02nd September, 2026

1. Bihar, Jharkhand Sign MoU to Resolve 25-Year-Old Sone River Water-Sharing Dispute
2. MoSPI Signs MoU with Thapar Institute to Develop AI-Driven Consumption Expenditure Framework
3. DoSJE Sign MoU with Ramakrishna Mission for Intergenerational Bonding Initiative
4. Union MoS Pabitra Margherita Visits Vietnam and Lao PDR from 26-29 August 2026
5. NCDEX Launches ‘RAINCHNNAI’ Weather Derivatives Contract for Chennai’s Northeast Monsoon
6. PhonePe Launches ‘UPI 123Pay’ for Feature Phone Users
7. SBI Research Raises India’s FY27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7.3%
8. Roger Federer Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame
9. China Tests GJ-21 Stealth UAV as Type 076 ‘Sichuan’ Enters Final Sea Trials
10. Argentina’s Lionel Messi Announces Retirement from International Football
11. FIH Hockey World Cup 2026: Germany Clinch Men’s Title, Argentina Win Women’s Crown
12. International Day for People of African Descent 2026 – August 31
13. World Coconut Day 2026
14. UPI Payments Enabled Across Uzbekistan Through National UZQR
15. Veligonda Project Phase-I: CM Naidu Inaugurates Key Irrigation Project
16. John Ternus Takes Over as Apple CEO From Tim Cook
17. ISRO to Launch GSLV-F17 With EOS-05 Earth Observation Satellite
18. Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2026 Honour Three Asian Leaders
19. UN Chief Antonio Guterres to participate in 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi
20. West Bengal govt establishes special disaster response squad “Arjun Vahini”
21. India takes part in 2-day G20 FMCBG meeting in Asheville, US today
22. PM Modi with SCO leaders participates in 6th World Nomad Games opening ceremony in Bishkek
23. Indian table tennis player Ankur Bhattacharjee wins maiden WTT men’s singles title in Czechia
24. 4th Indo-German Environmental Forum to be held in New Delhi today
25. India and Bangladesh discuss mutual interests to strengthen people-to-people ties

National News

Minister Visits Vietnam and Lao PDR

• What: Minister of State for External Affairs & Textiles Shri Pabitra Margherita paid an official visit to Vietnam and Lao PDR from August 26 to 29, 2026, to review bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation under India’s Act East Policy.
• Tell me more:
  • The minister met Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi and delivered a keynote address at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.
  • The visit to Lao PDR marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
  • The minister inaugurated a project for preserving the Phlak-Phlam dance and developing the National Arts College in Vientiane.
  • The official witnessed the MoU exchange for the conservation and restoration of murals at the Wat Pa Khae Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos.

India Hosts 18th BRICS Summit In Delhi

• What: India will host the eighteenth BRICS Summit on September 12 to 13, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi under the chairship theme ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.
• Tell me more:
  • United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will participate in the upcoming summit.
  • India, a founding member of BRICS, has previously held its chairship in 2012, 2016 and 2021. India assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1, 2026. BRICS is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

India Participates in G20 Finance Meeting

• What: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman led India’s delegation at the Group of Twenty (G20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Asheville, United States, focusing on global economic growth, financial stability, trade, and investment.
• Tell me more:
  • The United States hosted the meeting under its G20 presidency to address global debt, trade balances, and international financial system reforms.
  • The Indian finance minister held bilateral talks with United Kingdom Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey on trade cooperation.
  • The delegation met 3M Chief Executive Officer William Brown to discuss advanced manufacturing, technology, and talent utilisation in India.
  • The Main G20 Leaders Summit is scheduled to take place in Miami on December 14 to 15, 2026.

India and Germany Hold Environment Forum

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and German Minister Carsten Schneider co-chaired the fourth Indo-German Environment Forum themed ‘Together For More Resilience’ in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The bilateral forum has been held since 2008 to advance environmental policy cooperation between India and Germany.
  • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment jointly organised the event.
  • The thematic sessions focused on low-carbon industries, biodiversity, circular economy, and sustainable finance, with three joint working groups on climate change, biodiversity, and circular economy meeting ahead of the main forum.

