This is the current affairs of 16 & 17 October 2025. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. What is the name of India’s fourth research centre in Antarctica, approved by the Central Government?
a. Dakshin Gangotri
b. Maitri I
c. Maitri II
d. Bharati
Answer: c. Maitri II (approved in October 2025)
– Icy wilderness meaning: A frozen and desolate area (where there is no activity).
– Once constructed and ready by January 2029, Maitri II will become India’s fourth research centre on the icy continent.
What is the first research centre?
1. Dakshin Gangotri (operated for a few years, closed due to being buried in ice).
2. Maitri (operational since 1989).
3. Bharati (operational since 2012).
4. Maitri II (approved in October 2025).
– These research centres assist India’s scientific community in collecting specific data related to Antarctica’s wilderness areas.
Key points about Maitri II
– Location: Eastern Antarctica
– Timeline: By January 2029 (seven years)
– Cost: ₹2000 crore
About Maitri I
– Maitri is an Indian research station providing a workspace for scientists since 1989.
– It is located in the Schirmacher Oasis in Eastern Antarctica, a 20-kilometer-long ice-free area surrounded by ice.
– Maitri is situated about 100 kilometers inland from the coast and approximately 50 meters above sea level. It includes a main building, fuel storage and refueling area, a pump house for drawing water from a lake, a summer camp, and several small container-like rooms.
– The main building has a regular power supply, automated heating, incinerator toilets, cold storage, and spaces for living, dining, lounging, and laboratories.
– Depending on mission requirements and weather, Maitri can accommodate 25 to 40 scientists. It was originally designed for a 10-year operational period.
How long does the journey to Antarctica take?
– According to The Indian Express, the sea journey between South Africa and Antarctica takes about one to three weeks, depending on the route.
– If the weather is favorable, ships can reach Maitri in a week, but the journey to Bharati Research Centre takes longer.
– Both summer and winter expeditions involve Indian meteorologists, atmospheric scientists, geologists, glaciologists, botanists, zoologists, and seismologists.
What percentage of Antarctica is covered by thick ice?
– India has been conducting research in Antarctica since the early 1980s.
– According to The Indian Express, approximately 98% of this 14 million square kilometer continent is covered by thick ice sheets, believed to have formed 25 million years ago.
– This icy landscape holds about 75% of the Earth’s freshwater reserves.
Why is Antarctica the most attractive place for research in unexplored regions?
– Antarctica is the world’s fifth-largest continent.
– Its climate is extremely cold, dry, and windy, and it hosts unique wildlife.
– For these reasons, Antarctica is considered one of the most attractive places for researching unexplored regions.
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2. What is the rank of India in the Henley Passport Index 2025 (released in October)?
a. 77
b. 70
c. 85
d. 88
Answer: c. 85 (October 2025)
– July 2025 rank: 77
– January 2025 rank: 85
– Published by: Henley & Partners (citizenship advisory firm)
– The ranking is based on the number of countries accessible visa-free with a country’s passport.
– Number of countries with visa-free travel for Indians: 57
– In the October 2025 index, Mauritania shares the 85th rank with India.
Henley Passport Index
– It is a global ranking that measures passport strength, indicating how many countries can be accessed without a visa or with visa-on-arrival.
– It is prepared based on data from Henley & Partners and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Neighboring countries’ rankings
– Afghanistan: 106
– Pakistan: 103
– Nepal: 101
– Bangladesh: 100
– Sri Lanka: 98
– Myanmar: 96
– China: 64
Visa-free countries for Indians
– Angola, Barbados, Bhutan, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Macau (China), Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niue, Palau Islands, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.
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3. According to the Henley Passport Index 2025 (released in October), which country got the first place in the list of the world’s most powerful passports?
a. Italy
b. Singapore
c. Denmark
d. Finland
Answer: b. Singapore
– Singapore ranks first, with its citizens able to travel visa-free to 193 countries.
– South Korea is in second place, and Japan is in third.
– South Koreans can travel visa-free to 190 countries, and Japanese citizens to 189 countries.
Top 5 ranked countries
Rank – Country – Visa-free countries
1st – Singapore – 193
2nd – South Korea – 190
3rd – Japan – 189
4th – Germany – 188
4th – Italy – 188
4th – Luxembourg – 188
4th – Spain – 188
4th – Switzerland – 188
5th – Austria – 187
5th – Belgium – 187
5th – Denmark – 187
5th – Finland – 187
5th – France – 187
5th – Ireland – 187
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4. What was the retail inflation rate in India in September 2025?
a. 1.54%
b. 2.07%
c. 3.22%
d. 4.48%
Answer: a. 1.54%
– Retail inflation rate in August 2025: 2.07%
– Retail inflation rate in September 2025: 1.54%
– There was a 53-basis-point decrease in headline inflation from August to September 2025, the lowest since June 2017.
