Weekly Current Affairs Test : 1st to 7th October 2025

A new coffee plant species named Ophiorrhiza echinata was recently discovered in the Western Ghats. It was found in the shola forests at Devikulam, Idukki District, Kerala. The plant grows in the ecotone region between evergreen forests and grasslands at 1,630 metres above sea level. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is closely related to Ophiorrhiza mungos, used in cancer treatment and antidote preparations. It may have medicinal potential. The species is very rare, with less than 4 sq. km area of occupancy and only about 35 plants recorded

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has launched India’s first indigenously developed glycoprotein E (gE) deleted DIVA (Differentiated between Infected and Vaccinated Animal) marker vaccine against Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) in Anand, Gujarat. IBR is caused by Bovine Herpes Virus-1 (BHV-1), belonging to the genus Varicellovirus under Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. It mainly affects domestic and wild cattle. The disease has three forms – respiratory, genital and encephalitic, with respiratory and genital being common. Transmission occurs through aerosols and semen from bulls to milch animals, impacting the reproductive system.

The Indian Army has issued a tender to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for five to six regiments of the indigenously developed ‘Anant Shastra’ surface-to-air missile system. The system was earlier known as Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) and is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The project is worth about ₹30,000 crore and will boost air defence on borders with Pakistan and China. The mobile system can search, track and engage targets on the move with a 30 km firing range. It will complement Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) and Akash systems.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a new siphon-based thermal desalination system for clean drinking water. Traditional solar stills face salt buildup and scaling limits restricting output. The system uses a composite siphon of fabric wick and grooved metallic surface to draw water and flush out salt before crystallization. It is low-cost, scalable, and sustainable, made from aluminum and fabric, powered by solar or waste heat. It is useful for off-grid areas, disaster zones, coastal and island communities facing water stress.

The Border Security Force (BSF) launched a new AI (Artificial Intelligence) and GIS (Geographic Information System) command system at its headquarters. The system is named Decision Support System (DSS) to improve decision-making for commanders at all levels. DSS integrates GIS platform, legacy operations, incident database, and sensor feeds to form a Complete Operating Picture (COP). It enables monitoring, predictive trend analysis, and AI/ML-based operations to predict smuggling hotspots and infiltration routes. DSS aids resource allocation, operational planning and execution along India’s 6,000 km border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

In Punjab, incessant rainfall and floods stopped farmers from spraying anti-fungal medicines. This has led to the emergence of false smut disease, locally called haldi rog, in paddy crops. False smut is a major fungal disease of rice caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. The fungus attacks during the flowering stage, but symptoms appear after panicle emergence. Infected grains show black fungal growth, later covered with yellow fungal mass. It reduces seed germination and significantly lowers yield depending on infection level.

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 10,786 farmer and agricultural worker suicides in 2023. Suicides from the farm sector made up 6.3% of total suicides (1,71,418) in India. Out of these, 4,690 were farmers/cultivators (4,553 male, 137 female) and 6,096 were agricultural workers (5,433 male, 663 female). Maharashtra (38.5%) recorded the highest share, followed by Karnataka (22.5%), Andhra Pradesh (8.6%), Madhya Pradesh (7.2%), and Tamil Nadu (5.9%). Several states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Delhi, and others reported zero farm suicides. Experts say repeated suicides in 2021, 2022, and 2023 reflect a systemic agrarian crisis in India.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently launched the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission. Its main goal is to study how solar particles are energised and how the heliosphere shields Earth. Heliosphere is a giant bubble formed by the Sun’s solar wind that covers the entire solar system. Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) will map the heliosphere’s boundary, trace energetic particles, and improve space weather forecasting. It is positioned at the first Earth-Sun Lagrange Point (L1), about 1 million miles from Earth towards the Sun. It will provide near real-time data on solar wind and energetic particles to monitor space weather hazards.

India has been re-elected to Part II of the Council of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Part II includes States contributing most to international civil air navigation facilities. ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency established in 1944 under the Chicago Convention. Its purpose is to develop safe, secure, and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes. India has been a founding member of ICAO since 1944, maintaining 81 years of uninterrupted Council presence. India focuses on aviation safety, security, sustainability, equitable connectivity, technology, innovation, and No Country Left Behind initiative.

Australia recently approved Lecanemab for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia causes progressive memory and thinking problems and is now Australia’s leading cause of death. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody drug that targets amyloid proteins in the brain. It aims to slow disease progression by tackling the cause of Alzheimer’s, not just symptoms. The drug works by using antibodies to mark amyloid for removal by brain immune cells, preventing toxicity to brain cells.

The 11th World Green Economy Summit (WGES) was held on 2nd October 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It brought together over 3,300 participants from more than 30 countries. The theme was “Innovating for Impact: Accelerating the Future of the Green Economy.” Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were highlighted as key for sustainable technologies. The Arab Foundations Forum launched the first Arab Regional Climate Commitment. Nearly 80 international speakers addressed renewable energy, circular economy, and accountability. The Global Alliance on Green Economy (GAGE) unveiled its 2024-2025 flagship initiatives.

Goa’s State Board for Wildlife recommended that the proposal for iron ore handling at Kalem railway station in Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary be placed before the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary is located in eastern Goa near Mollem village. It lies in the foothills of the Western Ghats. It was earlier called Mollem Game Sanctuary and declared a sanctuary in 1969. Later it was renamed Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) launched SARAL (Simplified and Automated Research Amplification and Learning) to make research easy and accessible. SARAL uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simplify complex research into videos, podcasts, posters, and presentations. Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) aims to harness deep science and engineering to build deep tech products and start-ups. It is developing an AI Science and Engineering Open India Stack for drug discovery, aerospace design, climate studies, and advanced materials.

