25th September, 2026

1. Govt Mandates BIS Certification for Smartphone Screen Protectors from April 2027
2. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Renamed ICICI Life Insurance
3. TBX Launches B2B Bill Payments on TrustHub via Bharat Connect
4. M3M Hurun India Rich List 2026: Gautam Adani Topped Overall; Shah Rukh Khan Leads Entertainers and Cricketers’ Group
5. Veteran Malayalam Theatre and Film Actress Savithri Sreedharan Passed Away
6. Italian Football Legend and Inter Milan Icon Sandro Mazzola Passed Away
7. Shantanu Moitra to Receive National Lata Mangeshkar Award 2026 in Indore
8. Indian Astronomers Find Rapidly Shrinking White Dwarf Binary
9. Mizoram Woman Farmer to Receive FAO 100 Women Heroes Award
10. NASA Advances PRIMA Far-Infrared Telescope to Phase B
11. US States Have Passed Year-Round Daylight Saving Time Laws
12. UK Launches First Space Squadron to Defend Satellites
13. Punjab Government Notifies 8% DA Hike for Employees and Pensioners
14. Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2027: Gujarat and Darjeeling Railway Make India’s Mark
15. Indian Railways Approves New Tri-Weekly Amrit Bharat Express Between Bhuj in Gujarat and Barauni in Bihar
16. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Launches Workshop on Capacity Enhancement for Effective Forest Management Project in New Delhi
17. Vice President Addresses 4th Edition of International Strategic Engagement Programme at Uprashtrapati Bhawan
18. PM Modi Pays Tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on His Birth Anniversary
19. Union Minister Piyush Goyal Highlights India’s Expanding Engagement with Global Economy at 13th PAFI Annual Forum 2026 in New Delhi
20. IIWW 2026: India and Netherlands Sign Two MoUs to Advance Kalpasar Water Project
21. BRICS Theatre Festival to Be Held in New Delhi from 12th to 14th October
22. INS Trishul Reaches Toulon for 24th India-France Maritime Exercise VARUNA
23. EAM S. Jaishankar Chairs Second FIPIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New York
24. Electronics Secretary S. Krishnan Says India Meets 99.2% of Domestic Mobile Phone Demand
25. Pune to Host UCI Road World Championships in 2032 for the First Time in India
26. Mizoram Launches First ‘Pluck & Pay’ Festival to Boost Rural Tourism
27. 96% of UPI Transactions Below ₹2,000 and Outside New MDR Regime, Says NPCI CEO Dilip Asbe
28. India Co-Hosts Launch of Global Partnership to Advance Sickle Cell Care

National News

Government Makes BIS Certification Compulsory For Smartphone Screen Protectors

• What: Government mandated compulsory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for smartphone screen protectors under Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021, requiring regulatory approval before selling such products in India from April 1, 2027.
• Tell me more:
  • Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) added screen protectors as 66th item to compulsory registration schedule, requiring conformity to Indian Standard IS 19348:2025.
  • India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) estimates mandate will enable ₹12,000-16,000 crore manufacturing industry, generate 60,000 direct and indirect jobs, and contribute ₹2,000 crore in GST revenues.
  • Domestic market for tempered glass screen protectors estimated at 400 million pieces with retail value of ₹20,000 crore in 2025.

Indian Railways Approves New Bhuj-Barauni Amrit Bharat Express

• Indian Railways approved a new tri-weekly Amrit Bharat Express connecting Bhuj in Gujarat with Barauni in Bihar, covering 2,532 km across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

India-Japan Project Strengthens Forest Management Capacity

• What: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav launched a workshop on the Capacity Enhancement for Effective Forest Management Project with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • The seven-year project will run from 2025-26 to 2031-32 and strengthen frontline forest staff through better training, research, technology and field practices.
  • The project will focus on forest fire management, biodiversity conservation, climate action, digital forest management, wood transformation and livelihood generation.
  • The project has a total outlay of ₹537.10 crore, including ₹440.42 crore from JICA and ₹96.68 crore from the Government of India.
  • The project will cover all Indian states and promote cooperation among government departments, research institutions and training institutes.

