Current Affairs – October 27 2025

{GS2 – Governance} India Maritime Week 2025 *

Context (NOA | PIB): India Maritime Week 2025 is taking place at the NESCO Grounds in Mumbai, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).

This is a five-day international maritime event themed “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision.”
Objective: Showcase India’s maritime progress and attract global investments to position India as a leading naval and Blue Economy hub.
Participation: Ministers from 11 countries and over 100,000 delegates from 85 nations—including policymakers and industry leaders will participate, making it the world’s largest maritime gathering.
Events: IMW 2025 will host key events, including the 4^th Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), the QUAD Ports of the Future Conference, the UNESCAP Asia-Pacific Dialogue, and Sagarmanthan.
Significance: The event promotes India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, emphasising sustainability, innovation, inclusive growth, trade, and connectivity.

According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem”.

Read More > Recent Maritime Initiatives

{GS2 – IR} Asia Pacific Accident Investigation Group

Context (BS | DD): For the first time, India will host the APAC-AIG Meeting. The event is being organised by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

About APAC-AIG

A regional cooperative mechanism under ICAO that focuses on capacity-building, training, and standardisation of investigation procedures across the Asia-Pacific region as per ICAO Annexe 13.
The annual meeting is hosted by any one ICAO member state in the region.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that establishes global standards and cooperation frameworks for international civil aviation.
Establishment: It was established by the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), became a UN specialised agency in 1947, and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
Membership: ICAO has 193 member states, and India has been a founding member since 1944.
Structure: It includes the Assembly, a sovereign body of all 193 States (meets every three years), the 36-member Council (governing body with a three-year term), the Secretariat (handles daily operations), and Regional Offices (for local aviation development).

About Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)

The AAIB, established in 2012, is India’s primary agency for investigating aviation accidents and functions as an attached office under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, with its headquarters in New Delhi.
Before AAIB, such investigations were handled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
It fulfils India’s obligations under Annexe 13 of the Chicago Convention, 1944.

{GS2 – IR} 22^nd ASEAN-India Summit **

Context (DDN): The 22^nd ASEAN-India Summit was held virtually under Malaysia’s chairmanship, as part of the larger 47^th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

Timor-Leste formally joined ASEAN as the 11^th member and participated in the summit for the first time as a full member.

Key Outcomes of the Summit

Maritime Cooperation: India declared 2026 as the ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation’ to advance collaboration in the blue economy and maritime security.
Sustainable Tourism: A Joint Statement on Sustainable Tourism was adopted to promote eco-friendly practices aligned with the 2025 ASEAN-India Year of Tourism.
Trade Agreement Review: India called for an early review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to address trade imbalances and streamline market access.
Strategic Partnership: The summit renewed the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026-2030), with a focus on digital inclusion, food security, and resilient supply chains.
Institutional Initiatives: India proposed a Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Nalanda University and a Maritime Heritage Festival at Lothal, Gujarat.

Significance of the Summit

Act East Policy: The summit reinforced ASEAN’s centrality in India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategic outreach efforts.
Regional Stability: India reaffirmed its commitment as a trusted partner in ensuring peace and maritime stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Cultural Linkage: Civilizational links and people-to-people exchanges were highlighted to promote mutual trust and regional goodwill.

About Timor-Leste

Location: Timor-Leste, or East Timor, is located on the eastern half of Timor Island in Southeast Asia.
- Timor Island is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, situated at the southern end of the Malay Archipelago.
Boundaries: It is bordered by the Timor Sea to the southeast, Wetar Strait to the north, Ombai Strait to the northwest, and western Timor to the southwest.
Relief and Capital: Mount Tatamailau (Mount Ramelau) is the highest point, while Dili is the capital.
History: It was a Portuguese colony, later occupied by Indonesia, and gained full independence in 2002.
Geographic Distinction: Timor-Leste is the only Asian country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.

Read More > ASEAN

{GS3 – IE} RBI Cautions States on Fiscal Discipline **

Context (LM): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cautioned states about fiscal slippage, excessive borrowing, and pre-election populist spending.

Pre-election populist spending refers to increased government expenditure on subsidies or welfare schemes before elections to gain voter support rather than achieve long-term economic stability.

Key Concerns of RBI

Rising Yields: Yields on State Development Loans (SDLs) have increased significantly, raising the cost of borrowing for state governments.
Increasing Borrowing: States borrowed ₹5.23 trillion till Oct 2025, which is 62% of the FY26 plan, compared to ₹4.37 trillion last year.
Fiscal Deficit Risk: The FY26 combined budget deficit is projected at 3.2% of GDP, but experts warn it could exceed this limit.
Populist Spending: During eight major state elections (2023–25), governments collectively spent around ₹68,000 crore on pre-poll welfare schemes, with Bihar allocating 32.48% of its tax revenue.

SDLs are government securities issued by individual states in India to raise funds for development projects and to cover their fiscal deficit.

