Current Affairs 19 October 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 19 October 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

MoM Unveiled 1st SMRI to Boost Reforms in Mineral SectorIn October 2025, the Ministry of Mines (MoM) has unveiled the first-of-its-kind ‘State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI)’ and state-level rankings. This index is designed to promote reforms in the mining sector at the state-level.

• This initiative fulfills the announcement made under the Union Budget for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26).

About State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI):
Aim: The index, developed by MoM, aims to foster healthy competition among states to undertake structural reforms, adopt e-governance, and bolster compliance and environmental management in mining operations.
Framework: Released in September 2024 by the MoM, the SMRI covers 17 reform areas and around 79 parameters, with states beginning data collection thereafter.
Key Parameters: The index evaluates the states performance in the mining sector on key parameters such as: auction performance, early mine operationalization, thrust on exploration and sustainable mining pertaining to non-coal minerals.
Categories: Under the SMRI framework, states have been grouped into 3 different categories based on their mineral endowment such as:

1. Category-A (mineral rich states);
2. Category-B (medium mineral resources); and
3. Category-C (limited mineral resources).

Top Performing States: SMRI 2025

Integration with SASCI:
SASCI: Based on this initiative, improvements in the mining sector have now been integrated with the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme for FY26, led by the Department of Expenditure (DoE) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
Funds Allocation: The Government of India (GoI) has allocated Rs 5,000 crore for the scheme, to reward states leading in mining reforms.

• Of this total outlay, Rs 900 crore has been earmarked for top 3 performing states in categories A,B, and C, as per the SMRI ranking.
• Each top-ranking state in these categories is eligible to get Rs 100 crore as part of SASCI’s reform-linked incentive structure.

Recent Related News:
In September 2025, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has approved a Rs 1,500 crore incentive scheme, designed to promote recycling capacity for extracting and producing critical minerals from secondary sources.

UIDAI Launches SITAA to Strengthen India’s Digital IdentityOn October 16, 2025, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched the Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA) to foster innovation and collaboration in digital identity.

• The initiative aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital Public Infrastructure, aiming to develop secure and future-ready identity solutions.

SITAA Scheme:
Technologies: The scheme will bring together startups, academic institutions, and industry to work with UIDAI on developing advanced, indigenous, and future-ready Identity (ID) technologies, strengthening India’s digital identity ecosystem.
Areas of Collaboration: The initiative will promote collaboration to create scalable, secure, and globally competitive solutions in digital identity.

• The key focus areas include biometrics, authentication systems, data privacy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and secure identity application.

Challenge Initiatives:
Face Liveness Detection: Under this challenge, startups are invited to create Software Development Kits (SDKs) that can detect face-liveness using passive and active methods.
Prevention Attack Detection (PAD): As part of the PAD challenge, the Academic and research institutions are encouraged to develop AI/ Machine Language (ML)-based systems that can detect fake or manipulated faces, including print, replay, morphs, deepfakes, etc.
Contactless Fingerprint Authentication: Under this challenge, Innovators can develop SDKs, enabling fingerprint capture using smartphone cameras, ensuring high image quality, spoof detection, and compliance with UIDAI standards.
MoU signed:
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startups Hub (MSH), National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UIDAI as strategic partners to advance the objectives of SITAA scheme.
>>Read Full News

IndiGo partners with Digi Yatra to offer a Smooth and Seamless Travel Experience
In October 2025, IndiGo, one of India’s top airlines, has partnered with Digi Yatra, a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) ecosystem, to offer passengers a smooth, contactless, and hassle-free boarding experience.

• The partnership introduced effortless sharing of boarding passes through seamless Application-to-Application (app-to-app) integration.

