Five Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals dedicated in Gujarat.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated and dedicated five Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal projects in Gujarat on September 15, 2026 to improve freight connectivity.
Key Highlights:
1. Shivlakha in Kachchh was inaugurated; Bhimasar, Devaliya and Chandisar were dedicated; Linch terminal’s foundation stone was laid.
2. India now has 150 commissioned Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals.
3. A salt train left Shivlakha for Mithapur using new lightweight steel containers for top loading and side unloading.
4. About Rs.5,600 crore of railway projects are underway in Kachchh; Bhuj-Naliya became broad gauge and Naliya-Jakhau Port line was sanctioned.
5. The Vapi-Surat high-speed rail section is targeted for completion by December 2026.
Additional Information:
1. GCT Policy launched in December 2021 to attract industry investment, lower logistics costs and improve freight links.
2. PM Gati Shakti Master Plan launched October 13, 2021 and integrates planning across 16 ministries.
Odisha gets Rs.3,406.25 crore silicon carbide semiconductor project.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Falta SEZ’s Unit Approval Committee approved a Rs.3,406.25 crore silicon carbide semiconductor plant in Odisha on September 15, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. Tamil Nadu-based SiCSem will establish the 21.889-acre facility at IDCO Infovalley-II in Khordha.
2. Funding includes Rs.700 crore central subsidy, Rs.350 crore Odisha subsidy and Rs.1,956.25 crore promoter contribution.
3. Annual capacity is planned at 4.8 million SiC diodes and 91.2 million SiC MOSFETs.
4. Five-year export turnover is projected at Rs.7,043 crore with Rs.4,523 crore net foreign-exchange earnings.
5. The facility supports high-performance power electronics and export-led growth.
Additional Information:
1. Falta SEZ is headquartered in Kolkata under the Commerce Ministry and promotes export-oriented industry in eastern India.
2. Silicon carbide combines silicon and carbon, tolerates high heat and voltage, and is used in electric vehicles, power grids and high-speed rail.
Kerala holds Reimagining Keralam roundtable for 73 projects.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Kerala scheduled the three-day Reimagining Keralam roundtable in Thiruvananthapuram from September 16 to 18, 2026 to implement major initiatives announced in its 2026-27 Budget.
Key Highlights:
1. The meeting seeks an implementation roadmap for 73 projects under the theme Ideas, Projects, Actions.
2. More than 40 departments, regulators, investors and start-ups will coordinate and avoid duplicate studies.
3. Technology discussions cover artificial intelligence, digital economy and space technology.
4. Industry sessions address corridors, investor consortiums and critical minerals, while maritime work covers Mission Samudra and port-led development.
5. Each programme will receive a Draft Project Scope Document for later DPRs and requests for proposals.
Additional Information:
1. Thiruvananthapuram is Kerala’s capital; India’s first Technopark opened there in 1990.
2. Kerala has India’s highest literacy rate and was the first state to declare internet access a basic right through K-FON.
9th ASEAN-India agriculture and forestry ministerial meeting held.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The 9th ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry was held in New Delhi on September 10, 2026 to strengthen strategic partnership and food-security cooperation.
Key Highlights:
1. Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel co-chaired it.
2. The meeting welcomed ASEAN 2045 and endorsed the sectoral plan and ASEAN-India medium-term action plan for 2026-30.
3. It unveiled the India-ASEAN Friendship Spike for Agriculture and Forestry.
4. Kisan Sarathi supports 3.03 crore farmers in 13 languages through 3,500 KVK experts; demonstrations included swine-fever vaccine, aeroponics and a 40-50 tonne shrimp model.
5. The 10th ministerial meeting will be in 2028; the working group met September 9 with 45 delegates.
Additional Information:
1. ASEAN was created by the Bangkok Declaration on August 8, 1967 and has 10 members.
2. ICAR was established July 16, 1929 in New Delhi; IARI at Pusa houses a phenomics facility and National Gene Bank.
Colombo Security Conclave exercise concludes in Visakhapatnam.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The three-day Colombo Security Conclave Table Top Exercise concluded at Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam on September 12, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The exercise began on September 9 with members, observers and maritime experts.
