Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 16 October, 2026

Context of the News

The FAO released the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2026. The report says the world needs to restore 470 million more hectares by 2030 to meet existing pledges. India ranks first in the world in forest area actively under restoration.

What Is SOFO?

• The FAO’s flagship forest report, published every two years
• It tracks the size, health, governance and economic value of the world’s forests
• The 2026 edition focuses on Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR)
• It draws on the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 and country reports under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

Key Highlights

Global Forest Status

• Forest area: 4.14 billion hectares, covering 32% of global land.
• Carbon stored: 714 gigatonnes.
• Forests support up to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity.

Forest Loss and Degradation

• 1.56 billion hectares of land is degraded, including 460 million hectares of forest.
• 489 million hectares cleared since 1990.
• Wildfires affect 127 million hectares annually.

Global Restoration Gap

• Global pledges: Over 1 billion hectares.
• Reported restoration: 44 million hectares under FRA 2025.
• Gap to 2030 targets: 470 million hectares.
• Restoration can generate up to $30 per $1 invested under favourable conditions.

India’s Position

• India ranks first globally in active forest restoration under FRA 2025.
• Under its 7th National Report to the CBD, India reported 18.9 million hectares under forest and landscape restoration, ranking second after China.
• Key initiatives include compensatory afforestation, agroforestry and Joint Forest Management.

Important Facts for Exams

• FAO — founded 1945, headquartered at Rome

Context of the News

The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) has launched India’s first State-level Red List Assessment of Ecosystems (RLE). It will judge how close entire ecosystems are to collapse.

What Is It?

• An assessment that checks the risk of collapse of whole ecosystems
• Not individual species — this is the key difference
• It uses the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework
• Funded by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board
• Duration: one year, covering all 14 districts of Kerala

How Is It Different From the Usual Red List?

• The familiar IUCN Red List rates species — tiger, bustard, gharial
• This one rates ecosystems — a forest type, a wetland, a grassland
• A species can survive while the system it belongs to falls apart. Rating the ecosystem catches that

How Does It Classify Risk?

• Using the five standard IUCN RLE criteria
• These look at historical habitat loss, environmental degradation and risk of collapse

Context of the News

The Central Government approved India’s accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA). India moves up from a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party to a full Contracting Party.

What Is SIOFA?

• A regional fisheries agreement, and also a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO)
• It works on the conservation and sustainable use of non-tuna fish in the high seas of the Southern Indian Ocean
• Headquarters: Saint-Denis, Réunion Island (France)
• Run by a Meeting of the Parties, with a Scientific Committee and a Compliance Committee

Important Facts for Exams

• India approved accession to SIOFA in October 2026, becoming a Contracting Party
• India held Cooperating Non-Contracting Party status since 2022
• SIOFA concluded at Rome, July 2006 under FAO; in force June 2012
• Headquarters: Saint-Denis, Réunion Island (France)
• Manages non-tuna, non-migratory stocks in the high seas of the Southern Indian Ocean
• Species include orange roughy, alfonsino, toothfish, molluscs and crustaceans
• India is the world’s second-largest fish producer and second-largest aquaculture producer; production reached 198 lakh tonnes in 2024-25

Context of the News

India’s WINDS project — a network of automatic rain gauges and weather stations to support crop insurance — is more than a year behind schedule. Over 96 per cent of planned sensors are still not installed.

What Is WINDS?

• Weather Information Network and Data System
• A nationwide network of weather sensors to supply hyper-local weather data
• Its main purpose is computing insurance estimates and payouts under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
• Run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• Executed through the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC)
• Implemented by States through private partners

Key Terms

• ARG: Automatic Rain Gauge — measures rainfall and transmits the reading automatically
• AWS: Automatic Weather Station — measures several weather parameters at once
• Hyper-local data: Weather readings at village or panchayat level, rather than district level
• Siting requirements: Technical rules on where an instrument may be placed, so readings are accurate
• Retrospective amendment: A rule change applied to decisions already taken under the earlier rule

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) signed a Shareholders’ Agreement with ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India and the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
• The project will upgrade 9 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Surat and Visakhapatnam clusters, with an approved investment of ₹440 crore.
• Five ITIs in Surat will receive ₹240 crore, while four ITIs in Visakhapatnam will receive ₹200 crore.
• Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) will manage the clusters, with AM/NS India holding a 51% stake.

