Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully concluded its participation in Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia and Exercise Udara Shakti 2026 in Malaysia. During Exercise Pitch Black 2026, hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force, the IAF deployed Rafale aircraft to participate in Large Force Employment missions alongside air forces from over 20 nations. Subsequently, the IAF contingent deployed to Malaysia for Exercise Udara Shakti 2026, conducting joint tactical manoeuvres and high-intensity combat sorties alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force using Su-30MKM and F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Both exercises focused on enhancing interoperability, tactical coordination, and strategic defence partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has restricted the manufacture, sale, and distribution of all Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) containing Chlorpheniramine Maleate and Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, requiring a mandatory warning that they shall not be used in children below four years of age. This follows an earlier notification from April 2025 that restricted certain formulations, and has now been extended to all formulations containing these ingredients. The decision is based on recommendations from an Expert Committee and the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), due to potential risks and the availability of safer alternatives. Manufacturers must clearly display the warning on labels, package inserts, and promotional literature under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has urged establishments to use the Employees’ Enrolment Campaign, 2026 (EEC 2026), notified with effect from 29 June 2026. This campaign offers a one-time opportunity to enrol eligible workers left outside EPF coverage between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2026. Running until 31 October 2026, the initiative aims to extend provident fund, pension, and insurance benefits by facilitating voluntary employer compliance. It includes relaxations such as the waiver of the employee’s share when not previously deducted. Employers must complete the process online, generating a Face Authentication-based UAN via the UMANG App and remitting contributions through the Electronic Challan-cum-Return.

The Ministry of Defence announced the delivery of 'Mangrol', the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, to the Indian Navy on August 21, 2026. The vessel features over 80 percent indigenous content and is equipped for underwater surveillance, coastal Anti-Submarine Warfare operations, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations, and mine warfare capabilities. Propelled by waterjets, it carries state-of-the-art torpedoes, Anti-Submarine rockets, and advanced radars and sonars. The ship is named after the coastal town and minor port of Mangrol in Gujarat and continues the legacy of the erstwhile INS Mangrol.

The first Steering Committee meeting for the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held on August 21, 2026, in New Delhi under the chairmanship of MoS for Information & Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan. Scheduled for November 20–28, 2026, in Goa, the festival aims to provide enhanced opportunities for young and emerging filmmakers, expand international outreach, and boost India's creative (orange) economy. Discussions during the meeting focused on masterclasses, mentorship opportunities, international collaborations, and ensuring seamless arrangements through coordinated efforts among the Ministry, NFDC, and the Government of Goa.

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through its MSME Development & Facilitation Office in Goa, organized an Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme at IIT Goa on World Entrepreneurship Day. Conducted in collaboration with IIT Goa's incubation cells, the event aimed to encourage students to pursue entrepreneurship and inform them about government support schemes, digital commerce, start-up funding, and Intellectual Property Rights. Officials, bankers, academicians, and industry experts addressed the gathering to foster academia-industry collaboration and build an ecosystem supporting MSMEs and young entrepreneurs.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has introduced seven new career-focused programmes for the July 2026 session, including courses in climate change, women's and gender studies, environmental studies, rural studies, and criminal justice social work. Additionally, the IGNOU Regional Centre in Nagpur facilitated the admission of 75 jail inmates from Central Jail Nagpur and Central Jail Amravati to enable higher education through Open and Distance Learning. The university also announced extensions for fresh admissions and re-registration for the July 2026 session.

The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) organized a Platinum Jubilee Ceremony to mark 75 years of its Hindi science magazine, 'Vigyan Pragati'. Launched in 1952, the magazine has focused on disseminating scientific information, promoting scientific temper, and communicating scientific achievements in accessible Hindi. The celebration included discussions on emerging forms of science communication in the era of digital technology and artificial intelligence, student workshops, and the release of special publications, including the August 2026 special issue of the magazine.

Union Textiles Minister Shri Giriraj Singh visited the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Mumbai, to interact with students and inaugurate a new facility of the Bunakar Seva Kendra (Weavers' Service Centre) at the NIFT Mumbai Campus, Kharghar. Accompanied by senior officials including the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and the Textile Commissioner, the Minister encouraged students to contribute to employment generation, exports, and foreign exchange earnings. Discussions during the visit focused on India's textile and handloom heritage, sustainability, material innovation, traditional knowledge, and the integration of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and 3D printing into the textile and fashion sectors.

