World Current Affairs — All time
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Mon, 20 Oct 2025
Delhi marks Diwali 2025 under GRAP Stage II as air turns 'very poor'
Delhi celebrated Diwali on 20 October 2025 with Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan in force across NCR, after CAQM invoked it on 19 October when Delhi's hourly AQI crossed 300.
WWF-India EIACP centre runs 'Green Diwali' campaign under Mission LiFE
On 20 October 2025, the Environment Ministry said WWF-India's EIACP Programme Centre was running a 'Green Diwali' campaign under Mission LiFE, including a 'Breathable Art' installation in Rohini, Delhi.
President Murmu to visit Kerala from 21 to 24 October, including Sabarimala darshan
The President's Secretariat announced on 20 October 2025 that President Droupadi Murmu would visit Kerala from 21 to 24 October 2025, with darshan and aarti at Sabarimala Temple scheduled for 22 October.
Railways running 12,011 festive special trains; over 1 crore passengers carried on specials from 1 to 19 October
On 20 October 2025, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed passenger movement at the Railway Board War Room; Indian Railways is running 12,011 special trains for Puja, Diwali and Chhath, against 7,724 in the same period last year.
DRI seizes 46,640 smuggled Chinese firecrackers worth ₹4.82 crore at Nhava Sheva under 'Operation Fire Trail'
On 20 October 2025, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said it had seized 46,640 pieces of Chinese-origin firecrackers worth ₹4.82 crore at Nhava Sheva port, Maharashtra, under 'Operation Fire Trail', and arrested one person from Veraval, Gujarat.
Sun, 19 Oct 2025
Holy Relics of Lord Buddha return to India after first exposition in Kalmykia, Russia
The Holy Relics of Lord Buddha returned to India on 19 October 2025 after a week-long exposition from 11 to 18 October 2025 in Elista, capital of Russia's Republic of Kalmykia, with an Indian delegation led by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Mines Ministry adds intermediate timelines and penalties to speed up operationalisation of auctioned mineral blocks
The Ministry of Mines amended the Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2015 to add intermediate timelines between the Letter of Intent and the mining lease, with penalties for delay and incentives for early production (PIB, 19 October 2025).
Centre approves advance release of ₹1,950.80 crore SDRF share to Karnataka and Maharashtra
Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved advance release of ₹1,950.80 crore as the second instalment of the Central share of SDRF for 2025-26 to Karnataka (₹384.40 crore) and Maharashtra (₹1,566.40 crore), MHA said on 19 October 2025.
ECI deploys Central Observers for Bihar Assembly election and bye-elections in 8 constituencies
The Election Commission said on 19 October 2025 that it had deployed 121 General and 18 Police Observers for Phase 1 and 122 General and 20 Police Observers for Phase 2 of the Bihar Assembly election, using powers under Article 324 and Section 20B of the RP Act, 1951.
PM Modi urges citizens to buy Indian products this festive season: 'Garv Se Kaho Yeh Swadeshi Hai'
On 19 October 2025, PM Narendra Modi urged citizens to mark the festive season by buying Indian products and sharing their purchases on social media, with the call 'Garv Se Kaho Yeh Swadeshi Hai'.
Army Chief reviews forward posts in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, and Vibrant Village initiatives
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited high-altitude forward posts in the central sector in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, reviewing readiness and Vibrant Village Programme initiatives such as homestays at Garbyang and Kalapani (PIB, 19 October 2025).
World Osteoporosis Day 2025: Ayush Ministry highlights Ayurvedic approaches to bone health
Marking World Osteoporosis Day 2025, the Ministry of Ayush on 19 October 2025 highlighted preventive Ayurvedic care for osteoporosis, which Ayurveda links mainly to vitiated Vata dosha.
Notaries (Amendment) Rules, 2025 raise notary limits in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Nagaland
The Law Ministry notified the Notaries (Amendment) Rules, 2025 on 17 October 2025, raising the maximum number of notaries that Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Nagaland may appoint (PIB, 19 October 2025).
WCD Ministry awarded for PM-JANMAN implementation; over 2,000 anganwadis made functional in PVTG areas
The Ministry of Women and Child Development received an award from the President for outstanding contribution to implementing PM-JANMAN, at the National Conclave on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan in New Delhi (PIB, 19 October 2025).
