NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Chennai Becomes First Indian City with Real-Time Flood Forecasting and Decision Support System: Chennai becomes the first Indian city to launch a fully operational Real-Time Flood Forecasting and Spatial Decision Support System (RTFF & SDSS), aimed at minimising flood damage and saving lives.The system, costing around Rs 107.2 crore, covers lakes, rivers, storm water drains, and the sea, providing river, tank, and street-level flood forecasts for vulnerable areas like Pulianthope, Nungambakkam, Velachery, and Mudichur.The RTFF & SDSS monitors an area of approximately 4,974 sq km, including Chennai and surrounding districts, focusing on major river sub-basins such as Adyar, Cooum, Kosasthalaiyar, and Kovalam Rivers.Equipped with Automatic Rain Gauges, Weather Stations, Water Level Recorders, and Gate Sensors, the system gathers high-resolution hydrometeorological data, funded by the World Bank and implemented by TNUIFSL.
2. PM Modi Unveils ‘Pratibha Setu’ to Harness UPSC Talent for Public and Private Sector Jobs: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Pratibha Setu Portal’ to connect UPSC candidates who reached the final stages but did not qualify with employment opportunities in private and public institutions.The initiative aims to optimally utilise youth talent, allowing institutions to directly engage with highly capable individuals, ensuring their efforts do not go in vain.
3. Aurangabad Railway Station Renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Station in Maharashtra: Aurangabad railway station in Maharashtra has been officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar station through a gazette notification by the state government.The renaming honours Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Sambhaji and follows the city’s rechristening nearly three years ago, previously named after Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.The station, opened in 1900 by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, is part of the Kacheguda–Manmad section under the Nanded division of South Central Railway, serving a city famous for Ajanta and Ellora Caves and its historical gates.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Unveils First Indigenous Antibiotic ‘Nafithromycin’ and Achieves Breakthrough in Gene Therapy for Hemophilia: India has developed its first indigenously discovered antibiotic, Nafithromycin, effective against resistant respiratory infections, especially in cancer patients and those with uncontrolled diabetes, marking a major step toward pharmaceutical self-reliance.A successful indigenous clinical trial for gene therapy in Hemophilia was conducted at Christian Medical College, Vellore, achieving a 60–70% correction rate with zero bleeding episodes, and the results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.India has sequenced over 10,000 human genomes and aims to reach one million, while AI-based hybrid mobile clinics are helping deliver quality healthcare to rural and remote areas, reflecting the nation’s drive toward a self-sustainable and innovative scientific ecosystem.
2. India and US Sign Landmark 10-Year Defence Framework Agreement: India and the United States have signed a landmark 10-year Defence Framework Agreement in Kuala Lumpur, marking a major step forward in deepening strategic and military cooperation between the two nations. The accord underscores their shared commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. The agreement was exchanged between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting. Both leaders described the pact as a significant milestone in bilateral ties, setting the stage for enhanced coordination, information sharing, and defence technology collaboration. Hegseth said that the agreement would serve as a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence,” emphasising that US-India defence relations “have never been stronger.”
