Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of August 22nd & 31st August 2026. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2026 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs August 22nd & 31st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Madras Day is observed annually on 22 August to commemorate the historical foundation of Madras, now Chennai, and celebrate the city’s rich heritage and cultural identity.
• International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed annually on 23 August.
• The International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism was observed on 21 August 2026 to honour victims and survivors of terrorism and promote their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• National Space Day was observed on 23 August 2026 as the third National Space Day in India.
• The United Nations (UN) observes the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief every year on 22 August.
• International Dog Day is observed annually on 26 August to celebrate dogs and recognise their importance as companions and working animals.
• Women’s Equality Day is observed annually on 26 August in the United States to commemorate women’s constitutional right to vote.
• World Water Week (WWW) 2026 is being held from August 23 to 27, 2026, focusing on the theme “Water for People and Progress”.
• World Lake Day 2026 is observed annually on August 27 to highlight the importance of lakes for freshwater security, biodiversity, livelihoods and climate resilience.
• The Government of India has designated August 14 every year as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day (Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas).
• World Senior Citizens Day is observed annually on August 21 to recognise the contributions, wisdom and life experiences of older adults.
• National Sports Day (Rashtriya Khel Divas) is observed annually on 29 August to commemorate the birth anniversary of legendary Indian hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING, FINANCE & BUSINESS

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has barred Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited from opening any new place of business for six months, with the restriction effective from 19 August 2026.
• India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fitch Group, has raised India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for FY 2026–27 (FY27) by 10 basis points (bps) to 8%, from its earlier estimate of 6.7%.
• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $230 million loan agreement to modernise and expand Chennai’s water supply and sanitation infrastructure.
• Paul Merchants Finance Private Limited (PMFPL), a diversified Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and part of the Paul Merchants Group, has launched its Loan Against Silver
• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have proposed creating a separate 2% sub-target for climate and transition finance within the existing 40% Priority Sector Lending (PSL) requirement for Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs).
• State Bank of India (SBI) has successfully raised USD 500 million through a public dollar bond issue from its London branch, demonstrating strong global investor confidence in India’s largest lender.
• IDFC First Bank Limited successfully completed its maiden USD 500 million bond issuance through its International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Banking Unit (IBU) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to close the concessional swap facility for Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits on 31 August 2026, one month earlier than the original deadline of 30 September 2026.
• According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, Bank deposit growth accelerated to 4% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) as of 31 July 2026, the highest level since December 2016..
• Wizzmoni Financial Services Ltd., formerly known as Unimoni, an Indian Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), entered into a strategic partnership with Oman Air.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed several changes to ease funding constraints and improve liquidity management for debt issuers.
• According to a report by the Bank of Baroda Economics Research Department, Investment announcements in India totalled ₹26.75 trillion between April 1 and August 5, 2026, during FY 2026-27.
• SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has proposed widening the participation of Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in Exchange-Traded Commodity Derivatives (ETCDs).
• Apple Pay is expected to launch in India by late September or October 2026, although Apple has not officially confirmed the launch timeline or feature set.
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed changes to simplify the Know Your Client (KYC) process for eligible overseas investors in India’s securities market.
• State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest lender, is planning to raise funds through five-year US dollar-denominated bonds.
• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), has eased rules for rupee-based export transactions to provide Indian exporters greater flexibility in receiving export payments.
• State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest public sector bank, has revised the cash withdrawal charges for Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts opened through the branch channel.
• Razorpay, an omnichannel payments platform, introduced the Multi-Currency Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) Account to help exporters and international businesses retain their foreign-currency earnings without immediately converting them into Indian Rupees (INR).
• Bank of India (New Zealand) Limited (BOINZ) launched a new mobile banking application named “BOINZ – Freedom” to strengthen its digital banking services and provide customers with greater convenience and control.
• Karnataka has signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the comprehensive development of 500 government schools as Karnataka Public Schools (KPS).
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) signed an exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army to provide specially designed credit cards with curated benefits to serving Army personnel.
• EEFC stands for Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency Account, which is a foreign-currency-denominated current account maintained with an Authorised Dealer Category-I bank authorised to deal in foreign exchange.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced the Information Technology Resilience Index (ITRI) framework to assess and strengthen the resilience of critical IT systems used by Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs).
• Tata Capital Limited. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s Resona Bank to explore business-matching opportunities and facilitate business introductions through Tata Capital’s extensive network in India.
• Citigroup partnered with Axis Bank to provide financing to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who invest in foreign-currency deposits with Axis Bank.
