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9th October 2026 Current Affairs

Friday · 10 news items · 10 MCQs

RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% in its first increase since 2023; Canadian poet Anne Carson wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature; Indian Navy inducts its first indigenous TROUT underwater ROVs from EyeROV

In this edition

  1. Indian Navy inducts first indigenous TROUT underwater ROVs from EyeROV
  2. Sagarmanthan 2026, India's maritime dialogue, opens in New Delhi
  3. Indian Coast Guard conducts SAREX-2026 off Paradip coast
  4. Canadian poet Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature
  5. RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%, first hike since 2023
  6. Djokovic wins 2026 China Open, 102nd ATP tour-level title
  7. World Bank ranks India among top 10 emerging markets in AI readiness
  8. Command Hospital Kolkata gives soldier India's indigenous CAR-T therapy
  9. Starlink confirms 20 satellite gateway sites set up in India
  10. Ladakh launches India's first high-altitude snow leopard safari
  11. Daily Current Affairs Quiz (10 questions)

📘 9th October 2026 Current Affairs Quiz

10 questions · attempt all, submit, then see your score and the solutions

Take the Quiz ›
🛡️ Defence

Indian Navy inducts first indigenous TROUT underwater ROVs from EyeROV

Why in News?

On 7 October 2026, the Indian Navy received the first two of five indigenously built TROUT military-grade underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) from Kochi-based start-up EyeROV, under a Rs 47-crore contract developed through the Ministry of Defence's iDEX DISC-7 SPRINT challenge. The TROUT, rated to a depth of 300 metres, is built for underwater inspection, surveillance and search-and-recovery. It cleared naval quality trials under the Directorate of Quality Assurance (Naval), marking a step toward self-reliance in military-grade underwater robotics.

Key Highlights

  • Manufacturer: EyeROV, Kochi-based start-up
  • Contract value: Rs 47 crore
  • Depth rating: 300 metres
  • First 2 of 5 TROUT units delivered on 7 October 2026
  • Developed under iDEX DISC-7 SPRINT challenge

Static GK

  • iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) was launched in April 2018 under the Ministry of Defence
  • DQA(N) stands for Directorate of Quality Assurance (Naval)
  • ROV stands for Remotely Operated Vehicle, an unmanned tethered underwater robot
  • Kochi is the principal port city of Kerala, on India's south-west coast
📈 Economy

Sagarmanthan 2026, India's maritime dialogue, opens in New Delhi

Why in News?

The third edition of 'Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue' was held in New Delhi from 7-9 October 2026, co-hosted by the Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. About 1,200 delegates from nearly 75 countries attended under the theme 'Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea,' discussing maritime trade, the blue economy, sustainable shipping and ocean governance.

Key Highlights

  • 3rd edition, held 7-9 October 2026 in New Delhi
  • Co-hosts: Observer Research Foundation and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
  • ~1,200 delegates from ~75 countries
  • Theme: 'Blue Geographies, New Aspirations: Trade, Technology, and Trust at Sea'

Static GK

  • Sagarmanthan was first held in New Delhi in 2024
  • Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is a New Delhi-based think tank
  • The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the nodal ministry for India's maritime sector
  • India's SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine guides its maritime diplomacy
🛡️ Defence

Indian Coast Guard conducts SAREX-2026 off Paradip coast

Why in News?

The Indian Coast Guard conducted SAREX-2026, the 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise, off the Paradip coast on 7-8 October 2026, simulating a mass rescue operation involving a ditched passenger aircraft and a collision with a container vessel. The exercise involved Coast Guard ships and aircraft, Indian Navy ships and Indian Air Force assets, alongside the 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue Board meeting in Bhubaneswar, with observers from about 30 countries.

