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CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING, FINANCE & BUSINESS

Exim Bank Extends ₹4,850 Crore Government-Backed Line of Credit to Maldives

• Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) entered into an agreement with the Government of Maldives on 25 July 2025 to provide a Government of India-supported Line of Credit (LoC) of ₹4,850 crore (about US$506.58 million) for financing developmental projects in Maldives.
• The ₹4,850 crore Umbrella LoC became effective from 27 August 2026 and will be implemented through individual project-level Credit Agreements.
• Each individual Credit Agreement under the Umbrella LoC will have a minimum value of ₹500 crore, after identification and approval of the projects.
• Under the LoC, at least 75% of the value of goods, works and services under eligible contracts must be supplied by sellers from India, while the remaining 25% may be procured from outside India.
• The LoC will finance the export of eligible goods and services from India, subject to their eligibility under the Foreign Trade Policy of the Government of India and approval for financing by Exim Bank.
• The last date for disbursement under the LoC will be 48 months after the scheduled completion date of the respective contract.
• Shipments under the LoC must be declared in the Export Declaration Form/Shipping Bill according to the instructions issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• No agency commission is payable for exports under the LoC; however, exporters may pay commission from their own resources or Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) Account, subject to applicable RBI instructions.
• Authorised Dealer (AD) Category-I banks may allow remittance of agency commission after realisation of the full eligible export value, subject to applicable regulations.
• The RBI directions regarding the LoC were issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999.
• The RBI directions are without prejudice to any other permissions or approvals that may be required under applicable laws.

About Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) :

• Established : 1982
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman-cum-Managing Director : Ms. Harsha Bangari

S&P Global Ratings Upgrades India’s FY27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7.0% in Q4 2026 Outlook

• S&P Global Ratings, a New York-based ratings agency, released the report titled “Economic Outlook Asia-Pacific Q4 2026: Exports, Domestic Demand Will Shore Up Growth.”
• S&P Global Ratings raised India’s Financial Year 2026-27 (FY27) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast to 7.0% from 6.6% earlier, an increase of 40 basis points (bps).
• The upgraded 7.0% FY27 GDP forecast is supported by robust industrial activity, healthy consumption, strong goods exports, and accelerating government investment.
• India’s economic growth is expected to moderate in the second half of FY27 as the boost from GST rationalisation and income-tax cuts gradually fades.
• S&P Global Ratings projected India’s GDP growth at 7.2% in FY28, 7.0% in FY29, and 6.8% in FY30.
• Several factors drove India’s growth to higher levels than expected in the June quarter, including robust industrial activity, healthy consumption, strong goods exports, and accelerating government investment.

Asian Development Bank Raises India’s FY27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7% Following Strong Q1 Performance

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised India’s FY2026-27 economic growth forecast to 7%, up from 6.6% projected in July 2026, citing stronger-than-expected economic performance.
• India’s GDP grew 7.8% year-on-year in Q1 FY2026-27, supported by strong investment demand, resilient consumption, and robust growth in manufacturing and services.
• ADB projected India’s FY2027-28 economic growth at 7.1%, down from its earlier 7.3% forecast, mainly due to the stronger GDP base.
• Domestic demand is expected to remain the main driver of India’s economic growth in the coming period.
• ADB lowered its FY2026-27 inflation forecast to 5%, from the earlier 5.2%, as inflation has risen more gradually than previously anticipated.
• India’s FY2027-28 inflation is projected at 4%, unchanged from the July forecast, supported by moderating energy prices and recovery in agricultural supply under a normal monsoon
• India’s current account deficit (CAD) is projected to increase in FY2026-27 due to higher commodity prices, before narrowing in FY2027-28 because of lower oil prices and strong export growth.
• India’s foreign exchange reserves rose to USD 740.8 billion, supported by RBI measures to attract foreign capital.
• India’s fiscal deficit is projected at around 4.3% of GDP, despite higher fertiliser subsidies and fuel tax cuts.
• The ADB noted that India’s strong Q1 performance occurred despite supply-side disruptions caused by the West Asia crisis.

About ADB :

• Formation : 19 December 1966
• Headquarters : Philippines
• President : Masato Kanda
• Members : 69 countries

 CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL AND STATE NEWS

Union Minister Anupriya Patel Launches 7th Edition of National Formulary of India and New Pharmacovigilance Initiatives

• Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, launched the 7th Edition of the National Formulary of India (NFI), the Guidance Document for Hospitals in India for Safety Monitoring and Reporting of Medical Device-Related Adverse Events, and the Adverse Drug Reaction–Pharmacovigilance Programme of India 2.0 Mobile Application for iOS users.
• The initiatives were launched during the 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week programme organised by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• The 7th Edition of the National Formulary of India has also been made available digitally through NFI Online.

Key Highlights

• Anupriya Patel announced that the Biovigilance Programme of India has been approved by the Government of India.
• The 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week is being observed from 17 to 23 September 2026 with the theme “Promoting Rational Use of Medicines through Pharmacovigilance: A Step Towards Safer Healthcare.”
• Anupriya Patel emphasised that rational use of medicines and continuous safety monitoring are essential for public health. She stated that every patient should receive the right medicine, of assured quality, in the right manner and with the highest possible degree of safety.
• India has developed a strong indigenous pharmacovigilance ecosystem for generating, collecting, processing and analysing medicine-safety data from across the country.
• India’s contribution to the World Health Organization patient safety database has improved from 123rd position during 2009–2014 to 8th position globally, reflecting the strengthening of India’s national pharmacovigilance capacity.
• The Pharmacovigilance Programme of India, coordinated by the National Coordination Centre at the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, systematically collects, assesses and analyses adverse drug reaction information.
• The Materiovigilance Programme of India monitors adverse events associated with medical devices.
• The National Formulary of India serves as a bridge between scientific standards and clinical practice and guides healthcare professionals towards the appropriate and rational use of medicines.
• The launch of the 7th Edition of the National Formulary of India will support healthcare professionals in making informed and evidence-based decisions while prescribing and using medicines.
• Around 25 countries recognise and accept the Indian Pharmacopoeia, while the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission became a member of the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group in 2023, strengthening India’s role in global regulatory convergence and harmonisation.
• Digital initiatives such as NFI Online, Indian Pharmacopoeia Online, Adverse Drug Reaction–Pharmacovigilance Programme of India 2.0 Mobile Application and the Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System are improving accessibility, transparency and responsiveness in medicine-related information and adverse-event reporting.
• Prof. Y. K. Gupta, President, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Kalyani; Dr. V. M. Katoch, former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research and Secretary, Department of Health Research; senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission; and other stakeholders were also present.

Madhya Pradesh Launches Free Registration Drive for Around 50 Lakh Rural Properties under Swamitva Adhikar Abhilekh Nispadan Evam Panjiyan Yojana 2026

• Madhya Pradesh has launched a free rural property registration drive targeting around 50 lakhs privately held rural properties under the Swamitva Adhikar Abhilekh Nispadan Evam Panjiyan Yojana 2026.
• The initiative was launched in Indore as part of the state government’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
• The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh stated that the state has become the first state to offer free registration of rural properties.
• The registration drive aims to provide eligible rural property holders with formal ownership-related records without the usual registration cost being borne by the beneficiaries.

Key Highlights

• The initiative will cover more than 23,000 villages, with revenue officials and Patwaris facilitating the registration process at the local level.
• The wider survey has covered around 68 lakh rural properties, while the present free-registration initiative specifically focuses on around 50 lakh privately held properties.
• The initiative is intended to provide rural families with clearer documentary records of property rights and make formal ownership documentation more accessible.
• The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is being conducted across Madhya Pradesh from 17 September to 17 October 2026 as a month-long public-service and outreach campaign.
• The campaign was launched on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and includes various public-service, welfare, public-participation and outreach activities aimed at taking government services and programmes closer to communities.
• Another component of the campaign is “Namo Seva – Ankahi Kahaniyan”, through which information about welfare and development programmes is being taken to rural areas, schools and colleges through short musical plays and street-theatre formats.

Government Provides ₹2.9 Crore Carbon Credit Payments to 2,550 Farmers in Punjab and Haryana

• The Government will provide ₹2.9 crore to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana who adopted regenerative farming practices and earned carbon credits for the first time.
• Dr. M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), initiated the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of the carbon credit payments to the selected farmers.
• The carbon payments provide an economic incentive for adopting farming practices that also generate environmental benefits.
• The selected farmers adopted practices such as Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), reduced tillage and crop residue management during 2019–2022.
• These practices helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase soil carbon. The eligibility of farmers for carbon credits was independently verified before the credits were issued.

Key Highlights

• The payments are being made under “Aadi”, a farmer carbon programme launched by Grow Indigo in 2019, with technical guidance from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• The programme covers more than 2 million acres and involves over 1 lakh farmers across 7 states.
• Agricultural carbon credits under the programme are issued according to the Verra VM0042 methodology.
• Direct Seeded Rice reduces irrigation requirements compared with conventional rice transplanting, while improved crop residue management can help reduce stubble burning and related air pollution.
• For enrolled fields during 2019–2022, the programme estimates that it:
• Saved around 45 billion litres of water.
• Prevented more than 2 lakh tonnes of crop residue from being burned.
• Avoided an estimated 1,000 tonnes of PM2.5 emissions.
• The programme supports the wider transition towards regenerative agriculture in Punjab and Haryana, with a focus on crop residue management, water conservation, soil health and climate resilience.
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research institutions provided scientific and field expertise in areas including greenhouse gas accounting, crop simulation modelling, soil sampling protocols, device validation, field team training, satellite technology and remote sensing methods.
• During his engagements with farmers and agricultural institutions in Punjab under the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan and other programmes, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, emphasised the importance of farmer-focused agricultural research and sustainable agricultural technologies.
• During his visit to Punjab in June 2025, Chouhan interacted with farmers and reviewed farming practices as part of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to Invest ₹27,000 Crore in Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster in Maharashtra

• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) will invest around ₹27,000 crore to develop a Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster at Dighi in Raigad district, Maharashtra.
• The project is expected to create around 90,000 jobs and significantly expand India’s shipbuilding capacity.
• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Maharashtra Limited (NSHIPML) for development of the facility.
• The proposed shipbuilding cluster will have an annual shipbuilding capacity of at least 2 million gross tonnes.
• The facility will support the construction of large commercial vessels and include modern shipbuilding infrastructure along with an industrial and supply-chain ecosystem for the maritime sector.

Key Highlights

• The project is being jointly developed by the Maharashtra Maritime Board and the Mumbai Port Authority through National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Maharashtra Limited, a special-purpose company established for the initiative.
• The facility is being developed under the Central Government’s Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster Development Plan and is aligned with the objectives of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
• The Maharashtra Government expects the project to attract technology and investment, generate skilled employment and strengthen India’s competitiveness in the global maritime industry.
• The project is also expected to strengthen the wider maritime manufacturing and supply-chain ecosystem in Maharashtra and expand India’s domestic shipbuilding capabilities.
• Captain Jagmohan, Chairman and Managing Director of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, stated that the company would work with stakeholders to establish a modern and globally competitive shipbuilding facility at Dighi.
• Captain Jagmohan signed the MoU with Pradeep P, Managing Director of National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Maharashtra Limited, at a ceremony attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

NITI Aayog Releases Trade Watch Quarterly for Quarter 1 of Financial Year 2026-27

• Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, released the latest edition of “Trade Watch Quarterly” for Quarter 1 of Financial Year 2026-27 (April–June 2026) in New Delhi, in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer and senior officials of NITI Aayog.
• The latest edition provides an assessment of global and domestic trade trends amid heightened geopolitical and trade policy uncertainties, while global trade continued to remain resilient.

Key Highlights

• Global goods trade reached USD 13.7 trillion during the first half of calendar year 2026, registering 12.5% year-on-year growth, while services trade grew by 10.5%.
• Against this global backdrop, India’s merchandise and services trade continued to expand, with total trade reaching USD 506.9 billion in Quarter 1 of Financial Year 2026-27, registering 15.5% year-on-year growth.
• The thematic focus of the edition is India’s Metals and Ores Trade, a strategically important sector for manufacturing, infrastructure, energy transition and advanced industries.
• India’s merchandise exports recorded strong growth in Quarter 1 of Financial Year 2026-27, led by mineral fuels, electrical machinery, nuclear reactors, iron and steel, and vehicles. The growth was supported by higher shipments of petroleum products, steel, engineering goods and automobiles.
• India’s export destinations continued to diversify, with Tanzania and South Africa emerging among the top 10 export markets, along with strong growth in exports to Singapore.
• Imports from Latin America and West Africa recorded significant growth, partly supported by diversification of crude oil sourcing, thereby improving resilience and flexibility in India’s import basket.
• Northeast Asia, West Asia–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued to remain important sources of imports, together accounting for around half of India’s total imports.
• Trade with Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners also gained momentum, with exports increasing by 36.3% and imports by 10.0%, reflecting stronger economic partnerships and deeper integration of India with global trade and supply chains.
• India strengthened its position in Digitally Delivered Services (DDS), with exports increasing from USD 277 billion in 2024 to USD 317 billion in 2025, registering 15% year-on-year growth.
• As a result, India moved from being the fifth-largest to the fourth-largest Digitally Delivered Services exporter globally, behind the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland.
• Under the thematic focus on Metals and Ores Trade, India’s metals exports reached USD 34.8 billion in 2025. Iron and steel, articles of iron and steel, and aluminium together accounted for around 78% of metals exports.
• India has developed strong competitiveness in these metals segments, creating a foundation for further expansion and value addition.
• Growing global demand for higher-value non-ferrous metals and critical minerals provides opportunities for India to strengthen domestic capabilities, deepen value chains and expand its role in these strategic sectors.
• India’s metals and ores imports increased from USD 32.2 billion in 2015 to USD 60.5 billion in 2025, reflecting rising demand for key industrial and strategic minerals.
• Major minerals driving this demand include copper, lithium, cobalt and nickel, in line with India’s expanding manufacturing base, infrastructure development and energy transition requirements.
• Recent reforms under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, including the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, can improve fiscal predictability and encourage investment in exploration, mine development and critical minerals.
• The European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) highlights the need to strengthen the competitiveness of India’s steel and aluminium exports.
• A coordinated value-chain approach covering resource security, streamlined processes, lower logistics and financing costs, trade safeguards, renewable-energy access, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism preparedness, advanced materials and critical-mineral recycling can further strengthen India’s position in global markets.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Launch Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 Campaign

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) jointly launched the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 campaign at Children’s Park, India Gate, New Delhi.
• The campaign was launched with a plantation drive under the initiative ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’.
• The event was attended by Ashok K K Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; Satendra Singh, Secretary, Department of Urban Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; D. Thara, Secretary, Department of Capital Development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; and senior officials from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• The event was organised following a Whole of Government approach and jointly conducted with the New Delhi Municipal Council.

Key Highlights

• Every year, Swachhata Hi Seva brings together citizens, institutions and leadership across India to promote voluntarism and collective action for cleanliness.
• The theme of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 is “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat”.
• The campaign highlights that cleanliness is a shared responsibility and that the vision of a Swachh and Viksit Bharat can be achieved through a Whole of Government and Whole of Society approach.
• States, Union Territories and citizens across the country have begun participating in the campaign with full vigour, reflecting their collective commitment towards Swachh Bharat.
• The key pillars of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 are:
• Transformation of Cleanliness Target Units and Clean Public Places: Time-bound clearing of Cleanliness Target Units, along with site beautification and cleanliness at public places.
• Swachh Paathshala – Yuva for Swachhata: Exposure visits of students and youth to waste-management assets through Swachhata Gyan Yatras, Swachhata Evam Jal Sanchay Samvad, interactions and competitions.
• SafaiMitra Suraksha Evam Samman Shivirs: Single-window camps for preventive health check-ups, saturation of eligible beneficiaries under social security welfare schemes, and felicitation of SafaiMitras, Swachhagrahis and sanitation workers.
• Jan Bhagidari for Swachhata: Advocacy for cleanliness; awareness generation on Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and 4-way source segregation; RRR Recyclers’ Meets; Sports for Swachhata; Swachh Parv; Harit Parv – Clean and Green Festivities; and special activities on World Tourism Day and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.
• Swachhata se Samriddhi: Focus on the circular economy, Waste-to-Wealth and Waste to Art initiatives.
• On 2 October 2026, Special Gram Sabhas will be organised in rural areas, while Special Council Meetings will be held in urban areas.
• The Special Gram Sabhas will discuss the outcomes of Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, create awareness about Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 and 4-way source segregation, and discuss Swachh Seva Aankalan and assessment of Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF Plus) Model status in villages.
• The 2026 campaign aims to reach every section of society, with special emphasis on achieving visible cleanliness across the country.

