Daily Current Affairs and GK Updates (29th September, 2026) |

National News

FASTag Annual Pass Crosses One Crore Issuance Milestone

The number of FASTag Annual Passes issued in India has crossed one crore since its launch on August 15, 2025.
The pass is available to eligible non-commercial vehicles with valid FASTags for ₹3,075.
It remains valid for one year or 200 toll plaza entries, whichever comes first.
The facility covers around 1,150 fee plazas on National Highways and National Expressways.
The pass is electronically activated on the existing FASTag through the Rajmargyatra app, without requiring a separate physical pass.
The milestone reflects wider adoption of electronic toll collection and annual toll payment facilities.

Supreme Court Examines Rules for Children’s Social Media Access

On September 28, 2026, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to examine statutory rules for social media access by children below 18 years.
The bench was headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
The petition was filed by the Just Rights for Children Alliance.
It seeks parental or guardian consent for minors opening social media accounts and safeguards against online grooming, abuse, cyberbullying and privacy violations.
The Centre will examine provisions under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and Information Technology laws.
The government will assess whether existing provisions are sufficient or additional rules are required.

India Issues First PRAMAAN Certificates Under Forest Certification Scheme

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav presented the first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS).
The certificates were awarded to Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation for plantations covering 33,000 hectares.
Bamboo farmer Govind Mohapatra, associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency, also received certification.
PRAMAAN was launched in December 2023 to promote sustainable forest management and traceability of certified forest and wood products.
The Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, serves as the scheme’s operating agency.
Certification covers Forest Management, Trees Outside Forests Management and Chain of Custody.

India Plans New Steel Policy Targeting 600 Million Tonnes

India is preparing a new National Steel Policy providing a long-term roadmap for the sector up to 2047.
The proposed policy targets 600 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity by 2047, compared with around 220 million tonnes in March 2026.
It is expected to replace the National Steel Policy 2017.
Key priorities include specialty and premium steel, import substitution, raw-material security and decarbonisation.
Average carbon-emission intensity is proposed to decline from 2.54 tonnes to 1.54 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of crude steel by 2047.
The draft will be placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultation before finalisation.

State News

Delhi Launches Udyog Mitra Portal for Single-Window Business Services

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the Delhi Udyog Mitra Portal on September 28, 2026.
The portal provides single-window access to licences, clearances, NOCs and other government services for businesses and investors.
At launch, it offered 50+ services from more than 15 departments and boards.
The platform is planned to expand to 100+ services across 21 departments.
Features include Single Sign-On, Common Application Form, Know Your Approvals, application tracking and grievance redressal.
The portal is integrated with the National Single Window System for connecting Delhi and central-level approval processes.

Delhi Government and ICCR Sign MoU for Cultural Cooperation

The Delhi government and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) signed a five-year MoU for cultural and academic cooperation.
The agreement will create international opportunities for Delhi-based artists across performing arts, literature, sculpture, textiles and handicrafts.
Artists will get opportunities to participate in the ICCR Horizon Series and international festivals.
A directory of Delhi artists will be shared with ICCR to facilitate international engagement.
The agreement also covers foreign artists, scholars and cultural groups participating in Delhi-based events.
A joint committee will prepare annual plans and oversee implementation, with the MoU extendable by another five years.

Kolkata to Host India Energy Week 2027 for First Time

Kolkata will host the fifth edition of India Energy Week (IEW) from January 28–31, 2027.
It will be the first time the major international energy event is organised in eastern India.
The event will be held at the New Town Convention Centre under the patronage of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The theme is “Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.”
More than 75,000 energy professionals and 700 international exhibitors are expected to participate.
Discussions will cover hydrogen, biofuels, LNG, renewables, AI, digitalisation, nuclear energy, sustainable aviation fuel and net-zero technologies.

International News

India Highlights Forest Restoration Efforts at COFO 28 Meeting

India highlighted its forest and landscape restoration initiatives at the 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 28) in Rome.
India reported 82.74 million hectares of forest and tree cover, representing 25.17% of its geographical area.
Under the Bonn Challenge, India restored 21.76 million hectares between 2011 and 2020 against its 26-million-hectare pledge by 2030.
India reported creating a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2021.
It is targeting an additional carbon sink of 3.5–4 billion tonnes by 2035.
India also highlighted the Aravalli Green Wall and MISHTI mangrove restoration initiatives.

Piyush Goyal to Represent India at G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit the United States from September 29 to October 5, 2026.
He will participate in the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee on September 30 and October 1.
India will discuss a rules-based, open, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system centred on the WTO.
Discussions will also cover the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, including market access, digital trade and supply-chain resilience.
Goyal is scheduled to meet American businesses, investors and startups in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York.
The visit will also promote Indian investment and manufacturing opportunities.

Awards News

Bhutan Named Earthshot Prize Finalist for Protect Restore Nature

Bhutan has been named one of 15 finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2026 in the Protect & Restore Nature category.
Nearly 70% of Bhutan’s territory is covered by forests, while its Constitution requires at least 60% forest cover.
The Restore Bhutan initiative, launched in 2025, aims to restore 50,000 hectares by 2030.
The initiative includes forest restoration, agroforestry, fire management and community conservation.
Bhutan’s Himalayan forests and watersheds support freshwater systems serving around 1.6 billion people downstream in South Asia.
The five Earthshot Prize winners will be announced in Mumbai on November 17, 2026.

