August 2026

National & State News 

• Global Toy Market Target: India set a target to capture 5% of the global toy market share by 2032. 

• Anhydrous Ammonia Authorization: The government allowed anhydrous ammonia as a fertilizer to reduce urea import dependence. 

• Indian Lepidoptera Catalogue: The Zoological Survey of India completed the first comprehensive catalogue of Indian Lepidoptera, documenting 13,703 species. 

• IRCTC Online Excess Luggage Booking: Indian Railways launched an online excess luggage booking facility via the IRCTC platform. 

• Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram, Andhra Pradesh. 

• Pithora Painting GI Tag: Gujarat’s Pithora Painting received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. 

• Danapur-Fatuha Multitracking Project: Indian Railways approved a ₹976 crore multitracking project on the Danapur-Fatuha section in Bihar. 

• Advance SDRF Assistance: The central government approved ₹2,117.85 crore in advance SDRF assistance for flood-hit states. 

• Additional Tax Devolution: Union government released additional tax devolution of ₹1,09,019 crore to states. 

• Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act: The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026 came into force. 

• Himalayan Chandra Telescope Milestone: Ladakh celebrated 25 years of the Himalayan Chandra Telescope and planned an upgraded telescope at Hanle. 

• e-Zero FIR Cyber Fraud System: Introduced across 18 states and UTs for cyber financial fraud cases. 

• 2nd BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group: Hosted by India in Hyderabad. 

• Satish Gujral Commemorative Stamp: Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp on artist Satish Gujral. 

• Deceased Organ Donation Leadership: Tamil Nadu topped India in deceased organ donations for 2025. 

• Karnataka Cabinet Expansion: Swore in 19 new ministers. 

• Recruitment Timeline Reductions: Central government announced reductions in recruitment timelines for UPSC (to 13 months) and SSC (to 6–8 months). 

• NITI Aayog Reimagining Care Report: NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047’. 

• PCR and SC/ST Act Assistance: Central government released ₹747.17 crore assistance to Uttar Pradesh under the PCR and SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Acts. 

• Incredible India Tourism Initiative: Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘As Seen on Netflix’ section on the Incredible India portal. 

• CCRAS Ayurvedic Research Platforms: CCRAS held its 27th governing body meeting and launched major Ayurvedic research platforms. 

• Guwahati-Tezpur Highway Corridor: CCEA approved the ₹8,970.20 crore Guwahati-Tezpur 4-lane access-controlled corridor in Assam. 

• Chandipura Virus Response: Ministry of Health deployed outbreak response teams to Gujarat and Rajasthan to contain Chandipura virus cases. 

• Tamil Nadu Economy Target: Tamil Nadu presented its first budget targeting a $1.5 trillion economy by 2031. 

• Tomato Production Leadership: Madhya Pradesh emerged as India’s largest tomato producer for 2025–26. 

• Silkyara Rescue Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak: 12 rat miners were conferred the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak for the Silkyara tunnel rescue. 

• Creamy-Layer SC/ST Position: Central government opposed creamy-layer exclusions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. 

• MSME Development (Amendment) Bill: Parliament passed the MSME Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026. 

• Ratusinh Na Muvada Chess Hub: Ratusinh Na Muvada village in Gujarat emerged as a notable chess talent hub. 

• High-Altitude Wildlife Safari: Ladakh introduced India’s first high-altitude wildlife safari. 

• 10th BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting: Concluded in Jaipur. 

• Mithila Makhana Export: APEDA facilitated the first sea shipment of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana to Australia. 

• AAERI Verify Student Platform: NeGD partnered with AAERI to launch ‘AAERI Verify’ for student document verification. 

• BRICS Competition Authorities Meeting: Held in Udaipur. 

• Param Pragya AI Supercomputer: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Param Pragya’ AI supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi. 

• Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill: Parliament passed the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, recognizing digital records. 

• e-Visa Entry Expansion: India expanded its e-Visa entry network to 88 international ports with 11 new additions. 

• NSP-DBT Agriculture Scholarships: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released ₹21.35 crore in scholarships via NSP-DBT. 

