Monthly current affairs for September 2026

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has extended its MoU with the ‘Art of Living’ under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA). The organization will utilize its grassroots network to promote value-based living and family resilience, and to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders.

It is to be noted that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has partnered with 12 spiritual organizations under the NMBA framework to expand the outreach of the initiative.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has partnered with the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) to modernize and upgrade the market infrastructure system of the latter.

The PM Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY) was launched in 2019 as a voluntary and contributory old-age pension scheme to provide social security to Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs). The scheme is implemented in collaboration with the LIC and has recently completed 7 years of operation.

The PM-KMY offers eligible landholding SMFs in the age group of 18 to 40 years with cultivable land up to 2 hectares a steady monthly pension starting from the age of 60.

Enrolled farmers are required to make monthly contributions ranging from ₹55 to ₹200, depending on their entry age. It is to be noted that as of February 2026, a total of 24.96 lakh farmers have enrolled in the scheme across the country.

India has successfully flight-tested its first indigenous long-range one-way attack drone named ‘KAL’ at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. Developed by the Noida-based IG Defence, the loitering munition (kamikaze drone) is designed for one-way strike missions.

The drone features an operational range of up to 1,000 km and a payload capacity of 50 kg. It is capable of fully autonomous flight at an altitude of up to 5,000 m using a navigation suite that combines multi-band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS).

Matangi, an indigenous Autonomous Surface Vessel (USV) developed by Sagar Defence Engineering, has successfully completed a 1,500 km (850 nautical miles) open-ocean voyage from Mumbai to Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.

The voyage, which was completed with zero human intervention (no captain or crew on board), was flagged off by Union Minister Rajnath Singh. The mission was conducted under the ‘Swavlamban’ initiative of the Indian Navy to foster self-reliance. The vessel is controlled by an indigenously developed AI-driven operating suite named ‘Genesis’.

The West Bengal government has approved a proposal by the DRDO to establish a new weapon and missile testing range at Junput village in Purba Medinipur district. Situated along the Bay of Bengal coast, the facility will be the third major missile-testing hub for the DRDO.

Existing testing infrastructures include the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Odisha (at Chandipur and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island) and the Navdurga Missile Test Range (NMTR) currently being developed at Nagayalanka, Andhra Pradesh.

OpenAI has launched “GPT-6 Astra”, a next-generation AI model designed to function as a highly capable computer operator.

The organization has also expanded the AI ecosystem with the introduction of “Astra for Law”.

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has inaugurated the NIELIT-Infineon Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Semiconductor Manufacturing.

It is to be noted that the CoE is established in collaboration with Infineon Technologies at the NIELIT facility in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

TypeSafe AI has introduced “Jev”, which utilizes a new architecture known as a “System One Model”. The model is designed to overcome the structural limitations found in traditional Large Language Models (LLMs).

It is to be noted that while LLMs are proficient in conversational tasks, they are often unsuitable for direct, programmatic backend software automation. Jev aims to bridge this gap.

Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, has designated Kumik village as the first Heritage Village of the region during the 11th Ladakh Zanskar Festival 2026 held in Zanskar Valley.

The heritage status was conferred in recognition of the historical and cultural assets of the village, including Buddhist manuscripts, traditional architecture, and preserved cultural practices.

Karan Yadav has been appointed as the inaugural CEO of the Indian Super League (ISL). The appointment comes as the league transitions toward a new club-led operational model.

World Athletics has designated Nairobi, Kenya, as the host for the 2029 World Athletics Championships, marking the first-ever edition of the competition to be held in Africa. The decision was taken by the council in Budapest, Hungary.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has selected the Munich Football Arena in Germany to host the 2028 final. UEFA also designated Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, as a host venue.

Hindi Diwas

Day - September 14

Observed since - 1953

Commemorating - Adoption of Hindi as the official language of India as per Article 343 of the constitution

International Day for South-South Cooperation

Day - September 11

Theme 2026 - “Solidarity Rising: Global Alliance for Inclusive and Innovative Development”

Observed by - UN

Observed since - 2004

Commemorating - The adoption of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) in 1978

National Forest Martyrs Day (Shaheed Van Diwas)

Day - September 11

Observed since - 2013

Commemorating - The ‘Khejarli Massacre of 1730’, which occurred in Khejarli, Rajasthan

Union Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has launched the Challenge Mode Portal for Aerodrome Development in New Delhi, marking the implementation of the modified regional connectivity scheme, Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN).

The challenge-based selection approach aims to reduce the construction period of airports to 18 months from the current average of 3 years.

To facilitate infrastructure development, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have signed 21 MoUs with participating states and Union Territories. The Modified UDAN initiative has a target outlay of ₹30,000 crore over the next decade to develop 100 new airports. It aims to provide connectivity to 120 new destinations.

The Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Amendment Act, 2026 will come into force on October 1, 2026. It strengthens Section 13(3) of the RBD Act, 1969.

Under the act, reporting births or deaths after 1 year but within 2 years requires approval from the District Magistrate (DM), Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), or an authorized Executive Magistrate, subject to verification and fee. For registrations delayed by more than 2 years, an order from the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) is mandatory to ensure judicial scrutiny.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has released a commemorative postage stamp issued by the Department of Posts (DoP) to honor Sant Malukdas. The release took place during the “Sant Samagam”, a gathering organized in memory of the saint.

PhonePe has received in-principle approval from the Central Bank of the UAE for two operating licenses, marking the first international expansion of the company.

The licenses include Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) and Stored Value Facilities (SVF).

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has signed two MoUs with the IIT Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Under the first MoU, the IHUB NTIHAC Foundation (C3iHub) will conduct a 6-week residential Cybersecurity Training Programme for 40 personnel of the CISF per batch under a 3-year non-commercial framework.

The second MoU involves the establishment of a CoE focused on drone and anti-drone technologies at the Multi-Purpose Recruitment and Training Centre (MPRTC) in Behror, Rajasthan. The CoE will operate under a 5-year framework.