🗞️ Why in News Alongside today’s deep dives on Cyclone Arnab, which formed over the Bay of Bengal on 26 October and is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts as a very severe cyclonic storm by the forenoon of 28 October, and the amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules for E85 and E100 flex-fuel vehicles, the 26 October 2026 roundup covers the Defence Acquisition Council’s Acceptance of Necessity for proposals worth about ₹2.12 lakh crore, the NCB’s Operation Trident in the Northeast, the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, RBI’s new Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, TRAI’s recommendations on app-based linear TV, MoSPI’s proposal to move ASUSE to the financial year, ₹116 crore for Manastu Space’s green propulsion, the September flash report on central infrastructure projects, Lula’s re-election, a CCPA penalty over walkie-talkie listings and the Siang project protests. Also in the news: the ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Valmiki Jayanti, the painter Jogen Chowdhury and foreign portfolio outflows.

DAC Accords AoN for Proposals Worth About ₹2.12 Lakh Crore

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, on 26 October 2026 accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to various capital acquisition proposals of the Defence Forces at an estimated cost of about ₹2,12,000 crore, PIB said. “Out of the total AoNs accorded, approximately 82% of the procurements will be made from the Indian Industry.”

What was cleared, service by service

  • Army: High Mobility Vehicles, a Self-Propelled Tracked Gun System, a Gun Shot Response System (GSRS), Light Multi Role Helicopters (LMRH), the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS), a platform-based Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS), surveillance UAVs, an Integrated Surveillance and Strike System and a Long Range Kamikaze Drone System, among others. The LMRH “will be used by both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force”, PIB says.
  • Navy: the Active Offboard Decoy System (AODS) and other major naval platforms. The AODS “will enhance the credibility of anti-missiles defence, especially against modern anti-ship missiles of adversaries”.
  • Air Force: helicopters, air defence systems, weapons and a Mobile X-Band Doppler Weather Radar System, which gives “high-resolution, localised weather surveillance in forward areas”. Special Utility Helicopters are to meet the Air Force’s air transport requirements.

AoN is an in-principle administrative approval, not a contract or an order. PIB has not given item-wise costs or the procurement category of each item. For background, our 8 September deep dive on the DAC’s clearance of 7 September explains the AoN step and the procurement categories of the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, led by Buy (Indian-IDDM), for Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured.

📌 Facts Corner

  • DAC, 26 October 2026: AoN for capital acquisition proposals worth about ₹2,12,000 crore; chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh.
  • Indian industry: about 82% of the procurements under these AoNs will be made from Indian industry, PIB says.
  • AODS: Active Offboard Decoy System for the Navy, against modern anti-ship missiles.

NCB’s Operation Trident: Drug and Hawala Network Hit in Three Northeast States

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) led Operation Trident in the early hours of 23 October 2026, working with the Mizoram Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Ministry of Home Affairs said on 25 October. “38 multi-agency composite teams were mobilised concurrently across 38 pre-identified locations” in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur, among them Aizawl, Champhai and Zokhawthar, an Indo-Myanmar border trading town, in Mizoram, Churachandpur in Manipur and the Cachar transit corridor in Assam.

  • The results, as the Home Minister put them: in a post on X quoted by PIB, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the operation uncovered hawala transactions worth ₹100 crore, froze 1,424 bank accounts, attached properties worth ₹17.82 crore, seized 500 detonators and ₹12 lakh in cash, and led to the arrest of 18 people.
  • The target: a transnational syndicate that, PIB says, is led by a Myanmar-based kingpin and moves methamphetamine and heroin along the Myanmar-Mizoram-Manipur-Assam-Tripura corridor.
  • The approach: PIB places the operation in line with the Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029) and a “shift from a seizure-centric to a network-centric and financial disruption approach”. The Home Minister spoke of the goal of “eradicating every drug network by 31 December 2029”.