• Bike Taxis SC Appeal: Karnataka government approached the Supreme Court against a high court ruling on bike taxis. 

• E-Samudra Maritime Portal: Launched to digitize maritime governance and seafarer welfare. 

• President’s Colours for Puducherry Police: Conferred upon the Puducherry Police force. 

• VOC Port ISO 50001 Certification: V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority became India’s first port to receive ISO 50001:2018 certification. 

• Mobile Food Testing Accreditation: NABL launched an accreditation scheme for mobile food testing laboratories. 

• 10th GeM Foundation Day: GeM marked its 10th Foundation Day, focusing on AI-enabled public procurement. 

• Tribunals Reforms Bill: Parliament passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, establishing the National Tribunals Commission. 

• Ram Nath Kovind Autobiography: PM Narendra Modi announced the release of former President Ram Nath Kovind’s autobiography, ‘Triumph of the Indian Republic’. 

• Gujarat Natural Farming & Horticulture CoEs: Approved four Centres of Excellence for natural farming and four for horticulture development. 

• Prevention of Insults to National Honour Amendment: Received presidential assent, protecting ‘Vande Mataram’. 

• FCRA Amendment Bill Reference: Referred to a joint parliamentary committee. 

• IIHT SUTRA 2026 Conclave: Organized by the Ministry of Textiles in New Delhi. 

• India-Japan Skill Consultations: MSDE held India-Japan stakeholder consultations on skill development and workforce mobility. 

• BRICS ICT Track Hosting: India to host the BRICS ICT Track in Pune in August 2026. 

• Global Ship Recycling Leadership: India became the world’s leading ship recycling nation in 2025 with a 35.4% market share. 

• ITU Generation Connect Youth Envoys: Three Indian Sanchar Mitras were selected as ITU Generation Connect Youth Envoys. 

• India-Nepal Cross-Border Mapping: Agreed to complete UAV-based cross-border land mapping within 3 years. 

• NITI Aayog Manufacturing Hub Report: Released a report positioning India as a global manufacturing hub across four key sectors. 

• Nationwide Sports Talent Campaign: PM Modi announced a nationwide sports talent identification campaign for children aged 5–15. 

• Notifiable Cancer Status Guidance: Supreme Court urged 19 states and UTs to consider declaring cancer a notifiable disease. 

• Blackbuck Reintroduction in Banni: Gujarat released 20 blackbucks into the Banni Grasslands with support from Vantara. 

• Teesta Barrage Project Review: India constituted a high-powered committee to review the Teesta Barrage Project in West Bengal. 

• Eri Silk Centre of Excellence: Meghalaya inaugurated a Centre of Excellence for Eri Silk weaving on National Handloom Day. 

Government Schemes and Policies 

• Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana: The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana with an outlay of ₹5,070 crore for floating solar projects. 

• PM-KISAN Scheme Continuation: Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the PM-KISAN scheme with a ₹3.15 lakh crore outlay for 2026–31. 

• Khelo India Scheme Expansion: Expanded Khelo India Scheme and sports federations assistance were approved with a ₹36,441 crore outlay. 

• Samudra Manthan Offshore Scheme: The Union Cabinet approved ‘Samudra Manthan’, a National Offshore Exploration Scheme with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore. 

• GOBARdhan National Circular Bioenergy Scheme: Union Cabinet approved the GOBARdhan Scheme with a ₹23,731 crore outlay. 

• Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan: PM Narendra Modi launched the ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’. 

• Urban Challenge Fund Projects: The government approved 33 projects under the Urban Challenge Fund. 

• Assam Youth Assistance Schemes: Assam launched application processes for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes. 

• PM E-DRIVE 2W Sanction: Government sanctioned an additional ₹1,000 crore for electric two-wheelers under the PM E-DRIVE scheme. 

• Agricultural Development Assistance: Rajasthan and Telangana received ₹605.71 crore under agricultural development schemes. 

• Sandhya Kiran Healthcare Scheme: Karnataka cabinet approved the cashless healthcare scheme for state pensioners. 

