Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited became the first Indian company to secure Independent and International Metallic Material Laboratory S400 approval from GE Aerospace on 18 August 2026. The qualification allows MIDHANI laboratory to conduct advanced metallic-material testing for global aerospace supply chain.

Key Highlights:
•   MIDHANI received GE Aerospace S400 laboratory qualification.
•   It is the first Indian entity to achieve this global aerospace testing standard.
•   The approval covers advanced chemical, mechanical and metallurgical testing of metallic materials.
•   MIDHANI laboratory can serve global GE Aerospace supply chain.
•   The qualification strengthens India capability in advanced material production and certification.
•   S400 approval is a laboratory-specific qualification for defined tests.
•   The approval requires regular surveillance audits for technical and quality compliance.
•   GE Aerospace S400 approval is unrelated to Russian S-400 air-defence missile system.

Additional Information:
•   MIDHANI stands for Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited.
•   MIDHANI manufactures specialised metals and alloys.
•   It was established in 1973 under Ministry of Defence.
•   MIDHANI is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana.
•   MIDHANI is a Mini-Ratna Category-I Public Sector Undertaking.

SpaceX set a world record on 15 August 2026 by successfully launching two Falcon 9 rockets from opposite coasts of the United States within 38 minutes. The achievement surpassed the previous 65-minute record set on 31 August 2024.

Key Highlights:
•   SpaceX completed two Falcon 9 launches within 38 minutes.
•   The launches were conducted from opposite coasts of the United States.
•   The record surpassed earlier 65-minute interval set on 31 August 2024.
•   The Florida mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:12 PM EDT.
•   Florida mission deployed eight Globalstar satellites into low Earth orbit.
•   The first-stage booster completed its 14th mission and landed back at the station.
•   The California mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 9:50 PM EDT.
•   California mission carried classified USSF-366 mission for US Space Force.

Additional Information:
•   SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
•   SpaceX headquarters is in Hawthorne, California, USA.
•   Falcon 9 is world first orbital-class reusable rocket.
•   US Space Force is sixth branch of US Armed Forces and conducts outer-space operations.

Kawa UAV Private Limited, also known as HoverIt, successfully conducted maiden flight of Divyastra Mk3 on 11 August 2026 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Divyastra Mk3 is India first indigenous jet-powered loitering munition and uses a jet engine developed by DG Propulsion.

Key Highlights:
•   Divyastra Mk3 is India first indigenous jet-powered loitering munition.
•   Maiden flight was conducted by Kawa UAV Private Limited in Lucknow.
•   The munition is powered by jet engine developed by DG Propulsion.
•   The system uses zero imported foreign engines or critical subsystems.
•   The project progressed from inception to maiden flight within one calendar year.
•   DRDO also completed final configuration trials of ULPGM-V3 near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
•   ULPGM-V3 was tested for Air-to-Ground anti-tank and Air-to-Air drone and helicopter targets.
•   DRDO partnered with BDL and Adani Defence for missile development and production.

Additional Information:
•   Kawa UAV, also known as HoverIt, is based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
•   It specialises in high-speed precision strike systems and UAVs.
•   ULPGM-V3 is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile.
•   ULPGM-V3 is developed under Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
•   Newspace Research and Technologies develops UAVs used for ULPGM integration.

West Bengal government launched Ayushman Bharat scheme on 16 August 2026 and designated the day as Ayushman Diwas. The scheme aims to provide health security to 1.5 crore families through annual cashless cover of up to Rs 5 lakh for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.

Key Highlights:
•   West Bengal launched Ayushman Bharat scheme on 16 August 2026.
•   The date was designated as Ayushman Diwas in the state.
•   The scheme aims to cover 1.5 crore families.
•   It provides annual cashless health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family.
•   The scheme covers secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
•   1,930 hospitals are empanelled in West Bengal, including 1,303 private and 627 government hospitals.
•   Beneficiaries can access more than 40,000 empanelled hospitals across India.
•   It covers pre-existing diseases and medical expenses from three days before hospitalisation to 15 days after discharge.
•   There is no upper limit on family size or age of family members.

Additional Information:
•   Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY was launched on 23 September 2018 from Ranchi, Jharkhand.
•   It is managed by National Health Authority.
•   ABHA is a 14-digit identification number for digital health records.
•   West Bengal also offers Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana to residents ineligible under Ayushman Bharat.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma inaugurated Centre of Excellence for Eri Weaving at Integrated Textile Tourism Complex in Nongpoh, Meghalaya, on 18 August 2026. The centre aims to preserve and promote traditional Eri weaving and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for weavers, spinners and rearers.

