10 October 2026
The Indian Navy will commission the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) 'Mangrol' at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 12 October 2026.
The ship has been built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and is the third vessel of this class delivered by the yard.
It has over 80% indigenous content and is powered by three diesel engines driving waterjets, which allow sharp turns in shallow coastal waters.
Its fit includes the Abhay Hull-Mounted Sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher and the Maareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.
The craft is meant for underwater surveillance, low intensity maritime operations and mine warfare close to the coast, where larger warships cannot operate easily.
VAdm Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, will preside over the commissioning ceremony.
The ship is named after Mangrol, a coastal town and fishing port in the Junagadh district of Gujarat, and carries forward the legacy of the earlier minesweeper INS Mangrol (M85).
Builder:
Cochin Shipyard Limited
Commissioning:
12 October 2026, Naval Dockyard, Mumbai
Indigenous content:
over 80%
Presiding officer:
VAdm Sanjay Vatsayan, FOC-in-C Western Naval Command
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their builders and the indigenous content figures are standard one-mark questions in defence current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
ASW-SWC Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft — A small warship built to hunt submarines in coastal waters too shallow for larger ships.
10 October 2026
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh presented the SIDM Champion Awards 2026 at the 8th Annual Session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers in New Delhi on 9 October 2026.
Fifteen Champion Awards were given for indigenous technology development, product innovation, design, import substitution, manufacturing excellence and export contribution.
He said India's defence exports reached a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26, and that the target is ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
He recalled his call to raise the private sector's share of total defence production from about 24% to 50%.
Spending on research and development, he said, should be treated as an investment that strengthens operational readiness and competitiveness.
He added that national security increasingly depends on India's own capacity to design, develop, manufacture and control the technology its armed forces use.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Director General (Acquisition) A. Anbarasu and SIDM office bearers were present.
Defence exports, FY 2025-26:
₹38,424 crore
Export target by 2029:
₹50,000 crore
Private share of defence production:
about 24%, target 50%
Awards presented:
15 Champion Awards
Why it matters for exams: The defence export figure and the 24% to 50% private share target are directly quotable numbers for both PSC and UPSC answers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
SIDM Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers — An industry body of Indian defence manufacturers that works as an interface between industry and the Ministry of Defence.
10 October 2026
The 3rd International Bharat 6G Symposium 2026 was held at Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi, alongside the India Mobile Congress 2026, and was organised by the Bharat 6G Alliance.
Five new agreements were exchanged with GSMA, one6G, the GTI Alliance, the 6G Innovation Forum (6G IF) Taiwan and VOICE, for joint research, testing and information sharing.
The Alliance released ten white papers and reports, including a progress report on shared 6G principles.
The symposium had over 75 speakers, including more than 30 international experts, and covered spectrum and WRC-27, AI-native networks, testbeds and global standards for IMT-2030.
The valedictory session was addressed by Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, who said India is moving from being a large telecom market to a telecom technology nation.
He said affordability, access and coverage should be design requirements for 6G rather than afterthoughts, and that terrestrial and satellite networks together can reach remote villages, islands and oceans.
The Department of Telecommunications also presented a curtain raiser for the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026, to be held on 27-29 October 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.
The Bharat 6G Alliance was founded in July 2023 as an industry-led platform bringing together operators, startups, academia and research institutions.
Agreements exchanged:
5 (GSMA, one6G, GTI Alliance, 6G IF Taiwan, VOICE)
White papers released:
10
Venue:
Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi
Bharat 6G Alliance founded:
July 2023
Why it matters for exams: The Bharat 6G Alliance, its founding year and its international partners are a likely science and technology question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IMT-2030 International Mobile Telecommunications-2030 — The ITU framework of requirements under which sixth generation mobile standards are being defined.
10 October 2026
A detailed note on Next-Gen GST Process Reforms, flowing from the recommendations of the 57th GST Council meeting, was issued on 9 October 2026.
Registered taxpayers have risen from about 60 lakh in 2017 to about 1.70 crore as of September 2026.
As on 30 September 2026 the system had processed 3,053 crore invoice uploads and 833.82 crore e-way bills, while gross GST collections in April-September 2026 were about ₹12.46 lakh crore, up 11.6% year on year.
On registration, amendments to particulars will be accepted automatically except for a change in the Principal Place of Business, and cancellation applications will be auto-accepted in phases once pending returns are filed and dues paid.