Recommendations of the RBI

Productive Spending: Redirect fiscal resources from short-term subsidies to capital investments that create durable assets and strengthen growth.
Fiscal Prudence: Adhere strictly to the targets of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM Act) to maintain macroeconomic stability.
Borrowing Strategy: Diversify borrowing over various maturities and improve communication with investors to reduce borrowing costs and sustain market confidence.
Fiscal Transparency: Enhance reporting on contingent liabilities and off-budget borrowings to give an accurate and credible overview of the state’s financial situation.

{GS3 – IE} India’s Forex Reserves *

Context (DH): India’s Forex Reserves surged by USD 4.496 billion, reaching an all-time high of USD 702.28 billion, according to the Reserve Bank of India.

India continues to rank among the top five nations globally in forex holdings, after China, Japan, Switzerland, and Russia.

Latest Updates of India’s Forex Reserves

Foreign Currency Assets (FCA): USD 570.41 billion, down by USD 1.692 billion.
Gold Reserves: Increased by USD 6.181 billion to USD 108.55 billion.
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs): Rose by USD 38 million to USD 18.72 billion.
IMF Reserve Position: Marginal decline of USD 30 million to USD 4.60 billion.

About Forex Reserves

Forex reserves are external assets held by the RBI to ensure exchange rate stability, maintain liquidity for external payments, and build investor confidence.
Components:
- Foreign Currency Assets (FCA): Securities, deposits, and treasury holdings in foreign currencies.
- Gold Reserves: Physical gold and gold deposit accounts valued at current international prices.
- SDRs: International reserve assets allocated by the IMF to member nations.
- Reserve Tranche: India’s portion of its IMF quota that can be used for balance-of-payment needs.

Significance of Forex Reserves

Exchange Rate Stability: Helps RBI curb rupee volatility through market intervention.
Import Cover: Secures over 10 months of import financing.
Investor Confidence: Strengthens India’s credibility and capital flow stability.
Portfolio Diversification: Gold reserves hedge against dollar risk.

Read More> Internationalisation of Rupee

{Prelims – A&C} India Advocates for UNESCO Recognition of Chhath Puja

Context (NOA | DDN): PM Narendra Modi announced that the Government of India is working to achieve UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage status for Chhath Mahaparva.

Rationale: Chhath Puja represents ecological harmony, social inclusivity, global presence, and unique sun-worship traditions that reflect India’s living heritage.

The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list was created in 2008 under the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage; it recognises and promotes living traditions, performing arts, rituals, and cultural practices that reflect community identity and continuity.

About Chhath Mahaparva

Chhath Mahaparva, also called Chhath Puja, is an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God and his sister Chhathi Maiya.
It is a four-day festival; First Day (Nahay-Khay), Second Day (Kharna), Third Day (Sandhya Arghya), and Fourth Day (Usha Arghya).
During the festival, devotees observe a strict fast, abstaining from water, and make offerings to the rising and setting Sun (Usha and Pratyusha) while standing in a water body.
It is celebrated during the Kartik month, usually occurring in October–November.
Chhath Puja is mainly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern Uttar Pradesh, as well as in Nepal and among Indian diaspora communities worldwide.
Significance: The festival encourages gratitude toward nature, discipline, collective cleanliness and community participation that transcends caste or class divisions.

{Prelims – Envi} Saranda Forest

Context (IE): The recent Supreme Court directive seeks to notify 856 sq km (of which 816 sq km is reserved forest), Saranda Forest, as a Wildlife Sanctuary, to preserve this fragile landscape.

It derives its name from the Ho language, meaning “seven hundred hills”, and is located in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, within the Eastern Himalaya Biodiversity Hotspot.
It forms one of India’s densest and most biodiverse Sal (Shorea robusta) forests, interspersed with bamboo, mahua, and terminalia species, and nourished by the Karo and Koina rivers.
It hosts rich fauna, including Asian elephants, four-horned antelopes, sloth bears and civets, along with elephant corridors of Keonjhar and Sundargarh (Odisha) and Hasdeo-Arand (Chhattisgarh).

Wildlife Sanctuary

A Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area notified under Section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, aimed at the protection of wild animals and their habitat
Declared by State Governments, with prior consultation with the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
The Chief Wildlife Warden may permit human activities like grazing.
The boundaries of a wildlife sanctuary can be altered by a resolution of the State Legislature, but only after receiving a recommendation from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).

{Prelims – Envi} Kashmir’s First Chrysanthemum Garden *

Context (IE): Kashmir’s first chrysanthemum garden, Bagh-e-Gul Dawood, has opened to tourists.

The garden, located within the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar along Dal Lake, features over 100,000 plants of more than 60 varieties.
It complements the existing Tulip Garden, encouraging year-round floral tourism in Kashmir.

About Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are perennial flowering plants native to East Asia and northeastern Europe.
They bloom in the autumn season and are known for their vibrant and diverse floral display,
Climatic Conditions: Chrysanthemums flourish in moderate temperatures, with shorter days and cooler, longer nights.
Uses: They are commonly used as ornamental plants and for medicinal purposes to treat hypertension, fevers, and inflammation.

{Prelims – Species} Pilot Whales Stranded in New Zealand *

Context (DDN): A group of 29 pilot whales were found dead after stranding at Twilight Beach in North Island, New Zealand.

About Pilot Whales

Pilot whales are large, highly social oceanic dolphins, commonly called whales due to their large size and coordinated group behaviour.
Species Types: There are two distinct species of pilot whales:
1. Long-finned Pilot Whale: Prefers colder, deeper waters in the North Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and sub-Antarctic regions. IUCN: Least Concern
2. Short-finned Pilot Whale: Inhabits warmer tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. IUCN: Least Concern
Physical Traits: They have dark black or grey bodies with a lighter, anchor-shaped belly patch and a rounded, bulbous forehead known as a “melon.”
Social Structure: They form stable matriarchal pods ranging from a few dozen to several hundred individuals. Calves stay with their mothers for life.
Feeding Behaviour: As apex predators, they dive deep and use echolocation to mainly hunt squid, as well as fish like mackerel and herring.
Mass Strandings: Pilot whales are among the most frequently stranded species; the exact cause is unclear, but it may relate to sonar or geomagnetic disturbances
Threats: Targeted hunting, fishing gear entanglement, noise and chemical pollution, ship collisions, etc.

Read More> Pilot Whale Stranding

{Prelims – Species} Indian Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena)

Context (NIE): The Indian scops owl (Otus bakkamoena) was recorded for the first time near Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Karnataka.

About Indian Scops Owl (Otus bakkamoena)

The Indian scops owl is a small, nocturnal bird of prey native to South Asia. It is known for its remarkable camouflage and distinctive frog-like “wuatt” calls.
Physical Traits: Greyish body, dark eyes, and ear-like tufts enable seamless blending with tree bark.
Habitat Range: Inhabits forests, woodlands, gardens, and agricultural areas with dense foliage.
Distribution: Found throughout South Asia, including Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Ecological Role: Regulates insect populations and serves as an indicator of ecosystem health.
Key Threats: Habitat degradation, pesticide exposure, illegal wildlife trade, ritualistic hunting, etc.
Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern; CITES: Appendix II; WPA: Schedule II.

About Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary

Location: Located in the Ballari district of Karnataka near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi.
Establishment: Founded in 1994, it is Asia’s first sanctuary exclusively for Indian sloth bears.
Geological Features: It features the oldest terrain on the Indian subcontinent, marked by rocky hills and scattered granite boulders.
Vegetation: Dominated by dry deciduous scrub and southern thorn forests. Indian jujube is an important food source for the sloth bears.
Faunal Diversity: Sloth bear, Leopards, Hyenas, Jackals, Pangolins, Monitor lizards, etc.

{Prelims – Defence} Burevestnik Cruise Missile

Context (DDN): Russia successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, reportedly travelling 14,000 km and staying airborne for nearly 15 hours.

About Burevestnik Missile

Burevestnik, meaning “storm petrel,” is a Russian ground-launched, nuclear-powered, and nuclear-armed cruise missile with a virtually unlimited range.
Propulsion System: It is launched using a solid-fuel rocket booster, after which a compact nuclear reactor powers sustained, long-range flight.
Operational Range: Nuclear propulsion offers extended endurance, allowing low-altitude flight with unpredictable and flexible routes.
Evasion Capability: Its low-flying, highly manoeuvrable design allows it to evade radar detection and bypass advanced missile defence systems.

{Prelims – Defence} ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit *

Context (TOI | NOA): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched two new Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), ICGS Ajit and ICGS Aparajit, at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

These are the seventh and eighth vessels in a series of eight indigenously built FPVs.
They are the first in their class in India to feature Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP), enhancing operational agility and fuel efficiency.
Each 52-metre vessel displaces about 320 tonnes and carries equipment that is over 65% indigenous.
Significance: Enhances blue-water surveillance and maritime readiness, reinforces Atmanirbhar Bharat in naval defence, and supports the ICG’s mission of safe, secure, and clean seas.

{Prelims – Geo} Cyclone Montha

Context (IE): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a deep depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into Cyclone Montha.

The name “Montha” was proposed by Thailand and approved by the WMO panel.

Read More About > Cyclone Naming Process

Conditions Favourable for Tropical Cyclone Formation

Large sea surface with a temperature higher than 27° C.
Presence of the Coriolis force is enough to create a cyclonic vortex.
Small variations in the vertical wind speed.
A pre-existing weak low-pressure area or low-level cyclonic circulation.
Upper divergence above the sea level system.

Cyclonic wind movements, caused by the Coriolis force, blow anti-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Read More > Tropical Cyclones