Key Highlights:
•   Centre of Excellence for Eri Weaving was inaugurated at Ri Sai, Nongpoh, Meghalaya.
•   The centre is part of Integrated Textile Tourism Complex.
•   The inauguration marked National Handloom Day and culmination of National Handloom Week.
•   The complex includes Ahimsa Silk training and design centre.
•   It includes retail plaza, cottages and restaurant for linking textile heritage with tourism.
•   Umden-Diwon and Ri Bhoi are key hubs for indigenous textile traditions.
•   The initiative aims to create sustainable opportunities for weavers, spinners and rearers.

Additional Information:
•   National Handloom Day is observed every year on 7 August.
•   The day commemorates Swadeshi Movement launched in 1905.
•   First official National Handloom Day was observed in 2015 at Chennai.
•   Eri Silk is also known as Ahimsa Silk or Peace Silk because silkworm is not killed in its processing.
•   Meghalaya is major producer of Eri Silk in North East India.
•   Capital of Meghalaya is Shillong.

India launched its first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems during UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 17 August 2026. The guide provides science-based framework for restoration and protection of non-forest landscapes across India.

Key Highlights:
•   India launched first Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems at UNCCD COP17.
•   The guide was released by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
•   It provides a science-based framework for restoring non-forest landscapes.
•   The guide covers Himalayan and Terai grasslands, Deccan savannas and coastal ecosystems.
•   It also covers Thar and Banni landscapes, rocky plateaus, ravines and deserts.
•   The document was developed by ATREE in collaboration with IUCN, ICFRE and Space Applications Centre, ISRO.
•   It supports India Land Degradation Neutrality targets through grassland and scrubland protection.
•   The guide includes sections on pastoralism, fire ecology and carbon sequestration.

Additional Information:
•   UNCCD was established in 1994.
•   UNCCD is the only legally binding international agreement linking environment and development with sustainable land management.
•   UNCCD headquarters is in Bonn, Germany.
•   ICFRE was established in 1986 and is headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
•   Ulaanbaatar is capital and largest city of Mongolia.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh flagged off NCC All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek, Aparajita - Parang La 2026, in New Delhi on 18 August 2026. The trek will cover about 250 km in 30 days through high-altitude deserts and glaciers between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

Key Highlights:
•   Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh flagged off Aparajita - Parang La 2026 trek.
•   The trek will traverse Parang La Pass at an altitude of 5,578 metres.
•   Parang La connects Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh with Changthang region of Ladakh.
•   The trek covers about 250 km over 30 days through high-altitude deserts and glaciers.
•   A total of 28 Girl Cadets from NCC Directorates across India are participating.
•   Average age of participants is 19 years, while youngest participant is 16.5 years old.
•   The team is led by three women officers from Army, Navy and Air Force.
•   The trek aims to promote Nari Shakti, resilience and leadership qualities.

Additional Information:
•   NCC is world largest uniformed youth organisation.
•   NCC was formed under NCC Act, 1948.
•   NCC headquarters is in New Delhi.
•   NCC functions under Ministry of Defence.
•   Parang La is a high-mountain pass in Himalayas and traditional route between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced winners of National Sports Awards 2025 on 18 August 2026 based on recommendations of a selection committee chaired by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Retired Arun Kumar Mishra. Awards include Arjuna Awards, Dronacharya Awards and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.

Key Highlights:
•   National Sports Awards 2025 winners were announced on 18 August 2026.
•   Selection committee was chaired by Justice Retired Arun Kumar Mishra.
•   Arjuna Award winners include Tejaswin Shankar, Muhammed Ajmal V and Priyanka Goswami in athletics.
•   Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand received Arjuna Award for badminton.
•   Vidit Santosh Gujarathi and Divya Jitendra Deshmukh received Arjuna Award for chess.
•   Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal received Arjuna Award for hockey.
•   I Arumainayagam received Arjuna Award Lifetime for football.
•   Dronacharya Award regular category went to Parveer Singh, Chhote Lal Yadav and Neha Nandkumar Chavan.
•   Army Paralympic Node, Pune received Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025.

Additional Information:
•   Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961.
•   Arjuna Award recognises consistent performance over previous four years and qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
•   It is second-highest sporting honour in India.
•   Dronacharya Award was instituted in 1985 and is highest award for excellence in sports coaching.
•   Dronacharya Award has Regular and Lifetime categories.

Government of India constituted a 12-member committee on 10 July 2026 to examine restoration and future management of Teesta Barrage Project. The committee is chaired by Chairman of Central Water Commission and must submit its report within six months.

Key Highlights:
•   India constituted 12-member committee for Teesta Barrage Project.
•   Committee is chaired by Chairman of Central Water Commission.
•   Representatives from Sikkim and West Bengal are included at Joint Secretary level.
•   The first technical stakeholder meeting was held on 6 August 2026.
•   Committee must submit comprehensive report within six months.
•   The panel will assess siltation, water availability and current water utilisation in basin.
•   It will examine measures to strengthen barrage and associated infrastructure.
•   It will develop climate-resilient strategies and assess climate-change impact on Teesta basin.
•   Panel will study Gajaldoba Barrage and upstream dams for improving drainage-channel capacity.

Additional Information:
•   Teesta River originates from Pahunri glacier, also called Teesta Khangse, in Eastern Himalayas.
•   It flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
•   Teesta is major right-bank tributary of Brahmaputra River.
•   Central Water Commission was established in 1945 on advice of Dr B R Ambedkar.
•   CWC works under Ministry of Jal Shakti and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Reserve Bank of India imposed monetary penalty of Rs 59.20 lakh on IndusInd Bank Limited on 17 August 2026 for non-compliance with regulatory directions on interest rate on deposits and securitization of standard assets. The penalty followed statutory inspection of financial position as on 31 March 2025.

Key Highlights:
•   RBI imposed Rs 59.20 lakh monetary penalty on IndusInd Bank.
•   Penalty followed statutory inspection of bank financial position as on 31 March 2025.
•   Bank did not comply with directions on Interest Rate on Deposits.
•   Bank also violated norms related to Securitization of Standard Assets.
•   It paid unauthorized interest on deposits held in certain current accounts.
•   It was involved in prohibited synthetic securitization activities.
•   Action was taken under Sections 47A(1)(c) and 46(4)(i) of Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
•   Penalty concerns regulatory-compliance deficiencies and does not affect validity of transactions with customers.

Additional Information:
•   RBI was established on 1 April 1935 under RBI Act, 1934.
•   RBI was nationalised on 1 January 1949.
•   RBI headquarters is in Mumbai.
•   First RBI Governor was Sir Osborne Smith.
•   IndusInd Bank commenced operations in 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
•   Bank name is derived from Indus Valley Civilisation.

A newly discovered Himalayan plant species was named Impatiens nimspurjai in honour of mountaineer Nirmal Purja on 18 August 2026. The species was discovered in Myagdi district of Nepal at altitude of around 2,800 to 2,900 metres.

Key Highlights:
•   New Himalayan plant species was named Impatiens nimspurjai.
•   The species was named in honour of mountaineer Nirmal Nimsdai Purja.
•   It was found in Myagdi district of Nepal at 2,800 to 2,900 metres altitude.
•   The species belongs to Impatiens genus.
•   It is locally known in Nepal as tiuri.
•   Researchers Bhakta Bahadur Raskoti and Rita Ale are credited with discovery.
•   Nirmal Purja climbed all 14 world 8,000-metre peaks in six months and six days in 2019.
•   He was part of first team to complete winter ascent of K2 in 2021.

Additional Information:
•   Nirmal Purja founded Nimsdai Foundation.
•   He started Big Mountain Cleanup initiative to remove expedition waste from high-altitude peaks.
•   Myagdi district is in Gandaki Province of Nepal.
•   Myagdi is located at confluence of Kali Gandaki and Myagdi rivers.
•   Myagdi region includes Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges.

India won both Open and Girls Blitz titles at Asian Junior Chess Championship 2026 held in Mumbai on 17 August 2026. Vignesh Vermula won Open title and Saranya Devi won Girls title, while Indian players secured all podium positions in both categories.

Key Highlights:
•   Vignesh Vermula won Open Blitz gold medal.
•   He was seeded 23rd and won title after tie-break scores.
•   Saranya Devi won Girls Blitz gold medal.
•   Sharnarthi Viresh won Open silver and Nandish V S won Open bronze.
•   Prishita Gupta won Girls silver and Shanmathi Sree won Girls bronze.
•   India completed podium sweeps in both Open and Girls sections.
•   Championship was held at ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai.
•   The event was inaugurated by former BMC Commissioner Jayraj Pathak.

Additional Information:
•   Asian Junior Chess Championship is an annual international tournament for players under age 20 from Asian federations.
•   Championship has Standard, Rapid and Blitz formats.
•   Open and Girls Standard winners are generally awarded International Master and Woman International Master titles.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sanctioned 2,89,355 pucca houses worth Rs 3,473 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin in Rajasthan on 17 August 2026. The announcement also included revised eligibility measures and expanded Lakhpati Didi targets for the state.

