🇮🇳 National News
A milestone for India’s technology sector — the Semiconductor Innovation Museum was inaugurated in Hyderabad by the Technology Chip Innovation Program (T-Chip).
This first-of-its-kind museum in India aims to:
- Encourage public participation
- Strengthen industry-academia collaboration
- Advance awareness within the semiconductor and electronics ecosystem
On World Mental Health Day (October 10, 2025), Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda unveiled new features under the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS).
New Features:
- Multi-lingual UI in 10 regional languages — Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, and Punjabi (plus English & Hindi)
- Accessibility features for visually impaired users
- Chatbot named ‘Asmi’ for mental health queries
- Emergency response module for crisis assistance
Exercise Konkan 2025 was conducted off India’s western coast from October 5–9, 2025, marking the first-ever Combined Carrier Strike Group (CSG) exercise between India and UK.
| Country | Aircraft Carrier | Class/Details |
|---|---|---|
| India | INS Vikrant | Indigenous |
| UK | HMS Prince of Wales | 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth-class |
Allied participants: Norway and Japan. HMS Richmond (Royal Navy frigate) docked at Mumbai Port.
Key Activities: Air combat missions, anti-submarine warfare, coordinated surveillance, fleet defence, maritime interdiction operations.
Initiated in 2004, Exercise Konkan is held biennially to boost interoperability. The 2025 edition showcased joint tactical proficiency and blue-water capabilities.
Laapataa Ladies emerged as the biggest winner, securing 13 awards.
| Category | Winner(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Best Film | — | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Director | Kiran Rao | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Actor (Male) | Abhishek Bachchan, Kartik Aaryan | I Want To Talk, Chandu Champion |
| Best Actor (Female) | Alia Bhatt | Jigra |
| Critics’ Best Actor (Male) | Rajkummar Rao | Srikanth |
| Critics’ Best Actor (Female) | Pratibha Rannta | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Supporting Actor (Male) | Ravi Kishan | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Supporting Actor (Female) | Chhaya Kadam | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Debut Actor (Male) | Lakshya | Kill |
| Best Debut Actor (Female) | Nitanshi Goel | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Music Album | Ram Sampath | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Playback Singer (Male) | Arijit Singh | Laapataa Ladies |
| Best Playback Singer (Female) | Madhubanti Bagchi | Stree 2 |
| Lifetime Achievement | Zeenat Aman, Shyam Benegal (Posthumous) | |
Kill dominated technical categories — winning Action, Editing, Cinematography, Sound Design, and Production Design.
💼 Business & Economy
HDFC Bank unveiled ‘My Business QR’ at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025 — India’s first commerce identity QR.
- Designed to assist small retailers in transitioning from offline to online platforms
- Joint effort between HDFC Bank and Vyaparify
- Integrated within the SmartHub Vyapar merchant app
- Currently supports over 2 million merchants across India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated guidelines on Merchanting Trade Transactions (MTT) for enhanced operational flexibility.
| Parameter | Previous | Revised |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Exchange Outlay Period | 4 months | 6 months |
| Overall Transaction Completion | 9 months | 9 months (unchanged) |
Issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of FEMA, 1999. Changes effective immediately.
Merchanting trade refers to cases where Indian traders buy goods from foreign sellers and resell to foreign buyers without goods physically entering India.
🌐 International News
Pakistan successfully carried out a training launch of its newly inducted Fatah-4 ground-launched cruise missile.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Range | 750 km |
| Origin | Indigenously developed |
| Launch Platform | Transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicles |
| Navigation | GPS + Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) |
Improves mobility and rapid deployment with high targeting precision.
👔 Appointments
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has promoted Smt. Sonali Sen Gupta to the position of Executive Director (ED) effective October 9, 2025.
Previous Role: Regional Director for Karnataka at RBI’s Bangalore Regional Office.
Experience: Over 30 years in Financial Inclusion, HRM, Banking Regulation, and Supervision.
Key Representations:
- G20’s Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI)
- OECD’s International Network on Financial Education (INFE)
- Director on Board of NCFE
- RBI’s Nominee Director on Indian Overseas Bank Board
Consumer Education and Protection Department, Financial Inclusion and Development Department, and Inspection Department.
🔬 Science & Technology
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is preparing for the first flight test of the ‘Dhvani’ hypersonic missile by end of 2025.
This will make India part of an elite group — the U.S., Russia, and China — with hypersonic weapon technology.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) |
| Speed | Beyond Mach 6 (~7,400 km/h) |
| Range | 6,000–10,000 km |
| Dimensions | ~9m long × 5m wide |
| Design | Blended wing-body |
Speed is nearly double that of BrahMos. Range is almost twice that of Agni-V ICBM.
📅 Important Days
World Arthritis Day is observed on October 12 every year to raise awareness about joint-related conditions.
2025 Theme: “Achieve Your Dreams”
- Established by the Arthritis Foundation
- Term originates from Greek — “arthro” (joint) + “itis” (inflammation)
- Evidence suggests arthritis existed as early as 4500 B.C., even affecting dinosaurs
- William Musgrave first classified it in his 1715 book “De Arthritide Symptomatica”
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is observed annually on October 13.
2025 Theme: “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters”
The day highlights global progress in reducing disaster risks, saving lives, and protecting economies and health systems.
Originally known as “International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction”. On December 21, 2009, the UN changed the date to October 13 and renamed it to better reflect its broader focus.
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