First Principles IAS
हिन्दी — Read in HindiLatest edition: September 2026. Covered from 1 June to 30 September 2026. Next edition, October 2026, publishes on 5 November 2026.
The monthly magazine
18 lead articles · 87 new articles · 34 updates
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Every update in this edition, page by page: 140 updates on 160 pages.
LeadPrelims and MainsElection Commission and the conduct of elections
On 23 September 2026 a two judge bench of the Supreme Court split on the challenge to the 2023 law on appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners. Both judges sent the case to the Chief Justice of India to set up a Constitution Bench.
LeadPrelims and MainsRepresentation: delimitation, seats and women's reservation
The first phase of Census 2027, the listing of houses, closed on 30 September 2026. Through September the population count began in Ladakh and the snow bound areas, the first since 1931 to record caste. The Centre deferred the census in Manipur.
LeadPrelims and MainsPresiding officers, privileges and anti defection
On 24 September 2026 the Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of a Telangana legislator who had fought a Lok Sabha election on another party's ticket. It held that a party can forgive a breach of the whip, but not the giving up of membership. On 28 September it urged the West Bengal Speaker to decide pending petitions by 8 October.
LeadPrelims and MainsGovernor and Centre and State relations
On 25 September 2026 the Supreme Court closed Punjab's petition over two Bills of 2023 that the Governor had reserved for the President: the President refused assent to one and sent queries on the other. In Tamil Nadu the Governor assented to 12 of 13 Bills of the new Assembly and, as The Hindu reported, sought clarifications on the last.
LeadPrelims and MainsBRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 12 and 13 September 2026. The leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration by consensus on 12 September, with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian present.
LeadPrelims and MainsChina and the boundary
On 12 September 2026, on the margins of the BRICS Summit, the Prime Minister and President Xi Jinping held talks in New Delhi, Xi's first visit to India in almost seven years and the first since the Galwan clash of 2020. On 25 August the Special Representatives had agreed to pursue an "early and substantial harvest" in delimiting the boundary.
LeadPrelims and MainsUnited Nations and Security Council reform
On 26 September 2026 the External Affairs Minister addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly, calling for reformed multilateralism and answering Pakistan's Prime Minister on terrorism. Two days earlier the G4 had called for early reform of the Security Council. In July India had launched its campaign for a non permanent seat for 2028-29.
LeadPrelims and MainsRussia and Ukraine
On 18 September 2026 the United States enacted the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which allows tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, a group that includes India. Two weeks earlier the External Affairs Minister had made the first dedicated visit by an Indian foreign minister to Kyiv.
LeadPrelims and MainsLaw of the sea
On 24 September 2026 the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first declaration on sea level rise, and agreed to hold another high level meeting by September 2030.
LeadPrelims and MainsGrowth, national accounts and their revision
On 31 August 2026 the National Statistics Office estimated real GDP growth of 7.8 per cent for April to June, on the new base of 2022-23. A former Finance Secretary questioned the series, and on 9 September the statistics ministry replied that its methods and data were already public.
LeadPrelims and MainsBalance of payments, the rupee and reserves
India's foreign exchange reserves rose by a record amount in the first week of September 2026 to about 786 billion dollars, the fourth largest in the world. Most of the rise came from deposits raised under the Reserve Bank's swap window, which closed for deposits on 31 August.
LeadPrelims and MainsNon bank lenders, payments and financial technology
From 15 October 2026 merchants will pay a fee of 0.4 per cent on payments above ₹2,000 received through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The Finance Ministry notified on 14 September which payments stay free, and the National Payments Corporation of India then set the rate. Payments between persons, and small payments to merchants, stay free.
LeadPrelims and MainsExtreme weather, monsoon and forecasting
The southwest monsoon ended on 30 September 2026 at 87 per cent of the long period average, the driest season in 11 years, and Maharashtra declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas on 26 September.
LeadPrelims and MainsCryosphere, oceans and sea level
Uttarakhand began installing its first glacial lake early warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli on 29 September 2026. It comes a month after the Nepal disaster of 26 August, which experts now say was not a lake outburst at all.
LeadPrelims and MainsAir pollution
On 28 September 2026 CAQM approved a revised GRAP schedule, and Delhi announced a winter plan with curbs fixed by date from 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027.
LeadPrelims and MainsAI governance, safety and ethics
Through September 2026 it emerged that AI agents under test had entered systems they were not meant to reach, including an Australian government health statistics portal, and OpenAI cancelled the release of its newest model on safety grounds.
LeadPrelims and MainsStorage, batteries and electric mobility
On 30 September 2026 the Ministry of Power notified new CAFE norms for passenger vehicles, in force from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032.
LeadPrelims and MainsSpace policy, private sector and governance
On 14 September 2026 the United States Air Force Secretary said the country has "space control" weapons in Earth orbit, the first public admission of this kind by any country.
1.1.1The anti defection law: condonation, mergers and the SpeakerLead
On 24 September 2026 the Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of a Telangana legislator who had fought a Lok Sabha election on another party's ticket. It held that a party can forgive a breach of the whip, but not the giving up of membership. On 28 September it urged the West Bengal Speaker to decide pending petitions by 8 October.
1.2.1Census 2027: caste returns, and the road to delimitationLead
The first phase of Census 2027, the listing of houses, closed on 30 September 2026. Through September the population count began in Ladakh and the snow bound areas, the first since 1931 to record caste. The Centre deferred the census in Manipur.
2.1.1The Governor and assent to State BillsLead
On 25 September 2026 the Supreme Court closed Punjab's petition over two Bills of 2023 that the Governor had reserved for the President: the President refused assent to one and sent queries on the other. In Tamil Nadu the Governor assented to 12 of 13 Bills of the new Assembly and, as The Hindu reported, sought clarifications on the last.
