1.
During the State Visit of the President of the Swiss Confederation to India, the two sides signed an MoU on a Migration and Mobility Partnership, providing multiple-entry visas of up to five years, and an agreement on exchanging young professionals: 300 a year from each country, which may rise to 500.
Key facts
- Occasion: State Visit of the President of the Swiss Confederation to India (Oct 2026)
- Migration & Mobility MoU: multiple-entry visas up to 5 years, stays up to 6 months per visit
- Young Professionals agreement: 300 persons per country per year, may increase to 500
Why it matters for exams: Bilateral agreements with European partners are a steady source of international relations questions.
Practice MCQ
Under the India-Switzerland Young Professionals agreement (Oct 2026), how many persons per country can be exchanged annually at the start?
- (A) 100
- (B) 200
- (C) 300
- (D) 500
Show answer
Answer: (C) 300. The agreement provides for 300 persons annually per country, which may increase to 500 (PIB, List of Outcomes, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Prime Minister's Office (Release ID 2319109), 5 October 2026
2.
The India-UAE joint military exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 began at the Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, on 5 October and runs till 18 October 2026. It focuses on mountain warfare with 92 personnel, equally from both armies; the Indian side is from a Bhairav Battalion.
Key facts
- Exercise: Mountain Guardian 2026 (India-UAE)
- Venue: Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia, Uttarakhand; 5-18 Oct 2026
- Focus: mountain warfare; 92 personnel; Indian contingent from a Bhairav Battalion
Why it matters for exams: Exercise name-partner-venue triplets are asked in almost every defence question set.
Practice MCQ
Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026 is a joint military exercise between India and which country?
- (A) Oman
- (B) Saudi Arabia
- (C) UAE
- (D) Qatar
Show answer
Answer: (C) UAE. Mountain Guardian is the India-UAE joint military exercise; the 2026 edition is at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand (PIB, MoD, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Defence (Release ID 2319135), 5 October 2026
3.
KJP21, a 32-month-old Indian-born female cheetah, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park on 5 October 2026, taking India's cheetah population to 60, including 41 born in India. She is the third Indian-born female to give birth, after Mukhi and KGP12.
Key facts
- Mother: KJP21, Indian-born, 32 months old; five cubs at Kuno National Park
- India's cheetah population: 60, of which 41 are Indian-born
- Third Indian-born female to give birth (after Mukhi and KGP12)
Why it matters for exams: Project Cheetah numbers are updated often and asked in environment questions.
Practice MCQ
After KJP21's litter in October 2026, what is India's total cheetah population?
- (A) 41
- (B) 52
- (C) 60
- (D) 75
Show answer
Answer: (C) 60. The total rose to 60, including 41 Indian-born cheetahs (PIB, MoEFCC, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Release ID 2319097), 5 October 2026
4.
India and Japan launched the Operational Manual for their Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in New Delhi on 30 September 2026. The JCM, set up under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, aims to bring low-carbon technology and climate finance to India and generate high-integrity emission reductions.
Key facts
- Mechanism: India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement
- Operational Manual launched on 30 Sep 2026, New Delhi
- Earlier steps: Memorandum of Cooperation (7 Aug 2025), Rules of Implementation (8 Jun 2026)
Why it matters for exams: Carbon markets and Paris Agreement articles are asked in environment and economy papers.
Practice MCQ
The India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism operates under which article of the Paris Agreement?
- (A) Article 2
- (B) Article 4
- (C) Article 6.2
- (D) Article 9
Show answer
Answer: (C) Article 6.2. The JCM is bilateral cooperation under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement (PIB, MoEFCC, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Release ID 2319373), 5 October 2026
5.
The President of India appointed three High Court Chief Justices as Judges of the Supreme Court: Justice Sunita Agarwal (Chief Justice, Gujarat HC), Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya (Chief Justice, Delhi HC) and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh (Chief Justice, Telangana HC).
