Current Affairs 16 October 2026

At a glance

the top events

The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.

Top events

1. 16 Oct — Orissa High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon flagged off two Mobile e-Sewa Vans with internet and video-conferencing so witnesses can record testimony remotely. They also support Mobile Lok Adalats.
2. 16 Oct — NIT Rourkela researchers got a patent for a technology that removes fluoride from water using zirconium-modified activated carbon from jackfruit peel, which removed 90 to 97% in lab tests.
3. 16 Oct — At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.
4. 16 Oct — Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated 101 new Shramik Annapurna centres across 28 districts on 16 October 2026. Under the Shramik Annapurna Yojana, eligible workers and their families get a meal for Rs 5.
5. 16 Oct — Maharashtra issued a government order on 16 October 2026 to close Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree after pending claims up to March 2027, and to replace it with the Lek Ladki Yojana for families with income up to Rs 1 lakh.
6. 16 Oct — In its women and child welfare revamp, Maharashtra is moving the Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Bal Sangopan Yojana to MahaDBT. It gives Rs 2,250 to eligible children needing alternative family care and Rs 250 to NGOs.
7. 16 Oct — The Assam Regiment of the Indian Army won a gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales, UK, a British Army patrol competition begun in 1959 with over 100 teams.
8. 16 Oct — With Sankoo made the 8th district, Ladakh also announced five new tehsils, Aryan Valley, Sodh, Phey, Thasgam and Himya, taking its total to 37 tehsils.

News by topic

Government & States

6 one-liners

International & Agreements

2 one-liners

Economy & Banking

3 one-liners

Science, Defence & Environment

4 one-liners

Sports, Days & Culture

3 one-liners

Government & States

6 one-liners

Policy · laws · schemes · states.

National

• 16 Oct — Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated 101 new Shramik Annapurna centres across 28 districts on 16 October 2026. Under the Shramik Annapurna Yojana, eligible workers and their families get a meal for Rs 5.
• 16 Oct — Maharashtra issued a government order on 16 October 2026 to close Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree after pending claims up to March 2027, and to replace it with the Lek Ladki Yojana for families with income up to Rs 1 lakh.
• 16 Oct — In its women and child welfare revamp, Maharashtra is moving the Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Bal Sangopan Yojana to MahaDBT. It gives Rs 2,250 to eligible children needing alternative family care and Rs 250 to NGOs.
• 16 Oct — With Sankoo made the 8th district, Ladakh also announced five new tehsils, Aryan Valley, Sodh, Phey, Thasgam and Himya, taking its total to 37 tehsils.

States & UTs

• 16 Oct — Ladakh got its 8th district, Sankoo, carved out of Kargil. Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced it, with four tehsils including Sankoo and Taisuru.
• 16 Oct — Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma announced 11 new chapters of the Rajasthan Foundation: six in India (Raipur, Lucknow, Patna, Siliguri, Panaji, Visakhapatnam) and five abroad (San Francisco, Zurich, Milan, Dublin, and a Nordic chapter in Stockholm).

International & Agreements

2 one-liners

World · summits · MoUs · exercises.

International

• 16 Oct — At the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Pakistan was named chair of the Boards of Governors of both institutions for 2027, for the first time since 1953.

Summits, Agreements & Exercises

• 16 Oct — India approved the rollover of a Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion) currency swap facility for the Maldives under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework, announced by the High Commission in Male.

Economy & Banking

3 one-liners

RBI · markets · trade · reports.

Economy & Banking

• 16 Oct — India's forex reserves fell by US$5.011 billion to US$721.016 billion in the week ended 16 October 2026; foreign currency assets stood near US$591.8 billion and gold near US$105.8 billion.
• 16 Oct — Uttar Pradesh is putting up five Doppler weather radars at Azamgarh, Lucknow, Jhansi, Aligarh and Varanasi for ₹22.45 crore. Those at Azamgarh and Varanasi are installed, and the rest are under way.
• 16 Oct — Yash Fans and Appliances began work on a ₹152.74 crore fan and kitchen-appliance factory at Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in the presence of CM Vishnu Deo Sai. It should create about 3,500 jobs.

Science, Defence & Environment

4 one-liners

Space · tech · forces · ecology.

Science & Technology

• 16 Oct — Orissa High Court Chief Justice Harish Tandon flagged off two Mobile e-Sewa Vans with internet and video-conferencing so witnesses can record testimony remotely. They also support Mobile Lok Adalats.
• 16 Oct — NIT Rourkela researchers got a patent for a technology that removes fluoride from water using zirconium-modified activated carbon from jackfruit peel, which removed 90 to 97% in lab tests.

Defence & Security

• 16 Oct — Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan commissioned INS Samarthak, the Navy's first indigenous multi-purpose vessel, at Karwar. It was built by L&T at Kattupalli and has over 75% indigenous content.
• 16 Oct — The Assam Regiment of the Indian Army won a gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales, UK, a British Army patrol competition begun in 1959 with over 100 teams.

Sports, Days & Culture

3 one-liners

Results · important days · heritage.

Sports

• 16 Oct — At Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.

Important Days

• 16 Oct — World Food Day on 16 October 2026 marked the 81st anniversary of the FAO with the theme "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow." The global event was held in Rome.
• 16 Oct — Veerapandiya Kattabomman, the Palayakkarar of Panchalankurichi who refused to pay tribute to the British, is remembered on 16 October. He was hanged at Kayathar in 1799.

Quick quiz

test yourself

Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.

Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards

At _____, Bhubaneswar, Odisha gave Rs 5.61 crore to India's gold-winning Asian Games men's and women's hockey teams, plus Rs 20 lakh each to Odisha's Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo.

Kalinga Stadium

The _____ of the Indian Army won a gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales, UK, a British Army patrol competition begun in 1959 with over 100 teams.

Assam Regiment

India's forex reserves fell by _____ to US$721.016 billion in the week ended 16 October 2026; foreign currency assets stood near US$591.8 billion and gold near US$105.8 billion.

US$5.011 billion

Vice-President _____ commissioned INS Samarthak, the Navy's first indigenous multi-purpose vessel, at Karwar. It was built by L&T at Kattupalli and has over 75% indigenous content.

C. P. Radhakrishnan

Ladakh got its _____, carved out of Kargil. Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced it, with four tehsils including Sankoo and Taisuru.

8th district, Sankoo

_____ on 16 October 2026 marked the 81st anniversary of the FAO with the theme "Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow." The global event was held in Rome.

World Food Day

At the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in _____, Pakistan was named chair of the Boards of Governors of both institutions for 2027, for the first time since 1953.

Bangkok

Rajasthan CM _____ announced 11 new chapters of the Rajasthan Foundation: six in India (Raipur, Lucknow, Patna, Siliguri, Panaji, Visakhapatnam) and five abroad (San Francisco, Zurich, Milan, Dublin, and a Nordic chapter in Stockholm).

Bhajan Lal Sharma

Uttar Pradesh is putting up five _____ at Azamgarh, Lucknow, Jhansi, Aligarh and Varanasi for ₹22.45 crore. Those at Azamgarh and Varanasi are installed, and the rest are under way.

Doppler weather radars

Yash Fans and Appliances began work on a _____ fan and kitchen-appliance factory at Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in the presence of CM Vishnu Deo Sai. It should create about 3,500 jobs.

₹152.74 crore

MCQs

1. INS Samarthak, commissioned in October 2026, is the Navy's first indigenous ship of which type?

   1. Hydrographic survey vessel
   2. Multi-purpose vessel
   3. Fleet tanker
   4. Landing platform dock
   Show answer

   Answer: Multi-purpose vessel — INS Samarthak is a multi-purpose vessel built by L&T at Kattupalli, with over 75% indigenous content.

2. Odisha gave a special reward of Rs 20 lakh each to which of these hockey players from Sundargarh?

   1. Harmanpreet Singh
   2. Amit Rohidas
   3. Mandeep Singh
   4. Hardik Singh
   Show answer

   Answer: Amit Rohidas — Amit Rohidas, Shilanand Lakra and Sunelita Toppo received Rs 20 lakh each along with the general rewards.

3. NIT Rourkela researchers patented a fluoride-removal technology made from which waste material?

   1. Rice husk
   2. Coconut shell
   3. Jackfruit peel
   4. Sugarcane bagasse
   Show answer

   Answer: Jackfruit peel — Zirconium-modified activated carbon from jackfruit peel removed 90 to 97% of fluoride in lab tests.

4. Which unit of the Indian Army won gold at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales?

   1. Assam Regiment
   2. Gorkha Rifles
   3. Rajputana Rifles
   4. Maratha Light Infantry
   Show answer

   Answer: Assam Regiment — The Assam Regiment won gold in the British Army's Cambrian Patrol, which began in 1959.

5. How many tehsils does Ladakh have after five new tehsils were announced alongside Sankoo district?

   1. 37
   2. 32
   3. 27
   4. 42
   Show answer

   Answer: 37 — The new tehsils are Aryan Valley, Sodh, Phey, Thasgam and Himya, bringing the total to 37.

6. What is the total cost of the five Doppler weather radars planned in Uttar Pradesh?

   1. ₹12.45 crore
   2. ₹32.10 crore
   3. ₹22.45 crore
   4. ₹50 crore
   Show answer

   Answer: ₹22.45 crore — The ₹22.45 crore project covers Azamgarh, Lucknow, Jhansi, Aligarh and Varanasi.

7. Which scheme replaces Maharashtra's Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree after pending claims are settled?

   1. Lek Ladki Yojana
   2. Ladki Bahin Yojana
   3. Beti Bachao Yojana
   4. Kanya Sumangala Yojana
   Show answer

   Answer: Lek Ladki Yojana — The Lek Ladki Yojana replaces Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree, which closes after claims up to March 2027.

8. The first exercise "Mountain Guardian 2026" at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, was held between India and which country?

   1. UAE
   2. Saudi Arabia
   3. Oman
   4. Egypt
   Show answer

   Answer: UAE — It was the inaugural high-altitude exercise between the Indian Army and the UAE Army, held from 5 to 18 October 2026.

9. Which Indian athlete won the men's 400 m T64 gold at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a world record of 52.28 seconds?

   1. Sandeep Kumar
   2. Haney
   3. Sumit Antil
   4. Nishad Kumar
   Show answer

   Answer: Sandeep Kumar — Sandeep Kumar set a world record of 52.28 s in the men's 400 m T64.

10. The Ram Jalsetu Link Project, discussed at the Shekhawati Heritage and Development Summit in October 2026, belongs to which state?

    1. Haryana
    2. Rajasthan
    3. Gujarat
    4. Punjab
    Show answer

    Answer: Rajasthan — Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma said about Rs 41,000 crore of works under the roughly Rs 1 lakh crore Ram Jalsetu Link Project have already started.