Oct. 1- India’s Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) came into effect on 1 October. Under this pact, ~92.2% of India’s tariff lines get zero-duty market access in EFTA countries. The agreement aims to attract $100 billion in FDI over 15 years and generate 1 million direct jobs in sectors like manufacturing and services.
Oct. 1– October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting global commitment toward equitable care and recognizing every cancer survivor’s journey.
Oct. 1- On 1 October, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) floated draft changes to leasing norms. The changes seek to relax the restriction that aircraft leases (especially for international routes) be wet leases (i.e., leased with crew) only during emergencies. This is seen as a move to help airlines like IndiGo cover aircraft shortages and expand capacity.
Oct. 1- From 1 October, foreign nationals arriving in India can use a digital e-arrival card in place of the traditional paper disembarkation card. The digital card requires data like passport number, nationality, purpose, address, etc. Indian citizens / OCI holders are exempt from submitting even the digital form.
Oct. 1- PM Narendra Modi released a commemorative stamp and coin to mark 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) (1925–2025).
Oct. 1-TATA AIG General Insurance tied up with Equitas Small Finance Bank to distribute its non-life insurance products via Equitas branches. Bank of Baroda + IIFL Finance signed a co-lending agreement for gold loans.
Oct. 1- The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 began with India vs Sri Lanka in Guwahati. Deepti Sharma became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in women’s ODI. The match set a new attendance record: ~22,843 spectators.
Oct. 1- Air India launched its first non-stop flight Delhi ↔ Manila, linking India with the Philippines directly.
Oct. 1-UPSC enters its 100th year of service on 1 Oct 2025, marking its 99th Foundation Day. Chairman Ajay Kumar addressed former chairpersons, members, officers & staff. Centenary initiatives launched: Special Centenary Logo & Tagline New portal “My UPSC Interview: From Dream to Reality” for aspirants.
Oct. 2- The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.50%.
Oct. 2- The Union Government announced a plan to build two cross-border rail links with Bhutan (89 km total) at an estimated cost of about ₹4,033 crore.
Oct. 3-Lieutenant General Virendra Vats assumed charge as Director General of NCC (National Cadet Corps).
Oct. 3- Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to complete a population estimation of snow leopards using a cost-effective scalable model.
Oct. 4- Veteran journalistT. J. S. George passed away at age 97; widespread tributes from across the country.
Oct. 4-Mukesh Ambani has reclaimed the title of India’s richest person with a net worth of ₹9.55 lakh crore (Hurun Rich List 2025), surpassing Gautam Adani.
Oct. 4-Mukesh Ambani has reclaimed the title of India’s richest person with a net worth of ₹9.55 lakh crore (Hurun Rich List 2025), surpassing Gautam Adani.
Oct. 4- The U.S. federal government is partially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill.
Oct. 4-RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.50%, but opened the door for a possible rate cut in December, citing easing inflation.
Oct. 4- The Centre issued a reminder that cough syrups should not be given to children below two years, following infant deaths linked to unsafe use. Tamil Nadu has banned a particular cough syrup after infant deaths linked to its use.
Oct. 4- The CBSE, in cooperation with AIIMS, has launched a Virtual Mental Health Series for students, teachers, and parents, running Oct 4–10, 2025.
Oct. 5-India defeated West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test of their series in Ahmedabad.
Oct. 5- The Cabinet has approved opening 57 new Kendriya Vidyalayas, with a budget outlay of ~₹5,862 crore, to strengthen school education infrastructure.
Oct. 5- In regulatory news: from 2026, the government is proposing to mandate AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System) in electric/hybrid vehicles to improve pedestrian safety.
Oct. 5- In Japan, Sanae Takaichi won the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, putting her in line to become Japan’s first woman Prime Minister.
Oct. 6-Naval exercise India-UK: India and the UK have launched Exercise Konkan-25 off India’s western coast. For the first time, both navies are deploying their full carrier strike groups.
Oct. 6- At the World Para Athletics Championships 2025, India delivered its best-ever performance, winning 22 medals (6 gold, 9 silver, 7 bronze)
Oct. 6- In France, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned just weeks into his tenure, sparking political uncertainty and market volatility.
Oct. 7- Gujarat state will observe a “Development Week” marking 24 years since Narendra Modi first became Chief Minister, with multiple government departments launching activities.