Key Highlights:
•   Rajasthan received sanction for 2,89,355 pucca houses under PMAY-G.
•   Total outlay for the houses is Rs 3,473 crore.
•   Approval letter worth Rs 340.59 crore was handed over under PM-RKVY.
•   Families owning two-wheelers are now eligible for assistance under revised PMAY-G rules.
•   Monthly income ceiling for women increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.
•   Land-ownership limit is 5 acres unirrigated or 2.5 acres irrigated land.
•   Survey of 29,13,749 potential beneficiaries was completed for verification.
•   Rajasthan Lakhpati Didi target was doubled from 16 lakh to 32 lakh women.
•   Viksit Bharat-GRAM G has target of Rs 12,000 crore investment over next nine months.

Additional Information:
•   PMAY-G was launched in 2016 after restructuring Indira Awaas Yojana.
•   Nodal ministry is Ministry of Rural Development.
•   PMAY-G provides pucca houses with basic amenities to houseless households.
•   Lakhpati Didi aims to help women Self Help Group members earn minimum annual income of Rs 1 lakh.
•   National target for Lakhpati Didi is 3 crore women.

India and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Yerevan on 17 August 2026 to enhance bilateral cooperation in defence research, development, high-technology military systems and shared production. The MoU was signed by India Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Armenia Minister of High Tech Industry Davit Tadevostyan.

Key Highlights:
•   India and Armenia signed defence MoU in Yerevan.
•   MoU focuses on defence research and development cooperation.
•   It promotes innovation in high-technology military systems.
•   The agreement supports shared production in defence industry.
•   India Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh signed on behalf of India.
•   Armenia Minister of High Tech Industry Davit Tadevostyan signed on behalf of Armenia.
•   The meeting included Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha, Armenia Defence Minister Suren Papikyan and Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Edvard Asryan.

Additional Information:
•   Capital of Armenia is Yerevan.
•   Currency of Armenia is Armenian Dram.
•   Armenia is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran.
•   India Ministry of Defence headquarters is in New Delhi.
•   Ministry of Defence is responsible for Indian Armed Forces and defence production.

Chief Information Commissioner launched AppCoMS 2.0 portal on 17 August 2026 to digitise and streamline processing of Second Appeals and Complaints under Right to Information Act, 2005. The upgraded platform enables end-to-end digital case processing and improves access for applicants and Central Public Information Officers.

Key Highlights:
•   CIC launched AppCoMS 2.0 for RTI Second Appeals and Complaints.
•   AppCoMS stands for Appeal and Complaint Management System.
•   Original AppCoMS portal was introduced in September 2016.
•   Version 2.0 improves security, digital infrastructure and user experience.
•   Dedicated user accounts are provided for applicants and Central Public Information Officers.
•   Accounts are linked to e-mail IDs and mobile numbers.
•   Digital Signature Certificates are integrated for digital issue of notices and orders.
•   Applicants can see case timelines, access documents and download hearing notices and decisions.
•   Portal enables end-to-end digital processing from registration to final dispatch of orders.

Additional Information:
•   Central Information Commission was established in 2005 under RTI Act.
•   CIC functions under Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
•   CIC consists of Chief Information Commissioner and up to 10 Information Commissioners.
•   CIC headquarters is in New Delhi.
•   RTI Act, 2005 replaced Freedom of Information Act, 2002.

Shabnam Sinha was appointed Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank for three-year tenure, succeeding Sunil Bharti Mittal from 1 October 2026. The appointment was approved by Reserve Bank of India after her earlier role as Independent Director of bank.

Key Highlights:
•   Shabnam Sinha was appointed Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank.
•   Her tenure is for three years.
•   She will succeed Sunil Bharti Mittal on 1 October 2026.
•   RBI approved her appointment.
•   She earlier served as Independent Director of Airtel Payments Bank.
•   She has over three decades of experience in development finance and public policy.
•   She currently chairs board special committee for monitoring frauds.
•   Sunil Bharti Mittal will step down from board on 30 September 2026.

Additional Information:
•   Airtel Payments Bank is India first payments bank to commence operations.
•   It launched full operations in January 2017.
•   Airtel Payments Bank headquarters is in New Delhi.
•   Sunil Bharti Mittal was appointed non-executive chairman in April 2016.
•   He received Padma Bhushan in 2007 and founded Bharti Enterprises in 1976.