– The decline in headline and food inflation during September 2025 was primarily due to a favorable base effect and reduced inflation in vegetables, oils and fats, fruits, pulses and products, cereals and products, eggs, fuel, and lighting.
– Headline inflation: Reflects the average price increase of goods and services, including food, fuel, clothing, transportation, electricity, etc.
– Food inflation: Focuses only on the price increase of food items such as vegetables, fruits, pulses, cereals, oils, milk, eggs, etc. It is a component of headline inflation.
Inflation in rural and urban areas
– Rural India’s inflation in September 2025 dropped to 1.07% from 1.69% in August.
– Urban areas recorded 2.04% in September 2025, down from 2.47% in August 2025.
Who releases the retail inflation report?
– National Statistical Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
How is retail inflation determined?
– It is determined using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
– CPI calculates inflation for food, fruits, clothing, footwear, housing, fuel, electricity, and other items.
– As consumers, we buy goods from the retail market, and CPI measures the changes in the average prices we pay for goods and services.
How does inflation affect?
– Inflation directly impacts purchasing power. For example, if the inflation rate is 6%, the value of ₹100 earned becomes only ₹94.
– Investments should be made considering inflation to prevent the value of money from decreasing.
How does RBI control inflation?
– Inflation is controlled by reducing liquidity in the market.
– The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) adjusts the repo rate to achieve this.
– When inflation rises, RBI increases the repo rate, and when it is too low, the repo rate is reduced.
– Recently, inflation has been reported to be under control, which is why RBI did not change the repo rate for the ninth consecutive time in August.
RBI’s inflation target
– RBI’s inflation target, based on CPI, is 4%, with a tolerance band of ±2%.
– Inflation below 2% or above 6% is not ideal for the country’s economic growth.
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5. What was India’s wholesale inflation rate in September 2025?
a. –0.58%
b. 0.13%
c. 1.89%
d. 0.52%
Answer: b. 0.13%
– According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on October 14, 2025, Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation dropped to 0.13% in September from 0.52% in August.
– WPI-based inflation was (-)0.13% in September and (-)0.52% in August. It was 1.91% in September of the previous year.
Who releases the wholesale inflation report?
– Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
– Note: Retail inflation is reported by NSO.
What is wholesale inflation?
– Wholesale inflation is based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
– WPI refers to the prices charged by one business to another in the wholesale market.
– These prices are related to business transactions in bulk.
– Note: Retail inflation is determined by the Consumer Price Index.
Source: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2178837
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6.Who became the second fastest Indian to reach the 5,000-run mark in the Women’s ODI World Cup?
a. Harmanpreet Kaur
b. Mithali Raj
c. Smriti Mandhana
d. Pratika Rawal
Answer: c. Smriti Mandhana (The first Indian is Mithali Raj. Who scored 5000 runs fastest.)
– Smriti Mandhana reached 5,000 runs in women’s ODIs, becoming the fifth woman and the second Indian after Mithali Raj to achieve this milestone.
– This feat was accomplished on October 12, 2025, in Visakhapatnam.
– She scored 80 runs off 66 balls in the match.
– However, Australia defeated India by 3 wickets in this match.
Fastest 5,000 ODI runs in women’s cricket
Team – Player – Innings
India – Smriti Mandhana – 112
West Indies – Stefanie Taylor – 129
New Zealand – Suzie Bates – 136
India – Mithali Raj – 144
England – Charlotte Edwards – 156
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7. Who became the first player to score 1,000 runs in women’s ODIs in a calendar year?
a. Harmanpreet Kaur
b. Mithali Raj
c. Smriti Mandhana
d. Pratika Rawal
Answer: c. Smriti Mandhana
– India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana achieved this milestone on October 12, 2025, during a high-profile Women’s World Cup group match against Australia in Visakhapatnam.
– She broke the record of 970 runs set by Australia’s Belinda Clark in 1997.
Most runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket
Team – Player – Runs – Year
India – Smriti Mandhana – 1062 – 2025
Australia – Belinda Clark – 970 – 1997
South Africa – Laura Wolvaardt – 882 – 2022
New Zealand – Debbie Hockley – 880 – 1997
Smriti Mandhana
– Smriti Mandhana is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the national team.
– In domestic cricket, she represents Maharashtra.
– Mandhana has won several ICC awards, including Cricketer of the Year and the Arjuna Award.
Key achievements (important for exams)
– Second Indian woman to score 3,000 runs in T20I cricket.
– Fastest Indian woman to score 4,000 runs in ODIs.
– Fastest century by an Indian woman in ODIs (in just 50 balls).
– Most (4) ODI centuries in a single year by a woman cricketer.
– First woman cricketer to score centuries in all three formats (Test, ODI, T20I).
– Most ODI runs in a calendar year by a woman cricketer.
