- On 14 August 2026, POWERGRID received the Prime Minister Internship Scheme Recognition of Partner Company Award at a Ministry of Corporate Affairs event in New Delhi. The Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Power won in the Innovation in Exit Pathways category for its contribution to the Prime Minister Internship Scheme. POWERGRID provided around 6,265 internship opportunities during the first two pilot rounds of PMIS between December 2024 and December 2025. The award recognises companies that provide meaningful workplace exposure, skill development and pathways for young interns to move towards employment opportunities.
- The audited financial statements of the PM CARES Fund released in August 2026 showed that its closing balance increased to approximately ₹8,452.06 crore as of 31 March 2025, compared with ₹7,173.03 crore a year earlier. Contributions during FY 2024-25 were around ₹479.96 crore, while a significant share of the fund remained invested in fixed deposits. PM CARES, formally known as the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund, was established in March 2020 to provide assistance during emergencies, disasters and similar national situations requiring financial support.
- The National Testing Agency began a major examination-system overhaul in August 2026, introducing a four-tier scrutiny mechanism for question papers to reduce errors and strengthen examination integrity. Around 600 experts were removed from existing panels while new specialists were being empanelled. The reforms followed controversies involving errors and security concerns in major examinations, including UGC-NET and NEET-related issues. NTA also planned stronger physical security at its offices, including deployment of CISF personnel. The changes are intended to improve paper-setting quality, confidentiality, accountability and public confidence in national-level entrance and eligibility examinations conducted by the agency.
- On 16 August 2026, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated the RSSDI Diabetes Rural Outreach Digital Portal and launched VISHWAS, the Diabetes Awareness Video Library. The initiatives of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India aim to improve prevention, screening, awareness and management of diabetes, particularly in rural areas. The digital portal will support collection and monitoring of programme data from participating villages, while VISHWAS will provide educational video material. Dr Singh stressed that diabetes is increasingly affecting rural populations and called for technology-enabled, preventive and community-based healthcare interventions across India.
- On 14 August 2026, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs organised the PMIS Recognition of Partner Company Awards in New Delhi to recognise companies making major contributions to the Prime Minister Internship Scheme. Mahindra & Mahindra Limited was named the Overall Industry Champion for its leadership in providing meaningful internship opportunities and engaging young people. Other companies were recognised in specialised categories covering internship management and innovative practices. The awards aim to encourage industry participation in PMIS, which seeks to provide young Indians with practical workplace experience, improve employability and strengthen cooperation between businesses and the government in workforce development.
- On 15 August 2026, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the Vidyarthi Sahayahasta initiative during his Independence Day address in Bengaluru. Under the proposed scheme, students who studied from Class I to Class X in rural government schools will receive a 7.5% reservation within the existing 15% rural quota for admission to professional higher-education courses. The benefit is intended particularly for programmes such as medicine and engineering. The initiative seeks to reduce the educational disadvantage faced by rural government-school students and expand their access to competitive professional education while promoting greater educational equity across Karnataka.
- The Uttar Pradesh Divyangjan welfare programme was highlighted on government platforms in August 2026 as part of the State’s support framework for persons with disabilities. The programme provides eligible persons with financial and social assistance, including disability pension support, assistive devices and access to other welfare measures. Under the State’s Divyang Pension Yojana, eligible beneficiaries can receive ₹1,000 per month, subject to prescribed disability, income and residency conditions. The scheme aims to improve economic security, independence and social inclusion of persons with disabilities. It should not be treated as an entirely new scheme launched for the first time in 2026.
- On 12 August 2026, the Central Zoo Authority approved Gujarat’s proposed desert-themed night safari at Juna Deesa in Banaskantha district. Planned as Asia’s first desert-themed drive-through night safari, the project will be developed along with a zoological park spread over roughly 103 hectares. The proposed facility is estimated to cost around ₹542 crore and is expected to feature desert and nocturnal species in specially designed enclosures. The project seeks to promote wildlife tourism, conservation education and understanding of desert ecosystems while creating a distinctive tourism attraction for north Gujarat and generating employment and economic activity.
- On 17 August 2026, a total of 210 Indian peacekeepers received United Nations Medals in Juba, South Sudan, for their service with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The honoured contingent included six women personnel and seven staff officers. UN medals recognise peacekeepers who successfully complete prescribed service under United Nations missions and contribute to maintaining peace, protecting civilians and supporting humanitarian operations. India has historically been one of the leading troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping. The recognition highlights the continuing contribution of Indian military personnel to international peace, stability and civilian protection in conflict-affected regions.
- On 18 August 2026, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema was declared re-elected for a second term following the country’s presidential election. Electoral results showed Hichilema receiving around 60% of valid votes, compared with approximately 38% for his principal challenger Brian Mundubile. Hichilema first became President in 2021 and has focused on debt restructuring, economic reforms and attracting investment into Zambia’s important copper industry. His second term is expected to focus on converting macroeconomic stability into broader economic growth, employment and improved living standards while Zambia continues negotiations over international financing and expansion of critical-mineral production.
