Monthly current affairs for August 2026

According to a report by ICRA Ltd, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of India for Q1 FY27 is estimated at 7%, marking a four-quarter low compared to the 7.8% growth in Q4 FY26.

The agency maintained the real GDP growth forecast for the full FY27 at 6.7%, while the nominal GDP growth is expected to reach 13%.

The SEBI has launched two new web portals, “SEBI Incident Reporting” and “Cyber Suraksha”, to strengthen cybersecurity and information sharing in the securities market ecosystem.

The “SEBI Incident Reporting” portal is an updated version of the existing system designed for structured, timely, and actionable reporting of cyber-incidents.

The “Cyber Suraksha” portal will serve as a centralized hub for sharing cybersecurity information, including vulnerability warnings, policy measures, and incident insights.

Jindal Steel Ltd (JSL) has signed an MoU with the IIT Hyderabad to establish a first-of-its-kind Jindal Steel Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the IIT campus.

The CoE will focus on the research and development of high-strength, value-added, and value-engineered steel products and solutions.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has signed an MoU with the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai to promote the self-reliance and inclusion of refugees in India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has awarded a contract worth ₹155 crore to the Indrajaal-Sigma consortium for the procurement of the “Indrajaal Ranger Mobile Anti-Drone Patrol Vehicle” (ADPV).

The ADPV is the only mobile Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) platform in India to receive approval from the Anti-Rogue Drone Technology Committee (ARDTC).

The Ministry of Defence, through the Department of Defence Production (DDP), has notified the 6th Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) comprising 405 defence items.

It includes 389 items from Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and 16 from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

The PIL focuses on critical components, spares, and raw materials, carrying an estimated business potential of ₹3,070 crore.

The initiative aims to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

Google has emerged as the successful bidder in a bankruptcy auction to acquire internal enterprise data and software assets of Spirit Airlines for $10 million.

The company intends to use these assets for product development and training AI models.

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has partnered with UK-based Rolls-Royce Ltd to design, develop, and manufacture an indigenous combat engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme of India.

It is to be noted that the collaboration also aims to explore the establishment of a dedicated Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex in India, which will serve as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for power and propulsion technology.

Astronomers have discovered a 170 million-year-old giant exoplanet named “GJ 523b” (informally called “mega-Earth”).

The planet, having a mass 23 times that of Earth, is over 2.5 times larger in size.

It was initially detected by the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

It is to be noted that its existence was confirmed by Max Krof from the Wisconsin Center for Origins Research (WiCOR).

D-Propulse Aerospace Pvt Ltd has successfully demonstrated the first indigenously developed 5 kilo-Newton (kN) air-breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) of India, integrated with an aerospike nozzle. The demonstration was held at the DRDO test facility in Hyderabad.

It is to be noted that the test validated the Technology Readiness Level-5 (TRL-5), which marks a milestone in the advanced propulsion capabilities of the country.

Himachal Pradesh government has signed a 5-year MoU with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business (ISB-BIPP) to unlock the forest and pastoral economy potential of the state, estimated at ₹22,600 crore.

The initiative focuses on using science and technology-enabled governance for the management of natural resources.

The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a permanent bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The initiative aims to enhance access to justice for people residing in the remote regions of the UT.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorized the development of 1,800 km of new Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) pipeline infrastructure, with an estimated capital investment of ₹7,000 crore.

The 3 authorized LPG pipeline projects will be developed by GAIL (India) Ltd across 5 states: Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka.

It is to be noted that this development will expand the PNGRB-approved common-carrier LPG pipeline network from 7,700 km to 9,500 km.

The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) has launched the first ‘Soil Texture Map’ of India during its 50th Foundation Day in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

It is to be noted that soil texture refers to the relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay in the soil, which determines critical properties including water-holding capacity, drainage, aeration, and crop suitability.

Razorpay, an omnichannel payments platform, has partnered with RBL Bank to launch a Multi-Currency Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) account.

The account enables exporters and international businesses to retain their earnings in foreign currencies and manage global payments efficiently without immediate conversion into Indian Rupees (INR).

Punjab National Bank has signed an MoU with the Indian Army to offer two credit cards, namely the “PNB LUXURA Metal Credit Card” and the “PNB Parakram Credit Card”.

Under the 2026 BRICS Chairship of India, the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting was held in New Delhi, chaired by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav.

Additionally, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications organized the BRICS Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Track in Pune under the theme “Innovate, Cooperate and Transform (ICT) for a Resilient Future”.

General Dhiraj Seth, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, has visited Nepal at the invitation of Ashok Raj Sigdel, COAS of the Nepal Army, to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and military-to-military ties.

He was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by Ramchandra Paudel, the President of Nepal, during an investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan (Sheetal Niwas) in Kathmandu.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) has delivered ‘Samarthak’, the first Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) to the Indian Navy (IN).

The vessel features over 75% indigenous content and is designed to serve as a versatile trial and evaluation platform.

AkinAnalytics, a Hyderabad-based women-led deep technology (DeepTech) and defence technology startup, has launched an indigenous drone named “NIKA2” Kisan Medium Drone.

The drone, unveiled by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is designed to provide technology-driven solutions for farmers and field-intensive industries.