2 November 2026
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal held a round of meetings in Brussels aimed at the India-European Union economic partnership.
He met Ditte Juul Jorgensen, Director-General of DG TRADE, on easier bilateral trade, market access and supply chains.
With Koen Doens of DG INTPA he discussed development cooperation, clean energy and green technologies.
With Gerasimos Thomas of DG TAXUD the talks covered customs cooperation and preparations for implementing the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
Both sides agreed that transparent and digitally enabled customs procedures lower transaction costs.
India and Belgium identified gems and jewellery as a key area of cooperation, with Antwerp, Mumbai and Surat named as major diamond hubs.
Agrawal also joined a business roundtable with BusinessEurope, where Ambassador Pranay Verma spoke on the FTA.
Venue:
Brussels
Diamond hubs named:
Antwerp, Mumbai, Surat
Why it matters for exams: Names the Commerce Secretary (Rajesh Agrawal), the three European Commission directorates-general involved (TRADE, INTPA, TAXUD) and the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DG TAXUD Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union — The European Commission department that handles customs and taxation policy.
FTA Free Trade Agreement — A treaty between countries to cut tariffs and other trade barriers.
1 November 2026
Government data show gross Goods and Services Tax collection in October rose about 23 per cent from a year earlier to over Rs 2.31 lakh crore.
That is the second highest monthly collection, behind the record of about Rs 2.43 lakh crore in April.
The 22.9 per cent growth is the fastest pace of gross collection so far in the current financial year.
Collections from domestic sales grew 16 per cent to over Rs 1.59 lakh crore, while revenue on imports climbed 42 per cent to Rs 72,246 crore.
Within the gross figure, Central GST was Rs 42,935 crore and State GST Rs 51,340 crore, with Integrated GST above Rs 1.37 lakh crore.
Refunds rose 6.5 per cent to Rs 27,934 crore, leaving net collection up 26 per cent at over Rs 2.03 lakh crore.
From April to October, gross collection grew 13.2 per cent to over Rs 14.77 lakh crore.
Gross collection:
Rs 2.31 lakh crore
Central GST:
Rs 42,935 crore
State GST:
Rs 51,340 crore
Net collection:
Rs 2.03 lakh crore
Why it matters for exams: Fixes the three components of GST (CGST, SGST, IGST) and the highest and second highest monthly collections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IGST Integrated Goods and Services Tax — The GST levied by the Centre on inter-State supplies and imports.
1 November 2026
The Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha have been placed for public veneration at Tawang Monastery, whose formal name is Gaden Namgyal Lhatse.
The relics come from Piprahwa in Uttar Pradesh, a site linked to ancient Kapilavastu and the Shakya tradition, and are kept at the National Museum in New Delhi.
The exposition is organised by the Ministry of Culture with the Arunachal Pradesh government, the International Buddhist Confederation and the National Museum.
It runs from 31 October to 21 November across Tawang, Bomdila and Namsai.
Tawang Monastery hosts the relics from 1 to 7 November, TGL Monastery at Bomdila from 8 to 13 November and the Golden Pagoda at Namsai from 14 to 20 November.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu received the relics and Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was present.
An accompanying exhibition traces the Piprahwa excavations and the return of the relics to India.
Exposition period:
October 31 to November 21, 2026
Venues:
Tawang, Bomdila, Namsai
Why it matters for exams: Carries the Piprahwa site in Uttar Pradesh, the formal name of Tawang Monastery, and the bodies behind the exposition including the International Buddhist Confederation.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IBC International Buddhist Confederation — A Delhi-based umbrella body of Buddhist organisations that works with the Ministry of Culture.
2 November 2026
Prasar Bharati has won two honours at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Prizes 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Akashvani Bengaluru received a Special Commendation in the Audio Public Service Announcement category for its programme Beyond the Call, collected by Jyoti Das.
Nongmaithem Nandakumar Singh of Prasar Bharati won the ABU Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award 2026, received on his behalf by Mihir Kumar Jha, Under Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The prizes were given during the 63rd ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings, held from 30 October to 3 November 2026.
The meeting's theme is Media for Peace and Humanity: Truth, Trust, and Transformation.
Prasar Bharati also showcased its streaming platform WAVES OTT, presented by Member (Finance) Rajeev Roy.
WAVES OTT, launched in November 2024, has more than 15 million registered users and reach in over 130 countries.
Event:
63rd ABU General Assembly, Colombo
WAVES OTT users:
over 15 million registered users
Why it matters for exams: Gives the expansion of ABU, the host city of its 63rd General Assembly and the name of Prasar Bharati's OTT platform.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ABU Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union — A regional union of broadcasters covering the Asia-Pacific.
Prasar Bharati Prasar Bharati — India's public service broadcaster, which runs Doordarshan and Akashvani.
2 November 2026
Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles Pabitra Margherita will visit Spain from 3 to 5 November for the 30th Summit of the Ibero-American Conference.
India is set to join the Conference as an Associate Observer at the summit.
The grouping has 22 member countries, 19 of them in Latin America and three in Europe, namely Spain, Portugal and Andorra.
It also has 12 Associate Observers and 20 Consultative Observers.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit marks a milestone in the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and Artificial Intelligence.