Oct. 7- The government has launched youth-focused initiatives worth over ₹ 62,000 crore, including vocational skill labs in schools and upgraded training for teachers.
Oct. 7- The four-day mega event India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, will be held from October 8 to 11 at New Delhi’s Yashobhoomi Convention Centre. The theme of the event is “Innovate to Transform,”. It is the 9th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC 2025).
Oct. 7-2025 Nobel Prize in Physics to be announced: The announcement is scheduled for today, continuing the series of Nobel announcements this week.
Oct. 7-Badminton’s Suhandinata Cup in India: The Suhandinata Cup (team event of the BWF World Junior Championships) is underway in Guwahati, India (Oct 6–11).
Oct. 8-Indian Air Force Day 2025 was celebrated on 8 October, marking the founding of the IAF (1932).
Oct. 8-India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 was inaugurated in New Delhi (Yashobhoomi). Prime Minister Modi launched the event, which will run from October 8–11.
Oct. 8- Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport.
Oct. 8- The World Trade Organization (WTO) raised its forecast for global merchandise trade growth in 2025 to 2.4 %, up from earlier estimates.
Oct. 8- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the final phase of Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) from Acharya Atre Chowk toCuffe Parade on 8 October 2025. This line is fully underground, connecting several important stations in South Mumbai. Estimated cost of this project is around Rs. 12,200 crore.
Oct. 8- A labor strike at EDF (French nuclear utility) was expected to begin on 8 October and continue into 9 October, potentially affecting power supply in France.
Oct. 9- Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
Oct. 9- The Government of India unveiled the logo for the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, reflecting a blend of tradition (Ashoka Chakra), diversity, and modern AI vision.
Oct. 9- Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), inaugurated the 2nd edition of International 6G Symposium 2025, held from October 09 to October 10, 2025 at IMC 2025 in New Delhi, Delhi.
Oct. 9- Military exercise “KONKAN 25” is underway between India and the UK.
Oct. 9-British Prime MinisterKeir Starmer is on a two-day visit to India to strengthen trade, tech, and defence ties, following the UK-India free trade agreement signed in July 2025.
Oct. 10- India and the UK set a target to double their bilateral trade by 2030.
Oct. 10- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a Unified Markets Interface (UMI) to enable the tokenization of financial assets.
Oct. 10- Today is World Mental Health Day 2025, a day to raise awareness about mental health issues globally.
Oct. 10- The remnants of Cyclone Shakthi are causing heavy rainfall in South India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka), while North and Central India remain relatively dry.
Oct. 10- In his visit to India, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support for India’s bid for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.
Oct. 11- India signed a €350 million (~USD 468 million) defence agreement with the UK for supplying Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) (also called Martlet missiles).
Oct. 11- The International Day of the Girl Child is observed on 11 October. The 2025 theme is “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.”
Oct. 12- U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor is on a six-day visit, meeting PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar, and other officials to discuss trade, defense, technology, and critical minerals.
Oct. 12-Anita Anand is on a two-day trip to India, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties, especially in trade, energy, and security sectors.
Oct. 13- India extended the deadline for its first long-term LPG import tender from the U.S. to October 17, 2025.
Oct. 13- The 4th edition of the IUCN World Heritage Outlook was launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. It assesses the state of conservation of natural & mixed UNESCO Heritage Sites worldwide.
Oct. 13- India secured its first ever medal in the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships (bronze, losing to Indonesia in semis) in Guwahati, Assam.
Oct. 14- India announced a plan for an Indian-backed oil refinery in Mongolia, expected to begin operations by 2028.
Oct. 15-The IMF upgraded India’s economic growth forecast for FY 2025-26 to 6.6%, citing resilience in the private sector and exports.
Oct. 15-Uruguay made history on October 15, 2025, by becoming the first Latin American country to legalize euthanasia, marking a major milestone in bioethics and human rights.
Oct. 15- India Post has resumed all international postal services to the U.S., introducing a “duty-paid” system to streamline customs clearance.
Oct. 16- Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Andhra Pradesh to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for development projects worth about ₹13,430 crore, spanning sectors such as power, industry, transport, and defence.
Oct. 16- The DP World India Championship 2025 in golf begins today at the Delhi Golf Club, with star players like Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood competing.
Oct. 16-16 October is observed globally as World Food Day, emphasizing food security, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition.
Oct. 17- India Post resumed all categories of international postal services to the United States from 15 October 2025, after a two-month suspension owing to regulatory changes in U.S. import duties.
