Daily Current Affairs Quiz 15th October, 2026 for Banking & Competitive Exams

Daily Current Affairs: 15 October 2026

Q1. India’s Anandkumar Velkumar won the bronze medal in the 500-metre sprint at the World Skate Games 2026. In which city was this international championship held?

(a) Buenos Aires, Argentina

(b) Asunción, Paraguay

(c) Santiago, Chile

(d) Montevideo, Uruguay

(e) Lima, Peru

Answer: b

Solution:

• Indian speed skater Anandkumar Velkumar won the bronze medal in the 500-metre sprint at the World Skate Games 2026.
• The event was held in Asunción, Paraguay.
• The 23-year-old athlete from Tamil Nadu completed the race in 40.856 seconds.
• This achievement adds to his international success following his accomplishments at the 2025 World Speed Skating Championships.

Q2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the First Meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers in October, 2026, where the landmark ‘Delhi Declaration’ was adopted. In which city was this inaugural ministerial meeting hosted?

(a) New Delhi

(b) Bhopal

(c) Gandhinagar

(d) Jaipur

(e) Lucknow

Answer: a

Solution:

• India hosted the first meeting of BIMSTEC Home Ministers in New Delhi on 13 October 2026, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• The meeting aimed to strengthen regional security, mutual trust and cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region.
• All seven BIMSTEC member countries participated: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Key Outcomes

• BIMSTEC Convention against Trafficking in Persons: Strengthens cooperation to prevent human trafficking, criminalise the offence, and protect and rehabilitate victims.
• BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Drug Control: Addresses illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
• MoU on Capacity Building to Combat Money Laundering and Terror Financing: Promotes expert training, information exchange, financial investigations, asset recovery and measures against money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing.
• BIMSTEC Plan of Action on Illicit Financial Flows and Their Prevention: Focuses on identifying the sources, risks and channels of illicit financial flows.
• Plan of Action on Natural Disasters in the Bay of Bengal Region: Promotes coordinated risk planning, joint exercises, early warning systems, disaster mapping, training, information sharing, research and tsunami risk reduction.
• The meeting adopted the Delhi Declaration, reaffirming the commitment of member countries to regional peace, security and development.

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)

• Established: 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• Headquarters/Secretariat: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Members: BIMSTEC comprises seven countries located in and around the Bay of Bengal.
• South Asian Members (5): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• Southeast Asian Members (2): Myanmar and Thailand.

Historical Background

• 1997: Established as BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• 1998: Renamed BIMST-EC following Myanmar’s inclusion.
• 2004: The grouping adopted the name BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)

Q3. According to official data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, what was the overall All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation rate on a year-on-year (YoY) basis for September 2026?

(a) 8.67 per cent

(b) 9.78 per cent

(c) 9.92 per cent

(d) 11.39 per cent

(e) 12.50 per cent

Answer: d

Solution:

• The All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) series uses 2022–23 as its base year.
• Wholesale inflation rose to 11.39% in September 2026, compared with 9.92% in August 2026.
• The All Commodities Index increased to 112.5 in September from 110.8 in August.

Inflation in Major Groups

• The WPI Food Index has a weight of 24.99% and includes Food Articles under Primary Articles and Manufacture of Food Products under Manufactured Products.
• Major contributors to WPI inflation included mineral oils, food articles, crude petroleum and natural gas, coal and lignite, basic metals, chemicals, textiles, rubber and plastic products, and electrical equipment.
• The final WPI index for July 2026 remained at 110.0, with the final inflation rate unchanged at 9.78%.
• The weighted response rate was 98.97% for July 2026 and 83.4% for September 2026 (provisional).

Q4. The 21st Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) meeting took place in Mumbai on October 13, 2026. This was the first meeting of the MSDC after gaining statutory consultative status under which notified legislation?

(a) Major Port Authorities Act, 2021

(b) Merchant Shipping Act, 2023

(c) Indian Ports Act, 2025

(d) Coastal Shipping Act, 2024

(e) Inland Waterways Authority Act, 2022

Answer: c

Solution:

• The 21st Maritime State Development Council meeting concluded in Mumbai on 13 October 2026.
• This was the first MSDC meeting following its recognition as a statutory consultative body under the Indian Ports Act, 2025.
• The Indian Ports Act, 2025, was notified on 15 May 2026.
• The Council was originally constituted in 1997.
• Its enhanced mandate focuses on integrated maritime growth, coordinated policy formulation and planned development of maritime infrastructure.

Q5. The Indian Army’s Assam Regiment troops won the Gold Medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026 in Wales, United Kingdom. By what popular epithet is this annual military exercise globally known among armed forces?