Margherita will hold bilateral meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the summit.
He will also meet members of the Indian community in Madrid.
Members:
22 member countries
European members:
Spain, Portugal and Andorra
Summit edition:
30th Summit
Why it matters for exams: Names the Ibero-American Conference, its 22 members including Spain, Portugal and Andorra, and India's new status as Associate Observer.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MEA Ministry of External Affairs — The Union ministry that conducts India's foreign relations.
31 October 2026
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India is working with Russia, Ukraine and European countries on a three-point plan to ease the conflict.
He spoke to Indian reporters in Atlanta at the close of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The first point is protecting civilian shipping and seafarers from attack.
The second is restoring grain exports from Russia and Ukraine, whose movement through the Black Sea has fallen sharply.
The third, which he called the hardest, is a non-attack understanding on energy, covering refineries, power grids and ships carrying fuel.
Jaishankar said India is also coordinating with the United States, which runs its own mediation effort.
He met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines and discussed Ukraine, the Gulf and multilateral questions.
Venue:
Atlanta
Three points:
shipping, grain, energy
Why it matters for exams: Names the External Affairs Minister, the venue of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the three elements of India's proposal.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
G20 Group of Twenty — An international forum of nineteen countries plus the European Union and the African Union.
1 November 2026
Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President's Colour to the Chandigarh Police at the Police Lines in Chandigarh.
The honour was given during the force's 60th Raising Day and Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The Chandigarh Police has more than 6,000 personnel across wings that include the Crime Wing, Operations Cell, Security Wing, Traffic Police and PCR.
Shah credited the Punjab and Haryana police forces for coordinating security across the tri-city region.
Chandigarh has been a Union Territory and the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana since 1 November 1966.
The city is a planned city in the Shivalik foothills.
The Chief Ministers and senior officials of both States have their offices in Chandigarh.
Occasion:
60th Raising Day
Strength:
more than 6,000 personnel
Why it matters for exams: Fixes the President's Colour as the highest honour a force can receive and Chandigarh's status as a Union Territory and joint capital since 1 November 1966.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PCR Police Control Room — The wing that handles emergency police response calls.
1 November 2026
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off a Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Bengaluru and Mumbai on Kannada Rajyotsava.
The service runs between Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, under the South Western Railway zone.
Train 27652 leaves SMVT Bengaluru at 7:45 pm and reaches CSMT Mumbai at 11:55 am the next day, a run of about 16 hours.
Train 27651 leaves CSMT Mumbai at 8:10 pm and reaches SMVT Bengaluru at noon the next day.
The service runs six days a week, with no Bengaluru departure on Mondays and no Mumbai departure on Tuesdays.
The rake carries 823 passengers in 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one first AC coach.
It has easier-to-climb berths, facilities for persons with disabilities and special facilities for locomotive pilots.
Train numbers:
27652 and 27651
Capacity:
823 passengers
Zone:
South Western Railway
Why it matters for exams: Names the two terminals, the South Western Railway zone and the 823-passenger capacity of the Vande Bharat Sleeper rake.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SMVT Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal — A railway terminal in Bengaluru named after the engineer and Bharat Ratna awardee.
1 November 2026
India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan became the highest run-scorer for India in Twenty20 Internationals in a single calendar year.
He reached the mark during the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Kishan scored 61 off 32 balls as India posted 191 for eight.
His tally for the year stands at 1,220 runs in 37 innings.
That passed the earlier Indian record of 1,164 runs set by Suryakumar Yadav in 2022.
He also reached 2,000 T20I runs in 1,345 balls, the third fastest by an Indian batter by deliveries faced, behind Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.
Among batters from full-member nations he is second for most T20I runs in a calendar year.
Runs in the year:
1,220 runs in 37 innings
Previous Indian record:
1,164 runs
Venue:
Seddon Park, Hamilton
Why it matters for exams: Records the new Indian mark of 1,220 T20I runs in a calendar year and the previous holder, Suryakumar Yadav.
Kerala PSCUPSC
31 October 2026
The Ministry of Finance issued notifications changing the export duties on three fuels.
The Special Additional Excise Duty on petrol exports was withdrawn, taking the levy from Rs 2.50 a litre to nil.
The export duty on diesel was raised from Rs 8.50 a litre to Rs 11.50 a litre.
The levy on aviation turbine fuel went up from Rs 10.50 a litre to Rs 11 a litre.
The government reviews these fuel export duties every two weeks in response to crude and refined product prices.
The levies were reintroduced in March 2026 when crude prices rose.
The stated aim is to keep enough fuel in the domestic market by discouraging refiners from exporting when overseas margins are better.
Petrol export duty:
Nil (from Rs 2.50 a litre)
Diesel export duty:
Rs 11.50 a litre
ATF export levy:
Rs 11 a litre
Why it matters for exams: Gives the Special Additional Excise Duty as the instrument used on fuel exports and the revised per-litre rates for petrol, diesel and ATF.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SAED Special Additional Excise Duty — A duty the Centre uses on fuel exports and can revise by notification.
ATF Aviation Turbine Fuel — The kerosene-type fuel used by jet aircraft.