Bilateral & International Relations

UK PM Keir Starmer’s Maiden Official Visit to India

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer undertook his first official visit to India from October 8 to 9, 2025, at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi. The visit follows the signing of the landmark India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in July 2025.

• Global Fintech Fest 2025: PM Starmer attended the 6th edition of the fest in Mumbai, where both nations launched the India-UK Fintech Corridor to deepen financial-tech ties.
• Economic Resets: Both leaders welcomed the inaugural CEO Forum meeting and agreed to reset the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) while pushing for an early ratification of the CETA.
• Education & Innovation: Under India's NEP 2020, campuses of nine UK universities will be established in India. Additionally, the India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre and the India-UK Joint Centre for AI were launched.
• Defense Deal: India signed a €350 million (USD 468 million) defense agreement with the UK to supply Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs / Martlet missiles) to the Indian Army.

Government Schemes & Economy

Major Amendments Notified for Textiles PLI Scheme

The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) introduced critical revisions to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Manmade Fibres (MMF) apparel, fabrics, and technical textiles to enhance the ease of doing business.

• Expanded Product Scope: Added 17 new Harmonized System of Nomenclature (HSN) codes (8 for MMF Apparel, 9 for MMF Fabrics).
• 50% Slash in Investment Thresholds:
  • Part-I Category: Reduced from ₹300 crore to ₹150 crore.
  • Part-II Category: Reduced from ₹100 crore to ₹50 crore.
  • Note: Revisions came into effect on August 1, 2025.
• Relaxed Target Criteria: The minimum incremental turnover requirement starting FY2025-26 has been lowered from 25% down to 10%.
• Corporate Relaxation: Applicants can now establish projects within existing corporate entities without the mandatory condition of creating a brand-new company.
• Deadline Extension: The application portal will remain open until December 31, 2025.

Energy & Infrastructure

NTPC REL Signs 15 GW Renewable Energy Pact with Gujarat

During the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Mehsana, NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) inked a major Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Gujarat.

• Capacity Split: Development of 10 GW solar and 5 GW wind energy projects.
• Broader Spectrum: The deal spans both conventional and green energy infrastructure, including battery storage, pumped hydro, and waste-to-energy systems.
• Strategic Blueprint: Aligns with NTPC's overarching target to scale up its green footprint to 60 GW of renewable capacity by 2032.

Technology & Innovation

C-DAC and ICAT Partner for Indigenous Automotive Solutions

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC, under MeitY) and the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT, under MHI) signed a strategic pact at the Traffic InfraTech Expo 2025 in New Delhi.

• Objective: To design, test, and certify homegrown automotive solutions, curtailing reliance on foreign components.
• Division of Labor: ICAT will map out industry standards, testing, and validation protocols, while C-DAC will lead the core R&D, focusing on smart vehicle software and specialized cybersecurity frameworks.

Defense & Security

Indian Coast Guard Conducts Joint Exercise 'ReSAREX-25'

The Karnataka unit of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) organized the two-day Regional Search and Rescue Exercise (ReSAREX-25) in the Arabian Sea off the Panambur coast in Mangaluru.

• Supervision: Executed under the ICG Regional Headquarters (West), Mumbai.
• Simulation: Tested critical inter-agency response times for Mass Rescue Operations (MRO) at sea.
• Participants: Included the NDRF, Indian Mission Control Centre (INMCC), New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), and the State Police.

Urban Affairs & State Policy

World Habitat Day 2025 Celebrated in New Delhi

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) observed World Habitat Day 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

• National Theme: "Urban Solutions to Crisis" (Global Theme: "Urban Crisis Response").
• Key Release: MoHUA released a 'Compendium of Good Practices', showcasing the top-performing states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U).

Gujarat Declares 2025 as the "Year of Urban Development"

Marking 20 years since the launch of the Well-Planned City Development Project (initiated by PM Modi in 2005), the Gujarat state government has dedicated the year 2025 to urban progress.

• Financial Allocation: ₹8,220 crore sanctioned toward the state's urban growth and the Vikas Path initiative.
• State Awards: The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation was crowned the "Cleanest City", while Surat clinched the First Nirmal Gujarat Award.

Banking & Finance Quick Bytes

Global Fintech Fest (GFF 2025) Key Updates

• Forex Settlement: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) at GIFT City, Gujarat.
• RBI Innovations: The central bank rolled out key updates, including UPI Help and IoT Payments with UPI.
• Biometric Breakthrough: Financial tech company Navi UPI became India's first app to roll out large-scale biometric payments, bypassing the requirement of a traditional UPI PIN in favor of fingerprint/face recognition.

Environment & Biodiversity

New Firefly and Wasp Species Discovered in India

• Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu): Researchers described two new species of non-luminous fireflies—Lamellipalpodes kurumba (named after the local Kurumba tribe) and Lamellipalpodes debprasama. This takes India’s global share to 5 out of 14 known species under this genus.
• Kolkata (West Bengal): A new hyperparasitoid wasp species, Nesolynx banabitanae, was discovered in Central Park, Salt Lake (locally known as Banabitan). It marks India's 7th documented wasp species.

Appointments, Awards & Milestones

Corporate & Public Administration

• RBI Executive Director: Sanjay Kumar Hansda has been named the new ED of the Reserve Bank of India, effective March 3, 2026, upon completing his IMF deputation. He will lead the Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR).
• RBI Deputy Governor Realignment: Shirish Chandra Murmu took charge as Deputy Governor for a 3-year term, overseeing Regulation, Enforcement, and Communication.
• EPL Brand Ambassador: Indian Cricketer Sanju Samson was appointed as the official English Premier League (EPL) Ambassador in India to boost football outreach.
• Mental Health Ambassador: Actor Deepika Padukone was appointed by the MoHFW as the Mental Health Ambassador during the launch of new Tele-MANAS digital features.

Nobels & Global Honors

• Nobel Peace Prize 2025: Awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for her peaceful democratic transition efforts, making her the first Venezuelan recipient of the prize.

Books, Days & Obituaries

• Book Launch: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy launched "Maine Cancer Ko Jeet Liya" (I am a Cancer Survivor), authored by Dr. Palakonda Vijay Anand Reddy. The book documents 108 stories of resilient cancer survivors.
• Obituary: T.T. Jagannathan (Age 82), the Chairman Emeritus of TTK Prestige Ltd. passed away in Bengaluru. Revered as "The Kitchen Mogul", he invented the revolutionary Gasket Release System safety mechanism for pressure cookers.
• World Migratory Bird Day 2025 (October 11): Observed under the theme "Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities".
• World Mental Health Day 2025 (October 10): Observed with the global focus theme: "Access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies".