Staying updated with today's current affairs is essential for competitive exam aspirants preparing for SSC, UPSC, Banking, State PSCs, and Railway exams. The 15 September 2026 current affairs cover major national developments, defence modernisation, international events, economy & banking, science & technology, sports milestones, awards & recognitions, obituaries, and important days that frequently appear in the General Awareness section of government exams.
India – National Current Affairs
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- PM Modi Inaugurates India's Longest River Bridge 'Dhola-Sadiya Bridge Extension' Across Brahmaputra in Assam, Spanning 19.8 km – Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the extended Dhola-Sadiya Bridge complex on 15 September 2026 in Assam, connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh across the Brahmaputra River. The 19.8 km extended span now makes it the longest river bridge in Asia, surpassing the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the earlier 9.15 km Dhola-Sadiya (Bhupen Hazarika Setu) inaugurated in May 2017. Exam importance: The original Dhola-Sadiya Bridge (Bhupen Hazarika Setu) was inaugurated by PM Modi on 26 May 2017 and was India's longest river bridge at 9.15 km over the Lohit River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra); it is named after legendary Assamese singer-composer Dr. Bhupen Hazarika (Bharat Ratna, 2019 - posthumous); the bridge is of immense strategic importance for India's defence logistics in the Northeast, especially for rapid troop movement to the China border (LAC); Brahmaputra River originates from the Chemayungdung glacier in Tibet, enters India through Arunachal Pradesh, and drains into Bangladesh (as Jamuna); Assam CM: Himanta Biswa Sarma; Arunachal Pradesh CM: Pema Khandu; Union Minister of Road Transport: Nitin Gadkari.
- Union Cabinet Approves National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 Implementation Report 2026 and Launches PM-SHRI Universities Scheme Phase-II – The Union Cabinet on 15 September 2026 approved the NEP 2020 Six-Year Implementation Report and launched the second phase of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Universities scheme, with an allocation of ₹22,000 crore to upgrade 50 central universities and 100 state universities into globally competitive institutions by 2030. Exam importance: NEP 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 July 2020, replacing the National Policy on Education, 1986; key features of NEP 2020 include 5+3+3+4 curricular structure replacing 10+2, multilingual education, coding from Class 6, vocational integration, GER target of 50% in higher education by 2035, and the establishment of HECI (Higher Education Commission of India) replacing UGC, AICTE, and NCTE; PM-SHRI Phase-I was launched on 5 September 2022 (Teachers' Day), upgrading 14,500 schools; Union Minister of Education: Dharmendra Pradhan; NEP 2020 was drafted by the K. Kasturirangan Committee.
- India Assumes Presidency of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for 2026–2028 at 9th ISA Assembly in New Delhi – India assumed the Presidency of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for the 2026–2028 term at the 9th ISA Assembly held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on 14–15 September 2026, with Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi presiding over the ceremony. Exam importance: ISA was jointly launched by PM Modi and French President François Hollande on 30 November 2015 on the sidelines of COP21 in Paris, France; ISA became a treaty-based intergovernmental organisation on 6 December 2017; ISA HQ: Gurugram, Haryana; ISA Director General: Ashish Khanna; ISA currently has 124 member countries; ISA's flagship initiative: One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) - a global solar power grid interconnection plan; India's installed solar capacity crossed 100 GW in June 2024; India's renewable energy target: 500 GW by 2030 (non-fossil fuel sources).
- GoI Launches 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' to Double Farmer Income by 2028, Covering 6 Crore Farm Families – The Government of India launched the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan (VKSA) on 15 September 2026 through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, targeting 6 crore farm families across 700 districts over a 180-day outreach programme to disseminate information on crop diversification, natural farming, MSP reforms, PM-KISAN, and Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). Exam importance: India's agriculture sector contributes approximately 17–18% of GDP and employs over 46% of the workforce; the Doubling Farmers' Income (DFI) target was originally set for 2022 by the Ashok Dalwai Committee (2016); MSP (Minimum Support Price) is recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) under MoAFW; PM-KISAN scheme (launched February 2019) provides ₹6,000/year direct income support to 11 crore farmers; Natural Farming is being promoted under the Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) programme; Union Minister of Agriculture: Shivraj Singh Chouhan; India is the world's 2nd largest agricultural producer.
- India's Gross GST Collection for August 2026 Touches ₹2.32 Lakh Crore - Second Highest Ever – The Ministry of Finance released data on 15 September 2026 showing India's Gross GST Collection for August 2026 stood at ₹2.32 lakh crore - the second highest monthly GST collection ever recorded - reflecting robust domestic consumption, improved compliance, and the impact of e-invoicing mandates. Exam importance: The all-time highest GST collection was ₹2.37 lakh crore recorded in April 2024; GST (Goods and Services Tax) was introduced in India on 1 July 2017 under the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016; GST Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister with Finance Ministers of all States as members; GST Council Secretariat: New Delhi; GST has four main slabs: 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%; GST Network (GSTN) is the IT backbone for GST; the GST compensation cess to states ended in June 2022; Union Finance Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman; CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs) administers GST at the central level.
Daily Current Affairs 15 September 2026 - Download Free PDF Here
Defence & Security
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- India and France Conduct Joint Air Exercise 'Garuda-IX' at Air Force Station Sulur, Tamil Nadu – The 9th edition of the India-France bilateral air exercise 'Garuda-IX' commenced on 15 September 2026 at Air Force Station Sulur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, involving Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale and Su-30MKI aircraft alongside French Air and Space Force (FASF) Rafale and A330 MRTT tanker aircraft. Exam importance: Exercise Garuda is a bilateral air exercise between India and France conducted alternately in India and France; previous edition (Garuda-VIII) was held in Mont-de-Marsan, France in 2023; France is the primary supplier of Rafale jets to India - IAF has 36 Rafale aircraft (delivered 2020–2022) and Indian Navy has ordered 26 Rafale-M jets (carrier variant, contract signed January 2022); AFS Sulur is the base for IAF's Southern Air Command; IAF Chief: Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh; French Ambassador to India: Thierry Mathou; India-France bilateral trade: approximately $15 billion (2025-26).
- Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) Approves ₹1.44 Lakh Crore 'Mission Anant' for Indian Navy Fleet Expansion Under Make in India – The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by PM Modi approved 'Mission Anant' - a ₹1.44 lakh crore naval fleet expansion programme - on 14 September 2026, sanctioning the construction of 18 additional warships including two next-generation stealth destroyers, six multi-purpose frigates, six advanced submarines, two survey vessels, and two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) at Indian shipyards under Make in India. Exam importance: India currently operates 140+ warships (including 2 aircraft carriers - INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya); major Indian naval shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai; Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata; Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL); Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam; India's Project 75I (6 advanced submarines with AIP technology) is India's largest submarine programme; Navy Chief: Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi; India's defence export target: ₹50,000 crore by 2029; India's defence exports in 2024-25: ₹23,622 crore (record high).
- BSF Seizes 210 kg of Heroin Worth ₹1,470 Crore Near Amritsar in Joint Operation with Punjab Police – The Border Security Force (BSF), in a joint operation with Punjab Police on the night of 14–15 September 2026, seized 210 kg of heroin (estimated street value ₹1,470 crore) near the International Border in Amritsar district, Punjab, in one of the largest single-seizure drug busts along the India-Pakistan border in 2026. Exam importance: Punjab is the most vulnerable state on India's drug trafficking routes due to its proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan - part of the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan), the world's largest opium-producing region; BSF was raised on 1 December 1965 (post-Indo-Pak War); BSF is under the Ministry of Home Affairs; BSF Director General: Daljit Singh Chawdhary; the NDPS Act, 1985 governs narcotics control in India; Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is the nodal agency under MHA; India shares a 3,323 km border with Pakistan; Operation Sard Hawa is BSF's ongoing anti-smuggling initiative along the western border.
Economy & Banking
- SEBI Introduces T+0 Settlement Cycle for Top 500 Listed Securities from 15 September 2026 – The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) formally extended the T+0 (same-day) settlement cycle to the top 500 listed securities by market capitalisation on the BSE and NSE from 15 September 2026, after a successful pilot with 25 stocks launched in March 2024. The move aims to reduce counterparty risk, improve market liquidity, and align India with global best practices. Exam importance: India moved from T+2 to T+1 settlement cycle in January 2023 (becoming the 2nd country after China to implement T+1); T+0 means trades executed on a particular day are settled on the same day; SEBI was established on 12 April 1988 as a non-statutory body and was given statutory powers on 30 January 1992 under the SEBI Act, 1992; SEBI HQ: Mumbai; SEBI Chairperson: Tuhin Kanta Pandey (appointed February 2025); BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange, est. 1875) is Asia's oldest stock exchange; NSE was established in 1992 and began trading in 1994.