Oct. 17-PM Modi Inaugurates ₹13,430 Cr Projects in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh for sectors like industry, power transmission, roads, railways, defence manufacturing, and petroleum.
Oct. 17-Uttarakhand AI Impact Summit 2025 was held in Dehradun on October 17, showcasing India’s commitment to responsible and inclusive growth in Artificial Intelligence ahead of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026. Union Minister of State(MoS) Jitin Prasada inaugurated this summit.
Oct. 18– On World Food Day 2025, India and the FAO celebrated 80 years of partnership in agriculture, food security, and sustainable development, highlighting India’s journey from food deficiency to global agricultural strength.
Oct. 18– Cape Verde created history by becoming the second-smallest nation (after Iceland in 2018) to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
Oct. 18– NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), in partnership with DP World, launched the “We Rise” initiative to empower 100 high-potential women-led MSMEs for global expansion under the “Viksit Bharat @2047” vision.
Oct. 19– The India U‑17 Women’s Football Team defeated Uzbekistan U‑17 Women’s Football Team 2-1 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, thereby securing qualification for the AFC U‑17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 — marking the first time India has all three women’s age-group teams (U-17, U-20 & senior) qualified for their respective continental championships.
Oct. 20- The U.S. (under Donald Trump) and Australia (under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) signed an US $8.5 billion rare‐earths deal, aimed at reducing dependence on China’s export control of critical minerals.
Oct. 21- The FIDE World Cup Chess Championship 2025 will be held in Goa from 30 October to 27 November 2025 at Resort Rio, near Baga Beach.
Oct. 21- The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) celebrated the 9th anniversary of the Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) in New Delhi.
Oct. 22-OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-powered web browser for macOS that integrates ChatGPT intelligence for contextual browsing, memory continuity, and task automation through its new Agent Mode.
Oct. 22- The Union Government has released ₹730 crore under the 15th Finance Commission grants to strengthen Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Gujarat and Haryana for FY 2025–26.
Oct. 23- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kotak Mahindra Bank to enhance financial and non-financial support for startups across India.
Oct. 24- United Nations Day is observed on 24 October, commemorating the founding of the United Nations. World Development Information Day is also observed every year on 24th October.
Oct. 24- The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will attend the upcoming ASEAN Summit (in Malaysia) virtually rather than travelling in person.
Oct. 25- India was re-elected as Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau (Asia-Pacific Group IV) at the UNESCO for the term 2025-27 during the 10th Session of the Conference of Parties to the International Convention against Doping in Sport (ICADS).
Oct. 27- The event India Maritime Week 2025 (held from 27–31 Oct) in Mumbai saw over ₹12 lakh crore worth of MoUs in the maritime sector.
Important Days in October2025
October 1: International Day of Older Persons, International Coffee Day (Note: Karnataka leads in coffee, maize, and coconut production in India).
October 2: International Day of Non-Violence.
October 4: World Animal Day.
October 5: World Teachers’ Day.
October 6: World Habitat Day, World Cerebral Palsy Day.
October 7: World Cotton Day.
October 8: Indian Air Force Day.
October 9: World Post Day.
October 10: National Postal Day, World Mental Health Day.
October 12: World Arthritis Day
October 16: World Spine Day
October 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP), 2025 Theme: “Ending social and institutional maltreatment by ensuring respect and effective support for families.”
October 17: World Trauma Day, 2025 Theme: “Building a Safer Future with Trauma Care”.
October 18: World Food Day
October 19: World Pediatric Bone & Joint (PB&J) Day.
October 20: World Osteoporosis Day.
October 24: United Nations Day
October 24: World Development Information Day
Appointments in October2025
Shrish Chandra Murmu: Appointed and took charge as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), replacing M Rajeshwar Rao.
Virendra Bhat: Director General of NCC.
Gaurav Banerjee: Will lead Sony Pictures India until 2029.
Rajiv Verma: Chief Secretary of Delhi.
Shailesh Chandra: MD & CEO of Tata Motors.
Mithun Manhas: President of BCCI.
Anand Piramal: Chairman of Piramal Finance.
Sourav Ganguly: President of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Justice Somen Sen: 14th Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.
Kashish Chaudhary: First Hindu woman Assistant Commissioner in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Sergio Gor: US Ambassador to India, appointed by Donald Trump.