• National Beekeeping and Honey Mission Expansion: Continued to boost scientific honey production and rural apiculture livelihoods. 

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana 12-Year Benchmark: Marked 12 years of operations, reaching 59.09 crore total accounts. 

• FAST-DS Rules 2026 Notification: CBDT notified the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme Rules, 2026. 

Banking and Financial News 

• Favara & UPI Cross-Border Integration: Maldives Monetary Authority and India integrated Favara with UPI for instant cross-border transactions. 

• PSB Bank Locker Theft Record: Public Sector Banks reported zero bank locker theft cases in FY 2025-26 for the first time in five years. 

• Counterfeit Currency Detection Guidelines: RBI directed border-branch banks to strengthen detection using Note Authentication/Sorting Machines. 

• Jan Dhan Darshak Banking Coverage: India achieved 99.92% banking coverage across inhabited villages. 

• Record High Monthly UPI Volume: UPI processed 23.66 billion transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore in July 2026. 

• Perpetual AD Category-II Licenses: Niyo Forex and GlobalPay received perpetual AD Category-II licenses from the RBI. 

• Bloomberg Bond Index Inclusion Delay: Delayed inclusion of Indian Government Bonds in the Global Aggregate Index. 

• Cube Highways Trust Listing: Became India’s largest listed InvIT following debuts on BSE and NSE. 

• Bajaj Finserv Reinsurance Entry: Received board approval to enter the domestic reinsurance market. 

• RBL Bank Moody’s Investment Rating: Secured its first Baa2 investment-grade rating with a Stable Outlook from Moody’s. 

• NCDEX ‘Nidhi’ Mutual Fund Platform: Launched to improve rural investment access using FPO networks. 

• Google Pay Flex SBI Card: SBI Card and Google Pay launched a co-branded card on RuPay and Visa networks. 

• Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool: DFS launched India’s first sovereign-backed P&I insurance product. 

• Basel Pillar III Framework Deferral: RBI deferred implementation of revised Basel Pillar III Disclosure Framework to April 1, 2027. 

• IRDAI Sabka Bima Reforms & PEPF: IRDAI approved reforms and operationalized the Policyholders’ Education and Protection Fund. 

• ADB $1 Billion Urban Transformation Loan: Approved for India’s Urban Transformation and Investment Programme. 

• Card Market Leaders: SBI led in debit card share (25%) while HDFC Bank topped credit cards in June 2026. 

• Differential Bulk Deposit Rates: RBI permitted banks to offer rates linked to LCR run-off rates. 

• CGSMFI 2.0 Allocation Norms: Mandated banks to allocate at least 15% of guarantee cover to small/medium MFIs. 

• India Digital Payment Intelligence Corp: Established with RBI support to combat digital financial fraud. 

• Aayakar Sindhu Income Tax Complex: Inaugurated in Mumbai by FM Nirmala Sitharaman. 

• Flipkart Pay Later Integration: Flipkart partnered with PayU Finance for embedded digital credit. 

• SBI Research Q1 FY27 GDP Estimate: Projected Q1 FY27 GDP growth at ~7%. 

• SEBI Accessibility Compliance Extension: Extended digital platform compliance deadline to October 31, 2026. 

• HDFC Bank Max Senior & Her Accounts: Introduced specialized savings account variants. 

• SIDBI Branch Expansion Drive: Opened 71 new branches across India following budget announcements. 

• RBI Repo Rate Unchanged at 5.25%: Kept benchmark rate unchanged in 3rd bi-monthly policy meeting. 

• CPGRAMS Redressal Ranking: DFS Insurance Division secured 3rd position in June 2026. 

• Bajaj General & Swiss Re Strategic Tie-up: Partnered for corporate commercial insurance services. 

• Manipal Health Enterprises IPO Approval: SEBI approved proposed USD 1 billion IPO. 

• RBI Upper Layer NBFC List: Released updated list with 17 NBFCs under Scale-Based Regulation. 

• RBI NBFC Revolving Credit Draft: Proposed restricting NBFCs to term loans rather than revolving credit. 