• VinFast India, the Indian subsidiary of Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer Vingroup JSC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Federal Bank Limited to provide customised inventory financing solutions for VinFast’s Authorised Dealer (AD)
• MakeMyTrip and Axis Bank partnered to provide exclusive travel discounts to Axis Bank credit card holders during selected long weekends and peak holiday periods from October 2026 to March 2027.
• IDFC FIRST Bank partnered with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) to launch the pan-India IGNITE Programme to support startups developing sustainable business solutions.
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was launched on 25 August 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the House Price Index (HPI) for Q1 FY2026-27, covering 18 major cities across India.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a ₹8.10 lakh monetary penalty on Shri Ram Finance Corporation Private Limited on 19 August 2026 for non-compliance with RBI directions relating to governance and Know Your Customer (KYC).
• IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) has taken enforcement action against Edelweiss Life Insurance and Pramerica Life Insurance for exceeding the permissible Expenses of Management (EoM) limits during FY 2024–25.
• FTSE Russell announced that the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has fulfilled the required criteria to become an eligible exchange for inclusion of securities in FTSE Russell Equity Indices.
• Bajaj General Insurance Limited launched ‘My Family Complete’, a health insurance plan that expands the definition of family to include pet dogs and cats.
• The Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) recorded an all-time high consolidated net profit of ₹10,176 crore in FY 2025-26, compared with ₹6,820 crore in FY 2024-25.
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) organized a conclave of Heads of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) on 25 August 2026 in New Delhi to expand the SIDBI–RRB MSME Co-Lending arrangement.
• India’s core industrial sector growth slowed to 4% in July 2026, compared with 6.0% in June 2026, according to official data released.
• State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest lender, used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to underwrite nearly ₹1 lakh crore of MSME loans during FY 2025–26.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 August 2014 as the National Mission on Financial Inclusion.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that 29 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects worth ₹4,895.65 crore had been reported under India’s revised FDI framework up to 20 August 2026.
• WhatsApp Pay, the UPI transaction service of Meta’s WhatsApp in India, processed 89 million UPI transactions worth ₹12,957.07 crore in July 2026.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves increased by USD 14.136 billion to USD 707.002 billion during the week ended 7 August 2026.
• Fintech firm MobiKwik transferred its entire digital lending business to its wholly owned subsidiary, MobiKwik Distribution Services Private Limited (MDSPL).
• The Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC), the Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) sector, is collecting industry views on the RBI’s proposed restriction on revolving credit products.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to USD 6.2 billion in June 2026, compared with a surplus of USD 1.2 billion in June 2025.
• Yes Bank Ltd. is planning to return to the international bond market for the first time since its Additional Tier 1 (AT1) debt write-off in 2020.
• India attracted gross Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows of USD 30.7 billion during April–June 2026, the highest quarterly gross FDI inflow in at least 15 years.
• Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched “UPI Global Reverse Acceptance”, also referred to as “UPI Global QR Payments”, to enable international visitors to make digital payments to Indian merchants.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) relaxed access norms for its dollar-rupee swap facility linked to Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits.
• India is set to launch tokenised corporate bonds as a pilot project to test whether blockchain/Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) can make bond issuance and settlement faster, more transparent and efficient.
• NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) and NaBFID (National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen financing support for rural infrastructure and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
• India and Singapore discussed expanding cooperation in capital markets, particularly through the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Singapore Exchange (SGX), to strengthen financial-market connectivity.
• India’s overall trade deficit widened 5% year-on-year (YoY) to USD 15.03 billion in July 2026, compared with USD 11.43 billion in July 2025, as imports grew faster than exports.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : NATIONAL & STATE NEWS

• Makhana, scientifically known as Euryale ferox, is an aquatic crop whose edible seeds are processed and popped to produce the popular fox nut snack.
• The National Commission for Women (NCW) organised the “Yashoda AI – Women’s Path to AI Empowerment” programme at Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jalandhar, Punjab.
• The Government of India has approved an incentive scheme to accelerate the expansion of domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections by encouraging City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies to activate unbilled connections and expand PNG networks into new areas.
• Indian semiconductor start-ups have raised approximately $206 million across 51 funding rounds since 2022, according to the Indian Semiconductor Startup Landscape 2026 report released by Speciale Invest in partnership with the Startup Policy Forum (SPF).
• Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) is the dedicated market borrowing arm of Indian Railways (IR) and primarily finances rolling stock assets and railway infrastructure projects, which are subsequently leased to Indian Railways.