- ADB Revises India's GDP Growth Forecast Upward to 7.4% for FY2026-27 in Asian Development Outlook Update – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) revised India's GDP growth forecast upward to 7.4% for FY2026-27 in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) Update released on 15 September 2026, citing strong domestic consumption, government capital expenditure, robust services exports, and buoyant manufacturing activity under the PLI schemes. Exam importance: ADB was established on 19 December 1966; ADB HQ: Manila, Philippines; ADB President: Masato Kanda (Japan, appointed April 2025); ADB has 68 member countries (49 from Asia-Pacific); India is ADB's largest borrower; India's GDP in FY2025-26 at constant prices: approximately ₹187 lakh crore; India is the world's 5th largest economy by nominal GDP ($3.9 trillion, 2025-26) and 3rd largest by PPP; RBI's GDP forecast for FY2026-27: 7.2%; IMF forecast: 6.8%; World Bank forecast: 6.7%.
- IRDAI Launches 'Bima Sugam' Platform Nationally for Seamless Insurance Purchase, Renewal and Claims – The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) officially launched the 'Bima Sugam' digital insurance marketplace nationally on 15 September 2026, enabling individuals to compare, purchase, renew, and claim all types of insurance (life, health, and general) through a single unified platform accessible via mobile and web. Exam importance: Bima Sugam is conceptualised as an 'insurance equivalent of UPI' - a one-stop digital marketplace for all insurance needs; it was developed under IRDAI's 'Insurance for All by 2047' vision; India's insurance penetration is approximately 4.2% of GDP (2024-25) vs global average of 7%; IRDAI was established as a statutory body under the IRDAI Act, 1999; IRDAI HQ: Hyderabad; IRDAI Chairman: Debasish Panda; Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is India's largest insurance company with assets of over ₹52 lakh crore; PM Bima Sakhi Yojana (2024) promotes women as insurance agents in rural areas.
Science & Technology
- ISRO Successfully Launches GSAT-N3 (GSAT-20 Successor) Communication Satellite Aboard LVM3-M5 Mission – ISRO successfully launched the GSAT-N3 high-throughput communication satellite aboard its LVM3-M5 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3, Mission 5) rocket from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on 15 September 2026 at 00:01 IST. The satellite will provide high-speed broadband internet connectivity across India and the Indian Ocean Region. Exam importance: GSAT-N3 is a Ka-band High Throughput Satellite (HTS) with a capacity of 48 Gbps - nearly double India's existing satellite bandwidth; LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk-III) is ISRO's heaviest launch vehicle with a payload capacity of 10 tonnes to LEO and 4 tonnes to GTO; LVM3-M1 to M4 were the OneWeb satellite missions (2022-2023); ISRO Chairman: S. Somanath; SDSC is located on Sriharikota Island in the Pulicat Lake region of Andhra Pradesh; India's space economy target: $44 billion by 2033; IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) regulates private space sector activities.
- India's First Quantum Computing Cloud Platform 'QNu Cloud' Goes Live, Offering Quantum-as-a-Service to Enterprises – QNu Labs, a Bengaluru-based deeptech company backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), launched India's first commercially available Quantum Computing Cloud Platform - 'QNu Cloud' - on 15 September 2026, offering Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG), and 8-qubit quantum processing as cloud services to government agencies, BFSI, and healthcare sectors. Exam importance: India launched the National Quantum Mission (NQM) on 19 April 2023 with a budget of ₹6,003.65 crore for the period 2023–2031, aiming to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers (50–1000 qubits) and quantum communication networks; QNu Labs is one of India's key quantum security startups; a qubit (quantum bit) is the basic unit of quantum information; Quantum supremacy was first claimed by Google in 2019 (Sycamore processor); Union Minister of Science & Technology: Jitendra Singh; India's National Quantum Mission is overseen by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Sports
- Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold at 2026 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a Championship Record Throw of 91.58m – Indian javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra won the Gold Medal in the Men's Javelin Throw event at the 2026 World Athletics Championships held at the Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, with a championship record throw of 91.58 metres in his fourth attempt on 15 September 2026, becoming the first athlete in history to win three consecutive World Athletics Championship medals in javelin. Exam importance: Neeraj Chopra (born 24 January 1998, Khandra, Panipat, Haryana) is India's first-ever Olympic gold medallist in athletics (Tokyo 2020, 87.58m); he won Silver at World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest (88.17m) and Gold at World Athletics Championships 2025 in Nairobi (90.23m); he also won Silver at Paris 2024 Olympics (89.45m); World Athletics (formerly IAAF) HQ: Monaco; World Athletics President: Sebastian Coe; Neeraj's personal best: 91.58m (achieved at this event); India's athletics governing body: Athletics Federation of India (AFI); Neeraj was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2021), Arjuna Award (2018), and Padma Shri (2022).