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Issues Operational Guidelines for GOBARdhan Scheme to Develop Compressed Biogas Sector

• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued operational guidelines for all six components of GOBARdhan (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan), a ₹23,731 crore scheme aimed at developing India's Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector.
• GOBARdhan was approved on 6 August 2026 and will cover the period from 2026-27 to 2035-36.
• The six components of GOBARdhan are:
• CBG Offtake Assurance Mechanism
• CBG Pricing Framework
• Capital Assistance
• Development of Pipeline Infrastructure
• Credit Guarantee Support
• CBG Ecosystem Challenge Fund

Key Highlights

• Under the CBG pricing framework, producers will receive an Administered CBG Price (ACP) of ₹2,110 per Million British Thermal Units (MMBTU), equivalent to around ₹98 per kg of CBG at 95% methane content. Taxes and compression charges are excluded.
• GAIL (India) Limited, designated as the Synchro Operator, will make payments to CBG producers under the ACP framework.
• The ACP will remain applicable at least until 31 March 2036. A Project Approval Board, chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, will review the price every 12 months and may retain or revise it based on production economics, Consumer Price Index and other relevant factors.
• The Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell will notify the ACP.
• The government will provide affordability support to GAIL (India) Limited, capped at ₹10 per kg or ₹215.31 per MMBTU of CBG procured.
• The Project Approval Board will determine the actual support rate every year.
• The ACP framework provides an incentive for the sale of by-products such as Fermented Organic Manure (FOM) and Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM).
• CBG producers receiving ACP must submit a quarterly statement certified by a Chartered Accountant, covering quantities sold, sale prices, utilisation of by-products, feedstock purchased and prices paid. Failure to submit the statement can lead to withdrawal of ACP eligibility.
• Plants that only purchase raw biogas from other producers and upgrade it into CBG will not be eligible for ACP.
• Under the offtake mechanism, a CBG producer can seek assured offtake of up to 100% of its CBG available for sale.
• City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities must procure CBG as a share of the gas supplied to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport segment and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) domestic segment.
• The Compressed Biogas Obligation has been fixed at 3% in 2026-27, 4% in 2027-28 and 5% from 2028-29 onwards.
• Assured offtake will be secured through a tripartite agreement between the CBG producer, CGD entity and GAIL. The CGD entity must sign the agreement within three months of receiving a complete request.
• Each geographical area must maintain minimum CBG intake capacity equal to 50% of its average CNG and PNG consumption during the previous quarter.
• If a CGD entity fails to sign the agreement within the prescribed three-month period, the matter will be referred to the Project Approval Board.
• Based on the Board's recommendation, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas may reduce the CGD entity's allocation of Administered Price Mechanism (APM) gas or non-APM gas by the quantity of CBG that the producer requested it to purchase.
• Procurement of CBG will not reduce the CGD entity's overall entitlement to APM gas or new well gas. If CBG replaces APM gas in one geographical area, the entity can utilise that APM gas in its other geographical areas.
• During the first year of an offtake agreement, neither party will have a penalty obligation. From the second year, the CGD entity must take at least 90% of the nominated quantity, while the producer must supply at least 50% of the contracted quantity.
• For new CBG plants, capital assistance will be provided at ₹1.25 crore per Tonne Per Day (TPD) of capacity.
• Brownfield projects will receive assistance at 50% of the new-plant rate, limited to the additional capacity created.
• An operator upgrading its own existing biogas plant to produce CBG will receive ₹0.60 crore per TPD, subject to a maximum of ₹5 crore.
• Projects located in special category areas will receive 20% additional support. These areas include the North-Eastern states and Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Producers can claim 50% of the cost of feedstock aggregation and organic manure machinery, subject to a ceiling of ₹0.75 crore per TPD.
• The total capital assistance under these two support categories is capped at ₹30 crore per project.
• A company and its majority-owned subsidiaries can receive a maximum of ₹500 crore in a financial year.
• Plant construction assistance will be released in three instalments:
• 25% on receiving Consent to Establish, against a bank guarantee.
• 25% after the first sale of CBG.
• The remaining 50% after performance-based conditions are fulfilled.
• For the final instalment, the plant must operate for three months and subsequently complete a 24-hour performance test.
• A Plant Load Factor of 75% or above will qualify for the full final instalment. A Plant Load Factor between 50% and 75% will receive proportionate assistance, while a level below 50% will result in no final payment and encashment of the producer's bank guarantees.
• Plants using 50% or more Municipal Solid Waste or sewage as feedstock are not eligible for assistance under this component. Such projects may receive support under schemes of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Applications for capital assistance will remain open until 31 December 2030. If applications exceed the available budget, priority will be given to projects having a firm CBG sale contract.
• GOBARdhan subsumes five existing schemes from 1 September 2026:
• Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) Initiative
• Biomass Aggregation Machinery Scheme
• Development of Pipeline Infrastructure Scheme
• Market Development Assistance Scheme of the Department of Fertilizers
• Central Financial Assistance for CBG Plants under the Waste to Energy Programme of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• The first three schemes were operated by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, while the Market Development Assistance Scheme was operated by the Department of Fertilizers and the Central Financial Assistance scheme by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Liabilities already committed under the subsumed schemes will continue to remain with the respective ministry or department that operated them.
• Retail outlets established under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation initiative will be encouraged to join the GOBARdhan framework.
• Under the pipeline infrastructure component, 50% of the connection cost will be funded for CBG plants connecting to a City Gas Distribution network.
• The funding ceiling is ₹50 lakh per kilometre for steel pipelines and ₹7.5 lakh per kilometre for Medium-Density Polyethylene pipelines, with support available for up to 75 kilometres.
• To qualify for this support, a CBG plant must have a minimum capacity of 2 TPD and a firm offtake agreement.
• For connections to trunk pipelines, GAIL will act as the Cluster Operator and will build, own and operate shared infrastructure for clusters containing at least two CBG plants, preferably with a combined capacity of 20 TPD or more.
• Each trunk-pipeline cluster must be completed within two years of sanction.
• A Credit Guarantee Fund, managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company, will provide credit support for term loans to new Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) CBG projects.
• The credit guarantee will cover 85% of the loan, up to ₹20 crore, and up to ₹25 crore for women-led MSMEs.
• Loans can have a tenure of up to 15 years, including an 18-month moratorium.
• Lenders cannot demand collateral for the portion of the loan covered by the guarantee.
• The credit guarantee component has an outlay of ₹625 crore and will remain operational until 31 December 2030, or until guaranteed loans reach ₹15,000 crore, whichever occurs earlier.
• The CBG Ecosystem Challenge Fund has an allocation of ₹500 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• The Fund will support an annual competition among district administrations. The top three districts each year will receive ₹5 crore each, while the next seven districts will receive ₹2 crore each.
• Districts will be evaluated on five parameters, each carrying 20% weightage:
• Single-window clearance.
• Time taken to approve applications.
• Feedstock mapping.
• Use of organic manure produced by CBG plants.
• Awareness campaigns, including campaigns against parali (stubble) burning.
• The remaining funds under the Challenge Fund will provide grants covering up to 50% of project cost for domestic CBG equipment, improvement of plant yields and processing of by-products.
• CBG developers, research institutions, start-ups and Central Public Sector Enterprises can apply for these grants.
• All producers seeking benefits under GOBARdhan must install real-time monitoring systems (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), an online gas chromatograph or mass spectrometer, and an automatic shut-off system that stops gas flow if the gas quality falls below the required level.
• If a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system fault is not rectified within seven days, GAIL may stop ACP payments until the fault is repaired.
• The Centre for High Technology will function as the Project Management Agency for the GOBARdhan scheme.

KAVACH Version 4.0 Commissioned for the First Time on South Central Railway

• Indian Railways has commissioned KAVACH Version 4.0 for the first time on South Central Railway, marking a significant advancement in indigenous railway safety and Automatic Train Protection technology.

Key Highlights

• KAVACH Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned for the first time on South Central Railway, with the upgradation from KAVACH Version 3.2 to Version 4.0 completed over 108 Route Kilometres on the Malkajgiri–Kamareddi section of Hyderabad Division.
• The latest version incorporates technological improvements based on the experience gained from deploying KAVACH Version 3.2 over 1,465 Route Kilometres on South Central Railway.
• KAVACH Version 4.0 provides enhanced safety, advanced technology, higher reliability and safer train operations and is planned for large-scale deployment across Indian Railways.
• KAVACH Version 4.0 has been developed, tested and deployed by Indian Railways as an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, with improvements designed to meet the diverse operational and technological requirements of the Indian railway network.
• Major improvements in KAVACH Version 4.0 include:
• Increased location accuracy for more precise positioning of trains.
• Improved information on signal aspects in bigger yards, strengthening situational awareness during train operations.
• Station-to-station KAVACH interface through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) for improved communication and system integration.
• Direct interface with existing Electronic Interlocking Systems, enabling better integration with existing signalling infrastructure.
• These improvements strengthen KAVACH as an indigenous Automatic Train Protection technology and provide a technological foundation for its large-scale deployment across Indian Railways.
• KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system designed to enhance operational safety. It assists the Loco Pilot in maintaining trains within prescribed speed limits and can automatically apply brakes when required if the Loco Pilot fails to take appropriate action.
• KAVACH helps prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), controls train speed in critical situations and reduces the risk of train collisions.
• The system also supports safer train operations during inclement weather conditions.
• As a highly technology-intensive railway safety system, KAVACH requires the highest level of safety certification, Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4).
• Deployment of KAVACH requires comprehensive technological and communication infrastructure, including:
• Station KAVACH at stations and block sections.
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags throughout the track length.
• Telecommunication towers across the railway section.
• Optical Fibre Cable laid along the track.
• Loco KAVACH installed on locomotives operating on Indian Railways.
• The commissioning of KAVACH Version 4.0 on South Central Railway represents an important step towards strengthening indigenous railway safety technology and expanding advanced Automatic Train Protection capabilities across the Indian Railways network.

Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 to Come into Force on 1 October 2026

• Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan announced that the provisions of the newly enacted Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 will come into force on 1 October 2026.
• The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed by both Houses of Parliament and became law after receiving the President’s assent in August 2026.
• The main objective of the Act is to reduce delays in the registration of births and deaths and encourage people to complete registration within the prescribed period.

Key Highlights

• When a birth or death is reported to the Registrar after one year but within two years, registration will require approval from the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or Executive Magistrate.
• When a birth or death is reported after two years, it can be registered only on the order of a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class.
• The Act also requires the designated authority to verify the authenticity of the reported birth or death before granting approval for delayed registration.
• Registration of births and deaths is mandatory, and the certificate issued through the registration process serves as legal identity of an individual.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

World Meteorological Organization Report: Global Glaciers Record Fourth Consecutive Year of Ice Mass Loss

• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Global Water Resources 2025 Report, providing a science-based assessment of global water resources, hydrological variability, trends, and extreme events.
• The report covers 2025 and summarizes key findings from the past five years (2021–2025).

Key Highlights :

• 2025 was one of the driest years for global river discharge in more than three decades, with below-normal flows across 36% of the global basin area.
• For the seventh consecutive year, river basins with “normal” conditions remained in a clear minority, ranging between 34% and 38%, compared with an average of 46% during 1991–2020.
• Terrestrial water storage has shown a persistent decline since 2014–2016, indicating a long-term reduction in water stored in groundwater, lakes, rivers, soil moisture, vegetation, ice, and snow.
• 2025 marked the fourth consecutive year in which every major glaciated region recorded a net loss in glacier mass.
• Global glaciers lost approximately 408 ± 132 gigatonnes (Gt) of ice mass in 2025, equivalent to 1 ± 0.4 mm of sea-level rise.
• Between 2023 and 2025, cumulative global glacier mass loss reached approximately 1,400 gigatonnes of water, equivalent to about 560 million Olympic-sized swimming pools or around one-third of annual global freshwater withdrawals.
• Mountain glaciers lost about 2% of their total ice mass between 2000 and 2025, with some regions recording declines of up to 40% over past decades.
• Six of the seven largest annual glacier mass losses have occurred during the last seven years, highlighting the continuing impact of climate change.
• Regions including Central Asia, South Asia West, Russian Arctic, Iceland, Western Canada, and the USA recorded annual glacier mass balances among their three most negative years on record.
• Some glacier regions, including the Caucasus, Western Canada, USA, and Central Europe, may have reached “peak water”, the point at which glacier meltwater runoff reaches its maximum.
• The global water cycle has become increasingly erratic and unpredictable, with conditions swinging between too little and too much water.
• During 2021–2025, recurring below-normal river discharge was observed across parts of the Amazon and La Plata basins, North America, Central and East Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
• In 2025, river discharge was above-normal to much-above-normal across South and South-East Asia and parts of northern South America.
• In Africa, above-normal river flows occurred in the Senegal, Niger, Lake Chad, Orange, and Limpopo basins, while much-below-normal flows affected the Nile, Congo, and Zambezi basins.
• Below-normal to much-below-normal river discharge affected parts of North America, La Plata and São Francisco basins, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
• Persistent groundwater deficits were observed during 2022–2025 in parts of the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, southern Africa, and Australia.
• Widespread below-normal to much-below-normal groundwater levels were observed in regions including Central and Eastern Europe, the central United States, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, northern South Africa, northwestern India, and southern Australia.
• In 2025, terrestrial water storage was below normal in areas including northern and southwestern North America, Patagonia, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, eastern Brazil, northern India, Northern Europe, China, and Northern Africa.
• Snow conditions were below normal across Europe in 2025, while the Russian Federation and North America experienced strong regional contrasts.
• Asia and Africa together accounted for at least half of all recorded water-related extreme events and more than 80% of reported associated deaths during the past five years.
• From 2021–2025, persistent multi-year drought conditions affected South America’s La Plata and Amazon basins, the Middle East, and the Greater Horn of Africa, while severe floods repeatedly affected West and Central Africa and South-East Asia.
• South and South-East Asia experienced compound tropical cyclones and intense monsoon conditions, causing up to 3,600 deaths across affected countries including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
• Nigeria experienced major flooding for two consecutive years, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo experienced major flooding for three consecutive years.
• Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa caused losses equivalent to approximately 41% of GDP, while Cyclone Ditwah caused losses of around 4% of Sri Lanka’s GDP.
• Severe drought affected Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, while drought also returned to the Greater Horn of Africa.
• La Niña emerged toward the end of 2025, following neutral conditions, while a predominantly negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) influenced precipitation patterns.
• The report has expanded from 3 to 15 hydrological variables since its first edition in 2021, incorporating river discharge, groundwater, evapotranspiration, land water storage, snow and ice, and high-impact events.
• Despite improved water-data availability, Africa and Asia remain among the least represented regions in hydrological observations, even though they are among the regions most affected by water-related extremes.

About World Meteorological Organization :

• Formation : 23 March 1950
• Headquarters : Geneva, Switzerland
• President : Abdulla Al Mandous, UAE
• Secretary-General : Celeste Saulo, Argentina
• Parent organization : United Nations Economic and Social Council

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Harsh Mukeshbhai Sanghani Re-elected Unopposed as International Cooperative Alliance Youth Committee President for 2026–2030

• Harsh Mukeshbhai Sanghani, an Indian cooperative leader, was re-elected unopposed as the President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Youth Committee for the 2026–2030 term.
• The ICA Youth Committee Annual Plenary Meeting and elections were held in Panama, where Sanghani was re-elected.
• As President of the ICA Youth Committee, Harsh Sanghani also serves as the Youth Representative on the ICA Global Board.
• Harsh Sanghani became the first person of Indian origin to be elected President of the ICA Youth Committee.
• He first assumed the position in July 2025 at the age of 20.
• Sanghani was first elected President of the ICA Youth Committee on 9 July 2025 during the Festival of Cooperatives 2025 in Manchester, United Kingdom (UK).
• He succeeded Ana Aguirre and served the remaining one year of the 2022–2026 term.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

72nd National Film Awards 2024 Conferred by President Droupadi Murmu

• The 72nd National Film Awards for the year 2024 were announced the awards were presented by President of India Droupadi Murmu at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat.
• The awards recognise excellence in Indian cinema across Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Writing on Cinema.
• Article 370 won the Best Feature Film award, while Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film and Ram-Nami won the Best Documentary award.

