Daily Current Affairs — 16 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 16 October 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Indian History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Economy
Indian Coast Guard Inducts Indigenous ALH MK-III Helicopter
Recently, the Indian Coast Guard inducted the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III, designated CG 875, under Coast Guard Region (West).
- CG 875 is the first of five allotted ALH MK-III helicopters to be positioned with 831 Squadron (CG) at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
- About: Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III is an indigenous multi-role helicopter manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- Multi-role Capability: The helicopter can switch from an offensive platform equipped
Which of the following statements about Indian Coast Guard Inducts Indigenous ALH MK-III Helicopter is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
History
Indian Coast Guard
On 1st February 2022, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrated its 46th Raising Day.
- ICG was established in August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent Armed force of India.
- As the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world
- Background: It is an Armed Force, Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement agency under the Ministry of Defence.
- The concept of forming ICG came into being after the 1971 war.
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- The blueprint for a multidimensional Coast Guard was conceived by the visionary Rustamji Committee.
- For effective command and control, the Maritime Zones of India are divided into five Coast Guard Regions, namely, North-West, West, East, North-East
- Preventing Smuggling: One of the primary duties of the ICG is prevention of smuggling through maritime routes
- It is responsible for marine environment protection in maritime zones of India
- It is also working in close coordination with Central and State agencies to put in place a robust coastal security mechanism.
- Under SAGAR' – Security and Growth for all in the Region & 'Neighbourhood First' policy
Which of the following statements about Indian Coast Guard is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III Squadron
Recently, an Indian Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III squadron has been commissioned in Chennai.
- About: The ALH Mk-III helicopters, indigenously manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), feature state-of-the-art equipment.
- It includes advanced radar as well as electro-optical sensors
- This feature enables the helicopter to undertake maritime reconnaissance as well as carry out search
- The aircraft has the ability to switch roles from an offensive platform with a heavy machine gun to
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- The Squadron will give a major fillip to the abilities of the Indian Coast Guard in the security sensitive waters off Tamil Nadu and Andhra Region.
Economy
UNCLOS Maritime Zones – reporting
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
- UNCLOS is the only international convention which stipulates a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces
- It provides the backbone for offshore governance by coastal states and those navigating the oceans
- Baseline: It is the low-water line along the coast as officially recognized by the coastal state.
- Internal waters are waters on the landward side of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
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- Each coastal state has full sovereignty over its internal waters as like its land territory
- There is no right of innocent passage through internal waters
- The territorial sea extends seaward up to 12 nautical miles (nm) from its baselines
- The contiguous zone extends seaward up to 24 nm from its baselines.
- It is an intermediary zone between the territorial sea and the high seas.
- The coastal state has the right to both prevent and punish infringement of fiscal
Which of the following statements about UNCLOS Maritime Zones – Drishti IAS is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
History
IMD Launches Interactive Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Platform
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched an interactive Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System (DSS) to strengthen cyclone preparedness and support timely decision-making.
- About DSS: It is a WebGIS-based platform providing interactive maps and visualisations of cyclone-related hazards
- Background: The launch coincided with the anniversaries of the landfalls of Very Severe Cyclonic Storms Phailin (2013) and Hudhud (2014)
- Objective: It provides location-specific hazard information to disaster management authorities
- Accessibility: The platform is accessible through IMD and Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre((RSMC) websites
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- Institutional Coordination: IMD's biannual Pre-Cyclone Exercise Meeting
- Significance: The platform enables location-specific early warnings
Which of the following statements about IMD Launches Interactive Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
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History
150 Years of India Meteorological Department
India Meteorological Department (IMD) with the mandate of providing public weather services will complete 150 years of presence on 15th January, 2025.
- To mark this milestone, IMD plans a nationwide celebration in all sub-offices from January 15, 2024, to January 15, 2025.
- About: It is the National Meteorological Service of the country and the principal government agency in all matters relating to meteorology
- It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
- To take meteorological observations and to provide current
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- To provide meteorological statistics required for agriculture
- Historical Background: In 1864, two devastating cyclones hit Kolkata and the Andhra coast, causing significant loss of life.
