22 September 2026 | English | FREE Current Affairs PDF

Today’s Highlight: Moody’s raised India’s FY27 GDP growth forecast to 7 percent, a figure often tested in Banking and SSC economy sections, alongside today’s net direct tax collection and NBFC regulation updates.

News in One Liner – 22 September 2026

PIB News

India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar Inaugurated at Sambalpur, Odisha

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, the state’s third after Gopalpur and Paradip. It fills observation gaps across Western Odisha, Southern Jharkhand and Northern Chhattisgarh. India’s radar network has grown from 14 in 2014 to 51 today, and Mission Mausam targets about 81 radars.

HAL Hands Over Tejas Trainers, HTT-40 and Dhruv NG in Bengaluru

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited held a handover event in Bengaluru in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. LCA Tejas FOC twin-seater trainers and HTT-40 basic trainers go to the Indian Air Force, while Dhruv NG helicopters go to Pawan Hans Limited. The event highlights India’s indigenous aerospace capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Textile Exports Rise 16.1% to ₹29,776 Crore in August 2026

India’s textile exports grew 16.1% year-on-year to ₹29,776 crore in August 2026, up from ₹25,656 crore a year earlier. Handicrafts (excluding carpets) led the growth with a 41.4% jump. For April-August 2026, cumulative textile exports reached ₹1.43 lakh crore, a rise of 10.3%.

New Zealand Passes Law to Enact India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement

New Zealand’s Parliament passed the enabling legislation on 16 September 2026 for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, which was signed on 27 April 2026. Once in force, 100% of Indian exports get duty-free access to New Zealand. The deal also aims to facilitate USD 20 billion of investment into India.

One Hundred Weeks Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan Launched

The Department of Youth Affairs launched the One Hundred Weeks Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan, with Rashtriya Sankalp Samaroh events starting on 18 September 2026. Mera Yuva Bharat and the National Service Scheme lead its execution. The campaign rests on four pillars: Prevent, Protect, Recover and Lead.

India Reports 552 GW Installed Capacity at G20 Energy Meet

Power Minister Manohar Lal represented India at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting in the United States. He reported an installed electricity capacity of 552 GW, with more than half from non-fossil sources, and reiterated India’s Net Zero 2070 goal. Talks covered clean cooking, permitting procedures and critical mineral supply chains.

Finance Ministry Hosts State Finance Ministers’ Conference on Viksit Bharat

The Department of Economic Affairs held a two-day conference of state and UT finance ministers and secretaries in New Delhi on 18-19 September 2026. Its theme was Financing India’s Journey towards Viksit Bharat. N. K. Singh, Chairman of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, gave the keynote, and sessions covered the macro outlook, agriculture and energy transition.

Health Ministry Proposes CCTV Mandate at Medical Stores

The Health Ministry issued draft amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945 (G.S.R. 791(E), dated 8 September 2026) proposing mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores. The rule targets sales of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs to stop unprescribed sales of controlled medicines. The Drugs Consultative Committee reviewed it and the Drugs Technical Advisory Board recommended approval.

First Soil Carbon Credit Payments Reach Farmers in Punjab and Haryana

DARE Secretary and ICAR Director General Dr M. L. Jat started DBT payments of over ₹2.9 crore to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana at PAU, Ludhiana. These are the first soil-carbon credit payments to Indian smallholders, under the Aadi programme run by Grow Indigo with ICAR guidance. Farmers received ₹3,000 to ₹15,000 each for practices such as direct seeded rice and reduced tillage.

Industry News

BEML Wins ₹5,400 Crore Bullet Train Rolling Stock Order

BEML Limited secured an order of over ₹5,400 crore from NHSRCL for supplying and maintaining high-speed rolling stock for the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. It includes India’s indigenous B28 bullet train, designed for 280 km/h and operating at 250 km/h. The first rollout is planned between Surat and Vapi, with operations targeted for August 2027.

Railways Sanctions ₹990 Crore for Two Maharashtra Rail Projects

The Ministry of Railways approved two projects totalling about ₹990 crore. Central Railway gets ₹497 crore to double the 10.86-km Chouk-Karjat section, and South Central Railway gets ₹493 crore for a 38.21-km new line from Mukutban to Gadchandur. Together they add freight capacity and new passenger services.

