Daily Current Affairs- 10th October 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 10th October 2025

Indian Army Launches Indigenous ‘SAKSHAM’ Anti-Drone Grid

In the News: The Indian Army launched its indigenous ‘SAKSHAM’ Anti-Drone Grid, a cutting-edge defence system designed to detect, track, and neutralize hostile drones. The system represents a major step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in military technology and counter-drone warfare.

Key Points:

• System Launch: The Indian Army officially deployed the indigenous SAKSHAM Anti-Drone Grid to strengthen security along sensitive border zones and key defence installations.
• Objective & Purpose: The system aims to protect military bases, airfields, and operational zones from drone-borne threats such as surveillance, weaponized payloads, and smuggling.
• Indigenous Innovation: Developed in collaboration with Indian startups and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), SAKSHAM integrates advanced radar, electro-optical sensors, and AI-based analytics for real-time threat detection.
• Technological Capabilities: The grid features multiple layers of security, combining jamming, laser-based neutralization, and kinetic interception to disable or destroy incoming drones.
• Operational Deployment: The system has been deployed in critical forward areas and tested under diverse operational environments, ensuring high reliability and precision in mountainous and urban terrains.
• Alignment with National Vision: The launch aligns with the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Defence India Startup Challenge’ initiatives, emphasizing indigenous R&D and defence manufacturing self-sufficiency.

Sherry Singh Wins India’s First Mrs Universe Crown

In the News: Sherry Singh made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the prestigious Mrs Universe 2025 title at the global pageant held in Manila, Philippines. Her victory marks a significant milestone for India in the field of international beauty and empowerment platforms.

Key Points:

• Historic Win: Sherry Singh became the first Indian to be crowned Mrs Universe 2025, surpassing contestants from over 80 countries. The event celebrated women’s empowerment, leadership, and cultural diversity.
• Venue & Event Details: The grand finale took place in Manila, Philippines, where participants showcased their commitment to social causes alongside grace and intellect.
• Representation & Advocacy: Sherry Singh represented India with her campaign focused on women’s self-reliance and education, aligning with India’s broader push for gender equality and empowerment.
• Cultural Impact: Her traditional Indian attire and advocacy for cultural values earned widespread appreciation, highlighting India’s global presence in international forums.

Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025

In the News: The Government of India launched the ‘Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025’, a national innovation challenge aimed at developing digital solutions for governance, citizen services, and sustainable infrastructure. The initiative seeks to engage young innovators, startups, and students in building technology-driven tools to accelerate India’s journey toward becoming a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.

Key Points:

• Launch & Objective: The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 was launched under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to promote innovation in public service delivery and digital governance.
• Participation: The Buildathon invites participation from students, startups, and technology professionals across India to design scalable digital solutions for sectors such as health, education, urban planning, and environment.
• Focus Areas: Key themes include AI for Good Governance, Green Technology for Sustainable Growth, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and Inclusive Tech for Rural Empowerment.
• Collaborating Partners: The initiative is being conducted in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), MyGov, and leading academic institutions like IITs and NITs.
• Incentives & Recognition: Winning teams will receive government incubation support, mentorship from industry experts, and opportunities to pilot their innovations in government programs.
• Empowering Youth: The Buildathon embodies the ‘Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat’ vision, encouraging young minds to contribute directly to national development through innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Strategic Alignment: The initiative supports India’s Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat missions, fostering homegrown technology solutions for the public sector.

Global Fintech Fest 2025 Kicks Off in Mumbai by PM Address

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025 in Mumbai, highlighting India’s leadership in digital innovation and financial inclusion. The event, organized under the theme “Fintech for a Viksit Bharat and Inclusive Global Growth,” brought together global leaders, investors, regulators, and innovators to discuss the future of technology-driven finance and sustainable economic development.

Key Points:

• Event Launch: Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Global Fintech Fest 2025 in Mumbai, emphasizing that India has become a global hub of digital public infrastructure, driving innovation in financial inclusion, payments, and digital identity systems. The Prime Minister outlined India’s role in shaping the global digital economy through scalable fintech solutions like UPI, Aadhaar, and ONDC.
• Theme and Vision: The central theme, “Fintech for a Viksit Bharat and Inclusive Global Growth,” reflects India’s dual objective of promoting domestic digital transformation while enabling technology-led financial empowerment across developing economies. PM Modi underscored fintech’s power in bridging the financial divide and advancing sustainable growth.
• Global Participation: The event saw participation from over 120 countries, including key stakeholders from the World Bank, IMF, BIS, and leading fintech firms. Global CEOs, central bank governors, and startup founders engaged in sessions exploring cross-border payments, AI in finance, cybersecurity, and ESG-focused fintech innovation.
• India’s Digital Leadership: PM Modi praised initiatives such as UPI, Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and the Account Aggregator framework for revolutionizing access to financial services. He highlighted India’s progress in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which is now being adopted as a model by several nations.Policy Announcements: The Prime Minister announced India’s intent to deepen global partnerships in digital payments and fintech governance through the Global DPI Partnership Platform, promoting interoperability and shared innovation.

