Daily Current Affairs — 27 October 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 27 October 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Defence
Long-Term Strategic Vision and Land Warfare Doctrine
The Defence Minister addressed the Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, where he unveiled the Land Warfare Doctrine 2026.
- Need for a 20-30 Year Vision: Given the rapid shifts in global geopolitics and military technology
- About: The land warfare doctrine provides a strategic framework for preparing and conducting land-based operations
- Strategic Context: The doctrine updates the previous 2018 version
Which of the following statements about Long-Term Strategic Vision and Land Warfare Doctrine 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.
S&T
AI-Driven Warfare: Preparing India for Future Combat Readiness
The strategic-military landscape is experiencing a 'Manhattan Project' moment, characterized by the deployment of software at unprecedented speed and scale.
- As software innovations begin to outpace traditional hardware deployments
- AI, autonomous systems, drones and algorithmic warfare are transforming modern conflicts by enabling faster decision-making, integrated kill webs
- India must build sovereign military AI capabilities
- Algorithmic Warfare and the "Kill Web": Algorithmic warfare is drastically compressing the military "sensor-to-shooter" cycle
Show 6 more facts
- The US launched Project Maven in 2017 as an AI programme to analyse drone and surveillance footage
- This shift is evident in the development of AI-powered platforms like the YFQ-44A Fury fighter jet by defense startup Anduril for the US Air Force
- Similarly, the captains of future naval vessels are expected to be autonomous software systems rather than human officers, fundamentally replacing
- In this highly surveilled corridor, heavy conventional assets like tanks
- Reflecting the shift away from human-centric warfare
- During Operation Absolute Resolve (2026), the US reportedly used Anthropic's Claude AI to analyse data, track Nicols Maduro's movements
Which of the following statements about AI-Driven Warfare: Preparing India for Future Combat 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
India's Commitment to UN Peacekeeping
At the United Nations Peacekeeping (UNPK) Ministerial 2025 meeting in Berlin, 74 member states pledged to enhance the effectiveness and adaptability of peace operations amid evolving global challenges.
- As per UNPK data, India is currently the 4th largest troop-contributing nation with 5,375 personnel after Nepal, Rwanda and Bangladesh
- They are deployed by the UN Security Council to support ceasefires and peace agreements
- Currently, over 61,000 military and police peacekeepers from 119 countries
Which of the following statements about India's Commitment to UN Peacekeeping 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.
IR
India-China Disengagement along the LAC
Recently, India's External Affairs Minister said that about 75% of the "disengagement problems" with China have been "sorted out" along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
- However, Demchok and Depsang plains have seen no progress towards their resolution in the past two years.
- Verified Disengagement: Both India and China have mutually agreed on and verified disengagement from five friction points
- The recent optimism for further disengagement is linked to the upcoming BRICS Summit in October in Kazan
- The expression "narrow down the differences" had been used for the first time in the bilateral talks on the border standoff
Show 6 more facts
- Stalled Negotiations: Despite multiple rounds of talks, agreements on Demchok and Depsang have not materialised.
- Military Build-Up: Both India and China have continued significant infrastructure development and troop deployments along the 3,488 km-long LAC
- It may lead to a military escalation in case of any miscalculation.
- Depsang Plains: The Depsang Plains is a strategically important territory
- It is identified as the most vulnerable region in Ladakh by the Indian Army due to its flat terrain
- It supports road and communication links that are essential for rapid military mobilisation and logistical support.
Which of the following statements about India-China Disengagement along the LAC 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
Ukraine Strikes Oil Infrastructure in St. Petersburg
Ukraine launched a major long-range drone offensive against Russia, with strikes causing fires at an oil-export terminal and depot in St.
- St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg is a major port city in northwestern Russia
- Formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and Leningrad (1924–1991)
- Its strategic location provides access to the Baltic Sea.
- St. Petersburg serves as the northern gateway of the 7,200-km multimodal International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Which of the following statements about Ukraine Strikes Oil Infrastructure in St. Petersburg 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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IR
US – Iran Sign Islamabad MoU and its Implications
A major breakthrough in West Asian geopolitics occurred as the US and Iran signed a landmark 14-point peace agreement, known as the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- The MoU, signed on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, mediated by Pakistan, halts the intense direct
- The Islamabad MoU marks a major US-Iran diplomatic breakthrough
- The agreement is expected to ease global energy market pressures
- Temporary Ceasefire Framework: The Islamabad MoU serves as an interim diplomatic framework rather than a permanent peace treaty
Show 6 more facts
- The final comprehensive agreement is proposed to be formalized through a binding resolution of the UN Security Council.