• The Supreme Court of India has modified its May 2025 judgment on eligibility for entry-level judicial service examinations, reducing the mandatory legal practice requirement for law graduates from 3 years to 1 year.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the launch of four toll-free helplines in West Bengal to enable citizens to directly report complaints related to extortion, syndicate activities, illegal road and toll tax collections, and illegal liquor.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with a budgetary outlay of ₹62,500 crore to strengthen India’s mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem.
• The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP), headquartered in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and functioning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has developed India’s first soil texture map.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of a Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
• The Government of India has permitted duty-free import of 10 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of raw sugar under the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) system until 31 October 2026 to improve domestic availability and control rising sugar prices.
• The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on 22 August 2026 approved a policy allowing female state government employees to avail 180 days of paid maternity leave twice during their service career.
• The Andhra Pradesh Government has approved the proposal of AM AI Factory Pvt. Ltd. to establish a 512-Megawatt (MW) Green Integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centre in Visakhapatnam district.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated ‘MALHAR 2026’, a youth-centric, monsoon-themed celebration of Indian classical music, organised by Antar Hriday Connect in New Delhi.
• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated 7 major infrastructure projects worth ₹427.80 crore at Paradip Port Authority (PPA), Paradip, Odisha.
• Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan launched India’s first indigenous non-Genetically Modified Organism (non-GMO) high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seed at the Gourmet Popcornica facility in Musunuru, Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav stated that land restoration is a national priority for India, supporting sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, climate action and rural development.
• The Tamil Nadu Government announced the Annapoorani Super Six Scheme in the State Assembly on 24 August 2026 to provide reimbursement for domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders to eligible families.
• According to the NITI Aayog report titled “Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047”, an estimated 7 crore Indians aged 15–29 years are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is organising a three-day National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums in Mysuru, Karnataka, from 25 to 27 August 2026.
• Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a ₹14,300 crore tax-free budget for Financial Year 2026–27 (FY27) in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly.
• The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), Kochi, has contributed to the Government of Assam’s Matsya Paripushti (Complete Nourishment through Fish) initiative through its research on nutrient-rich fish powder made from small indigenous fish.
• The Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University (RGNAU) at Fursatganj, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, will expand its campus with an additional 500 acres of land to strengthen aviation and aerospace education, research and innovation.
• Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Mission Samriddh Gaon at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, to develop poverty-free, employment-rich villages equipped with assured basic amenities.
• Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Bidesh Sikhyabruti Scheme to provide opportunities for global higher education to eligible Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students of Odisha.
• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised around 1,800 km of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) pipeline infrastructure involving an estimated investment of ₹7,000 crore across Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Goa.
• The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is organising the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Conclave 2026 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
• The Government of India plans to lease 11 Airports Authority of India (AAI) airports to private operators under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) released the Draft Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Rules, 2026 for public consultation in August 2026.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved 4 railway multi-tracking projects of the Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of ₹9,450 crore.
• India’s Fifth Generation (5G) adoption is projected to reach 62% by 2030, significantly higher than the Asia-Pacific (APAC) average of 50%, according to the Groupe Spécial Mobile Association (GSMA) Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2026 report.
• Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed an agreement with the Government of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh State BharatNet Infrastructure Limited, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) for implementing the Amended BharatNet Programme in
• The Odisha Government has approved 14 investment proposals across 10 districts, involving a cumulative investment of ₹2,780.1 crore and generating an estimated 14,104 employment opportunities.
• The Rajasthan Government has initiated the process to operate four major haats at Alwar, Pushkar, Jaisalmer and Nathdwara under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the Uttar Pradesh Startup Mission Portal and unveiled the Uttar Pradesh Startup Policy 2026 to strengthen the state’s startup, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• The Uttar Pradesh Government, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, approved the “Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yojana” to provide lifelong free bus travel to women aged 60 years and above across the state.
• A new Banas Bio-CNG Model Plant was inaugurated at Vinchhiwadi in Dhanera taluka, Banaskantha district, Gujarat.
• Hindalco Industries, an Aditya Birla Group company, has commissioned a greenfield Superfine Precipitated Aluminium Trihydrate (PPT ATH) manufacturing plant in Karnataka.
• The National Shipping Board (NSB) organised its first ‘Sagar Samvad’ in New Delhi to discuss the roadmap for Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047.