Key Highlights

• Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion jointly received the Best Actor in a Leading Role award, while Yami Gautam won the Best Actress in a Leading Role award for Article 370.
• Randeep Hooda won the Best Debut Film of a Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.
• Anant Nag received the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 for his distinguished contribution to theatre and Indian cinema.
• He also recalled receiving the Padma Bhushan from the President in 2025 and expressed gratitude for receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award from the President again in 2026.
• Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat welcomed the National Film Awards to Gujarat and appreciated the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for beginning the tradition of holding the ceremony outside Delhi.
• The ceremony was held at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, associated with the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, stated that the 72nd National Film Awards received 400 Feature Films across 34 languages and 161 Non-Feature Films across 24 languages.
• A total of 22 Feature Film awards and 23 Non-Feature Film awards were conferred, highlighting the diversity and growth of Indian cinema.
• The Feature Film Jury was chaired by Jayaraj, the Non-Feature Film Jury by Aseem Sinha, and the Best Writing on Cinema Jury by A. Chandrasekhar.
• Major Feature Film awards included:
• Best Feature Film: Article 370 — Producer: Jio Studios & B62 Studios; Director: Aditya Suhas Jambhale — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh each.
• Best Debut Film of a Director: Swatantrya Veer Savarkar — Director: Randeep Hooda — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh.
• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Kalki 2898 AD — Producer: Vyjayanthi Movies; Director: Nag Ashwin Singireddy — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh each.
• Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values: Captain Miller — Producer: Sathya Jyothi Films; Director: Arun Matheswaran — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each.
• Best Children's Film: 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu — Producer: S Originals & Waltair Productions; Director: Nanda Kishore Emani — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh each.
• Best Direction: Amaran — Director: Rajkumar Periasamy — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh.
• Best Actor in a Leading Role: Mammootty for Bramayugam and Kartik Aaryan for Chandu Champion — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each, shared.
• Best Actress in a Leading Role: Yami Gautam for Article 370 — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh.
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Sanjay Mishra for Bhakshak — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh.
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Sachana Namidass for Maharaja and Ropashree Varkady for Mithya — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each, shared.
• Best Child Artist: Athish S Shetty for Mithya, Arundev Pothula for 35-Chinna Katha Kaadu, and Riddhiman Banerjee, Tapomoy Deb and Gitashree Chakraborty for Onko Ki Kothin — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each, shared.
• Best Male Playback Singer: Abhay Jodhpurkar for Navasachi Gauri Mazi from Gharat Ganpati — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh.
• Best Female Playback Singer: Vaikom Vijayalakshmi for Angu Vaana Konilu from A. R. M — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh.
• Best Cinematography: Shehnad Jalal for Bramayugam — Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh.
• Best Screenplay: Pushpa: The Rule Part-02 — Original Screenplay: Bandreddi Sukumar; Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke — Adapted Screenplay: Yogesh Deshpande; Lucky Baskhar — Dialogue Writer: Venky Atluri.
• Best Sound Design: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 — Sound Designer: Manas Choudhury.
• Best Editing: Amaran — Editor: R. Kalaivannan.
• Best Production Design: Kalki 2898 AD — Production Designer: Nitin Zihani Choudhary.
• Best Costume Design: Pushpa: The Rule Part-02 — Deepali Noor and Sheetal Sharma.
• Best Make-up: Committee Kurrollu — P. Ravi Kumar.
• Best Music Direction: Article 370 — Shashwat Sachdev for songs; Amaran — G. V. Prakash Kumar for background music.
• Best Lyrics: Maidaan — Manoj Muntashir for Jaane Do.
• Best Choreography: Stree 2 — Vijay Ganguly for Aaj Ki Raat.
• Best Action Direction: Maharaja — Stunt Choreographer Anl Arasu.
• The awards also recognised films in languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution:
• Assamese: Juiphool — Producer & Director: Jadumoni Dutta.
• Bengali: Chalchitra Ekhon — Producer: Anjan Dutt Production; Director: Anjan Dutt.
• Gujarati: Maaran — Producer: Cineman Productions Limited; Director: Abhishek Jain.
• Hindi: Srikanth — Producers: Super Cassettes Industries Private Limited and Chalk N Cheese Films Production LLP; Director: Tushar Hiranandani.
• Kannada: Mithya — Producers: Paramvah Pictures & KRG Studios; Director: Sumanth Bhat.
• Konkani: Mog Asum — Producers: Flowing Mandovi Films LLP, R S Creations, Kathputlee Arts and Films Private Limited; Directors: Radheshyam Pipalwa & Agnelo Angelo Braganza.
• Malayalam: Feminichi Fathima — Producers: 1001 Stories & AFD Cinemas; Director: Fasil Muhammed.
• Manipuri: Sunita — Producers: Skyline Pictures, Khuman Leipak Pictures, H. M. Production & Cultural Society Khuman Maheikol Production; Director: Yumnam Ajit Singh.
• Marathi: Mukkam Post Bombilwadi — Producers: Vivek Films and Mayasabha Karamanuk Mandali LLP; Director: Paresh Mokashi.
• Odia: Lahari — Producer: Jhilik Motion Pictures; Director: Amartya Bhattacharyya.
• Tamil: Raayan — Producer: Sun TV Network Limited; Director: Dhanush.
• Telugu: Committee Kurrollu — Producers: Pink Elephant Pictures and Shree Radha Damodara Studios; Director: Yadhu Vamsee.
• Each received the Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each.
• The awards also recognised films in languages other than those specified in the Eighth Schedule:
• Best Garhwali Film: Dholi — Producer: SC Pharmachem Private Limited; Director: Dinesh P. Bhonsle.
• Best Tulu Film: IMBU — Producer: Pichchar Studio; Director: Shivadhwaj Shetty.
• Both received Rajat Kamal + ₹2 lakh each.
• Special Mention: Captain Miller — Actor Dhanush; and Meiyazhagan — Film Sound Mix Engineer Suren G. Both received certificates.
• In the Non-Feature Films Section, Bhangaar won Best Non-Feature Film, while Angen, directed by Ravi Raj Murmu, won Best Debut Film of a Director.
• Other Non-Feature Film awards included:
• Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film: Kakori — Producers: KSR Brothers and Minti Mishra; Director: Kamlesh K Mishra.
• Best Arts/Culture Film: Main Nida — Producer: Sampreshan Multimedia Private Limited; Director: Atul Pandey.
• Best Documentary: Ram-Nami — Producer: BBP Studio Virtual Bharat Private Limited; Director: Bharatbala Ganapathy.
• Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: Piplantri: A Tale of Eco Feminism — Producer: Johnsons Suraj Films International; Director: Suraj Kumar.
• Best Animation Film: Touched as Water — Producer: JB Productions; Director & Animator: Joshy Benedict.
• Best Short Film (up to 30 minutes): Hamsafar — Producer: Anushka Motion Pictures and Entertainments; Director: Abhijeet Arvind Dalvi.
• Best Direction: Statue of Unity – Ekta ka Prateek — Director: Aanand L Rai — Swarna Kamal + ₹3 lakh.
• Best Cinematography: Life in Loom — Cinematographer: Edmond Ranson.
• Best Sound Design: Blue — Sound Designer: T. S. Hari Hara Sudhan.
• Best Editing: NDA — Editor: Manvir Jasrotia.
• Best Music Direction: Parat 41°chya Magavar (On the Trail of 41°) — Music Director: Shivpal Singh Kang.
• Best Narration/Voice Over: Little Planet: A Tale of Frogs — Narrator: Soundarya Jayachandran.
• Best Script: Obur — Script Writer: Faraz Ali.
• Special Mention: Bhadra-Kali Natakam — Director: Ananda Jyothi (Jose Antony); Chola Dora aur Sui — Directors: Jaymin Modi & Lokesh Ghai.
• The Best Writing on Cinema awards included:
• Best Book on Cinema: Naaniruvude Nimagaagi Naadiruvude Nanagaagi: Kannada Cinemada Thathva matthu Rajakeeya in Kannada, authored by Kenchanuru Pradeep Kumar Shetty and published by Mirror Pusthaka — Swarna Kamal + ₹1 lakh each.
• Best Film Critic: Sanjeev Shrivastava in Hindi — Swarna Kamal + ₹1 lakh.
• The Feature Films Jury Central Panel was chaired by Jayaraj and included Om Raut, Aseem Bajaj, Priya Krishnaswamy, Rakesh Ranjan, Napoleon RZ Thanga, Meerra Chopraa, Sreelekha Mukherji, Archana Udupa, V N Aditya and G Kala.
• The Regional Feature Films Jury panels were:
• East Panel: B S Basavaraj (Chairperson), Surya Deo, Sanjeev Rattan, Tushar Kanti Bandyopadhyay and Thokchom Jimmy.
• North Panel: Akshaya Kumar Parija (Chairperson), Panchakshari, Arfi Lamba and Kumar.
• South I Panel: Manju Borah (Chairperson), Santhosh Damodharan, Manoj Pillai, S Muthu Ganesh and Adeep Tandon.
• West Panel: Supratim Bhol (Chairperson), Shashi Khandare, Kshitija Khandagale and Pritesh Sodha.
• South II Panel: Gopi Desai (Chairperson), M S Prasad, Prashanti Harathi and Sandesh Ajri.
• The Non-Feature Films Jury was chaired by Aseem Sinha and included Kamlesh Udasi, Harri Nair, Kedar Gaekwad, Thripthi Sundar Abhikar, James Khangenbam and E V Ganeshbabu.
• The Best Writing on Cinema Jury was chaired by A. Chandrasekhar and included Rwita Dutta and Sujata Shiven.
• The 72nd National Film Awards highlighted India's linguistic and cultural diversity, with recognition extending beyond the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule through awards for Garhwali and Tulu cinema, alongside Santhali representation.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Signs Memorandum of Understanding with InD Events Dubai for Gulfood 2027

• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and InD Events Dubai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary.
• India will be the Official Partner Country at Gulfood 2027, marking the second consecutive year of the partnership after Gulfood 2026.
• Gulfood 2027 will be held from 15 to 19 March 2027 in the United Arab Emirates and is one of the world’s leading food and beverage trade exhibitions.

