Daily GK 29th October 2025

Daily Current Affairs 29th October 2025: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation

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This post contains the daily current affairs 29th October 2025. It includes all National, International, Business & Sports related to Current Affairs 29th October 2025. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these Current Affairs, we would recommend you to try 29th October, 2025 Current affairs test.

BUSINESS NEWS

Paytm Launches UPI Service for NRIs Across 12 Countries

Paytm has unveiled a new feature allowing Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from 12 countries to make UPI payments in India using their international mobile numbers.
This eliminates the necessity of possessing an Indian SIM card, as the service is linked directly to NRE (Non-Resident External) or NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) bank accounts.
NRIs can now transfer funds, pay merchants via QR codes, and shop on Indian e-commerce platforms without dealing with foreign exchange conversion or international payment gateways.
Powered by NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), this service ensures instant fund transfers to UPI IDs or mobile numbers, bypassing delays in remittance and foreign exchange charges.
The facility is currently accessible in Singapore, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, France, and Malaysia, with expansion plans underway.
The updated Paytm app also provides enhanced tools such as UPI statements, AI-driven expense tracking (Paytm Playback), customizable privacy settings for payments, and a unified view of multiple accounts.

NATIONAL NEWS

Amit Shah Inaugurates India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, stressing that India’s maritime strategy is built on safety, stability, and self-reliance.
He noted that recent structural reforms have strengthened India’s position as a global maritime power.
India’s 7,500 km coastline, 13 coastal states and UTs, and a 7 lakh sq. km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) provide significant maritime advantages.
Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, mentioned that the event has evolved into one of the world’s premier maritime summits, featuring participation from 85 nations, 500+ exhibitors, and 40 thematic forums under the slogan “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision.”
Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, announced the creation of Vadhavan Port, set to become India’s largest and rank among the top 10 ports globally, further strengthening India’s maritime capabilities.

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) Grants ₹55 Lakh to Red Sanders Farmers in Tamil Nadu

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has provided ₹55 lakh to 18 farmers cultivating Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) in Tamil Nadu under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
This financial support was distributed via the Tamil Nadu State Biodiversity Board to farmers from eight villages in Tiruvallur district — Kannabhiran Nagar, Kothur, Vembedu, Siruniyum, Goonipalayam, Ammambakkam, Alikuzhi, and Thimmaboopola Puram.
This marks the first-ever direct benefit-sharing initiative recognizing and rewarding farmers/cultivators, promoting inclusive biodiversity conservation.
Earlier, the NBA had released ₹48 crore to the Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Forest Departments and the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board for Red Sanders protection efforts.
The initiative aligns with recommendations from the 2015 Expert Committee on Red Sanders, which established a policy framework for conservation, sustainable utilization, and fair benefit-sharing of this rare species.

Union Cabinet Approves Terms of Reference for 8th Central Pay Commission

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sanctioned the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC).
The commission will include one Chairperson, one Part-Time Member, and one Member-Secretary, and will function as a temporary body.
It is mandated to submit its final recommendations within 18 months of its formation, with provisions to deliver interim reports on priority issues.
The Central Pay Commissions are set up periodically to review and recommend revisions in salaries, pensions, and service conditions for Central Government employees.
Historically, the Pay Commission recommendations are executed roughly every ten years.
The 8th CPC’s implementation is expected to come into effect from January 1, 2026.
The government had previously announced the formation of the 8th CPC in January 2025, to overhaul salary structures and benefits for Central Government personnel.

PM Narendra Modi Virtually Attends the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit in Kuala Lumpur

The 22nd ASEAN-India Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined virtually alongside other ASEAN leaders.
The summit assessed the progress of ASEAN-India relations and deliberated on new measures to enhance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
This marked Modi’s 12th participation in the ASEAN-India Summit.
He extended congratulations to Timor Leste, which participated as the 11th full member of ASEAN, reaffirming India’s support for its developmental goals.
PM Modi reiterated India’s backing for ASEAN Unity, Centrality, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, while commending ASEAN for adopting its Community Vision 2045.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

United States and Japan Sign Landmark Deals on Trade and Critical Minerals

S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have signed two pivotal agreements in Tokyo, focusing on trade and critical minerals cooperation.
The first deal introduces a 15% tariff on Japanese exports, matched by a USD 550 billion Japanese investment into the United States.
The second agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in mining and processing rare-earth and critical minerals, ensuring a secure supply chain for materials vital to advanced technologies and electronics.
The partnership is aimed at boosting supply chain resilience for strategic resources.
Japan is the second destination on President Trump’s five-day Asia tour, following Malaysia, where he participated in the 47th ASEAN Summit and attended the Cambodia–Thailand peace agreement signing.