Key facts
- Justice Sunita Agarwal: Chief Justice, Gujarat High Court
- Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya: Chief Justice, Delhi High Court
- Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh: Chief Justice, Telangana High Court
Why it matters for exams: Supreme Court appointments are asked in polity and appointments questions; the President appoints SC judges under Article 124.
Practice MCQ
Justice Sunita Agarwal, appointed a Supreme Court Judge in October 2026, was Chief Justice of which High Court?
- (A) Allahabad
- (B) Delhi
- (C) Gujarat
- (D) Telangana
Show answer
Answer: (C) Gujarat. Justice Sunita Agarwal was Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court (PIB, Ministry of Law and Justice, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Law and Justice (Release ID 2319337), 5 October 2026
6.
DoT's Sanchar Saathi portal has been visited more than 30 crore times since its launch in May 2023. Citizen reports on the portal also feed the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, which has helped prevent suspected cyber-fraud losses of over Rs 5,000 crore.
Key facts
- Portal: Sanchar Saathi (sancharsaathi.gov.in), Department of Telecommunications
- Milestone: over 30 crore visits since launch in May 2023
- Linked tool: Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI); suspected losses of over Rs 5,000 crore prevented
Why it matters for exams: Cyber-fraud tools of DoT and RBI are increasingly asked in banking awareness.
Practice MCQ
The Sanchar Saathi portal, which crossed 30 crore visits in October 2026, was developed by which department?
- (A) MeitY
- (B) Department of Telecommunications
- (C) CERT-In
- (D) Department of Financial Services
Show answer
Answer: (B) Department of Telecommunications. Sanchar Saathi was developed by the Department of Telecommunications (PIB, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Communications (Release ID 2319087), 5 October 2026
7.
A barge carrying 540 tonnes of methanol made by Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd left Bogibeel Terminal, Dibrugarh, for Pangaon Port in Dhaka on 5 October 2026, the first cargo from upper Assam to a foreign port since 1947. It travels about 768 km on National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra) and then the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
Key facts
- Cargo: 540 MT methanol from Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (Namrup), on barge DLB Patkai
- Route: Bogibeel Terminal, Dibrugarh -> NW-2 (Brahmaputra, ~768 km) -> Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route -> Pangaon Port, Dhaka
- First cargo from upper Assam to a foreign port since Independence
Why it matters for exams: National Waterways numbering (NW-2 = Brahmaputra) and the IBP Route are classic static-plus-current questions.
Practice MCQ
The first international cargo from Dibrugarh (October 2026) travelled on which National Waterway?
- (A) NW-1
- (B) NW-2
- (C) NW-3
- (D) NW-16
Show answer
Answer: (B) NW-2. The vessel travels about 768 km down National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra (PIB, MoPSW, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (Release ID 2319146), 5 October 2026
8.
The Technology Development Board (DST) signed an agreement with BigEndian Semiconductors, Bengaluru, for Rs 130 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. Project VeerAI, costing Rs 260 crore, will develop a camera-focused AI Vision System-on-Chip, taking it from TRL-5 to TRL-9.
Key facts
- Support: Rs 130 crore from TDB-DST under the RDI Fund, as optionally convertible debt
- Project: VeerAI (total cost Rs 260 crore), AI Vision System-on-Chip for surveillance/CCTV
- Goal: Technology Readiness Level 5 -> 9
Why it matters for exams: RDI Fund deals and semiconductor projects are new, frequently-tested science and economy items.
Practice MCQ
Project VeerAI, supported by TDB in October 2026, aims to develop what?
- (A) A quantum computer
- (B) An AI Vision System-on-Chip
- (C) A satellite launcher
- (D) A 6G modem
Show answer
Answer: (B) An AI Vision System-on-Chip. Project VeerAI by BigEndian Semiconductors will develop a camera-focused AI Vision SoC (PIB, DST, 5 Oct 2026).
Source: PIB - Ministry of Science & Technology (Release ID 2319038), 5 October 2026
