Weekly Current Affairs Test : 22nd to 30th September 2026

Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has been selected for the establishment of Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ). The project involves an investment of around ₹5,500 crore and is expected to generate more than 18,000 direct employment opportunities. The TMZ will comprise around 24–25 telecom manufacturing units producing telecom equipment and components. The project aims to establish Gwalior as a major telecom manufacturing hub and strengthen domestic telecom manufacturing.

Suchika Tariyal created history by winning India’s first Asian Games medal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). She won a bronze medal in the women’s Traditional -60 kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. Tariyal lost to Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo in the semifinals after the bout went into overtime. Tariyal is a national-level judoka and had represented India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Asian Games in kurash. She won a world title in Fighting Jiu-Jitsu in 2024.

Arunachal Pradesh has received the D. S. Mahajan Excellence Award 2025–26 for Best State in Scout & Guide Fellowship. The award was conferred by the Indian Scout & Guide Fellowship (ISGF). It was presented during the 36th General Assembly of ISGF held in Kannur, Kerala. The award recognises Arunachal Pradesh’s contribution towards promoting friendship, service, discipline and fellowship through Scouting and Guiding.

World Alzheimer’s Day is observed annually on 21 September as part of World Alzheimer’s Month. The 2026 theme is “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters.” The theme focuses on the importance of early detection and diagnosis of dementia. It aims to reduce the social stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The observance promotes access to timely medical guidance, diagnosis, treatment and care. More than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, and this number is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan, hosts the 2nd edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, a multinational air exercise conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF). It is a multinational air exercise involving the air forces of friendly countries. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, tactical coordination and operational cooperation. It involves joint aerial operations, tactical training and complex aerial missions. The exercise facilitates the exchange of operational practices, tactics and mission-planning approaches. The 1st edition was held in 2024 in two phases at Sulur, Tamil Nadu, and Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the ‘Delhi PM Surya Ghar’ registration portal under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. The portal will facilitate rooftop solar installation for households across Delhi. Residents can use it to access information on subsidies, authorised vendors and grievance redressal. Under the scheme, the Central Government provides a subsidy of up to ₹78,000 for residential rooftop solar systems of up to 3 kW. The Delhi Government provides an additional subsidy, taking the total available support for eligible consumers to up to ₹1.56 lakh. The portal also provides options such as group net metering and community solar for households and group housing societies with limited rooftop space.

Ophiopogon japonicus is a small grass-like herb recorded in India for the first time. It was found in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, at an elevation of 2,185 m. It is commonly known as dwarf lilyturf or mondo grass. It is an evergreen perennial with narrow, grass-like leaves, white to pale-purple flowers and blue fruits. The species is native to East Asia and occurs in China, Japan, Korea and Nepal. Its tuberous roots are traditionally used in Chinese medicine. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family. The discovery extends the known distribution of the species into the Eastern Himalaya.

The government is likely to extend the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme beyond September 30, 2026. RoSCTL is an export incentive scheme for the textile sector, covering products such as apparel, garments, and woven or knitted items. Under the scheme, the government rebates embedded State and Central taxes and levies that are not otherwise refunded, helping Indian textile exports remain competitive. The textile industry has requested a five-year extension of the scheme and a doubling of its allocation from ₹5,000 crore for FY 2026–27. RoSCTL replaced the earlier Rebate of State Levies (RoSL) scheme after the introduction of GST in 2017.

The Defence Ministry signed a contract worth over ₹810 crore with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to procure 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). SAT-SAAW is an air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb designed to destroy or neutralise enemy airfields from a long stand-off range. It can be launched from aircraft such as Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30MKI. The weapon has been indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

National Single Window System (NSWS) is a digital platform that enables investors to identify, apply for and track business approvals through one interface. It was launched on 22 September 2021 and is implemented by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. NSWS promotes Ease of Doing Business by reducing paperwork, repeated submissions, compliance burden and approval time. By 21 September 2026, more than 5.69 lakh business entities had been onboarded. The platform handles more than 3.06 lakh applications and facilitates more than 2.26 lakh approvals annually.

