Current Affairs – Weekly Roundup

WEEK 1: September 01 – 07, 2026

Current Affairs & GK for Competitive Exam Aspirants

September 2026 — Important Days (September 1–7)

September 1 — LIC Foundation Day (70th anniversary; LIC formed on September 1, 1956)
September 1–7 — National Nutrition Week
September 2 — World Coconut Day
September 5 — Teachers’ Day (birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan)
September 5 — International Day of Charity (death anniversary of Mother Teresa)

Exam Tip: Teachers’ Day marks the birth anniversary of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (born 1888), India’s first Vice-President and second President. The National Teachers’ Awards 2026 honoured 48 teachers. World Coconut Day is observed by the International Coconut Community (ICC), headquartered in Jakarta.

WEEK 1: September 1–7, 2026

The first week of September 2026 opened with the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, strong macroeconomic data on GDP and GST, a sovereign rating upgrade, a new UNESCO Tentative List entry from Assam, and a test of an indigenous long-range glide bomb. Here are the most important GK topics for the week.

26th SCO Summit Held in Bishkek; Bishkek Declaration Adopted [International Relations]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 26th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (August 31 – September 1, 2026), which marked 25 years of the SCO under the theme ’25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity’. The summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration, four MoUs and over twenty decisions. India highlighted its priorities of security, connectivity and opportunity, and supported English as an official language in the SCO Charter.

Exam Tip: The SCO was founded on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024 (10 members). Secretariat: Beijing; RATS: Tashkent. The summit coincided with the 6th World Nomad Games opening in Kyrgyzstan.

India’s GDP Grows 7.8% in April–June Quarter of 2026-27 [Economy]

India’s GDP grew by 7.8% in the April–June 2026 quarter (Q1 of FY 2026-27), better than market expectations, according to official data released by the National Statistics Office. The figure reinforced India’s position as the fastest-growing major economy.

Exam Tip: GDP estimates are released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Note the revised national accounts series and base-year changes being introduced by MoSPI. A certain question in Banking and SSC exams.

GST Collections Rise 14.8% to Rs 1.99 Lakh Crore in August 2026 [Economy / Taxation]

Gross GST collections for August 2026 rose 14.8% year-on-year to about Rs 1.99 lakh crore, reflecting buoyant consumption and improved compliance. In the same week, data showed India’s current account deficit widening to US$4.2 billion in Q1 of 2026-27.

Exam Tip: GST was introduced on July 1, 2017, through the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016. The GST Council (Article 279A) is chaired by the Union Finance Minister. July 1 is observed as GST Day.

Japan Credit Rating Agency Upgrades India’s Sovereign Rating to ‘A-‘ [Economy / Banking Awareness]

The Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) upgraded India’s sovereign credit rating to ‘A-‘ with a stable outlook, citing strong growth prospects and fiscal consolidation.

Exam Tip: Know the major global rating agencies: S&P, Moody’s and Fitch (the ‘Big Three’), plus JCR (Japan), R&I (Japan), DBRS Morningstar (Canada) and Scope (Germany). India’s domestic agencies include CRISIL, ICRA, CARE and India Ratings.

Assam’s Rangpur–Sivasagar Historical Ensemble Added to UNESCO Tentative List [Art & Culture / Heritage]

On September 5, 2026, the Rangpur–Sivasagar Historical Ensemble in Assam was added to India’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The ensemble served as the political, administrative and ceremonial centre of the Ahom kingdom. India submitted the dossier under cultural criteria (iii) and (iv).

Exam Tip: Key Ahom monuments in Sivasagar include the Rang Ghar (amphitheatre, often called Asia’s oldest), Talatal Ghar and Kareng Ghar. The Charaideo Moidams (Ahom burial mounds) became India’s 43rd World Heritage Site in July 2024. Inclusion in the Tentative List is a mandatory first step before nomination.

President Approves J&K and Ladakh High Court Bench in Ladakh [Polity / Judiciary]

Ladakh is to get a bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh after President Droupadi Murmu approved the proposal. The bench will improve access to justice for residents of the Union Territory, who have had to travel long distances for High Court matters.

Exam Tip: Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislature on October 31, 2019, under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. The common High Court sits at Srinagar and Jammu. Article 214 provides for a High Court for each state; Article 231 allows a common High Court for two or more states/UTs.

IAF Tests Indigenous ‘Khagantak-243’ Long-Range Glide Bomb [Defence / Science & Technology]

The Indian Air Force successfully tested the indigenously developed Khagantak-243 long-range glide bomb, strengthening its stand-off precision-strike capability and reducing reliance on imported munitions.

Exam Tip: A glide bomb uses wings to glide towards its target after release, allowing the aircraft to stay outside enemy air-defence range. Link with DRDO’s Gaurav and Gaurav-class glide weapons and SAAW (Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon). Useful for CDS, NDA and AFCAT.

AICTE Launches Rs 245-Crore Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship [Education]

On September 3, 2026, AICTE launched the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship Programme with an outlay of about Rs 245 crore over five years. It will support around 150 PhD scholars with Rs 60,000 per month for three years and Rs 70,000 for the next two years, promoting research commercialisation, technology transfer and start-ups.

Exam Tip: AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) was set up in 1945 as an advisory body and became statutory under the AICTE Act, 1987. Link with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, 2023.

Germany and Argentina Win FIH Hockey World Cups 2026 [Sports]

Germany won back-to-back FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup titles in 2026, while Argentina won the FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup 2026.

Exam Tip: The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cups were co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands. India hosted the men’s World Cup in 2018 (Bhubaneswar) and 2023 (Bhubaneswar–Rourkela) and won its only title in 1975 (Kuala Lumpur).

LIC Marks 70th Anniversary with New Policies [Banking / Insurance Awareness]

The Life Insurance Corporation of India introduced new policies, including Bima Platinum and Jeevan Raksha, on its 70th anniversary on September 1, 2026.

Exam Tip: LIC was formed on September 1, 1956, under the LIC Act, 1956, by merging 245 insurers; HQ: Mumbai (Yogakshema); tagline ‘Yogakshemam Vahamyaham’. LIC was listed on stock exchanges in May 2022 in India’s largest IPO at the time. IRDAI regulates the sector (set up in 1999; HQ Hyderabad).