October 2025 Current Affairs

Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on October 2, 2014 — Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. Phase 1 (2014–2019) aimed for Open Defecation Free (ODF) status for all villages. Phase 2 (2020–2025) focuses on ODF Plus (solid/liquid waste management, plastic waste management, faecal sludge management). Under SBM-Grameen (rural), over 10 crore toilets were constructed and 6 lakh villages declared ODF by 2019.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) aims to provide affordable housing to urban (PMAY-U) and rural (PMAY-G) beneficiaries. PMAY-Urban, launched June 25, 2015, targets beneficiaries in 4 categories (EWS/LIG/MIG-I/MIG-II) through 4 components: BLC, AHP, CLSS, and ARHCs. PMAY-Gramin, launched November 20, 2016, provides ₹1.2–1.3 lakh to rural beneficiaries for construction of pucca houses with basic amenities.

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY), launched April 1, 2017, provides free assistive living devices (walking sticks, spectacles, hearing aids, dentures, wheelchairs, elbow crutches) to BPL senior citizens (aged 60+) suffering from age-related disabilities. Implemented by ALIMCO (Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India) through state-level camps. Funded 100% by the Central Government from the Senior Citizens Welfare Fund.

October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti — the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948). It is also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence globally, declared by the UN General Assembly in 2007. Gandhi's philosophy of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (truth-force) shaped India's freedom movement and influenced global civil rights leaders. Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 — observed as Martyrs' Day.

National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) is observed on October 31 every year — the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), the Iron Man of India. Patel, as the first Home Minister and Deputy PM of India, achieved the integration of 562+ princely states into the Indian Union after independence. The Statue of Unity on the Narmada riverbank near Kevadia, Gujarat (tallest statue in the world at 182 metres) is dedicated to him.

Indian Air Force Day is celebrated on October 8 every year — the anniversary of the establishment of the Indian Air Force on October 8, 1932. The IAF was formed as an auxiliary air force of the British Empire and became a fully independent service at independence in 1947. IAF's chief combat aircraft include Rafale, Sukhoi-30MKI, Tejas (indigenous LCA), Mirage 2000, and MiG-21 (being phased out). The IAF motto is "Touch the Sky with Glory" (Nabha Sparsham Deeptam).

United Nations Day is observed on October 24 every year — the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter on October 24, 1945. The United Nations was founded to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, and promote social progress. The UN system includes 6 principal organs: General Assembly (UNGA), Security Council (UNSC), Secretariat, International Court of Justice (ICJ), Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and Trusteeship Council (inactive since 1994).

World Food Day is observed on October 16 every year — the founding anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, established October 16, 1945. It raises awareness about hunger, food insecurity, and the need for sustainable food systems. India, as the world's largest food producer in several categories, plays a key role in global food security. FAO's goal is to achieve zero hunger (SDG 2) by 2030.

BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) holds annual summits to coordinate on economic, political, and strategic matters. BRICS expanded in 2024 with new members: Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Egypt (invited 2023, joined January 2024). The New Development Bank (NDB), headquartered in Shanghai, is BRICS's multilateral development bank with a subscribed capital of $100 billion. BRICS countries account for about 42% of global population and 26% of global GDP.

India's mid-year economic review (October) assesses budget implementation, fiscal deficit progress, and economic indicators for H1 of the fiscal year. The Union Budget 2025-26, presented on February 1, 2025, continued fiscal consolidation with a targeted fiscal deficit of 4.5% of GDP. Key focuses include capital expenditure, PLI scheme progress, infrastructure spending, and rural employment through MGNREGS. The Finance Ministry tracks quarterly GDP growth data.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, launched sector-by-sector from 2020, provide incentives of 4-20% on incremental sales to domestic manufacturers over 5 years. PLI targets: ₹40 lakh crore production and 60 lakh jobs. Sectors include mobile phones, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, automobiles, advanced chemistry cell batteries, textile products, food processing, telecom equipment, white goods, specialty steel, solar PV, and others. Apple's iPhone manufacturing in India under PLI has been particularly notable.

PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP), launched October 13, 2021, is a digital platform that integrates planning and execution of infrastructure projects across 16 ministries. It provides GIS-based mapping of infrastructure projects to ensure coordinated development and reduce project delays and cost overruns. The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), launched 2019, targets ₹111 lakh crore infrastructure investment over 5 years (2020-25), with 45% funded by Centre, 25% by states, 30% private sector.

October marks the start of India's festive season (Navratri, Durga Puja, Diwali, Dhanteras, Bhai Dooj), driving the highest consumer spending of the year. Banks and NBFCs launch special loan products, credit card offers, and EMI schemes. RBI monitors credit growth to ensure systemic stability. Home loans, auto loans, and personal loans see peak disbursals. Gold loans (against gold jewellery) peak during Dhanteras (two days before Diwali) when gold purchases spike.

Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), launched April 8, 2015, provides micro-loans up to ₹10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises. Three categories: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,001–₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5–₹10 lakh). A new category Tarun Plus (₹10–₹20 lakh) was added in Budget 2024-25 for those who have availed Tarun and repaid. MUDRA stands for Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) 2016 provides a time-bound process for resolution of insolvency in companies and individuals. The Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) must be completed within 330 days (including litigation). Insolvency Professional Agencies (IPAs) and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) regulate the process. IBC has recovered significant value for creditors and cleaned up bank balance sheets (NPAs reduced).

NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), a joint mission between NASA and ISRO, continued mission readiness in 2025. NISAR will use two radar frequencies (L-band + S-band) to map Earth's surface every 12 days, measuring changes in ecosystems, ice masses, natural hazards, and land use. ISRO also progressed work on Gaganyaan (India's first crewed spaceflight), LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration rover, Japan-India), and Venus mission Shukrayaan.

India's 5G services, launched in October 2022 by PM Modi at India Mobile Congress, expanded rapidly through 2025. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel led the rollout across major cities and highways. India auctioned 5G spectrum in August 2022 for ₹1.5 lakh crore — the largest spectrum auction in India's history. 5G enables ultra-low latency, massive machine connectivity (IoT), and enhanced mobile broadband. India aims for 5G in every taluka by 2025.

India's CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), under MeitY, issues mandatory guidelines for cybersecurity incident reporting and compliance. CERT-In's April 2022 directive mandated that all organizations report cybersecurity incidents within 6 hours and maintain logs for 180 days. India's cybersecurity market is growing rapidly. The National Cyber Security Policy 2013 is being updated. NCIIPC (National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre) protects critical sectors.

World Animal Day is observed on October 4 every year — the Feast Day of Francis of Assisi (patron saint of animals). It raises awareness about animal welfare and the need to protect wildlife. India has rich biodiversity with 500+ wildlife sanctuaries and 106 national parks. Project Tiger (1973) and Project Elephant (1992) are flagship conservation programmes. India has 54 Tiger Reserves under Project Tiger covering 75,000+ sq km.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), established in 1988 by UNEP and WMO, provides scientific assessments of climate change. The 6th Assessment Report (AR6), completed 2021-2022, concluded that human influence is unequivocally warming the planet and that limiting warming to 1.5°C requires halving emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050. India faces specific risks: sea level rise, glacier retreat (Himalayan glaciers), extreme heat events, and monsoon variability.

India's Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019, regulates development activities in coastal areas to protect marine ecosystems. India has 7,516 km of coastline (including islands) bordering the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean. The Mangroves of the Sundarbans (India-Bangladesh), Chilika Lake (Odisha, largest brackish water lagoon in Asia), and coral reefs of Lakshadweep and Andaman are ecologically critical.

DefExpo India is India's biennial defence and aerospace exhibition, alternating between land and naval systems. It showcases Indian and global defence equipment and serves as a platform to promote India's defence exports. India's defence exports crossed ₹21,000 crore in 2023-24, a 31-fold increase from 2013-14. Key Indian defence exporters include HAL, BEL, BDL, DRDO-associated companies, and private sector firms like L&T, Tata Advanced Systems, and Mahindra Defence.

India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a position created in January 2020 (first CDS: Gen Bipin Rawat), heads the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) and coordinates tri-service integration. Following Gen Rawat's passing in a helicopter crash in December 2021, Gen Anil Chauhan became the 2nd CDS in September 2022. India is working towards Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs) to unify Army, Navy, and IAF assets under unified regional commands.

India's counter-LWE (Left Wing Extremism / Naxal) operations continue under the joint supervision of MHA. The LWE insurgency peaked around 2009–2011. Operations are concentrated in the "Red Corridor" spanning Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The 2022 SRE (Security Related Expenditure) scheme funds state police modernisation. LWE deaths have declined significantly due to security operations, development programmes, and surrenders.

India won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1983 (under Kapil Dev, first title) and 2011 (under MS Dhoni, second title, at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai). India reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup (lost to Australia in Ahmedabad). India also won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 (inaugural, under Dhoni), 2024 (West Indies & USA, under Rohit Sharma). The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was held in Pakistan/India.

The National Games of India is a multi-sport event organized among Indian states and union territories. The 37th National Games were held in Goa (2023) — the first National Games in Goa, with 43 sports disciplines and 10,000+ athletes. Maharashtra has historically dominated the medals tally. The 38th National Games are scheduled in Uttarakhand. National Games serve as the primary qualifying event for representing India in international multi-sport events.

India achieved its best-ever performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 (September-October 2023), winning 107 medals (28 gold, 38 silver, 41 bronze) — crossing 100 medals for the first time. India finished 4th in the overall standings. Stars included Neeraj Chopra (javelin gold), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put), Kishore Jena (javelin silver), and India's athletes in cricket, kabaddi, chess, athletics, shooting, and archery.

