Current Affairs 16 September 2026

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs September 16 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana Marks Seven Years of Successful Implementation
On 12 September 2026, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY) completed seven years, marking continued support for the old-age social security of Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) through a voluntary contributory pension scheme.

• As of February 2026, a total of 24.96 lakh farmers have enrolled under the scheme across the country.

PM-KMY Overview
Launch: It was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) in 2019. The scheme is implemented in collaboration with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
Objective: The PM-KMY is a voluntary, contributory old-age pension scheme, which offers eligible landholding SMFs the assurance of a steady monthly pension from the age of 60.
Eligibility: All SMFs having cultivable landholding up to 2 hectares (ha) in the age group of 18 to 40 years, whose name appears in the land records of the respective States or Union Territories as on 1 August 2019. 
Monthly Contributions: Monthly contributions are in the range from Rs. 55 to Rs. 200, based on the farmer’s age at the time of entry into the Scheme.

• Farmers can choose contribution frequencies of monthly, quarterly, four-monthly or half-yearly.

India and MERCOSUR Sign First Additional Protocol to PTA for Paperless Trade Via e-CoO
In September 2026, India and MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market ,a trade bloc comprising five South American countries) signed the First Additional Protocol to the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to enable the acceptance of electronic Certificates of Origin (e-CoO) and modernise customs procedures and preferential trade processes between the member countries.

• The Protocol was signed by Rajesh Agarwal, Department of Commerce(DoC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I), along with Alberto Guani, Ambassador of Uruguay to India, and Fleming Raul Duarte Ramos, Ambassador of Paraguay to India, in the presence of Mario Lubetkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.

About India–MERCOSUR PTA:
Key Amendment: The protocol amends Article 16 of Annex III (Rules of Origin) of the India–MERCOSUR PTA by recognising e-CoO with the same legal validity and preferential trade value as paper certificates, provided they are issued and electronically signed by authorised entities under respective domestic laws.
Provisions: The agreement aims for finalisation within one year of negotiations, covering wide-ranging tariff benefits, non-tariff trade issues, digital cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC), and a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).

9th ASEAN–India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry Held in New Delhi, Delhi 
On 9 September 2026, the 9th ASEAN–India Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forestry (9th AIMMAF) was held in New Delhi, Delhi, to strengthen cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India in agriculture and forestry.

• The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW), India, and Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Philippines, representing the ASEAN Chair.

Highlights of 9th AIMMAF:
Commitment: Reaffirmed ASEAN–India cooperation for a food-secure, sustainable and resilient agricultural future and welcomed ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, the ASEAN Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sectoral Plan 2026–2030.

• Bilateral trade in goods between India and ASEAN reached USD 128 billion in the Financial Year 2025–26 (FY26).

Cooperation: Prioritised climate-resilient agriculture, low-emission rice, water productivity, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled digital agriculture, soil health, food safety, post-harvest management, circular bioeconomy, agroforestry and sustainable forest management.
Decision: The meeting agreed to convene the 10th AIMMAF in 2028.

India, Vietnam Agree to Observe 2027 as ‘Year of India-Vietnam Friendship’ 
In September 2026, India and Vietnam agreed to observe 2027 as the “Year of India-Vietnam Friendship” to mark 55 years of diplomatic relations, during the 19th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) held in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Vietnam’s Foreign Affairs Minister Le Hoai Trung.