Key Highlights

• The partnership will provide Indian exporters with an expanded platform to connect with international buyers, strengthen market access and deepen India–United Arab Emirates trade engagement under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
• The collaboration will promote India’s agricultural and processed food products globally and strengthen India’s position as a reliable and diversified supplier.
• India’s participation will showcase premium, branded, innovative and value-added food products, along with established commodity strengths, through a unified national platform.
• The platform will bring together exporters, Farmer Producer Organisations, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, startups, commodity boards and government institutions.
• Business-to-Business meetings, product showcases, conferences and industry engagements will facilitate connections between Indian exporters and international buyers.
• A key focus will be on increasing participation from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Farmer Producer Organisations, startups, and women- and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe-led exporters.
• Dubai’s strategic position will be leveraged as a gateway for Indian food products to the Gulf Cooperation Council, wider Middle East and African markets.
• The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Dr. Saswati Bose, Secretary, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, and Mark Napier, Vice President – Exhibitions Department and Growth for Food and Hospitality, InD.

National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited Sign Memorandum of Understanding for Digital Education in Eklavya Model Residential Schools

• The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish integrated Computer Lab-cum-Smart Classroom facilities in 29 functional Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 11 districts of Rajasthan.
• The initiative aims to strengthen technology-enabled education for tribal students by improving access to digital learning resources and supporting competitive examination preparation.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; T. Roumuan Paite, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Chairman and Managing Director, National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation; Ganesh Nagarajan, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; and other senior officials.

Key Highlights

• The HPCL delegation included K. S. Shetty, Director (Human Resources); Pawan Kumar Sehgal, Chief General Manager, DCO; Anupam Tiwari, Chief General Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations & Corporate Communications; Bhargav Chauhan, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility; and Sakshi Dwivedi, Officer, Corporate Social Responsibility.
• The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation was represented by Bismita Das, Assistant General Manager, Projects and Corporate Social Responsibility; Himanshu Vishwakarma, Chief Manager; and Vikash Ranjan, Manager, Projects and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• The project has a total budget of ₹16.01 crore, approved by the HPCL Board, and is scheduled to be completed within six months from the signing of the MoU.
• Under the project, each school will receive 4 smart classrooms equipped with 86-inch interactive flat panels, pre-loaded licensed software, curated Open Educational Resources, and audio-visual equipment such as speakers and webcams.
• Each school will also receive a fully networked computer laboratory with desktop computers, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) backup, structured Local Area Network (LAN), multi-function printer, furniture, air-conditioning, electrical refurbishment and safety systems.
• To support competitive examination preparation, each school will receive 10 tablets pre-loaded with coaching material for competitive examinations.
• Internet connectivity, including wiring, installation and a one-year subscription, will also be provided under the project.
• The 29 Eklavya Model Residential Schools covered under the initiative are located in Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Karauli, Pratapgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Sirohi, Tonk and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan.
• The project is expected to benefit more than 10,000 Scheduled Tribe students every year, with equal representation of girls.
• At full sanctioned capacity, the 29 schools can accommodate up to 13,920 students from Classes VI to XII. Most of these students are expected to be first-generation digital learners, making access to modern technology particularly important.
• The project is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises the integration of technology into teaching and learning, digital literacy, computational thinking and coding from the middle stage, as well as targeted support for socio-economically disadvantaged groups, including tribal children.
• The initiative also follows the common theme of “Innovative Livelihood Enhancement” prescribed by the Department of Public Enterprises for Corporate Social Responsibility activities of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) during 2026-27 and 2027-28.
• Under the project, NSTFDC will be responsible for implementation and procurement.
• The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) will undertake academic validation and help prevent duplication of efforts.
• The State Eklavya Model Residential School Society and school Principals will be responsible for site readiness and day-to-day use of the facilities.

Department of Social Justice and Empowerment Extends Memorandum of Understanding with The Art of Living under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Art of Living, a non-profit spiritual, educational and humanitarian organisation, under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA).
• The MoU was signed at the office of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in New Delhi.

Key Highlights

• The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment; Sudhansh Pant, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment; Dr. Sandeep R. Rathod, Joint Secretary; senior Ministry officials; and representatives of The Art of Living.
• Astik Kumar Pandey, Director (Drug Prevention), signed the MoU on behalf of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, while Pankaj Narula, Trustee and authorised signatory, signed on behalf of The Art of Living.
• Shabnam Awasthi, State Apex Member, and Vinay Sharma, Volunteer of The Art of Living, attended the ceremony as witnesses.
• Through the renewed partnership, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and The Art of Living will continue working towards the vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat by promoting a Whole-of-Society and Whole-of-Government approach to prevent substance abuse.
• The renewed collaboration is part of the Department’s ongoing efforts under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan to engage spiritual and value-based organisations in strengthening awareness, prevention and community mobilisation against substance abuse.
• Spiritual organisations play an important role through their extensive community networks and grassroots presence by promoting value-based living, strengthening individual and family resilience, reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders, and encouraging affected persons to seek timely support and rehabilitation.
• The Ministry has entered into MoUs with 12 spiritual organisations, including:
• The Art of Living
• Brahma Kumaris
• Sant Nirankari Mission
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
• Shri Ram Chandra Mission
• All World Gayatri Pariwar
• Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram
• University of Patanjali
• Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan
• Hare Krishna Movement
• Adhyatm Vigyan Satsang Kendra
• Chinmaya Mission

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Defence Ministry Signs ₹810.79 Crore Contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited for 160 SAT-SAAW Weapons for Indian Air Force

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to procure 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) along with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The contract was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
• The procurement comes under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category, supporting Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence production.
• SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• SAT-SAAW is designed to strike and neutralise enemy airfields from a long stand-off range, thereby enhancing the IAF’s stand-off precision strike capability.
• The weapon can be launched from fighter aircraft platforms including Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30MKI.
• The SAT-SAAW system will have 60% indigenous content, with further indigenisation planned for critical subsystems.
• The critical subsystems targeted for further indigenisation include the Initial Measurement Unit (IMU), Long Impact Delay Fuse (LIDF) and Twin Store Carrier (TSC).
• SAT-SAAW uses satellite navigation through GPS/NavIC integrated with an onboard Inertial Navigation System (INS) for precision targeting.
• The weapon can accurately engage stationary targets with typically around 7-metre accuracy and can operate in day, night and all-weather conditions.
• Deliveries of the 160 SAT-SAAW systems are scheduled between 2027–28 and 2028–29.
• The induction of SAT-SAAW is expected to enhance the operational capability of the IAF, support unhindered operations and strengthen India’s defence preparedness.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Jammu and Kashmir Bank to Sell 0.5% PNB MetLife Stake for ₹120 Crore Under Escrow Agreement

• Jammu and Kashmir Bank (J&K Bank) signed an escrow agreement with MetLife International Holdings, LLC and Barclays Group entities on 21 September 2026 for the sale of its stake in PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd.
• J&K Bank will sell its 5% stake in PNB MetLife India Insurance for approximately ₹120.10 crore.
• The shares will be sold at ₹117.20 per equity share, with the transaction involving the deposit and transfer of equity shares and purchase consideration through an independent escrow arrangement.
• After the transaction, J&K Bank’s overall stake in PNB MetLife India Insurance will reduce from 03% to approximately 2.53%.
• MetLife International Holdings, LLC is the buyer of J&K Bank’s 5% stake under the transaction.
• J&K Bank and MetLife International Holdings had entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) on 17 July 2026 for the acquisition of the 5% stake.
• Under the escrow arrangement, Barclays Wealth Trustees (India) Private Ltd will act as the Share Escrow Agent for the transfer of equity shares.
• Barclays Bank PLC will act as the Cash Escrow Agent for handling the purchase consideration.
• No special rights have been assigned to either of the escrow agents under the agreement.
• J&K Bank stated that the transaction is not a related-party transaction and that the bank is not related to MetLife International Holdings, Barclays entities or PNB MetLife India Insurance.
• J&K Bank also stated that it does not hold any shareholding in the entities with which the escrow agreement was executed.

What is an Escrow Account?

• Escrow Account is a temporary, neutral account managed by a third-party escrow agent.
• The escrow agent holds funds or assets on behalf of two parties involved in a transaction.
• Funds or assets are released only after all contractual conditions are met.
• An escrow account provides security and neutrality during a transaction.

About J&K Bank :

• Established : 1938
• Headquarters : Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
• Managing Director & CEO : Amitava Chatterjee.

