India becomes the first South Asian country to host the World Circular Economy Forum, Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY turns eight, Jaishankar and Rubio discuss the fallout of the new US Russia-sanctions law in New York, Assam lays the foundation for an advanced ISRO radar facility, and Mirabai Chanu finally gets her Asian Games medal as India's contingent climbs past 14 medals in Japan. Here is the news that matters for competitive exams today.
India – National Affairs
India hosts World Circular Economy Forum 2026, a first for South Asia
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, inaugurated the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, held from 15 to 18 September 2026. With this, India became the first South Asian country to host the WCEF.
Key details
- Theme: "Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity."
- Organised by: the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in collaboration with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra (Government of Finland), the MoEFCC, and the Government of Gujarat with the Gujarat Pollution Control Board.
- Publications released at the inaugural session: 'Best Practices for Reuse of Treated Sewage' and 'Driving Sustainability – A Guide to India's Circular Economy and EPR Initiatives.'
Assam CM lays foundation for ISRO's Advanced Radar Research Facility
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma laid the foundation stone for ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) Advanced Radar Research Facility (IARRF) at Chandrapur in Kamrup Metropolitan district, Assam.
The facility will strengthen India's satellite tracking, orbit-determination and space-situational-awareness capabilities in the Northeast, complementing ISTRAC's existing network of ground stations across the country.
Ayushman Bharat – PM-JAY completes eight years
The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), India's flagship health assurance scheme, completed eight years on 23 September 2026. The scheme was launched on 23 September 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and remains the world's largest government-funded health assurance programme, providing cashless secondary and tertiary hospitalisation cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to eligible beneficiaries.
Delhi Cabinet approves DURGA scheme for women e-auto drivers
The Delhi government approved the Driving Upliftment and Rozgar for Women/Transgender Green e-Auto (DURGA) scheme on 23 September 2026, providing 1,300 pink electric autos to women and transgender persons to boost safe, green livelihood opportunities in the capital.
Andhra Pradesh Police launch AI Drone Portal and SafeStay App
Andhra Pradesh Police, under Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta and Guntur Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal, rolled out two technology-based platforms: an AI Drone Portal for enhanced aerial surveillance and crime prevention, and a SafeStay App to strengthen safety monitoring for hostels, paying-guest accommodations and similar establishments.
Sitharaman calls for shift from 'Made in India' to 'Imagined in India'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, speaking at the 53rd National Management Convention on 22 September 2026, called for an economic shift in emphasis from "Made in India" to "Imagined in India," underlining the need to move up the value chain toward design, innovation and intellectual property rather than manufacturing alone.
Other national headlines
- The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has begun redevelopment work on Shastri Bhawan and Krishi Bhawan, government office buildings in Lutyens' Delhi originally constructed between 1956 and 1968.
- The Assam Government announced that it will go fully paperless from 1 January 2027 under its e-Office system.
- A rare leucistic Great Cormorant – with unusually pale feathers – was spotted at Ameenpur Lake near BHEL, Hyderabad, on 19 September 2026.
- Obituary: Veteran Malayalam actress Savithri Sreedharan, known for her contributions to Malayalam theatre and cinema, died on 23 September 2026 at her residence in Mankavu, Kozhikode, Kerala.
Economy & Banking
Jaishankar and Rubio discuss fallout of US Russia-sanctions law for India
External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks in New York to discuss the potential implications for India of the recently signed Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which allows President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on countries that purchase Russian crude oil.
- The law is designed to further curb Russian oil exports that help finance Russia's war effort in Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
- India-US ties have been under strain in recent months over tariff tensions and differing accounts of mediation in the India-Pakistan conflict of the previous year.
Concerns raised over 0.4% UPI merchant charge proposal
Newspaper reports have flagged concern over a proposed 0.4% charge on specified person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI payments above Rs. 2,000, reviving debate over Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), payment infrastructure costs and their impact on merchants, following the government's recent moves to keep small-value UPI transactions charge-free.
Super El Niño could cause an estimated 15,800 additional heat-related deaths in India
A Climate Impact Lab report estimates approximately 15,800 additional heat-related deaths in India (give or take 1,600) between September 2026 and February 2027, as exceptionally strong "Super El Niño" conditions – unusual warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean – drive up temperatures. The findings carry implications for climate adaptation, energy security and disaster management planning.
Follow-through: BRICS, growth outlook and GIFT City
- The 18th BRICS Summit (New Delhi, 12–13 September) continues to be analysed as an instrument of India's strategic autonomy, allowing India and China to stay engaged on global trade, finance, climate and AI-regulation issues despite bilateral differences, without India aligning automatically with any single bloc.
- Moody's recent upgrade of India's FY27 growth forecast to 7% and GIFT City's climb to 37th in the Global Financial Centres Index remain key economic data points this month.
Daily Current Affairs 24 September 2026 - Download Free PDF Here
Science & Technology
ISTRAC's Advanced Radar Research Facility to strengthen India's space tracking network
The new IARRF facility being established at Chandrapur, Assam, is expected to enhance ISRO's satellite tracking, telemetry and command capabilities from the Northeast, supporting the growing cadence of Indian launches, including upcoming Gaganyaan and navigation satellite missions.
