NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India’s cheetah population rises to 52 four years after reintroduction: India’s cheetah population has risen to 52 four years after they were brought from three African countries, marking the world’s first intercontinental translocation of large wild carnivores. They were brought from Namibia, South Africa and Botswana. According to the status review, under the title “Four Years of Cheetahs in India,” 32 cubs were born in the country after the reintroduction of the programme. Of the 52 cheetahs, 49 are currently in Kuno National Park and 3 in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
2. PM Vishwakarma completes three years with 30 lakh artisans registered: The PM Vishwakarma scheme has completed three years with 30 lakh traditional artisans and craftspeople registered across the country, of whom around 24.50 lakh have received basic skill training, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said at the scheme’s third anniversary celebrations in Kolkata. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2023, PM Vishwakarma seeks to strengthen the livelihoods and entrepreneurial capabilities of traditional artisans through skill training, modern toolkits, concessional credit and market support, to provide end-to-end holistic support to traditional artisans and craftspeople working with their hands and tools.
3. N Chandrasekaran Reappointed Tata Sons Chairman for Five Years: Chandrasekaran has been reappointed as the Executive Chairman of Tata Sons for a fresh five-year term, extending his leadership past the end of his current tenure on February 20, 2027. This decision was finalized during a board meeting on September 17, 2026, after Chandrasekaran reversed his previous August announcement to step down, but it has immediately triggered a major governance dispute within the conglomerate.
4. Vice-President releases book ‘A Century of Service: The RSS in 100 Acts of Seva’: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan release of the book “A Century of Service: The RSS in 100 Acts of Seva,” authored by former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. Delivering his address in Tamil, the vice president said the book would serve not only as a record of the RSS’ century-long service but also as a document reflecting India’s tradition of help, culture and national consciousness for future generations.
5. SCO Economic and Trade Ministers Meet in Dushanbe: The 25th Meeting of Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states responsible for foreign economic and foreign trade activities was held on 17 September 2026 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The meeting was chaired by Abdurahmon Abdurahmonzoda, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian intergovernmental grouping founded in 2001. Its member states include China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. The organisation covers security, economic cooperation, transport connectivity and cultural exchanges. Discussions covered the economic situation of SCO member states, sustainable economic growth, macroeconomic stability, trade development, reduction of trade barriers and transport and logistics connectivity. A Joint Statement of the Ministers was adopted during the meeting.
6. Indian Railways Approves Mukutban-Gadchandur New Rail Line: Indian Railways approved a new 38.21 km rail line between Mukutban and Gadchandur in Maharashtra at an estimated cost of ₹493 crore. The project is linked with freight movement, passenger connectivity, and direct rail access for industrial areas in Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts. The new line will connect Mukutban in Adilabad, located in Yavatmal district, with Gadchandur in Chandrapur district. The route is designed as a shorter rail link for traffic moving through the coal and cement belt of eastern Maharashtra. The Detailed Project Report estimates freight traffic of 6.08 million tonnes per annum on the line. The expected freight basket includes coal, cement, and sponge iron, which are major industrial commodities in the area.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. QS Global MBA Rankings 2027: 3 IIMs In Top 100, 19 Indian B-Schools Feature: The QS Global MBA Rankings 2027 have been released, with MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States securing the top position globally. This year, 19 Indian business schools feature in the rankings, with three Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) making it to the global top 100. Five Indian institutions have entered the rankings for the first time. The top Indian entries include IIM Bangalore at 64th globally, followed by IIM Ahmedabad at 70th and IIM Calcutta at 95th. IIM Bangalore’s Executive Post Graduate Programme in Management (EPGP) is the highest-ranked Indian programme in the QS Global MBA 2027 rankings. At 64th globally, IIM Bangalore’s EPGP also recorded the strongest employability performance among the three leading Indian programmes. IIM Bangalore ranked 29th globally for employability, while IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta ranked 35th and 39th, respectively, on the same indicator.