- On 17 August 2026, SEBI launched two cybersecurity platforms, namely the SEBI Incident Reporting Portal and the Cyber Suraksha Portal, to strengthen cyber resilience across India’s securities market. The Incident Reporting Portal standardises reporting of cybersecurity incidents by regulated entities and is intended to facilitate faster analysis and response. Cyber Suraksha acts as a central information-sharing platform for vulnerability alerts, security advisories, policies and cyber-incident insights. The initiatives form part of SEBI’s broader Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framework and are intended to enable coordinated responses among stock exchanges, intermediaries and other regulated securities-market institutions.
- On 17 August 2026, YES Bank announced the YES Essence Credit Card, expanding its women-focused banking portfolio. The card targets young, salaried and digitally active women and provides enhanced rewards across categories such as fashion, beauty, travel, dining and grocery spending. It also includes lifestyle and wellness-related benefits. According to reported eligibility conditions, applicants generally need to be between 21 and 60 years of age and satisfy prescribed income requirements. The product complements the bank’s earlier YES Essence women’s salary-account proposition and reflects the growing focus of Indian banks on customised financial products designed around women’s spending, wellness and lifestyle requirements.
- On 15 August 2026, a new Qatar-India postal remittance service powered by UPI became operational through Qatar Post outlets. The system allows people in Qatar to send money directly to UPI-enabled bank accounts in India using the Universal Postal Union’s PosTransfer infrastructure. The initiative was developed through cooperation involving Qatar Post, India Post, UPU’s Interconnection Platform and NPCI International Payments Limited. It is designed to provide a convenient and efficient remittance option, particularly for the large Indian community working in Qatar, while extending India’s digital public payments infrastructure to international postal remittance channels.
- On 17 August 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology approved 31 proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme involving proposed investment of ₹7,877 crore. The projects are spread across 10 States and cover components such as camera modules, display assemblies, connectors, electronic materials and other critical inputs. They are expected to generate nearly 10,000 direct jobs and substantial production over their operating period. The approvals are part of India’s strategy to deepen domestic electronics manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported components, strengthen local supply chains and move beyond final assembly towards higher-value electronics-component production.
- On 17 August 2026, Karnataka Industries Minister M.B. Patil outlined plans to develop Tumakuru as a major industrial manufacturing hub under the Bengaluru-Chennai Industrial Corridor. Around 1,736 acres have been earmarked for development of the Tumakuru Node, which is expected to attract approximately ₹7,000 crore in investment and create more than 88,000 employment opportunities. Development is progressing in phases, with completion targeted for 2027. The industrial node is intended to expand manufacturing beyond Bengaluru, improve regional industrial infrastructure, attract domestic and foreign investment and create a more geographically diversified industrial economy within Karnataka.
- The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025 on 18 August 2026. A total of 17 sportspersons were selected for the Arjuna Award, including chess Grandmasters Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujrathi, while veteran footballer Isaiah Arumainayagam was chosen for the Arjuna Award Lifetime category. Five coaches were selected for Dronacharya Awards, and the Army Paralympic Node, Pune, received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar. Significantly, no sportsperson was selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for 2025, only the third such instance since its introduction.
- On 18 August 2026, the 15th edition of the India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE began at Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp in Surat Thani, Thailand, and is scheduled to continue until 31 August. The Indian Army and Royal Thai Army are participating with 85 personnel each. Training focuses mainly on company-level counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in jungle and semi-urban environments under scenarios linked to Chapter VII of the UN Charter. MAITREE aims to improve interoperability, tactical coordination, joint planning and exchange of best practices while strengthening longstanding military and defence cooperation between India and Thailand.
- On 14 August 2026, the 8th India-US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Exercise concluded at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, Kerala, after five days of specialised training. Indian Navy and US Navy teams undertook professional interactions, practical demonstrations and exchange of best practices covering different aspects of Explosive Ordnance Disposal operations. Training focused on areas such as underwater ordnance handling, mine-related threats and specialised maritime safety procedures. The bilateral exercise seeks to improve interoperability between EOD and diving personnel of the two navies and strengthen operational cooperation in niche maritime-security areas including port protection and safe disposal of explosive threats.
- A newly described Himalayan flowering plant named Impatiens nimspurjai was reported in August 2026 in honour of renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Nimsdai Purja. The species belongs to the genus Impatiens and was originally encountered in Nepal’s western Myagdi district at an elevation of around 2,900 metres. Its formal scientific description was published through peer-reviewed research examining Himalayan plant diversity. Naming the species after Purja recognises his international mountaineering achievements and connection with the Himalayan region. The discovery also highlights the rich but incompletely documented biodiversity of Himalayan ecosystems, where new plant species continue to be scientifically identified and classified.
- Bengaluru-based quantum technology company QpiAI inaugurated an 8-inch quantum-processing-unit manufacturing facility in Jakkur, Bengaluru, on 17 August 2026. The facility forms the second phase of the company’s approximately 70,000-square-foot quantum research and development centre. It can fabricate superconducting quantum processors containing up to 128 physical qubits, along with supporting chips and sensors. QpiAI plans further expansion aimed at substantially higher qubit counts. The facility is significant for India’s National Quantum Mission because it seeks to build domestic capability not only in quantum software and computing but also in fabrication of sophisticated quantum-computing hardware and processors.