• UPI Payments for Burj Khalifa: NIPL enabled UPI online bookings via NEOPAY and Emaar Entertainment. 

• SEBI Global IPO Leadership Report: Highlighted India retained top global position in total IPO count. 

• SEBI AI Investor Campaign Plans: Announced AI-powered WhatsApp campaign and Project Jagrook. 

• Taxation Bill 2026 Passage: Lok Sabha passed bill enabling framework for digital payment charges. 

• Loan Recovery Guidelines Deferral: RBI deferred revised recovery agent norms to January 1, 2027. 

• Indian Bank MSME Outreach: Sanctioned ₹500 crore in loans during 120th Foundation Day. 

• Standard Chartered GIFT City Wealth Services: Received IFSCA approval for GIFT City wealth management. 

• SBI Life & J&K Bank Bancassurance: Partnered to distribute life insurance nationwide. 

• Credit Valuation Adjustment Framework: RBI proposed revised capital norms for banks. 

• Muthoot FinCorp & Indel Remit AD Category-II: Received perpetual AD Category-II licenses. 

• NRI Deposit PSL Exclusion Norms: RBI allowed exclusion of advances against fresh NRI deposits from ANBC. 

• IndusInd Bank & EazyDiner RuPay Credit Card: Launched co-branded lifetime-free credit card. 

• DFS PSB Confluence: Convened in New Delhi to discuss strategic public banking reforms. 

• RBI Forecasters Survey Real GDP 6.6%: 101st survey pegged FY27 real GDP growth at 6.6%. 

• Financial Inclusion Index Progress: RBI FI-Index improved to 70.0 in March 2026. 

• Revised Bank Leverage Ratio Framework: RBI proposed updated norms aligned with Basel standards. 

• NUCFDC Premises & Sahkar Nav-Kranti: Launched cybersecurity initiatives for Urban Cooperative Banks. 

• PLFS Unemployment Rate April-June 2026: NSO bulletin placed unemployment at 5.4%. 

• Ecowrap Q1 FY27 GDP Projection: SBI Research projected Q1 FY27 growth at 8%. 

• IMF $5 Trillion Nominal GDP Target: Projected India’s nominal GDP to cross $5 trillion by FY 2028-29. 

• PMS Bazaar & NDML Partnership: Simplified SEBI Accredited Investor certifications. 

• US FPI Share Leadership: Overtook Singapore to lead foreign equity holdings (31.04%). 

• Fitch BBB- Rating Reaffirmation: Reaffirmed India’s credit rating with Stable Outlook. 

• Commodity Markets Research Centre: MCX and NISM signed MoU to establish research center. 

• Southern States Gold Loan Dominance: Accounted for >80% of India’s gold loan outstandings. 

• Global Central Bank Gold Purchases: Net purchases hit 51 tonnes in June 2026. 

• Unified Loan Pricing Framework: RBI proposed standardized interest rate practices across REs. 

• Regulatory Penalties on Lenders: RBI penalized IndusInd Bank, Northern Arc, Fusion Finance, and Muthoot MCred. 

• Central Debt-to-GDP Ratio FY26: Stood at 58.2%. 

• Logistics Data Bank Container Landmark: Crossed 10 crore EXIM containers tracked. 

• NABARD Climate Stack Innovation Challenge: Announced national winners. 

• EPFO E-PRAAPTI Portal Launch: Prepared to launch portal for tracing old PF accounts. 

• Credit Risk-o-Meter Proposal: SEBI proposed mandatory color-coded meter for debt securities. 

• PSB Fraud Value Rise: Fraud values rose 58% to ₹35,671 crore in FY26. 

• Bank of Baroda International Bond Issuance: Raised USD 700 million via senior unsecured bonds. 

• Nexent Capital GIFT City License: Obtained investment banking license from IFSCA. 
• IDFC FIRST Bank S&P BBB- Rating: Received first international investment-grade rating. 

• Onam Orumayude Olam Campaign: South Indian Bank launched festival campaign. 

• PNB & GYFTR Digital Rewards Platform: Partnered to enhance credit card rewards. 

• ProShield Defence Motor Insurance: Bajaj General Insurance launched policy for defence personnel. 