Tarun Garg: He has been appointed as the Managing Director & CEO of Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), effective January 1, 2026, becoming the first Indian to lead the company since its inception in 1996.
Events and Initiatives
Swadesh Mela: Organized by the Uttar Pradesh government to promote indigenous products (e.g., Zoho Mail promoted over Gmail due to India-US tensions).
Sardar@150 Unity March: Launched by Punjab Governor Gulabchand Kataria in Chandigarh to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary.
First Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplant: Performed at AIIMS Delhi, the first government hospital in India to achieve this.
Saksham Anti-Drone Grid: Launched by the Indian Army to detect and deactivate enemy drones.
First National Child Protection Policy: Launched by Fiji.
No Helmet, No Fuel Campaign: Launched by Uttar Pradesh government from September 1, 2025.
First Green Hydrogen Plant: Inaugurated in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Chennai Becomes First Indian City to Implement Real-Time Flood Forecasting System.
Atal Sevening Scholarship: Launched by Uttar Pradesh for study in the UK.
Chandigarh: Declared India’s first slum-free city.
Baaz Akh Anti-Drone System: Launched by Punjab government.
Yudh Abhyas 2025: India-US joint military exercise concluded in Alaska.
INS Sahyadri Joins India-Japan Maritime Exercise JAIMEX 25.
Samudra Shakti 2025: the 5th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and Indonesian Navy, was held from 14-17 October 2025 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Ulche Freedom Shield Sand: US-South Korea joint military exercise.
The GSAT-NMP / PM GatiShakti scheme turned 4 years old, and new digital tools like PM GatiShakti-Offshore, a dashboard for projects, and a Knowledge Management System were launched.
NITI Aayog released a report on India’s Blue Economy, focusing on strategies for deep-sea/offshore fisheries and sustainable marine development.
NITI Aayog and DP World Launches ‘We Rise’ Initiative to Empower Women Entrepreneurs.
A “Fare Se Fursat” fixed-fare scheme was launched by Alliance Air (Ministry of Civil Aviation) to reduce airfare fluctuations for regional travel.
Netflix India Partners with IICT, FICCI to Support India’s AVGC-XR Sector.
The 9th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC 2025), Asia’s largest telecom, median and technology event, was held, with the theme “Innovate to Transform” , from October 08 to 11, 2025 at the Yashobhoomi India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC) in New Delhi.
FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa 🏆♟️
Event: FIDE World Cup Chess Championship 2025
Dates:30 October – 27 November 2025
Venue: Resort Rio, Goa (near Baga Beach)
Participants: 206 players from across the world
Prize Money: USD 2 million (≈ ₹17.5 crore)
Format: Knockout (two classical games per round + tie-breaks if needed)
Qualification: Top 3 players qualify for the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament
Significance: First Chess World Cup hosted by India in 23 years.
Highlights India’s emergence as a global chess hub, with stars like Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, and Arjun Erigaisi likely to feature.
Expected to boost tourism and international attention to Goa.
Logo Design: The logo reflects Goa’s coastal charm and the strategic elegance of chess.
Anthem: The anthem, titled “It’s Your Move,” is performed by renowned singer Daler Mehndi.
The Government of India(GoI) launched the Rs 600 crore ‘Kapas Kranti Mission’ In October 2025.
India AI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), announced a global call for abstracts on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health systems.
The Kerala Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Government (CG) for the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme.
Indian Air Force (IAF) Participated in Multinational Exercise ‘Ocean Sky 2025’ in Spain from October 20 to October 31, 2025.
India and Nigeria have partnered to establish the first IIT campus in Nigeria, strengthening bilateral cooperation in higher education and following the IIT Madras–Zanzibar model of collaboration.
The 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit was held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)in KL, Malaysia, from October 26-28 2025. The theme of the summit was “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
Awards and Achievements
Nobel Peace Prize 2025: Awarded to Maria Corina Machado (Venezuela) for her advocacy of democracy.
Mrs. Universe 2025: Won by Seri Singh from India.
Miss Universe India 2025: Won by Manika Vishwakarma in Vanela.
Miss World 2025 Talent Final: Won by Monica’s Kezia Sebring.
Miss World Sports Challenge: Won by Elise Radom.
Mrs. World 2025: Won by Segou Galei (first Black woman to win).
Miss India USA 2024: Won by Caitlin Sandra Neal.
Miss Four India 2024: Won by Shivangi Desai.