• India ranks third globally in cumulative contracted clean hydrogen volumes, according to Union Minister Prahlad Joshi.
• Clean hydrogen can help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• The development supports India’s clean energy transition and energy security.

• Business Monitor International (BMI), part of Fitch Solutions, raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2026–27 to 7.5%, from 6.8%.
• Strong industrial growth, economic momentum and investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure supported the revision.
• BMI lowered its FY 2027–28 growth forecast to 6.3%, citing concerns about household consumption, higher oil prices and possible El Niño-related disruptions.

• Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan commissioned the indigenously built multi-purpose vessel INS Samarthak into the Indian Navy.
• The commissioning took place at INS Kadamba Naval Base, Karwar, Karnataka.
• The vessel strengthens India’s indigenous shipbuilding capacity and naval operational capabilities.

• India’s Ramsar site count reached 103 following the inclusion of Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh, according to the supplied report.
• Ramsar sites are wetlands recognised as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention.
• Wetland conservation supports biodiversity, water management and flood control.

• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) in New Delhi.
• The centre aims to strengthen monitoring and governance of India’s international trade through integrated data analytics.
• It is intended to improve trade-related analysis and decision-making.

• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) announced three plans: New Jeevan Dhara-II (Plan 892), Health Shield (Plan 907) and New Cancer Cover (Plan 908).
• New Jeevan Dhara-II provides guaranteed annuity rates for retirement income, while Health Shield offers fixed benefits for specified health risks.
• New Cancer Cover provides financial benefits upon diagnosis of specified early- or major-stage cancer. The plans are scheduled to be available from 19 October 2026.

• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) entered into a partnership with Zurich Kotak General Insurance to distribute general insurance products through its banking network.
• The arrangement can improve customer access to non-life insurance and generate commission-based income for the bank.
• Zurich Kotak General Insurance is a joint venture in which Zurich Insurance Group holds 70% and Kotak Mahindra Bank holds 30%.

• Karnataka Bank launched Trade Konnect, a digital platform developed with Kyzer Software (India) Private Limited.
• It enables online submission of import, export and outward cross-border remittance requests without visiting a bank branch.
• The platform aims to simplify foreign exchange services for businesses engaged in international trade and individuals making overseas remittances.

• The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth approximately ₹4,106 crore for a dedicated communication satellite for the Indian Air Force and Varunastra heavy-weight torpedoes for the Indian Navy.
• The GSAT-7C satellite contract worth ₹2,563 crore was awarded to New Space India Limited (NSIL).
• The Varunastra torpedo contract worth ₹1,543 crore was awarded to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), supporting indigenous defence manufacturing.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) retained the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of the final 30 minutes of regular trading to determine settlement prices for expiring stock and index derivatives.
• For index derivatives, settlement uses the VWAP of constituent securities during the final 30 minutes of cash-market trading. For expiring stock derivatives, it uses the underlying stock’s VWAP across exchanges.
• Most changes will take effect from 7 December 2026, while rules for transferring certain unexecuted orders into the Closing Auction Session will begin on 8 February 2027.

Context of the News

The Union Cabinet has approved continuing the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for five more years, from FY2026-27 to 2030-31, with an outlay of ₹53,428 crore. The scheme has been renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana (PMSSY).

What Is the Scheme?

• It gives monthly pensions and social security assistance to poor and vulnerable people
• Beneficiaries are BPL elderly persons, widows, persons with disabilities and households that lose their breadwinner
• It is non-contributory — the beneficiary pays nothing
• It is 100 per cent centrally funded
• It follows from Article 41 of the Constitution, a Directive Principle that asks the State to help citizens in old age, sickness and disability
• Run by the Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development

What Are the New Names?

What Changed for Persons With Disabilities?

Disability threshold lowered

• Earlier a person needed 80 per cent severe disability to qualify
• Now 40 per cent benchmark disability is enough
• This matches the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016

Minimum age removed

• Earlier a person had to be 18 years old
• Now a person with benchmark disability is eligible from birth

• India’s merchandise exports rose 23.04% year-on-year to $44.4 billion in September 2026, supported by petroleum products, electronic goods and chemicals.
• Imports stood at $74.61 billion, while the merchandise trade deficit narrowed year-on-year to $30.21 billion, compared with $33 billion in September 2025.
• Electronic goods exports grew 70.44% to $5.3 billion, petroleum product exports rose 31.9% to $6.2 billion, and chemical exports increased 24.21% to $3 billion.

