Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 October 2025

Topic: Sports

1. The 5^th edition of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG) will take place in Rajasthan from November 24.

• The event will span 12 days and be held across seven cities.
• Jaipur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, and Bharatpur have been chosen as the host cities.
• Over 5,000 student-athletes from universities across India are expected to participate.
• This national-level competition will feature events in 23 sports disciplines.
• Kho-Kho will be included as a non-medal demonstration sport.
• For the first time in KIUG history, beach volleyball, canoeing and kayaking, and cycling have been added.
• The sporting disciplines include athletics, archery, boxing, and more.
• Traditional and indigenous sports like mallakhamb and yogasana are also part of the games.
• The KIUG aims to serve as a launchpad for athletes who aspire to compete internationally.
• It promotes sporting excellence and supports the growth of sports in India.

Topic: Sports

2. The World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 will be hosted by India for the first time.

• The hosting of the 2025 World Boxing Cup Finals has been awarded to India, bringing together the world’s top boxers to compete for one of the sport’s most prestigious trophies.
• The tournament will be held from November 14 to 21 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.
• The event will bring together the world’s top male and female boxers across ten weight categories.
• India is ranked in the top five globally in this tournament and has won 17 medals in 2025, including four gold, six silver and seven bronze.
• Ajay Singh, president of the Boxing Federation of India, said hosting the finals reflects India’s progress in performance and organisation.
• Indian boxers have already performed well at the 2025 Cup stages.
• In Brazil, Hitesh Gulia had won gold in the 70 kg category, while Abhinash Jamwal won silver and four others won bronze medals.

Topic: Defence

3. The first Tejas LCA Mk1A unveiled by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from HAL’s Nashik Production Line.

• On 17 October, the first Tejas LCA Mk1A fighter jet wasunveiled by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s new production line in Nashik.
• Alongside this, the minister inaugurated the second production line for the HTT-40 trainer aircraft at the same facility.
• The event marked a significant achievement for the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives in defence manufacturing.
• During his address, Mr. Singh lauded the successful flights of the Sukhoi-30, LCA, and HTT-40 aircraft built at the Nashik division.
• He stated that these flights symbolise the nation’s “flight of self-reliance” in the defence sector.
• The minister reiterated the government’s determination to achieve full self-reliance in defence production and reduce import dependency.
• He noted that before 2014, nearly 65–70% of defence equipment was imported, whereas now, around 65% is manufactured domestically.
• The maiden flight of the Tejas LCA Mk1A fighter aircraft marks a significant milestone in the country's journey towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
• The Tejas LCA Mk1A, a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter jet, has been designed to replace the Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 fleet.
• It is an advanced version of the Tejas, featuring significant enhancements, including improved combat avionics and air-to-air refuelling capability.
• The Tejas Mk1A is equipped with an advanced mix of weapons and payloads optimised for diverse mission profiles, including air superiority, ground attack and reconnaissance.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Fit India's 'Iron Wheels of Unity' cycling campaign will be organised across the country from October 31.

• Two nationwide cycling expeditions titled “Iron Wheels of Unity” are set to be organised by the Fit India initiative from October 31, 2025.
• The expeditions are being conducted jointly by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
• The initiative has been planned to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and to promote national unity.
• The Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) cycling expedition will begin in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, and cover 4,480 kilometres across multiple states.
• The expedition will pass through the states of Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka and will conclude at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, on November 16, 2025.
• A total of 150 riders will participate in this initiative – a true tribute to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Mountaineer Nisha Kumari, who scaled Mount Everest on May 17, 2023, and cycled from India to London to spread the message of 'Change before climate change', will lead the K2K expedition.
• Another campaign, Pedal to Plant, will start from Pangsau in Arunachal Pradesh, cover a distance of 4000 km, pass through the states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and conclude in Mundra, Gujarat, on December 31, 2025.
• Along the route, cyclists will plant 100,000 trees and conduct climate and fitness awareness sessions in schools and colleges.
• These nationwide campaigns are expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 100,000 kg, demonstrating Fit India's commitment to environmental sustainability and a healthy nation.

Topic: National News

5. The 11^th India International Science Festival will be held in Chandigarh from 6 to 9 December.

• The 11th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) has been announced to be held in Chandigarh from 6th to 9th December 2025.
• The four-day festival will be organised to promote scientific thinking and innovation across the country.
• The theme for IISF 2025 has been chosen as “Vigyan se Samruddhi: For Atma Nirbhar Bharat.”
• On 17 October, the announcement was made by the Minister for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, during the curtain raiser event in New Delhi.
• Dr. Singh informed that the festival will focus on five major themes, including Science, Technology and Ecology of North-West India and the Himalayan Region, Science for Society and Education and Atmanirbhar Bharat through Science and Technology.
• The minister also highlighted the Anusandhan National Research Foundation initiative, which aims to democratise research funding for universities and institutions across India.
• Dr. Singh emphasised that India’s unique strength lies in the integration of traditional knowledge and modern science.
• He mentioned that PM Narendra Modi has consistently encouraged the use of science and technology to drive national development over the past decade.
• The IISF 2025 will serve as a celebration of science, bringing together students, startups, entrepreneurs, and researchers to showcase innovations and exchange ideas.

