Current affairs this week: 12–18 October 2026

इस सप्ताह के करेंट अफेयर्स: 12–18 अक्टूबर 2026

Key exam facts from 12–18 October 2026: NSAP renamed PM Samajik Sahayata Yojana, IDBI Bank stake sale, September inflation and trade data, Ladakh projects, Ramsar sites at 103, defence contracts and exercises, Asian Para Games, the economics Nobel, six new Governors, BIMSTEC and important days.

12–18 अक्टूबर 2026 के परीक्षा-उपयोगी तथ्य: NSAP का नया नाम पीएम सामाजिक सहायता योजना, IDBI बैंक हिस्सेदारी बिक्री, सितंबर की महंगाई और व्यापार आंकड़े, लद्दाख परियोजनाएं, 103 रामसर स्थल, रक्षा अनुबंध और अभ्यास, एशियाई पैरा खेल, अर्थशास्त्र नोबेल, छह नए राज्यपाल, बिम्सटेक और महत्वपूर्ण दिवस।

National

Social assistance renamed and extended (14 Oct): The Union Cabinet continued the National Social Assistance Programme for 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of ₹53,428 crore and renamed it the Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana. Its parts are now the PM Vridhavastha Pension Yojana (old age), PM Vidhawa Pension Yojana (widows), PM Divyangjan Pension Yojana (disability) and PM Parivar Labh Yojana (earlier National Family Benefit Scheme). Background: NSAP began on 15 August 1995 and is centrally sponsored under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Disability pension eased: the eligibility threshold falls from 80% to 40% disability, the minimum age of 18 is removed, and the monthly amount rises to ₹375 (up to 79 years) and ₹625 (80 years and above). Background: 40% is the "benchmark disability" in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Railway bonus (14 Oct): The Cabinet approved a Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days' wages for about 11.4 lakh railway employees for 2025-26, costing about ₹2,009.61 crore; the maximum is ₹17,951 per employee.

Ladakh projects (15 Oct): PM Narendra Modi inaugurated five projects worth about ₹3,350 crore by video link: a new ₹640-crore terminal at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh (capacity about 35 lakh passengers a year), the 298-km Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road built by the Border Roads Organisation through the Zanskar Valley to Himachal Pradesh, the 9 MW Hanu small hydro project, the 66 kV Dah–Hanu–Khaltsi transmission line, and India's first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat, Leh.

Ramsar sites reach 103 (15 Oct): Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh) were added, announced by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. Background: the Ramsar Convention on wetlands was signed in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.

National SARAS Aajeevika Mela (15 Oct): President Droupadi Murmu opened the fair at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). It is organised by the Ministry of Rural Development and is being held outside Delhi-NCR for the first time, with over 650 stalls of women self-help group entrepreneurs; it runs till 31 October.

PM GatiShakti at five (13 Oct): The National Master Plan, launched on 13 October 2021, completed five years. It is a GIS-based platform linking 58 central ministries and departments and all 36 states and UTs for integrated infrastructure planning.

Economy and banking

Retail inflation (released 12 Oct): CPI inflation for September 2026 rose to 5.54% (provisional) from 4.83% in August; food inflation (CFPI) was 7.74%. Rural inflation was 6.08% and urban 4.88%. Background: CPI data is released by the National Statistics Office under MoSPI; RBI's inflation target is 4% with a band of 2–6%.

Wholesale inflation (released 14 Oct): WPI inflation rose to 11.39% in September from 9.92% in August, led by fuel and power (25.85%). Background: WPI is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Trade (released 15 Oct): Merchandise exports rose about 23% to $44.40 billion in September; imports were $74.61 billion and the goods trade deficit narrowed to $30.21 billion.

IDBI Bank (14 Oct): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank (30.48% by the Government and 30.24% by LIC) to a subsidiary of Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings for about ₹52,878 crore. Background: IDBI was set up in 1964; LIC became its majority owner in 2019.

IMF forecast (13 Oct): In its October World Economic Outlook, the IMF raised India's growth forecast for 2026-27 to 7%, up from 6.4% in July.

Science, technology and defence

Defence contracts (15 Oct): The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth about ₹4,106 crore: ₹2,563 crore with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Bengaluru, for the indigenous GSAT-7C communication satellite for the Indian Air Force, and ₹1,543 crore with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad, for Varunastra heavyweight torpedoes for the Navy. Background: NSIL is the commercial arm of the Department of Space; Varunastra was developed by DRDO's Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) and was inducted in 2016.

Exercise INDRA 2026 (13–18 Oct): INS Sahyadri took part in the India–Russia bilateral naval exercise at Vladivostok, Russia.

Exercise KONKAN-26 (8–15 Oct): INS Trishul exercised with the UK's Royal Navy off Plymouth. Background: KONKAN is the annual India–UK naval exercise.