A rare leucistic Great Cormorant was spotted at Ameenpur Lake near BHEL, Hyderabad. The bird was spotted by Raghuvamsh Chavali, a Hyderabad-born Canadian birder. The bird had very pale, almost white feathers, making it look completely different from the normal dark cormorants around it. Leucism is a condition in which birds have reduced pigmentation, causing some or most feathers to appear pale or white. Leucistic birds are different from albino birds, although they may sometimes look similar. Ameenpur Lake is a freshwater lake near BHEL in Hyderabad and is known as a birding site.

The Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana Portal, Urvarak Setu Mobile App and UPCDC Mobile App were launched by Uttar Pradesh government in Lucknow on 23rd September. Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana aims to provide long-term agricultural loans to small and marginal farmers at a reduced effective interest rate of 6%. Its e-Portal was launched to provide digital access for farmers seeking loans. Urvarak Setu Mobile App, launched by the Cooperation Department, is aimed at improving the availability and access of fertilisers and seeds. The Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Database Centre (UPCDC) Mobile App was also launched to strengthen digital cooperative services.

The 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas 2026 was conducted at Auli in Uttarakhand and Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. It is a bilateral military exercise between India and United States. The exercise focused on improving interoperability, coordination and mutual understanding of military tactics and procedures. The drills included M777 Ultra-Light Howitzers, Dhanush guns, Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers and L70 air defence guns. The M-LIDS (Mobile Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System) was also used to practise counter-drone responses.

INS Trishul has arrived at Toulon, France, to participate in the 24th edition of Exercise VARUNA. VARUNA is a bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and French Navy. It aims to enhance interoperability, exchange operational experiences and best practices, and strengthen mutual understanding between the two navies. The exercise reflects the expanding maritime cooperation and strategic partnership between India and France.

India co-hosted the launch of OneSCD, a global partnership aimed at advancing equity and transforming Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) care. The launch was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted India’s efforts through the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission. The Mission was launched in 2023 with the goal of eliminating Sickle Cell Disease as a public health problem by 2047. India reaffirmed its commitment to a coordinated, equitable and sustainable global response to Sickle Cell Disease.

Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won the bronze medal in men’s double sculls at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It was India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the men’s double sculls event. The Indian pair clocked 6:13.25 at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course. China’s Yi Xudi and Nie Yide won gold with a time of 6:09.77. Uzbekistan’s Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov and Pavel Sorin secured silver in 6:10.49.

Google’s Project Suncatcher is a research project exploring whether artificial intelligence (AI) computing infrastructure can be placed in space. The project is scheduled for its first orbital test on 1 October 2026, carrying a prototype satellite aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission. The satellite has been developed in partnership with Planet and will test how Google Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) perform in the space environment. TPUs are custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) designed by Google to accelerate AI and machine-learning workloads.

Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the 2026 Asian Games. They scored 484.6 points, defeating South Korea (478.0), while Iran (415.8) won bronze. Their score of 484.6 set a new Asian record, surpassing the previous record of 481.3, set by Uzbekistan at the Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi. This was India’s second gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games, after the Indian women’s cricket team won gold.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva’ at BHEL Dussehra Maidan, Bhopal. They flagged off 351 buses for seven cities in the first phase. The first phase connects Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Dewas, Katni and Bhind through intercity and intracity bus services. The main objective is to improve village–city connectivity and provide safe, modern and convenient public transport. The state government plans to extend the service to 75% of gram panchayats. The target is to operate 1,500 buses in the first year and increase the fleet to 15,000 buses by 2031.

The Oxford Economics released the Global Cities Index 2026. It evaluates 1,000 major cities worldwide across five categories: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance. Around 100 Indian cities feature in the 2026 index, with Delhi recording the highest overall position among Indian cities at 268th. Among other leading Indian cities, Bengaluru ranked 311st, Mumbai 330th, Chennai 381st, Hyderabad 421st and Pune 427th. Lucknow ranked 725th, Varanasi 832nd, Agra 861st and Kanpur 899th. Sultanpur ranked 999th among the 1,000 cities assessed. Globally, New York ranked first, followed by London, Paris, Seattle and San Francisco.