India Hosts Fourth International Strategic Engagement Programme

• What: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the fourth International Strategic Engagement Programme (IN-STEP), bringing together 38 participants to discuss global security, development and strategic cooperation.
• Tell me more:
  • IN-STEP is a two-week programme jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence and National Security Council Secretariat, with the National Defence College.
  • The programme includes 25 international delegates from 22 countries, mainly from friendly and like-minded nations, including countries from the Global South.
  • The programme covers strategic, security and developmental issues, including technology, cyberspace, artificial intelligence, energy security, maritime security, climate change and supply chains.
  • Previous IN-STEP editions were held in March 2024, October 2024 and October-November 2025.

Modi Pays Tribute to Deendayal Upadhyaya

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary and highlighted his philosophy of Antyodaya, which focuses on uplifting the person at the bottom of society.
• Tell me more:
  • Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968) was a political thinker, economist, and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He pioneered the magazines Rashtra Dharma, Panchajanya, and the daily Swadesh.

FIPIC Members Strengthen India-Pacific Cooperation

• What: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chaired the 2nd Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in New York during the 81st United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming cooperation between India and Pacific Island Countries.
• Tell me more:
  • The meeting reviewed outcomes of FIPIC Summits and progress under the 12-Point Action Plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, covering healthcare, renewable energy, connectivity, technology and capacity building.
  • The participating countries discussed cooperation in renewable energy, climate action, disaster resilience, education, healthcare, capacity building, space, and sustainable coastal and ocean research.
  • India also supports the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
  • Jaishankar encouraged FIPIC members to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Several CDRI projects already cover climate change, renewable energy and sustainable development.
  • The meeting included senior representatives from Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, Micronesia, Vanuatu and Naoero, along with the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum.

India Highlights Global Healthcare Initiatives at UNGA81

• What: Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted India’s healthcare initiatives at two global health engagements during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, focusing on Universal Health Coverage, hepatitis elimination and Sickle Cell Disease.
• Tell me more:
  • At the Seventh Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) & Global Health, Srivastava highlighted over 1.8 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Free Drugs and Diagnostics Service Initiative and Prime Minister’s National Dialysis Programme.
  • India co-hosted OneSCD: A Global Partnership to Advance Equity and Transform Sickle Cell Care, highlighting the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission, launched in 2023 with a goal of eliminating Sickle Cell Anaemia as a public health problem by 2047.

State News

Punjab Raises Dearness Allowance to 50%

• What: Punjab government increased Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees by 8%, raising it from 42% to 50% from September 1, 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • Dearness Allowance (DA) is an inflation-adjusted component of the salary paid to government employees, public sector workers, and pensioners to offset the rising cost of living.

Darjeeling Toy Train Features In Lonely Planet Best In Travel 2027

• What: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) toy train ride secured place in Lonely Planet’s 50 Best in Travel 2027 selections, featuring separately as one of 25 recommended experiences, while Darjeeling town selected among top 25 destinations described as “best for a toy train journey”.
• Tell me more:
  • The 88-km DHR built between 1879 and 1881 connects New Jalpaiguri with Darjeeling and was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as part of Mountain Railways of India.

BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 To Be Held in New Delhi

• What: The Ministry of Culture will organise the BRICS Theatre Festival 2026 from 12 to 14 October in New Delhi under India’s BRICS Presidency 2026, bringing over 100 participants from nine BRICS member and partner countries.
• Tell me more:
  • Theme: “Shared Stories, Shared Futures”
  • Host: National School of Drama (NSD), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.
  • Participants: India, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Vietnam, Iran, South Africa, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. India will present two productions, while Russia will send two theatre groups.
  • The festival will build on the Bhopal Declaration, adopted at the BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting in August 2026, which promoted cultural cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and stronger artist networks. India also proposed a voluntary Artist Registry for such exchanges.

Mizoram Launches First ‘Pluck & Pay’ Festival

• What: Mizoram launched its first ‘Pluck & Pay’ Festival in Khawzawl district from September 23 to 25, allowing visitors to harvest farm produce and pay farmers directly while promoting tourism-led rural livelihoods.
• Tell me more:
  • The festival combines farming, tourism and culture, linking visitors with local communities. It includes farm visits, local cuisine, music, dance and handicrafts.