Key Areas of Cooperation:
Connectivity & Cooperation: India and Vietnam agreed to strengthen trade, investment, supply chains and market access, enhance financial, port and air connectivity, and expand cooperation in space and nuclear energy.
Culture: Promoted Yoga, heritage conservation, seafarer standards, capacity building and people-to-people exchanges.
Defence: Deepened defence and security cooperation, including co-production of Indian defence equipment, under the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Trade: India and Vietnam agreed to leverage complementary strengths, improve market access and facilitate business activities to achieve the USD 25 billion bilateral trade target by 2030.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Launches Mangrove GIS portal in Gujarat
In September 2026, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), launched the Mangrove Geographic Information System (MGIS) Portal during the Workshop on Mangrove Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Management held at Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat.
Key Highlights:
MGIS Portal: It enables science-based mangrove conservation through habitat monitoring, conservation planning, and technology-driven restoration management.
Other Launches: Coffee Table Book on Kachchh Mangroves and Mangroves Atlas of Gujarat, highlighting mangrove ecology, distribution, conservation efforts and planning.
Guneri Inland Mangroves: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, MoEFCC, felicitated the Guneri Inland Mangrove Village Biodiversity Management Committee for its community-led conservation efforts in protecting the rare inland mangrove ecosystem, which was declared Gujarat’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site in January 2025.
Progress: Under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI), Gujarat has restored 27,652 hectares of mangroves against the 2023–27 target of 29,250 hectares.

WB CM Suvendu Adhikari Approved DRDO’s Proposal to Establish Weapon and Missile Testing Range at Junput
In September 2026, Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister (CM), West Bengal (WB) approved the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) proposal to establish a new weapon and missile testing range at Junput coastal village in Purba Medinipur district, WB, along the Bay of Bengal coast.

• The Junput facility will become DRDO’s third major missile-testing hub.

About Junput Missile Testing Range:
Capabilities: The facility will enhance DRDO’s weapon testing infrastructure by supporting frequent and complex trials of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, air-defence systems, and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) systems, while increasing testing capacity, launch capability, and tracking support.
Significance: Located 70 km (kilometres) northeast of Chandipur along the Bay of Bengal coast, the Junput range will strengthen coastal missile testing capabilities, while reducing the operational burden on the Integrated Test Range (ITR).
Existing ITR: The ITR has launch complexes at Chandipur-on-Sea and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, while the Navdurga Missile Test Range (NMTR) is being developed at Nagayalanka, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
About DRDO: Established in 1958 and headquartered in New Delhi, Delhi, the DRDO works under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with the motto “Balasya Mulam Vigyanam” (Strength’s origin is in Science).

Colombo Security Conclave Conducts Three-Day Table Top Exercise  at in Visakhapatnam
In September 2026, a three-day Table Top Exercise (TTX) under the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) concluded at the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh(AP), focusing on strengthening coordinated responses to illegal maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• The exercise, which began on September 9, 2026, brought together maritime security experts and delegations from CSC member and observer countries to simulate operational scenarios and improve regional maritime coordination.

About Colombo Security Conclave Exercise
Objectives: The exercise aims to strengthen regional maritime coordination, enhance collective response mechanisms, improve Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and promote information sharing for faster crisis response.
Threat Areas: The exercise addresses maritime security challenges including maritime terrorism, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and other illicit activities in the Indian Ocean Region.
About CSC: It is a regional security grouping focused on cooperation in areas such as maritime safety and security, counter-terrorism, disaster management and transnational organised crime in the IoR. Its members include India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh and Seychelles.

BANKING & FINANCE

Overview of Global Fintech Fest 2026 held from from September 8 to 11, 2026 in Mumbai, Maharashtra(Part – II)
The 7th edition of Global Fintech Fest (GFF 2026), one of the world’s leading fintech gatherings, held from September 8 to 11, 2026 at the Jio World Centre (JWC), Trident Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, was concluded successfully with launch and announcement of series of new digital initiatives in banking and financial sector.
Key Highlights:
AI Model for Retail Banking: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched India’s 1st sovereign Artificial Intelligence (AI) compact model called “Finance Model for India (FiMI) Banking”, designed specifically for the Indian retail banking use cases.

• It has further announced to collaborate with the HDFC Bank Limited to develop the technology for banking use cases.

Cardless Payments: PhonePe in collaboration with  Visa announced the launch of three new payment solutions: Tap-to-Pay; Cross Border Scan to Pay; and Smart Accept, creating one of India’s most comprehensive cardless payment experiences, covering online purchases, in-store transactions and overseas travel, for Indians globally.

