Current Affairs Questions with Answers

India and Nepal have agreed to conduct a joint technical mapping exercise using UAVs to document cross-border occupation—specifically regarding farming and habitation—along their shared border. The aim is to generate reliable data on the border and land use. This process will cover the approximately 1,880 km-long border with the collaboration of the BWG, SOC, and Joint Field Survey Teams, while sensitive areas such as Kalapani and Susta will be excluded from this exercise.

A team led by Indian-origin astronomer Dr. Rohan Naidu identified the ‘Black Hole Star’ named MoM-BH*-1 using JWST observations; it dates back to the early universe, approximately 660 million years after the Big Bang. It is estimated to harbor a black hole at its center with a mass about 100,000 times that of the Sun; its accretion process could help in understanding ‘Little Red Dots’ and the evolution of early supermassive black holes.

The Central Zoo Authority approved Asia’s first desert night safari park at Juna Deesa in Banaskantha, Gujarat, on August 12, 2026; it will be developed over 103 hectares at a cost of ₹542.14 crore. The project includes five night safari enclosures and a day-time zoo, showcasing approximately 2,700 animals and birds across 83 species to promote wildlife conservation and sustainable eco-tourism.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the Non-Executive Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank, will retire on September 30, 2026, and Shabnam Sinha will take over as the new Chairperson starting October 1, 2026. Amidst Sinha's extensive financial experience, the bank is playing a pivotal role in promoting digital banking, UPI, and financial inclusion in rural areas. Q#4. With which company did India sign a contract to lease the MQ-9B SeaGuardian?

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth approximately ₹1,943 crore with GA-ASI on August 17, 2026, under which the Indian Navy will lease two MQ-9B SeaGuardians for a period of 30 months. This HALE RPAS will strengthen ISR and Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indian Ocean Region and provide India with operational experience in state-of-the-art surveillance technology.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025 on August 18, 2026; 17 players were selected for the Arjuna Award, while no player was selected for the Khel Ratna this year. Dronacharya Awards were presented to outstanding coaches, while I. Arumainayagam received the Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Army Paralympic Node, Pune, was awarded the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.

Vignesh Verma and Saranya Devi won gold medals in the Open and Girls' categories, respectively, at the Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship 2026 held in Mumbai. The championship was organized by the Maharashtra Chess Association on August 17, 2026, at the ITC Maratha Sheraton.

World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on August 19; it commemorates the humanitarian workers killed in the 2003 Baghdad bombing and highlights the importance of global humanitarian assistance. The core principles of humanitarian aid are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, while India contributes to relief and rescue operations through HADR, NDMA, and NDRF.

India has constituted a 12-member committee, chaired by the CWC Chairman, for the revival of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP); the committee will assess water availability, infrastructure, climate change, and river management. The Teesta is crucial for India-Bangladesh water diplomacy; furthermore, due to China's growing interest in Bangladesh, the issue has become linked to water security, national security, and the Siliguri Corridor.

The BJP's new national team comprises 13 Vice Presidents, 8 General Secretaries, and 16 National Secretaries, providing representation to new faces and various social-regional groups alongside experienced leaders. The party has placed special emphasis on strengthening the youth, women, OBC, farmers, SC, ST, and minority wings, as well as media, social media, and the organization in the North-East.

Renowned Bengali filmmaker Raja Sen passed away on August 16, 2026, at the age of 71; he enriched Bengali culture and literature through films, television, and documentaries. He received the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for his first major feature film, 'Damu' (1996), and his notable films include 'Desh', 'Devipaksha', and 'Krishnakanter Will'.

AB-PMJAY was implemented in West Bengal starting August 16, 2026; under this scheme, eligible families receive an annual cashless and paperless health cover of ₹5 lakh, along with treatment portability across empanelled hospitals nationwide. The scheme also extends coverage to senior citizens aged 70 and above through the 'Ayushman Vay Vandana Card,' thereby aiding in achieving Universal Health Coverage and reducing out-of-pocket health expenses.

On August 15, 2026, the Gujarat Forest Department and Vantara reintroduced 20 blackbucks—comprising 5 males and 15 females—into the Banni grasslands of Kutch, with the aim of strengthening the grassland ecosystem and biodiversity. Scientific planning, habitat suitability, population monitoring, and the participation of local communities are crucial for the success of this conservation initiative.

Reliance Industries and Britain's Rolls-Royce are collaborating to develop an indigenous aero-engine and Advanced Propulsion ecosystem in India, which will strengthen the AMCA program and defense self-reliance. Indigenous aero-engines will reduce India's foreign dependency and boost technological sovereignty, supply chain security, and strategic autonomy.

FAST-DS 2026 is a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme for small taxpayers, under which undisclosed foreign income/assets can be declared by paying a prescribed tax or fee. The crucial date for the valuation of foreign assets is March 31, 2026, and the scheme promotes tax compliance and financial transparency through CRS, FATCA, and digital information sharing.

Subhash Chandra Bose resigned from the ICS and played an active role in the freedom movement; he served as the Congress President in 1938–39 and founded the Forward Bloc. In 1943, he took command of the INA and formed the Azad Hind Government. According to the prevailing view, he died following a plane crash in Taiwan in August 1945, although historical debate persists regarding the circumstances of his death.

Following the acquisition of advertising rights, the Lucknow–New Delhi IRCTC Tejas Express is being branded as the "Sprite Tejas Express"; it is India's first corporate-branded train and exemplifies the railways' non-fare revenue model. Launched in 2019, this train covers a distance of approximately 512 km in 6 hours and 35 minutes; its branding offers the potential to generate additional revenue for the Railways through advertising and commercialization.

On August 13, 2026, ISMA and ICAR-ISRI signed an MoU for quality, disease-free, and genetically pure sugarcane planting material; the center for this ₹80 crore project will be established at the ICAR-ISRI campus in Lucknow. The center will help enhance sugarcane productivity, sugar recovery, farmers' income, and industry competitiveness through rapid multiplication, variety replacement, digital tagging, and traceability.

On August 11, 2026, the Lebanese Parliament abolished the death penalty, replacing it with provisions for life imprisonment with hard labor, making it the first abolitionist country in the Arab world; a *de facto* moratorium on the death penalty had been in place there since 2004. This decision is linked to the Right to Life, Human Dignity, the UDHR, and the ICCPR, and is considered a significant step towards human rights and criminal justice reform in West Asia.

The Prime Minister announced AI training for 1 crore youth, DPI-based free online coaching, a sports talent search for children aged 5–15, and a Civil Defence Network to address modern security challenges. India set targets for 5–8 new semiconductor plants, 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047, and 6 crore 'Lakhpati Didis,' which will promote technological self-reliance, energy security, and women-led development.

The Central Government has initiated a CBDC-based DBT scheme under PMGKAY, wherein food grains can be purchased only at authorized shops/FPS using programmable tokens of the RBI's Digital Rupee (e₹). This could foster transparency, traceability, and leakage control within the PDS; however, challenges such as the digital divide, cybersecurity, privacy, and connectivity persist.