Mastercard Sells Entire 4.31% Pine Labs Stake for Rs 933 Crore Through Block Deals

• Mastercard Incorporated, a USA-based multinational payments company, exited Pine Labs by selling its entire 31% stake through block deals on the BSE.
• Mastercard Asia/Pacific Pte Ltd sold 4,97,24,182 shares of Pine Labs in 13 tranches.
• The shares were sold at an average price of ₹187.75 per share, with an aggregate deal value of approximately ₹933.57 crore.
• The transaction represented a 31% stake in Noida-based Pine Labs.
• The buyers included ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company, Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund, Edelweiss Mutual Fund, Franklin Templeton, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and other institutional investors.
• The transaction was a secondary share sale, meaning ownership was transferred between existing investors without issuance of new shares by Pine Labs.
• The transaction represented an investor exit rather than capital raising by Pine Labs.
• Foreign investors involved in the purchase included Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets Singapore, BNP Paribas Arbitrage, Ghisallo Capital Management, Rams Equities Portfolio Fund, Societe Generale, Susquehanna International Group, and NRSGVCC.
• In June 2026, Actis divested a little over 2% stake in Pine Labs for approximately ₹371 crore.
• Prior to that, Actis Pine Labs Investment Holdings sold nearly 1% stake in Pine Labs for approximately ₹152 crore.
• Actis is a part of General Atlantic, a global growth investor.

About Pine Labs :

• Founded : 1998
• Headquarters : Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• CEO & MD : B. Amrish Rau

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ENVIRONMENT

Keralam Research Team’s New Checklist Identifies 3,261 Flowering Plant Species in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

• Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR) is located in the southern Western Ghats and spreads across Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• The Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram, compiled a comprehensive checklist of flowering plants of ABR.
• The checklist was published in Plant Science Today in September 2026.
• The study documented 3,261 species, 26 subspecies and 28 varieties belonging to 1,139 genera and 190 families.

Key Highlights :

• Fabaceae was the most species-rich family with 349 taxa, followed by Rubiaceae (194), Poaceae (193) and Orchidaceae (168).
• The study recorded 1,018 taxa (31.2%) endemic to India, including 245 steno-endemic taxa restricted to highly specialised habitats.
• The high endemism and species diversity establish ABR as one of the important centres of angiosperm diversity and endemism in the Indian subcontinent.
• ABR’s flora has a strong biogeographic affinity with Sri Lanka, with 347 taxa shared between ABR and Sri Lanka.
• The Sri Lankan affinity may be associated with historical land connections, shared Gondwanan history and climatic similarities between the southern Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
• 102 taxa show affinity with tropical American flora, possibly due to long-distance dispersal, pan-tropical distribution or naturalisation after human introduction.
• ABR is described as both a refugium of ancient lineages and an active centre of speciation.
• ABR is one of the four biosphere reserves in South India, along with the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve and Seshachalam Hills Biosphere Reserve.
• The ABR covers about 3,500 sq. km and contains important ecosystems such as shola forests and grasslands.
• ABR was included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2016.
• The Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), which generally blooms once every 12 years, is found in the ABR region.
• Important wildlife of the region includes Lion-Tailed Macaque, Bengal Tiger, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Marten, Malabar Spiny Dormouse, Great Pied Hornbill, Gaur and Sloth Bear.
• The Kani tribe and other indigenous communities inhabit the reserve and depend on its forests for livelihood and cultural practices.
• Major threats to ABR biodiversity include habitat fragmentation, climate change, biological invasions and ecological degradation.
• The researchers recommended targeted, science-based and region-specific conservation strategies, including ecological restoration, ex-situ conservation, seed banks, long-term surveillance and community-based initiatives.
• Future research should integrate classical taxonomy, molecular phylogenetics, phylogenomics, population genetics and ecological niche modelling to understand the evolution, diversification and climate vulnerability of endemic species.
• Osbeckia ulotricha, a new woolly-haired flowering plant, was identified by scientists from the Botanical Survey of India in shola grasslands at 1,200–1,500 metres elevation in the reserve.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

National Institute of Technology Srinagar Establishes India’s First Campus-Based Astronomical Observatory Among NITs

• National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) became the first NIT in India to establish a dedicated campus-based astronomical observatory.
• The NIT-Srinagar Observatory for Astronomy and Astrophysics (NSOAA) was inaugurated on 22 September 2026 to promote observational astronomy, astrophysics research, student training and public outreach.
• The observatory is equipped with a 14-inch Celestron C14 EdgeHD aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with a computerised equatorial mount.
• The telescope is supported by planetary and cooled deep-sky cameras, LRGB filters, a 2.5x Barlow lens and high-speed imaging capabilities.
• The facility enables observations ranging from the Moon and planets to nebulae, star clusters and distant galaxies, and provides students with access to observational astronomy and astronomical imaging.
• NSOAA was developed with scientific guidance and collaboration from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, with Niruj Mohan Ramanujam associated as an advisor and collaborator.

About NIT Srinagar :

• Founded in 1960 and is located on the western banks of Dal Lake in Hazratbal, Jammu & Kashmir.

India’s Indigenous Long-Range Attack Drone KAL Successfully Flight-Tested at Pokhran Field Firing Range, Rajasthan

• India’s first indigenous long-range One-Way Attack (OWA) drone, named KAL, successfully completed its flight testing at Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR), Rajasthan.
• KAL was designed and developed by IG Defence, headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and the trial validated its airframe, propulsion, avionics, navigation and mission systems.
• The drone was launched from a vehicle-mounted platform, demonstrating a road-mobile launch capability for deployment from dispersed locations.
• KAL offers a maximum range of 1,000 km, 7–8 hours endurance, 50 kg payload capacity and an operating altitude of up to 5,000 metres.
• Its navigation system combines Multi-band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) to enable autonomous flight and long-endurance missions.
• KAL is designed for long-range strike missions, air-defence suppression and precision attack operations and forms part of IG Defence’s GRID STRIKE portfolio.
• KAL belongs to the emerging class of long-range One-Way Attack drones, also known as kamikaze or loitering-type strike platforms, designed for one-way missions against designated targets.
• The drone can be configured for precision engagement of infrastructure, radar installations, air-defence systems and other strategic targets, subject to mission configuration and operational authorisations.
• KAL can be integrated with IG Defence’s GRID battle-management system, an AI-powered C5ISRT architecture covering Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting.
• The successful Pokhran trial marks a step towards strengthening India’s indigenous long-range unmanned strike capability.
• KAL is intended for the international market, subject to Government of India approvals and export clearances, with several Gulf nations reportedly showing interest.
• IG Defence is also developing interceptor drones, FPV combat drones, autonomous UAVs, counter-UAS systems, electronic warfare, AI-enabled swarm technologies, tactical robotics and logistics drones.

Premier Energies Commissions 7 GW Solar Cell Plant, Expands Total Capacity to 10.6 GW

• Premier Energies commissioned a 7 GW N-type TOPCon G12R solar cell manufacturing facility at Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh (AP) on 21 September 2026.
• The new facility increased Premier Energies’ total solar cell manufacturing capacity from 3.6 GW to 10.6 GW, making it the highest solar cell manufacturing capacity in India.
• The 101-acre facility was developed with a capital expenditure of ₹3,293 crore and has started trial runs ahead of commercial production.
• The plant is designed to produce around 88,000 solar cells per hour and achieve an average solar cell efficiency of about 25.8% after stabilisation.
• The facility uses N-type TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) technology and G12R large-format wafer/cell technology for high-efficiency solar cells.
• The plant incorporates digital manufacturing systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system for water recycling and reuse.
• Premier Energies plans to invest ₹12,500 crore over three years for expansion, including backward integration into ingot and wafer production and diversification into inverters, transformers and battery energy storage systems.
• As of June 2026, the company had an order book worth ₹15,000 crore (₹150 billion), with solar cells accounting for 58% and solar modules 40% of the total order value.
• Premier Energies, established in 1995, is headquartered in Secunderabad, Telangana, and is described as India’s second-largest integrated solar cell and solar module manufacturer after Adani Solar.
• Solar cells convert sunlight into electricity through the photovoltaic effect, while N-type TOPCon uses a tunnel oxide passivated contact architecture for high-efficiency solar modules.