•  With the launch of these new payments solutions, PhonePe becomes the 1st application (app) in India to introduce Cross Border Scan to Pay for international transactions.

Mastercard One Credential: Mastercard in partnership with City Union Bank (CUB) launched pilot “Mastercard One Credential”.
Key MoUs/Collaborations: SBICAP Securities Limited (SSL) partnered with Appreciate Broking International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Private Limited for global market access via Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) IFSC.

• The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) signed a 3-year pact with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment (MISA); Paramotor Digital Technology Limited finalised four fintech deals; and the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IAMAI to establish a Commodity Markets Innovation Council.

Award : Wibmo, a PayU companu and full-stack  Pay Tech provider, won the Best Digital Banking Security Practices , a sub-category under the “Excellence in Banking Tech” category, in recognition for its Wibmo Intelligent Authentication Suite with Risk-Based Authentication.

MoF Notifies No Charges on UPI Transaction of Upto Rs 2,000
In September 2026, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) notified that banks and payment system providers cannot impose any direct or indirect charges on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions up to Rs 2,000 and payments made through RuPay-powered debit cards.
Key Details of the Notification:
Act: In exercise of the powers conferred by section 10 A of the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007 (51 of 2007), the Central Government (CG) hereby specifies the following electronic modes of payment, namely:

• Debit Card powered by RuPay; and
• UPI transactions upto Rs. 2,000.

Charges: The CG prohibits banks and system providers from imposing, directly or indirectly, any MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) charges on a person making or receiving payments using debit cards powered by RuPay and UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000.

ENVIRONMENT

New Subterranean Amphibian Species ‘Gegeneophis chandgadi’ Discovered in Maharashtra
In September 2026, a multi-institutional research team led by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new subterranean, legless amphibian species, ‘Gegeneophis chandgadi’, in the Northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra.

• The species was discovered at Buzawade in Chandgad, Kolhapur district, and was named after the Chandgadi dialect of Marathi spoken in the region.

About Gegeneophis chandgadi:
Characteristics: It is a caecilian, a group of worm-like, legless amphibians adapted to living largely underground.
Habitat: The species was found in residential and agricultural landscapes near human habitation, rather than exclusively inside protected forests.
Identification: Scientists used molecular analysis along with detailed morphological and meristic studies to establish it as a distinct species.
Diversity: The discovery takes the number of Gegeneophis species recorded in India to 12, including 11 endemic to the Western Ghats.

• India now has 458 amphibian species, including 41 caecilian species.

SPORTS

US Open 2026: Alexander Zverev and Elena Rybakina Win Men’s and Women’s Singles Title
The 2026 United States (US) Open, the 146th edition of tennis’ US Open, was held on outdoor hard courts at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, United States of America (USA).

• Alexander Zverev of Germany defeated Ben Shelton of the United States of America (USA) 6–3, 7–6(2), 5–7, 6–2 in the men’s final, while Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan overcame two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka 6–4, 5–7, 6–2 in the women’s final to win the 2026 US Open singles titles.

About US Open 2026: 
Alexander Zverev: Secured his second Grand Slam title after the 2026 French Open and completed a redemption arc from his 2020 final loss.
Elena Rybakina: Won the women’s singles title, ending Sabalenka’s 19-match US Open streak, claiming her third Grand Slam title, and rising to World No.1.
Doubles: Christian Harrison (USA) and Neal Skupski (United Kingdom, UK) won the men’s doubles, Kateřina Siniaková (Czech Republic) and Taylor Townsend (USA) won the women’s doubles, while Karolína Muchová and Jakub Menšík (Czech Republic) secured the mixed doubles title.

AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026: India Men and Women Clinch Double Titles 
India achieved a historic golden double at the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Junior Asia Cup 2026 in Moqi, China, from 4-13 September 2026, with both men’s and women’s under-20 (U20) teams crowned champions.

• The Indian men’s team defeated South Korea 4–1 to win a record-extending sixth title, while the Indian women’s Team edged hosts China 1–0 to complete a hat-trick, as both teams also qualified for the 2027 International Hockey Federation (FIH) Junior World Cups.

About AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026:
Overview: The AHF Junior Asia Cup 2026, organised by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), is a premier continental U20 hockey tournament held in Moqi, China, serving as a qualifier for the FIH Junior World Cup.
Key Players: Anmol Ekka emerged as top scorer with 17 goals in the men’s tournament, while Sanika Chandrakant Mane scored the decisive goal in the women’s final and netted 7 goals overall.
Awards: Hockey India announced prize money of Rs 3 lakh for each player and Rs 1.5 lakh for each support staff member for both championship-winning teams.

Dhiraj Bommadevara Wins Men’s Individual Title at Archery World Cup Final 2026 in Mexico
In September 2026, an Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara created history by becoming the first Indian male recurve archer to win the men’s individual title at the Archery World Cup Final 2026, held in Saltillo, Mexico.

• He defeated Junya Nakanishi of Japan 6–5, winning the shoot-off 10–9, to secure the biggest individual title of his career.

About Archery World Cup Final 2026:
Overview: The 20th Hyundai Archery World Cup, organised by World Archery, featured recurve and compound events across four stages, followed by the season-ending final.
Season Performance: India won 7 medals, including 4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, across the 2026 Archery World Cup stages held in Puebla, Mexico; Shanghai, China; Antalya, Türkiye; and Madrid, Spain.

• Bommadevara was India’s only individual gold medallist across the four stages.

Historic Feat: Bommadevara became the second Indian archer to win an individual World Cup Final title after Dola Banerjee, who achieved the feat in Women’s Recurve at Dubai 2007.

•  He was India’s sole representative at the 2026 World Cup Final.

OBITUARY

Princess Astrid of Norway Passed Away at 94
In September 2026, Princess Astrid Maud Ingeborg of Norway, formally known as Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, elder sister of the late King Harald V and late Princess Ragnhild, passed away at the age of 94 in Oslo, Norway.

• Princess Astrid, who passed away on 11 September 2026, served as First Lady of Norway from 1954 to 1968 and performed official duties on behalf of the Norwegian Royal Family for several decades.

About Princess Astrid of Norway:
Early Life: Princess Astrid was born on 12 February 1932 in Oslo as the second child of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha of Norway. She married businessman Johan Martin Ferner in 1961.
Norwegian Royal Family: Princess Astrid belonged to the House of Glücksburg, the royal dynasty that has occupied the Norwegian throne since 1905.
Contributions: Throughout her life, Princess Astrid undertook royal duties and supported several humanitarian and social causes, particularly initiatives related to children, people with disabilities and inclusion.
Legacy: Princess Astrid belonged to a generation of the Norwegian Royal Family whose lives were shaped by World War II, exile and Norway’s post-war period. She remained engaged in royal and charitable activities for several decades.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Hindi Diwas 2026 – September 14
Hindi Diwas, also known as Hindi Day, is observed annually across India on September 14 to mark the Constituent Assembly’s 1949 decision to adopt Hindi in the Devanagari script as one of the 22 official languages of India.

• September 14, 2026 marks the 77th anniversary of Hindi’s adoption as an official language.

Background:
Proposal: At the 1918 Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Mahatma Gandhi proposed making Hindi the national language.
Declaration: In 1953, former Prime Minister (PM) Jawaharlal Nehru declared that September 14 would be observed annually as Hindi Diwas, which also marks the birth anniversary of Beohar Rajendra Simha.
2026 Events: Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) addressed the inaugural session of Hindi Diwas 2026 and the 6th All India Official Language Conference in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

National Engineer’s Day 2026 – September 15 
National Engineers’ Day is observed annually in India on 15 September to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya and honour his outstanding contributions to engineering, nation-building and education.
Background:
Recognition: In 1968, the Government of India (GoI) designated 15 September, the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, as National Engineers’ Day.
First Observance: The first National Engineers’ Day was celebrated on 15 September 1968.

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