About the Partnership:
Aims: To simplify air travel by enabling contactless, paperless boarding and enhancing passenger convenience through seamless app integration.
Effortless and Fast Boarding: With face biometric technology and offline deep linking, passengers can enjoy a secure, contactless journey, seamlessly sharing boarding passes by selecting “Share with Digi Yatra” via the IndiGo app for faster, hassle-free boarding.
Privacy & Security: The integration prioritizes user consent, data protection, and real-time accuracy, ensuring that the convenience of digital travel is maintained without compromising privacy standards.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Mercer CFA Global Pension Index 2025: Netherlands Tops; India Ranked 52ndIn October 2025, Mercer, an American consulting firm, released a report titled “Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index (MCGPI) 2025”, in collaboration with Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute and Monash Centre for Financial Studies (MCFS). As per the report, India has ranked 52nd, the lowest in the index, with overall index grade “D” with a score of 43.8 out of 100, slightly down from 44.0 in 2024. Other countries in Group D include Turkiye (48.2), the Philippines (47.1), and Argentina (45.9).

• The Netherlands topped the Pension Index with 85.4, followed by Iceland at 84.0 and Denmark at 82.3.

About MCGPI 2025: 
Edition: MCGPI 2025, the 17th edition of the report, evaluates the retirement income systems of 52 countries, representing 65% of the world’s population.
Newly Added countries: In the 2025 edition, countries such as Kuwait, Namibia, Oman, and Panama have been newly added to the index.
Highlights of the Report:
Grade A Pension Leaders: The Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark, Singapore, and Israel secured a Grade A ranking in the Pension Index, with the Netherlands leading as it transitions from a collective system to a Defined-Contribution (DC) structure under the Future Pension Act.

• Singapore secured an overall score of 80.0, becoming the first Asian country to achieve a Grade A ranking.

Improvements: As part of the improvement of retirement income provision worldwide, eight countries have improved their index grades. It includes Singapore (A Grade), Chile (B+), Sweden (B+), Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region, SAR) (B), Kazakhstan (B), Saudi Arabia (B), Malaysia (C+), and South Africa (C).

• The grade of no country was downgraded in 2025 report.

New Entrants: It includes Kuwait with a score of  71.9 and Grade B, Namibia (59.1) (Grade C), Oman (60.9) (C+), Panama (59.1) (C).
Sub-Index Leads: Kuwait leads the “Adequacy” sub-index with a score of  86.6, Iceland tops the “Sustainability” sub-index with a score of 85.7 and Finland leads the “Integrity” sub-index with a score of  90.6.
>>Read Full News

WDMMA 2025 Rankings: IAF Surpasses China to Become the World’s 3rd Most Powerful Air ForceIn October 2025, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA),  an authoritative online resource that annually ranks global air forces, released its latest ‘WDMMA Rankings for 2025’. As per the rankings, the Indian Air Force (IAF) surpassed China to become the world’s 3rd most powerful air force in terms of overall effectiveness and capability, with the United States of America(USA) and Russia holding the top two spots.

• However, IAF ranked at 6th position globally with overall TruVal Rating (TVR) of 69.4, while China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) with TVR of 58.1, ranked at 7th position.
• In 2025 WDMMA Rankings, the United States(US) Air Force tops with a TVR of 242.9 (5,004 aircraft), followed by the US Navy (TVR 142.4, 2,504 units) and the Russian Air Force(TVR 114.2, 3,677 aircraft).

Key Highlights:
Other Most Powerful Air Forces: Japan Air Self-Defence Force(JASDF) ranked at 8th position globally, with overall TVR score of 58.1, followed by Israeli Air Force (ranked at 9th spot with TVR score of 56.3); French Air Force (ranked at 10th spot with TVR score of 55.3); and the United Kingdom (UK)’s Royal Air Force (RAF) (ranked at 11th position with TVR score of 55.3).
Bottom 5 Countries: The Air Forces of  countries who were ranked lowest on the list: Afghanistan (107th, TVR of 0.3), Syria (106th, TVR of 3.6), Albania (105th, TVR of 3.9), Yemen (104th, TVR of 5.2), and Bosnia & Herzegovina (103rd, TVR of 5.8).
Neighbouring Countries of India: While, the Air Forces of Pakistan (TVR score of 46.3 ) and Bangladesh (14.1) ranked at 18th and 83rd  position, respectively.
>>Read Full News

India and EU Conduct First Joint Counterterrorism Training in Haryana
In October 2025, India and the European Union (EU) conducted a first-of-its-kind counterterrorism training at the National Security Guard (NSG) campus in Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana.