2.1.2Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958NewPrelimsnewly added
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 gives the armed forces special powers in areas declared disturbed.
2.2.1States' power to levy a surcharge on sales taxNewPrelims and Mainsnewly added
Whether a State may levy a surcharge or additional tax calculated on sales tax, under its power to tax the sale of goods in Entry 54 of the State List, is a question of how courts find the true nature of a tax.
2.2.2Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 and the States' power to tax mineralsPrelims and Mainsnewly added
25 Sep 2026Jharkhand said on 14 September that it would move the Supreme Court against the Act; Karnataka, Keralam and Telangana had said in August that they would jointly challenge it. By the end of September no State had filed a challenge. The Indian Express, 25 Sep 2026: What does the Centre's new mining law say and why are states opposing it? (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 17 Sep 2026: Mining amendment is unfair to States (opens in a new tab) · UNI, 14 Sep 2026: Jharkhand to challenge MMDR Amendment (opens in a new tab) · Business Standard, 20 Aug 2026: States to jointly challenge MMDR Act in Supreme Court (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 and the States' power to tax minerals, August 2026
2.3.1The Sone agreementNewPrelims and Mains
The Sone agreement divides the water of the Sone, a right bank tributary that rises near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and joins the Ganga near Patna.
2.4.1English as the Supreme Court's languageNewPrelimsnewly added
Article 348(1)(a) makes English the language of the Supreme Court and the High Courts unless Parliament provides otherwise.
3.1.1Who appoints the Election Commission: the split verdictLead
On 23 September 2026 a two judge bench of the Supreme Court split on the challenge to the 2023 law on appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners. Both judges sent the case to the Chief Justice of India to set up a Constitution Bench.
3.2.1Totaliser machines for counting votesNewPrelimsnewly added
A totaliser combines the votes of several polling stations before counting, so that the voting pattern of a booth is not revealed.
3.2.2Special Intensive Revision of electoral rollsPrelims and Mainsnewly added
28 Sep 2026West Bengal's appellate tribunals had decided only a small share of about 38 lakh appeals against inclusion or exclusion by the end of September. Two Election Commissioners recorded formal dissent against a change to Form 6 that asks whether the applicant, a parent or a grandparent was on the roll of the last revision. They held that a statutory form cannot be altered without amending the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The Hindu, 28 Sep 2026: 'It is only bypolls': Supreme Court agrees to hearing in West Bengal SIR on October 5 (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 27 Sep 2026: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi | Dissent in the Election Commission (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 18 Sep 2026: West Bengal SIR: Over 37 lakh appeals stuck in Tribunals as Municipal polls draw near (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, August 2026
3.3.1Party splits and the Symbols OrderNewPrelimsnewly added
Under paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the Election Commission of India (ECI) decides which rival group within a recognised party is that party and is entitled to its name and symbol.
4.1.1Sexual harassment complaints by women lawyersNewMainsnewly added
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 protects women from harassment at work through internal complaints committees set up by employers.
4.2.1Preventive detention under the National Security ActNewPrelims and Mainsnewly added
The National Security Act, 1980 allows a person to be detained without trial to prevent acts prejudicial to security or public order.
4.2.2The High Level Committee on Demographic Changes: its questionnaire to StatesNewMainsnewly added
The High Level Committee on Demographic Changes was set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 26 May 2026.
4.2.3Vande Mataram and the national honour lawPrelims and Mainsnewly added
22 Sep 2026On 22 September the Supreme Court told the Union it expected no criminal consequences for a person who does not sing Vande Mataram, in whole or in part, for reasons of religion or conscience. It will examine the amended Section 3 against the fundamental rights, on a petition that also notes that the Act does not define the national song. The Hindu, 22 Sep 2026: Supreme Court says state can set National Song, but cannot impose conscientious objectors to penal action (opens in a new tab) · LiveLaw, 22 Sep 2026: We expect no criminal consequences on person not singing Vande Mataram for religious reasons: Supreme Court to Centre (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Vande Mataram and the national honour law, August 2026
5.1.1Article 311 and the rank of the removing officerNewPrelimsnewly added
Article 311(1) bars the dismissal of a civil servant by an authority subordinate to the one that appointed them.
6.1.1Appointment of judges to the higher judiciaryNewPrelims and Mainsnewly added
Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed under Article 124(2) and judges of the High Courts under Article 217, on the recommendation of the collegium of the Chief Justice of India and the senior judges.
6.1.2The textbook chapter on the judiciaryNewMainsnewly added
The Supreme Court took up on its own a chapter on corruption in the judiciary in a Class 8 textbook of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
6.2.1Protest cases quashed under Article 142NewPrelimsnewly added
Article 142 lets the Supreme Court pass any order needed to do complete justice in a case before it.
6.3.1District judges to retire at 62NewPrelimsnewly added
The retirement age of judicial officers of the district courts is set by State service rules.
6.3.2Tribunals and the National Tribunals CommissionBriefnewly added
15 Sep 2026On 15 September the Supreme Court directed the Union to extend the terms of sitting tribunal members until fresh appointments are made. LiveLaw, 15 Sep 2026: Supreme Court daily round up, September 15, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
7.1.1Human rights courtsNewPrelimsnewly added
Human rights courts are set up in each district under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 to try offences arising from violations of human rights.
8.1.1India and China: the boundary talks and Xi Jinping's visitLead
On 12 September 2026, on the margins of the BRICS Summit, the Prime Minister and President Xi Jinping held talks in New Delhi, Xi's first visit to India in almost seven years and the first since the Galwan clash of 2020. On 25 August the Special Representatives had agreed to pursue an "early and substantial harvest" in delimiting the boundary.