DRI seizes 83,520 Chinese firecrackers worth ₹5.01 crore at Tuticorin port; four arrested
The DRI said on 19 October 2025 that under 'Operation Fire Trail' it seized 83,520 pieces of Chinese firecrackers worth ₹5.01 crore, mis-declared as engineering goods, at Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu and arrested four people.
Sat, 18 Oct 2025
First batch of BrahMos missiles from Lucknow facility flagged off under UP Defence Industrial Corridor
On 18 October 2025 in Lucknow, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles made at the BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre, part of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor.
Nafithromycin, India's first indigenously discovered antibiotic; first indigenous haemophilia gene therapy trial
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on 18 October 2025 that India has developed its first indigenously discovered antibiotic, Nafithromycin, through the Department of Biotechnology and Wockhardt, and has run its first successful indigenous gene therapy trial for haemophilia at CMC Vellore.
ECI: paid holiday on polling day for Bihar elections and bye-elections under Section 135B of RP Act
The Election Commission of India said on 18 October 2025 that voters employed in any establishment are entitled to a paid holiday on polling day under Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, for the Bihar Assembly election (6 and 11 November 2025) and 8 bye-elections (11 November 2025).
Rajnath Singh dedicates Titanium and Superalloy Materials Plant at PTC Industries, Lucknow
On 18 October 2025 in Lucknow, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh dedicated to the nation a Titanium and Superalloy Materials Plant at PTC Industries' Strategic Materials Technology Complex, which can make aviation-grade titanium and superalloys.
GST Bachat Utsav: Finance Ministry says rate cuts fully passed on for 54 monitored products
At a joint press conference in New Delhi on 18 October 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Next-Gen GST rate cuts had been fully passed on for all 54 products the Finance Ministry was closely monitoring.
Chandrayaan-2's CHACE-2 makes first-ever observation of a solar CME's effect on the Moon's exosphere
On 18 October 2025, in India, ISRO announced that the CHACE-2 instrument on the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter had made the first-ever observation of the effect of the Sun's coronal mass ejection (CME) on the Moon's exosphere.
FASTag Annual Pass crosses 25 lakh users; can now be gifted via Rajmargyatra app
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on 18 October 2025 that the FASTag Annual Pass, launched on 15 August 2025, crossed 25 lakh users and about 5.67 crore transactions within two months, and can be gifted through the Rajmargyatra app.
CPI for Agricultural and Rural Labourers, September 2025: AL at 136.23, RL at 136.42
The Labour Bureau's Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (base 2019=100) fell 0.11 points to 136.23 and for Rural Labourers fell 0.18 points to 136.42 in September 2025, with year-on-year inflation of -0.07% and 0.31% (PIB, 18 October 2025).
Lt Gen CG Muralidharan takes over as Director General of Medical Services (Army)
Lt Gen CG Muralidharan took over as Director General of Medical Services (Army) from Lt Gen Sadhna S Nair, who superannuated on 30 September 2025 (PIB, 18 October 2025).
IndiaAI and WHO invite abstracts for a casebook on AI in health for the Global South
The IndiaAI Mission (MeitY) and the World Health Organization announced a global call for abstracts on scalable AI in health, due by 31 October 2025, for a joint casebook whose selected entries will feature at the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 (PIB, 18 October 2025).
Magdala, sixth Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, launched at Cochin Shipyard
On 18 October 2025 at Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi (Kerala), BY 528 (Magdala), the sixth of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) for the Indian Navy, was launched.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan holds Gram Chaupal at Dumri Khurd, Gorakhpur (UP)
On 18 October 2025, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a 'Gram Chaupal' at Dumri Khurd village in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, noting that GST on agricultural machinery had been cut from 12% and 18% to 5%.
Kalmyk State University (Russia) and Nalanda University sign Memorandum of Cooperation
Kalmyk State University named after B. B. Gorodovikov, in Elista, Russia, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Nalanda University, Bihar, for exchanges, joint research and dual degrees (PIB, 18 October 2025).
Fri, 17 Oct 2025
Rajnath Singh inaugurates third LCA Mk1A and second HTT-40 production lines at HAL Nashik
On 17 October 2025 at HAL's Nashik facility in Maharashtra, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the third production line of LCA Tejas Mk1A and the second production line of the HTT-40 trainer, and flagged off the first LCA Mk1A made there.
Bhupender Yadav delivers India's closing statement at G20 Environment Ministers' Meeting in Cape Town
On 17 October 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav delivered India's closing statement at the G20 Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group Ministerial Meeting.