Authorities have restricted fishing and boating within 1.5 km of Pong Dam in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, due to security concerns. The reservoir, also known as Maharana Pratap Sagar, is managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). Pong Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam built on the Beas River in the Shivalik hills of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh. The dam was constructed between 1961 and 1974 and was the tallest of its type in India at that time. It serves purposes of irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.

INS Sahyadri, an Indian Navy warship, arrived at Vladivostok, Russia, to participate in Exercise INDRA 2026. Exercise INDRA is a bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy. The exercise is scheduled from 13 to 18 October 2026. It aims to enhance mutual understanding, operational coordination and interoperability between the two navies. The participation strengthens the longstanding defence and maritime partnership between India and Russia. The exercise aligns with India’s MAHASAGAR vision, which emphasises mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions.

The Indian Navy’s next-generation offshore patrol vessel ‘Shreyas’ (Yard 3040) was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Next-generation offshore patrol vessels are being constructed at GRSE, Kolkata, and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Goa. These indigenously designed vessels will support maritime surveillance, search and rescue, anti-piracy operations, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. They will also help protect offshore assets and strengthen India’s maritime security. The name ‘Shreyas’ means “best” or “most excellent” in Sanskrit.

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) uses its Plan Bee system, AI-based alerts, speed restrictions and enhanced patrolling to prevent elephant–train collisions. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) helped prevent potential train collisions involving 255 elephants between January and September 2026. The elephants saved included 106 in Alipurduar, 14 in Rangiya, 122 in Lumding and 15 in Tinsukia divisions. Plan Bee is an acoustic deterrent system developed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to prevent elephant–train collisions. The system uses amplified recordings of honeybee buzzing to discourage elephants from approaching railway tracks.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda laid the foundation stone of ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research (ICMR-CHAMP) on 12 October 2026. The centre will established at Keylong, Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh. It operates under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Its primary objective is to strengthen medical research and public healthcare in high-altitude and climate-sensitive regions. The initiative aims to strengthen tribal health, disaster preparedness and climate-resilient healthcare in the Himalayan region.