Current Affairs 2026-10-16

Major developments on 16 October 2026 include RBI's NOC for PFC-REC merger creating a ₹11 lakh crore power finance entity, Ladakh's new Sankoo district taking total to eight, Tamil Nadu CM inaugurating Periyar Arivulagam library-science centre in Coimbatore, CapitaLand unveiling ₹1,940 crore Chennai data centre, Aditya-L1 and ESA's Proba-3 jointly studying solar eruptions, APEDA facilitating first organic Palmyra jaggery export to Bulgaria, Essar securing five CBM blocks with 6.6 TCF gas-in-place, India at 84th in Henley Passport Index with 55 visa-free destinations, Sudha Yadav sworn in as Karnataka Governor, NTPC partnering Africa50 for African power projects, Pakistan at 106th in Global Hunger Index (score 25.5), Gujarat expanding Shramik Annapurna meal scheme to 372 centres, Samsung-IISc launching Quantum Research Lab in Bengaluru, Reema Nanavaty receiving Hillary Rodham Clinton Award, persistent stubble burning in North India, rising female LFPR to 40%, Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel becoming Ramsar sites (total 103), South Korea testing indigenous hypersonic missile, IMD launching interactive cyclone warning platform, Indian Army launching Bharat Rice with FCI MoU, NASA Perseverance rover setting Mars driving record (45.22 km), and Indian Coast Guard inducting indigenous ALH MK-III helicopter.