Current Affairs Questions with Answers

The India-New Zealand FTA will come into effect on October 20, 2026; under this agreement, New Zealand will offer zero duty on 100% of tariff lines for Indian exports, with sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, engineering, and MSMEs likely to benefit. The agreement includes provisions for a $20 billion investment commitment by New Zealand over 15 years, work visas for 5,000 Indian professionals, and 1,000 'Working Holiday Visas' annually.

A new checklist by JNTBGRI recorded 3,261 flowering plant species in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, including 1,018 endemic and 245 steno-endemic taxa. In this Western Ghats region spanning Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Fabaceae has been the most species-rich plant family, and emphasis has been placed on seed banks, *ex-situ* conservation, habitat restoration, and climate adaptation for its preservation.

ISRO and ESA have extended their long-term cooperation agreement until January 8, 2032, covering areas such as Earth observation, satellite navigation, space science, and human and robotic exploration. The collaboration emphasizes the safe and responsible use of space, incorporating areas like space weather, satellite data calibration-validation, space debris, and orbital congestion.

Starbucks has announced the establishment of its first Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Chennai, India, following an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government; the first phase is expected to create approximately 800 high-skilled technical jobs. This GCC will focus on services such as AI, software development, data analytics, cybersecurity, finance, and R&D, and will operate independently of Starbucks' Indian coffeehouse joint venture with Tata Consumer Products.

The G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting, held in Houston from September 14–16, 2026, emphasized energy security, affordable energy, clean cooking, and improved permitting processes for energy infrastructure. Under the G20 Water Reuse Initiative, a consensus was reached to promote the reuse of treated water and to foster cooperation, recycling, investment, and local value addition for resilient critical mineral supply chains.

The RBI has issued the 'Market Risk—Minimum Capital Requirements Directions, 2026' for commercial banks; these align with the revised Basel III standards and will come into effect on April 1, 2027. Emphasis has been placed on strengthening the banking system's risk management capabilities by introducing changes to the capital treatment of the trading book, foreign exchange and interest rate risks, net open positions, debt mutual funds, ETFs, credit derivatives, and TRS.

Jayanti Prasad, a Whole-Time Member of IBBI, has been given the additional charge of IBBI Chairperson effective from September 13, 2026; this will continue until November 20, 2026, or until a new Chairperson is appointed, whichever is earlier. IBBI is the apex regulator for India's insolvency regime under the IBC 2016; it regulates insolvency professionals, agencies, and information utilities, and plays a crucial role in credit discipline and NPA recovery.

England fast bowler Mark Wood announced his retirement from international cricket on September 22, 2026, at the age of 36; he took 253 wickets in 146 matches. Wood was a member of the 2019 ODI and 2022 T20 World Cup-winning teams and, despite persistent knee injuries, will continue to play for Durham and in franchise cricket.

The International Day of Sign Languages ​​is observed annually on September 23; it was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2017 under resolution A/RES/72/161. The theme for 2026 is "Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights." The year 2026 holds special significance as it marks 20 years of the CRPD and the 75th anniversary of the WFD. Meanwhile, in India, the ISLRTC was established on September 28, 2015, and is dedicated to training, research, and resource development regarding Indian Sign Language.

The development of the country's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) in Gwalior is expected to attract an investment of approximately ₹5,500 crore and generate over 18,000 direct jobs; it will be developed as an industrial cluster for 24–25 telecom manufacturers across an area of ​​about 170 acres. A common testing lab worth ₹500 crore is proposed for the project, and 24 companies have applied to set up plants; Gwalior's connectivity and the annual output of approximately 25,000 engineering graduates serve as key pillars for this initiative.

On September 20, 2026, the Delhi Government and the MCD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the historic Town Hall in Chandni Chowk into a global heritage center. Built between 1860 and 1866, the building will house a museum as well as cultural and tourism facilities through a process of adaptive reuse; the DTTDC will prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the approximately 12,180-square-meter complex.

The 13th edition of the SLINEX-26 bilateral naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka is being held in Visakhapatnam from September 17–21, 2026, focusing on maritime cooperation, operational coordination, and interoperability. India's INS Kavaratti and INS Jyoti, along with Sri Lanka's SLNS Sindurala, participated in the exercise; launched in 2005, SLINEX serves as a significant platform for maritime cooperation and mutual trust between the two nations in the Indian Ocean region.

‘Angh’, a Konyak-language film by Nagaland filmmaker Theja Rio, won the Platform Prize at TIFF 2026, receiving a trophy and a cash prize of 20,000 Canadian dollars. Set against the backdrop of tribal culture in 1960s Nagaland, the film gains a new pathway to eligibility for the International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards through the Platform Prize.

The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954; the 72nd National Film Awards honor films released in 2024. The awards were announced on July 18, 2026, and the ceremony was held on September 22, 2026, at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. Anant Nag is set to receive the 2024 Dadasaheb Phalke Award, while ‘Article 370’ was named Best Feature Film, Rajkumar Periasamy Best Director, Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan joint Best Actors, and Yami Gautam Best Actress.

On the second day of the 2026 Asian Games, India won 4 medals—including 2 silver and 2 bronze—bringing the total medal count to 6; Himanshu Dhillon, Rudrankksh Patil, and Parth Mane secured medals in shooting. Suchika Tariyal won a bronze medal in the Traditional MMA 60kg category, marking India's first-ever MMA medal at the Asian Games, while India also registered victories in hockey, kabaddi, badminton, and table tennis.

Indian women's hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia surpassed Vandana Katariya's record of 320 matches by playing her 321st senior international match on September 21, 2026. Hockey India announced a cash award of ₹10 lakh to honor this achievement, attained against Indonesia at the 2026 Asian Games; Savita had made her international debut in 2009.

World Alzheimer's Day is observed annually on September 21st, aiming to raise awareness about Alzheimer's and dementia and to provide support to patients and their families. Alzheimer's is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of dementia; modifiable risk factors include physical inactivity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

Under the Passport (Amendment) Rules, 2026, the Ministry of External Affairs has fixed the validity of ordinary passports for children under the age of 15 at either 5 years or up to the age of 18, whichever is earlier. This change pertains to Rule 12(1A) of the Passport Rules, 1980, and applies only to ordinary passports issued to children under 15 years of age.

On September 18, 2026, the Film Federation of India selected the Marathi film 'Gondhal', directed by Santosh Davkhar, as India's official entry for the 99th Academy Awards; it will represent India in the 'Best International Feature Film' category. The film blends Maharashtra's traditional 'Gondhal' folk and religious performance art with a modern narrative; it features actors such as Kishore Kadam and Ishita Deshmukh, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Floriculture zones spanning 40 acres have been developed at Choglamsar and Stakna in the Leh district of Ladakh at an altitude of 10,600 feet, with over 2.5 million plants cultivated. The project aims to diversify farmers' income, promote employment and entrepreneurship, and link Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and cooperative societies with commercial flower cultivation and marketing.