UPSC Daily Current Affairs for 15 October 2026

MHA Portal Seeks Public Inputs on Demographic Changes in India

Context

A high-level committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched a portal inviting citizens, government agencies, NGOs, etc. to submit their input on demographic changes in India, preferably post-2011.

About the High-Level Committee on Demographic Changes (HLCDC)

Constitution: The Union Government constituted a high-level committee to study demographic changes, chaired by Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar in 2026.

Disinvestment and Fiscal Management in India

Context

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the strategic sale of a 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank to Fairfax Financial Holdings for ₹52,878 crore despite nearing its annual target.

Disinvestment Policy of the Government of India

Government policy on disinvestment consists of; Strategic Disinvestment/ Privatisation and Minority Stake Sale in CPSEs.

Strategic disinvestment implies the entire or substantial sale of the government shareholding of a CPSE along with the transfer of management control.

The Kigali Amendment at 10: Why India’s Cooling Choices Matter?

In Context

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol that was adopted on 15 October 2016 marks a decade of global efforts to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

What is the Kigali Amendment?

Background: The Montreal Protocol, adopted in 1987, was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Why was it needed? HFCs were widely adopted as alternatives to CFCs because they do not deplete the ozone layer. However, many HFCs have a high global warming potential.

E-mobility is the Way Ahead for India

Context

The Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi said recently that E-mobility is the way forward for the nation’s strategic, growth, and ecological trajectory.

E-mobility

E-mobility (Electric Mobility) refers to the use of electric-powered vehicles and transportation systems instead of vehicles that run primarily on petrol or diesel.

It involves the use of electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, charging infrastructure and related technologies to make transportation cleaner and more energy-efficient.

News In Brief 15-10-2026

Context

The Union Government approved India’s accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), elevating its status from a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party to a full Contracting Party.

What is SIOFA?

The Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) is a regional agreement for the conservation and management of fishery resources in the high seas of the Southern Indian Ocean.

It covers fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other sedentary species, while excluding highly migratory species listed in Annex I of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and sedentary species falling under the fishing jurisdiction of coastal states.