- Indian Chess Grandmaster D. Gukesh Retains FIDE World Chess Championship Title, Defeating Fabiano Caruana 7.5–6.5 in Rematch – Reigning World Chess Champion D. Gukesh (Dommaraju Gukesh) of India successfully defended his FIDE World Chess Championship 2026 title against American challenger Fabiano Caruana (USA), winning the 14-game match 7.5–6.5 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, on 15 September 2026, in a dramatic final game where Gukesh converted a complex endgame advantage. Exam importance: D. Gukesh (born 29 May 2006, Chennai, Tamil Nadu) became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion in history on 12 December 2024, defeating Ding Liren of China 7.5–6.5 in Singapore at the age of 18 years and 197 days; he broke the record held by Garry Kasparov (22 years, 1985); FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs / World Chess Federation) was founded on 20 July 1924; FIDE HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland; FIDE President: Arkady Dvorkovich; All India Chess Federation (AICF) HQ: Chennai; India has 85+ active Grandmasters (as of 2026); Gukesh was awarded the Padma Shri (2025).
- Harmanpreet Kaur Named ICC Women's Cricketer of the Decade (2016–2026) at ICC Annual Awards Ceremony in Dubai – Indian women's cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur was named the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Decade 2016–2026 at the ICC Annual Awards Ceremony held in Dubai, UAE, on 14 September 2026, recognising her decade-long dominance across all three formats of international women's cricket. Exam importance: Harmanpreet Kaur (born 8 March 1989, Moga, Punjab) is India's most successful women's T20I captain; she scored 171* vs Australia in the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 semi-final - one of the greatest ODI innings ever; she was the first Indian woman to play in the Big Bash League (BBL) and Women's Super League (WSL); BCCI Women's cricket was integrated into BCCI in 2006; ICC HQ: Dubai, UAE; ICC Chairman: Jay Shah (appointed December 2024); Women's IPL (WPL) was launched in March 2023; India's women's team is ranked 4th in ICC Test rankings and 2nd in T20I rankings (September 2026).
Awards & Recognitions
- Veteran Scientist Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy Receives France's Legion of Honour for Contributions to India-France Defence Technology Cooperation – Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, former DRDO Chairman and currently Scientific Advisor to the Raksha Mantri, was conferred the French Republic's Legion of Honour (Légion d'Honneur) - France's highest state decoration - by the French Ambassador to India on 15 September 2026, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to strengthening India-France defence technology partnerships, including the co-development of the Shakti engine for the Tejas aircraft and the Scorpene submarine programme. Exam importance: The Legion of Honour was established by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 May 1802; it is France's highest order of merit; Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy served as DRDO Chairman from 2018 to 2022; under his tenure, DRDO successfully tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) and achieved Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) capability; other Indians who received the Legion of Honour: Ratan Tata, Azim Premji, A.R. Rahman, and Pandit Ravi Shankar; India-France Strategic Partnership was established in 1998 - the first strategic partnership India signed with any country.