Tamil Nadu Scientist Award: Dr. R Arthur James.
Agriculture Media Award 2025: Amsi Prasanna Kumar.
UNEP Young Champions of the Earth 2025: Jinali Modi.
Living Bridge Award: Karel Starmer.
Asia Face of the Year Award: Huma Qureshi at Busan International Film Festival.
Holley Medal: Accha Baba Kalyani by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Para Power Lifting World Championship (Cairo, Egypt): Vinay won gold in the 72 kg junior category.
BRICS International Award 2025 : Abusupyan Kharkharov, former Deputy Prime Minister(PM).
Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana were named ICC Players of the Month for September 2025.
The 4th edition of Global Fintech Awards (GFA 2025) were announced during the Global Fintech Fest (GFF 2025) held at Jio World Centre (JWC) in Mumbai(Maharashtra).
Rankings and Reports
World University Rankings 2026 (Times Higher Education): USA topped with the highest number of universities, followed by India in second place. Oxford University ranked first among individual universities.
NCRB Report: Question posed about the safest city in India for the fourth consecutive year (answer to be provided in comments).
As per the rankings of World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), the Indian Air Force (IAF) surpassed China to become the world’s 3rd most powerful air force.
Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index (MCGPI) 2025 Report: As per the report, India has ranked 52nd, the lowest in the index, Top five countries- Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark, Singapore, and Israel secured a Grade A ranking in the Pension Index.
India has climbed to the 9th position globally in total forest area and retained the 3rd rank in annual forest gain, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 released by the FAO in Bali.
International Relations
US-Pakistan: US refused to supply newly developed advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to Pakistan.
US-India: Tensions noted, with India promoting indigenous products like Zoho Mail (Home Minister Amit Shah shifted to Zoho Mail).
US Cricket Body: ICC suspended its membership due to governance issues.
US Federal Reserve: Cut interest rates by 25 basis points.
US Withdrawal: From WHO, UHRC, and Paris Climate Agreement.
Gulf of Mexico: Renamed Gulf of America by the US.
During his visit to Mumbai, UK Prime Minister Starmer publicly backed India’s push for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Pakistan:
Mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Will host the SEO Summit in 2027.
Announced creation of a rocket force similar to China’s.
Microsoft shut down its business in Pakistan.
Reported 13th polio case in 2025.
Trump family involved in a questionable crypto deal with Pakistan.
India and the European Union (EU) conducted a first-of-its-kind counterterrorism training at the National Security Guard (NSG) campus in Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana.
The first-ever India–South Korea Naval Bilateral Exercise (IN–RoKN) began on 13th October 2025 at Busan Naval Base.
Economy
The India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) came into force on 1 October 2025, reducing tariffs on many items and aiming to boost India-Europe trade and investment
In its October 2025 Monetary Policy, the RBI held the repo rate at 5.50 % with a neutral bias. It also raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2025-26 from 6.5 % to 6.8 % and lowered the inflation outlook (CPI) to 2.6 %.
RBI has lowered its CPI inflation forecast for FY 2025–26 to 2.6%, down from 3.1%.
In Q1 (April–June), India’s real GDP growth was 7.8 % year-on-year, aided by strong investment and consumption.
The World Bank warns that the tariff push might slow South Asia’s growth from 6.6 % in 2025 to 5.8 % in 2026.
India’s annual retail inflation dropped to 1.54% in September, its lowest in eight years, down from 2.07% in August. This gives space for the RBI to consider rate cuts.
From October 8, India began rolling out biometric authentication (fingerprint, face recognition) for UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions, replacing PIN‐based verification.
Some estimates (Emkay Research) suggest India’s general government capital expenditure may hover around 5% of GDP in FY 26, a slight dip from previous years.
With an investment of Rs 35,440 crores (cr), Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi introduced two significant programs in the agriculture sector under the special Krishi program in October 2025: “PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)” and “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses.”
The October 2025 “World Economic Outlook” projects global growth of about 3.2% in 2025,declining further to ~3.1% in 2026. Risks include protectionism, aging labour supply and policy uncertainty.
Science and Environment
A near-Earth asteroid (2025 TF) flew extremely close (≈ 428 km) over Antarctica — one of the closest recorded flybys.
India completed its first direct air cargo mission to Antarctica, delivering 18 tons of supplies to research stations.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the Mindanao region in Philippines, with a depth of ~58 km, triggering a regional tsunami alert.