• Samtel HAL Display Systems Limited (SHDS), a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Samtel Avionics, inaugurated a new manufacturing facility at Udyog Vihar, Phase IV, Gurugram, Haryana.
• Mizoram has declared 79 monuments and archaeological sites as State Protected Monuments under the Mizoram Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2001.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and Ethiraj College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote refugee self-reliance and inclusion in India.
• India and Singapore reinforced their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) during the 4th India–Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in Singapore.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa confirmed the closure of poliovirus type 2 outbreaks in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
• Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), undertook a two-day official visit to Morocco from 24–25 August 2026.
• Charles Schwab, a United States (US)-based financial services company, announced the opening of Schwab India, a new 45 lakh square feet technology capability centre in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) designated the 140-year-old Parichha Weir (Parichha Dam) in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh (UP) as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Eluri Sreedhar was appointed as an Honorary Advisor to the BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI).
• Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was elected as the 23rd President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for a 5-year term.
• The Government of India (GoI) appointed former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Somanath Sreedhara Panicker and re-appointed Anand Gopal Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, as Part-time, Non-official Directors on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The Government of India (GoI) appointed Annie George Mathew, Janmejaya Kumar Sinha, and Syed Akbaruddin as part-time, non-official Directors on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a four-year term.
• Fino Payments Bank (FPB) Board of Directors approved a three-month extension of Ketan Merchant’s tenure as Interim Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from August 27, 2026.
• Vibha Padalkar has been re-appointed as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC Life Insurance Company for another five-year term.
• Slice Small Finance Bank (SFB) appointed Samir Sawhney as Executive Director and Ramesh Kumar as Independent Director on its Board.
• Yandra Haragopal has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of NABFINS (NABARD Financial Services Limited), the financial-services arm of NABARD, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Yuko Keicho, a Japanese national, has been appointed as Vice President (VP) and Auditor General of the World Bank Group.
• Justice Biswaroop Chowdhury, currently an Additional Judge of the Calcutta High Court, was elevated as a Permanent Judge of the Calcutta High Court.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• National Teachers’ Awards 2026 will be conferred by President Droupadi Murmu on 5 September 2026 (Teachers’ Day) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Odia poet, essayist and former CSIR-IMMT scientist Dr. Ashutosh Parida has been selected for the 47th Sarala Puraskar 2026 for his poetry collection ‘Bishwas De Pruthwi’, published by Prabha Publication in 2024.
• Pakistan has nominated two Mumbai-based Parsi doctors — Dr Jal Ratanji Patel and Dr Jal Dhaybho-Koo — for the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian award, for maintaining confidentiality about Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s terminal illness.
• Kaziah Liz Mejo, a 19-year-old law student and model from Mavelikkara, Kerala, was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at the grand finale held at Zee Studios, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• The Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, received 7 awards at the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) Awards for Excellence in Book Production 2026.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : MOUS & AGREEMENTS

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with PhonePe and Shell India Pvt. Ltd. to strengthen support for DPIIT-recognised startups.
• Jindal Steel and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Jindal Steel Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the IIT Hyderabad campus.
• India and Mauritius agreed to strengthen their energy partnership, with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) set to meet Mauritius’ entire import requirement of petrol, diesel and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
• Chhattisgarh Government signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) and National Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDSL) in Raipur.
• TVS Supply Chain Solutions Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sankyu Inc., a Japan-based company, to jointly explore opportunities in supply chain services and engineering services.
• Himachal Pradesh Forest Department signed a 5-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business (ISB-BIPP) to develop the state’s forest and pastoral economy through science, technology and data-driven governance.
• Maharashtra and Hesse, a state of Germany, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in investment, industry, innovation, employment and skill development.
• The Government of Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation in skills, technical training, tourism, technology and investment.
• The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (PHARMEXCIL), set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote legitimate pharmaceutical exports while preventing the diversion of controlled substances for illicit use.
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh and the United Kingdom (UK) signed a government-to-Government (G2G) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to transform Amaravati into a world-class smart city and strengthen urban infrastructure across the state.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND ORDERS

• India is the world’s second-largest sugar producer, after Brazil, with sugar production of around 6 million tonnes as cited in the provided data.
• Mumbai became the only Indian city included in the fourth annual International Workplace Group (IWG) Work from Anywhere Index 2026.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• The Territorial Army, in collaboration with CyberPeace, has launched Terrier Cyber Quest 2026 (TCQ 3.0), a national-level hackathon focused on developing innovative solutions for contemporary defence, cybersecurity and information-domain challenges.
