The 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) was held in Cebu, Philippines, on 28–29 October 2026. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the Indian delegation to the meeting. The meeting focused on regional and international security issues and strengthening defence cooperation. ADMM-Plus brings together ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners: India, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) is ASEAN’s highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism. The first ADMM-Plus meeting was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 12 October 2010.

The United States Department of Defense (Pentagon) launched the ‘FORTRESS America’ initiative, which stands for Federal Operations for Resilience, Troop Resources, Energy, Supply, and Survivability. The initiative aims to enhance the operational resilience of major military installations, defense industrial bases, and critical supply chains. It focuses on ensuring base operations can continue uninterrupted despite physical attacks, infrastructure failures, electromagnetic jamming, or civilian power grid disruptions. This strategic program primarily targets military installations across the continental United States to maintain continuous military preparedness during national emergencies. Summary and quiz questions

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) organised a Transport Mela on 28 October 2026 at Burari, North Delhi, under the PARIVARTAN Scheme. The event was organised in collaboration with the Delhi government to encourage the scrapping of old trucks and buses and their replacement with cleaner vehicles. Approximately 40,000 beneficiaries had registered on the PARIVARTAN portal, according to the provided report. The Transport Mela provided guidance on vehicle scrapping, financing options, replacement vehicles and incentives available under the scheme. The PARIVARTAN Scheme aims to promote cleaner commercial vehicles in Delhi-NCR.

A new flowering plant species named Osbeckia assamensis has been documented in Manas National Park, Assam, highlighting the region’s rich floral diversity. The species belongs to the family Melastomataceae and was identified during floristic research in Assam. The species is morphologically related to Osbeckia nayarii but differs in its branching pattern, hairy stem, leaf characteristics, inflorescence and other floral features. One distinguishing feature is its tetramerous flowers, meaning its floral parts are arranged in groups of four. The researchers observed the species growing in scattered populations across the grasslands of Manas National Park.

In October 2026, Ladakh was declared India’s first fully certified 100% organic Union Territory, according to Greater Kashmir. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the achievement, recognising farmers’ efforts and the UT Administration’s commitment to chemical-free agriculture. The initiative covers both Leh and Kargil districts and aims to eliminate synthetic fertilisers, chemical pesticides and harmful soil additives. The initiative aims to protect Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem, improve soil and water health, and promote sustainable agriculture.