Current affairs
News for UPSC, SSC and defence exams, with the reason it matters.
Asian Games 2026: India wins 85 medals; both hockey teams take gold and qualify for LA 2028
- India won 85 medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan: 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
- That is down from 106 medals at the previous edition in Hangzhou.
- India's men's and women's hockey teams both won gold, securing direct berths at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Why it matters
[First] The women's hockey team beat China 1-0 for India's first Asian Games women's hockey gold since 1982 (Indian Express). Asian Games hockey champions qualify directly for the next Olympics. As of 3 October 2026, India was fourth on the medal table. It was level with Uzbekistan on 21 golds, ahead on silvers. Equestrian events on 4 October could still change that order.
Jharkhand’s folk drum Mandar gets a Geographical Indication tag
- The GI Registry in Chennai granted a GI tag to 'Mandar of Jharkhand' in September 2026.
- Mandar is a folk percussion instrument central to Jharkhand's tribal music and dance.
- Its body is made from locally sourced red clay using traditional methods.
Why it matters
[First] A GI tag links a product's quality to its place of origin. It gives legal protection against imitations. GI tags in India are granted under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999. Musical instruments with GI tags are a favourite trap in state and SSC papers.
KAZIND-2026: India-Kazakhstan counter-terror exercise begins in Oskemen
- The ninth India-Kazakhstan exercise KAZIND runs from 28 September to 11 October 2026.
- It is held at Oskemen, Kazakhstan.
- India sent 60 troops, mainly from the Garhwal Rifles, plus IAF personnel.
Why it matters
[Data] KAZIND is India's army exercise with Kazakhstan. Khanjar is with Kyrgyzstan and Dustlik with Uzbekistan. This edition also practises drone and counter-drone use.
India retains Gaprindashvili Trophy at 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand
- The 46th Chess Olympiad was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from 15 to 27 September 2026.
- India won silver in the Open section on tie-break; hosts Uzbekistan took gold.
- India's women won bronze; China won the women's gold.
Why it matters
[Data] The Gaprindashvili Trophy goes to the best nation across both sections combined. India also won it in 2022 at home and in 2024 in Budapest, where it took double gold. Olympiad hosts, winners and India's medals are common sports questions.
Pune to host UCI Road World Championships 2032, a first for India
- India will host the UCI Road World Championships for the first time, in 2032.
- Pune, in Maharashtra, was chosen as the host city.
- The decision was announced at the UCI Congress in Montreal, Canada.
Why it matters
[First] Host cities of world championships are standard sports questions. This is India's first road cycling world championship. Montreal is where the vote was held, not the host city.
INS Trishul reaches Toulon for the 24th edition of India-France naval exercise Varuna
- On 22 September 2026, the stealth frigate INS Trishul reached Toulon, France.
- It went there for the 24th edition of Varuna, the India-France naval exercise.
- The exercise has harbour and sea phases to improve how the two navies work together.
Why it matters
[Data] Varuna is India's naval exercise with France. Shakti is the army exercise and Garuda the air exercise. Exams often test these pairings.
Anant Nag gets Dadasaheb Phalke Award as President presents 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, near the Statue of Unity.
- Kannada actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.
- 92 awardees were honoured across feature, non-feature and writing-on-cinema categories.
Why it matters
[Award] The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest film honour. It is given by the I&B Ministry along with the National Film Awards. The ceremony was held outside New Delhi this time.
India and Sri Lanka hold 13th edition of naval exercise SLINEX in Visakhapatnam
- SLINEX-26, the 13th India-Sri Lanka naval exercise, ran in Visakhapatnam from 17 to 21 September 2026.
- India sent the anti-submarine corvette INS Kavaratti and fleet tanker INS Jyoti.
- Sri Lanka sent SLNS Sindurala.
Why it matters
[Data] SLINEX is India's naval exercise with Sri Lanka. Mitra Shakti is the army exercise. Exams often mix up such pairs. It came a week after Rajnath Singh's visit to Colombo.
India stays 131st of 145 on WEF Global Gender Gap Index 2026
- On 16 September 2026, the World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index 2026.
- India stayed 131st of 145 countries, with 64.5% of its gender gap closed.
- Iceland, Finland and Norway took the top three places. Chad came last.
Why it matters
[Data] India's score improved slightly, but its rank did not move. Its weakest area is economic participation, at 41.2% parity. The WEF says full global parity is still 120 years away.
Asked before: UPSC Prelims 2017 asked which body publishes the Global Gender Gap Index.
DAC clears ₹1.10 lakh crore of defence purchases, 98% from Indian industry
- On 7 September 2026, the DAC gave Acceptance of Necessity to proposals worth ₹1.10 lakh crore.
- About 98% of the purchases are planned from Indian industry.
- Army items include CBRN reconnaissance vehicles, advanced light helicopters and the Sarvatra Bridge System.
Why it matters
[Data] The DAC, chaired by the Defence Minister, clears capital purchases for the forces. Acceptance of Necessity is the first step in a purchase. The 98% domestic share shows the indigenisation push. Indian marine gas turbines would cut reliance on foreign engine makers.