Key Highlights

  • 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX)
  • Dates: 7-8 October 2026, off Paradip coast, Odisha
  • Simulated scenario: aircraft ditching plus collision with container vessel
  • 24th National Maritime Search and Rescue Board meeting held in Bhubaneswar
  • International observers from about 30 countries

Static GK

  • The Indian Coast Guard was established on 1 February 1977
  • The Coast Guard functions under the Ministry of Defence
  • The National Maritime Search and Rescue Board coordinates India's maritime SAR framework
  • Paradip is a major port city in Odisha
🌍 International

Canadian poet Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature

Why in News?

The Swedish Academy announced on 8 October 2026 that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature goes to Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson, known for works such as 'Autobiography of Red' and 'Men in the Off Hours,' which often draw on ancient Greek and Roman literature such as Homer, Sappho and Euripides. Born in Toronto in 1950, she has also won Canada's Griffin Poetry Prize.

Key Highlights

  • Winner: Anne Carson, Canadian poet and essayist
  • Announced by the Swedish Academy on 8 October 2026
  • Known works: 'Autobiography of Red', 'Men in the Off Hours'
  • Born in Toronto in 1950; previously won the Griffin Poetry Prize

Static GK

  • The Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded by the Swedish Academy since 1901
  • Rabindranath Tagore (1913) remains the only Indian Nobel Literature laureate
  • Recent Nobel Literature laureates include Han Kang (2024) and Jon Fosse (2023)
  • All Nobel Prizes except the Peace Prize are presented in Stockholm on 10 December
📈 Economy

RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%, first hike since 2023

Why in News?

The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee, chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, unanimously raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50% on 7 October 2026 - its first hike since February 2023 - and shifted its stance to 'calibrated tightening.' The move cited inflation risks from high crude prices, a weaker rupee and the West Asia conflict. RBI also raised its FY27 real GDP growth forecast to 7.1% and its CPI inflation forecast to 5.2%.

Key Highlights

  • Repo rate raised by 25 basis points, from 5.25% to 5.50%
  • Date: 7 October 2026; first hike since February 2023
  • MPC voted unanimously; stance changed to 'calibrated tightening'
  • FY27 GDP growth forecast raised to 7.1%; CPI inflation forecast raised to 5.2%
  • RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra

Static GK

  • Repo rate is the rate at which RBI lends short-term funds to commercial banks against government securities
  • The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has six members and decides the repo rate by majority vote
  • Sanjay Malhotra took charge as RBI Governor in December 2024
  • RBI conducts bi-monthly monetary policy reviews, six times a year
🏆 Sports

Djokovic wins 2026 China Open, 102nd ATP tour-level title

Why in News?

Novak Djokovic won the 2026 China Open men's singles title in Beijing on 6 October 2026, defeating Alex de Minaur, who retired injured in the second set. It was Djokovic's seventh China Open title, keeping him unbeaten in seven appearances there, and his 102nd ATP tour-level title overall - one short of Roger Federer's record of 103 - ending an 11-month title drought.

Key Highlights

  • Winner: Novak Djokovic, 2026 China Open (Beijing), 6 October 2026
  • 102nd ATP tour-level title of his career
  • One behind Roger Federer's record of 103 titles
  • 7th China Open title; unbeaten 34-0 there across 7 appearances

Static GK

  • Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player with a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles
  • Roger Federer (Switzerland) holds 103 ATP tour-level titles
  • Jimmy Connors holds the Open Era record of 109 ATP titles
  • The ATP 500 tournament category was introduced in 2009
💻 Technology

World Bank ranks India among top 10 emerging markets in AI readiness

Why in News?

In its October 2026 report 'India and Artificial Intelligence: Seizing the Development Opportunity,' the World Bank placed India among the top 10 emerging-market performers in AI readiness, citing its technical workforce, globally integrated IT sector and digital public infrastructure. It noted that private AI investment in India rose from USD 1.2 billion in 2024 to USD 4.1 billion in 2025, and raised India's FY27 growth forecast to 7.1%, though it flagged that only about 23% of Indian firms use AI compared with about 43% in the US.