2. Simulations focused on coordinated responses to illicit maritime activity in the Indian Ocean Region.
3. Threats included maritime terrorism, narcotics smuggling, human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
4. Participants reviewed operating procedures and improved information-sharing for Maritime Domain Awareness.
5. The exercise aligned with the MAHASAGAR vision for security and growth across regions.
Additional Information:
1. CSC began in 2011 as a trilateral group; members are India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius, with secretariat in Colombo.
2. Eastern Naval Command is one of 3 Indian Navy command formations and is headquartered in Visakhapatnam.
Steel Ministry launches Special Campaign 6.0 for e-waste disposal.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Steel Ministry announced Special Campaign 6.0 on September 16, 2026 for e-waste management and administrative streamlining across its public-sector undertakings.
Key Highlights:
1. The preparatory phase runs September 15-30 to identify targets; implementation and monitoring run October 2-31.
2. Work covers collection and segregation under E-Waste Management Rules 2022, mechanised cleaning and digital public participation.
3. Administrative goals include disposal of pending PMO, state-government and parliamentary references.
4. Outdated records will be removed and office space optimised.
5. The campaign combines environmental compliance with workplace cleanliness and administrative efficiency.
Additional Information:
1. The Steel Ministry is headquartered in New Delhi and formulates policy for India’s iron and steel industry.
2. The 2022 rules were notified by the Environment Ministry, use Extended Producer Responsibility and mandate recycling of solar photovoltaic modules and cells.
India and Vietnam to observe Friendship Year in 2027.
Dated: 18 September 2026
India and Vietnam agreed at their 19th Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi on September 14, 2026 to celebrate 2027 as the Year of India-Vietnam Friendship.
Key Highlights:
1. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung co-chaired the meeting.
2. The Friendship Year will mark 55 years of diplomatic relations.
3. Relations were elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President To Lam’s May 2025 visit.
4. Security cooperation covers joint production of Indian defence equipment and Vietnam’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
5. Vietnam attended BRICS 2026 as a Partner Country.
Additional Information:
1. Vietnam is a key pillar of India’s Act East Policy and an ASEAN strategic partner under the MAHASAGAR vision.
2. India launched IPOI for a safe, secure and stable maritime domain, with Vietnam participating actively.
UP Cabinet approves regional NSG centre in Ayodhya.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved free transfer of 65 acres in Ayodhya to the Union Home Ministry on September 15, 2026 for a regional National Security Guard centre.
Key Highlights:
1. The 26-hectare barren site lies in Milkipur tehsil and has an estimated market value of Rs.16.9 crore.
2. The centre will strengthen Ayodhya Dham and Ram Temple security and enable permanent rapid-response deployment.
3. The land must be used within 3 years or will revert automatically to the state Revenue Department.
4. Cabinet relaxed Revenue Department order provisions in the national-security interest.
5. The facility will expand specialised counter-terror response in the region.
Additional Information:
1. NSG was established in 1984 under the Home Ministry, operates under the 1986 Act, is known as Black Cats and is headquartered in New Delhi.
2. Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister is Yogi Adityanath and Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister is Suresh Khanna.
Karnataka permits engineers to use Er prefix.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Karnataka Government issued an order on September 15, 2026 allowing qualified engineers serving or residing in the state to use the prefix Er before their names.
Key Highlights:
1. The announcement came during Karnataka’s 59th Engineers’ Day celebration.
2. Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar announced the decision at the professional gathering.
3. The designation gives engineers a professional identity similar to Dr for doctors and Adv for advocates.
4. The order applies to all qualified engineers working or living in Karnataka.
5. The measure formally recognises engineering as a distinct profession.
Additional Information:
1. Engineers’ Day is observed on September 15 on M. Visvesvaraya’s birth anniversary; he received Bharat Ratna in 1955 and was Mysore’s Diwan during 1912-18.
2. Karnataka became Mysore State on November 1, 1956, was renamed in 1973 and has Bengaluru as capital.
PM Vishwakarma reaches 30 lakh registrations in three years.
Dated: 18 September 2026
PM Vishwakarma reached its national registration target of 30 lakh beneficiaries on September 16, 2026 as the central-sector artisan scheme completed three years.