- The severity of these calamities highlighted the absence of a system to monitor atmospheric parameters
- Under the leadership of Gilbert Walker, appointed as the head of IMD in 1903, significant progress was made in understanding monsoons
- The IMD experienced a pivotal moment in 1999 during the Odisha super cyclone, prompting significant investments in technology and manpower
- IMD's cyclone forecasts now serve not just India but the entire neighbourhood
Which of the following statements about 150 Years of India Meteorological Department is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Sets a New Driving Record on Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover has travelled 45.22 km on Mars.
- About Perseverance: It is a car-sized, six-wheeled robotic rover developed by NASA to investigate Mars' geology, ancient habitability
- Objective: To investigate evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars
- Important Technologies: Perseverance uses AutoNav for autonomous navigation
- Findings: NASA has reported a potential biosignature in ancient rocks associated
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- Extended Mission: NASA has extended the mission to explore the crater rim until approximately the end of 2028
- Opportunity Rover: It was launched alongside its twin Spirit
Which of the following statements about NASA’s Perseverance Rover Sets a New Driving Record on Mars is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
Internal Structure of Mars
According to a pair of recent studies published in Nature, Mars's liquid iron core is likely to be surrounded by a fully molten silicate layer.
- Data from three years of quakes in Mars, including two seismic events caused by meteorite impacts, were used for the study.
- Mars's Core Composition: In 2021, measurements from NASA's InSight lander's SEIS project indicated the presence of a large, low-density core in Mars
- However, two recent studies challenge this finding
- The studies reveal that the top of this silicate layer was initially misinterpreted as the core's surface
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- The findings have significant implications for Mars's geological history, hinting at a more dynamic and energetic early phase
- About: InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) was sent on a 24-month mission in 2018.
- The landing site is Elysium Planitia (a flat-smooth plain just north of the equator considered to be the perfect location from
- Mars InSight's goal is to listen for quakes and tremors as a way to unveil the Red Planet's inner mysteries.
- The mission seeks to answer critical questions about rocky planet formation in the early days of the solar system.
- NASA has a lander (Mars Insight), two rovers (Curiosity and Perseverance), and three orbiters (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Odyssey, MAVEN)
With reference to Internal Structure of Mars, consider the following statements:
- Data from three years of quakes in Mars, including two seismic events caused by meteorite impacts, were used for the study
- Mars's Core Composition: In 2026 measurements from NASA's InSight lander's SEIS project indicated the presence of a large, low-density core in Mars
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
Ancient Lake on Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover has substantiated the existence of ancient lake sediments in Mars' Jezero Crater through ground-penetrating radar observations.
- The findings support the theory that Mars underwent a transition from being cold and arid to becoming warm, wet, and possibly suitable for habitation.
- Perseverance is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Jezero crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission
Which of the following statements about Ancient Lake on Mars is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
Ladakh's Rock Varnish
Recently, Magnetofossils, fossilised magnetic particles from magnetotactic bacteria, have been discovered in rock varnish layers in Ladakh.
- Rock varnish is a dark brown to black coating that covers stable, subaerially exposed rock surfaces in arid and semiarid regions.
- Findings: The analysis of the rock varnish samples from Ladakh revealed higher concentrations of oxidized manganese (Mn4+)
- These findings suggest that the rock varnish in Ladakh
- The study offers valuable insights for astrobiology by demonstrating how life can thrive in extreme environments
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- The findings are crucial for planning future space missions by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other space agencies
- About: Magnetofossils refer to fossilised remains of magnetotactic bacteria that contain magnetic minerals
- Magnetotactic bacteria are mostly prokaryotic organisms that arrange themselves along the earth's magnetic field
- These organisms follow the magnetic field to reach places that had optimal oxygen concentration
- Crystals within magnetotactic bacteria are arranged in a chain configuration through magnetotaxis.
- The Earth's magnetic field has reversed every few hundred thousand years.
With reference to Ladakh's Rock Varnish, consider the following statements:
- Rock varnish is a dark brown to black coating that covers stable, subaerially exposed rock surfaces in arid and semiarid regions
- Findings: The analysis of the rock varnish samples from Ladakh revealed lower concentrations of oxidized manganese (Mn4+)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Indian Geography MCQ Quiz · भारतीय भूगोल प्रश्नोत्तरी
A second members-only subject quiz – lock in today's study session
Current affairs alone will not clear Prelims. Close the day on the static syllabus with this members-only quiz.