- On 18 August 2026, India’s semiconductor programme received a major update when the government indicated that around five to six semiconductor projects could reach commercial production by the end of 2026. Key projects in India’s emerging semiconductor ecosystem include Tata Electronics’ fabrication facility at Dholera, Gujarat, packaging and assembly facilities at Sanand in Gujarat and Tata’s semiconductor unit at Jagiroad in Assam. The government has supported projects through the India Semiconductor Mission to develop fabrication, ATMP/OSAT, semiconductor materials and related supply chains. The strategy seeks to reduce import dependence and establish India as a significant global semiconductor manufacturing centre.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the NCC All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek Aparajita-Parang La 2026 in New Delhi on 18 August 2026. The expedition comprises 28 NCC girl cadets led by three women officers representing the Army, Navy and Air Force. Participants will undertake an approximately 250-km trek across the 18,300-foot Parang La Pass, connecting Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh’s Changthang region. The expedition seeks to develop leadership, endurance, discipline and adventure skills among women cadets while demonstrating the growing participation and capabilities of young women in demanding high-altitude activities.
- On 18 August 2026, the Department of Defence Production notified the sixth Positive Indigenisation List covering 405 strategically important defence items with an estimated domestic business potential of around ₹3,070 crore. Items covered by the list are to be progressively procured from Indian manufacturers instead of overseas suppliers within prescribed timelines. Positive Indigenisation Lists form part of the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat strategy for defence and are intended to encourage domestic research, manufacturing and supply-chain development. The latest list further expands opportunities for Defence Public Sector Undertakings, private manufacturers and MSMEs while reducing India’s long-term dependence on imported defence equipment and components.
- The Indrajaal-Sigma consortium secured orders worth approximately ₹155 crore in August 2026 from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for Indrajaal Ranger mobile Anti-Drone Patrol Vehicles. The Ranger is designed as a mobile counter-unmanned-aircraft system capable of detecting, tracking and countering hostile or unauthorised drones. The vehicles are expected to support border patrolling, urban policing, protection of VVIP routes and other homeland-security requirements. The procurement represents a shift from relying mainly on fixed counter-drone installations towards deployable mobile systems capable of responding to rapidly changing drone threats across diverse locations and terrains.
- On 17 August 2026, Tata Power and IIT Bombay signed a Master Research Agreement at the IIT Bombay campus to establish a long-term research partnership for advanced energy technologies. The collaboration combines IIT Bombay’s research expertise with Tata Power’s industrial and deployment capabilities to move laboratory innovations towards commercial-scale applications. Areas identified for collaboration include smart grids, energy storage, electric mobility, power electronics, artificial intelligence for power systems, cybersecurity, carbon capture and circular-economy technologies. The agreement is intended to accelerate clean-energy innovation, improve energy security and support development of a more intelligent, sustainable and resilient power system in India.
- On 17 August 2026, BSE Limited and the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed an MoU to improve access to equity financing and capital markets for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. The partnership will create awareness about the BSE SME platform and help eligible companies understand the requirements and process for listing and raising growth capital. BSE will provide experts for seminars, workshops, roadshows and capacity-building sessions, while PHDCCI will use its MSME network for outreach. The initiative aims to reduce dependence of growing MSMEs solely on conventional debt finance and broaden access to market-based funding.
- On 17 August 2026, Airtel Payments Bank announced that Shabnam Sinha would become its Chairperson from 1 October 2026 for a three-year term. She will succeed Sunil Bharti Mittal, who will step down as non-executive Chairman and leave the Board on 30 September. Sinha was already serving as an independent director and has more than three decades of experience in development finance, public policy and private-sector initiatives, including senior roles with the World Bank. Her appointment was approved by the Airtel Payments Bank Board as well as the Reserve Bank of India, as required for the leadership transition.
- On 19 August 2026, World Humanitarian Day was observed globally under the #ActForHumanity campaign led by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The observance honours humanitarian workers who assist people affected by conflict, disasters and other emergencies and calls for stronger protection of civilians and aid personnel. The date commemorates the 19 August 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 22 humanitarian workers. The 2026 campaign particularly stresses accountability for attacks on aid workers, respect for international humanitarian law and the responsibility of governments and conflict parties to facilitate safe humanitarian access.
Questions:
Q1. SEBI launched which two cybersecurity platforms on 17 August 2026?
a) Cyber Raksha Portal and SEBI Secure Portal
b) SEBI Incident Reporting Portal and Cyber Suraksha Portal
c) Cyber Alert Portal and Investor Security Portal
d) SEBI Response Portal and Market Suraksha Portal
Answer: b) SEBI launched the SEBI Incident Reporting Portal and Cyber Suraksha Portal to strengthen cyber resilience across India’s securities market.
Q2. The new Qatar-India postal remittance service launched on 15 August 2026 is powered by which payment system?
a) NEFT
b) IMPS
c) UPI
d) RTGS
Answer: c) The Qatar-India postal remittance service is powered by UPI and allows people in Qatar to send money directly to UPI-enabled bank accounts in India through Qatar Post outlets.
