Current Affairs – October 26 2025

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} India to Install 100 Million Smart Meters

Context (NOA | IA): The Power Ministry announced that India aims to install 100 million smart electricity meters nationwide to enhance power sector efficiency.

The project is a key step toward India’s Digital Power Infrastructure under schemes like the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

Key Highlights of the Announcement

Progress: Out of the targeted 100 million, 10 million smart meters have already been installed across various states.
Consumer Benefits: Smart meters will enable real-time monitoring of electricity usage. Consumers can also track and manage their power consumption, helping reduce wastage and lower electricity bills.
- The system is expected to address billing disputes and enhance transparency in power delivery.
Metro Expansion Update: The Ministry highlighted India’s growing metro rail network, stating that 1,100 km of metro lines have been constructed.

India currently ranks third globally in metro development and is expected to move to second soon. Metro services operate in 24 cities and are planned to expand to 29 cities soon.

Read More > AI for Viksit Bharat

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Transgenders} SC on Transgender Equality

Context (IE): The Supreme Court of India flagged persistent discrimination against transgender persons, directing the Centre and States to formulate a comprehensive Equal Opportunity Policy.

The case arose from a plea by a transgender woman who was terminated from schools in UP and Gujarat, highlighting systemic exclusion despite the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

NALSA v. Union of India (2014): Landmark judgment recognising transgender persons as the “third gender” under Articles 14, 15, 16, and 21, affirming their right to self-identification and equality.

Key Directives of the Supreme Court

Advisory Committee Formation: Headed by Justice Asha Menon (Retd.), tasked with drafting the policy and recommending institutional reforms within 6 months.
Institutional Mechanisms: Transgender Welfare Boards in all States/UTs (as per 2020 Rules) and Transgender Protection Cells at district and state levels under DMs and DGPs.
Support Systems: A nationwide toll-free helpline for reporting violations.

Challenges Faced by Transgenders

Low Workforce Participation: Only 6% of transgender persons are in formal employment, and around 92% work in the informal sector, often in begging or sex work (NHRC–NITI Aayog Report, 2021).
Education Gap: 46% of transgender children drop out before completing secondary school, and less than 2% reach higher education (NHRC, 2022).
Healthcare Discrimination: Only 30% have access to gender-affirming healthcare, and one in four reports denial of medical care in hospitals (Ministry of Social Justice data, 2023).
Policy Implementation Deficit: Only 11 States have notified Transgender Welfare Boards & welfare allocation per transgender individual remains below ₹1,000 annually in most States (CAG Report, 2023).

Way Forward

Policy Integration: “Trans-Inclusive Governance” like the UK’s Equality Act, 2010, which mandates non-discrimination across employment & public services.
Education & Skill Development: Integrate gender diversity in teacher training & Skill India Mission.
Economic Empowerment: Extend PM Vishwakarma Yojana & PMEGP benefits to transgender entrepreneurs via targeted sub-quotas.
Data & Accountability: Include transgender indicators in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) & Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for evidence-based policymaking.

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} PM Modi to Attend ASEAN Summit Virtually *

Context (TH): PM Modi will participate virtually in the 47^th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26 to 28, 2025.

About the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

It is a regional group of ten countries that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.
It was established in 1967 in Bangkok with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration). Its secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
ASEAN has 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. India is not a member of ASEAN.
ASEAN led the creation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), now the world’s largest free trade agreement.
ASEAN is one of India’s largest trading partners and collectively accounts for approximately 11% of India’s global trade.

{GS2 – IR – Issues} State of Emergency in Peru

Context (TOI): Peru’s President José Jerí declared a 30-day state of emergency in the capital Lima and the nearby Callao region, citing worsening public security and increasing crime rates.

Peru has been experiencing a rise in organised crime, with nationwide protests led by “Gen Z” activists.

About Peru

Location: Peru lies on the western coast of South America, bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil to the east, Bolivia and Chile to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Physical Divisions: Three distinct regions — the arid coast in the west, the Sierra (central highlands) with the Andes mountains, and the humid Selva (jungle) with the Amazon rainforest in the east.
Drainage: Includes the Amazon River, which originates in the Andes and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake shared with Bolivia.
Climate: Varies from dry coastal deserts to humid rainforests due to latitude, elevation, and opposing currents of the cold Humboldt and warm El Niño.

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Delhi’s First Cloud-Seeding Flight Trial

Context (TH | NOA): The Delhi Government conducted its first cloud-seeding flight trial.

About Cloud Seeding

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technology that artificially stimulates rainfall by spraying chemical substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation nuclei.
Cloud condensation nuclei are small particles upon which water vapour condenses to form clouds.
The chemical substances used are silver iodides, potassium iodides, dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) or liquid propane.
It works only when there are enough pre-existing clouds in the atmosphere.
Weather Suitability: It requires tall, moist clouds and low wind conditions to operate effectively.
Pollution Removal: Artificial rain reduces particulate matter by washing pollutants out of the air.

Why Delhi’s Air Worsens in Winter?

After the monsoon, dry north-westerly winds and stable air pressure trap pollutants near the surface.
Cooler air holds less water vapour, preventing cloud formation and making artificial rain difficult.
Occasional rainfall occurs only due to Western Disturbances and unreliable local systems.

Limitations of Cloud Seeding

Cloud seeding cannot create clouds; it only works when natural ones exist. Its effectiveness in boosting rainfall remains uncertain and inconsistent.
Any temporary pollution relief after rainfall lasts only a day or two; such short-term measures divert focus from lasting solutions like emission control and clean energy adoption.
It uses chemicals such as silver iodide and sodium chloride to induce rain, which, if used repeatedly, may accumulate in soil and water, harming ecosystems and health.

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Decline of Lab-Grown Diamonds

Context (ET): According to the World Diamond Council (WDC), lab-grown diamonds are becoming less popular due to oversupply, and consumer preferences are shifting back to natural diamonds.

About the World Diamond Council (WDC)

The WDC is a not-for-profit trade organization representing the global diamond industry within the Kimberley Process (KP).
Objective: To uphold the integrity of the natural diamond supply chain and maintain consumer trust through accountability and responsible sourcing.
Institutional Role: The WDC offers technical, financial, and other support to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) to ensure that all diamonds come from legitimate sources.

The Kimberley Process

The Kimberley Process (KP) was established in 2003 as a tripartite initiative involving governments, civil society, and the diamond industry to prevent trade in conflict diamonds.
- Conflict diamonds are rough diamonds used by rebel groups or their allies to fund armed conflicts against legitimate governments.
Membership: The KP currently has 60 participants (59 countries and the European Union); India is a founding member.

The KPCS enforces the broader KP initiative by requiring participating countries to pass national laws and set up institutions to control the import and export of rough diamonds.

About Lab-Grown Diamonds (LGDs)

Lab-grown diamonds are synthetic, man-made diamonds that are chemically and optically identical to natural ones but are created in laboratories.
Production Methods: Two primary methods are used – High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD).
- HPHT Process: It replicates Earth’s natural conditions for diamond formation and uses a carbon source (usually graphite), along with a diamond seed under extreme heat and pressure.
- CVD Process: It creates diamonds by heating a seed in a vacuum chamber with carbon-rich gases to produce high-purity crystals.
Advantages: LGDs provide an ethical, sustainable, and affordable alternative to mined diamonds, attracting environmentally conscious buyers.

Read More > Lab-Grown Diamonds | India’s Diamond Sector

{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Defence Procurement Manual 2025 **

Context (NOA | TH): The Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, released the Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2025 in New Delhi.

About Defence Procurement Manual 2025

The Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) governs revenue procurements required for the day-to-day functioning, maintenance, and operational readiness of the Armed Forces.
It is distinct from the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP), which handles capital procurements.
It replaces the earlier manual of 2009 and incorporates lessons from defence reforms under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020.
The manual will become effective from November 1, 2025, and is expected to govern revenue procurement of about ₹1 lakh crore by the three-Armed Services under the Ministry of Defence.

Significance of the Defence Procurement Manual

Promoting Indigenisation: Introduces a framework for assured orders up to five years for indigenously developed products, providing predictability for domestic manufacturers.
Level Playing Field: Eliminates the requirement of No Objection Certificates from Defence Public Sector Undertakings before procurement from private sources.
Ease of Doing Business: Simplifies procurement worth about ₹1 lakh crore by decentralising authority to Competent Financial Authorities (CFAs) at the field level, enabling faster approvals.
Relaxed Penalties: No Liquidated Damages (LD) during development; minimal post-prototype penalties incentivise genuine suppliers and support indigenisation.

Challenges Within the Defence Procurement Manual

High Import Dependence: India remains the world’s largest arms importer (SIPRI, 2024), with around 36% of its defence needs sourced externally.
Low R&D Spending: Defence research accounts for less than 1% of GDP, limiting innovation capacity.
Limited Private Sector Participation: Historically dominated by public sector undertakings, private firms contributed only 22% of total defence production (MoD, 2023–24).

Way Forward

Support to MSMEs: Simplify eligibility norms, expand limited Tender options up to ₹50 lakh to promote inclusion and align the manual with MSME Samarth and Make in India initiatives.
Capacity Building: Establish Defence Procurement Training Institutes for the uniform implementation of procedures. E.g. United Kingdom’s Defence Equipment and Support Agency.
Monitoring & Transparency: Create a digital monitoring dashboard for tracking revenue procurement at all stages. E.g. South Korea’s Defence e-Procurement System (D2B).
Encouraging MRO Sector: Allow a 15% upfront growth margin during refits and overhauls to strengthen the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul ecosystem. E.g. Indian Navy’s MRO Vision 2030.

{Prelims – In News} Sree Narayana Guru

Context (DD): The President inaugurated the Mahasamadhi Centenary observance of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala.

About Sree Narayana Guru (1856-1928)

He pioneered the 19^th-century socio-religious renaissance and fought against caste discrimination.
He is renowned for his relentless fight against the caste system and social inequality, emphasizing the message “One Caste, One Religion, One God for All”.
In 1903, he founded the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam to advance education and social reform among marginalised communities.
In 1904, he established the Sivagiri Mutt near Varkala, which became a hub for spiritual renewal and social progress through education, hygiene, and agriculture.
He wrote over 60 philosophical and poetic works in Malayalam & Sanskrit, including Advaitha Deepika and Anukampa Dasakam, expressing his vision of social justice and spiritual harmony.