On refunds, the acknowledgement period falls from 15 days to 10 days with deemed acknowledgement if no response issues, and 90% of claimed amounts are to be sanctioned for zero-rated and inverted duty cases based on risk assessment.
On disputes, no show cause notice will issue where the tax involved is below ₹10,000, the minimum penalty of ₹10,000 is removed for non-fraud cases, and the maximum general penalty falls from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
Late fees are waived for delayed returns of taxpayers with prior year turnover up to ₹5 crore if filed by the end of the due month.
GST was introduced on 1 July 2017.
Registered taxpayers:
about 1.70 crore as of September 2026
Invoice uploads:
3,053 crore as on 30 September 2026
E-way bills:
833.82 crore
Gross collections, April-September 2026:
₹12.46 lakh crore, up 11.6%
Refund acknowledgement period:
reduced from 15 days to 10 days
Why it matters for exams: GST numbers such as the taxpayer base and half-yearly collections, and the new refund and penalty thresholds, are frequent economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
ITC Input Tax Credit — Credit a registered business can claim for the GST already paid on its purchases of goods and services.
PPoB Principal Place of Business — The main business location declared in a GST registration; changing it still needs approval.
10 October 2026
The Union Health Ministry is observing World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2026 with the theme 'Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change'.
Tele-MANAS, the free round-the-clock counselling helpline on 14416, was launched on 10 October 2022.
As of October 2026 it had received about 47.75 lakh calls, that is 47,75,644 calls, through 53 operational cells spread across all 36 States and Union Territories.
In recorded caller profiles, women accounted for 43.78% and men for 54.18%, and people aged 18 to 45 made up 73.2% of callers.
The District Mental Health Programme has been sanctioned in 767 districts, and mental health services have been integrated into over 1.83 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
MANN Jaagriti, a community awareness initiative, is being run to reduce stigma and encourage early help-seeking.
These efforts sit within the National Mental Health Programme.
Theme 2026:
Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change
Tele-MANAS helpline:
14416, launched 10 October 2022
Calls received:
about 47.75 lakh (47,75,644)
Tele-MANAS cells:
53 across all 36 States and UTs
District Mental Health Programme:
sanctioned in 767 districts
Why it matters for exams: The Tele-MANAS helpline number, its launch date and the district coverage of the mental health programme are standard health scheme questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Tele-MANAS Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States — A national tele-mental health service offering free counselling on a toll free number in several languages.
10 October 2026
The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications, and Blue Dart Express Limited signed an agreement in New Delhi on 9 October 2026 for India Post parcel services across the country.
Under it Blue Dart will use India Post's network of 1.64 lakh post offices to deliver parcels in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, including remote locations with limited facilities.
The service will cover prepaid as well as COD parcels, with OTP-based delivery authentication and real-time shipment tracking.
The stated aim is faster delivery, better coordination and a simpler parcel process built on easy-to-use technology.
For the Department of Posts it means growth in parcel business and closer links with the organised logistics sector; for Blue Dart it means wider reach and better service in remote areas.
The partnership is intended to strengthen logistics for India's growing e-commerce sector.
Parties:
Department of Posts and Blue Dart Express Limited
Date and place:
9 October 2026, New Delhi
Post office network:
1.64 lakh post offices
Delivery features:
COD parcels, OTP-based delivery authentication, real-time shipment tracking
Why it matters for exams: The size of the India Post network is a frequently asked figure, and public-private tie-ups in logistics are standard economy material.
Kerala PSCSSCBank
In plain words
COD Cash on Delivery — A payment option where the buyer pays for the parcel when it is handed over, not in advance.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India announced on 9 October 2026 that it has cancelled the Certificate of Registration of 13 non-banking financial companies.
The cancellation was ordered in exercise of the powers conferred on the Reserve Bank by Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The companies include Nakodar Finance Private Limited, Astrol Dealcom Pvt Ltd, Bhagyashri Trading Pvt Ltd, Britex Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Delta Capital Market Ltd., Sarla Finance Pvt. Ltd. and Rajesh Fiscal Services Private Limited.
Once the certificate is cancelled, these companies cannot transact the business of a non-banking financial institution as defined in the Act.
A registration under Section 45-IA is the basic legal requirement for an NBFC to commence or carry on business, and the Reserve Bank can cancel it on grounds such as ceasing to carry on business or failing to comply with its conditions and directions.