Key Highlights:
1. The FY2023-24 to FY2027-28 outlay is Rs.13,000 crore; collateral-free loans up to Rs.3 lakh come in Rs.1 lakh and Rs.2 lakh tranches at 5% interest.
2. Basic training lasts 5-7 days and advanced training at least 15 days with Rs.500 daily stipend, plus toolkit support up to Rs.15,000.
3. Artisans receive Rs.1 per digital transaction for up to 100 monthly transactions.
4. By September 15, 24.37 lakh completed basic training, 18.16 lakh received toolkits and Rs.5,316 crore loans were sanctioned to 6.19 lakh beneficiaries.
5. Market links include the January 2026 Dilli Haat exhibition, Udyam Assist, e-commerce and One Station One Product.
Additional Information:
1. Launched September 17, 2023 under MSME Ministry, it supports 18 traditional trades on Samman, Samarthya and Samriddhi pillars.
2. Eligibility begins at age 18, allows one family member and uses three-tier local, district and screening verification.
DRDO plans missile testing range at Junput in West Bengal.
Dated: 18 September 2026
DRDO initiated plans on September 13, 2026 to establish a weapons and missile testing range at Junput in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal.
Key Highlights:
1. The coastal site will supplement Odisha’s Integrated Test Range and expand eastern-coast weapons-trial capacity.
2. Junput is about 70 km from the existing Chandipur range.
3. It will operate alongside Chandipur and a proposed Andhra Pradesh testing facility.
4. Its unobstructed eastward path over the Bay of Bengal provides a secure missile-evaluation trajectory.
5. The project strengthens India’s domestic testing infrastructure.
Additional Information:
1. Chandipur Launch Complex-III tests short-range systems such as Akash and Pinaka; Complex-IV handles Agni and K-series strategic missiles.
2. DRDO was established in 1958, is headquartered in New Delhi and is the Defence Ministry’s military research agency.
Jal Shakti Ministry releases Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari anthem.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Jal Shakti Ministry released the official anthem of Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari-Catch the Rain on September 15, 2026 to promote nationwide water conservation.
Key Highlights:
1. Shankar Mahadevan sang and composed the anthem.
2. Its central message is Catch the Rain-Where It Falls, When It Falls and seeks to make conservation a people’s movement.
3. The initiative promotes rainwater harvesting and groundwater-recharge structures.
4. It encourages participation by schools, towns and industries.
5. The campaign seeks water-body rejuvenation, long-term water security and resilient communities.
Additional Information:
1. The Jal Shakti Ministry was formed in May 2019 by merging the water-resources and drinking-water ministries and oversees Jal Jeevan Mission.
2. Catch the Rain began on March 22, 2021 under National Water Mission; World Water Day is observed on March 22.
India and MERCOSUR sign protocol for paperless trade.
Dated: 18 September 2026
India and the MERCOSUR trade bloc signed the first Additional Protocol to their Preferential Trade Agreement on September 14, 2026 to give electronic trade documents formal legal recognition.
Key Highlights:
1. Electronically issued Certificates of Origin will have the same legal validity as paper certificates.
2. The proposal was supported at the 4th Joint Administrative Committee meeting in November 2025 and adopted at its 5th meeting in April 2026.
3. The protocol amends rules of origin and seeks to reduce transaction costs and processing time for exporters and importers.
4. It will take effect after India and MERCOSUR members complete internal procedures and exchange notifications.
5. Authorised entities and officials must issue and sign certificates under their domestic laws.
Additional Information:
1. The India-MERCOSUR PTA was signed in 2004, became operational in June 2009 and covers concessions on 450 Indian and 452 MERCOSUR tariff lines.
2. MERCOSUR was established in 1991, is headquartered in Montevideo and has Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay as full members.
Six states sign Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Chief Ministers of six states signed the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement on September 16, 2026 in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil.
Key Highlights:
1. Signatories were Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
2. The project will build a 232.6 metre concrete gravity dam on the Tons River at the Uttarakhand-Himachal border with 1,562 million cubic metres live storage.