• India’s unemployment rate remained at 5% in September 2026, unchanged from August, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) bulletin of the National Statistics Office.
• The labour force participation rate declined slightly from 55.6% to 55.5%.
• Unemployment was higher in urban areas at 6.9% than in rural areas at 4.2%. Overall unemployment among women was 5.2%, compared with 4.9% among men.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated five development projects worth approximately ₹3,350 crore covering airport infrastructure and strategic road connectivity in Ladakh.
• The government is advancing proposals to establish satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu.
• The initiatives aim to improve regional connectivity and provide local youth with better access to higher education, research and new technologies.

• The West Bengal Cabinet approved the Bhagini Nivedita Scheme to provide financial assistance to unmarried women pursuing higher education.
• Eligible beneficiaries will receive ₹50,000 over three years: ₹17,000 in the first year, ₹17,000 in the second year and ₹16,000 in the third year.
• The scheme is scheduled for implementation from January 2027, according to the supplied report.

• The Indian Army’s Assam Regiment won a Gold Medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales, United Kingdom.
• The exercise is often called the “Olympics of Military Patrolling” and tests soldiers’ endurance, leadership, tactical decision-making and survival skills.
• It was established in 1959 and is organised annually by the British Army in the challenging terrain of Wales.

• Nagaland will host the 27th Hornbill Festival from 1 to 10 December 2026 at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.
• Known as the “Festival of Festivals,” it showcases the traditions, music, dance, crafts, food and heritage of Nagaland’s indigenous tribes.
• The festival began in December 2000 and promotes cultural preservation, inter-tribal interaction and tourism.

• Ambaji Mohanthal, a traditional sweet offered as prasad at Gujarat’s Ambaji Temple, received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• The sweet is made mainly from gram flour, sugar and ghee and is associated with Gujarat’s religious and culinary heritage.
• It is registered under Class 30, which covers food products such as sweets and confectionery.

• The Indian Coast Guard inducted the indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III, designated CG 875, at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, on 13 October 2026.
• Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the helicopter is equipped with radar, an Electro-Optical Pod and an Automatic Identification System.
• It strengthens maritime surveillance, search and rescue, pollution response and coastal security along India’s western coast.

• Dr. Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Nagarjuna Construction Company, passed away in Hyderabad on 13 October 2026, aged 89.
• He received the Padma Shri in 2010 for his contributions to trade and industry, particularly infrastructure, construction and housing.
• He was also known for writing more than 25,000 poems and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 2008.

• The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed annually on 13 October to promote awareness and action to prevent disasters and reduce their impacts.
• The supplied report gives the 2026 theme as “Resilience Starts at Home.”
• The day supports the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, which promotes disaster preparedness and resilience.

• World Standards Day is observed annually on 14 October to highlight the importance of international standards in improving safety, quality and compatibility.
• The 2026 theme given in the supplied material is “Shared vision for a better world: Spotlight on SDG 7—Affordable and Clean Energy.”
• The day is jointly observed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

• Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik attended the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Philippines, in October 2026.
• The meeting was chaired by Sharon S. Garin, Secretary of the Philippine Department of Energy.
• The forum provides a platform for regional cooperation on energy security, clean energy and sustainable energy development.

• India reiterated its support for inclusive and consensus-based multilateral cooperation at the 7th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The summit focused on regional cooperation, mutual trust and peace in Asia.
• CICA is a multinational forum that promotes confidence-building measures and cooperation among Asian countries.

• The government is focusing on improving educational opportunities for Ladakh’s youth through proposed satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu.
• Development projects covering airport infrastructure and strategic road connectivity are intended to improve access and strengthen regional infrastructure.
• These initiatives support regional development and can improve access to education, technology and economic opportunities.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to represent India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 19–20 October 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate virtually, according to the supplied report.
• The meeting provides a platform for member countries to discuss economic cooperation and regional development.

• India has been reported as the third-largest country globally in cumulative contracted clean hydrogen volumes.
• Clean hydrogen can support industries that are difficult to electrify and help reduce carbon emissions.
• The development is relevant to India’s energy transition and efforts to diversify its energy sources.