8.1.2The Brahmaputra and ChinaNewPrelims and Mains
The Brahmaputra is the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, so India and Bangladesh lie downstream of whatever China builds on it.
8.2.1India and PakistanPrelims and Mainsnewly added
26 Sep 2026On 1 September Pakistan took over the chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and will host the 2027 summit; the Ministry of External Affairs said a decision on attending would be taken at the appropriate time. At the UN General Assembly, Pakistan's Prime Minister raised Kashmir and the Indus treaty, and on 26 September India's External Affairs Minister called Pakistan a "serial practitioner of terrorism"; the exchange is on the page on Security Council reform. ThePrint, 1 Sep 2026: India non committal on Pakistan led SCO in 2027 (opens in a new tab) · ThePrint, 26 Sep 2026: It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways: Jaishankar condemns Pakistan at UNGA (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: India and Pakistan, August 2026
8.2.2The Indus Waters Treaty in abeyanceBriefnewly added
26 Sep 2026At the General Assembly Pakistan's Prime Minister raised Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty, and on 26 September India's External Affairs Minister answered by calling Pakistan a serial practitioner of terrorism. ThePrint, 26 Sep 2026: It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways: EAM Jaishankar condemns Pakistan at UNGA (opens in a new tab)
8.3.1The Ganga Waters Treaty and FarakkaBriefnewly added
24 Sep 2026Bangladesh said it wants a new relationship with India through direct bilateral talks, and on 23 September it suspended imports of hilsa from India through the Benapole land port. News On AIR, 14 Sep 2026: Bangladesh seeks new relationship with India through bilateral talks, says MoS Humaiyun Kobir (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 24 Sep 2026: Bangladesh importers express concern over financial losses following sudden suspension of hilsa imports (opens in a new tab)
8.4.1India and NepalPrelims and Mainsnewly added
26 Sep 2026Because the floods damaged Nepal's hydropower plants, India approved power exports of up to 600 MW over the Muzaffarpur and Dhalkebar line until 31 December 2026. On 26 September Nepal's Prime Minister thanked India at the UN General Assembly and proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism, led jointly by Nepal, India and China, to share early warnings on glacial and landslide hazards. News On AIR, 14 Sep 2026: India approves power export to Nepal for 18 hours a day till December 31 (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 26 Sep 2026: Nepal PM proposes Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism with India (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: India and Nepal, August 2026
8.5.1India and Sri LankaBriefnewly added
9 Sep 2026On the Defence Minister's visit to Colombo, memoranda of understanding were signed on upgrading the Sri Lanka Air Force's L70 anti aircraft guns and on cadet and defence college links. Sri Lanka's President repeated that Sri Lanka's territory would not be used against India's security. News On AIR, 9 Sep 2026: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh meets Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo (opens in a new tab)
9.1.1India hosts BRICS: the New Delhi DeclarationLead
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 12 and 13 September 2026. The leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration by consensus on 12 September, with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian present.
9.1.2Shanghai Cooperation OrganisationPrelims and Mainsnewly added
28 Sep 2026From 28 to 30 September an Indian delegation led by India's SCO national coordinator attended a planning meeting in Islamabad. ThePrint, 28 Sep 2026: Days after trading barbs at UNGA, Indian delegation in Islamabad for three day SCO planning meet (opens in a new tab)
1 Sep 2026At the 26th summit, in Bishkek on 1 September, leaders signed the Bishkek Declaration and a protocol amending the SCO Charter: it makes the Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats and the Anti-Drug Centre permanent, creates an "SCO Partner" category and gives English official status. The Prime Minister called for dismantling the entire ecosystem of terrorism, with no double standards, and offered to host the first SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum. On 1 September Pakistan took over the rotating chair and will host the 2027 summit; the Ministry of External Affairs said a decision on attending would be taken at the appropriate time. Ministry of External Affairs, 1 Sep 2026 · ThePrint, 1 Sep 2026: India non committal on Pakistan led SCO in 2027 (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, August 2026
9.2.1The QuadBriefnewly added
25 Sep 2026Japan's Defence Ministry hosted a Quad tabletop exercise in Tokyo on disaster response, to draft operating procedures for the Indo Pacific Logistics Network. The Indian Coast Guard ship Shaunak sailed from Chennai with sea riders from the four countries, starting the Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission announced in New Delhi on 26 May. News On AIR, 4 Sep 2026: Quad partners hold tabletop exercise in Tokyo to advance Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 25 Sep 2026: India welcomes commencement of Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission (opens in a new tab)
9.3.1G20 ministers' consensus outcomes, Houston 2026NewPrelimsnewly added
The Group of Twenty (G20) brings together the major economies; the United States holds its presidency in 2026.
9.4.1Colombo Security ConclaveNewPrelimsnewly added
The Colombo Security Conclave is a security grouping of India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Seychelles for their shared maritime neighbourhood.
9.5.1India Middle East Europe Economic CorridorNewPrelims and Mainsnewly added
The India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023, is a planned route of ports, railways and cables from India through the Gulf to Europe.
10.1.1The 81st General Assembly and India's case for Security Council reformLead
On 26 September 2026 the External Affairs Minister addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly, calling for reformed multilateralism and answering Pakistan's Prime Minister on terrorism. Two days earlier the G4 had called for early reform of the Security Council. In July India had launched its campaign for a non permanent seat for 2028-29.
11.1.1Rising seas and statehood: the UN declarationLead
On 24 September 2026 the United Nations General Assembly adopted its first declaration on sea level rise, and agreed to hold another high level meeting by September 2030.