Maria Corina Machado Win Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Laureate

In the News: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 for her unwavering commitment to restoring democracy, defending human rights, and promoting nonviolent political reform in Venezuela. Her recognition underscores global acknowledgment of peaceful democratic resistance against authoritarian regimes.

Key Points:

• Award Announcement: The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to María Corina Machado for her courageous leadership in advocating democratic governance, transparency, and civil liberties amid political repression in Venezuela.
• Background and Leadership: Machado, a long-time pro-democracy activist and founder of the opposition movement Vente Venezuela, has been a central figure in mobilizing citizens toward peaceful democratic transition and institutional reform. Her leadership has inspired millions within Venezuela and the global diaspora
• Peaceful Resistance: The Committee commended Machado’s consistent advocacy for nonviolent resistance and inclusive dialogue as means to achieve political change, even under threats of imprisonment and disqualification from elections.
• International Recognition: Her Nobel Peace Prize places her among global icons of peaceful reform and civic courage. The award reaffirms the international community’s support for democratic values in Latin America and solidarity with those confronting political persecution
• .Impact on Venezuela: Machado’s recognition is expected to amplify international pressure for democratic reforms and humanitarian relief in Venezuela, where millions continue to face economic hardship and displacement.

India and Australia Sign Key Defence Agreements

In the News: India and Australia signed a series of key defence agreements in New Delhi to enhance military cooperation, joint training, and maritime security across the Indo-Pacific region. The accords mark a significant step forward in the growing strategic partnership between the two nations under their shared vision of maintaining a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Key Points:

• Strategic Agreements Signed: India and Australia concluded multiple defence cooperation agreements covering areas such as logistics support, joint research in advanced military technologies, and intelligence sharing. The pacts aim to strengthen interoperability between the Indian Armed Forces and the Australian Defence Force.
• Focus on Maritime Security: Both sides emphasized enhanced collaboration in the Indian Ocean Region, including coordinated patrols, information exchange, and joint naval exercises under the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
• Technology and Defence Innovation: The agreements include joint initiatives in defence manufacturing, cyber defence, and space security. Both nations agreed to co-develop advanced platforms through public–private partnerships and promote technology exchange between defence startups.
• High-Level Dialogue: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles co-chaired the bilateral talks, reaffirming their commitment to deepen operational cooperation through annual military dialogues and reciprocal training programs.
• Quad and Indo-Pacific Cooperation: The defence partnership aligns with the objectives of the Quad grouping (India, Australia, Japan, and the United States) to ensure regional stability, freedom of navigation, and deterrence against coercive maritime actions.
• Joint Exercises and Training: The nations agreed to expand the scale of joint exercises such as AUSINDEX (naval), Pitch Black (air force), and MALABAR (multilateral maritime exercise), while introducing new tri-service drills.

India–UK Joint Statement 2025 Highlights Strategic Cooperation

In the News: India and the United Kingdom issued a Joint Statement following high-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in New Delhi. The statement reaffirmed the two nations’ commitment to deepen strategic cooperation across defence, trade, technology, and climate action, marking a new phase in the India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Key Points:

• Strategic Dialogue: The joint statement underscored the shared vision of India and the UK to advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Both leaders emphasized rule-based global order, maritime security, and counterterrorism cooperation as key pillars of their engagement.
• Trade and Economic Cooperation: The leaders reiterated their commitment to swiftly conclude the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), focusing on market access, services, and investment facilitation. Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in digital trade, innovation ecosystems, and supply-chain resilience.
• Defence and Security Partnership: A major highlight was the decision to enhance defence collaboration through joint military exercises, technology transfers, and co-development of next-generation defence platforms. The statement reaffirmed cooperation in maritime domain awareness, space security, and cybersecurity.
• Technology and Innovation: Both countries pledged to collaborate on semiconductors, quantum computing, AI governance, and digital public infrastructure to foster innovation-led growth. The UK expressed strong interest in partnering with India’s Digital India and IndiaAI initiatives.
• Climate and Clean Energy Goals: The statement reinforced shared commitments under the Green Growth Partnership, focusing on renewable energy investments, green hydrogen, and sustainable urban mobility. India and the UK announced new joint R&D programs for clean-tech solutions and carbon reduction.
• People-to-People Ties: Both governments agreed to streamline mobility arrangements for students, professionals, and researchers. A new Young Innovators Exchange Program will promote educational collaboration between leading universities.