• Paramotor Digital & NSDL Payments Bank: Partnered for prepaid card issuances. 

• KBL Finsurance Portal: Karnataka Bank launched portal for digital insurance leads. 

• WPI Inflation July 2026: Moderated to 9.78%. 

• Qatar-India UPI Postal Remittance: Operationalized in Doha. 

• BSE & PHDCCI MSME Partnership: Joined hands to improve MSME market access. 

• Retail CPI Inflation July 2026: Rose to 4.45%. 

• YES Essence Credit Card: YES Bank launched card tailored for women. 

• Windfall Export Tax Cut: Finance Ministry reduced windfall taxes on petroleum exports to nil. 

• SEBI Incident Reporting & Cyber Suraksha: Portals launched to bolster cybersecurity. 

• RRB Gross Loan Growth FY26: Recorded 10.3% loan growth. 

• ICRA Q1 FY27 GDP Growth Projection: Estimated growth at 7%. 

• J&K Bank & HDFC Life Partnership: Expanded insurance distribution. 

• Forex Reserves Surge: Rose by $6.12 billion to $682.35 billion. 

• Razorpay Vulcan AI Payments Model: Launched AI-powered payments foundation model. 

• July 2026 Total Exports Growth: Exports rose 13.31% to USD 80.14 billion. 

• Supreme Court Mule Account SOP: Directed RBI to frame SOP for digital arrest scams. 

• July 2026 Urban Unemployment Rate: Declined to 5.1% in PLFS bulletin. 

• IRDAI Branch Expansion Restriction: Barred Niva Bupa and Acko for six months due to EOM limits. 

• Ind-Ra GDP Forecast Upgrade: Raised FY27 growth forecast to 6.8%. 

• ADB $230M Chennai Infrastructure Loan: Signed agreement for water and sanitation projects. 

• Silver Loan Branches Launch: Paul Merchants Finance launched India’s first exclusive silver loan branches. 

• Climate Finance PSL Sub-Target Demand: PSBs sought 2% sub-target within PSL. 

• GIFT City & London Bond Capital Raise: SBI and IDFC FIRST Bank issued international bonds. 

• FCNR(B) Swap Facility Early Closure: RBI closed concessional swap facility on August 31, 2026. 

• Bank Deposit Growth High: Deposit growth rose to 15.4% by July 2026. 

• Wizz Voyager Multi-Currency Card: Wizzmoni and Oman Air launched AI-powered travel card. 

• SEBI Relaxed Debt Listing Proposals: Proposed lower listing timelines and higher ISIN maturity caps. 

• Investment Announcements Spike: Recorded ₹26.75 trillion in investments between April-August 2026. 

• FPI Commodity Derivatives Participation: SEBI proposed expanding FPI access in non-agri derivatives. 

• Apple Pay India Launch Preparation: Target set for late September/October 2026. 

• Remote Digital KYC for NRIs: SEBI proposed digital KYC options for NRIs/OCIs. 

• DGFT Rupee-Based Export Easing: Eased operational rules to give export payment flexibility. 

• SBI BSBD Cash Withdrawal Fee Rules: Announced new fee structure starting October 1, 2026. 

• Razorpay Multi-Currency EEFC Account: Launched in partnership with RBL Bank. 

• BOINZ – Freedom Mobile App: Bank of India (New Zealand) launched mobile app. 

• ADB ₹1,750 Cr Karnataka School Grant: Signed agreement to upgrade 500 public schools. 

• SEBI IT Resilience Index: Introduced index to grade market infrastructure entities. 

• Tata Capital & Resona Bank Partnership: Partnered for cross-border business matching. 

• Citigroup & Axis Bank NRI Deposits: Joined hands for foreign currency deposit products. 

• VinFast India & Federal Bank Financing: Partnered for EV dealer inventory funding. 

• MakeMyTrip & Axis Bank Travel Pacts: Offered exclusive travel discounts through March 2027. 

• IGNITE Sustainable Startup Programme: IDFC FIRST Bank and IIMCIP launched startup incubator. 