11.2.1IAEA refers Iran to the Security CouncilNewPrelimsnewly added
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) checks that states keep their nuclear material for peaceful use; its Board of Governors has 35 members.
11.3.1FATF warning on gaming and gambling platformsNewPrelimsnewly added
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the Paris based standard setter against money laundering and terror financing.
12.1.1India between Russia and Ukraine: outreach, oil and the American sanctions lawLead
On 18 September 2026 the United States enacted the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which allows tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the largest buyers of Russian oil and gas, a group that includes India. Two weeks earlier the External Affairs Minister had made the first dedicated visit by an Indian foreign minister to Kyiv.
12.2.1The war in West Asia and the Strait of HormuzPrelims and Mainsnewly added
26 Sep 2026In early September the United States struck Iranian oil tankers, one near Iran's oil export hub of Kharg Island on 5 September, and both sides attacked commercial vessels; on 14 September India condemned the attack on the motor tanker (MT) El Gaia off Oman, from which 13 Indian crew were rescued and one was missing. The Houthis of Yemen attacked Saudi Arabia and on 11 September captured Mayun (Perim) island in the Bab el Mandeb strait; India condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia as a threat to freedom of navigation. At the first meeting of a Group of Friends on the safety of shipping and seafarers, in New York on 26 September, India announced an India and Liberia initiative for a consultative framework on maritime safety. The Hindu, 9 Sep 2026: Explosions in Kharg Island area of Gulf (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 9 Sep 2026: India condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, calls them unacceptable (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 11 Sep 2026: Houthi rebels capture Mayun island in Bab el Mandeb strait (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 26 Sep 2026: EAM Jaishankar raises concern over repeated attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 14 Sep 2026: India condemns attack on commercial vessel MT El Gaia off Oman coast (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: The war in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz, August 2026
13.1.1India and the United StatesPrelims and Mainsnewly added
29 Sep 2026On 11 September the United States proposed scrapping the 60 day grace period that lets laid off H-1B and other employment visa holders stay on to find new work. The new American law allowing tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the largest buyers of Russian oil is on the page on India between Russia and Ukraine; on 29 September the External Affairs Minister listed the trade talks, terrorism from Pakistan and visa restrictions as the sources of the recent "bump" in ties. On 29 September the United States set a zero tariff on some medicines, among them drugs for rare diseases, imported from India and 19 other partners. News On AIR, 11 Sep 2026: Trump administration proposes scrapping 60 day grace period for laid off H-1B workers in US (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 17 Sep 2026: As U.S. readies 100% tariffs, Russia provided more than half of India's oil imports in July (opens in a new tab) · ThePrint, 29 Sep 2026: What led to bump in India US ties: Jaishankar lays out Delhi's concerns at Asia Society event (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 29 Sep 2026: US waives tariff on specialty drugs imported from India and 19 other countries (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: India and the United States, August 2026
13.2.1India and RussiaPrelims and Mainsnewly added
30 Sep 2026On 11 September the two leaders met in New Delhi and discussed Ukraine and the safety of Indian seafarers in West Asia and the Black Sea. On 30 September the Ministry of External Affairs again warned Indians against job offers that lead to recruitment into the Russian army; the war and India's outreach to Kyiv are on the page on India between Russia and Ukraine. According to the Foreign Secretary, 227 Indians had been recruited into the Russian army by 31 August, of whom 139 were discharged and 51 had died. ThePrint, 11 Sep 2026: Modi, Putin discuss Ukraine war, safety of Indian seafarers during bilateral meeting in Delhi (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 30 Sep 2026: India once again cautions citizens against joining the Russian army (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 17 Sep 2026: As U.S. readies 100% tariffs, Russia provided more than half of India's oil imports in July (opens in a new tab) · Ministry of External Affairs, 30 Sep 2026
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: India and Russia, August 2026
13.3.1The Visegrad Group and IndiaNewPrelimsnewly added
The Visegrad Group (V4) is a grouping of four Central European countries: Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
13.4.1India and JapanBriefnewly added
22 Sep 2026On 22 September the Foreign Secretary discussed economic security and supply chain resilience with a delegation of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party in New Delhi. News On AIR, 22 Sep 2026: Foreign Secretary Misri holds talks with Japanese parliamentarians on strengthening India Japan economic security partnership (opens in a new tab)
14.1.1India and the United Arab EmiratesNewPrelimsnewly added
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership covering trade, energy, defence and technology.
14.2.1The Philippines joins the Coalition for Disaster Resilient InfrastructureNewPrelimsnewly added
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is an India led partnership of countries and organisations that helps make infrastructure withstand disasters.
14.2.2Thailand's visa free stay for IndiansNewPrelimsnewly added
Thailand lets Indian holders of ordinary passports enter without a visa for a limited stay.
14.3.1Forum for India Pacific Islands CooperationNewPrelimsnewly added
The Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), launched in 2014, links India with 14 Pacific island countries through development and climate partnerships.
15.1.1ASEAN India Maritime ExerciseNewPrelimsnewly added
The ASEAN India Maritime Exercise (AIME) is a naval exercise of the Indian Navy and the navies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Base: Natural Earth (public domain); India as the Survey of India depicts it. Not to scale; no boundary of any other country is shown.