India’s Active Wireless Subscriber Base Reaches 1.204 Billion in July 2026

• India’s active wireless mobile subscriber base reached 1,204.01 million in July 2026, highlighting the importance of telecom security for digital payments, online services and governance.
• IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit number used to identify a mobile device on a telecom network.
• The first 8 digits of an IMEI form the Type Allocation Code (TAC), which identifies the device model/type.
• GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) oversees the global allocation of TACs, which are assigned to manufacturers and brand owners.
• A dual-SIM mobile phone generally has two IMEI numbers, with one IMEI assigned to each SIM slot.
• Users can check their device’s *IMEI by dialling #06# and can verify IMEI details through the Sanchar Saathi portal/mobile app or by sending KYM <15-digit IMEI number> via SMS to 14422.
• Sanchar Saathi enables users to verify IMEI details, including the brand, model and manufacturer, helping ensure device authenticity and security.
• Lost or stolen mobile phones can be blocked through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) after filing a police report and obtaining a replacement SIM.
• Manufacturers must register applicable device IMEI numbers with the Government before first sale, testing, research or other use through the Device Setu–Indian Counterfeited Device Restriction (ICDR) portal.
• Importers must register IMEI numbers with the Central Government before importing applicable telecom equipment into India, through the Device Setu–ICDR portal.
• Resellers and retailers must ensure that devices sold have valid and untampered IMEI numbers and should verify used devices against the Government’s central database of tampered and blacklisted devices.
• Brand owners must ensure compliance with IMEI registration and cybersecurity requirements, with their brands registered through the Device Setu–ICDR portal and linked to the relevant GSMA TAC.
• Citizens should avoid using, procuring or assembling devices with configurable or tampered IMEIs, obtaining SIM cards through fraud, cheating or impersonation, and transferring SIM cards registered in their name to others for misuse.
• Citizens should also avoid using applications or websites to modify Calling Line Identity (CLI) or other telecommunication identifiers.
• Deliberately removing, altering, changing or using hardware/software configured to manipulate an IMEI is unlawful and can undermine device identification, consumer protection and telecom network security.
• Under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, Section 42(3)(c) prohibits tampering with telecommunication identifiers, including IMEI numbers.
• Section 42(3)(e) prohibits obtaining SIMs or telecommunication identifiers through fraud, cheating or impersonation.
• Violations can attract imprisonment of up to 3 years, a fine of up to ₹50 lakh, or both, and such offences are cognizable and non-bailable under Section 42(7).
• Under Section 42(6) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, persons who abet or promote such offences are also liable to the same punishment.

CURRENT AFAFIRS: SPORTS NEWS

India to Host 11th Asian Senior Wushu Championship for the First Time in 2028

• India will host the 11th Asian Senior Wushu Championship in 2028, marking the first time that the prestigious continental Wushu championship will be held in India.
• The decision was approved at the Wushu Federation of Asia Congress held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Key Highlights

• Suhel Ahmed, representative of the Wushu Association of India, attended the Congress on behalf of India.
• The championship is expected to bring together around 700 athletes from more than 35 Asian countries, along with coaches, judges, technical officials, team officials and sports administrators.
• Bhupender Singh Bajwa, President of the Wushu Association of India, was nominated as a member of the Executive Committee of the Wushu Federation of Asia during the Congress.
• The Wushu Federation of Asia will also conduct its next Congress in India in 2028 during the championship.
• Hosting the championship and the Wushu Federation of Asia Congress will provide India an opportunity to showcase its sporting infrastructure, organisational capabilities and hospitality to the Asian Wushu community.
• The Wushu Association of India reaffirmed its commitment to organising the championship in accordance with international standards, with the announcement generating enthusiasm among the Indian Wushu fraternity.
• Wushu is a form of Chinese martial arts.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Vir Chakra Recipient and Former Indian Air Force Fighter Pilot Alfred Tyrone Cooke Passed away at 87

• Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke (Retd.), a decorated Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot and Vir Chakra (VrC) awardee, passed away at the age of 87 in New Delhi, Delhi, on 18 September 2026.

About Alfred Tyrone Cooke :

• Alfred Tyrone Cooke was born in 1939 and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 19 December 1961 through the 80th Pilots Course.
• He served as a fighter pilot with No. 14 Squadron (The Fighting Bulls) and completed around seven years of service before leaving the IAF in 1968.
• During the 1965 India–Pakistan War, Cooke shot down a Pakistani F-86 Sabre while flying a Hawker Hunter from Kalaikunda Air Force Station, West Bengal.
• His legendary aerial combat over Kalaikunda during the 1965 India–Pakistan War involved IAF pilots engaging Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Sabres.
• For his exceptional courage, leadership and devotion to duty during the Battle of Kalaikunda, Alfred Tyrone Cooke was awarded the Vir Chakra (VrC).
• The Vir Chakra is India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award.

CURRENT AFAFIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Rose Day 2026 – 22 September

• World Rose Day is observed every year on 22 September 2026 to honour and encourage cancer patients and their caregivers and to spread hope, courage and positivity among people affected by cancer.
• The day highlights the importance of hope and bravery while fighting cancer and recognises the courage of cancer patients around the world.
• World Rose Day is observed in memory of Melinda Rose, a 12-year-old girl from Canada who was diagnosed with Askin’s Tumour, a rare form of cancer, in 1994.
• After her diagnosis, doctors reportedly told Melinda Rose that she might live for only one week. However, due to her strong willpower and courage, she lived for approximately six months.
• Despite being only 12 years old, Melinda Rose became an example of courage and determination for other cancer patients.
• During her illness, she wrote notes and poetry for other cancer patients, encouraging them and giving them hope.
• The rose is considered a symbol of love and care. World Rose Day therefore encourages people to show care, support and hope to cancer patients and their caregivers.

Daily CA One- Liner: September 25

• Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, launched the 7th Edition of the National Formulary of India (NFI), the Guidance Document for Hospitals in India for Safety Monitoring and Reporting of Medical Device-Related Adverse Events, and the Adverse Drug Reaction–Pharmacovigilance Programme of India 2.0 Mobile Application for iOS users
• Madhya Pradesh has launched a free rural property registration drive targeting around 50 lakhs privately held rural properties under the Swamitva Adhikar Abhilekh Nispadan Evam Panjiyan Yojana 2026
• The Government will provide ₹2.9 crore to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana who adopted regenerative farming practices and earned carbon credits for the first time.
• Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) will invest around ₹27,000 crore to develop a Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster at Dighi in Raigad district, Maharashtra
• Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, released the latest edition of “Trade Watch Quarterly” for Quarter 1 of Financial Year 2026-27 (April–June 2026) in New Delhi, in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer and senior officials of NITI Aayog
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) jointly launched the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 campaign at Children’s Park, India Gate, New Delhi
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued operational guidelines for all six components of GOBARdhan (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan), a ₹23,731 crore scheme aimed at developing India's Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector
• Indian Railways has commissioned KAVACH Version 4.0 for the first time on South Central Railway, marking a significant advancement in indigenous railway safety and Automatic Train Protection technology
• Registrar General of India Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan announced that the provisions of the newly enacted Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 will come into force on 1 October 2026
• The 72nd National Film Awards for the year 2024 were announced the awards were presented by President of India Droupadi Murmu at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat
• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and InD Events Dubai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary
• The National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish integrated Computer Lab-cum-Smart Classroom facilities in 29 functional Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 11 districts of Rajasthan.
• The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, extended its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Art of Living, a non-profit spiritual, educational and humanitarian organisation, under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan
• India will host the 11th Asian Senior Wushu Championship in 2028, marking the first time that the prestigious continental Wushu championship will be held in India
• World Rose Day is observed every year on 22 September 2026 to honour and encourage cancer patients and their caregivers and to spread hope, courage and positivity among people affected by cancer
• Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) entered into an agreement with the Government of Maldives on 25 July 2025 to provide a Government of India-supported Line of Credit (LoC) of ₹4,850 crore (about US$506.58 million) for financing developmental projects in Maldives.
• S&P Global Ratings, a New York-based ratings agency, released the report titled “Economic Outlook Asia-Pacific Q4 2026: Exports, Domestic Demand Will Shore Up Growth.”
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised India’s FY2026-27 economic growth forecast to 7%, up from 6% projected in July 2026, citing stronger-than-expected economic performance.
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released the State of Global Water Resources 2025 Report, providing a science-based assessment of global water resources, hydrological variability, trends, and extreme events.
• Harsh Mukeshbhai Sanghani, an Indian cooperative leader, was re-elected unopposed as the President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) Youth Committee for the 2026–2030 term.
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a ₹810.79 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to procure 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) along with associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Jammu and Kashmir Bank (J&K Bank) signed an escrow agreement with MetLife International Holdings, LLC and Barclays Group entities on 21 September 2026 for the sale of its stake in PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd.
• Mastercard Incorporated, a USA-based multinational payments company, exited Pine Labs by selling its entire 31% stake through block deals on the BSE.
• Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR) is located in the southern Western Ghats and spreads across Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) became the first NIT in India to establish a dedicated campus-based astronomical observatory.
• India’s first indigenous long-range One-Way Attack (OWA) drone, named KAL, successfully completed its flight testing at Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR), Rajasthan.
• Premier Energies commissioned a 7 GW N-type TOPCon G12R solar cell manufacturing facility at Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh (AP) on 21 September 2026.
• India’s active wireless mobile subscriber base reached 1,204.01 million in July 2026, highlighting the importance of telecom security for digital payments, online services and governance.
• Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cooke (Retd.), a decorated Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot and Vir Chakra (VrC) awardee, passed away at the age of 87 in New Delhi, Delhi, on 18 September 2026.