- CHARLES MATATA SETS DELHI HALF MARATHON COURSE RECORD-
• Kenyan runner Charles Matata set a course record at the 21st Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on 18 October 2026. He completed the 21.097-kilometre race in 58 minutes and 52 seconds.
Race Record and Results
• Matata’s time was one second faster than the previous course record of 58 minutes and 53 seconds, set by Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn in 2020. The event record earned Matata an additional USD 12,000, on top of the winner’s purse of USD 27,000. His Delhi performance also improved his personal best of 59 minutes and 15 seconds, recorded at the Rimi Riga Marathon in May 2026. Kenyans finished in the top three places in the men’s elite race. Samwel Nyamai Mailu placed second in 59 minutes and 24 seconds, while Stanley Waithaka Mburu finished third in 59 minutes and 33 seconds. Matata had previously placed second at the Delhi Half Marathon in 2023, finishing in 1 hour and 5 seconds.
Half-Marathon Distance and Records
• A half marathon is a road-running race covering 21.0975 kilometres, or 13.1094 miles. Its distance is half the standard marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres. The race result is measured by elapsed time, and competitive races commonly record finishing times to the second. A course record is the fastest performance recorded on a particular race course. It is distinct from a world record, which is the fastest performance recognised across eligible courses under the applicable rules. A personal best is an athlete’s fastest time at a given distance.
- INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN SCO HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING IN TAJIKISTAN-
• India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, will represent the country at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting is scheduled for 19–20 October 2026 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Meeting Agenda
• The meeting’s agenda includes multilateral cooperation in trade, the economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges. The participating governments are also expected to review ongoing cooperation initiatives and consider decisions on the SCO’s financial and institutional functioning. India engages in SCO mechanisms through areas such as startups and innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges. The CHG is a forum for the heads of government of member states to discuss shared concerns and economic cooperation.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
• The SCO was established in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran joined in 2023, and Belarus joined in 2024. The organisation has ten member states. The SCO’s official languages are Chinese and Russian. Its permanent bodies include the Secretariat in Beijing and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. RATS coordinates cooperation among member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
- LADAKH ADDS SANKOO AS ITS EIGHTH DISTRICT-
• Sankoo officially became Ladakh’s eighth district on 16 October 2026. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the district’s creation. Sankoo is located in the Suru Valley region of Kargil district. The new district is intended to decentralise administration and improve public-service delivery, particularly in remote areas.
Ladakh’s District Reorganisation
• Before the 2026 district approvals, Ladakh had two districts: Leh and Kargil. On 27 April 2026, five additional districts—Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass—were approved, taking the total to seven. The creation of Sankoo brought the total to eight. The district’s creation was described as the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration of people in the area. Anjuman-e-Sahib Zaman was among the organisations involved in the process. Its Chief Patron was Syed Mohammad Razvi, also known as Aga Migi Outh, and its Chairman was Sheikh Sadiq Balaghi. The decision was associated with the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
- INDIA RANKS 84TH IN HENLEY PASSPORT INDEX 2026-
• The October 2026 Henley Passport Index places India 84th among 199 passports, with Indian passport holders able to access 55 destinations without obtaining a prior visa. India shares the position with Algeria and Mauritania.
How the Henley Passport Index Works
• The Henley Passport Index compares passports by the number of destinations their holders can access without a visa obtained before departure. It covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. The index uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose travel information records entry requirements for destinations.
• Access counted by the index includes visa-free entry, visa on arrival, visitor permits and electronic travel authorisation where these do not require prior visa approval. An electronic visa requiring approval before travel is generally treated as a prior visa requirement.
India’s Ranking and Visa Access
• India rose one place from 85th in October 2025 to 84th in October 2026, while its number of destinations accessible without a prior visa fell from 57 to 55. During 2026, India ranked 80th in January, 75th in February, 81st in July and 84th in October.
- PAKISTAN RANKS LOWEST IN GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX 2026 –
• Pakistan scored 25.5 and ranked 106th among 122 countries with sufficient data in the 2026 Global Hunger Index (GHI). The score falls in the GHI’s “serious” hunger category. The index was released around 14 October 2026 under the theme “No Security Without Food Security”.
Global Hunger Index: Indicators and Categories
• The Global Hunger Index measures hunger using four indicators: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting and under-five mortality. Undernourishment measures the share of the population with insufficient dietary energy intake. Child wasting refers to low weight for a child’s height, while child stunting refers to low height for a child’s age. The GHI score ranges from 0 to 100, with lower scores representing less hunger. Scores from 20.0 to 34.9 fall in the “serious” category; scores from 35.0 to 49.9 fall in the “alarming” category. The 2026 report was jointly prepared by Welthungerhilfe, the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum, and Helvetas.
MCQ Quiz
Q1. On October 16, 2026, where was INS Samarthak, the Indian Navy’s first indigenous multipurpose vessel, inducted/launched into the navy?
a) Kochi, Kerala
b) Karwar, Karnataka
c) Mumbai, Maharashtra
d) Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Q2. In October 2026, India approved accession to which regional fisheries agreement?
a) CCAMLR
b) SIOFA
c) NAFO
d) SPRFMO
Q3.In October 2026, BHASHINI signed an agreement with which state government for the development of multilingual AI technology?
a) Assam
b) Manipur
c) Mizoram
d) Tripura
Q4. With reference to the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in India, consider the following statements:
- The qualifying date for the SSR 2026 exercise is January 1, 2027, which determines the eligibility of citizens for inclusion in the electoral roll based on age and other legal requirements.
- Under the SSR process, every existing elector is necessarily required to submit fresh documentary proof of citizenship and residence.
- Form 6 is used for the inclusion of a new eligible elector, while Form 8 is used for correction of electoral-roll entries and shifting of residence.
- Article 324 of the Constitution vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1,3 and 4 only
c) 1, 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Explanation-
• Statement 1 — Correct. The qualifying date determines whether an applicant satisfies the minimum age requirement of 18 years and other applicable conditions for registration. A person who turns 18 on January 1, 2027, may qualify on that date, subject to the applicable electoral-registration rules.
• Statement 2 — Incorrect. SSR is generally an exercise to update existing electoral rolls through claims, objections and verification. It does not automatically require every existing elector to submit fresh documentary proof of citizenship and residence. Do not confuse this with the more intensive enumeration process associated with SIR.
• Statement 3 — Correct. The relevant forms are:
• Form 6: Inclusion of a new elector.
• Form 8: Correction of entries, shifting of residence and other prescribed updates.
• Form 7 is used for seeking deletion of an entry or objecting to the inclusion of an entry, subject to the applicable procedure.
• Statement 4 — Correct. Article 324 of the Constitution provides for the ECI’s superintendence, direction and control of elections. The preparation and revision of electoral rolls are also governed by statutory provisions, notably the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Q5. With reference to the GSAT-7C communication satellite, consider the following statements:
- It is a dedicated military communication satellite intended to enhance the operational network of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
2.The contract for its acquisition has been signed with the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO. - It completely replaces the older GSAT-7 (Rukmini) satellite which was exclusively built and launched for the Indian Army.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) Only 1 and 3
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
• Statement 1 is correct: GSAT-7C is an indigenously designed military communication satellite contracted to provide real-time connectivity for IAF assets.
• Statement 2 is correct: The contract was signed by the Ministry of Defence with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
• Statement 3 is incorrect: GSAT-7 (Rukmini) was launched for the Indian Navy, and GSAT-7C actually complements/succeeds the GSAT-7A.