Sone river · India (Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar)
a right bank tributary of the Ganga that rises near Amarkantak and joins the Ganga near Patna
Puga Valley · India (Ladakh)
a geothermal field in the Changthang region of eastern Ladakh
Galwan valley · India (Ladakh)
on the Galwan river, a tributary of the Shyok, along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh
on the Line of Actual Control
Location not yet confirmed against an official source
Kailash and Mansarovar · China (Tibet)
Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, in western Tibet near the sources of the Indus, Sutlej and Brahmaputra
Lipulekh pass · India (Uttarakhand)
a Himalayan pass at the tri junction of India, Nepal and Tibet, above the Kali river
Nepal claims it, with Kalapani and Limpiyadhura
Location not yet confirmed against an official source
Mamallapuram · India (Tamil Nadu)
on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Chennai
Odesa · Ukraine
Ukraine's main port on the Black Sea
Benapole · Bangladesh
a land port on the border with West Bengal, opposite Petrapole
Kharg Island · Iran
in the Persian Gulf off Iran's coast, its main oil export hub
Mayun (Perim) island · Yemen
in the Bab el Mandeb strait at the mouth of the Red Sea
Antalya · Türkiye
on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast
Langtang Lirung · Nepal
a peak of the Langtang range north of Kathmandu, near the border with Tibet
Marathwada · India (Maharashtra)
a rain shadow region on the Deccan plateau, east of the Western Ghats
Vasundhara Tal · India (Uttarakhand)
a glacial lake in Chamoli district in the Garhwal Himalaya, in the upper Alaknanda basin
17.1.1The new GDP series: growth of 7.8 per cent and the debate on the deflatorLead
On 31 August 2026 the National Statistics Office estimated real GDP growth of 7.8 per cent for April to June, on the new base of 2022-23. A former Finance Secretary questioned the series, and on 9 September the statistics ministry replied that its methods and data were already public.
17.1.2District level estimates for the unincorporated sectorNewPrelimsnewly added
The Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) of the National Statistics Office covers unincorporated non agricultural enterprises, and it feeds the annual measurement of the informal economy.
17.1.3Industrial output and the core industriesBriefnewly added
28 Sep 2026The IIP grew 8 per cent in August 2026, led by manufacturing, while mining shrank in the monsoon. The Hindu, 28 Sep 2026: Industrial growth quickens to 8% in August (opens in a new tab)
18.1.1A fee returns to UPI: the merchant discount rateLead
From 15 October 2026 merchants will pay a fee of 0.4 per cent on payments above ₹2,000 received through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The Finance Ministry notified on 14 September which payments stay free, and the National Payments Corporation of India then set the rate. Payments between persons, and small payments to merchants, stay free.
18.2.1Consumer and wholesale price inflationBriefnewly added
14 Sep 2026CPI inflation for August 2026 rose to 4.82 per cent, above the 4 per cent target. The Hindu (PTI), 14 Sep 2026: Retail inflation rises to 4.82% in August (opens in a new tab) · Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 14 Sep 2026: CPI press release for August 2026 (opens in a new tab)
18.3.1Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026NewPrelimsnewly added
The Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 repeals and replaces the Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 1891, the law on admitting bank records as evidence.
18.3.2The Reserve Bank of India and multi State cooperative banksNewPrelimsnewly added
Section 36AAA of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 lets the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) supersede the board of a cooperative bank.
19.1.1Reserves bought, not earned: the swap window and the liquidity glutLead
India's foreign exchange reserves rose by a record amount in the first week of September 2026 to about 786 billion dollars, the fourth largest in the world. Most of the rise came from deposits raised under the Reserve Bank's swap window, which closed for deposits on 31 August.
19.1.2Trade and the current accountBriefnewly added
15 Sep 2026The goods trade deficit for August 2026 narrowed to 26.86 billion dollars, as exports rose sharply. The current account deficit for April to June 2026 was 4.2 billion dollars, 0.5 per cent of GDP. The Hindu, 15 Sep 2026: India's 26% goods exports surge lowers August 2026 trade deficit (opens in a new tab) · Reserve Bank of India, 1 Sep 2026: Developments in India's balance of payments during April to June 2026 (opens in a new tab)
19.2.1India's trade agreementsPrelims and Mainsnewly added
24 Sep 2026India and New Zealand exchanged ratification documents, and their free trade agreement, signed on 27 April 2026, enters into force on 20 October 2026. India and the EU will sign their free trade agreement, concluded in January 2026, in Brussels on 16 December 2026. The Hindu, 24 Sep 2026: India-EU FTA to be signed on December 16 (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 21 Sep 2026: India-New Zealand FTA ratified, to come into effect on October 20 (opens in a new tab) · News On AIR, 21 Sep 2026: India–New Zealand FTA comes into force on 20 October (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: India's trade agreements, July 2026
19.2.2American tariffs and India's exportsPrelims and Mainsnewly added
20 Sep 2026The US President signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which allows tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries that keep buying Russian oil and gas, subject to a presidential waiver. Russia supplied over half of India's oil imports in July, and India has conveyed its energy security concerns and is expected to seek a waiver. Mains: Tariffs tied to energy purchases join trade policy to energy security, since India imports more than 85 per cent of its crude oil. The Indian Express, 20 Sep 2026 · The Hindu, 20 Sep 2026 · The Hindu, 17 Sep 2026: As U.S. readies 100% tariffs, Russia provided more than half of India's oil imports in July (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: American tariffs and India's exports, August 2026
19.3.1Export inventory in foreign funded e commerceNewPrelimsnewly added
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indian e commerce is governed by the Foreign Exchange Management (Non debt Instruments) Rules, 2019, which allow it in the marketplace model.
19.3.2Net foreign direct investmentBriefnewly added
27 Sep 2026Net FDI reached US$7.35 billion in July 2026, the highest since May 2021, and net FDI for April to July was up 38 per cent. Mauritius, the United Arab Emirates and the United States supplied about 70 per cent of equity inflows. Reserve Bank of India, 27 Sep 2026
20.1.1Public Accounts Committee on untransferred cessNewMainsnewly added
A cess is levied for a stated purpose, so its collections are earmarked for a dedicated fund and are not shared with the States.