📌 Facts Corner

  • Operation Trident: led by the NCB on 23 October 2026 with Mizoram Police and the ED; 38 teams at 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur.
  • Results, per Amit Shah: ₹100 crore of hawala traced, 1,424 bank accounts frozen, 500 detonators seized, 18 arrested.
  • Approach: Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026-2029); from seizures to networks and money trails.

12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum Opens in New Delhi

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla “today inaugurated the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum 2026 at the historic Samvidhan Sadan in the Parliament House Complex, New Delhi”, PIB said on 26 October 2026. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also addressed the gathering. The two-day Forum, on 26 and 27 October, is built around four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.

  • The Speaker’s message: Birla described “the unanimous adoption of the Joint Statement at the BRICS Summit of Heads of State and Government held in New Delhi” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s chairmanship as a significant milestone, and said the Forum’s success would lie “not in the breadth of its discussions alone, but in the depth of its outcomes”.
  • The Prime Minister: Narendra Modi met MPs from BRICS nations during the Forum on 26 October, the PMO said, and they “exchanged perspectives on a wide range of issues”.
  • The summit behind it: India’s presidency of the 18th BRICS Summit “culminated in the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration”, Harivansh said.

The forum’s schedule was in our 23 October roundup, and the 25 October roundup reported that Iran’s Speaker would not attend.

📌 Facts Corner

  • 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum: 26 and 27 October 2026, Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi; inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
  • Four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.
  • 18th BRICS Summit: held in New Delhi under India’s presidency; it adopted the New Delhi Declaration.

RBI Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute Opens in Bhubaneswar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 October 2026 inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India’s newly established Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, the RBI said.

  • What it is for: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the new Data Centre will house RBI’s mission-critical systems, including RTGS and NEFT, and the Training Institute will build expertise in cybersecurity, AI and other emerging technologies, the RBI reported.
  • The Prime Minister’s message: in his address he spoke of “safeguarding our banking system against cyber criminals and cyber terrorists”.
  • Background: the foundation stone was laid on 22 March 2023 by the then Governor Shaktikanta Das, for a “Greenfield Data Centre” and an “Enterprise Computing & Cybersecurity Training Institute” on a campus of 18.55 acres, the RBI said at the time. Governor Sanjay Malhotra gave the welcome address on 25 October.

For the wider policy, see the FSDC’s 30th meeting and the financial sector cyber security strategy (23 October).

📌 Facts Corner

  • RBI Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute: Bhubaneswar, Odisha; inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 25 October 2026.
  • Systems housed: RBI’s mission-critical systems, including RTGS and NEFT, the Finance Minister said.
  • Foundation stone: 22 March 2023, laid by then RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das; campus of 18.55 acres.

TRAI Recommends a Licensing Framework for App-Based Linear TV (ALTD)

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 26 October 2026 released its recommendations on an “Authorisation Framework for Application-based Linear Television Distribution (ALTD) Services”. They are recommendations: TRAI says the terms should be notified as Rules under Section 56 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, which is for the Government to do.

  • Where it began: the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) sought TRAI’s recommendations under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997, on 15 December 2025, on Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) services. TRAI issued a consultation paper on 6 April 2026, received 207 comments and 11 counter-comments, and held an Open House on 10 June 2026.
  • The core proposal: the ALTD service should be a distinct sub-category under Television Channel Distribution Services, within the broadcasting authorisation framework under Section 3(1)(a) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
  • The terms: a national service area, an initial validity of 20 years renewable for successive periods of 10 years, an application processing fee of ₹10,000 and a one-time entry fee of ₹1 lakh, “with no authorisation fee, bank guarantee or security deposit”.
  • Gatekeeping: the MIB should maintain a “Master ALTD app repository”, and device makers (OEMs) and operating system providers should ensure that only authorised ALTD applications are made available.
  • Ratings: ALTD viewership should be integrated into the television audience measurement framework under the TV Ratings Policy, 2026.

📌 Facts Corner

  • ALTD: Application-based Linear Television Distribution; TRAI’s recommendations of 26 October 2026 answer an MIB reference on FAST services.
  • FAST: Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television.
  • Proposed terms: national service area; 20-year validity, renewable for 10 years at a time; ₹1 lakh entry fee; no authorisation fee or bank guarantee.