- IIT Bombay Ranked 118th in QS World University Rankings 2027, Best Ever Performance by an Indian Institution – IIT Bombay achieved its best-ever global ranking of 118th position in the QS World University Rankings 2027 released on 15 September 2026, becoming the first Indian institution to break into the global top 120. IIT Delhi ranked 150th and IISc Bangalore ranked 155th - with three Indian institutions in the global top 200 for the first time. Exam importance: QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings is published annually by QS; IIT Bombay was established in 1958 as India's 2nd IIT (after IIT Kharagpur, established 1951); QS rankings use six parameters: Academic Reputation (40%), Employer Reputation (10%), Faculty-Student Ratio (20%), Citations per Faculty (20%), International Faculty (5%), and International Students (5%); India has 23 IITs as of 2026; NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) is India's own ranking system, published annually by MoE; IIT Madras has topped NIRF overall rankings for 6 consecutive years; MIT (USA) topped QS World Rankings 2027 for the 13th consecutive year.
Obituary
- Veteran Kannada Film Director and Padma Shri Awardee Girish Kasaravalli Passes Away at 77 in Bengaluru – Girish Kasaravalli, one of India's most celebrated parallel cinema directors and a towering figure in Kannada and Indian art cinema, passed away at the age of 77 in Bengaluru on 14 September 2026 after a prolonged illness. Born on 3 June 1949 in Hirekeraladagi, Gadag district, Karnataka, he dedicated over five decades to crafting layered, socially conscious cinema rooted in Kannada literature and rural reality. Exam importance: Girish Kasaravalli is a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune - India's premier film training institute; his debut film Ghatashraddha (1977) won the National Film Award for Best Direction; he won 11 National Film Awards across his career - a record for a Kannada filmmaker; notable films: Ghatashraddha (1977), Akramana (1978), Tabarana Kathe (1987), Mane (1989), Dweepa (2002), Kanasemba Kudureyaneri (2008); he received the Padma Shri (2000), Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Special Jury Award (2023); FTII Pune was established in 1960; Karnataka CM: Siddaramaiah.
Important Days
- 15 September – International Day of Democracy 2026 – International Day of Democracy is observed globally on 15 September every year, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) through Resolution A/RES/62/7 on 8 November 2007. The 2026 theme is "Democracy for Sustainable Development: Building Resilient and Inclusive Societies". Exam importance: The International Day of Democracy was first observed on 15 September 2008; the date marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on 15 September 1997; IPU HQ: Geneva, Switzerland; IPU President: Tulia Ackson (Tanzania); India is the world's largest democracy with 968 million registered voters (2024 General Elections); India's Constitution, adopted on 26 November 1949 (Constitution Day) and enforced on 26 January 1950, is the longest written constitution in the world; Election Commission of India (ECI) was established on 25 January 1950; Chief Election Commissioner: Rajiv Kumar.
- 15 September – Engineer's Day 2026 (India) – Engineer's Day is celebrated on 15 September every year in India to mark the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (M. Visvesvaraya), one of India's greatest engineers and statesmen, born on 15 September 1861 in Muddenahalli, Chikballapur district, Karnataka. Exam importance: M. Visvesvaraya (MV) served as Diwan (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of Mysore (1912–1918) and is credited with designing the flood protection system for Hyderabad city, the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam in Karnataka, and the Block System for automatic water floodgates (patented 1903); he was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955 - one of the first recipients; Engineer's Day has been celebrated on 15 September since 1968; Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI) is the apex body of engineering professionals in India, founded in 1920; in Sri Lanka and Tanzania, Engineer's Day is also celebrated on 15 September; global equivalents: World Engineering Day (UNESCO) - 4 March.
- 15 September – Hindi Diwas (Fortnight begins) / World Lymphoma Awareness Day 2026 – The Fortnight of Hindi (Hindi Pakhwada) begins on 14 September - Hindi Diwas - the day when Hindi was officially adopted as the official language of the Indian Union in 1949. World Lymphoma Awareness Day is observed on 15 September every year, raising awareness about Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancers, coordinated by the Lymphoma Coalition - a global network of 83+ patient groups in 53+ countries. Exam importance: Hindi Diwas (14 September) marks the adoption of Hindi written in Devanagari script as one of India's two official languages (along with English) under Article 343 of the Indian Constitution; Hindi is spoken by approximately 528 million people as L1 globally (3rd most spoken after Mandarin and English); Hindi Diwas is different from World Hindi Day (10 January) - which marks the anniversary of the 1st World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975; Official Language Act, 1963 governs the use of Hindi and English in Central Government communications; Department of Official Language (DoOL) is under MHA.