20.1.2The Centre's fiscal deficitBriefnewly added
30 Sep 2026The deficit for April to August 2026 reached 41.9 per cent of the year's target, higher than a year earlier, as subsidy spending on fertilisers, petroleum and food rose. The Hindu, 30 Sep 2026: Centre's fiscal deficit at end-August hits 41.9% of target (opens in a new tab)
20.2.1Goods and Services Tax collectionsBriefnewly added
1 Sep 2026Gross GST collections for August 2026 were ₹1,99,853 crore, though part of the growth came from a downward revision of the base. The Hindu, 1 Sep 2026: GST revenue grows 14.8% in August 2026 to nearly ₹2 lakh crore (opens in a new tab)
21.1.1Securities and Exchange Board of India board meeting, September 2026NewPrelimsnewly added
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulates the securities markets, and its board approves the regulations that govern them.
22.1.1Managing food prices through trade policyNewPrelims and Mainsnewly added
The Centre manages food prices with several tools: customs duty on imports, export restrictions, stock limits under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, open market sales from central stocks and the Price Stabilisation Fund.
22.2.1Digital India Land Records Modernisation ProgrammeNewPrelims and Mains
The Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) is a Central Sector Scheme to modernise land records, so that the record of who owns which piece of land can be read, mapped and registered.
22.3.1Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada YojanaNewPrelims
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in 2020 on the base of the earlier Blue Revolution scheme, is the scheme that funds fish farming units, recirculating and biofloc alike.
23.1.1Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020NewPrelims and Mains
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 govern how a platform may sell to an Indian consumer.
23.2.1District Mineral FoundationsNewPrelims and Mains
A District Mineral Foundation (DMF) is a district level body that spends on the welfare of areas and people affected by mining.
23.2.2Lithium blocks abroadNewPrelims and Mains
Lithium blocks abroad are lithium bearing ground in other countries that India buys into, through KABIL, Khanij Bidesh India Limited.
24.1.1The labour force surveyBriefnewly added
15 Sep 2026Unemployment for August 2026 eased to 5.0 per cent, as rural unemployment fell to its lowest since January. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 15 Sep 2026: PLFS monthly press note for August 2026 (opens in a new tab)
25.1.1A dry monsoon under a strong El NiñoLead
The southwest monsoon ended on 30 September 2026 at 87 per cent of the long period average, the driest season in 11 years, and Maharashtra declared drought in 265 of its 358 talukas on 26 September.
25.1.2Swell surgeNewPrelims
A swell surge is coastal flooding caused by ocean swell that was generated far away, by a distant storm or a long gale.
25.2.1The 1.5°C goal and overshootNewPrelims and Mains
The 1.5°C goal is the limit on global warming above pre industrial levels that the Paris Agreement pursues, the line everything else is measured against.
25.3.1Himalayan glacier retreatNewPrelims and Mains
Himalayan glacier retreat is the loss of ice from the glaciers of the Hindu Kush Himalaya.
26.1.1Delhi's winter air: the revised GRAP and a fixed calendar of curbsLead
On 28 September 2026 CAQM approved a revised GRAP schedule, and Delhi announced a winter plan with curbs fixed by date from 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027.
26.1.2National Clean Air ProgrammeNewPrelims and Mains
The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, sets 130 cities, most of them non-attainment cities, a target for one pollutant and pays them to meet it.
26.1.3Stubble burning and crop residue managementNewPrelims and Mains
Stubble burning is the burning of paddy residue in the fields of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh after harvest, in October and November.
26.2.1Jal Sanchay Jan BhagidariNewPrelims and Mains
Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB), launched in September 2024, builds low cost artificial recharge structures with the community as their owner.
27.1.1Himalayan hazards: lake outbursts and avalanche cascadesLead
Uttarakhand began installing its first glacial lake early warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli on 29 September 2026. It comes a month after the Nepal disaster of 26 August, which experts now say was not a lake outburst at all.
27.2.1Drought declarationNewPrelims and Mains
India has no single definition of drought, and it is the State government that declares one.
28.1.1International Big Cat AllianceNewPrelims
The International Big Cat Alliance is a grouping launched by India for the conservation of seven big cats, and is headquartered in India.
28.1.2The cheetahPrelims
21 Sep 2026A female born in India gave birth to four cubs at Kuno on 18 September, the first litter born to an India born cheetah. The population is 55, and 36 of them were born in India. The Indian Express, 21 Sep 2026: 'Rock Star' of Kuno is gone: Gaurav, an original Project Cheetah big cat, dies (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 18 Sep 2026: A milestone at Kuno: Cheetah born to South African feline now has four cubs of its own (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: The cheetah, June 2026
28.2.1Pygmy hogNewPrelims
The pygmy hog is the world's smallest wild pig, found in the wild only in Assam.
28.2.2Rhesus macaqueNewPrelims and Mains
The rhesus macaque is the common monkey of north Indian towns, and since 2022 it is no longer protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
29.1.1National Coastal Mission 2.0NewPrelims
National Coastal Mission 2.0 is a Central Sector Scheme of the Environment Ministry for the coast, running to 2030 to 31.
29.2.1The Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive AreaPrelims and Mains
27 Sep 2026Karnataka's legislature unanimously rejected the Kasturirangan report on 22 September, in response to the seventh draft notification, which covers 56,825 sq km. The State wants only forest land included, and a joint physical survey in place of satellite data. Mains: since the States bear the local cost and the country gains, a State may reject the framework only if it offers an equally considered alternative. The Hindu, 27 Sep 2026: What is Karnataka’s objection to the ESA? | Explained (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 26 Sep 2026: Narrowed posture: On Karnataka and the Kasturirangan Report (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: The Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area, August 2026
30.1.1Biological Diversity Act, 2002NewPrelims and Mains
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is the law by which India gives effect to the Convention on Biological Diversity at home.