Companies affected:
13 NBFCs
Legal provision:
Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934
Date:
9 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: The section of the RBI Act under which an NBFC registration is granted and cancelled is a standard banking awareness question.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
NBFC Non-Banking Financial Company — A company that lends and invests like a bank but cannot accept demand deposits or issue cheques drawn on itself.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India announced on 9 October 2026 an open market operation sale of Government of India securities for an aggregate amount of ₹25,000 crore.
The auction will be held on October 13, 2026 through a multi-security auction using the multiple price method, with no security-wise notified amount.
Six securities are on offer, including 7.88% GS 2030 maturing on 19-Mar-2030, 6.10% GS 2031 maturing on 12-Jul-2031, 7.95% GS 2032, 7.26% GS 2033, 7.18% GS 2033 and 7.10% GS 2034 maturing on 08-Apr-2034.
An OMO sale drains rupee liquidity from the banking system, because buyers pay the Reserve Bank for the securities they take.
It is the mirror image of an OMO purchase, which injects liquidity, and it sits alongside the variable rate reverse repo auctions the Reserve Bank has been conducting through October 2026.
Aggregate amount:
₹25,000 crore
Auction date:
October 13, 2026
Method:
multi-security auction, multiple price method
Securities on offer:
6, from 7.88% GS 2030 to 7.10% GS 2034
Why it matters for exams: Open market operations as a liquidity tool, and the difference between an OMO sale and an OMO purchase, are repeatedly asked in bank and UPSC economy papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
OMO Open Market Operations — Purchase or sale of government securities by the central bank to inject or drain liquidity in the banking system.
10 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India released Working Paper No. 01/2026, titled 'Data Gaps in State-Level Inflation: An Assessment for the Covid Period', on October 9, 2026.
It is written by Purnima Shaw and R. K. Sinha.
Official State-wise CPI inflation data are missing for four pandemic months, namely April and May 2020 and April and May 2021.
The authors use the granular data of the Reserve Bank's Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, which continued on a bimonthly basis during the pandemic, to estimate State-wise CPI-U inflation for those four months.
The estimates combine urban consumers' inflation perceptions, their three-months-ahead inflation expectations and past realised State-wise CPI-U inflation.
When aggregated, the State-wise estimates closely follow the all-India official CPI inflation series.
The paper argues that such estimates can support future research using State-level inflation time series, since State-wise inflation data matter under India's inflation-targeting framework.
Paper:
RBI Working Paper No. 01/2026
Authors:
Purnima Shaw and R. K. Sinha
Missing months:
April and May 2020, April and May 2021
Survey used:
Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH)
Why it matters for exams: The paper links two examinable ideas, the CPI series and the Reserve Bank's Inflation Expectations Survey of Households, under the inflation-targeting framework.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
CPI Consumer Price Index — The retail price index whose combined all-India inflation rate is the Reserve Bank's nominal anchor under inflation targeting.
IESH Inflation Expectations Survey of Households — A bimonthly Reserve Bank survey of urban households on their perception of current inflation and their expectations for the months ahead.
10 October 2026
Hearing petitions on an urgent mention on 9 October 2026, the Supreme Court said there should be no complete prohibition on the movement of metro trains and railway services in Delhi around the protests announced for 10 October 2026.
The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said an entire city cannot be shut down over protests and that restrictions must be proportionate.
The Chief Justice said the Court's concern was commuters from Gurugram, Greater Noida, East Delhi and South Delhi, including students, employees and senior citizens, rather than the protesters.
Justice Bagchi observed that reducing the frequency of services can be a regulation, but complete closure is an extreme step.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Court he would impress upon the authorities that metro and railway services be allowed in a regulated manner.
The Court also said road closures must be revisited, that free flow of traffic be ensured in areas that do not need regulation, and that the decision be given wide publicity through an advisory in newspapers and on websites.
Date of hearing:
9 October 2026
Bench:
CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Justice V Mohana
For the Union:
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta
Court's test:
proportionality; no complete prohibition on metro movement
Why it matters for exams: The hearing is a clean illustration of the proportionality test applied to restrictions on movement, a recurring theme in polity and rights questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Proportionality Doctrine of proportionality — A test under which a restriction on a right must be no more than what is necessary to achieve its legitimate aim.