3. India Achieves Three Guinness World Records for Swasth Nari Campaign: India has achieved global recognition by securing three Guinness World Records under the “Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan” (SNSPA), a nationwide initiative promoting women’s health and preventive care. The campaign, launched between September 17 and October 2, 2025, has been hailed as a landmark in India’s public health outreach and women-centric healthcare policy. The Union Health Ministry announced that India set records for the most people registering on a healthcare platform in a month (3.21 crore), the most people signing up for breast cancer screening online in a week (9.94 lakh), and the most participants in online vital signs screening at the state level in one week (1.25 lakh). These achievements underline the scale and efficiency of India’s digital health infrastructure and its ability to mobilise citizens for preventive healthcare.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. INS Sahyadri Participates in JAIMEX-25, Strengthening India-Japan Naval Cooperation in Indo-Pacific: INS Sahyadri, an indigenously built Shivalik-class stealth frigate, participated in JAIMEX-25 (Japan-India Maritime Exercise), conducting advanced anti-submarine warfare and missile defence drills with JMSDF ships.During the harbour phase at Yokosuka Port, crews engaged in professional and cultural exchanges, including cross-deck visits, joint operational planning, sharing best practices, and even a yoga session.Commissioned in 2012, INS Sahyadri reflects India’s indigenous defence capabilities under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative and continues its Long Range Deployment in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening India-Japan naval cooperation.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Kavach 4.0: Nova Control Tecnologix and Tata Elxsi Collaborate to Enhance Indian Railways Safety: Nova Control Tecnologix, a deep-tech subsidiary of e2E Transportation, has partnered with Tata Elxsi to develop Kavach 4.0, the next-generation Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system for Indian Railways.The collaboration aims to enhance train safety using SIL4-certified engineering and deploy the system across the national railway network, marking a significant private sector entry into critical rail safety infrastructure.Tata Elxsi brings expertise in digital railway solutions, including AI-powered drone inspections, obstacle detection technologies, and IoT-enabled asset management, with production of Kavach 4.0 set for the Bengaluru facility.
2. Southwest Airlines to Set Up Global Innovation Centre in Hyderabad: Southwest Airlines announced plans to set up a Global Innovation Centre in Hyderabad, India, following discussions with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.The meeting included Southwest Airlines’ senior management, such as CIO Lauren Woods and CTO Tom Merritt, along with HEX Advisory Group representatives.CM Reddy welcomed the decision, stating it aligns with Telangana’s “Rising 2047” vision to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and $3 trillion by 2047.
3. Ola Electric Enters India’s ₹1 Trillion Battery Storage Market with Launch of Ola Shakti Residential Solution: Ola Electric launches Ola Shakti, its first residential battery energy storage system (BESS) in India, marking the company’s entry into the ₹1 trillion BESS market and leveraging its 4680 cell technology and Gigafactory capabilities.Ola Shakti is fully indigenously designed and offers features like instant power switching, smart energy management, voltage protection, automotive-grade safety, IP67 weatherproofing, and advanced functions including Time-of-Day charging, remote diagnostics, and OTA updates.The product is available in 1.5 kWh, 3 kWh, 5.2 kWh, and 9.1 kWh variants, with introductory prices ranging from ₹29,999 to ₹159,999 for the first 10,000 units, aiming to scale India’s energy storage capacity and promote clean, efficient home energy use.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. India’s Core Infrastructure Output Rises 3% in September; Steel Leads with 14.1% Growth: India’s infrastructure output, measured by the Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI), grew by 3% in September 2025 compared to the same month last year, with August’s growth revised upward to 6.5%.Among the eight core sectors, steel (14.1%), cement (5.3%), electricity (2.1%), and fertilizers (1.6%) recorded positive growth in September.However, natural gas (-3.8%), petroleum refinery products (-3.7%), crude oil (-1.3%), and coal (-1.2%) witnessed a decline in production during the same period.The cumulative growth of the Eight Core Industries during April–September 2025 stood at 2.9% provisionally, compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
2. ADB Signs $3 Billion Exposure Exchange Agreement with World Bank to Boost Lending Capacity: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $3 billion sovereign exposure exchange agreement (EEA) with the World Bank to enhance its lending capacity for developing member countries.This marks ADB’s first EEA with the World Bank and sixth overall with multilateral development banks since 2020, raising the total exchanged amount to $9 billion.The EEA helps reduce concentration risk, optimize capital usage, and expand support to member nations through improved risk management.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Anil Malik Honoured by President for Outstanding Contribution to PM-JANMAN Tribal Welfare Initiative: Shri Anil Malik, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), received an award from the President of India for his outstanding contribution to Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN).The felicitation was held at the National Conclave on ‘Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan’ at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.Under PM-JANMAN, more than 2,000 Anganwadi Centres have been made functional in Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) areas, aiming to improve nutrition, education, and child care services for tribal communities.
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