MoSPI Proposes Moving ASUSE to the Financial Year From 2027-28

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on 26 October 2026 proposed that the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2027-28 be conducted from April 2027 to March 2028, “aligning the survey period with the financial year”. It has invited comments on the proposed schedule, in the prescribed format, by 15 November 2026. These are proposals, not decisions.

  • Why the shift: the survey period would move from the calendar year (January to December) to the financial year (April to March), as in other enterprise surveys such as the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE); MoSPI says this helps the National Accounts.
  • No gap: MoSPI says the January to March 2027 quarter would still be surveyed, using the existing ASUSE 2026 schedule.
  • New questions proposed: gender-specific constraints of female entrepreneurs, asked “for the first time”; sources of electricity; investment in fixed assets over a longer reference period; and, at the Ministry of Textiles’ request, two questions to identify handloom, power-loom and handicraft establishments.
  • Background: MoSPI has conducted ASUSE since 2021-22; its findings also appear in the Quarterly Bulletin of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (QBUSE).

The proposal follows the NSO’s proposed changes to the PLFS sampling design from January 2027, in our 23 October roundup.

📌 Facts Corner

  • ASUSE: Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises, conducted by MoSPI since 2021-22.
  • Proposed change: ASUSE 2027-28 from April 2027 to March 2028, in line with the financial year; comments due by 15 November 2026.
  • New question: constraints faced by female entrepreneurs, asked for the first time.

TDB Backs Manastu Space’s Green Propulsion With ₹116 Crore

The Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has signed an agreement with Manastu Space Technologies Private Limited, Navi Mumbai, for financial support of ₹116 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced on 26 October 2026.

  • The project: a total cost of ₹277.63 crore, for a “scalable, integrated green propulsion system for satellites and launch vehicles” across the 5 mN to 300 N thrust class.
  • The technology: “a hydrogen peroxide-based green propellant with additives, supported by an integrated engine and catalyst system”. The propulsion system “has already been demonstrated in space”, PIB says.
  • The aim and the instrument: to take the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-6 to TRL-9, funded through Optionally Convertible Debt (OCD).
  • The sector: Deep Technology, with Space Technology as the sub-sector.

📌 Facts Corner

  • TDB (under DST): ₹116 crore to Manastu Space, Navi Mumbai, from the RDI Fund; project cost ₹277.63 crore.
  • Green propellant: hydrogen peroxide-based, with additives; thrust class 5 mN to 300 N.
  • Instrument: Optionally Convertible Debt; target TRL-6 to TRL-9.

Central Infrastructure Projects: MoSPI Flash Report for September 2026

MoSPI’s flash report, released on 26 October 2026, tracks 1,853 central-sector infrastructure projects (₹150 crore and above) worth ₹37.56 lakh crore as of September 2026, across 17 central ministries and departments.

  • Spending: ₹17.73 lakh crore has been spent, about 47.21% of the latest project cost; 654 projects (about 35%) have achieved over 80% physical progress.
  • Mix: Transport and Logistics and Energy account for 83.4% (1,545) of the projects; the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways alone has 974 (53%), and Railways 284.
  • Size: 780 Mega projects (₹1,000 crore and above) and 1,073 Major projects (below ₹1,000 crore).
  • During September: 83 more projects were onboarded (57 of Railways, 16 of Road Transport and Highways, 7 of Power), and the Buxar Thermal Power Project (1,320 MW) was commissioned.
  • The platform: the monitoring interface earlier called PAIMANA is now PAIMANA-PROJ, and PAIMANA-CRIP (Central Repository of Infrastructure Projects) was launched by MoSPI in July 2026.

📌 Facts Corner

  • Flash report, September 2026: 1,853 central projects worth ₹37.56 lakh crore; about 47.21% of the latest cost spent.
  • Mega and Major: Mega is ₹1,000 crore and above (780); Major is below ₹1,000 crore (1,073); projects of ₹150 crore and above are tracked.
  • PAIMANA-PROJ: MoSPI’s project monitoring interface, formerly PAIMANA; PAIMANA-CRIP launched in July 2026.