• ‘Mangrol’, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, was delivered to the Indian Navy on 21 August 2026.
• Shinjirō Koizumi, Defence Minister of Japan, undertook a two-day official visit to India from August 19–20, 2026, marking his first-ever visit to India.
• Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, along with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, presided over the Bhumi Pujan ceremony for three expansion projects of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and two projects of Yantra India Limited (YIL) on 23 August 2026.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully concluded its participation in two major international air exercises: Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia and Exercise Udara Shakti 2026 in Malaysia.
• D-Propulse Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., an Indian defence propulsion startup, successfully demonstrated India’s first indigenously developed 5 kilo-Newton (kN) air-breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) integrated with an aerospike nozzle.
• The Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, signed two Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LAToT) to strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the Transfer of Technology (ToT) of all conventional missile systems developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to eligible Indian defence manufacturers.
• Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) handed over ICGS Ajit (Yard 1277), a state-of-the-art Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV), to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• The Indian Navy is set to commission Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel (DSV) of the Nistar class, on 31 August 2026 at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in collaboration with the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG), hosted the 2nd edition of the India–Vietnam Joint Exercise ‘Sahyog HOP TAC’ in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
• T-Hub (Technology Hub) partnered with the Central Command of the Indian Army (IA) to create a direct pathway for defence startups to develop, validate and deploy technologies addressing real-world military challenges.
• ‘Samarthak’, the first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) of the Indian Navy, was delivered on 27 August 2026.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), approved the proposal of Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited to acquire a majority stake in Bharti Life Insurance Company Limited.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to acquire an aggregate holding of up to 99% of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of HDFC Bank Limited.
• Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., emerged as the winning bidder in a bankruptcy auction to acquire a portion of Spirit Airlines’ internal enterprise data and software assets.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced the acquisition of MHP Management- und IT-Beratung GmbH (MHP), the management and IT consulting subsidiary of Porsche AG.
• SoftBank Group, through its affiliate SVF II Lightbulb (Cayman) Ltd, sold a 58% stake in Lenskart Solutions for approximately ₹2,888 crore through open-market block deals.
• Prudential Plc, a London-based British insurer, plans to sell up to a 2% stake in ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company (ICICI Prudential AMC) through an open-market sale on 27 August 2026.
• The Government of India announced the sale of up to 6% stake in Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) through an Offer for Sale (OFS).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPS & PORTALS

• The Central Information Commission (CIC) launched the upgraded Appeal and Complaint Management System (AppCoMS 2.0) on 17 August 2026.
• The e-Shram Portal, launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 26 August 2021, completed five years on 26 August 2026, marking a major milestone in strengthening social security for India’s unorganised workforce.
• Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Ministry of Communications, launched the revamped Dak Sewa App and Dak MITRA App at Rang Bhavan, New Delhi to modernise postal services and strengthen last-mile delivery.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) entered into a strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce Limited, a British luxury car company, to design, develop, manufacture, and deliver a sovereign indigenous combat engine for India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
• AkinAnalytics, a women-led DeepTech and Defence Technology startup based in Hyderabad, Telangana, launched its indigenous NIKA2 Kisan Medium Drone to provide technology-driven solutions for farmers and field-intensive industries.
• Astronomers discovered a 170-million-year-old giant exoplanet named GJ 523b, which has been informally nicknamed “Mega-Earth” because of its extremely large size and mass compared with Earth.
• Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace Technologies Private Limited (FWDA), an Indian defence startup, unveiled ‘FWD Supreme Lite’, described as India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-piloted fighter jet programme.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) announced plans to establish a National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) to standardise coaching quality and strengthen India’s sports ecosystem.
• The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) launched the National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Sophie Adenot, an astronaut of the European Space Agency (ESA) from France, became the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk.
• The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Cultus Education launched a nationwide Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skilling Initiative in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), located at Korwa, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, successfully produced and test-fired the first 100% indigenised AK-203 ‘Sher’ assault rifle using entirely Indian components and materials.
• The United States (US) Navy unveiled the AIM-424 Malice, a next-generation Long Range Air-to-Air Missile (LRAAM) developed by Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation.
• The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Ayush, launched the Garbhini Mitra Course for the 2026–27 academic session on 24 August 2026.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) launched a new phase of their partnership to strengthen an inclusive circular economy for plastics in India.
• ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBAGR) has officially recognised and registered Periyar Cow as an indigenous cattle breed of Kerala.
