members of the Press Council of India, comprising six newspaper editors and seven working journalists other than editors. - The Press Council of India operates under the Press Council Act, 1978, and must consist of a chairperson and 28 members, each serving a three-year term. - Before this notification, only 14 of the 28 PCI members had been appointed: five MPs, three nominees, and six from among newspaper owners and management, aside from the chairperson. - The gazette notification had been long pending, with the PCI operating at half its sanctioned strength for nearly a year and without a single working journalist or newspaper editor. - The Editors Guild of India demanded the immediate reconstitution of the 15th Press Council, including prompt filling of all 13 seats reserved for professional journalists. ## David Vaillant named Managing Director and CFO of World Bank Group ### Key Updates - The World Bank Group announced the appointment of David Vaillant as managing director and chief financial officer on Thursday. - Vaillant will oversee financial management, treasury operations and risk management across the World Bank Group's balance sheet, which is deployed in more than 100 developing countries. - He will lead bond issuance across the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which together raised close to $82 billion from international capital markets in FY26. - Vaillant joins the World Bank Group after two decades at BNP Paribas, where he most recently served as global head of finance, strategy and participations at BNP Paribas asset management. - He earlier worked at Banque de France and began his career as an attorney advising companies on cross-border transactions. - At BNP Paribas, he led the €5.1 billion acquisition of AXA investment managers, creating an asset manager with €1.6 trillion in client assets. - He previously served as managing director and head of banking for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at BNP Paribas Corporate and Institutional Banking and led its sovereign advisory practice. - Vaillant has served as a non-executive chair and director on boards of financial institutions in Asia and Latin America as well as listed and unlisted fintech companies. - He has taught finance, sustainable finance and international macroeconomics at HEC School of Management and Sciences Po Paris. ## Eminent Metallurgist and Padma Vibhushan Recipient Palle Rama Rao Dies at 89 ### Key Updates - Renowned metallurgist Professor Palle Rama Rao, recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, passed away in Hyderabad at the age of 89. - Born on June 30, 1937, Rama Rao was renowned for his contributions to physical and mechanical metallurgy and received the Padma Vibhushan in 2011. - He served as director of the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Ocean Development, chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), member of the Atomic Energy Commission, chairman of the Governing Council of ARCI, and distinguished scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). - Rama Rao served as vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad from 1999 to 2002. - He completed an MA in Physics from Madras University, an MSc in Nuclear Physics from Andhra University and a PhD in Metallurgy from the Institute of Technology, BHU (now IIT-BHU).