Daily Current Affairs and GK | 31 October 2025

Topic: Defence

1. President Droupadi Murmu flew a Rafale fighter jet at Ambala Air Force Station.

• With this, she became the first Indian President to have flown in two IAF fighter aircraft.
• She had previously taken a sortie (short flight made by a military aircraft) in a Sukhoi-30 MKI in 2023.
• Ambala Air Force Station was the first base in India to receive Rafale jets from France's Dassault Aviation.
• The President flew for around 30-minutes, covering around 200 kilometres.
• Group Captain Amit Gehani of the 17 Squadron piloted the sortie.
• The aircraft reached a speed of about 700 kilometres per hour and an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet.
• President Murmu described the sortie as unforgettable.
• During her visit, she received a briefing on the Rafale’s operational capabilities and the overall preparedness of the Indian Air Force.
• President is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

2. The third National Conference on NeVA held in New Delhi.

• On 30th October, the 3rd National Conference on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) held in New Delhi.
• The conference was organized by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
• Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and MoS Dr. L. Murugan attended the event.
• The conference was attended by more than 100 participants, including Secretaries of Legislatures and Secretaries of Nodal Departments of the respective State Governments.
• NeVA is one of the 44 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under the Digital India programme of the Government of India.
• It aims to make the functioning of all State Legislatures paperless, convert them into 'Digital Houses' and integrate all 37 Legislatures on a single digital platform under the vision of 'One Nation, One Application'.
• The conference provides an important platform to review the progress of NeVA implementation in States and UT, share best practices and resolve operational and technical issues to expedite onboarding of all remaining Legislatures on the NeVA platform.
• Use of AI and emerging technologies to strengthen legislative efficiency was explored during the conference.
• The initiative supports transparency, good governance, and digital legislative transformation.

Topic: National News

3. PM Modi presided over the National Unity Day 2025 celebrations.

• The event took place at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
• It marked the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• National Unity Day is observed every year on October 31.
• The day reaffirms India’s commitment to unity, integrity, and national security.
• A grand parade and cultural programme will be organised.
• Units from the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB will take part.
• Police forces from Assam, Odisha, Punjab, and Kerala will also participate.
• NCC cadets will join the parade. The theme of the celebration is "Unity in Diversity."
• Tableaux from ten states, Union Territories, NSG, and NDRF will showcase India’s cultural and regional richness.
• The Unity March will be held in two parts. The first phase will run from October 31 to November 25.
• It will include district-level foot marches across the country.
• The second phase will be held from November 26 to December 6.
• It will cover a distance of 152 kilometres. The route will stretch from Sardar Patel’s birthplace in Karamsad to the Statue of Unity.
• NSS volunteers, NCC cadets, and young leaders will take part in this phase.
• The nationwide "Run for Unity" marathon will take place before the main event.

Topic: Books and Authors

4. Sahitya Akademi unveiled the Hindi version of the novel, The Last Day.

• The release of Hindi version celebrates literary exchange and cultural collaboration between India and Lithuania.
• The translated edition is titled, Antim Din. It is authored by Lithuanian-Ukrainian writer Jaroslavas Melnikas.
• The release ceremony was held at Rabindra Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The Hindi translation was released in collaboration with the Embassy of Lithuania.
• Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik described it as a landmark moment in promoting cross-cultural literary exchange.
• He highlighted that this is the first Lithuanian fiction work ever translated into Hindi.
• The novel explores deep themes of human transformation, identity, and cultural belonging.
• This initiative reflects Sahitya Akademi’s larger mission to introduce world literature to Indian readers through translation.

Topic: International News

5. King Charles III has taken official steps to revoke Prince Andrew’s royal titles.

• He has also decided to remove him from the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
• The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of Prince Andrew’s ties with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Epstein was a late financier and a convicted sex offender.
• Public attention has intensified after the release of Virginia Giuffre’s memoir.
• Giuffre, who passed away in April, had accused Prince Andrew of assaulting her when she was underage.
• A statement from Buckingham Palace confirmed the changes.
• It announced that he will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
• The royal directive also requires him to leave the Royal Lodge. He will relocate to a privately owned property.

Topic: National Appointments

6. Justice Surya Kant has been named the 53^rd Chief Justice of India.

• He will assume office on November 24, 2025. His tenure as Chief Justice will continue until February 9, 2027.
• The Union Law Ministry’s Department of Justice issued an official notification confirming his appointment.
• Justice Surya Kant will succeed Justice Bhushan R. Gavai.
• Justice Gavai retires from the position on November 23, 2025.
• Justice Surya Kant was born in Haryana. He completed his law degree from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak, in 1984.
• In 2000, he became the youngest Advocate General of Haryana.
• From 2007 to 2011, he served as a member of the Governing Body of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
• In 2011, he earned his Master’s degree in Law.
• He was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2018.
• Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court of India in 2019.
• Since May 14, 2025, he has been serving as the Executive Chairman of NALSA.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

• He is on a two-day visit to attend the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
• The ADMM-Plus is scheduled to take place on November 1, 2025.
• He will address the second ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting under Malaysia’s chairmanship.
• His speech will focus on Reflection on 15 years of ADMM-Plus and Charting the Way Forward.
• The meetings aim to enhance defence and security collaboration between ASEAN nations and India.
• ADMM-Plus includes ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste & Vietnam) and its eight Dialogue Partners (India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia & New Zealand).
• India has been the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992.
• First ADMM-Plus was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010.
• Since 2017, ADMM-Plus is convened annually. It aims to promote the defence cooperation among ASEAN and plus countries.
• Under ADMM-Plus, India is the co-chair of Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism with Malaysia for 2024-2027.

Topic: International News

8. US President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Defence to resume nuclear weapons testing.

• The testing will be conducted at levels comparable to China and Russia.
• Department of Defence is now known as the Department of War.
• Trump announced the decision and cited the ongoing nuclear programs of other countries as justification.
• The announcement came shortly before his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea.
• This is the first meeting between Trump and Xi since 2019.
• The decision follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent claim.
• Putin said Russia successfully tested the nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile.
• The United States last conducted a nuclear test, codenamed Divider, on September 23, 1992.
• After that, President George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on underground testing.

Topic: International News

9. The UN Security Council has expressed deep concern over rising violence in and around El Fasher, Sudan.

• The council condemned attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and highlighted the resulting civilian suffering.
• The council also warned of potential large-scale, ethnically motivated violence.
• The council emphasized the urgent need to resume peace talks.
• These talks aim for a lasting ceasefire and political resolution.
• The council reaffirmed support for Sudan’s unity and independence.
• It rejected any RSF attempt to form a separate government.
• The Sudanese government reported that over 2,000 civilians have been killed by the RSF in El Fasher since entering the city.
• The government described these acts as genocide.
• The Sudan Founding Alliance, which includes the RSF and other armed and political groups, denied any civilian attacks in El Fasher.
• The ongoing conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces and the RSF has now entered its third year.
• It has caused tens of thousands of deaths. Millions have been displaced.
• The conflict has also pushed much of the country toward famine.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Chef and author Sanjeev Kapoor was recognised as a top Agri-Food pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation.

• The award ceremony took place in Des Moines, Iowa, during the annual Borlaug Dialogue Week.
• Chef and author Sanjeev Kapoor is also a Padma Shri awardee.
• The event brings together global leaders, scientists, policymakers, and innovators.
• They discuss issues related to food security, nutrition, and climate resilience.
• Kapoor was honoured for his work in promoting sustainable and healthy eating.
• He has also supported Indian agriculture and advocated the use of local, nutrient-rich ingredients.