International News

NASA Announces PRIMA Far-Infrared Telescope Mission For 2033 Launch

• What: NASA announced PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA), first mission in new Probe Explorers class under Explorers Program, moving to Phase B development with planned 2033 launch and five-year mission duration to investigate universe history and evolution.
• Tell me more:
  • PRIMA is 5.9-foot telescope designed to detect wavelengths in far-infrared light, bridging gap between James Webb Space Telescope and radio telescopes.
  • NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will mainly manage mission in partnership with Goddard Space Flight Center and Marshall Space Flight Center, with international contributions from CNES, ASI, DLR, CSA, KASI, JAXA, and UK Space Agency.
  • The telescope will study origins of planets outside solar system, galaxy and black hole evolution over cosmic history, and dust and heavy elements buildup to understand why universe looks as it does today.

19 US States Seek Permanent Daylight Saving Time

• What: Nineteen US states have passed laws or resolutions supporting year-round daylight saving time, but Congress must change federal law before these measures can take effect.
• Tell me more:
  • Daylight Saving Time means setting clocks one hour ahead during warmer months so people get more daylight in the evening, and changing them back later.
  • The 19 states are Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
  • Most US states currently move clocks forward by one hour during daylight saving time and backward by one hour when it ends.
  • Arizona and Hawaii already follow standard time throughout the year, as federal law permits. Congress remains the key hurdle for permanent daylight saving time in the 19 states.

UK Launches New Squadron to Protect Military Satellites

• The United Kingdom announced a new Royal Air Force squadron to protect critical satellites used for communication and missile warnings, marking the country’s first unit dedicated to acting against space threats.

Banking and Economy

ICICI Prudential Life Changes Name to ICICI Life

• What: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited changed its name to ICICI Life Insurance Limited.
• Tell me more:
  • Established in 2001, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited will now operate as ICICI Life Insurance Limited.
  • Prudential Corporation Holdings, the foreign partner, is reducing its stake in ICICI Prudential Life to below 10%, shifting from promoter to investor status; therefore, “Prudential” is being removed from the company’s name.

TBX Launches B2B Bill Payments On TrustHub Via Bharat Connect

• What: TBX launched a B2B bill payment service on its TrustHub platform through Bharat Connect for Business. It allows businesses to send invoices and make or receive payments on one platform.
• Tell me more:
  • The service helps businesses simplify regular business payments between sellers and buyers.
  • TBX TrustHub works as a Participating Agent Institution (P-AI) under Bharat Connect for Business and directly connects with National Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) for B2B payments.

India Expands Global Trade and Supply Chain Engagement

• What: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the Leadership Dialogue at the 13th Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) Annual Forum 2026 in New Delhi, highlighting India’s global trade and economic partnerships.
• Tell me more:
  • India currently negotiates with the world as a $4 trillion economy, while its purchasing power parity economy stands at around $20 trillion, the world’s third largest. India aims to become a $30 trillion economy.
  • India is negotiating with Canada, Chile, Peru, Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Mexico, Maldives, Eurasia, Central Asia, Russia, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Israel to expand trade opportunities and global value-chain participation.
  • India’s semiconductor consumption demand could exceed $150 billion annually within five years. Goyal also highlighted the need to develop capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), including large language models and agentic models.
  • India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 120 unicorns, compared with around 400–500 startups when Startup India began. The focus is now on innovation and deep-tech startups.
  • India has also become the third country to have a privately launched rocket reach space, while Goyal highlighted India’s young population and its growing awareness of global opportunities.

India Manufactures 99.2% of Domestic Mobile Demand

• What: Electronics and Information Technology Secretary S. Krishnan said India manufactures nearly 99.2% of its total domestic mobile phone demand, producing around 32–33 crore mobile phones annually, at the 13th Annual Public Affairs Forum of India 2026 in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Five major global mobile phone brands operate in India and manufacture their devices within the country.
  • The government has launched the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme to increase production and raise domestic value addition in mobile phone manufacturing.

96% UPI Transactions Outside New MDR Regime

• What: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dilip Asbe said 96% of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions are below ₹2,000 and remain outside the new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) regime.
• Tell me more:
  • Asbe made the statement at the 13th SBI Banking & Economics Conclave in Mumbai, addressing concerns about the new MDR regime.
  • Around 75% of overall UPI transaction value remains uncharged, while 75% of nearly 60 million unique merchants have not received any transaction above ₹2,000.
  • Digital acceptance can increase merchant sales by 25–30%, while UPI returns may reach around 3% for each merchant.