Key Highlights

  • World Bank report: 'India and Artificial Intelligence: Seizing the Development Opportunity'
  • India placed among top 10 emerging markets in AI readiness
  • Private AI investment rose from $1.2bn (2024) to $4.1bn (2025)
  • India's FY27 growth forecast raised to 7.1%
  • ~23% of Indian firms use AI versus ~43% in the United States

Static GK

  • The World Bank, headquartered in Washington D.C., was established in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference
  • Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are India-based units of multinational firms providing IT and business services
  • NITI Aayog released India's National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in 2018
  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is India's nodal ministry for AI policy
🔬 Science

Command Hospital Kolkata gives soldier India's indigenous CAR-T therapy

Why in News?

On 5 October 2026, Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata, administered NexCAR19 - India's indigenous CAR-T cell therapy - to a 39-year-old serving soldier with relapsed or refractory B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. NexCAR19 was developed by the biotech start-up ImmunoACT in collaboration with IIT Bombay and the Tata Memorial Centre, and is estimated to cost roughly a tenth of comparable CAR-T therapies available in Western countries.

Key Highlights

  • Therapy: NexCAR19, administered 5 October 2026
  • Hospital: Command Hospital (Eastern Command), Kolkata
  • Patient: 39-year-old soldier with relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL
  • Developers: ImmunoACT with IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre
  • Cost: about one-tenth of comparable Western CAR-T therapies

Static GK

  • CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is an immunotherapy for certain blood cancers
  • NexCAR19 received Indian regulatory approval as the country's first indigenous CAR-T therapy in 2023
  • B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (B-ALL) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow
  • IIT Bombay and the Tata Memorial Centre are both based in Mumbai
💻 Technology

Starlink confirms 20 satellite gateway sites set up in India

Why in News?

At India Mobile Congress 2026, SpaceX executive Lauren Dreyer said Starlink has established 20 satellite gateway sites across India, each with multiple antennas, and has built India-specific data-security controls to keep Indian user data within the country. Starlink holds a GMPCS licence and has signed MoUs with Airtel and Jio, but commercial launch still awaits spectrum allocation and security clearance from the government.

Key Highlights

  • Announced at India Mobile Congress 2026, 7 October 2026
  • 20 satellite gateway sites established across India
  • India-specific data-security controls built in
  • MoUs signed with Airtel and Jio; commercial launch pending spectrum and security clearance

Static GK

  • Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk
  • GMPCS stands for Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite, a licence category under India's Department of Telecommunications
  • India Mobile Congress is jointly organised annually by the DoT and COAI
  • Other satellite broadband players active in India include OneWeb (Eutelsat) and Jio-SES
🌿 Environment

Ladakh launches India's first high-altitude snow leopard safari

Why in News?

Ladakh launched India's first high-altitude snow leopard safari during Wildlife Week on 7 October 2026, with Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena flagging off safari vehicles in Leh under a joint initiative of the SHAN Society (Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature Conservation) and the UT's Forest, Ecology and Environment Department. Ladakh, home to an estimated 477 of India's roughly 718 snow leopards, opened initial routes at Rumbak, Shang and Uley.

Key Highlights

  • Launched 7 October 2026 during Wildlife Week, in Leh
  • Flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena
  • Joint initiative of SHAN Society and UT Forest, Ecology and Environment Department
  • Ladakh holds an estimated 477 of India's ~718 snow leopards
  • Initial routes: Rumbak, Shang and Uley

Static GK

  • Ladakh became a Union Territory on 31 October 2019, carved out of Jammu & Kashmir
  • The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a Schedule I protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
  • Hemis National Park in Ladakh is known for its snow leopard population
  • A Lieutenant Governor administers Ladakh on behalf of the President of India

📘 9th October 2026 Current Affairs Quiz

10 questions · attempt all, submit, then see your score and the solutions

Take the Quiz ›