2. Global Gender Gap Index 2026: India Ranks 131st, Iceland tops: India has retained its 131st rank out of 145 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2026, released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) based in Geneva, Switzerland. The 2026 edition marks the 20th anniversary edition of the index (launched in 2006). India achieved an overall gender parity score of 64.5%, which is below the global average of 69.2%.
3. Michael Kremer named World Bank chief economist, to take charge on Oct 1: Nobel laureate and University of Chicago professor Michael Kremer will take over as the World Bank Group’s chief economist on October 1, heading research for the institution and succeeding Indermit Gill, who retired last month. Michael Kremer was awarded the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences (Nobel Prize in economics) jointly with Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty”.
He is the first chief economist to join with a Nobel; other Nobel laureates, including Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Romer, received the honour after serving as the bank’s chief economist.
4. 19 September (Third Saturday): International Red Panda Day: International Red Panda Day 2026 was observed on September 19, 2026, falling on the third Saturday of the month. Purpose: Raise global awareness about the declining red panda population and their shrinking forest habitats.
Founder: Started by the Red Panda Network in 2010. Theme/Slogan 2026: “Run for Red Pandas”
5. September 18: International Equal Pay Day 2026: International Equal Pay Day is observed on September 18, 2026, as highlighted by the International Labour Organization. The day aims to achieve equal pay for work of equal value and eliminate gender-based wage discrimination. Women globally earn significantly less than men on average, highlighting persistent systemic and economic disparities. Theme 2026: “Equal Pay for work of equal value — For everyone, everywhere”.
6. India and Japan to Mark 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations: India and Japan will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027 with the observance of the India-Japan Year of Shared Horizons. The anniversary commemorates the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Japan in 1952. India and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1952. The two countries maintain a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, which covers political, economic, security, and people-to-people cooperation. Several thematic initiatives have been planned for 2027. SPORT-75 will cover sports exchanges, Cricket Kizuna-75 will involve Indian coaches visiting Japan, IMAGE-75 will focus on manga, anime, and gaming partnerships, Shared Future-75 will deal with policy recommendations, and RASA-75 will cover arts and culture. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched a public logo competition in August 2026 for the 75th-anniversary celebrations. The submission deadline for the competition was 15 September 2026.
7. India Ranks 131 in Global Gender Gap Index: The World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index 2026 on 16 September 2026. India ranked 131st among 145 countries in the index, and its position remained unchanged from the previous edition. The Global Gender Gap Index is an annual index published by the World Economic Forum. It measures gender parity across four dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. India recorded an overall gender parity score of 64.5% in 2026. This score was below the global average of 69.2%, which represented 69.2% of the gender gap closed worldwide. India’s rank of 131st was unchanged from the 2025 edition. The country’s overall score improved slightly in 2026, but the rank did not change.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. CISF, IIT Kanpur sign twin MoUs to boost cyber security and counter-drone capabilities: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) to strengthen its capabilities in cyber security and drone and anti-drone technology for the protection of critical and strategic infrastructure. The agreements provide for a six-week residential cyber security training programme through C3iHub, IIT Kanpur, and the establishment and development of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Drone and Anti-Drone Technology at the CISF’s MPRTC in Behror, Rajasthan.
SPORTS
2. Manu Bhaker, Tajinderpal Singh Toor Named Asian Games Flag-Bearers: Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor were named India’s flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony on 18 September 2026. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 19 September 2026 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Asian Games are a continental multi-sport event organised by the Olympic Council of Asia. The opening ceremony is the formal start of the Games and usually includes the parade of nations, flag display, and athlete oath. Manu Bhaker is an Indian shooter and a double Olympic medallist. She won two medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which made her one of India’s most successful athletes at a single Olympic edition.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. India Electric Mobility Index 2025: Delhi Leads As States Accelerate Electric Mobility Transition Across India: NITI Aayog released the India Electric Mobility Index 2025 on 15 September 2026 in collaboration with WRI India, making it the second edition of the index after 2024. Delhi emerged as the top performer with a score of 84, followed by Maharashtra (78), Karnataka (73), Chandigarh (71) and Goa (65). These five jurisdictions were classified as Top Performers. The overall scores of the 36 States and Union Territories ranged from 10 to 84, while the median score increased from 36 in 2024 to 40 in 2025, indicating broad but uneven improvement. Madhya Pradesh recorded the most notable improvement in ranking, moving from 23rd to 7th position, while Delhi increased its score from 77 to 84 and Maharashtra from 68 to 78.
2. Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake Returns to California After Eight Years: A yellow-bellied sea snake washed ashore at Crystal Cove in Orange County, California, in September 2026. It was the first reported appearance of the venomous species in the state since 2018. The species is an ocean-dwelling reptile that usually lives in tropical and subtropical waters. The yellow-bellied sea snake belongs to the group of sea snakes, which are fully marine reptiles. It is known for a yellow underside and a dark upper body. The species has potent venom and is generally sluggish out of water. Yellow-bellied sea snakes are usually found in warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. They are rarely seen far north of their normal range. Ocean currents and warm sea surface temperatures can carry them into unusual coastal areas.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. ₹1 crore penalty on Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company over mis-selling of a deferred annuity policy to an 88-year-old senior citizen: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) fined Canara HSBC Life Insurance ₹1 crore on September 10, 2026, for mis-selling a deferred annuity policy to an 88-year-old customer through Canara Bank. The regulator acted after taking suo-motu notice of a social media post detailing the violation. The order offers several lessons for senior citizens and their families when buying annuity or other long-term insurance products, particularly through bank branches.
2. RBI cancels licences of 5 NBFCs, 8 others surrender registrations: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 17 September cancelled the certificates of registration of five non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), while eight other NBFCs surrendered their registrations for various reasons.
The RBI cancelled the licences of Dar’s Financial Services, Rolta Holding and Finance Corporation, Vasudeo Securities, Parsoli Corporation and A C Choksi Financial Services. Separately, Anupam Mercantile, Grand Motor and Finance, Sky Limit International Finance and ASA International India Microfinance surrendered their licences after exiting the Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI) business. Shivam Securities Pvt Ltd and April Investment and Finance Pvt Ltd surrendered their licences after ceasing to be legal entities due to amalgamation, merger, dissolution or voluntary strike-off.
3. Moody’s raises India FY27 growth forecast to 7% from 6%: India’s economy has proved more resilient to the shock from the Middle East conflict than Moody’s Ratings had expected, prompting the ratings agency to sharply raise its forecast for real GDP growth in 2026-27 to 7% from 6% previously. The upgrade, announced in Moody’s periodic review of India on 18 September, was driven by stronger private consumption, robust gross fixed capital formation, continued public infrastructure spending, signs of a revival in private investment and sustained strength in services.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Chennai-born Sethuraman Panchanathan named 2026 Bueche Award recipient, first Indian American to receive honour: Indian American engineer and technology policy expert Sethuraman Panchanathan has been named the 2026 recipient of the Arthur M. Bueche Award by the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), making him the first Indian American to receive the honour in its more than 40-year history. Sethuraman Panchanathan, a University Professor of Technology and Innovation at Arizona State University (ASU) and former director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF), will receive the award in October at the NAE’s annual meeting in Washington, DC. The award recognises contributions to US science and technology policy, technological development and collaboration between industry, government and universities. The NAE honoured Panchanathan “for leadership in promoting fundamental science, technology and policy that advances translational research and expands opportunities nationwide.”
2. Anant Nag to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024: Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag has been named the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 for his remarkable five-decade contribution to Indian cinema. He is only the second Kannada actor to win this award, following Dr. Rajkumar in 1995. Over 300 films across Kannada, Hindi, and other languages. 72nd National Film Awards ceremony in Kevadia, Gujarat. India’s highest honor in cinema, featuring a Swarna Kamal medallion, a shawl, and a ₹10 lakh cash prize.
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