Daily Current Affairs: 2 October 2026

India marks Gandhi’s 157th birth anniversary as the Civil Aviation Ministry announces BCAS security reforms.

Daily Current Affairs, This digest covers national and international developments relevant to CLAT, judiciary exams and law students.

The edition for 2 October 2026 includes earlier announcements and ongoing events, with their dates identified below.

India

1. Nation Marks Mahatma Gandhi’s 157th Birth Anniversary

Subject: Polity and Governance

What Happened

India observed Mahatma Gandhi’s 157th birth anniversary on 2 October 2026. President Droupadi Murmu attended the Sarva Dharma Prarthana at Gandhi’s Samadhi at Rajghat in New Delhi and paid floral tributes. The nation also remembered former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary. In a social media tribute, Home Minister Amit Shah described Gandhi’s idea of Swaraj as a foundation of self-respect and self-reliance.

Key Facts

• Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat.
• Gandhi Jayanti is a national holiday, and banks, the BSE, the NSE and the Supreme Court were closed on 2 October 2026.
• The United Nations declared 2 October the International Day of Non-Violence in 2007.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on Gandhi Jayanti in 2014.

Exam Angle

This observance may feature in questions linking national commemorations with international days and public missions. The UN declaration, Swachh Bharat’s launch date and the commemoration of Lal Bahadur Shastri are useful factual connections.

2. Civil Aviation Ministry Announces BCAS Security Reforms

Subject: Governance

What Happened

The Ministry of Civil Aviation briefed the media in New Delhi on reforms by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, or BCAS, aimed at improving airport operational efficiency and ease of doing business. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the changes would digitise workflows, simplify processes and support accountability-driven governance while maintaining high security standards. The measures cover security clearances, infrastructure vetting and the Aerodrome Entry Permit system.

Key Facts

• BCAS is moving towards a category- and contract-agnostic clearance across nine identified categories of aviation entities, with five-year validity proposed.
• Airport infrastructure vetting will follow a structured, time-bound process, with clarifications sought at one stage and closer monitoring of pending cases.
• The Aerodrome Entry Permit workflow includes online registration, document submission, digital scrutiny, defined approvals and digital issuance with facial biometric verification.
• According to the ministry, India is the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, and operational airports increased from 74 in 2014 to 165 in July 2026.

Exam Angle

The reforms illustrate digital governance and regulatory simplification in aviation security. Questions may test BCAS’s role under the Civil Aviation Ministry, while the proposed clearance validity should be distinguished from an established rule.

3. September Gross GST Collections Rise 14.7 Per Cent

Subject: Economy

What Happened

Government data released on 1 October 2026 showed gross GST collections of Rs 2,03,521 crore for September 2026, an increase of 14.7 per cent year on year. Net revenue after refunds rose 18.1 per cent to Rs 1,76,520 crore. Most reports put import-related revenue at about Rs 65,525 crore, up roughly 26 per cent, and domestic collections at about Rs 1.38 lakh crore, up roughly 10 per cent. Reported estimates for this breakdown differ.

Key Facts

• September’s gross GST collections stood at Rs 2,03,521 crore, while net revenue after refunds was Rs 1,76,520 crore.
• Refunds were about Rs 27,001 crore, a decline of approximately 3 per cent.
• Cumulative gross collections for April to September 2026 reached Rs 12,46,278 crore, up 11.6 per cent.
• Maharashtra recorded the highest GST collection among states.

Exam Angle

The figures may support questions on gross and net collections, the effect of refunds and the import and domestic components. The rise in import-linked GST alone does not establish why that component increased.

4. Tarang Shakti 2026 Under Way at Jodhpur

Subject: Defence and Security

What Happened

The Indian Air Force is hosting the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti at Air Force Station Jodhpur and adjoining air bases from 26 September to 12 October 2026. Its operational phase followed the inaugural ceremony on 26 September, making it an ongoing exercise in this digest. With the theme Power in Partnership, the exercise builds on the first edition held in 2024. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of Air Staff, briefed the media before it began.

Key Facts

• The exercise aims to build interoperability and mutual trust through planning and executing multinational joint combat operations.
• Activities cover counter-air operations, air defence, reconnaissance, airlift and air-to-air refuelling, alongside professional, cultural and outreach programmes.
• Countries named in IAF information or reports include the United States, Australia, France, Germany, the UAE, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
• Reports differ on Greece’s participation, so a fixed participating-country count remains uncertain.

Exam Angle

Questions may cover the host service, location, edition, theme and dates. The two-year gap between the first and second editions also provides a revision point, alongside the exercise’s interoperability objective.

5. ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ Enforcement Begins Across Delhi-NCR

Subject: Environment

What Happened

From 1 October 2026, vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate, or PUCC, are being denied fuel at stations in the National Capital Region as part of winter pollution control. In Delhi, enforcement began at about 500 fuel stations equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras. Petrol pump operators have raised concerns about implementing the system. The Delhi government has also said that further winter measures will be phased in between November 2026 and February 2027.

Key Facts

• The rule follows Direction No. 101 issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management, or CAQM, on 15 May 2026.
• CAQM’s enforcement sub-committee reviewed preparations at its 26th meeting on 29 September.
• CAQM Chairman Rajesh Verma chaired that meeting.
• Automatic Number Plate Recognition, or ANPR, cameras support enforcement at the equipped Delhi fuel stations.