Financial News

SEBI Chief Urges Investor Awareness on F&O Trading Risks

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey stressed that the public needs wider awareness of the risks in Futures and Options trading. He urged retail investors to avoid speculative derivative trades and prefer informed, long-term investing. SEBI has been taking regulatory steps to curb excessive retail participation in loss-making derivatives.

RBI Cancels Registration of Five NBFCs

The RBI cancelled the Certificates of Registration of five NBFCs, including Dar’s Financial Services, Rolta Holding and Finance Corporation, Vasudeo Securities, Parsoli Corporation and A. C. Choksi Financial Services, via Press Release 2026-2027/1133 dated 17 September 2026. These entities can no longer carry on non-banking financial institution business.

Net Direct Tax Collections Rise 12.96% to ₹12.12 Trillion

Provisional data show net direct tax collections at ₹12.12 trillion as of 17 September for FY27, up 12.96% year-on-year. Net corporate tax rose 19.48% to ₹5.56 trillion, and Securities Transaction Tax revenue jumped 52.87% to ₹40,214 crore. Gross collections reached ₹14.32 trillion, about 53% of the Budget target.

India’s US Treasury Purchases Jump to $15.2 Billion in July

US Treasury data show India’s net purchases of US Treasury bonds rose from $3.39 billion in June to $15.2 billion in July, lifting holdings to a ten-month high. The surge was driven by dollar inflows under the RBI’s special swap window. The RBI deployed surplus reserves into income-earning dollar assets.

National & State News

Supreme Court Urges CBSE to Defer Three-Language Rule for Class 6

A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant suggested CBSE consider postponing the mandatory three-language framework for Class 6 to the 2027 academic session. CBSE told the court it set up a monitoring committee on 16 September 2026 to examine teacher availability, textbooks and digital content. The bench said deferment would avoid learning gaps and let students opt in voluntarily.

Saraighat Bridge Revamp Completed at ₹7 Crore

Northeast Frontier Railway completed a ₹7 crore rehabilitation of the 63-year-old Saraighat rail-cum-road bridge near Guwahati, working from 13 July to 15 September 2026. The work included recasting damaged road deck slabs and repairing eight of eleven expansion joints, without stopping trains on the lower deck. The bridge is a key link on the Delhi-Guwahati route.

New CBFC Guidelines Mandate Anti-Drug Warnings in Films

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry notified revised film certification guidelines under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, replacing the 1991 framework. They require anti-drug warnings on scenes showing substance abuse and ban glorifying anti-social acts, child abuse or animal cruelty. Three age-based categories apply: U/A 7+, U/A 13+ and U/A 16+.

World News

India and Bhutan Launch UPI Phase II for Two-Way Payments

External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar launched Phase II of international UPI in Thimphu on 17 September 2026, with Bhutan’s Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay present. Bhutanese visitors in India can now pay by scanning Indian QR codes using Bhutanese mobile apps, completing two-way connectivity. Both sides also signed an MoU extending the Nehru-Wangchuck Scholarship Scheme.

India and Canada Conclude Fourth Round of CEPA Talks

India and Canada wrapped up the fourth round of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement talks in New Delhi, held from 14 to 19 September 2026. Ministers Piyush Goyal and Maninder Sidhu reaffirmed a goal of signing the pact by end-2026. They also aim to raise bilateral trade in goods and services to 70 billion Canadian dollars by 2030.

Rankings and Reports

Moody’s Raises India’s FY27 GDP Growth Forecast to 7%

Moody’s Ratings lifted its FY27 GDP growth forecast for India to 7%, citing strong domestic demand, robust private consumption and resilience to West Asia conflicts. It also flagged downside risks such as crude oil price swings, persistent inflation and El Niño’s effect on agriculture.

Important Days

International Equal Pay Day Observed on 18 September

The UN observed International Equal Pay Day on 18 September to highlight the global gender pay gap. Women earn about 20% less than men for work of equal value worldwide. The Equal Pay International Coalition, led jointly by the ILO, UN Women and the OECD, drives the effort.