• 10 Years of UPI DPI Architecture: Marked a decade as a foundation of India’s digital public infrastructure. 

• RBI House Price Index Q1 FY27: Released housing price index covering 18 cities. 

• RBI Penalties on Non-Bank Lenders: Penalized Shri Ram Finance and Progfin. 

• Edelweiss & Pramerica Life Restrictions: IRDAI restricted new branch openings for six months. 

• FTSE Russell BSE Inclusion Eligibility: Declared BSE eligible for global equity indices. 

• My Family Complete Pet Insurance: Bajaj General Insurance launched pet-inclusive health plan. 

• RRB Net Profit Record FY26: Regional Rural Banks posted record ₹10,176 crore net profit. 

• SIDBI RRB Co-Lending Scaling: Organized meet to expand MSME co-lending. 

• Core Sector Growth July 2026: Core output growth eased to 5.4%. 

• AI-Driven MSME Loan Underwriting: SBI underwrote ~₹1 lakh crore in loans using AI in FY26. 

• Revised 10% FDI Ownership Approvals: Approved 29 FDI projects worth ₹4,896 crore. 

• WhatsApp Pay Transaction Doubling: Processed 168 million UPI transactions in July 2026. 

• MobiKwik Digital Lending Shift: Shifted digital lending business to subsidiary MDSPL. 

• Current Account Deficit June 2026: CAD widened to USD 6.2 billion. 

• Yes Bank Foreign Bond Return: Planned return to offshore debt markets. 

• Gross FDI Inflows Q1 FY27 High: Hit 15-year high of USD 30.7 billion. 

• UPI Global Reverse Acceptance: Bank of Baroda launched service for international tourists. 

• FCNR(B) Swap Access Easing: Eased access norms for deals exceeding USD 100 million. 

• REC Tokenised Bond Pilot: Prepared to issue India’s first tokenised bonds. 

• NABARD & NaBFID Infrastructure MoU: Partnered to finance long-term rural infrastructure. 

• India-Singapore Financial Connectivity: Discussed expanding NSE-SGX ties. 

• Total Trade Deficit July 2026: Rose 31.5% to USD 15.03 billion. 

International News 

• World Wide Web Day 2026: Observed on August 1 to mark the invention of the web. 

• Qatar-India Postal Remittance: Operationalized via UPI in Doha. 

• World Fintech Day 2026: Held in Istanbul under the theme ‘Potential to Impact: Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance’. 

• World Water Week 2026: Held from August 23 to 27 under the theme ‘Water for People and Progress’. 

• India-Nepal Land Mapping Deal: Partnered for 3-year UAV-based cross-border mapping. 

Awards and Honours 

• Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak for Silkyara Miners: Conferred upon 12 rat miners for rescuing trapped tunnel workers. 

• President’s Colours for Puducherry Police: Presented to the Puducherry Police force for outstanding public service. 

• ISO 50001:2018 Certification for VOC Port: VOC Port Authority became the first Indian port to achieve ISO 50001 energy standards. 

• CPGRAMS Grievance Ranking Honors: DFS Insurance Division achieved 3rd rank among central departments. 

Appointments  

• New State Governors & Cabinet Ministers: 19 new ministers were sworn into the Karnataka State Cabinet. 

• National Tribunals Commission Leadership Setup: Initiated following the passage of the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026.  

• RBI Central Board Part-Time Directors: Annie George Mathew, Janmejaya Kumar Sinha, and Syed Akbaruddin were appointed as part-time non-official Directors . 

• Re-appointment to RBI Central Board: Former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath was inducted, while Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra was re-appointed as part-time non-official Directors. 

• Monisha Chakraborty: Appointed as Executive Director (ED) at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to oversee the Foreign Exchange Department and the Financial Markets Regulation Department. 

• Prasanta Mahapatra: Assumed charge as Executive Director (ED) at SEBI, managing the Corporation Finance Investigation Department (CFID) and Recovery & Refund Department (RRD). 

• A. S. Rajeev: Appointed as the Acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) by the Government of India. 

• K. Rajaraman: Granted an extension by the Central Government as Chairman of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) until October 2028. 