Shakti Sharma becomes first non-medical woman officer to reach Air Vice Marshal rank
- On 1 September 2026, Shakti Sharma became the first non-medical woman officer to reach Air Vice Marshal rank.
- The first counts all three armed forces, including equivalent ranks in the Army and Navy.
- She took charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters.
Why it matters
[First] Women had reached this level before only through the medical branch. Air Vice Marshal equals Major General in the Army and Rear Admiral in the Navy. Defence exams often ask about women's firsts in the forces.
Vande Mataram to be sung from the Red Fort ramparts for the first time on 80th Independence Day
- India marked its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026.
- Vande Mataram was to be sung from the Red Fort ramparts for the first time.
- The year marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, the National Song.
Why it matters
[First] Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Vande Mataram in 1875. It later appeared in his novel Anandamath. The Constituent Assembly gave it equal honour with the National Anthem in 1950.
Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 begins, dedicated to 150 years of Vande Mataram
- Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 began on 9 August and ran till 17 August.
- The 2026 edition was dedicated to 150 years of Vande Mataram.
- It marked five years of the campaign, which began in 2022.
Why it matters
[Policy] Har Ghar Tiranga began under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. It asks every household to hoist the National Flag. The 2002 Flag Code changes made this possible for citizens.
Amit Shah presents the President’s Colours to Puducherry Police
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah presented the President's Colours to Puducherry Police on 9 August 2026.
- Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N. Rangasamy attended the ceremony.
- Puducherry Police now joins the forces that hold this honour.
Why it matters
[Security] The President's Colours, or Nishaan, is the highest honour for a military unit or police force. The Indian Navy was the first to receive it, in 1951.
President presents Sant Kabir and National Handloom Awards on 12th National Handloom Day
- India marked the 12th National Handloom Day on 7 August 2026.
- President Droupadi Murmu was chief guest at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
- She gave 3 Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and 19 National Handloom Awards.
Why it matters
[Data] 7 August recalls the Swadeshi Movement, launched on 7 August 1905 in Calcutta. The first National Handloom Day was held in 2015. The Ministry of Textiles runs it.
NOTTO launches e-Pratyaropan portal for real-time organ allocation on Indian Organ Donation Day
- NOTTO launched the e-Pratyaropan portal and a mobile app on 3 August 2026.
- It was the 16th Indian Organ Donation Day.
- The portal keeps one national registry and waiting list.
Why it matters
[Policy] NOTTO stands for National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation. It works under the Health Ministry. Organ transplants are governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games close; India finishes fourth with 39 medals
- The 23rd Commonwealth Games ran in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August 2026.
- India finished fourth with 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze.
- Australia topped the table, followed by England and Canada.
Why it matters
[First] Glasgow stepped in after Victoria, Australia, withdrew in 2023. The next Games, in 2030, go to Ahmedabad. That will be India's second Commonwealth Games after Delhi 2010.
PM inaugurates Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh
- PM Modi inaugurated the airport at Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram district, on 1 August 2026.
- It is a greenfield airport built under a Public-Private Partnership.
- GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited built it on about 2,200 acres.
Why it matters
[First] It is Andhra Pradesh's first greenfield international airport since the state was divided in 2014. It is named after Alluri Sitarama Raju. He led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922–24 against British rule.
Rajnath Singh opens India’s first Department of Military Medicine at Command Hospital, Lucknow
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh opened it virtually on 29 July 2026.
- It is at the Command Hospital (Central Command), Lucknow.
- It is India's first department devoted only to military medicine.
Why it matters
[Security] Treating wounded soldiers on a battlefield is different from hospital care. Fast first aid in the first hour saves the most lives. The department will also support disaster response.
Cochin Shipyard launches ‘Machilipatnam’, seventh Mahe-class anti-submarine shallow water craft for the Navy
- Cochin Shipyard launched Machilipatnam on 29 July 2026.
- It is the seventh of eight Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
- The craft will hunt submarines, guard the coast and lay mines in shallow waters.
Why it matters
[Security] Big warships cannot work well in shallow coastal waters. These smaller craft fill that gap. The class is named after ports on India's coast, such as Mahe and Machilipatnam.
India marks 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas; Rajnath Singh pays tribute at Kargil War Memorial, Drass
- India observed the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26 July 2026.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Ladakh.
- Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth also led the tributes.
Why it matters
[Security] The day marks India's victory in the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan. The Army's campaign was called Operation Vijay. The Air Force's part was called Operation Safed Sagar.
Navy commissions INS Malvan, second Mahe-class anti-submarine shallow water craft, at Karwar
- INS Malvan was commissioned at Karwar on 22 July 2026.
- Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, the Chief of the Air Staff, presided.
- It is the second of eight such craft built by Cochin Shipyard.
Why it matters
[Security] The ship is named after Malvan, a coastal town in Maharashtra. Malvan is linked to the naval heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Craft of this class hunt submarines in shallow coastal waters.