The French Air and Space Force has deployed four Rafale F4 fighter jets, three A330 MRTT Phénix tanker-transport aircraft and two A400M Atlas aircraft to Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The French deployment is part of Mission Pégase 26. Mission Pégase 26 is conducted by the French Air and Space Force. Mission Pégase 26 is conducted from 8 September to 15 October 2026, involving around 300 personnel. The mission covers approximately 40,000 km with nine stopovers, spanning the Arctic, Pacific, East Asia, Indian Ocean and Near and Middle East.

India’s first port-based e-methanol plant has been established at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, Gandhidham, Gujarat. The project is a joint initiative of Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) and Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL), based in Namrup, Assam. The plant has a total production capacity of 150 tonnes per day and produce e-methanol, a green fuel for cleaner shipping. It uses renewable power, water and biogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) to produce e-methanol.

India achieved a historic Kabaddi golden double at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning gold medals. The Indian men’s team defeated Iran 40–34, while the women’s team defeated Iran 37–34 in their respective finals. India’s men’s team secured its ninth Asian Games Kabaddi gold, while the women’s team won their fourth gold.

The 9th edition of Exercise KAZIND-2026 is conducted from 28 September to 11 October 2026 at Oskemen, Kazakhstan. Exercise KAZIND is a joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan. India has sent a 60-member contingent, mainly from a battalion of the Garhwal Rifles, along with personnel from other services and the Indian Air Force. The exercise focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. The exercise aims to improve interoperability, operational coordination, mutual trust and professional cooperation between the two armed forces.

India secured 10th position at the 48th WorldSkills Competition 2026 held in Shanghai, China. India won 6 Silver Medals and 20 Medals for Excellence, improving from its 13th position at WorldSkills Lyon 2024. India’s six silver medallists were Smriti Nambiar (Bakery), Mohammed Salam (Dental Prosthetics), Kovid Ajay Gangrade (Digital Interactive Media Design), Parth Vohra (Industrial Design Technology), Mehrunissa Begum (Logistics and Freight Forwarding) and Saniya Joshi (Retail Sales). Smriti Nambiar was also named Best of Nation for India. India sent its largest-ever contingent of 70 competitors, competing across 63 skills.

The Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 was held in Singapore in September 2026, focusing on sustainable cooling and protection against extreme heat. Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dong Mingzhu, Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances, were named the first-ever Cool Leaders. Singapore was recognised for passive cooling and heat resilience, while the UAE was recognised for district cooling and global cooling policy. The Assembly also held the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling to coordinate implementation of the Global Cooling Pledge. Global demand for cooling is expected to rise sharply, with the number of air conditioners projected to reach 5.6 billion by 2050.

Researchers have discovered a new species of ancient microscopic fungus preserved on a fossilised plant leaf in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh. The fossil was found in the Middle Siwalik sedimentary formations and dates back around 8–12 million years, during the Late Miocene epoch. Palaeobotanists from Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia, West Bengal, identified the fungus and named it Vizellopsidites miocenicus. The fungus has distinctive features that differentiate it from its previously known relative, Vizellopsidites siwalika. The discovery provides clues about ancient Himalayan ecosystems and past climate conditions.

A rare pyramid-shaped tomb dating to the Roman period has been discovered at Bir Al-Shaghala in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis. The tomb is believed to date to the late 3rd or early 4th century AD, around 1,700 years old. Dakhla Oasis is located in the Western Desert of Egypt. It is one of Egypt’s major oases in the Sahara Desert, surrounded by arid desert landscapes. Its settlements depend heavily on groundwater, which supports agriculture and human habitation. Dakhla has been inhabited since ancient times and contains archaeological remains from Pharaonic, Ptolemaic, Roman and later Islamic periods.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav presented India’s first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) in New Delhi. The certificates were given to Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations covering 33,000 hectares, and to Govind Mohapatra, a bamboo farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA). The event was organised by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, the operating agency for the scheme. PRAMAAN provides a national certification framework for forests, wood, agroforestry and non-timber forest products (NTFPs).

Neeru Dhanda became the first Indian shooter to win gold in the women’s individual trap event at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She scored 26 points in the final, ahead of China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik, who both scored 21. Earlier, Dhanda won silver in the women’s trap team event with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer. She also won her maiden ISSF World Cup gold in women’s trap at Lonato, Italy, in July 2026. Dhanda is associated with the Indian Army Marksmanship Unit and holds the rank of Naib Subedar.