Current Affairs — 16 October 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Fri, 16 Oct 2026
INS Samarthak, Navy’s first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel, commissioned at Karwar; first major warship built by a private Indian shipyard
On 16 October 2026, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan commissioned INS Samarthak, the first of the Indian Navy’s Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPVs), built by L&T Shipyard with over 75% indigenous content, at Karwar.
Supreme Court: No prior approval under Section 17A of PC Act needed to probe a bribe demand by a public servant
On 16 October 2026, the Supreme Court (Justices S.V.N. Bhatti and N.V. Anjaria) held in Tejaram vs State of Rajasthan that prior approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is not needed to investigate a bribe demand, as it is unconnected with official duties.
TDB-DST signs ₹150 crore RDI Fund support agreement with QNu Labs for indigenous quantum-secure and sensing networks
On 16 October 2026, the Technology Development Board (TDB) of DST signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based QNu Labs for ₹150 crore support under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund for India’s Quantum Secure and Sensing Networks (IQSN).
PM-SETU: 6th National Steering Committee approves ₹1,194.92 crore for five ITI clusters in Maharashtra, Odisha and J&K
On 16 October 2026, the 6th National Steering Committee of PM-SETU approved five Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹1,194.92 crore for ITI clusters in Maharashtra, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir, taking cumulative approvals to ₹3,687 crore.
OMCs bar sugar-based ethanol from 2026-27 tender as government sets zero sugar diversion; maize ethanol price cut to ₹68.86 a litre
On 16 October 2026, BPCL, on behalf of oil marketing companies, issued the 2026-27 ethanol tender for about 11 billion litres that excludes ethanol from sugarcane juice, sugar syrup and B-heavy molasses, following a government direction of zero sugar diversion.
Sudha Yadav sworn in as Governor of Karnataka; becomes the State’s second woman Governor
On 16 October 2026, Sudha Yadav was sworn in as Governor of Karnataka at Lok Bhavan, Bengaluru, by Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, becoming the State’s second woman Governor after V. S. Ramadevi.
Status Report on Ayush inventions: 4,077 patent applications and 711 grants in 2014–2026; Maharashtra leads
The Status Report on Ayush Related Inventions in India (2014–2026), published by CGPDTM, shows 4,077 Ayush patent applications and 711 grants between FY 2014-15 and FY 2025-26, with Maharashtra leading at 744 filings and 142 grants.
MoSPI’s PAIMANA dashboard update: 184 indicators; NH awards up 62.9%, renewables 42% of power capacity
On 16 October 2026, MoSPI released the quarterly update of the PAIMANA Performance Monitoring Dashboard, now with 184 indicators, showing NH projects awarded up 62.9% to 2,236.3 km (April–September 2026) and renewables at about 42% of installed power capacity.
First-ever Kanda Express to Agartala carries about 440 MT of buffer onions to Tripura
On 16 October 2026, the Department of Consumer Affairs announced the first-ever Kanda Express movement to Agartala, Tripura, carrying about 440 MT of buffer onions under the Price Stabilization Fund, expected to arrive by 18 October 2026.
PMAY-U 2.0: 10th CSMC approves 1.93 lakh more houses; total sanctioned reaches 20.80 lakh, 97% in women’s name
On 16 October 2026, the 10th Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee of PMAY-U 2.0 approved over 1.93 lakh additional houses for 11 States, taking total sanctioned houses to 20.80 lakh, of which 97% are allotted to women (ownership or joint ownership).
World Food Day 2026 observed on 16 October with theme ‘Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.’
World Food Day 2026 was observed on 16 October with the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.”, with the global ceremony held at FAO headquarters.
Sports Ministry issues guidelines for revised Scheme of Assistance to NSFs with ₹7,386.74 crore outlay for 2026-27 to 2030-31
On 16 October 2026, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports issued operational guidelines for the revised Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations, continued for 2026-27 to 2030-31 with an outlay of ₹7,386.74 crore.
BHASHINI and IISc Bengaluru develop Text-to-Speech models for Sourashtra, a minority language of Tamil Nadu
On 16 October 2026, MeitY announced that the Digital India BHASHINI Division and IISc Bengaluru have developed Text-to-Speech models for Sourashtra, a minority Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly by the Sourashtra community in Tamil Nadu.
DARPG’s two-day National Conference on e-Governance Reforms begins in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
On 16 October 2026, the two-day National Conference on e-Governance Reforms, organised by DARPG, began in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressing the inaugural session.
University of Kerala scientists identify Martian analogue sites in Tamil Nadu and Chile’s Atacama Desert
DST said on 16 October 2026 that a University of Kerala team using a DST-FIST laser Raman spectrometer identified melanterite at Neyveli and gypsum in the Tiruchirappalli Badlands (Tamil Nadu) and the Atacama Desert (Chile), establishing them as Martian analogue sites.
14th India–Mongolia defence Joint Working Group meets in Ulaanbaatar; Nomadic Elephant exercise lauded
On 16 October 2026, the 14th Joint Working Group meeting between the Defence Ministries of India and Mongolia was held in Ulaanbaatar, co-chaired by Joint Secretary Dr Ishita Ganguli Tripathy and Mongolia’s Deputy State Secretary of Defence Brig Gen Gansukh E.
ITRA Jamnagar marks 6th Foundation Day with ‘Ayu-Tech Navonmesh 2026’ national conference on AI and Ayurveda
On 16 October 2026, the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar, held a national conference on “AI and Ayurveda” under ‘Ayu-Tech Navonmesh 2026’ to mark its 6th Foundation Day.