Reports and Indices

Gautam Adani Reclaims Top Spot In M3M Hurun India Rich List 2026

• What: The 2026 list records 1,810 individuals with wealth of at least ₹1,000 crore (128 more than last year), while their total wealth reached ₹187.5 lakh crore, and India now has record 391 dollar billionaires.
• Tell me more:

Defence News

INS Trishul Arrives in France for VARUNA Exercise

• What: Indian Navy guided-missile frigate INS Trishul arrived at Toulon, France, on 22 September 2026 to participate in the 24th edition of VARUNA, the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and French Navy.
• Tell me more:
  • Before reaching France, INS Trishul made a three-day port call at Alexandria, Egypt, from 14 to 17 September 2026. Before entering Alexandria, the ship conducted a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Egyptian Naval Ship ENS Bernees.

Science and Technology

Indian Astronomers Discover Fastest-Shrinking White Dwarf Binary

• What: Indian-led astronomers discovered eRASSU J060839.5–704014 (eRASSU J0608), a pair of white dwarfs orbiting each other every 374.15 seconds. The system has the fastest orbital decay found among similar white dwarf binaries.
• Tell me more:
  • Researchers studied the system for 3.5 years using NASA’s NICER, China’s Einstein Probe, and data from the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton.
  • The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) team will continue observations to measure the system’s distance and the masses of both white dwarfs.

Awards

Shantanu Moitra to Receive Lata Mangeshkar Samman

• What: Music composer Shantanu Moitra will receive the National Lata Mangeshkar Samman 2026 for music direction on September 28 in Indore, along with ₹5 lakh and a citation.
• Tell me more:
  • The Madhya Pradesh Culture Department will present the award on Lata Mangeshkar’s birth anniversary. The award was instituted in 1984 and alternates between music direction and playback singing.
  • Moitra has composed music for films including Parineeta, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, Piku and 12th Fail. He won the National Film Award for Best Background Score for Naa Bangaaru Talli in 2014.

Mizoram Farmer Named Among FAO’s 100 Women Heroes

• What: ZT Lalrithangi, a strawberry grower from Mizoram, has been selected among 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
• Tell me more:
  • She is the first Mizo to receive the recognition.
  • The award will be presented during the World Food Forum at FAO headquarters in Rome from October 12 to 16, 2026, as part of the International Year of Women Farmers 2026.

Sports

Pune to Host UCI Road World Championships 2032

• What: Pune will host the UCI Road World Championships 2032, marking the first time India will stage the global cycling competition after the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) awarded the hosting rights.
• Tell me more:
  • The 195th UCI Congress in Montréal, Canada officially announced Pune as the 2032 host. Pune 2032 will become the 105th edition of the championships.
  • India will become the fourth Asian host after Japan hosted the event in 1990, Qatar in 2016 and the United Arab Emirates in 2028. France will host the 2027 edition.

Memorandum of Understanding

India and Netherlands Sign Water Cooperation MoUs

• What: India and the Netherlands strengthened water-sector cooperation through two Tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for technical cooperation and capacity building for Gujarat’s Kalpasar Project during the 9th India International Water Week 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister Jaap Slootmaker chaired the bilateral meeting at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026.
  • The MoUs were signed among the Central Water Commission (CWC), Kalpasar Department of Gujarat Government, Deltares and TU Delft. The cooperation will support project planning, design and implementation.
  • The Kalpasar Project will create a freshwater reservoir using runoff from the Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers, supplemented by water brought from the Narmada River.
  • The cooperation with Deltares covers hydraulic and hydrological modelling, coastal and structural engineering, climate resilience, technical review, capacity building, knowledge transfer and digital applications.

Miscellaneous

Veteran Actress Savithri Sreedharan Passes Away at 83

• What: Veteran Malayalam theatre and film actress Savithri Sreedharan passed away at 83 after a career spanning over four decades, earning major recognition for her theatre work and her role in Sudani from Nigeria.
• Tell me more:
  • Sreedharan began amateur theatre in 1961, entered professional theatre through Kalinga Theatre in 1984, worked with leading groups, and received Sangeet Natak Akademi and Kerala State theatre awards.

Italian Football Legend Sandro Mazzola Dies at 83

• What: Italian footballer Sandro Mazzola died at 83 after spending 17 years with Internazionale, where he won two European Cups and four Serie A titles.
• Tell me more:
  • Mazzola helped Italy win the 1968 European Championship and played in the 1970 World Cup final.
  • Mazzola earned 70 international caps and scored 22 goals.

Start Quiz of 25th September 2026 on Mobile

Start Quiz of 25th September 2026 on Desktop