Lula Re-elected in Brazil; Prime Minister Modi Congratulates Him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 October 2026 congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva “on his victory in the presidential elections in Brazil”, PIB said, and in his post on X called it a “remarkable re-election victory”. Brazil voted in the run-off between Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro on Sunday, 25 October, The Hindu reported. For background, our 5 October roundup set out the first round.

  • India’s line: the Prime Minister looked forward to working together to “deepen and expand the multifaceted India-Brazil Strategic Partnership” and to “advance the shared priorities of the Global South”.

📌 Facts Corner

  • Brazil, 2026: PM Modi congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his re-election victory; Brazil’s run-off was held on 25 October.
  • India-Brazil: a Strategic Partnership; PM Modi spoke of the shared priorities of the Global South.

CCPA Fines a Walkie-Talkie Seller ₹1 Lakh for Missing Disclosures

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh on Hogar Technologies and Innovations LLP for misleading advertisements and product listings of walkie-talkies that did not disclose essential regulatory information, including operating frequencies and licensing requirements, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said on 25 October 2026. The order was passed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, by the CCPA headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare.

  • The licence rule: under the Use of Low Power and Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2018, personal mobile radios in the 446.0-446.2 MHz range are exempt from a licence, subject to conditions.
  • The CCPA’s reasoning: “possession of regulatory approvals does not absolve an advertiser of its obligation to provide accurate, complete and material information to consumers at the pre-purchase stage”. A website without “an online payment gateway or shopping cart” is not, for that reason, outside the law on misleading advertisements.
  • The wider drive: after taking suo motu cognisance, the CCPA identified over 16,970 non-compliant listings, issued notices to 13 e-commerce entities and has passed final orders against 12, including penalties of ₹10 lakh each on Amazon Seller Services, Flipkart Internet, Meesho, Meta Platforms and TradeIndia (Infocom Network).
  • Under challenge: Amazon Seller Services and Flipkart Internet have approached the Karnataka High Court; Meta Platforms and TradeIndia the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), which has directed TradeIndia to deposit the penalty; and IndiaMART InterMESH the Delhi High Court, against the proceedings.

For background, our 19 October piece on the CCPA and the online sale of explosive substances sets out how the Authority works.

📌 Facts Corner

  • CCPA: set up under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019; headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare.
  • Walkie-talkie orders: final orders against 12 entities, including ₹10 lakh each on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Meta and TradeIndia.
  • Licence-free band: personal mobile radios at 446.0-446.2 MHz, under the 2018 exemption rules, subject to conditions.

Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: RAF Sent to Pasighat After Bandh Violence

The Centre has sent two Rapid Action Force (RAF) companies of the CRPF to Arunachal Pradesh after violence in Pasighat during protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, officials said on 25 October 2026, PTI reported in The Hindu. The Ministry of Home Affairs directed on 24 October that the companies, about 250 personnel, be airlifted from Navi Mumbai on an IAF transport aircraft, to reach Pasighat and deploy by 25 October. The RAF is the CRPF’s anti-riot unit.

  • What happened: a 12-hour bandh in the Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts on Friday, 23 October “remained largely peaceful”, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, but violence erupted in Pasighat after the bandh ended and continued till 3.30 a.m. on Saturday, 24 October. According to Arunachal Pradesh Police officials, a mob torched an NHPC office and a police station and vandalised the residences of three political leaders in East Siang district on Friday night. Several police and central forces personnel were injured.
  • The State’s response: Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the right to peaceful protest was an essential part of democracy, but that demonstrations must stay within the bounds of the law and must not damage property or disrupt public order.
  • The protesters’ demands: an immediate stop to the pre-feasibility report activities and survey work, and the withdrawal of security forces from areas likely to be affected by the project, The Pioneer reported on 5 October.
  • Where the project stands: the state-run NHPC has been tasked with preparing the pre-feasibility report, Business Today reported. The project is still at the pre-feasibility stage, Down To Earth reported on 8 October, and if found technically viable it would still need a Social Impact Assessment, an Environmental Impact Assessment and a Detailed Project Report before construction could be considered.
  • The stated purpose: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has said the project “is primarily about storing, regulating and managing water, alongside power generation”, The Pioneer reported on 5 October.
  • The China context: China began building a hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo, with a groundbreaking ceremony at Nyingchi in Tibet on 19 July 2025, China Daily reported. The Ministry of External Affairs told the Rajya Sabha that the Government “carefully monitors all developments relating to the Brahmaputra river”, ANI reported on 8 August 2025.