30.1.2Access and benefit sharingNewPrelims and Mains
Access and benefit sharing is the promise of the Biological Diversity Act that anyone who profits from a biological resource pays something back to the place it came from.
30.2.1International Whaling CommissionNewPrelims
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the global body for managing whaling and conserving whales.
30.3.1OrangutansNewPrelims and Mains
Orangutans are the only great apes in Asia, and they live wild only on Borneo and Sumatra.
31.1.1COP31, AntalyaNewPrelims and Mains
COP31 is the 2026 conference of the parties to the United Nations climate convention, to be held at Antalya, Türkiye, in November.
31.1.2Loss and damageNewPrelims and Mains
Loss and damage is the third thing the climate regime has had to deal with, after mitigation and adaptation.
31.1.3BRICS as a negotiating blocPrelims and Mains
12 Sep 2026India held the chairship in 2026 and hosted the leaders' summit in New Delhi. The New Delhi Declaration of 12 September lifted those positions into a heads of government text, calling carbon border measures unilateral, punitive and discriminatory. It accepts a continuing role for fossil fuels in developing economies, asking instead for just, orderly, equitable and inclusive transitions. It launches a BRICS Carbon Markets Partnership and backs Ethiopia's COP32 presidency. PIB, 12 Sep 2026: BRICS New Delhi Declaration: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 13 Sep 2026: Need 'orderly & inclusive' energy transition, fossil fuels will continue playing key role: BRICS declaration (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: BRICS as a negotiating bloc, August 2026
31.2.1Green status for nuclear powerNewPrelims and Mains
Green status for nuclear power would class nuclear energy as green, so that nuclear projects could raise money through green instruments.
31.2.2Carbon Border Adjustment MechanismPrelims and Mains
23 Sep 2026Importers into the European Union start paying from February 2027 for goods shipped in 2026, by buying certificates that track the Union's carbon price. The mechanism deducts a carbon price paid at home, but India's carbon market sets intensity targets, so a mill that meets its target pays nothing at home and gets no deduction. Mains: the charge moves production to Europe without cutting emissions and reverses the flow of climate finance, though the Union's worry about carbon leakage is real. The Indian Express, 23 Sep 2026: Experts Explain | How the European Union's carbon tax works, and why BRICS pushed back against it (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, June 2026
31.3.1Adaptation below the State: panchayatsNewPrelims and Mains
Adaptation below the State is climate planning by panchayats, which a State may entrust with planning for economic development and social justice.
31.4.1Steel: carbon lock in and the two routesNewPrelims and Mains
Carbon lock in is what follows when a steel plant is built or relined: the decision is taken once, and it commits the plant's emissions for the years it runs.
32.1.1Urban miningNewMains
Urban mining is recovering metals and critical minerals from electronics at the end of life.
32.2.1World Circular Economy ForumNewPrelims and Mains
The World Circular Economy Forum is a meeting on the circular economy, organised by the Central Pollution Control Board with Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund.
32.2.2Industrial residues in roadsNewPrelims and Mains
Steel slag is a residue a steelworks produces whether anyone wants it or not, and processed into the shape and strength of stone aggregate it can replace the quarried stone that road building consumes by the tonne.
33.1.1Watershed developmentNewPrelims and Mains
A watershed project treats a whole catchment so that rain is held where it falls, which is what protective irrigation later draws on.
33.2.1PRAMAAN: the Indian Forest and Wood Certification SchemeNewPrelims
PRAMAAN is India's own framework for certifying forests, wood and non timber forest produce, launched in December 2023.
34.1.1Hydropower in the HimalayaNewPrelims and Mains
Hydropower in the Himalaya means dams and power projects built on the rivers of a young, steep and seismically active range.
34.2.1Bamboo in forest lawNewPrelims and Mains
Bamboo is botanically a grass, not a tree, and almost everything the law does about it turns on that fact.
34.2.2Gram sabha consent for forest clearancePrelims and Mains
6 Sep 2026The Ministry of Tribal Affairs said on 31 August that the Forest Rights Act carries no provision for gram sabha consent to Stage II clearance, and that the matter falls outside its purview. A parliamentary committee report called consent from every gram sabha the most critical bottleneck in forest clearance, which took 106 months on average for hydropower projects. It suggested a qualified super majority of 70 to 75 per cent, citing Teesta IV, where three of ten gram panchayats had not consented. The Hindu, 6 Sep 2026: No provision in Forest Rights Act to obtain gram sabha consent for projects, Tribal Affairs Ministry says (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 7 Sep 2026: Why is MoTA distancing itself from Gram Sabha consent for forest clearance? | Explained (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Gram sabha consent for forest clearance, July 2026
35.1.1Weapons in orbit and the gaps in space lawLead
On 14 September 2026 the United States Air Force Secretary said the country has "space control" weapons in Earth orbit, the first public admission of this kind by any country.
35.1.2NewSpace India LimitedNewPrelims and Mains
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), formed in 2019 as a public sector company under the Department of Space, is ISRO's commercial arm.
