1 Philippines launches Southeast Asia’s first coral cryobank
The Philippines launched Southeast Asia’s first coral larvae cryobank in 2025 , aiming to preserve the genetic diversity of corals and protect marine reef ecosystems . This initiative comes at a time when global coral populations are under serious threat due to climate change, bleaching, and human activities. The initiative is part of a multinational collaboration involving scientific institutions from the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand . Key objectives:
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- Freezing and storing coral larvae.
- To preserve them for future reintroduction to the reef.
- Contribute to the protection of marine biodiversity and coral reef restoration.
2 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to three American scientists
The Nobel Prize in Physics has been announced in Sweden . The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners at 3:15 p.m. This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michael Devoret, and John Martinis of the United States . The prize announcement explained the effects of quantum mechanics . This year’s Nobel laureates conducted experiments with an electrical circuit, demonstrating both quantum mechanical tunneling and quantized energy levels in a system small enough to be held in the hand. These discoveries will contribute to a greater understanding of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors. The laws of quantum mechanics typically apply to very small particles (electrons). Their behavior is called microscopic because they are so small that they cannot be seen even with a normal microscope. However, these scientists have now, for the first time, discovered quantum tunneling and quantized energy levels on a macroscopic scale in electrical circuits. The first Indian to be awarded in this category was Sir C.V. Raman, who was awarded this honor in 1930. His discovery showed that when light strikes a substance, its color can change. This is called the Raman effect. Nobel Prizes are awarded in various categories between October 6 and 13. The Nobel Prize in Medicine, awarded on October 6, 2025, has been awarded to Mary E. Brunckow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their research in the field of peripheral immune tolerance.
3 British Prime Minister Starmer arrives in India on a two-day visit
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in India on a two-day visit . He arrived at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday morning, where he was received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis , Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar , and Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat . PM Starmer will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Thursday and will participate in the CEO Forum and Global Fintech Fest 2025 events at the Jio World Centre. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi , British Prime Minister Starmer is visiting India from 8 to 9 October 2025. This is Prime Minister Starmer’s first official visit to India.
4 DRDO releases ‘Indian Radio Software Architecture Standard 1.0’
In a historic move, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has released the ” Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) Standard 1.0 .” This standard is a significant milestone towards modernizing, securing, and mutually compatible communication systems across the Indian Armed Forces . The standard was developed by the DRDO in collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) and the tri-services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) . It was released on Monday during the ” National Workshop on IRSA” held at DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi. IRSA 1.0 is a comprehensive software architecture standard for Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology. It includes a common interface, API, execution environment, and waveform portability mechanism. It aims to ensure uniformity, compatibility, certification, and compliance across the various SDR platforms used by the Indian Armed Forces. It is worth noting that the IRSA initiative began in 2021, when the growing role of Software Defined Radios (SDRs) in modern warfare highlighted the need for a national software standard. Subsequently, in 2022, a core technical team led by DRDO, in collaboration with the IDS and the Armed Forces, defined its operational and user requirements. After several reviews and stakeholder consultations, the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) approved IRSA Version 1.0 in 2025. IRSA is India’s first national software specification for Software Defined Radios (SDRs).
5 Global Fintech Fest: Finance Minister unveils Foreign Currency Settlement System at GIFT City
To enhance international trade, investment and ease of doing business in the country, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday unveiled the Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) in GIFT City . Addressing the gathering at the ‘Global Fintech Fest 2025 ‘, Sitharaman said that the Foreign Currency Settlement System will help in solving the problem of facilitating seamless transactions on a real-time basis, besides helping in increasing liquidity. She further informed that FCSS will be a payment system under the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), designed to settle transactions in foreign currency in real-time.
6 Inauguration of Coal India’s first all-women central store unit
In a significant step towards promoting women -led development in India , South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) —a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL) —inaugurated the company’s first fully women-run Central Store Unit at its Central Workshop in Korba, Chhattisgarh on October 5, 2025. This initiative is in line with the Government of India’s vision of ” Nari Shakti Se Rashtra Shakti ” and the objectives of Special Campaign 5.0, which is being implemented across various Ministries and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) across the country to promote inclusivity, innovation, and good governance. The new Central Store Unit will handle spare parts supply, logistics, and inventory management across SECL’s industrial operations.
7 Cabinet approves nationwide celebration of 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram
The Cabinet of the Government of India has approved nationwide celebrations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national anthem ” Vande Mataram .” This decision honors the song’s contribution to the freedom struggle and its enduring place in India’s cultural heritage. “Vande Mataram” was composed in Sanskrit by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and first published in his novel ” Anandamath ” (1882). The song was first publicly sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Indian National Congress session , giving it nationwide recognition. In India, ” Jana Gana Mana ” is the national anthem, while ” Vande Mataram ” holds the status of the national song. However, Article 51A(a) of the Constitution mandates respect only for the national anthem, not for the national song.
8 World Bank raises India’s economic growth forecast to 6.5 percent for FY26
The World Bank has raised its economic growth forecast for India for fiscal year 2026 to 6.5 percent, up from its previous estimate in June . The Bank attributed this to strong domestic demand, robust rural development, and the positive impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms. In its latest update on growth in South Asia, the Bank stated that India will remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy, driven by strong consumption growth. The Bank projects growth in South Asia to be 6.6 percent this year, though it is projected to slow to 5.8 percent in 2026, a decline of 0.6 percentage points from its April forecast. The Bank stated that recession risks remain in South Asia due to uncertain social conditions, political turmoil, and labor market disruptions from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
9 ISSF World Championships begins in Athens, Greece
The ISSF World Championships are underway in Athens, Greece . India’s 12-member team, including Asian Trap Champion Neeru Dhanda and Olympians Anantjeet Singh Naruka , Mairaj Ahmed Khan , and Raiza Dhillon, is participating. In men’s skeet, Anantjeet Singh Naruka, veteran Mairaj Ahmed Khan, and Maheshwari Chauhan will compete in the mixed team event. In women’s skeet, India will be represented by Olympians Raiza Dhillon, Ganemat Sekhon, and Parinaaz Dhaliwal. The men’s trap team includes Zoravar Singh Sandhu, Bhavnish Mendiratta, and Vivaan Kapoor. In women’s trap, world No. 8 Neeru Dhanda is the lead player, along with Ashima Ahlawat and Kirti Gupta. India will also field two teams in the mixed trap event, with Neeru Dhanda, Bhavnish Mendiratta, and Ashima Ahlawat pairing with Zoravar Sandhu. India will participate in all five Olympic events, including men’s and women’s skeet, men’s and women’s trap, and mixed trap.
10 World Habitat Day 2025
Every year on the first Monday of October, the world celebrates World Habitat Day – an opportunity to reflect on the state of human settlements and reaffirm everyone’s right to decent housing. In 2025, the day will be celebrated on 6 October , with the theme “ Urban Crisis Response”. This year’s focus is on finding solutions to urgent urban challenges such as climate change, conflict, inequality, and the need for resilient and inclusive cities. The day also marks the beginning of a month-long global campaign called “Urban October”, which culminates with World Cities Day on 31 October.