Sports

Asian Para Games (from 18 Oct): The 5th Asian Para Games opened in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and run till 24 October with 18 sports. India's flag bearers are para badminton player Pramod Bhagat and para table tennis player Bhavina Patel. Background: India won 111 medals (29 gold) at the previous edition in Hangzhou.

Cricket (17 Oct): The fifth T20I between India and West Indies at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, was abandoned because of rain, so the five-match series ended 2-2 and the trophy was shared.

Wrestling (15 Oct): Vishvajit More won silver in men's Greco-Roman 55 kg at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, losing the final 12-13 to Georgia's Koba Karumidze — India's first Greco-Roman silver at the U23 Worlds.

Awards and appointments

Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (announced 12 Oct): Awarded to Americans Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford "for microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation". The prize is 12 million Swedish kronor. Background: the economics prize (Sveriges Riksbank Prize) was first given in 1969 and is announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

New Governors (12 Oct): President Droupadi Murmu appointed six Governors — Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (Tamil Nadu, moved from Keralam), Om Prakash Mathur (Keralam, moved from Sikkim), Sudha Yadav (Karnataka), Braj Mohan Ram (Odisha), Dhal Singh Bisen (Uttarakhand) and Dushyant Gautam (Sikkim). Background: Governors are appointed by the President under Article 155 and hold office during the pleasure of the President (Article 156).

International

BIMSTEC (13 Oct): India hosted the first-ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah, with all seven members attending. It adopted the Delhi Declaration on counter-terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime and terror financing. Background: BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand) was formed in 1997 by the Bangkok Declaration.

IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings (12–18 Oct): The 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group were held in Bangkok, Thailand, where the IMF also released its World Economic Outlook.

Important days

13 October — International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN); the 2026 observance calls for more funding for disaster risk reduction.

15 October — 95th birth anniversary of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (born 15 October 1931, Rameswaram), also observed as World Students' Day; President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes. Background: Kalam was India's 11th President (2002–2007) and received the Bharat Ratna in 1997.

16 October — World Food Day, theme 2026: "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow." Background: it marks the founding of the FAO on 16 October 1945; FAO is headquartered in Rome.

Try it yourself · अभ्यास

What is the new name of the National Social Assistance Programme approved on 14 October 2026?
Show answer
Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana
What is the new disability threshold for the central disability pension?
Show answer
40% (earlier 80%)
Outlay approved for the social assistance programme for 2026-27 to 2030-31?
Show answer
₹53,428 crore
How many days' Productivity Linked Bonus was approved for railway employees?
Show answer
78 days (maximum ₹17,951)
Which airport in Leh got a new terminal on 15 October 2026?
Show answer
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport
The 298-km Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road links Ladakh with which state?
Show answer
Himachal Pradesh
Which two wetlands took India's Ramsar total to 103?
Show answer
Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh)
Where is National SARAS Mela 2026 being held?
Show answer
Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada (first time outside Delhi-NCR)
When was PM GatiShakti National Master Plan launched?
Show answer
13 October 2021
CPI retail inflation for September 2026?
Show answer
5.54%
WPI inflation for September 2026?
Show answer
11.39%
India's merchandise exports in September 2026?
Show answer
$44.40 billion (up about 23%)
What stake in IDBI Bank is being sold to the Fairfax group?
Show answer
60.72% (Government 30.48% + LIC 30.24%)
IMF's October 2026 growth forecast for India for 2026-27?
Show answer
7%
GSAT-7C satellite is being built for which service, and by which company?
Show answer
Indian Air Force; NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
Which company makes Varunastra torpedoes?
Show answer
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad
INDRA 2026 naval exercise: partner country and venue?
Show answer
Russia; Vladivostok (INS Sahyadri)
Exercise KONKAN is held between India and which country?
Show answer
United Kingdom
Host of the 5th Asian Para Games (18–24 October 2026)?
Show answer
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
India's flag bearers at the 2026 Asian Para Games?
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Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel
Result of the India–West Indies T20I series (October 2026)?
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Drawn 2-2 after the fifth match was washed out
Who won India's first Greco-Roman silver at the U23 World Championships?
Show answer
Vishvajit More (55 kg)
Who won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences?
Show answer
Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
Who is the new Governor of Karnataka?
Show answer
Sudha Yadav
Which document was adopted at the first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting?
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Delhi Declaration
Where were the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings held?
Show answer
Bangkok, Thailand
Theme of World Food Day 2026?
Show answer
"Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow."
Which day is observed as World Students' Day?
Show answer
15 October (Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's birth anniversary)

Sources

Last updated 18 October 2026. Always check the official notification for your exam.