State News

Bihar and Jharkhand Resolve Sone River Dispute

• What: Bihar and Jharkhand signed an inter-state Memorandum of Understanding in Delhi to resolve a 25-year-old dispute over the sharing of Sone River water by allocating 5.75 million acre-feet to Bihar and 2 million acre-feet to Jharkhand.
• Tell me more:
  • This historic agreement stems from the division of undivided Bihar in November 2000 under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement.

Andhra Pradesh Inaugurates Veligonda Irrigation Project

• What: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the first phase of the Veligonda Irrigation Project to divert Krishna River water from the Srisailam Reservoir to the Nallamala Sagar through gravity for irrigation and drinking water needs.
• Tell me more:
  • The first phase completed twin tunnels and feeder canal works, storing Krishna River water in Nallamala Sagar reservoir.

West Bengal Launches Arjun Vahini Disaster Force

• What: West Bengal launched ‘Arjun Vahini’, a specialised state-level disaster response squad comprising 200 former army personnel below the age of 40 to strengthen disaster management capabilities against cyclones and emergencies.
• Tell me more:
  • The new force, modelled on the National Disaster Response Force, will be stationed across vulnerable areas, with personnel earning ₹25,000 monthly and insurance coverage for death and injury.

International News

China Flight-Tests Stealth Drone and Amphibious Ship

• What: China flight-tested its GJ-21 stealth attack drone as the 40,000-tonne Sichuan amphibious assault ship entered its final sea trials ahead of expected delivery to the People’s Liberation Army Navy by the end of the year.
• Tell me more:
  • The GJ-21 is a naval stealth attack drone, seen aboard the Sichuan warship. The Sichuan uses an electromagnetic catapult to launch aircraft, helicopters, and drones, and carries troops, vehicles, and landing craft for amphibious operations.

Banking and Economy

National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Launches RAINCHNNAI Contract

• What: The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) launched RAINCHNNAI, a rainfall-based weather derivatives futures contract allowing market participants to hedge financial exposure linked to Chennai’s Northeast Monsoon.
• Tell me more:
  • This new contract expands the exchange’s monsoon risk management framework introduced earlier with RAINMUMBAI.
  • The contract uses a Cumulative Deviation Rainfall model, tracking rainfall deviation from the Long Period Average using IMD data from Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam stations, with a 10% minimum initial margin for September-December cash-settled futures.

PhonePe Launches Feature Phone Payment App

• What: Digital payments platform PhonePe launched a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app named PhonePe Unified Payments Interface 123Pay for feature phones to bring non-smartphone users onto the digital payments network.
• Tell me more:
  • This service comes pre-installed on feature phones from Nokia, HMD, Lava, and itel, using SMS-based architecture to operate without mobile data.
  • It lets users send money via mobile numbers or Unified Payments Interface (UPI) IDs, powered by the four-year-old UPI 123Pay platform.

Unified Payments Interface Integrated With Uzbekistan

• What: NPCI International Payments Limited (NPIL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), signed an agreement with the National Interbank Processing Centre JSC to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) merchant payments in Uzbekistan by scanning UZQR codes.
• Tell me more:
  • The Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan granted formal regulatory approvals for this cross-border integration.
  • This partnership lets Indian travellers, business people, and students pay directly from their Indian bank accounts using familiar apps, expanding international acceptance while avoiding foreign exchange markup and reducing reliance on international cards or cash.

GDP Forecasts

SBI Revises Gross Domestic Product Growth Forecast

• What: State Bank of India Research revised upwards its real gross domestic product growth forecast for India for financial year 2027 to 7.3% from 6.6% due to stronger-than-expected first quarter growth and resilient domestic demand.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s real gross domestic product grew 7.8% in the first quarter of financial year 2027 compared to 6.9% in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.
  • The services sector grew 10% while manufacturing accelerated to 9.2% in the first quarter, and capital formation doubled to 11.9% while private consumption grew 7.1% during the same period.

Science and Technology

Indian Space Research Organisation Prepares Launch of Satellites

• What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scheduled the launch of the Earth Observation Satellite-05 (EOS-05) aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle F17 (GSLV-F17) from Sriharikota on September 4.
• Tell me more:
  • This mission marks India’s first imaging satellite deployed in a geosynchronous orbit.
  • This satellite will support continuous monitoring for disaster management, weather tracking, and agriculture.

