International Relations and Defence Cooperation:

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited India, engaging in discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen bilateral ties. The visit saw the signing of a significant defence deal worth £350 million, under which India will procure missiles from the UK. Both leaders also discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and welcomed the agreement on the Gaza peace plan. Starmer highlighted India's trajectory to become the world's third-largest economy by 2028, positioning the UK as a key partner in this growth.
• India and Australia further deepened their strategic partnership by signing three key defence agreements during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Australia.
• Prime Minister Modi welcomed the agreement on the Gaza peace plan, engaging in separate conversations with Israeli PM Netanyahu and former US President Donald Trump to congratulate them on the progress.
• The Taliban foreign minister has commenced a visit to India, with a meeting scheduled with the External Affairs Minister.

National Development and Economy:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, a significant step towards boosting regional connectivity and easing pressure on Mumbai's existing airports.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to launch a pilot program on deposit tokenisation, aiming to convert bank deposits into digital tokens to enhance transaction efficiency.
• India's smartphone exports reached a record $13.4 billion in the first half of the year, showcasing robust growth in the manufacturing sector.
• The Department of Telecommunications, National Communications Academy, and GSMA signed an MoU to enhance collaboration in telecom policy, research, and capacity building, supporting India's Digital India vision.

Judicial Pronouncements and Regulatory Actions:

• The Supreme Court ruled that judicial officers with seven years of experience in the Bar are eligible to become District Judges.
• In a significant decision, the Supreme Court stated that retrospective age limits under surrogacy law violate reproductive autonomy, clarifying that the age limit will not apply to couples who commenced the process before the Act came into force.
• The Supreme Court also rejected the Centre's plea for stricter timelines for the execution of death row convicts.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has mandated all cough syrup manufacturers in India to submit a list of their products and initiated joint audits to ensure quality and safety following concerns over product standards. The Maharashtra FDA has also launched state-wide inspections of cough syrup manufacturers.
• The Supreme Court directed the Bihar State Legal Service Authority to assist voters excluded from the final electoral rolls in filing appeals with the Election Commission of India.

Other Important News:

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, affirming that security forces have full freedom to counter any threats to peace in the region.
• RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav pledged that if the INDIA bloc comes to power in Bihar, they would enact legislation to ensure every household in the state has a member with a government job.
• The ICC Women's World Cup 2025 is witnessing unprecedented fan engagement in India, with tickets for India's matches against Australia and England already sold out.
• Several states, including Karnataka, Haryana, Noida, and parts of West Bengal, observed school holidays on October 10, 2025, due to a combination of regional festivals like Karwa Chauth and Dasara, and weather-related disruptions such as heavy rains and landslides.