Daily Current Affairs - 2026-10-10

Today's current affairs bulletin is packed with high-value topics for UPSC, SSC, Banking and Railway exams — from a key RBI monetary policy decision and a change of guard in the Indian Air Force to DRDO's back-to-back high-altitude defence trials and this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Let's break down each development and why it matters for your exam preparation.

RBI Hikes Repo Rate by 25 bps to 5.50%

The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50% after its meeting held from 5–7 October 2026. Citing rising inflationary pressures and global uncertainty, the MPC shifted its policy stance to 'calibrated tightening'. The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate now stands at 5.25%, while the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and Bank Rate were raised to 5.75%. The RBI projected FY27 real GDP growth at 7.1% and revised its FY27 inflation forecast upward to 5.2%.

• Remember the exact figures: Repo rate 5.50%, SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.75%.
• Know the RBI Governor's name and the new policy stance terminology — 'calibrated tightening'.
• FY27 GDP growth forecast: 7.1%; FY27 inflation forecast: 5.2%.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Named Next Chief of the Air Staff

The government announced that Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, currently Vice Chief of the Air Staff, will become the 29th Chief of the Indian Air Force, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who retires on 31 October 2026. Commissioned into the fighter stream in December 1986, Dixit has logged over 3,500 flying hours and is both an experimental test pilot and a qualified flying instructor. His operational record includes Operation Safed Sagar (1999 Kargil war), Operation Rakshak and Operation Sindoor.

• Key fact for exams: he will be the 29th IAF Chief, taking charge on 31 October 2026.
• Note the operations associated with his service record — frequently asked in defence-related GK questions.

DRDO's Indigenous High-Altitude Platform System Reaches 21 km

DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, successfully conducted the maiden flight trial of an indigenously developed, lighter-than-air High-Altitude Platform System (HAPS). The experimental platform reached 21 km above mean sea level and maintained an altitude of about 20 km for over 30 minutes before being safely recovered. Real-time video and vehicle parameters were transmitted to the Ground Control Station during the trial, which is expected to significantly boost India's stratospheric surveillance and earth-observation capabilities.

• Remember the developing agency: ADRDE, Agra, under DRDO.
• Key altitude figures: reached 21 km, sustained ~20 km for 30+ minutes.

Supreme Court Dismisses Andhra Pradesh's Plea on 34% BC Quota

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu dismissed Andhra Pradesh's appeal against a High Court order that had quashed government orders granting 34% reservation for backward classes in local body elections. The High Court had earlier ruled that this quota breached the 50% ceiling on total reservations set by the landmark 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment, and that the state lacked adequate empirical data to justify crossing this ceiling. The Supreme Court upheld this reasoning, rejecting the state's arguments based on a statewide caste survey and local body data.

• Revise the Indra Sawhney (1992) judgment and its 50% reservation ceiling — a recurring polity topic.
• Note the bench: Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu.

India Disconnects Over 82 Lakh Fraudulent Mobile Connections via ASTR

Union Minister of State for Communications Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani announced that India has disconnected more than 82 lakh fraudulent mobile connections using ASTR (Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification). Speaking at an ITU Roundtable on combating fraudulent communications held alongside India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, he outlined India's five-layered defence strategy, including real-time blocking of spoofed international calls, the Sanchar Saathi citizen-reporting initiative, and the Digital Intelligence Platform. India also welcomed the ITU's proposal for joint international trials against cross-border telecom fraud.

• Know the full form of ASTR and its purpose.
• Remember associated initiatives: Sanchar Saathi and the Digital Intelligence Platform.

Centre to Release AI Regulation Consultation Paper Within a Month

Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the government will release a consultation paper on artificial intelligence regulation within the next month, likely by early November 2026. The paper will address AI safety, deepfakes, psychological risks, skilling and inclusive development. Vaishnaw emphasised a 'techno-legal' approach, calling for industry to share responsibility for AI safety alongside legislative measures, aiming to tackle cybersecurity threats while ensuring broad societal benefits from AI adoption.

• Note the term 'techno-legal approach' used by the minister — useful for governance and tech-policy questions.

Navi Pillay Wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

South African jurist Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay was awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contributions to the promotion of peace and international law. A former judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, she was a key figure in the anti-apartheid movement and recently led a UN commission examining the Gaza conflict. She is the fifth South African to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, after Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk, Desmond Tutu and Albert Luthuli.

• Important static GK: Pillay is the 5th South African Nobel Peace laureate.
• Remember her past roles: ICTR judge, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Anne Carson Awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

The Swedish Academy awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature to Canadian poet, essayist, classicist and translator Anne Carson. Her win forms part of the broader October 2026 Nobel Prize season, which also saw announcements in Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Peace. Aspirants should note the subject and nationality of each 2026 Nobel laureate, as such details are frequently tested in general awareness sections.

• Remember: Anne Carson — Canadian — Literature — 2026.
• Keep a consolidated list of all 2026 Nobel laureates by category for quick revision.

India Ranks 38th in Global Innovation Index 2026

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index 2026, in which India retained the 38th rank among 139 economies with an overall score of 40.1. India continues to be the top-ranked innovation economy among lower-middle-income nations and ranks first in Central and Southern Asia, ahead of Bhutan and Kazakhstan. India and Vietnam have been recognised as 'innovation overperformers' relative to their income level for 16 consecutive years.

• Key figures: India's rank 38 out of 139 economies, score 40.1.
• Note India's regional top rank in Central and Southern Asia.

Government Revises Sugar Stock-Holding Norms Ahead of Festive Season

The Government of India revised sugar stock-holding norms for traders and dealers to prevent hoarding and ensure smooth supply during the festive season, coinciding with the start of the new sugar season on 1 October 2026. The move aims to maintain price stability and adequate availability of this essential commodity amid seasonal demand surges. Such stock-limit orders, issued periodically under the Essential Commodities Act framework, are a recurring topic in economy-related exam questions.

• Link this to the Essential Commodities Act — a frequently tested legal framework in economy sections.

DRDO Flight-Tests Advanced High-Altitude Parachute at Nyoma

DRDO's Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, successfully conducted the maiden live jump trial of its indigenously designed Advanced High-Altitude Parachute (AHAP) at the Nyoma drop zone in Ladakh. The system is intended to support airborne operations in extreme high-altitude terrain, enhancing operational capability for armed forces personnel deployed in such regions. This test, coming in the same week as the HAPS trial, marks back-to-back high-altitude technology milestones for India's defence research establishment.

• Note the test location: Nyoma, Ladakh, and the developing agency ADRDE, Agra.
• Link this with the HAPS trial for a combined 'DRDO high-altitude tech' revision point.

That wraps up today's current affairs digest — revise these ten developments thoroughly, as they touch on economy, defence, polity, international relations and static GK, all high-yield areas for UPSC, SSC, Banking and Railway exams.