Awards

Roger Federer Enters International Tennis Hall

• What: Tennis legend Roger Federer celebrated his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, surrounded by family, loved ones, and tennis greats.
• Tell me more:
  • The former champion won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record eight Wimbledon crowns, during his glittering career.
  • The Olympic gold and silver medallist officially retired from professional tennis in September 2022.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Asian Nobel Prize) 2026

• What: Winners of 2026

• Tell me more:
  • The Ramon Magsaysay Award, presented in Manila, Philippines, honours the ideals of Ramon Magsaysay, the country’s seventh President. It is Asia’s premier prize, awarded to 353 individuals and organisations for solving human development problems over six decades.
  • From 1958 to 2008, the award had six categories: Government Service, Public Service, Community Leadership, Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts, Peace and International Understanding, and Emergent Leadership, the last inaugurated in 2000 with Ford Foundation support for social changemakers aged 40 or younger.
  • Since 2009, Emergent Leadership has remained the only fixed category. Winners are announced annually on 31 August, Magsaysay’s birth anniversary, with the ceremony held in Manila every November.

Important Days

International Day for People of African Descent 2026 – August 31

• Theme: “Expanding the Human Rights of People of African Descent”
• 2025–2034: Second International Decade for People of African Descent

World Coconut Day 2026 – September 2

Sports

Lionel Messi Announces International Football Retirement

• What: Argentine football star Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39 following Argentina’s run to the World Cup final.
• Tell me more:
  • The legendary forward scored 125 goals across 207 caps during his 21-year international career.
  • Won the FIFA World Cup once, in Qatar 2022, leading Argentina to their first world title since 1986.
  • He is only player to win the Golden Ball (Best Player of the Tournament) twice, at the 2014 and 2022 World Cups.
  • Messi has won the Copa America title twice, guiding Argentina to back-to-back triumphs in the 2021 and 2024 editions.
  • Holds the record for the most goals by a South American player, with 125 international goals — more than double any other Argentina player, and second only to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146.

FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Concluded in Belgium and the Netherlands

6th World Nomad Games in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the opening ceremony of the sixth World Nomad Games (biennial event) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, alongside other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation leaders to celebrate the cultural heritage of nomadic civilisations.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian contingent comprises 87 members, including 73 athletes, 10 cultural representatives, and four scientific participants.
  • The current edition features 43 sports disciplines, including traditional wrestling forms, equestrian events, and strategy games.
  • The first edition of the games took place in Kyrgyzstan in 2014 following the 2012 Bishkek Declaration.

Ankur Bhattacharjee Wins World Table Tennis Title

• Indian table tennis player Ankur Bhattacharjee won his maiden World Table Tennis men’s singles title and secured the men’s doubles gold with Akash Pal at the World Table Tennis Feeder Olomouc tournament in Czechia.

Memorandum of Understanding

Ministry Signs MoU With Thapar Institute

• What: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation signed a MoU with the Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology in Punjab to undertake a research study on developing a predictive and analytical framework for monthly consumption expenditures in India.
• Tell me more:
  • This collaboration leverages Household Consumption Expenditure data to estimate Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure at national and state levels.
  • The study will analyse household consumption patterns and generate evidence for poverty estimation and broader economic planning.
  • This initiative highlights the innovative use of artificial intelligence in official statistics, marking growing collaboration between the ministry and academic institutions for advanced research.

Ministry Signs Intergenerational Bonding MoU

• What: The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission to implement ‘Creating Intergenerational Bonding’, a nationwide initiative strengthening emotional and cultural connections among children, parents, and grandparents through schools.
• Tell me more:
  • This initiative builds on the existing senior citizen welfare ecosystem including the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana.
  • This means researchers will study 50 schools across four regions of India, then create 20 games to help students learn better, train and certify teachers on these games, and roll them out in 200 schools nationwide.

Appointments

John Ternus Takes Over as Apple Chief Executive Officer

• John Ternus officially took over as the chief executive officer of Apple, succeeding Tim Cook, who ended a 15-year tenure leading the technology company.

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