• The exercise, conducted from October 13–15, 2025, focused on defending critical infrastructure and soft targets against emerging threats from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones.

About EU-India Counter-Drone Training:
Objective: The three-day exercise aimed to strengthened protection of critical infrastructure and soft targets against drone threats through tactical, technological training, and a joint simulation.
Participants:India’s NSG and the EU’s High Risk Security Network (HRSN), representing 28 units from 21 EU member states, carried out joint urban counter-drone and tactical operations.
Focus Areas: The training highlighted advanced counter-UAS technologies to address future drone threats using Artificial Intelligence (AI), sensor fusion, directed energy, kinetic measures, and joint tactical drills.
Outcome: The exercise led to the creation of Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs) for integrated drone and counter-drone operations and an Engagement Decision Matrix to safeguard mass gatherings and critical infrastructure.

BANKING & FINANCE

HSBC Collaborates with Juspay to Launch a Unified Payments Platform
In October 2025, HSBC Holdings plc, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations, and Juspay Technologies Private Limited, a leading payments infrastructure company, collaborated to launch a first-of-its-kind acquiring platform tailored to the needs of digital-first, global merchants

Key Details of Partnership:
Unified Payment Stack: The platform consolidates the entire payment value chain, giving merchants access to multiple payment methods through a single provider.
Key features : The platform offers a seamless, customized checkout, smart transaction routing, access to local payment methods, advanced fraud protection, streamlined chargeback handling, simplified reconciliation, and robust real-time monitoring and control for merchants.
Impact:This full-stack solution merges HSBC’s global banking network with Juspay’s payment infrastructure to streamline processing and boost transaction success for merchants.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Abusupyan Kharkharov Honoured with BRICS International Award 2025
In October 2025, Abusupyan Kharkharov, former Deputy Prime Minister(PM) of the Republic of Dagestan, was honoured with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) International Award 2025 for his contributions to spiritual education, cultural development, and maritime innovation at an event hosted by the State Duma of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Russia.

• The event was organized by The Times of Russia Group in collaboration with the BRICS Culture Media Forum (BCMF).

Key Events: 
Rebirth of The Times of Russia: The event marked the relaunch of The Times of Russia, highlighting journalism’s renewed role in truth, culture, and global dialogue.
Round Table Discussion: A round table on “Global Initiatives of the BRICS+ Countries in Economy, New Technologies, Culture, and Education” was organized by the BRICS Culture Media Forum (BCMF) in partnership with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF).
Honouring Global Peacemakers: Arseny Kaptelov and Vasily Zovdun were recognized for promoting clean water, youth empowerment, humanitarian ties, and poverty-reduction initiatives.
Key Initiatives: The session highlighted the ‘Millennium Peace Prize’ for global peace and the ‘Ambassadors for Peace Initiative’ for humanitarian and sustainable development contributions.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Gujarat Cabinet Rejig: Harsh Sanghvi Appointed Deputy CM; Rivaba Jadeja & 24 Others Sworn-in as MinistersIn October 2025, the state government of Gujarat expanded its cabinet under Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat, inducting 19 new ministers and retaining 6, bringing the total strength to 26 from 17.

Cabinet Swearing-In & Key Inductees:
Oath: Gujarat’s Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath of office and secrecy to 21 ministers (including 19 new inductees), at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Key Dignitaries: The swearing-in ceremony was attended by BJP National President and Union Minister Jagat Parkash (JP) Nadda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW); Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E) and Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS); Union Minister Chandrakant Raghunath (C.R.) Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), among others.
Notable Inductees in Gujarat Cabinet: Gujarat’s Home Minister Harsh Rameshkumar Sanghvi who was elevated as Deputy Chief Minister (Dy-CM), becoming the only 5th Dy-CM in the political history of the state.

• Also, Rivaba Jadeja, who is Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Jamnagar, and wife of Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, was also inducted into the state cabinet.
• Other notable ministers: Kantilal Ghiya, Keshubhai Patel, Narhari Amin, and Nitin Patel.

Gujarat Council of Ministers: It now includes 21 members including 5 Cabinet level, 3 Minister of State(MoS) (Independent Charge, IC); and 12 MoS.

• Gujarat’s 182-member assembly allows for a maximum of 27 ministers, equivalent to 15% of the House’s total strength.

About Gujarat:
Capital- Gandhinagar
Chief Minister (CM)– Bhupendrabhai Patel
Governor- Acharya Devvrat
National Park (NP)- Gir NP, Marine NP

ACC Grants Extension to Ravi A Robert Jerard as CMD of BSNL and MTNL
In October 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
approved a 3-month extension for A. Robert J. Ravi as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of both Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).

• This extension is effective from October 15, 2025, to January 14, 2026, or until a regular appointment is made, whichever comes first.

About Robert J. Ravi:
Profile:He is a senior Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer with over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications sector.
Career: He began his career in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT),Ministry of Communication,and later served as the Deputy Director General(DG) (Standards, Research & Innovation), DoT.
First Appointment: In July 2024, he was given additional charge as CMD of BSNL and MTNL after PK Purwar’s extension was rejected, which was extended by six months in January 2025.
Extension: Later, his appointment extended for a further period of three months with effect from July 15, 2025, till October 14, 2025, or until further orders.
Remuneration: He will not be entitled to any additional remuneration during his additional charges.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Union Minister Rajnath Singh Unveils HAL’s First Tejas LCA Mk1A in Nashik, MaharashtraOn October 17, 2025, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence (MoD), unveiled the first Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A fighter jet and the third production line of LCA Mk1A at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), MoD, in Nashik, Maharashtra, marking a significant advancement in the indigenous LCA programme.
 Maiden Flight: LCA Tejas Mk1A aircraft, manufactured at the third production line of LCA Mk1A, successfully completed its maiden flight, demonstrating the operational readiness of the new production line.

Production Line:
Tejas Mk1A: Inaugurated the third production line of the LCA Tejas Mk1A at HAL Nashik facility, with an aim to meet the IAF’s requirement of 180 Tejas Mk1A jets by 2032-33.

• Each line is expected to produce 8 aircraft annually, increasing HAL’s total production to 24 jets per year.

HTT-40: Inaugurated the second production line of the Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT)-40, aimed at meeting the trainer aircraft requirements of the IAF. It is expected to increase the manufacturing capacity of HTT-40 trainer aircraft, meeting the requirement for advanced pilot training.
About Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Dr. D.K. Sunil Kumar
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
Established – 1940
>>Read Full News

SPORTS

India’s U-17 Women’s Football Team Qualifies for AFC Women’s Asian Cup for First time
In October 2025, India’s U-17 women’s football team(also known as Young Tigresses) qualified for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-17 women’s Asian Cup 2026 by defeating Uzbekistan 2-1 in their second match of Group G, held in Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)

• This is the first time India has qualified for the tournament through the qualification process, having last participated in the Championship in 2005.

About Qualifying match:
Participating Teams: A total of 27 national teams competed in the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers for the remaining 8 sports, which were divided into 8 groups (Group A to Group H).
Qualifying Teams: Host nation China; 2024 semi-finalists teams-Japan, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) automatically qualifying for the final tournament.
Milestone: For the first time in Indian football history, India’s U-17, U-20, and senior women’s teams have all qualified for their AFC Asian Cups.
About AFC U-17 Women’s Asia Cup:
Host: China will host the 10th edition of AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026, scheduled in April 2026.
Format: The tournament will follow an expanded 12-team format and serve as the qualifier for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Jharkhand Unveils Logo, Mascot, Anthem for SAAF Senior Championships 2025
In October 2025, Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Cabinet Minister for Tourism, Art, Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs of Jharkhand, unveiled the official logo, mascot, and anthem for the 4th South Asian Athletics (SAAF) Senior Championships at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand

• The tournament is scheduled to take place in Ranchi(Jharkhand), from October 24 to 26, 2025.

About Logo, Mascot, and Anthem:
Logo: The SAAF 2025 logo reflects Jharkhand’s essence as “The Land of Sports, Tribes, Culture, and Nature,” blending athletic energy with tribal art and natural symbols like the state bird, tree, flower, and animal.

• Its green palette represents the state’s lush forests, symbolizing unity, tradition, and sporting pride.