- The Nuclear Downblending Mandate: The agreement only requires Iran to downblend its highly enriched uranium (HEU) under International Atomic Energy
- The preliminary accord requires the US and its international partners to formulate a USD 300 billion financial package to fund Iran's post-war
- Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz: Iran has agreed to grant absolute toll-free transit to all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz
- The 14-point text dictates that maritime traffic through the channel must be restored to its full, pre-conflict capacity within 30 days of signing.
- The Process: Downblending is the nuclear process of mixing Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU)
Which of the following statements about US – Iran Sign Islamabad MoU and its Implications 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.
Defence
Operation Sindoor
India launched Operation Sindoor in retaliation for the April 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack, targeting 9 terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
- About: Operation Sindoor was a coordinated precision strike operation launched by the Indian Armed Forces on 7th May 2025
- Unlike past operations with aggressive names meant to project strength
- High-Precision Weapons Involved in Operation Sindoor: Indian Air Force (IAF) used advanced systems like SCALP Cruise Missiles
- Combat Use: The missile has been used in combat scenarios
Show 6 more facts
- HAMMER Precision-Guided Bomb: The HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) missile was used to engage targets requiring medium-range
- Key Features: HAMMER can be fitted with various guidance systems
- Loitering Munitions: Also known as "kamikaze drones"
- Operation Riddle (1965 Indo-Pak War): It was India's response to Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar and Grand Slam in 1965
- Operation Ablaze (1965 Indo-Pak War): It was a pre-emptive mobilisation by the Indian Army in April 1965
- The operation, along with Operation Riddle, helped push back Pakistan and led to the Tashkent Agreement (1966).
Which of the following statements about Operation Sindoor 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
RBI’s Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute
Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India's newly established Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- Key Features: The ₹169-crore project includes four state-of-the-art data centres
- Critical Financial Infrastructure: The facility will support mission-critical payment and settlement systems
- Digital Sovereignty: The RBI-operated facility will function independently of third-party cloud service providers
- Cybersecurity Training Institute: It will provide specialised training and research opportunities for RBI personnel
Show 2 more facts
- Disaster Resilience: Bhubaneswar offers geographical separation from RBI's three existing data centres in Maharashtra
- Significance: The facilities will strengthen financial-system resilience
Which of the following statements about RBI’s Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute 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
National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) – reporting
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has operationalised round-the-clock (24 X 7) availability of the National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT).
- The RBI has also asked banks not to levy any charges from savings bank account holders for funds transfers done through NEFT system
- Through this move, the RBI has joined an elite club of countries having payment systems which enable round-the-clock fund transfer
- Benefit to Customers: Customers can now transfer money through NEFT without paying any charges any time of the day whereas banks charge a fee
- The NEFT system, introduced in 2005, has seen exponential growth in recent years reflecting its popularity as well as increasing customer acceptance
Show 5 more facts
- It was desirable that the benefits accruing on account of increasing volume of transactions are passed on to the customers so as to incentivise
- National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is a nation-wide payment system facilitating one-to-one funds transfer
- NEFT is different from Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
- There is no limit – either minimum or maximum – on the amount of funds that could be transferred using NEFT
- The minimum amount to be remitted through RTGS is ₹ 2,00,000/- with no upper or maximum ceiling.
Which of the following statements about National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) – 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.
Economy
NEFT & RTGS Direct Membership for Payment System Operators
Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed to enable, in a phased manner, payment system operators to take direct membership in RTGS and NEFT.
- Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) are the Centralised Payment Systems (CPSs) of the RBI.
- Non-bank payment system operators, regulated by the RBI, will be allowed to take direct membership in CPSs.
- The centralised payment systems will include Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) System and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) system
- It is generally used for fund transfers of up to Rs. 2 lakh.
Show 6 more facts
- Direct Membership of NEFT & RTGS to Payment System Operators: About: This is expected to minimise settlement risk in the financial system
- These entities will, however, not be eligible
- This will be subject to an overall limit of Rs. 2 lakh for non-banks.
- Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuers, Card Networks, White Label ATM operators, Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platforms are going
- Mobile wallets like Google Pay, Mobikwik, etc. can provide NEFT and RTGS facilities etc to their customers
- RBI has also proposed to allow the facility of cash withdrawal, subject to a limit, to non-bank entities — full-KYC PPIs of non-bank PPI issuers.
With reference to NEFT & RTGS Direct Membership for Payment System Operators, consider the following statements:
- Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT) are the Centralised Payment Systems (CPSs) of the SEBI
- Non-bank payment system operators, regulated by the RBI, will be allowed to take direct membership in CPSs
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 History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास 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.