– First woman to score over 1,000 runs in a calendar year in ODIs.
– Youngest woman to reach 5,000 runs in ODIs.
– Fastest woman to reach 5,000 runs in ODIs.
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8. In which state will Google, in collaboration with Adani Group, set up India’s largest AI data centre?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Bihar
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Andhra Pradesh
Answer: d. Andhra Pradesh
– This was announced at the ‘Bharat AI Shakti’ event hosted by Google in New Delhi in October 2025.
– Google will invest approximately USD 15 billion over the next five years (2026–2030), its largest investment in India to date.
– The partnership is between AdaniConneX (a joint venture of Adani Enterprises) and Google, with partners like Airtel.
Largest hub outside the US
– The AI hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, will be Google’s largest hub outside the US, featuring a 1-gigawatt data centre campus, new large-scale energy sources, and an expanded fiber-optic network.
Purpose and impact
– The hub will support AI workloads, helping enterprises, users, businesses, researchers, and creators in India accelerate AI innovation.
Andhra Pradesh
– Governor: Syed Abdul Nazeer
– Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu
– Capital: Amaravati
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9. In which district of Nagaland did Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay the foundation stone of the Integrated Aqua Park, the first Aqua Park of Nagaland?
a. Kohima
b. Mokokchung
c. Tuensang
d. Longleng
Answer: b. Mokokchung
– On October 11, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for the Integrated Aqua Park in Tzudikong, Mokokchung district, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
– This park will serve as a hub for fisheries-related development activities.
– Its focus will be on fish and seed production.
– It will bring significant transformation to Nagaland’s fisheries sector.
– It will promote sustainable development in the fisheries sector.
Nagaland
– Capital: Kohima
– Governor: Ajay Kumar Bhalla (additional charge)
– Chief Minister: Neiphiu Rio
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10. What is the name of the indigenous counter unmanned aerial system (UAS) grid, the procurement of which has been initiated by the Indian Army?
a. Akshay
b. Saksham
c. Abhay
d. Rudram
Answer: b. Saksham
– This was announced in October 2025.
– SAKSHAM (Situational Awareness for Kinetic Soft and Hard Kill Assets Management) is an advanced command and control network designed to detect, track, identify, and neutralize enemy drones in real time.
– It is a significant step in integrated air asset control.
What does the SAKSHAM system do?
– SAKSHAM integrates various anti-drone weapons and sensors.
– It combines data from radars, cameras, and other devices to provide real-time threat information and response options.
– Using artificial intelligence (AI), it analyzes threats and automates decision-making, enabling precise countermeasures against enemy aerial attacks.
Developed with which company?
– Developed in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad, the system operates on the secure Army Data Network (ADN) and provides a “recognized UAS picture” in the newly defined Tactical Battlespace (TBS), which extends from ground level to 3,000 meters (10,000 feet).
– Note: The TBS concept was developed after Operation Sindoor.
Under which initiative is it indigenous?
– Officials stated that this fully indigenous platform reflects the Indian Army’s commitment to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defense technology. Approved under Fast Track Procurement (FTP), SAKSHAM will be deployed in the field within a year.
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11. When is World Standards Day celebrated?
a. 13 October
b. 14 October
c. 15 October
d. 16 October
Answer: b. 14 October
2025 Theme
– Shared Vision for a Better World: Standards for the Changing Climate
– The purpose of World Standards Day is to highlight the importance of standardization in the global economy.
– It aims to raise awareness among consumers, regulators, and industry about the significance and necessity of standardization in the global economy.
– The Bureau of Indian Standards has emphasized the principle of “One Nation, One Standard.”
– World Standards Day began being celebrated in 1970.
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12. When is World Migratory Bird Day celebrated?
a. 10 May
b. 11 October
c. 17 October
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b (10 May and 11 October 2025)
2025 Theme
– Creating bird-friendly cities & communities
– This day is declared by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
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13. When is World White Cane Day celebrated?
a. 13 October
b. 14 October
c. 15 October
d. 16 October
Answer: c. 15 October
2025 Theme
– A World Without Limits: Exploring the Senses
– This day is dedicated to the visually impaired.
– The main objective of this day is to inspire enthusiasm and motivation among visually impaired children.
– The white cane is a tool that helps visually impaired individuals navigate roads.
– It is also a symbol of the user’s skills, talent, mobility, and independence.
– Nowadays, various types of white canes are available, ranging from simple white canes to electronic canes. Electronic canes are equipped with sensors that detect obstacles and alert the user through sound or vibration.
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14. When is World Food Day celebrated?
a. 13 October
b. 14 October
c. 15 October
d. 16 October
Answer: d. 16 October
2025 Theme
– Hand in hand for better food and a better future!
– World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.
– FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to end hunger.
– This day is celebrated by the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
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