• Shabnam Sinha: Named as the incoming Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank (effective October 1, 2026). 

• Ketan Merchant: Granted a 3-month tenure extension as the Interim Managing Director and CEO of Fino Payments Bank. 

• Varsha Ashok Aglawe: Took charge as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI).  

• Rahul Navin: Granted a one-year tenure extension as Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until August 13, 2027. 

• Yuko Keicho: Appointed as Vice President and Auditor General of the World Bank Group. 

Summits & Conferences 

• 2nd BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group: Hosted by India in Hyderabad. 

• 10th BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting: Concluded in Jaipur focusing on digital manufacturing and supply chain resilience. 

• BRICS Competition Authorities Summit: Convened in Udaipur to address digital market antitrust policies. 

• IIHT SUTRA 2026 Conclave: Organized by the Ministry of Textiles in New Delhi. 

• BRICS ICT Track 2026: Hosted in Pune to align telecommunications and AI policies. 

• PSB Confluence 2026: Organized by the Department of Financial Services in New Delhi. 

• World Fintech Day Conclave: Organized in Istanbul, Turkey. 

MoUs and Agreement 

• Karnataka & ADB $210M School Agreement: Signed ₹1,750 crore assistance agreement for 500 public schools. 

• India & ADB $230M Urban Agreement: Signed loan deal to upgrade Chennai water and sanitation systems. 
• PNB & Indian Army Defense Agreement: Signed MoU for specialized military credit card products. 

• MCX & NISM Research MoU: Signed agreement to create a Commodity Markets Research Centre. 

• NABARD & NaBFID Infrastructure MoU: Partnered to co-finance long-term rural infrastructure projects. 

• Tata Capital & Resona Bank Partnership: Signed agreement for Indo-Japanese enterprise cross-border matching. 

• India & Nepal Mapping Agreement: Agreed on 3-year UAV cross-border land mapping. 

• NeGD & AAERI Verification MoU: Partnered for digital student verification via AAERI Verify. 

Acquisitions & Mergers 

• MobiKwik Digital Lending Transfer: Transferred 100% of its digital lending operations to subsidiary MDSPL. 

• Temasek-Backed Manipal Health IPO: SEBI approved proposed USD 1 billion public offering. 

Science and Technology 

• Param Pragya AI Supercomputer: Inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi at IIT Delhi. 

• Razorpay Vulcan AI Foundation Model: India’s first AI-powered foundation model for payments processing. 

• e-Zero FIR Cyber Fraud Portal: Operationalized across 18 states and UTs. 

• SEBI Cyber Suraksha & Incident Reporting Portals: Launched to detect and respond to capital market cyber threats. 

• E-Samudra Maritime Governance Platform: Launched to digitize seafarer records and port clearance. 

• AAERI Verify Academic Portal: Launched for real-time verification of student visa credentials. 

• NABL Accreditation for Mobile Food Labs: Scheme introduced to test food quality on wheels. 

Defence News 

• President’s Colours Presentation: Conferred upon the Puducherry Police force. 

• PNB Military Credit Card Launch: PNB partnered with the Indian Army to issue specialized cards. 

• ProShield Defence Insurance Policy: Launched by Bajaj General Insurance for military personnel. 

Ranking and Indexes 

• Deceased Organ Donation State Rankings: Tamil Nadu ranked #1 in India for deceased organ donations in 2025. 

• Tomato Production State Rankings: Madhya Pradesh ranked #1 in India for tomato output in 2025–26. 

• Global Ship Recycling Market Rankings: India ranked #1 globally with a 35.4% market share. 

• CPGRAMS Grievance Redressal Index: DFS Insurance Division ranked 3rd among central departments in June 2026. 

• PLFS Urban Unemployment Rate: Unemployment dropped to 5.1% in July 2026. 

• RBI House Price Index Q1 FY27: Released covering real estate trends in 18 primary cities. 

Environment News 

• Glaw Lake Ramsar Inscription: Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh became India’s 101st Ramsar site. 