Exam Angle

The development may feature in questions on pollution-control institutions, regulatory directions and technology in enforcement. CAQM, Direction No. 101, PUCC and ANPR are the central terms to distinguish.

6. CJI Surya Kant Says AI Can Assist Courts but Cannot Replace Judges

Subject: Judiciary

What Happened

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant addressed the 7th Congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on 1 October 2026. He said technology should widen access to justice, while AI should support judicial research and processes rather than replace judges in decision-making. He warned that technology without safeguards could exclude the citizens it is meant to serve and weaken public trust.

Key Facts

• The CJI cited e-filing, virtual hearings, digital case management and live-streaming of Constitution Bench proceedings as measures that reduced distance and cost burdens.
• He referred to SUVAS, an AI-assisted judgment translation tool, with more than 83,000 translations in 18 Indian languages.
• He also mentioned the One Case, One Data initiative to integrate case information across judicial levels.
• His remarks placed responsibility for judicial decision-making with the judge.

Exam Angle

The address may support questions about access to justice, judicial technology and the limits of AI in adjudication. The remarks are the CJI’s stated views in this address and should not be treated as a judicial ruling.

7. India Wins First Asian Games Women’s Recurve Team Gold

Subject: Sports

What Happened

India’s women’s recurve archery team won gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 2 October 2026, defeating South Korea 5-3 in the final. The team comprised Ankita Bhakat, Kirti Sharma and Kumkum Mohod. It had reached the gold medal match after beating China 5-1 in the semi-final. The result marked India’s first women’s recurve team final and its first medal in the event at the Asian Games.

Key Facts

• Reports credited 17-year-old Kumkum Anil Mohod with the decisive final-set 10.
• The South Korean team included world champion Kang Chaeyoung.
• India won the third set 55-52 and drew the fourth set 54-54 to seal the match.

Exam Angle

The victory may feature in questions on sporting firsts at major multi-sport events. Useful details include the Aichi-Nagoya host, recurve team event, Indian team members, final opponent and 5-3 result.

8. HDFC Bank Names Anup Bagchi as Next MD and CEO

Subject: Awards and Appointments

What Happened

HDFC Bank announced on 1 October 2026 that Anup Bagchi, currently Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, would become its next Managing Director and CEO. He is scheduled to take charge on 27 October 2026 for a three-year term. Bagchi will succeed Sashidhar Jagdishan, whose term ends on 26 October 2026. The appointment remains subject to shareholder approval under the Companies Act, 2013.

Key Facts

• Jagdishan informed the board in August that he would not seek reappointment.
• HDFC Bank had earlier submitted two names to the RBI: Anup Bagchi and Deputy Managing Director Kaizad Bharucha.
• Bagchi’s announced tenure is three years, beginning on 27 October 2026.

Exam Angle

The announcement may support questions on leadership appointments in private banks and the shareholder approval step. Revision should distinguish the announcement date from the scheduled date of taking office and identify who succeeds whom.

International

9. Saudi Arabia Hands Omani Co-Pilot to UAE After Alleged Cockpit Assault

Subject: International Relations

What Happened

Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on 30 September 2026 after an alleged assault on the captain in the cockpit. According to reports on 1 and 2 October, Saudi authorities detained the Omani co-pilot and handed him to the UAE. Passengers reportedly helped subdue him. The alleged incident remains under investigation, and its motive has not been established.

Key Facts

• The captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, is recovering in Abu Dhabi, according to the Indian government.
• About 182 people were on board, mostly Israelis.
• Two crew members were reported hospitalised.
• Investigators from several countries are working to establish the motive, which remains unconfirmed.

Exam Angle

The incident may support questions on aviation security, cross-border handover of suspects and India’s consular role for nationals abroad. The co-pilot is accused; the reported detention and handover do not establish guilt.

10. Putin Discusses Modi’s Ideas on Ukraine Settlement at Valdai

Subject: International Relations

What Happened

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement on the Ukraine war at the 23rd Valdai Discussion Club meeting on 1 October 2026. He said Modi raises the war at every meeting and has ideas for a mutually acceptable solution. Putin characterised India’s position as neutral but invested in ending the war. The remarks were reported in India on 2 October; that characterisation belongs to Putin.

Key Facts

• Putin and Modi last met in September on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
• Modi has stated that India stands on the side of peace and has supported dialogue and diplomacy.
• The Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Exam Angle

The remarks may provide a basis for questions on India’s strategic autonomy, diplomatic engagement and the BRICS grouping. Putin’s description of India’s position should be distinguished from Modi’s own stated support for peace, dialogue and diplomacy.

Quick Revision Points

• Gandhi Jayanti 2026 marked Gandhi’s 157th birth anniversary; he was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar.
• The UN declared 2 October the International Day of Non-Violence in 2007.
• BCAS proposes five-year security clearance across nine identified categories of aviation entities.
• September 2026 gross GST collections were Rs 2,03,521 crore, up 14.7 per cent year on year.
• CAQM Direction No. 101, issued on 15 May 2026, underpins the No PUC, No Fuel rule.
• SUVAS supports AI-assisted translation of judgments into Indian languages.
• India won its first Asian Games women’s recurve team gold by defeating South Korea 5-3.
• Tarang Shakti 2026 runs from 26 September to 12 October at Jodhpur and adjoining air bases.

The day’s developments connect national observances, governance, the economy, security, sport and diplomacy.

Proposed reforms, ongoing investigations and attributed statements retain their respective status in this edition.