For background, our 14 October roundup covered the Chief Minister’s confidence-building steps of 13 October, including his in-principle agreement to reduce the number of security personnel.

📌 Facts Corner

  • Siang Upper Multipurpose Project: proposed in Arunachal Pradesh; NHPC is preparing its pre-feasibility report.
  • Steps before any construction: pre-feasibility report, then Social Impact Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment and Detailed Project Report.
  • RAF: Rapid Action Force, the CRPF’s anti-riot unit; two companies, about 250 personnel, sent to Pasighat.

Also in the News

  • ADMM-Plus in Cebu, 28 and 29 October (scheduled). Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, on 28 and 29 October, PIB said on 26 October. The ADMM is “the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN”; the ADMM-Plus brings in its eight Dialogue Partners: India, the US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The inaugural ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi on 12 October 2010, and its ministers have met every year since 2017. The Philippines chairs the ADMM-Plus for 2026, and India co-chairs the Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024-2027 cycle. Our 14 October roundup mentioned the 12th ADMM-Plus.
  • Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti (26 October). Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings on Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti and shared a Sanskrit subhashitam highlighting “the profound compassion of Maharshi Valmiki that gave birth to the very first shloka and laid the foundation of the Ramayana”, PIB said. The verse he shared is about the krauncha bird.
  • Jogen Chowdhury dies at 87 (25 October). The painter and former Rajya Sabha member Jogen Chowdhury died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Sunday, 25 October, The Hindu reported. Born in Faridpur, now in Bangladesh, on 15 February 1939, he studied at the Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata and later at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Known for an expressionist style of figuration, he painted human forms, often as a satire on politics and society. He served as Keeper of Art at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before joining the faculty of Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan in 1987, sat in the Rajya Sabha from 2014 to 2020 on a Trinamool Congress ticket, and received the Banga Bibhushan from the Trinamool Congress government of West Bengal in 2012.
  • FPIs pull ₹48,056 crore out of equities in October so far. Foreign portfolio investors have withdrawn ₹48,056 crore from Indian equities in October so far, after net withdrawals of ₹35,861 crore in September, PTI reported on 25 October, citing depository data; they had invested ₹20,200 crore in July and ₹29,631 crore in August. Cumulative FPI outflows from Indian equities in 2026 have reached ₹3.08 lakh crore, against ₹1.66 lakh crore withdrawn in the whole of 2025, though FPIs significantly reduced their selling in the week ended 23 October.

From earlier editions

UPSC Relevance

Paper Syllabus theme Today’s hook
GS1 Indian culture: art forms and literature Valmiki Jayanti; the painter Jogen Chowdhury
GS2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings BRICS Parliamentary Forum; ADMM-Plus; India-Brazil
GS2 Statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies TRAI’s ALTD recommendations; CCPA orders
GS3 Defence; indigenisation of technology DAC’s AoN; 82% from Indian industry
GS3 Organised crime; security in border areas Operation Trident
GS3 Basics of cyber security; banking RBI’s data centre and cyber training institute
GS3 Infrastructure; investment models Flash report on central projects
GS3 Indian economy: statistics and capital flows ASUSE proposal; FPI outflows
GS3 Space technology Manastu Space’s green propulsion
GS3 Internal security; infrastructure in the Northeast Siang project protests