Himachal Pradesh recorded 83 snow leopards in 2025, up from 51 in 2021. The survey was conducted by the Wildlife Wing of the State Forest Department with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF). It covered 26,000 sq km in Spiti Valley, Kinnaur, Pangi, Lahaul, and Great Himalayan National Park. Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to complete a snow leopard population estimation. For the first time globally, indigenous women from Kibber joined in data analysis. The exercise set a cost-effective and scalable model for long-term monitoring. It is listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently warned Pakistan against any aggression in the Sir Creek region. He stated India would give a resounding and decisive response capable of altering “history and geography.” Sir Creek is a 96 km long tidal estuary in the Rann of Kutch, separating Gujarat (India) from Sindh (Pakistan). It flows into the Arabian Sea and is strategically sensitive due to its proximity to the international boundary. The area is important for national security, fishing rights, oil and gas exploration, and determining the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The recent warning highlights India’s firm stance on protecting its territorial and maritime interests.

INS Sutlej arrived at Port Louis, Mauritius, for the 18th Joint Hydrographic Survey between India and Mauritius. It is a specialised Hydrographic Survey Vessel of the Indian Navy. The ship was built by Goa Shipyard Limited and commissioned in 1993. It is based at Kochi under the Southern Naval Command. It has advanced surveying and navigation systems like Multi-Beam Swath Echo Sounder, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), and Motion Sensors. It also carries Sea Gravimeter, Magnetometer, Oceanographic Sensors, and Side Scan Sonars.

A new analysis of NASA’s Cassini spacecraft data shows that Saturn’s moon Enceladus may support life. Cassini was a joint mission of NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Italian Space Agency (ASI). It was launched on October 15, 1997, to study Saturn and its moons in detail. The mission had NASA’s Cassini orbiter and ESA’s Huygens probe, which landed on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. Cassini studied Saturn’s atmosphere, rings, and magnetosphere, along with Titan’s surface and atmosphere. It provided key insights into Saturn’s cloud properties, ring composition, and planetary evolution.

The Minister of Electronics and Information Technology announced that the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme received strong interest from global and Indian industries. It is the first dedicated Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for passive electronic components like resistors, capacitors, relays, switches, and connectors. The aim is to build a strong component manufacturing ecosystem and integrate India with Global Value Chains (GVCs). It offers three incentive models — turnover-linked, capex-linked, and hybrid.

A recent expedition to Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon discovered over 40 possible new deep-sea species, including glass squids and pink lobsters. The Mar del Plata Canyon lies 250–300 km off Buenos Aires Province and is one of Argentina’s largest submarine canyons. It has fine sandy sediments mixed with terrigenous material and planktonic foraminifera. The region is highly productive due to the Argentine Shelf-break Front, where subantarctic waters meet the Falkland-Malvinas Current. A submarine canyon is a steep underwater valley cutting into continental slopes and shelves.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the formation of Cyclone Shakhti on October 3, 2025, over the northeast Arabian Sea. The cyclone was named by Sri Lanka. Fishermen advised not to venture into northwest, northeast, and central Arabian Sea, and Gujarat–north Maharashtra coasts during October 3–6. Cyclone Shakhti highlights warming Arabian Sea, causing rapid intensification like Cyclones Tauktae (2021) and Biparjoy (2023).

The rare European bird Ortolan Bunting was recently spotted at Baruipur, West Bengal, marking only its second sighting in Bengal. It is a small Palearctic migrant songbird that travels long distances during migration. It is found across Europe, extending east to Mongolia and north to the Arctic Circle. It lives in open cultivated or uncultivated areas with few trees and completely avoids forests. The oceanic climate does not suit it. Its conservation status is Least Concern under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Exercise KONKAN-25 began on 05 October 2025 off the western coast of India. It is a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom (UK). The exercise has two phases, a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase includes professional exchanges, ship visits, sports events, and cultural activities. The sea phase involves complex drills in anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare, along with flying operations and seamanship tasks. India is represented by INS Vikrant, the indigenous aircraft carrier with its carrier battle group. The exercise reinforces the goal of secure, open, and free seas under the India-UK Vision 2035.

During the Kaushal Deekshant Samaroh at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the Prime Minister launched the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme. PM-SETU is a centrally sponsored scheme with an investment of ₹60,000 crore. It aims to modernize 1,000 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India. The scheme follows a hub-and-spoke model with 200 hub ITIs connected to 800 spoke ITIs. Each hub will have innovation centres, production units, incubation hubs, and placement services. The scheme introduces new industry-driven courses and upgrades existing ones.

Recently, INS Sahyadri, an indigenous stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, made a port call at Kemaman Port in Malaysia. It is the third ship of the Shivalik Class Guided Missile Stealth Frigates built by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai. The ship was indigenously designed, constructed, and commissioned in 2012. INS Sahyadri is equipped with advanced weapons and sensors to detect and neutralize threats from air, surface, and subsurface. It has a displacement of 6,800 tons and a surface speed of 32 knots. The ship belongs to the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy based in Visakhapatnam.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully conducted the 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX-X) on 05-06 October 2025 off Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was held along with the 27th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) & Preparedness Meeting. The event saw participation from central ministries, coastal state governments, major ports, oil handling agencies, and maritime organizations. The exercise tested India’s preparedness for marine oil spills and inter-agency coordination under NOSDCP. ICG deployed ships and aircraft equipped for maritime pollution control.