• Blackbuck Reintroduction Drive: Gujarat released 20 blackbucks into Banni Grasslands with Vantara’s support. 

• Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Floating Solar: Approved ₹5,070 crore outlay for clean energy generation on water bodies. 

• NABARD Climate Stack Innovation Challenge: Awarded climate-resilient agritech solutions. 

Books and Author 

• Triumph of the Indian Republic: Autobiography of former President Ram Nath Kovind released by PM Narendra Modi. 

Sports News 

• National Javelin Day 2026: Celebrated on August 7 marking Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic gold medal. 

• National Sports Day 2026: Observed on August 29 commemorating Major Dhyan Chand’s birth anniversary. 

• Nationwide Youth Sports Talent Hunt: Announced for identifying talent among children aged 5–15. 

Obituaries 

• Satish Gujral Postal Tribute: Commemorative stamp released honoring the renowned artist. 

Important Days 

• World Wide Web Day 2026: Observed on August 1 to mark the invention of the web. 

• World Breastfeeding Week 2026: Observed from August 1 to 7 under the theme ‘Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works’. 

• World Lung Cancer Day 2026: Observed on August 1 to promote lung health awareness. 

• International Clouded Leopard Day 2026: Observed on August 4 under the theme ‘Clouded Leopards: Guardians of the Forest’. 

• World Ranger Day 2026: Observed on July 31 / August 1 under the theme ‘Rangers: Guardians of a Changing Planet’. 

• Hiroshima Day 2026: Observed on August 6 marking the 1945 atomic bombing anniversary. 

• National Handloom Day 2026: Observed on August 7 marking its 12th edition. 

• National Javelin Day 2026: Observed on August 7 commemorating Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic gold. 

• Quit India Movement Day: Observed on August 8 commemorating the 1942 movement. 

• Nagasaki Day 2026: Observed on August 9 marking the atomic bombing anniversary. 

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples: Observed on August 9 with the theme ‘Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being’. 

• World Biofuel Day 2026: Observed on August 10 to promote non-fossil fuels. 

• World Lion Day 2026: Observed on August 10 for Panthera leo conservation. 

• World Steelpan Day 2026: Observed on August 11 marking its 4th edition. 

• World Elephant Day 2026: Observed on August 12 under the theme ‘Bringing the World Together to Help Elephants’. 

• International Youth Day 2026: Observed on August 12 with the UN theme ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’. 

• World Organ Donation Day 2026: Observed on August 13 to encourage organ pledge awareness. 

• International Lefthanders Day 2026: Celebrated on August 13 marking its 31st annual edition. 

• Partition Horrors Remembrance Day: Observed on August 14 to remember partition victims. 

• 80th Independence Day of India: Celebrated on August 15, 2026. 

• World Humanitarian Day 2026: Observed on August 19 with the theme ‘Honouring fallen humanitarians and calling for greater protection of health care’. 

• World Photography Day 2026: Observed on August 19 under the theme ‘HOME’. 

• Sadbhavana Diwas 2026: Observed on August 20 commemorating Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary. 

• World Mosquito Day 2026: Observed on August 20 commemorating Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery. 

• Akshay Urja Day 2026: Observed on August 20 promoting renewable energy. 

• World Senior Citizens Day 2026: Observed on August 21 to honor older adults. 

• International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism: Observed on August 21 with the theme ‘Healing Through Memory’. 

• Madras Day 2026: Observed on August 22 marking Chennai’s 387th foundation day. 

• International Day Commemorating Victims of Religious Acts of Violence: Observed on August 22. 

• International Day for Remembrance of Slave Trade and Abolition: Observed on August 23 under the theme ‘Ending Slavery’s Legacy of Racism: A Global Imperative for Justice’. 

• National Space Day 2026: Observed on August 23 under the theme ‘Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership’. 

• International Dog Day 2026: Observed on August 26 celebrating canine companions. 

• Women’s Equality Day 2026: Observed on August 26 honoring women’s voting rights. 

• World Lake Day 2026: Observed on August 27 highlighting freshwater ecosystems. 

• National Sports Day 2026: Observed on August 29 honoring Major Dhyan Chand.