Defense News

Indian Navy to Hold Commanders’ Conference 2026 in New Delhi

The Indian Navy will conduct its second biannual Commanders’ Conference 2026 from September 29 to October 1.
The three-day conference will be held at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi.
Senior naval leadership, including Operational and Area Commanders, will review operational preparedness and maritime security priorities.
Discussions will cover maritime interests, energy security and Operation Urja Suraksha.
The Raksha Mantri will address commanders, while the CDS and Chief of Army Staff will focus on tri-services integration.
Key areas include AI, Big Data, autonomous systems, cyber operations, logistics, training and self-reliance.

Science & Technology News

SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit and Deploys 26 Starlink Satellites

SpaceX Starship reached orbit for the first time during its 14th full-scale test flight on September 28, 2026.
The vehicle was launched from Starbase, Texas, and successfully deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites.
An engine issue caused SpaceX to shorten the planned mission.
Instead of completing about six orbits over nearly 10 hours, Starship returned after around three hours.
The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.
Starship consists of the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft and is being developed for satellite launches, human spaceflight and lunar and deep-space missions.

Kerala Scientists Develop AI-Based Dengue Early Warning System

Scientists at Kerala’s Institute of Advanced Virology developed a Dengue Early Warning System using machine learning and disease surveillance.
The system analyses six years of data from March 2020 to February 2026.
It produces weekly district-level dengue forecasts using disease cases, rainfall, temperature and average humidity.
Dengue risk is classified into very high, high, moderate and low categories.
Preliminary evaluation using March–July 2026 surveillance data showed a positive correlation between predicted and reported trends.
The system can support mosquito surveillance, laboratory preparedness, healthcare planning and public communication.

Indian Peafowl Recorded in Orang National Park for First Time

The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) has been recorded for the first time in Assam’s Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve.
Photographic evidence was captured on September 28, 2026, by wildlife photographer Nejib Ahmed and cinematographer Chandan Saikia.
Earlier observations were reported near the Rowmari and Hazaribagh Anti-Poaching Camps.
Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah acknowledged the finding.
Orang, popularly known as “Mini Kaziranga,” contains grasslands, wetlands and riverine ecosystems.
Authorities will monitor the peafowl’s distribution, habitat preferences and long-term presence.

Sports News

Neeru Dhanda Claims Women’s Trap Gold at Asian Games 2026

Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda won gold in the women’s individual trap event at the 2026 Asian Games.
She scored 26 points in the eight-shooter final, finishing ahead of China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik.
Dhanda had earlier topped the qualification round.
She also won silver in the women’s trap team event with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.
Her individual gold became India’s fifth gold medal of the Games.
India’s overall tally reached 47 medals: 5 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze.

Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest WGM Title Qualifier Ever

11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, an Indian-origin chess player representing England, fulfilled the requirements for the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title.
She secured her third and final WGM norm at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Playing on England’s first board, she scored 8 points from 11 rounds, including six wins.
Her achievement surpassed the previous age record associated with Kateryna Lagno, who achieved the WGM title at 12.
Bodhana also secured her second International Master (IM) norm at the Olympiad.
Born and raised in London with family roots in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, she began playing chess during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav Win Javelin Silver Bronze

India won two medals in the men’s javelin throw at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
Yashvir Singh won silver with a personal-best throw of 85.72 metres.
Rohit Yadav claimed bronze with a throw of 84.35 metres.
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won gold with 88.55 metres.
Yashvir achieved his best mark on his final attempt after earlier throws of 83.56m, 82.99m and 82.42m.
India’s double podium came without Neeraj Chopra, who had won Asian Games javelin gold in 2018 and 2022.

India Secures Silver in Women’s Trap Team Shooting Event

Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won silver in the women’s trap team event at the 2026 Asian Games.
The Indian team scored 328 points in the 125-shot qualification competition.
China won gold with 346 points, while Kuwait secured bronze with 325 points.
The event was held at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery.
Dhanda also qualified for the individual final after finishing joint-top in qualification with 118 points.
The medal took India’s shooting tally to 13, while the overall tally reached 46 medals: 4 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze.

Vithya Ramraj Breaks PT Usha Record with Asian Games Bronze

India’s Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games.
She clocked a personal-best 54.75 seconds and broke PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record of 55.42 seconds.
UAE’s Mariam Kareem won gold in 54.31 seconds, while Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems won silver in 54.58 seconds.
India’s Anu Raghavan finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.
Vithya’s bronze was her second medal at the Games after contributing to India’s mixed 4x400m relay silver.
She had previously equalled Usha’s record at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Important Days News

World Heart Day 2026 Highlights Heart Health Prevention

World Heart Day is observed annually on September 29 to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases and prevention.
The 2026 theme is “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
The observance is supported by the World Heart Federation and World Health Organization.
Major risk factors include tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.
Warning signs may include chest discomfort, breathlessness, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fainting and swelling.
SEAHEARTS supports cardiovascular disease prevention efforts in the South-East Asia Region.