THE World University Rankings 2026: Look At A Glance

In the News: The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 were released, showcasing global excellence in higher education across 108 countries and regions. The rankings assessed over 2,000 institutions, marking the most comprehensive edition to date, with a focus on research quality, teaching standards, and international collaboration.

Key Points:

• Ranking Overview: The 2026 edition of the THE World University Rankings featured a record 2,000+ universities, evaluated using 18 performance indicators under five core areas — teaching, research quality, citations, industry engagement, and international outlook.
• Global Leaders: The University of Oxford retained its top position globally for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Stanford University and Harvard University. The rankings reaffirmed the dominance of UK and US institutions among the world’s top ten
• India’s Performance: India continued its upward trajectory with over 90 universities listed in the rankings — the highest representation ever. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru remained India’s top-ranked institution, featuring among the global top 200, recognized for its exceptional research influence and international partnerships.
• Notable Indian Entries: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Delhi, Bombay, Madras, and Roorkee significantly improved their positions, particularly in research quality and industry collaboration metrics. Several state and private universities also made strong gains in teaching and innovation parameters.
• Asia’s Presence: China, Japan, and Singapore continued to strengthen their academic presence, with Tsinghua University and National University of Singapore (NUS) ranking among the world’s top 20, highlighting Asia’s growing leadership in global education.
• New Methodology: The 2026 rankings incorporated an updated framework that placed greater emphasis on research environment, societal impact, and international knowledge exchange, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Policy Significance: The improved performance of Indian universities was attributed to recent reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, enhanced global collaborations, and increased research funding through initiatives such as PM Research Fellows (PMRF) and SPARC.

India Launched National Red List to Biodiversity Conservation Till 2030

In the News: India launched the National Red List for Biodiversity Conservation till 2030, a landmark initiative aimed at assessing, monitoring, and protecting the country’s threatened species. The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to strengthen India’s conservation policy framework and align with global biodiversity targets under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Key Points:

• Initiative Launch: The National Red List for Biodiversity Conservation till 2030 was officially unveiled by the MoEFCC to provide a comprehensive national inventory of species facing extinction threats. It represents India’s first centralized and science-based assessment system for flora and fauna.
• Objective: The primary goal of the Red List is to identify, classify, and monitor endangered, vulnerable, and near-threatened species across ecosystems. The initiative will guide conservation planning, funding priorities, and habitat restoration measures over the next five years.
• Collaborating Agencies: The effort is being jointly implemented by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Botanical Survey of India (BSI), and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) with technical assistance from the IUCN.
• Scope and Coverage: The Red List will initially cover more than 25,000 species of plants and animals across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, creating a dynamic database for conservation monitoring at the national and state levels
•  Integration with Global Goals: The launch aligns with India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which aims to halt biodiversity loss and restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.

World Mental Health Day 2025: Theme, History, and Importance

In the News: The world observed World Mental Health Day with the theme “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right”, emphasizing global recognition of mental well-being as an essential component of public health and human dignity. The observance, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), aimed to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote equitable access to mental health care for all.

Key Points:

• Theme and Focus: The 2025 theme, “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,” highlights the moral and social responsibility of governments, institutions, and individuals to ensure that every person has access to quality mental health care without discrimination or neglect.
• Historical Background: World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992, initiated by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and supported by the WHO. Since then, it has evolved into a global movement advocating for mental well-being, policy reform, and increased investment in mental health systems.
• Objective: The day aims to create public awareness about mental health issues, encourage open conversations, and promote early intervention and community support systems to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
• Global Participation: Events and campaigns were organized across over 150 countries, featuring mental health workshops, digital campaigns, and public forums. Educational institutions, workplaces, and NGOs collaborated to host awareness drives emphasizing emotional resilience, workplace well-being, and youth mental health.
• WHO Initiatives: The WHO reinforced its commitment to scaling up the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030, which focuses on integrating mental health into primary healthcare and expanding digital access to counseling services, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
• India’s Observance: In India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), organized nationwide programs promoting emotional well-being in schools and workplaces. Campaigns like “Mind Matters” encouraged citizens to prioritize self-care and seek help when needed.