(a) The World War Simulation Games

(b) The Olympics of Military Patrolling

(c) The Apex Infantry Challenge

(d) The Global Commando Summit

(e) The Tactical Endurance Challenge

Answer: b

Solution:

• Troops from the Indian Army’s Assam Regiment won the gold medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026.
• The exercise was held in Wales, United Kingdom, from 2 to 12 October 2026.
• Organised by the British Army, Cambrian Patrol is an annual international military patrolling exercise.
• It is popularly known as the “Olympics of Military Patrolling.”
• The exercise tests soldiers’ endurance, teamwork and operational capabilities.

 Q6. 14-year-old British photographer Oscar Whitfield won the Young Grand Title at the 62nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition (2026) for his photograph ‘Labour of Love’ showing a dung beetle in Zimbabwe. Which institution conducts this prestigious annual competition?

(a) Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.

(b) Natural History Museum, London

(c) National Geographic Society, Washington D.C.

(d) Royal Geographical Society, London

(e) World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Gland

Answer: b

Solution:

• Oscar Whitfield, a 14-year-old British photographer, won the Young Grand Title at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
• His photograph, titled “Labour of Love,” captured a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung uphill, followed by a line of flies.
• The photograph was taken during a family game drive in Zimbabwe.
• The competition is organised by the Natural History Museum, London.
• The 2026 edition marked the competition’s 62nd year and received a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories.

 Q7. The Indian Embassy in which country introduced an Artificial Intelligence (AI) virtual avatar named ‘Dewi’ to provide updates on Indian culture, scholarships, travel, and consular services?

(a) Japan

(b) Singapore

(c) Indonesia

(d) Thailand

(e) Vietnam

Answer: c

Solution:

• The Indian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, introduced an artificial intelligence avatar named ‘Dewi’ to strengthen public outreach.
• The virtual guide provides information about Indian culture, tourism, scholarships, business, investment opportunities and consular services.
• The initiative aims to make information about India and India–Indonesia relations more accessible.
• It is intended to serve the Indian diaspora in Indonesia as well as Indonesians interested in India.

 Q8. Which Indian state launched the country’s first Red List Assessment of Ecosystems (RLE) project in Kollam to evaluate ecosystem collapse risks across all its 14 districts?

(a) Tamil Nadu

(b) Kerala

(c) Karnataka

(d) Uttarakhand

(e) Himachal Pradesh

Answer: b

Solution:

• The Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) launched India’s first Red List Assessment of Ecosystems (RLE) project in Kollam, Kerala, on 14 October 2026.
• The project will run for one year and assess ecosystem-collapse risks across all 14 districts of Kerala.
• It will cover diverse ecosystems, from high-altitude mountain summits to coastal areas.
• The assessment follows the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Ecosystems framework.
• The framework assesses the risk of ecosystem collapse using five standardised criteria, considering factors such as historical ecosystem loss, habitat fragmentation and hydrological disruption.
• Ecosystems are classified into risk categories, including Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable.
• The project is funded by KSBB and jointly implemented by the Kerala Forest Research Institute and the Centre for Ecology, Taxonomy, Conservation and Climate Change at MES Asmabi College.

Q9. The Income Tax Department notified amendments to the India-Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) under Section 159(1) of the Income-tax Act, 2025. Which critical anti-abuse mechanism was incorporated into the treaty to prevent tax evasion?

(a) General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR)

(b) Principal Purpose Test (PPT)

(c) Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) Rule

(d) Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI)

(e) Equalisation Levy Mandate

Answer: b

Solution:

• The Income Tax Department notified amendments to the India–Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to prevent misuse of tax treaty provisions.
• The amendments introduce a Principal Purpose Test (PPT) to address treaty abuse for tax avoidance and evasion.
• Under the PPT, treaty benefits may be denied if obtaining those benefits is considered one of the principal purposes of a transaction or arrangement.
• Benefits may still be granted if doing so is consistent with the objectives of the relevant treaty provisions.
• India and Mauritius signed the amending protocol on 7 March 2024 in Port Louis, Mauritius.
• The amended agreement came into force on 10 August 2026, following completion of the required legal formalities by both countries.
• The amendments were notified in India under Section 159(1) of the Income-tax Act, 2025.
• The changes aim to prevent unintended tax advantages while maintaining the agreement’s objective of eliminating double taxation and facilitating bilateral trade and investment.

Q10. International E-Waste Day was observed on October 14, 2026, focusing on “Fast Tech” (small electronic items). In which year was International E-Waste Day founded by the WEEE Forum?

(a) 2012

(b) 2015

(c) 2018

(d) 2020

(e) 2022

Answer: c

Solution:

• International E-Waste Day is observed annually on 14 October to raise awareness about electronic waste and promote proper recycling and reuse.
• The initiative was established in 2018 by the (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Forum) WEEE Forum.
• The 2026 observance marks its ninth edition.
• Theme/focus for 2026: “Fast Tech,” highlighting small, inexpensive electronic products that have become part of everyday life.
• The observance encourages responsible disposal, recycling and reuse of electronic products to address the growing challenge of e-waste.
• In 2025, more than 140 organisations from 50 countries across six continents participated in the initiative.