3. As a National Project, the Centre bears 90% cost and states 10%.
4. It will irrigate 97,000 hectares, generate 1,476 million units of clean power and make Delhi the largest beneficiary.
5. Twenty-five percent water is reserved for Yamuna environmental flow, supporting a clean Yamuna target by 2029.
Additional Information:
1. The project traces to a May 12, 1994 basin agreement and is the 10th water dispute resolved by the Centre since 2014.
2. Tons is Yamuna’s largest tributary, flowing through Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region and touching Himachal Pradesh.
Mangrove GIS Portal launched and MISHTI progress reviewed in Bhuj.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the Mangrove GIS Portal and reviewed the MISHTI scheme in Bhuj, Gujarat, on September 13, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The portal supports science-based decisions and technology-enabled monitoring of mangrove habitats.
2. Gujarat restored 27,652 hectares against its 2023-27 target of 29,250 hectares, including 12,450 hectares in Kori Creek.
3. The Kachchh Mangroves coffee-table book and Mangroves Atlas of Gujarat were released.
4. Guneri Inland Mangrove Village Biodiversity Committee was honoured for community conservation.
5. Work focuses on coastal protection, biodiversity, seaweed cultivation and climate resilience.
Additional Information:
1. MISHTI means Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes and combines MGNREGS with CAMPA funds.
2. Guneri was declared Gujarat’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site in January 2025; the Environment Ministry is the nodal ministry.
World Ozone Day 2026 observed with Global Action for a Cooler Planet theme.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, or World Ozone Day, was observed globally on September 16, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The 2026 theme was Global Action for a Cooler Planet, linking ozone protection with climate action.
2. The year marked the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
3. The amendment focuses on phasing down hydrofluorocarbons, powerful greenhouse gases.
4. The observance highlights the ozone layer’s role in protecting life and atmospheric stability.
5. The day was first observed in 1995 to promote shared environmental responsibility.
Additional Information:
1. The UN General Assembly established the day to commemorate the Montreal Protocol signed in 1987.
2. The Kigali Amendment was adopted in October 2016 in Rwanda and seeks over 80% reduction in HFC consumption and production over 30 years.
DRDO launches MSME and start-up initiatives at VIMARSH 2026.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched DRDO policy initiatives at VIMARSH 2026 in New Delhi on September 15 to increase MSME and start-up participation in defence.
Key Highlights:
1. The synergy meet used the theme Varta se Vikas to connect commercial innovation with defence readiness.
2. DRDO and Quality Council of India launched SAMAR 2.0 to assess and rate domestic defence manufacturers.
3. Nine technology-transfer licensing agreements were given to 13 partners, with a framework to share DRDO software source code.
4. MoUs were exchanged with SIDM and Laghu Udyog Bharati, and human-resource outsourcing guidelines were introduced.
5. The book Defence Systems for Resilient Bharat documented systems developed during 2014-2026.
Additional Information:
1. DRDO was established in 1958, is headquartered in New Delhi and works under the Defence Ministry.
2. DRDO has transferred over 2,300 technologies to 1,100 industries; about 50 missile technologies are available privately and 25% of defence R&D funds go private.
NSTFDC and HPCL to create smart classrooms in Rajasthan EMRS.
Dated: 18 September 2026
NSTFDC and HPCL signed an MoU on September 15, 2026 to establish integrated computer laboratories and smart classrooms in 29 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across Rajasthan.
Key Highlights:
1. The Rs.16.01 crore CSR project covers 29 schools in 11 districts and must be completed within 6 months.
2. Each school will receive 4 smart rooms with 86-inch panels, 10 exam-preparation tablets, a networked laboratory and one-year internet.
3. More than 10,000 Scheduled Tribe students in Classes VI-XII will benefit annually.
4. The project aligns with NEP 2020 and the 2026-27 CSR theme Innovative Livelihood Enhancement.
5. NSTFDC will implement and procure the project.
Additional Information:
1. NSTFDC is a Tribal Affairs Ministry PSU established in 2001; EMRS began in 1997-98 under Article 275(1) and is managed by NESTS.
2. HPCL is a Mumbai-headquartered Maharatna public enterprise formed in 1974 after takeover and merger of Esso Standard and Lube India.
Mazagon Dock to establish Rs.27,000 crore shipbuilding cluster.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders signed an MoU on September 15, 2026 to build a greenfield shipbuilding cluster at Dighi in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.