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

Prelims, statement-ready facts:

  • DAC (26 October 2026): AoN for proposals worth about ₹2,12,000 crore; about 82% to be procured from Indian industry.
  • Operation Trident: NCB with Mizoram Police and the ED; 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur; 18 arrested, per Amit Shah.
  • 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum: 26 and 27 October 2026, Samvidhan Sadan; pillars of resilience, innovation, cooperation, sustainability.
  • RBI Data Centre, Bhubaneswar: to house RTGS and NEFT; foundation stone laid on 22 March 2023.
  • ALTD: TRAI proposes a sub-category under Television Channel Distribution Services, Section 3(1)(a), Telecommunications Act, 2023.
  • ASUSE 2027-28: proposed for April 2027 to March 2028; ASUSE has run since 2021-22.
  • Manastu Space: ₹116 crore from the RDI Fund through TDB; hydrogen peroxide-based green propellant.
  • Flash report: 1,853 projects worth ₹37.56 lakh crore; a Mega project costs ₹1,000 crore or more.
  • ADMM-Plus: ASEAN plus eight Dialogue Partners; first held in Hanoi on 12 October 2010; the Philippines chairs in 2026.
  • Jogen Chowdhury: painter, born in Faridpur (now Bangladesh) in 1939; Rajya Sabha 2014-2020; died on 25 October 2026.

Prelims, the traps:

  • AoN is not a contract: it is in-principle approval; nothing has been bought or contracted under it.
  • TRAI recommends, the Government notifies: the ALTD terms would bind only once notified as Rules under Section 56 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
  • The ASUSE shift is a proposal: comments are open till 15 November 2026.
  • ASUSE vs ASISSE: unincorporated sector enterprises vs incorporated services sector enterprises.
  • The Siang project is not approved: it is at the pre-feasibility stage; SIA, EIA and a DPR would come before any construction.
  • ADMM-Plus is scheduled: the meeting in Cebu is on 28 and 29 October.

Mains, arguments and keywords:

  • Defence indigenisation: about 82% of the new AoNs go to Indian industry; the list leans on air defence, counter-drone and drone systems.
  • Narco-finance: Operation Trident pairs arrests with money trails (hawala, frozen accounts, attached property) along the Myanmar border corridor.
  • Financial cyber resilience: a dedicated data centre for RTGS and NEFT and a cyber training institute; link to the FSDC’s cyber strategy.
  • Statistical system: aligning ASUSE with the financial year, like the ASI and ASISSE, helps the National Accounts.
  • Development and consent: the Siang protests show why dialogue, social and environmental assessment and the rule of law must go together.

Interview, be ready for:

  • “Should drug enforcement focus on seizures or on money trails?” Use Operation Trident: frozen accounts, attached property and hawala tracing alongside arrests.
  • “How should the State handle local opposition to a strategic dam?” Weigh water security against consent; assessment first, and protest within the law.

Sources: PIB, 26 October 2026 (DAC); PIB, 25 October 2026 (Operation Trident); PIB, 26 October 2026, PRID 2328640 and PRID 2328729 (BRICS Parliamentary Forum); RBI press release, 25 October 2026 and PIB, 25 October 2026 (Bhubaneswar); PIB, 26 October 2026 (TRAI); PIB, 26 October 2026, PRID 2328476 (ASUSE), PRID 2328399 (Manastu Space) and PRID 2328472 (flash report); PIB, 26 October 2026, PRID 2328341 (Brazil); PIB, 25 October 2026, PRID 2328200 (CCPA); The Hindu/PTI, 25 October 2026, Business Today, Down To Earth, The Pioneer, China Daily and ANI (Siang); PIB, 26 October 2026, PRID 2328397 (ADMM-Plus) and PRID 2328310 (Valmiki Jayanti); The Hindu, Delhi edition, 26 October 2026 (Jogen Chowdhury; Brazil); The Hindu/PTI, 25 October 2026 (FPIs).

Cite this page: Current Affairs Today 26 October 2026: UPSC News Roundup — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs