DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 13th October 2026

Indian Economy; Government Surveys and Statistics

Why in the News?

The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released findings from India’s first-ever all-India National Household Travel Survey, conducted from July 2025 to June 2026. 

Key Facts and Findings

• Coverage: 4,92,023 households and 20,34,371 persons across 14,274 villages and 10,377 urban blocks.
• Objective: Generate data on travel purpose, transport modes, distance, duration and expenditure to improve transport planning and infrastructure investment.
• Definition of travel: A trip covering a distance of more than 1 km.
• Workforce mobility: Two-wheelers are the leading primary transport mode for workers travelling to fixed workplaces, accounting for 42.6%.
• Student mobility: Walking (37%), buses (29.5%) and bicycles (15.8%) are the leading modes of travel to educational institutions.
• Travel time: 87.6% of students reach educational institutions within 30 minutes; 83.4% of workers commute to fixed workplaces in less than 30 minutes.
• Commuting expenditure: Average monthly expenditure per worker is ₹785—₹1,044 in urban areas and ₹612 in rural areas.
• Overnight journeys: Social and religious purposes predominate; buses account for 55.8% and railways 17.7% of these journeys. 

Sources / Further Reading

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2319180&reg=3&lang=1

Internal Security; Defence and Security

Why in the News?

The Indian Navy’s guided-missile stealth frigate INS Trishul arrived at Plymouth, United Kingdom, to participate in Exercise KONKAN-2026 with the Royal Navy. The exercise is being conducted from 8–15 October 2026. 

Key Facts

• Participating countries: India and the United Kingdom.
• Nature: Annual bilateral maritime exercise.
• Location: Off Plymouth, UK.
• Participating forces: Indian Navy and Royal Navy.
• Two phases:
  • Harbour Phase: Professional interactions, cross-deck visits, sports and cultural engagements.
  • Sea Phase: Operational drills across air, surface and sub-surface domains.
• Major activities: Cross-deck helicopter landings, firing exercises, air-defence drills, seamanship manoeuvres and anti-submarine warfare exercises.
• INS Trishul: A Talwar-class guided-missile stealth frigate of the Indian Navy.

Strategic Significance

• Interoperability: Enhances coordination and mutual understanding between the two navies.
• Maritime security: Supports protection of sea lines of communication and safe, open maritime routes.
• Bilateral relations: Advances defence cooperation under the India–UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Vision 2035.
• Operational learning: Enables both navies to exchange best practices in multi-domain maritime operations. 

Sources / Further Reading

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2321915&reg=48&lang=1

Economy; Science & Technology; International Organisations

Why in the News?

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the 19th edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) in September 2026, assessing innovation performance across 139 economies. India ranked 38th, reflecting its strengths in digital services and innovation outputs. 

Key Facts

• Publisher: WIPO, a specialised agency of the United Nations.
• India’s rank: 38th; ranked first among 36 lower-middle-income economies and among 11 economies in Central and Southern Asia.
• Top five economies: Switzerland, Sweden, United States, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
• Assessment: Around 80 indicators, grouped into two sub-indices:
  • Innovation inputs: Institutions; human capital and research; infrastructure; market sophistication; business sophistication.
  • Innovation outputs: Knowledge and technology outputs; creative outputs.
• India’s performance: 49th in innovation inputs and 25th in innovation outputs.
• Global innovation clusters: Bengaluru ranked 25th and Delhi 27th; the Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou cluster ranked first globally.
• India’s strengths: First in ICT services exports, fourth in late-stage venture-capital deals and 13th in intangible-asset intensity. 

Sources / Further Reading

https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/knowledge-nugget-global-innovation-index-2026-india-key-highlights-upsc-10916341/

Infrastructure: Railways

Why in the news? On 11 October 2026, five more redeveloped railway stations in Tamil Nadu were inaugurated under the scheme, taking the state’s total to 26 out of 77 stations identified. The stations were Ambasamudram, Palani, Namakkal, Paramakkudi and Vellore Cantonment. 

Key facts

• Launched: December 2022.
• Nodal ministry: Ministry of Railways, Government of India.
• Objective: Phased, long-term redevelopment of railway stations through station-specific master plans—not merely cosmetic renovation.
• Coverage: 1,340 stations envisaged for redevelopment nationwide.
• Progress: As reported by the Ministry of Railways in July 2026, work had been completed at 261 stations. 

Major features

• Passenger amenities: Improved waiting halls, toilets, platforms, roofing, lifts, escalators and Wi-Fi, wherever required.
• Accessibility: Ramps, lifts, accessible toilets and other facilities for Divyangjan passengers.
• Better connectivity: Improved approach roads, circulating areas, parking and multimodal integration.
• Modern infrastructure: Wider foot-overbridges, air concourses, improved signage and passenger-information systems.
• Local identity: Station designs may reflect regional architecture and heritage.
• Local livelihoods: Integration with the One Station One Product (OSOP) initiative, which provides retail space for local products and artisans. 

Sources 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/amrit-bharat-station-scheme-tamil-nadu-25-railway-stations-10916255/

Science & Technology; Agriculture

Why in the news? The second meeting of GI-AI4FS was held on 10 October 2026 in New Delhi, alongside the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026. It was hosted by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), Department of Telecommunications, with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). 

Key facts

• Nature: United Nations global initiative promoting responsible AI use across agriculture and food systems.
• Coordinator: International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• Partner UN agencies: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP).
• First meeting: Held in Rome, Italy, in June 2026. 

Objectives and applications

• Precision agriculture: AI-powered analysis of soil, weather and crop conditions.
• Crop protection: Early detection of pests and diseases using AI-enabled monitoring.
• Resource efficiency: Better use of water, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs.
• Supply chains: Improved food traceability, logistics and reduction of post-harvest losses.
• Global cooperation: Develop trustworthy, interoperable and farmer-centric AI solutions, along with common governance approaches and standards. 

Related developments

• An international AI for Agri-Food Systems Hackathon was held on 8–9 October 2026 at the ICAR campus in New Delhi.
• The second meeting discussed governance structures, working groups, priority areas and practical deployment of AI solutions. 

Sources: 

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2321784&reg=48&lang=1

GS III – Agriculture / GS III – Science & Technology
Genetically Modified Crops, Biosafety Regulation, and Farmer Welfare

Introduction

A quarter or more of India’s cultivated area under cotton comprises genetically modified (GM) hybrids incorporating “unapproved” herbicide-tolerant (HT) and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) traits, according to a seed industry-commissioned study. The study shows the presence of unapproved HT and next-generation Bt genes in over half of the seed/leaf samples collected from farmers’ fields across 16 districts of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan. This widespread unregulated adoption reflects farmer demand—driven by labour scarcity for manual weeding and pink bollworm attacks—but bypasses the government’s biosafety and regulatory approval system. The blame lies solely with the government, whose ideological blocking of GM commercialisation has turned India from a leading producer and exporter to a net importer of cotton.

The Problem: Unapproved GM Traits

Prevalence

• Cultivated Area: A quarter or more of India’s cotton area comprises unapproved GM hybrids.
• Sample Findings: Over half of seed/leaf samples across 16 districts (Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan) contained unapproved HT and next-generation Bt genes.

Traits Involved

• Herbicide Tolerance (HT): Glyphosate tolerance—not officially authorised for cotton.
• Next-Generation Bt (Vip3A): Different mode of action; effective against pink bollworm—not officially authorised.

Channels of Supply

• Illegal Channels: Traders and breeders who have undertaken introgression of traits, bypassing biosafety and regulatory approval.

Why Farmers Adopt Unapproved GM

Economic Rationale

• Cost Differential: Massive—farmers save significantly with HT technology.
• Labour Scarcity: Manual weeding labour is scarce.
• Pest Pressure: Pink bollworm attacks; Vip3A provides effective control.

Farmer Acceptance

• Not Ideology: For cotton growers, it is about economics and pest management.
• Demonstrated Demand: Widespread adoption despite regulatory prohibition.

The Losers

Organised Seed Industry

• Legal Bt Cotton Hybrid Sales: Fell from 59.6 million to 46.3 million packets (2022-23 to 2025-26).
• Unauthorised HT-Bt Market: Grown to an estimated 8.2-8.8 million packets.

Farmers

• Denied Benefits: Of advanced GM traits in hybrids of genuine research-backed seed companies.
• Fly-by-Night Operators: Unregulated seeds may lack quality assurance.
• Net Importer: India turned from leading producer/exporter to net importer of cotton.

Government’s Responsibility

• Blocking Commercialisation: Based more on ideological positions than empirical regulatory science.
• Field Trials: Blocked.
• Outcome: Widespread unregulated adoption, bypassing biosafety systems.

Way Forward

Regulatory Reform

• Science-Based Approval: Evaluate GM traits based on empirical regulatory science, not ideology.
• Expedite Field Trials: Allow controlled testing of HT and Vip3A traits.
• Biosafety Framework: Strengthen, not bypass.

Legitimising Safe Technology

• Commercialisation: Allow approved HT and Vip3A traits through legitimate channels.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure seeds come from research-backed companies.
• Farmer Protection: Prevent exploitation by fly-by-night operators.

Addressing Farmer Needs

• Labour Scarcity: HT technology reduces manual weeding.
• Pest Management: Vip3A controls pink bollworm.
• Income Security: Reduce costs; improve yields.

Institutional Strengthening

• GEAC: Strengthen capacity for science-based decisions.
• Monitoring: Track unapproved GM adoption; assess risks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Farmers, industry, scientists, civil society.

Conclusion

The unregulated use of GM cotton in India is a cautionary tale. A quarter or more of cultivated area comprises unapproved HT and Bt hybrids, adopted by farmers for sound economic reasons—manual weeding costs ₹12,000-15,000 per acre versus ₹750-850 for glyphosate. The losers are the organised seed industry (legal Bt sales fell from 59.6 to 46.3 million packets), farmers (denied benefits of advanced GM traits), and India (turned from leading exporter to net importer). The blame lies solely with the government, whose ideological blocking of GM commercialisation has turned a regulatory vacuum into widespread unregulated adoption. The way forward requires science-based approval, expedited field trials, legitimising safe technology, and addressing farmer needs. Ideology must give way to empirical regulatory science.

Practice Question

1. The unregulated use of unapproved GM cotton traits in India is a cautionary tale of regulatory failure, with farmers bypassing biosafety systems to access technology they need. Critically examine the challenges of GM crop regulation in India and suggest a science-based way forward. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/india-unapproved-gm-cotton-seeds-10918624/

GS III – Infrastructure / GS II – Governance
Infrastructure Planning, Digital Governance, and Logistics

Introduction

The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP), launched on 13 October 2021, has evolved from a national infrastructure mapping platform into a wider planning framework. It brings together Ministries, States, and infrastructure networks through a GIS-based platform to support integrated planning and project coordination. Today, it covers 58 Central Ministries and Departments and all 36 States and Union Territories, with over 23,493 data layers (as of 12 October 2026). As of August 2026, the Network Planning Group (NPG) had evaluated 396 infrastructure projects worth about ₹18.66 lakh crore; 256 sanctioned, 198 under implementation.

The Rationale and Principles

Why Integrated Planning?

• Scale: Infrastructure built across sectors and modes—roads, railways, ports, airports, waterways, utilities.
• Intersections: Networks often intersect across regions.
• Benefits: Cost and time savings; coordinated projects; efficient use of existing infrastructure.

Six Guiding Principles

• Integrated development
• Multimodal infrastructure
• Last-mile connectivity
• Expedited land acquisition
• Minimised clearances
• Reduced ecological impact

Seven Infrastructure Engines

• Roads, Railways, Ports, Waterways, Airports, Mass Transport, Logistics Infrastructure.

Key Features

Scale and Coverage

• Central Ministries: 58.
• States/UTs: All 36.
• Data Layers: 23,493+ (as of 12 October 2026).
• Public Platform: 230 approved datasets for site suitability, connectivity mapping, alignment planning, compliance checks.

Institutional Framework (Three Tiers)

• Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS): Chaired by Cabinet Secretary; oversees implementation; approves Master Plan changes.
• Network Planning Group (NPG): Heads of Network Planning Divisions; examines proposals; ensures unified planning; monitors development.
• Technical Support Unit (TSU): Domain and subject-matter experts; supports evaluation.

ITLA: Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority

• Approved: Recently by Union Cabinet.
• Functions: National Transport Master Plan (10+ year horizon); appraisal of projects ≥₹500 crore; National Transport Data Repository (NTDR) integrating FASTag, Vahan, GSTN e-way bills.

Building Expertise: Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya

First-of-Its-Kind University

• Established: 2022; focused exclusively on transport and logistics.
• Functions: Education, executive training, research; supports PM GatiShakti and National Logistics Policy (2022).
• Training: 2.4 lakh+ officers (as of July 2026).
• Focus Areas: Maritime transport, bridge and tunnel engineering, defence logistics.

Digital Planning Tools

Mapping Infrastructure and Nodes

• Economic Zones: Textile and pharmaceutical clusters, defence corridors, electronic parks, industrial corridors, fishing clusters, agri zones.
• Example: Khagaria–Purnea corridor (Bihar)—connects 5 economic nodes and 11 logistics nodes.

Connecting Logistics Systems

• ULIP: 46 government systems across 12 Central Ministries through 142 APIs (July 2026).
• Logistics Data Bank (LDB): Real-time tracking of EXIM container movement.

Opening Geospatial Data

• Private Sector Access: October 2025—Query-Based Analytics Mechanism (BISAG-N).
• Datasets: 230 approved datasets.

Monitoring

• Dashboard: Multi-sector reporting.
• DUMS: Decentralised, real-time data ownership and updating.

PM GatiShakti in Action

Pune–Bengaluru Expressway

• Length: 699 km; completion 2027-28.
• Connectivity: 15 National Highways, 25 State Highways, 6 railway stations.
• Impact: Forest land overlap reduced by 19%; travel time reduced by 7-8 hours; fuel savings ~16 crore litres annually; carbon emissions reduced ~39 crore kg.

Jogighopa Multimodal Logistics Park, Assam

• Location: Northern banks of Brahmaputra.
• Connectivity: Road, rail, inland waterways.
• Impact: Dhubri–Phulbari bridge to reduce travel distance from 205 km to 20 km; travel time from ~7 hours to 30 minutes.

Green Energy Corridor: Ladakh–Haryana

• Objective: Evacuation and grid integration of 13 GW renewable energy through 5 GW transmission system.
• Infrastructure: 480-km HVDC transmission line (Pang, Ladakh to Kaithal, Haryana).
• Completion: FY 2029-30.

Conclusion

Five years after its launch, PM GatiShakti has evolved from a national infrastructure planning initiative into a wider digital planning ecosystem. Its expansion across Ministries, States, districts, and new infrastructure domains is creating a more integrated approach to planning India’s next-generation infrastructure. From 23,493 data layers and 230 approved datasets to 396 projects evaluated (₹18.66 lakh crore), the platform supports data-driven decision-making. The ITLA and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya strengthen planning capacity. Projects like the Pune–Bengaluru Expressway, Jogighopa Logistics Park, and Ladakh–Haryana Green Energy Corridor demonstrate tangible benefits—reduced travel time, fuel savings, lower emissions, and renewable integration. PM GatiShakti is building a connected infrastructure future for Viksit Bharat.

Practice Question

1. Five years on, PM GatiShakti has evolved from an infrastructure mapping platform into a nationwide digital planning ecosystem, transforming how India plans its infrastructure. Critically examine the achievements, institutional framework, and impact of PM GatiShakti. (250 words, 15 marks)

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2322164&reg=3&lang=1