Nobel Prizes are announced every October. They cover: Physiology or Medicine (first Monday), Physics (Tuesday), Chemistry (Wednesday), Literature (Thursday), Peace (Friday), and Economic Sciences (Monday of the following week). They are awarded in Stockholm (Sciences + Literature + Economics) and Oslo (Peace) on December 10 (Alfred Nobel's death anniversary). The Nobel Prize consists of a medal, diploma, and cash award (currently 11 million Swedish kronor ≈ ₹9 crore).

The Booker Prize (formerly Man Booker Prize) is awarded annually in October-November for the best original novel written in English and published in the UK or Ireland. Indian authors have won multiple Bookers: Salman Rushdie (Midnight's Children, 1981 — also "Booker of Bookers"), Arundhati Roy (The God of Small Things, 1997), Kiran Desai (The Inheritance of Loss, 2006), and Aravind Adiga (The White Tiger, 2008).

Vijayadashami (Dussehra), celebrated on the 10th day of the Hindu month of Ashvina (usually October), symbolises the victory of good over evil — Rama's victory over Ravana (as in Ramayana), and Goddess Durga's victory over Mahishasura (Durga Puja tradition in Bengal). The burning of effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnad is a major tradition. Mysuru (Karnataka) Dasara is a 10-day state festival, declared a state heritage festival.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), established under Article 315 of the Constitution, is a constitutional body that conducts examinations for Group A and Group B Central Government services. Major exams: Civil Services Examination (IAS/IPS/IFS), Engineering Services, NDA, CDS, CAPF. The Civil Services Exam has 3 stages: Preliminary (objective, June), Mains (written, September), and Interview (personality test, April). UPSC chairman is appointed by the President.

The process for amending the Constitution is under Articles 368 (special majority amendment), 368 with state ratification, or simple majority (ordinary amendment). India has made 106 constitutional amendments since 1950. Key recent amendments: 101st (GST, 2016), 102nd (OBC National Commission, 2018), 103rd (10% EWS reservation, 2019), 104th (SC/ST reservation extension, 2020), 105th (OBC state list authority, 2021), 106th (women's reservation in Parliament, 2023).

Lokpal, India's anti-corruption ombudsman at the central level, was established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 (enacted January 2014, came into force 2014). The first Lokpal was constituted in 2019 with Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose as the first Lokpal. Lokpal has jurisdiction over all Central Government employees including the PM (with some safeguards), Ministers, and MPs. Lokayuktas are the state-level equivalents. The institution was long demanded by the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare (2011).

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), launched February 24, 2019, provides ₹6,000 per year (in three instalments of ₹2,000 each) directly to the bank accounts of eligible farmer families (owning cultivable land). Over 11 crore farmer families receive benefits. The scheme uses DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) through Aadhaar-linked accounts. Budget outlay: ₹60,000 crore annually. PM personally releases each instalment, tracked on the PM-KISAN portal.

eNAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market), launched April 14, 2016, is a pan-India online trading portal for agricultural commodities that networks existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market. Over 1,300 mandis and 1.77 crore registered farmers and 2.5 lakh traders use eNAM. eNAM removes the need for farmers to physically travel to multiple mandis. Single trading licence across mandis helps reduce transaction costs.

Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme, launched February 19, 2015, provides farmers with soil health cards containing information on soil nutrient status and recommendations for fertiliser dosage for their specific plots. Cards are issued every 2 years. The scheme helps promote balanced use of fertilisers (reducing over-application of urea) and enhances soil health. Testing is done at Soil Testing Labs across states. Neem-coated urea was mandated to reduce diversion of urea to industry.

World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10 since 1992, is organised by the World Federation for Mental Health. Mental health disorders affect 1 in 8 people globally (WHO). India faces a significant mental health burden: depression and anxiety affect over 56 million and 38 million Indians respectively. The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 decriminalised attempted suicide and guaranteed mental health services as a right. NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) is India's apex mental health institution.

Universal Health Coverage (UHC), SDG Target 3.8, ensures all people have access to quality health services without financial hardship. India's UHC index improved significantly with PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat), Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), and National Health Mission (NHM). India's National Health Policy 2017 targets increasing government health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025 (currently ~1.4%).

India's COVID-19 vaccination programme, launched January 16, 2021 (healthcare workers first), became the world's largest vaccination drive. By 2025, India administered 2.2 billion+ vaccine doses (2nd globally after China). Vaccines used: Covaxin (ICMR-Bharat Biotech), Covishield (AstraZeneca-Serum Institute), Sputnik V (Gamaleya-Dr Reddy's), ZyCoV-D (DNA vaccine, first in India). CoWIN platform (digital vaccination tracking) was shared as a model with other countries.