Mascot: The mascot Dalma, inspired by Jharkhand’s state animal, symbolizes the strength, grace, and vibrant spirit of the region.
Anthem: The Official Anthem is “Johar“, composed in Nagpuri, blending traditional and modern sounds with tribal instruments like Mandar, Nagaara, and Flute.
SAAF 2025: Organized by SAAF in partnership with the Athletics Federation of India(AFI), the championship features around 300 athletes from six South Asian nations( India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka) competing in 37 events, with India fielding 81 athletes.

OBITUARY

Japan’s former PM Tomiichi Murayama Passed Away
On October 17,2025, Japan’s former Prime Minister (PM) Tomiichi Murayama, well known for his 1995 World War II apology to Asian victims of Japan also known as “Murayama Statement”, passed away at the age of 101 in Oita, Japan. He was born in Ōita Prefecture, Japan in 1924.

• He served as Japan’s 81st PM from 1994 to 1996, becoming the first socialist leader in nearly 50 years.

About Tomiichi Murayama:
Political Career: He began his political journey in local governance, serving on the Ōita City Council (1955) and the Ōita Prefectural Assembly (1963)
First Election: . In 1972, he was elected to Japan’s national parliament (Diet) as a member of the Japan Socialist Party (JSP), later renamed the Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDPJ).

• He worked as the head of SDPJ, and has led a coalition government from 1994 to1996.

1995 Apology: The apology he issued as PM on August 15, 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of Japan’s unconditional surrender ending World War II, is seen as Japan’s main expression of remorse for its wartime and colonial past.
Legacy: After retiring from politics in 2000, he continued to advocate for peace, reconciliation, and Japan’s pacifist Constitution, especially Article 9.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2025 – October 17The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed globally on October 17 to foster understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and society.

• 2025 Theme: “Ending social and institutional maltreatment by ensuring respect and effective support for families.”

Background:
Inception: On 17 October 1987, a mass gathering at Trocadéro Plaza, Paris, honoured victims of hunger, violence, and ignorance.

• The event declared poverty a violation of human rights, inspiring annual observance on the same date.

UN Recognition: On 22 December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/RES/47/196, officially designating 17 October as IDEP.
First Observance: The first UN-recognised IDEP was celebrated globally on 17 October 1993.
2025 Report: The 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report for the first time combines data on climate hazards and multidimensional poverty

•  Around 690 million people live in extreme income poverty (below USD 2.15 per day), while nearly 1.1 billion people face acute multidimensional poverty, experiencing deprivations in health, education, and living standards.

>>Read Full News

World Trauma Day 2025 – October 17World Trauma Day is annually observed across the globe on 17th October to raise awareness about physical and emotional trauma.

• 17th October 2025 marks the 15th World Trauma Day.

Theme:
2025 Theme: “Building a Safer Future with Trauma Care”
Focus: The theme underscores timely action, awareness, and effective medical care as vital for saving lives and preventing long-term complications.

Background:
Inception: The first World Trauma Day was observed in 2011 in New Delhi, Delhi, India.
Purpose: It was established to reduce casualties and minimize the long-term impact of trauma incidents worldwide.
Bone & Joint Action Week Observances:
World Trauma Day is part of the Bone & Joint Action Week, observed globally from 12th to 20th October. The week includes five special days:

• October 12 – World Arthritis Day
• October 16 – World Spine Day
• October 17 – World Trauma Day
• October 19 – World Pediatric Bone & Joint (PB&J) Day
• October 20 – World Osteoporosis Day

About Trauma:

Definition: Physical or psychological injury caused by accidents, falls, violence, burns, natural disasters, or abuse.
Golden Hour: The day emphasises the importance of the “golden hour”, the first hour after a traumatic injury, during which prompt medical care is most critical to prevent death.
Key Facts:
Report: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), injuries cause over 5 million deaths each year globally, representing 9% of all deaths.

• In India, injuries are projected to cause 10 lakh deaths, while an additional 2 crore people are expected to require hospitalization.

Road Traffic Injury Facts: Road accidents are the leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally. Currently the 8th leading cause of death, they are projected to become 7th by 2030

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