Residents living within 20 km of a National Highway toll plaza can now obtain an annual concessional local FASTag pass starting November 1, 2026, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said on Tuesday.

The annual fee for the concessional pass is Rs 1,500 for toll plazas outside municipal or local town limits, and Rs 3,000 for those within municipal limits, according to a notification by the ministry.

Under the new provision, eligible non-commercial vehicle owners with a valid and functional FASTag, residing within a 20 km range, can choose between the existing monthly pass and the concessional Local Pass for commuting through a specific fee plaza.

The pass will be valid only for that fee plaza and will not be transferable to any other plazas.

Walmart-owned fintech firm PhonePe said it had launched ‘Tatkal NPS’ (National Pension System) on its platform, partnering with prominent banking institutions to democratise long-term retirement planning. Expanding its comprehensive financial services suite, this offering enables millions of users across India to open a government-backed pension account with a minimum contribution of Rs 250.

With this launch, users can now securely create their NPS accounts through an intuitive, 100 per cent digital process. This would help eliminate barriers to opening a pension account. To deliver this frictionless experience, PhonePe has integrated with India’s leading banking institutions, with plans to expand coverage across the banking sector.

The Tatkal NPS facility, an innovation developed by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), enables the seamless reuse of existing bank KYC details through secure, one-time OTP authentication. This framework enables PhonePe to provide its users with an effortless, paperless onboarding experience, allowing them to create their Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) in minutes.

India and Mexico have formally launched negotiations for a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with the signing of the Terms of Reference, marking a significant step towards strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Terms of Reference establish the framework, scope, modalities and roadmap for negotiations aimed at expanding bilateral trade, creating business opportunities, boosting investment flows and building resilient and diversified supply chains.

The initiative follows an understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada in June 2025. The two leaders had agreed to deepen the India-Mexico partnership.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs will observe Janjatiya Gaurav Pakhwada across the country from November 1 to 15, with national events, welfare camps and the launch of digital platforms to mark the birth anniversary of tribal leader Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

The fortnight will culminate in Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15. Alongside celebrating tribal heritage and the contribution of tribal heroes to India’s freedom struggle, the initiative aims to improve awareness of government schemes and extend their benefits to tribal families.

More than 300 projects for tribal communities have been planned across states, including 228 ready for inauguration and 74 for foundation stone laying. These include a new Tribal Research Institute building in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum at Kelsih, Mizoram.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched the sixth edition of the National Startup Awards (NSA 6.0) as part of the Startup India initiative, according to an official statement today, October 27. The awards aim to recognise innovation, entrepreneurship and strong-performing startups while further strengthening India’s startup ecosystem.

The launch comes as Startup India completes 10 years in 2026. The initiative was introduced in January 2016 to create a stronger, more inclusive and innovation-led entrepreneurial environment in the country.

Started in 2019, the National Startup Awards have since become an important platform under Startup India. The awards recognise promising entrepreneurs and innovative solutions while highlighting startups working to address challenges across different sectors.

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched INS Srishti (Yard 1283), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) built for the Indian Navy, on October 27. The launch marked another milestone in India’s indigenous warship-building programme as the country sought to strengthen its maritime security capabilities through domestically developed naval platforms.

The vessel is ceremonially launched by Sandeepa Sahay at a ceremony held at GSL’s facility in Vaddem, Goa. Vishvajit Sahay, Secretary (Defence Finance), attended as the chief guest, alongside senior officials from the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Defence and GSL.

The NGOPV programme is intended to strengthen the Navy’s ability to conduct maritime surveillance, protect offshore assets and safeguard India’s maritime interests. Offshore patrol vessels also support missions such as anti-piracy operations, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance when required.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, today delivered India’s National Statement at the High-Level Segment of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-17) in Yerevan, Armenia.

He reaffirmed India’s commitment to conserving biodiversity and strengthening collective efforts to live in harmony with nature.

Yadav emphasized that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework must align with national priorities, circumstances, and legislation, and should be supported by adequate and predictable finance, capacity building, and technology transfer from developed countries.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha today congratulated Indian para-athletes for their record-breaking performance at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, where India finished fourth with 114 medals. India secured 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze medals, surpassing its previous best of 108 medals at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China.

In a post on social media, Usha praised the athletes for their determination and hard work, while acknowledging the contribution of coaches and support staff to the team’s achievement. Para-athletics led India’s medal tally with 65 medals, followed by para-badminton with 16 and para-swimming with 11.

Among the standout performers, Sumit Antil defended his gold in men’s javelin throw, while Simran Sharma won gold in both the women’s 100m and 200m T12 events, setting Games records in both races. Shooter Mona Agarwal also claimed gold in the women’s 50m rifle three positions SH1 event.

In Tennis, India’s top-ranked doubles player, Yuki Bhambri, with his American partner Ryan Seggerman, clinched the Almaty Open title in Kazakhstan today. The fourth-seeded Indo-American pair defeated top seeds Lucas Miedler and Neil Oberleitner of Austria 7-6, 6-7, 10-2 in the final of ATP 250 tournament. The victory marks Bhambri’s first ATP Tour title of the 2026 season and the fifth doubles title of his career on the ATP Tour. The 34-year-old had previously won ATP 250 titles in Mallorca in 2023, Gstaad and Munich in 2024, and the ATP 500 Dubai tournament in 2025. 

India is seeking South Korean expertise in shipbuilding, manufacturing and maritime technology as it works towards becoming one of the world's top five shipbuilding nations by 2047, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on October 25, as reported by PTI.

Beginning a four-day visit to South Korea, Sonowal called on Indian professionals working in the country's shipbuilding industry to help strengthen domestic shipyards, improve productivity and develop a skilled maritime workforce.

The minister's visit comes six months after India and South Korea adopted the VOYAGES framework to expand cooperation in shipbuilding, shipping and maritime logistics.