Topic: Science and Technology

6. Google Cloud and AR Rahman collaborated to create AI-powered musical avatars.

• A partnership has been announced between Google Cloud and music composer AR Rahman to develop AI-driven digital music avatars under the project Secret Mountain.
• The collaboration has been designed to leverage Google Cloud’s AI models and infrastructure to power hyper-realistic, AI-generated ‘synthetic avatars’ for immersive music and storytelling experiences.
• Secret Mountain is conceptualised as an immersive entertainment venture that creates digital avatars capable of moving, expressing, and performing like real humans in real time.
• The project features a culturally diverse lineup of six metahuman avatars, including Cara (Irish singer-songwriter), Zen Tam (Tamil rapper), and Blessing (African percussionist and vocalist).
• Google Cloud’s advanced tools, such as ITS Veo 3, will be used for avatar embodiment and video generation, while Imagen with Gemini Flash 2.5 Image (Nano Banana) will handle high-quality visual creation.
• The avatars’ intelligence and interactive abilities will be powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro, trained on custom datasets to act as a multimodal “conversational brain” for real-time engagement with fans.
• AR Rahman said that Secret Mountain aims to reimagine the fusion of music, storytelling, and technology, creating new forms of audience interaction.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. Indian Himalayan Region Climate Change Conclave concluded in Imphal after two days of discussions and events.

• Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla presided over the closing ceremony.
• The closing ceremony was hosted by the state's Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
• About 400 participants attended the conclave. These included officials from 12 Himalayan states, scientists, NGOs, academics, and private sector representatives.
• During the event, five publications were released. The State Environment and Climate Data Centre was also virtually launched by the Governor.
• In his speech, the Governor highlighted the worsening effects of climate change in Manipur.
• He mentioned extreme heat in Jiribam, where temperatures reached 43°C. He also spoke about increasingly erratic rainfall patterns.

Topic: Defence

8. INS Sahyadri arrived at Busan Naval Harbour on 13 October 2025 to take part in the first-ever bilateral naval exercise between India and South Korea.

• The visit is part of the ship’s ongoing deployment across the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific region.
• The Republic of Korea Navy extended a cordial reception to INS Sahyadri.
• INS Sahyadri is a stealth frigate of the Shivalik class. It was built in India and commissioned in 2012.
• It operates under the Eastern Naval Command from Visakhapatnam.
• The bilateral exercise includes both harbour and sea phases.
• During the sea phase, INS Sahyadri will conduct joint maneuvers with ROKS Gyeongnam.
• This inaugural naval drill is the result of extensive bilateral planning.
• It signifies deeper maritime collaboration between India and South Korea.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. President Droupadi Murmu stated that the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan aims to empower tribal villages.

• The goal is to make these villages self-sustaining and independent.
• She was speaking at the National Conclave on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan in New Delhi.
• The President emphasized the importance of tribal involvement in national development.
• The initiative seeks to ensure that progress and government schemes effectively reach tribal regions and communities.
• The conclave was organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• It marked a milestone in advancing citizen-centric and inclusive governance.
• The central theme of the event was “Tribal Village Vision 2030.”
• The focus was on turning innovative ideas into actionable strategies.
• The gathering saw participation from Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram. Other central and state officials also attended.
• District administrators, master trainers, and Adi Sahyogi representatives from various parts of the country took part as well.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. The 100^th session of the Network Planning Group under PM GatiShakti was convened to assess key infrastructure initiatives.

• These initiatives aim to boost multimodal connectivity.
• The review focused on aligning transportation projects with the objectives of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
• The goal is to improve logistics efficiency across the country.
• Five major proposals were examined during the session.
• These included two railway lines, two highway upgrades, and one metro expansion project.
• One proposal is the planned quadrupling of the Hosapete–Ballari railway line in Karnataka.
• Another is the doubling of the Gondia–Jabalpur route, which runs through Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• Highway upgrades include the expansion of the Mahwa–Mandawar stretch in Rajasthan.
• Another project involves constructing a six-lane elevated corridor between Anisabad and Deedargunj in Bihar.
• The Jaipur Metro Phase 2 project was also discussed. It proposes a 42.8-kilometre north-south line with 36 stations.
• The meeting was led by DPIIT Joint Secretary Pankaj Kumar. It reflected a cross-sectoral approach to infrastructure planning.