• Researchers at IIT Mandi have developed a sea urchin-inspired bio-coating for 3D-printed bone implants that can mechanically disrupt bacteria and improve implant–bone integration.
• Scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) developed a smartphone-integrated platform for detecting the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarker amyloid-β (Aβ).
• CSIR-NAL (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Aerospace Laboratories) unveiled three indigenous micro and small gas turbine engines on 25 August 2026 at the SSB Auditorium, CSIR Headquarters, New Delhi, Delhi.
• WAE Limited, an Indian sustainability-led water technology and engineering company, entered into a strategic partnership with the United Nations Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI).
• Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), along with the University of Chicago and collaborating institutions, conducted a large study on the South Asian gut microbiome.
• The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), launched 7 Indian Pharmacopoeia Nitrosamine Impurities Reference Standards for the first time.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the Military Combat Parachute System (MCPS), an indigenous high-altitude parachute, at the Nyoma-Mudh Drop Zone, Leh, Ladakh.
• SpaceX announced an investment of USD 100 billion to build its largest rocket launch complex in southern Louisiana, USA.
• Air India, the Tata Group-owned global airline, entered into an interline partnership with Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national flag carrier of Bhutan, to strengthen connectivity between India, Bhutan and international destinations.
• The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and Netflix announced scholarships for 100 students and working professionals across India under the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is preparing to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a next-generation flagship space observatory, on 30 August 2026.
• China’s World Humanoid Robot Games 2026 were held in Beijing, showcasing China’s rapid progress in advanced humanoid robotics.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and France-based Safran Helicopter Engines signed a final contract to jointly design, develop, manufacture, supply and provide lifecycle support for the next-generation Aravalli helicopter engine.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ENVIRONMENT

• The Himalayan plant species Impatiens Nimspurjai was named in honour of legendary Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nimsdai” Purja for his outstanding contributions to mountaineering and high-altitude environmental conservation.
• The Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), discovered a new sunflower-family plant species named ‘Doronicum sanctum’.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

• Union Minister of State (MoS) Anupriya Patel, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers (MoCF), addressed the 3rd IIM Ahmedabad Healthcare Summit 2026 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), through MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), launched the 3rd cohort of the GENESIS Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Programme, known as GENESIS EIR 3.0.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS AND AUTHOR

• Arindam Chaudhuri, management thinker, author and education entrepreneur, launched his new book ‘Africa Before America’, focusing on African history, civilisations, economic development and global inequality.
• Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched and participated in a discussion on the book ‘Kaho Kalidasa!’, authored by Yugul Joshi and published by Manjul Publishing House.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Ahmedabad, Gujarat will host the 2nd Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in October 2026 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
• Lando Norris of McLaren won the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, securing his second consecutive Formula 1 victory.
• India won three medals in women’s wrestling at the Under-20 World Championships 2026 held in Slovakia.
• India has announced its 12-member men’s kabaddi team for the 2026 Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
• Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc became the leading wicket-taker in International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) history, surpassing teammates Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
• Indian Grandmaster (GM) Pranesh M won the Group A title at the Kanizsa Open 2026 held in Nagykanizsa, Hungary.
• Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won the bronze medal in the women’s doubles event at the Badminton World Championships, creating history for Indian badminton.
• East Bengal Football Club (FC) defeated arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4–1 in the final to win the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup 2026 at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), Kolkata.
• 17-year-old Apoorv Kamble won the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE)-rated rapid chess tournament held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Indian leg-spinner Karn Sharma announced his retirement from all formats of competitive cricket at the age of 38, bringing his nearly two-decade-long professional career to an end.
• The 2028 India Open badminton tournament will be held in Guwahati, Assam, marking a one-year relocation from New Delhi.
• Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) title, defeating Fabiano Caruana of the United States in the grand finale at the Saint Louis Chess Club.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

• Veteran Indian actress Sankaramanchi Janaki, popularly known as “Sowcar Janaki”, passed away at the age of 94 at a private hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 21 August 2026, due to age-related illness.
• Iconic Sri Lankan singer Nanda Malini passed away at the age of 82 at her home in Nawala, near Colombo, Sri Lanka, just days before her 83rd birthday.
• Sajjan Kumar, former Indian National Congress (INC) Member of Parliament (MP), who was convicted in cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, passed away at the age of 80 in New Delhi, Delhi.
• Dolly Rebecca Parton, the legendary American singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, passed away at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
• Sonya Gill, a prominent women’s rights activist and former Maharashtra Secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), passed away on 25 August 2026 at the age of 70 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.