IUCN Lists Western Ghats, Manas, and Sundarbans Among Asia’s Threatened Heritage Sites

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized India’s Western Ghats, Manas National Park (Assam), and Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) among Asia’s ailing natural World Heritage sites (excluding Arab nations).
Manas and Sundarbans were assessed as having a “significant concern” conservation status due to major ecological threats.
Only Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) achieved a “good”
Four other Indian sites — The Great Himalayan National Park, Kaziranga, Keoladeo, and Nanda Devi–Valley of Flowers — received “good with some concerns”
Across Asia, merely 17% of heritage sites were rated “good,” while 30% faced significant concern.
The report identified climate change as the greatest threat, surpassing poaching, tourism, and invasive species.
The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is the only global assessment that evaluates all natural and mixed World Heritage sites every 3–5 years.

AWARDS & HONOURS

Vajra Chandrasekera Wins 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction

Sri Lankan author Vajra Chandrasekera has received the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction for his speculative novel “Rakesfall.”
The USD 25,000 award honors writers whose imaginative works explore power, equity, freedom, and humanity’s role in the world.
The judging panel hailed Rakesfall as “an extraordinary feat in science fiction,” establishing Chandrasekera among the most promising global voices in speculative literature.

DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Navy to Commission Its Third Indigenous Survey Vessel ‘Ikshak’

The Indian Navy will formally commission ‘Ikshak’, the third indigenously built Survey Vessel (Large), on November 6, 2025, at Naval Base Kochi.
The commissioning ceremony will be led by Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of Naval Staff.
The vessel, constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata, signifies a milestone in indigenous shipbuilding and the Navy’s push for self-reliance.
The project was developed under the guidance of the Directorate of Ship Production and Warship Overseeing Team (Kolkata).

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI Approves Reappointment of C.S. Rajan as Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Part-Time Chairman

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the reappointment of C.S. Rajan as Part-Time Chairman of Kotak Mahindra Bank for the term January 1, 2026 – October 21, 2027.
Rajan has held the position since January 2024, after initially joining the board as an Independent Director in October 2022.
A 1978-batch IAS officer, he served as Chief Secretary of Rajasthan before retiring in 2016.
His career spans leadership roles in Energy, Highways, Water Resources, MSMEs, and Agriculture, with 14 years dedicated to rural development.
Rajan also held key roles as Deputy Chairman of the Rajasthan CM’s Advisory Council and Managing Director / Non-Executive Chairman of IL&FS until 2024.
He is currently an Independent Director on the Board of Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kotak Bank.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO Chief Announces 90% Completion of Gaganyaan Mission Development

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that about 90% of the work on India’s maiden human spaceflight mission – Gaganyaan – has been completed.
The mission includes vital components like human-rated rockets, orbital modules, life-support systems, crew escape mechanisms, and parachute modules.
The Vyommitra humanoid will participate in an uncrewed orbital mission before the final crewed Gaganyaan flight in 2027, carrying three Indian astronauts.
The first base module of the Bharatiya Antriksh Station is scheduled for launch by 2028, with the complete Indian Space Station expected by 2035.
Additionally, the NISAR Earth Observation Satellite payloads are expected to go operational within 10–15 days.

SPORTS NEWS

Indian Chess Grandmasters D Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh Strike Gold at European Chess Club Cup 2025

Indian chess prodigies D Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh captured individual gold medals at the European Chess Club Cup 2025.
Representing SuperChess, Gukesh won gold on Board 1, guiding his team to overall tournament victory.
The win is a major morale boost for Gukesh, the reigning World Chess Champion, following a period of fluctuating form in recent global competitions.

India Wins Double Gold in Kabaddi at 2025 Asian Youth Games

India demonstrated its dominance in Kabaddi by clinching gold medals in both boys’ and girls’ events at the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain.
Both U-18 Indian teams remained unbeaten, reinforcing India’s strong youth kabaddi ecosystem and contributing significantly to the country’s overall medal tally.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Animation Day 2025 – October 28

International Animation Day (IAD) is observed every year on October 28 across 50+ countries to celebrate the art of animation.
The event is coordinated by ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d’Animation).
The date commemorates Émile Reynaud’s 1892 screening at Théâtre Optique, Paris, recognized as the first-ever public showing of animated images.
Established by ASIFA in 2002, IAD promotes animation as an art form and a cultural medium.
It honors Reynaud’s pioneering contribution, which predated traditional film screenings and laid the foundation for modern animation cinema.

World Stroke Day 2025 – October 29

World Stroke Day is globally observed on October 29, 2025, under the initiative of the World Stroke Organization (WSO).
The theme for 2025 is “Every Minute Counts,” emphasizing the critical importance of timely action in stroke awareness, prevention, and treatment.