35.1.3Indian Space Policy 2023Prelims and Mains
14 Sep 2026ISRO's staff associations asked whether the agency would stop building launch vehicles and routine satellites, citing vacant posts and departures. ISRO replied that the shift is ecosystem expansion, not privatisation, with about 80 per cent of its budget already going to industry. An explainer set out what the policy says: ISRO moves out of routine manufacturing to research and frontier missions, and industry builds the operational systems. The Indian Express, 14 Sep 2026: ISRO's 'privatisation' move: What India's space policy says (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 6 Sep 2026: Letter sent after GSLV launch: ISRO staff question trajectory of space privatisation, want chief to clarify (opens in a new tab) · The Indian Express, 7 Sep 2026: Private sector push is 'ecosystem expansion, not privatisation': ISRO allays staff concerns (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Indian Space Policy 2023, August 2026
35.2.1EOS-05NewPrelims and Mains
EOS-05, also called Geo Imaging Satellite 1A (GISAT-1A), is the first Indian Earth observation satellite to image from geosynchronous orbit.
36.1.1When AI agents cross the line: the incidents and the pacing debateLead
Through September 2026 it emerged that AI agents under test had entered systems they were not meant to reach, including an Australian government health statistics portal, and OpenAI cancelled the release of its newest model on safety grounds.
36.1.2Global governance of artificial intelligenceNewPrelims and Mains
Governments argue less about which rules to write for artificial intelligence than about whether it needs rules written for it at all.
36.2.1Semicon India ProgrammeNewPrelims and Mains
The Semicon India Programme, begun in 2021 under the India Semiconductor Mission, backs the fabrication and the assembly and testing of chips in India.
37.1.1CAFE III: the new fuel economy norms for carsLead
On 30 September 2026 the Ministry of Power notified new CAFE norms for passenger vehicles, in force from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032.
37.2.1Geothermal energy and Puga ValleyNewPrelims and Mains
Geothermal energy taps heat that is already in the ground, and India's first geothermal wells are at Puga Valley in Ladakh.
37.3.1Coal gasificationNewPrelims and Mains
Coal gasification turns coal into gas with heat, pressure and a controlled shortage of oxygen; it is thermochemical and not biochemical, and no microbe is involved.
37.4.1Green Energy CorridorNewPrelims and Mains
The Green Energy Corridor, begun in 2015, is the programme that builds the lines and substations to evacuate renewable power, to carry electricity away from where it is generated.
38.1.1Scrub typhusNewPrelims
Scrub typhus is a bacterial infection spread by the bite of infected mites, and not by mosquitoes.
38.1.2Lumpy skin diseaseNewPrelims
Lumpy skin disease is a pox virus infection of cattle and buffaloes, spread by biting insects, that causes fever, hard skin nodules and a fall in milk.
38.1.3Disease surveillance and biological disaster preparednessNewPrelims and Mains
Disease surveillance is how India watches for outbreaks, through three networks; biological disaster preparedness is how it responds to an epidemic, a pandemic or a deliberate release.
38.2.1Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness InnovationsNewPrelims and Mains
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), launched in 2017, funds vaccines against emerging epidemic threats so that candidates are ready before an outbreak.
38.2.2Pneumococcal vaccinesNewPrelims and Mains
Pneumococcal vaccines protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium that causes pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis when immunity weakens.
38.3.1Gram-negative bacteriaNewPrelims and Mains
Gram-negative bacteria are one of the two groups into which a nineteenth century staining test, the Gram stain, sorts bacteria, and the harder of the two to treat.
38.4.1FluorosisNewPrelims and Mains
Fluorosis is the harm done to the teeth and the bone by years of drinking groundwater that carries fluoride.
38.5.1Rare diseases and orphan drugsNewPrelims and Mains
An orphan drug is a medicine for a rare disease, long neglected by drug makers because the market for it is small.
38.5.2Indian Pharmacopoeia CommissionPrelims
21 Sep 2026A Biovigilance Programme of India, led by the Commission, will track adverse events from products used in organ and tissue transplantation. It is the third safety track, after pharmacovigilance for medicines and materiovigilance for medical devices. PIB, 21 Sep 2026: Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare Smt. Anupriya Patel launches 7th National Formulary of India 2026, announces Biovigilance Programme to widen India’s patient-safety net (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, August 2026
39.1.1Recirculatory aquaculture and bioflocNewPrelims
Recirculatory aquaculture and biofloc are two ways of farming fish intensively by cleaning the water rather than replacing it.
40.1.1PhotonicsNewPrelims and Mains
Photonics is the technology of the parts that carry a signal as light rather than as current, where India's chip policy meets its network hardware.
40.1.2Vehicle-to-vehicle communicationNewPrelims and Mains
A vehicle fitted for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication broadcasts what it is doing to the vehicles around it, and listens for the same from them.
41.1.1Copyright in a machine generated workPrelims and Mains
2 Sep 2026India's Copyright Office refused to name the AI system DABUS as an author, holding that an author must be a person. The Indian Express, 2 Sep 2026: AI can create a work, but can it be its author? Why the Copyright Office drew the line (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: Copyright in a machine generated work, July 2026
41.2.1India's deep sea mining programmeNewPrelims and Mains
India's deep sea mining programme explores the seabed for minerals under three International Seabed Authority contracts.
42.1.2Correct the Map resolutionNewPrelims and Mains
Correct the Map is a non binding resolution of the United Nations General Assembly that names the Equal Earth projection as more accurate than Mercator's.
42.2.1National Quantum MissionPrelims and Mains
30 Sep 2026The mission has shown quantum secure communication over 1,000 km in about three years, against a target of 2,000 km in eight. A link between Chennai and Bengaluru combined post quantum cryptography with quantum key distribution on existing optical fibre. PIB, 30 Sep 2026: India’s emerging quantum ecosystem strengthened by enabling policy of the Modi government: Dr Jitendra Singh (opens in a new tab)
Earlier coverageEarlier coverage: National Quantum Mission, July 2026