# UPSC current affairs, 14 October 2026 URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/ Publisher: upsc.help (Pratidin), free and open-source UPSC Civil Services current affairs. Not affiliated with UPSC. Every fact was checked against the source reports by a separate review before publishing. ## Stories ### IMF lifts India's 2026-27 growth forecast to 7%, warns global risks tilt downward URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/imf-weo-oct-2026-india-upgrade/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/imf-weo-oct-2026-india-upgrade.md) Source: The Hindu, Business. UPSC papers: GS3, GS2 **In one line:** The IMF's October 2026 World Economic Outlook raised India's 2026-27 growth forecast to 7% while warning that the world economy faces downside risks from war, oil and an AI investment correction. Prelims facts: - The IMF's October 2026 WEO raised India's 2026-27 growth forecast to 7% from 6.4% (July) and projects 7% for 2027-28, up from 6.7%. - The IMF projects India's CPI inflation at 5% in 2026-27 and 4.4% in 2027-28, and the current account deficit at 1.5% of GDP in 2026-27. - World growth is projected at 3.1% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027; global inflation at 4.7% in 2026 and 4.1% in 2027. - The WEO assumes oil at $95.74 a barrel in 2026, about 41% above 2025, easing to $87.39 in 2027. - 32 economies now account for 95% of global growth, against 54 in the April 2026 WEO. ### First BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting adopts Delhi Declaration against cross-border terror URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/bimstec-home-ministers-delhi-declaration/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/bimstec-home-ministers-delhi-declaration.md) Source: The Hindu, National. UPSC papers: GS2, GS3 **In one line:** On 13 October 2026, BIMSTEC's Home Ministers met for the first time, in New Delhi, and adopted the Delhi Declaration with five instruments against terrorism, drugs, trafficking, illicit money and disasters. Prelims facts: - The first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting was held in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 and adopted the Delhi Declaration. - It approved five instruments: a convention against trafficking in persons, plans of action on drug control, illicit financial flows and natural disasters, and an MoU on money laundering and terror financing. - The Home Ministers' mechanism was decided at the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit (Kathmandu, 2018) and welcomed at the Sixth Summit (Bangkok, 4 April 2025). - The declaration seeks implementation of the 2022 BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and early conventions on extradition and transfer of sentenced persons. - India leads BIMSTEC's Security pillar, covering counter-terrorism and transnational crime, disaster management and energy security. ### Madras HC upholds AIADMK MLAs' resignations but says disqualification cases must go on URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/madras-hc-resignation-disqualification-aiadmk/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/madras-hc-resignation-disqualification-aiadmk.md) Source: The Hindu, National. UPSC papers: GS2 **In one line:** The Madras High Court has held that the Tamil Nadu Speaker rightly accepted six AIADMK MLAs' resignations, but that disqualification cases against them for defying the whip must still be decided within two months. Prelims facts: - On 13 October 2026, the Madras High Court upheld the Tamil Nadu Speaker's acceptance of six AIADMK MLAs' resignations and directed him to decide pending disqualification cases within two months. - The Court held that resignation and disqualification are separate processes, and that the Speaker need not inquire into a member's motives for resigning. - Under the proviso to Article 190(3), added by the 33rd Amendment (1974), the Speaker must not accept a resignation that is not voluntary or genuine. - The Tenth Schedule was added by the 52nd Amendment (1985); Kihoto Hollohan (1992) made the Speaker's decisions under it subject to judicial review. - In Shrimanth Balasaheb Patil (2019), the Supreme Court held that resignation does not wipe out the taint of disqualification but that the Speaker cannot bar a disqualified member from contesting. ### NPCI defers 0.4% UPI merchant fee, due on 15 October, until after Diwali URL: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/upi-mdr-deferred-after-diwali/ (Markdown: https://upsc.help/current-affairs/2026-10-14/upi-mdr-deferred-after-diwali.md) Source: The Hindu, Business. UPSC papers: GS3 **In one line:** NPCI has postponed a 0.4% merchant fee on larger UPI payments, which was to begin on 15 October 2026, to a date after Diwali, without changing its design. Prelims facts: - On 13 October 2026, NPCI's UPI and Services Steering Committee deferred the UPI merchant discount rate, due from 15 October, to a date after Diwali. - The framework sets a 0.4% MDR on eligible P2M UPI payments above ₹2,000, capped at ₹300; payments up to ₹2,000 and P2P transfers stay free. - Small merchants receiving up to ₹1 lakh a month through UPI remain at zero MDR; specified essential-sector payments above ₹2,000 attract a flat ₹5. - Zero MDR on UPI and RuPay debit cards has applied since 1 January 2020 under Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. - NPCI, which operates UPI, was incorporated in December 2008 as a not-for-profit company, a joint initiative of the RBI and the Indian Banks' Association.