Follow-through: ISRO-ESA cooperation and India's quantum push
- ISRO and the European Space Agency extended their Cooperative Agreement to 8 January 2032, widening collaboration to space weather and human/robotic exploration.
- India's National Quantum Mission continues to expand, with C-DOT's 14 indigenous quantum products and IISc Bengaluru's Foundation for Quantum Computing Innovation among recent milestones.
Defence & Security
India's AH-64E Apache helicopters take part in Yudh Abhyas 2026
India's AH-64E Apache attack helicopters are participating in Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026, the 22nd edition of the annual India-US bilateral military exercise that began on 15 September and runs simultaneously at the Auli Foreign Training Node, Uttarakhand, and the Mahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan.
India-France defence-space ties deepen further
This week's Nibe Limited–Thales Alenia Space satellite partnership and the earlier trilateral agreements signed at the International Space Summit in Paris continue to reinforce the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership, spanning both civil space and defence-linked technology cooperation.
Sports
Asian Games 2026: Mirabai Chanu ends her wait with weightlifting silver; India's medal tally climbs past 14
Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games 2026 on 23 September (Day 4), finally securing her first Asiad medal at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. India finished Day 4 with 12 medals overall, with shooting and soft tennis also contributing bronzes.
Day 5 (24 September) highlights so far
- India's medal tally rose to 14 as the day progressed, with Satnam Singh and Salman Khan winning bronze in the men's double sculls (rowing).
- Wushu star Roshibina Devi settled for silver in the women's sanda 60kg final, losing to China's Zhang Xiaoyu.
- Skeet shooters Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Parinaaz Dhaliwal advanced to the mixed skeet final, having already helped India's men's and women's skeet teams win bronze the previous day.
- Balraj Panwar finished fourth in the men's single sculls final after being in medal contention for much of the race.
- India remained competitive across rowing, shooting, canoe sprint, athletics, table tennis, squash and swimming through the day.
Standings context
- China continued to lead the overall medal tally with around 77–78 medals; India stood around 13th in the standings.
- India's 500-strong contingent is chasing an improvement on its record 106-medal haul (28 gold, 38 silver, 40 bronze) from Hangzhou 2023, where it finished fourth overall.
- Five individual Olympic medallists – PV Sindhu, Manu Bhaker, Lovlina Borgohain, Aman Sehrawat and Mirabai Chanu – remain in focus for India across the remaining days; Neeraj Chopra opted out of defending his javelin title due to injury.
- Seven sports at these Games – archery, hockey, sailing, squash, surfing, tennis and triathlon – also carry direct qualification quotas for the LA 2028 Olympics.
Recap: India's gold medals so far
India's women's cricket team won the Games' first gold for the country on 22 September, retaining their Asian Games title with a 147-run win over Sri Lanka. Both the men's and women's cricket and kabaddi teams, along with men's hockey, entered as defending champions.
Important Days
World Circular Economy Forum 2026 – 15 to 18 September (follow-up)
Though not a formally designated "day," WCEF 2026 – hosted for the first time in South Asia, in Gandhinagar – carries strong exam relevance for questions on circular economy, extended producer responsibility (EPR) and sustainable resource management.
Ayushman Bharat Diwas – 23 September (follow-up)
Marking the anniversary of the launch of AB PM-JAY on 23 September 2018, this date is often referenced in exams as a milestone for India's universal health coverage push, alongside World Patient Safety Day (17 September) earlier this month.
Upcoming: International Day of Sign Languages – 23 September (recap)
The International Day of Sign Languages, observed on 23 September each year since 2018, promotes the recognition of national sign languages for the protection of the human rights of deaf people, and is part of the International Week of the Deaf.
Quick Revision – One-Liners
- WCEF 2026 host – Gandhinagar, Gujarat; India's first as a South Asian host; theme "Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity."
- WCEF 2026 organisers – CPCB, with Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and MoEFCC.
- ISRO's new radar facility – ISTRAC Advanced Radar Research Facility (IARRF), Chandrapur, Assam; foundation laid by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
- AB PM-JAY anniversary – 8 years (launched 23 September 2018); cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year.
- Delhi's new scheme for women e-auto drivers – DURGA scheme; 1,300 pink electric autos.
- Andhra Pradesh Police's new tech platforms – AI Drone Portal and SafeStay App.
- Sitharaman's new economic framing – shift from "Made in India" to "Imagined in India."
- US law discussed by Jaishankar and Rubio – the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, enabling tariffs on Russian-crude buyers including India.
- Climate Impact Lab's Super El Niño estimate – about 15,800 additional heat-related deaths in India, September 2026–February 2027.
- Asian Games 2026: Mirabai Chanu's medal – silver, women's 49kg weightlifting.
- India's Day 5 rowing bronze medallists – Satnam Singh and Salman Khan (men's double sculls).
- India's wushu sanda 60kg silver medallist – Roshibina Devi.
- India's first gold at Asian Games 2026 – women's cricket team (beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs).
- Asian Games 2026 medal-tally leader (as of Day 5) – China, with around 77–78 medals; India around 13th.
- International Day of Sign Languages – 23 September, observed since 2018.
