18 September 2026 | English | FREE Current Affairs PDF

Today’s Highlight: The Union Cabinet raised the EPFO’s mandatory wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month, the first revision since September 2014. This is a high-value static GK point for Banking, SSC and TNPSC exams, since EPFO ceiling figures are a recurring question type.

News in One Liner – 18 September 2026

PIB News

Cabinet Hikes EPFO Wage Ceiling to ₹25,000

The Union Cabinet raised the mandatory EPFO wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month. It takes effect from 17 September 2026. Employees earning up to ₹25,000 will now get mandatory EPF, EPS and EDLI coverage.

Export Consignments Up to ₹3 Lakh Exempted from RCMC

The DGFT has exempted small export consignments worth up to ₹3 lakh from needing an RCMC certificate. This helps MSMEs, artisans and small sellers who export through post, courier or e-commerce. Bigger consignments above ₹3 lakh still need an RCMC.

MHA Bans Shahzad Bhatti Network Under UAPA

The Ministry of Home Affairs banned the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA law. The group was linked to arms and drug smuggling across the border. The ban lets agencies like the NIA seize its assets and funds.

PM Vishwakarma Scheme Completes 3 Years, 30 Lakh Artisans Registered

The PM Vishwakarma Scheme completed 3 years, with over 30 lakh artisans now registered. This beats its 5-year target two years early. Over 6.18 lakh artisans have received collateral-free loans worth ₹5,297 crore in total.

India Marks 32nd World Ozone Day, Launches Net Zero Portal

India observed the 32nd World Ozone Day in Mumbai with the theme “Global Action for a Cooler Planet.” A new Net Zero Portal was launched to track companies’ climate progress. India also reaffirmed its commitment to the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment.

NITI Aayog’s 9th Trade Watch Quarterly Spotlights Metals Trade

NITI Aayog released the 9th Trade Watch Quarterly report, focused on India’s metals and ores trade. Metals exports touched $34.8 billion in 2025, while imports rose to $60.5 billion. India is now the 4th-largest exporter of Digitally Delivered Services in the world.

IEMI 2.0 Released; EV Policies Now Cover 29 States

NITI Aayog released the 2nd India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI 2.0). 29 of 36 states and UTs now have their own EV policies. Central support for EV schemes has crossed ₹92,000 crore.

CBIC Marks 10 Years of Authorised Economic Operator Programme

The CBIC marked 10 years of its Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme for trusted exporters and importers. AEO-certified businesses get faster customs clearance and deferred duty payment. CBIC wants more agreements so these benefits also apply abroad.

India Highlights 552 GW Capacity at G20 Energy Ministerial

India told the G20 Energy Ministerial that its total power capacity has crossed 552 GW. More than half of this now comes from non-fossil sources. This is well ahead of India’s 2030 climate target.

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth Visits Russia

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth began an official visit to Russia. The visit aims to strengthen military ties between the two countries. His schedule includes a visit to a top Russian artillery academy in Saint Petersburg.

Industry News

India’s Current Account Deficit Widens to $7 Billion in July

India’s current account deficit widened to $7 billion in July 2026, up from $3.2 billion a year ago. A wider trade gap was the main reason. Despite this, India’s overall balance of payments still showed a $20.8 billion surplus for the month.

DGFT Clears 642 UK Car Imports Under India-UK CETA

The DGFT approved the import of 642 vehicles from the UK, the first batch under the India-UK trade deal (CETA). The deal allows up to 3.78 lakh petrol/diesel cars from the UK over 15 years. First-year customs duty on big cars has been cut from 110% to 30%.

India’s Exports to US See Fastest Growth in 9 Months

India’s exports to the United States grew at their fastest pace in 9 months, reaching nearly $7 billion. Engineering goods and electronics led the growth. Lower gold imports and softer oil prices also helped narrow India’s trade deficit.

New Zealand Parliament Passes India FTA Legislation

New Zealand’s Parliament passed the law needed to bring its Free Trade Agreement with India into force. New Zealand will give India 100% duty-free access, while India will open up 70% of its tariff lines (dairy stays excluded). New Zealand will also invest $20 billion in India over 15 years.

Financial News

RBI Absorbs ₹3.93 Lakh Crore via Reverse Repo Auction

The RBI absorbed ₹3.93 lakh crore in extra cash from banks through a reverse repo auction. This was done because surplus liquidity in the banking system had crossed ₹10.73 lakh crore. The RBI also announced government bond sales worth ₹1 lakh crore.

NPCI Sets 0.4% MDR on High-Value UPI Merchant Payments

NPCI will charge a 0.4% fee on UPI merchant payments above ₹2,000, starting 15 October 2026. Regular UPI transfers and payments up to ₹2,000 stay completely free. This covers about 95% of all UPI transactions.

ED Flags IBC Frauds and Haircuts as Key Focus Area

The Enforcement Directorate flagged insolvency-related frauds and high creditor “haircuts” as a top priority area. Average creditor recovery has fallen to just 20% this year, the lowest in 5 years. The agency’s staff strength is being increased from 2,029 to 3,256 posts.

CBDT Signals Simpler ITR Filing for Mutual Fund Investors

The CBDT plans to simplify income tax return forms for mutual fund investors. The asset-disclosure threshold will rise from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore net worth. More taxpayers will be able to use simple forms like ITR-1 and ITR-4.

National & State News

Telangana Tops Inflation Chart for 8th Straight Month

Telangana recorded India’s highest retail inflation at 6.27% in August 2026. This is the 8th month in a row that Telangana has topped the chart. Rising prices of onions and ginger were the main reason.

Appointments and Resignation

Sanjukta Parashar First Woman to Head CRPF’s CoBRA Unit

IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar became the first woman to head CRPF’s CoBRA unit. She succeeds Danesh Rana as Inspector General of this elite ten-battalion force. She is known for leading counter-insurgency operations in Assam.

Sports News

India Beats Afghanistan by 7 Wickets, Takes Unassailable T20I Lead

India beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. This gave India an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the 3-match series. Sanju Samson scored 57 runs off just 22 balls in the chase.