Key Highlights:
1. The cluster has a Rs.27,000 crore investment outlay and is expected to generate 90,000 jobs.
2. Dighi is targeted for at least 2 million gross tonnes of annual shipbuilding capacity.
3. The MoU with NSHIPML was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
4. Maharashtra Maritime Board and Mumbai Port Authority will jointly develop it through NSHIPML under the national cluster plan and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
5. It will build large commercial ships and a supply-chain ecosystem for global competitiveness.
Additional Information:
1. MDL is a Defence Ministry shipyard headquartered in Mumbai, incorporated as a public company in 1934 and nationalised in 1960.
2. Dighi Port lies on Rajpuri Creek in Raigad and is Maharashtra’s first private port.
Delhi doubles ASHA workers’ monthly incentive to Rs.6,000.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Delhi Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta approved doubling the fixed monthly incentive for ASHA workers from Rs.3,000 to Rs.6,000 on September 15, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. Delhi has 6,725 active ASHA workers.
2. Each worker serves about 2,000 people or 400 families on average.
3. They facilitate vaccination and health awareness.
4. They support pregnant women and new mothers and link communities with primary healthcare.
5. The policy strengthens primary care and the economic empowerment of women health volunteers.
Additional Information:
1. ASHA began in 2005 under National Rural Health Mission as a Health Ministry community volunteer programme.
2. Selection normally requires a resident woman aged 25-45 with education up to Class 10; work covers delivery, immunisation and family planning.
Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney partner for DRDO HALE UAV.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada announced cooperation on September 15, 2026 to integrate advanced turboprop engines into DRDO’s indigenous High-Altitude Long-Endurance defence drone.
Key Highlights:
1. Pratt & Whitney Canada will assess engine compatibility, installation needs and performance.
2. Bharat Forge will lead engine-airframe integration, installation design and system interfaces.
3. The HALE platform is intended for long-duration surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance over land and sea.
4. The partnership seeks strategic self-reliance and stronger indigenous aerospace capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
5. HALE is the highest altitude-endurance UAV class for long-range missions.
Additional Information:
1. DRDO was established in 1958, is headquartered in New Delhi and works under the Defence Ministry.
2. Bharat Forge is the Pune-based Kalyani Group flagship in forging, automotive and defence systems; UAVs support surveillance and target acquisition.
Sports Ministry forms task force to revive Formula 1 in India.
Dated: 18 September 2026
The Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry formed a high-level task force on September 15, 2026 to prepare a roadmap for reviving Formula 1 and developing motorsports in India.
Key Highlights:
1. NITI Aayog representative Yugal Kishore Joshi chairs the task force.
2. It will assess the feasibility of hosting a Formula 1 race in India by 2028.
3. Members represent Sports, Commerce, Tourism, CBIC, CBDT, Revenue, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India.
4. The panel will identify policy and infrastructure needs, examine taxation and recommend sustainable public-private partnership models.
5. India previously hosted Formula 1 at Buddh International Circuit from 2011 to 2013.
Additional Information:
1. Buddh International Circuit is in Greater Noida, was designed by Hermann Tilke and hosted India’s only 3 Formula 1 races.
2. FMSCI was founded in 1971 in Chennai; Madras International Circuit opened in 1990 as India’s first permanent racing track.
Commemorative postage stamp released for Sant Malukdas Ji.
Dated: 18 September 2026
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia released a commemorative postage stamp for Sant Malukdas Ji at Sant Samagam on September 15, 2026.
Key Highlights:
1. The Department of Posts under the Communications Ministry issued the stamp.
2. The event honoured the saint’s spiritual contribution and connected his message with national memory.
3. Scindia and Swami Rajendra Das Devacharya Ji Maharaj attended.
4. The stamp preserves Sant Malukdas Ji’s spiritual heritage and teachings on devotion, knowledge and compassion.
5. His teachings presented Lord Ram as a symbol of justice, culture and public welfare and linked devotion with humanity and Viksit Bharat 2047.
Additional Information:
1. Sant Malukdas Ji was a Bhakti Movement saint whose teachings connected spiritual tradition with social service.
2. The Department of Posts was founded on October 1, 1854, is headquartered in New Delhi and works under the Communications Ministry.