The Ken–Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the first priority project under the National Perspective Plan for Interlinking of Rivers to enter the implementation stage. Designed to address water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the project involves transferring water from the Ken basin to the Betwa basin through the 96.7-metre-high Daudhan Dam, a 216.465-km link canal, and other associated works such as the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage, and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project. Scheduled for completion in 2030 with a total cost of ₹44,605 crore, KBLP aims to provide irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares, supply drinking water to about 62 lakh people, and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is the Government’s flagship price-support framework launched in September 2018 to ensure remunerative prices for farmers, reduce distress sales, and maintain consumer price stability. The framework comprises four key components: Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Stabilization Fund (PSF), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). For 2026–27, the budget allocation for PM-AASHA stands at ₹7,200 crore. Procurement is undertaken through central nodal agencies like NAFED and NCCF alongside state governments. Recent initiatives involve digital reforms such as Aadhaar-enabled authentication and e-NAM, alongside infrastructure support through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to improve transparency, efficiency, and farm-to-market connectivity.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with a budgetary outlay of Rs 62,500 crore to enhance global competitiveness, deepen domestic value addition, and support indigenous mobile brands. The 5-year scheme, running from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, features two target segments: TS1 for incentivizing mobile manufacturing and TS2 for supporting Indian mobile phone brands with incentives and non-fiscal support. It offers differentiated incentives, additional support for domestic component sourcing and Indian design and R&D, and anticipates cumulative production of around Rs 39 lakh crore and the generation of approximately 60,000 direct jobs.

The Ministry of Rural Development has launched the 'National Campaign on Entrepreneurship - II' under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) for a three-month period from 21 August to 21 November 2026. Aligned with World Entrepreneurs Day, the campaign aims to accelerate rural women entrepreneurship across farm and non-farm sectors, support marketing of Self-Help Group (SHG) products, and contribute to the vision of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis. Additionally, the first edition of the monthly Rural Enterprise Tech Bulletin, 'Sankalp Shakti', was released. The initiative focuses on enterprise handholding, formalisation, e-commerce integration, producer institution strengthening, and recognising community resource persons as 'Udyam Sakhis'.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups in diverse fields such as rockets, reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, satellites, AI-powered hyperlocal weather intelligence, and space debris removal. During the interaction, industry leaders highlighted indigenous technological advancements and expressed gratitude for the government's decision to open the space sector to private participation, noting that it has created new opportunities. The Prime Minister encouraged broader application of space technology in sectors like agriculture and environmental management to improve public life, suggested collaboration with Atal Tinkering Labs to nurture young talent, and stated that India's space sector can attract global talent, companies, and investment.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has detailed measures to curb recent domestic sugar price rises and ensure adequate availability ahead of the festive season. Sugar prices rose from ₹48.18 per kg on 20 July 2026 to ₹55.70 per kg on 20 August 2026 due to factors like lower domestic production (estimated at 306 LMT compared to an initial 343 LMT), weather damage, crop diseases, global tightening, and hoarding. The government clarified that the price increase is unrelated to ethanol diversion, noting that nearly three-fourths of ethanol now comes from grains. To counter hoarding and increase supply, the government has imposed stock limits on dealers and bulk consumers, initiated physical verification of stocks, permitted duty-free import of 10 LMT of raw sugar, and advised early crushing from 15 October 2026.

India and the United Kingdom conducted their 25th Defence Consultative Group (DCG) Meeting in New Delhi, co-chaired by India's Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and the UK's Permanent Under Secretary for Defence, Mr Jeremy Pocklington. The meeting reviewed ongoing defence industrial cooperation under the India-UK Vision 2035 and the Ten-Year Defence Industrial Roadmap, with an emphasis on Research & Development. Both sides agreed to expand armed forces exchanges through joint exercises, training, and capacity building, and noted cooperation in maritime security within the Indo-Pacific, including the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

The Territorial Army, in collaboration with CyberPeace, has launched 'Terrier Cyber Quest 2026' (TCQ 3.0), which is a national-level hackathon. The initiative aims to develop innovative solutions for contemporary defence, cybersecurity, and information-domain challenges. It brings together technical talent from academia, industry, research institutions, government organisations, and the Armed Forces. The competition focuses on emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, threat mitigation, digital awareness, and indigenous solutions for national security. It features three tracks: Bug Hunting, AI Kavach, and Creators Challenge. Registrations are open until August 31, 2026, with the Grand Finale scheduled in New Delhi from October 6 to 8, 2026.

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $230 million loan for the Chennai Climate-Resilient Water Security and Sewerage Project. The project aims to modernise and expand Chennai’s water supply and sanitation infrastructure, improve public health, and strengthen resilience to climate change. Key interventions include constructing over 170 km of water supply and sewer pipes, upgrading water and sewer pumping stations, making Chennai the first Indian city to implement a comprehensive ring-main solution for water supply, and digitally transforming services with advanced technologies for real-time monitoring and worker safety. The initiative aligns with the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 and the Urban Challenge Fund.

The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) is organizing its 32nd Foundation Day event in New Delhi, with the participation of around 900 Safai Karamcharis, government representatives, and other stakeholders. The event focuses on the dignity, welfare, safety, rehabilitation, and social security of Safai Karamcharis, alongside the promotion of mechanized sanitation and the elimination of hazardous manual cleaning. During the programme, the Commission is set to release an NCSK Missed-Call Facility Number to assist stakeholders in registering grievances, issues, and representations for time-bound resolution. The release also outlines the statutory mandate and scope of the NCSK under the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act and The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.

The BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting concluded in Jaipur under India's Chairship, resulting in the adoption of the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Communiqué 2026, also known as the Jaipur Declaration. Chaired by the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, the meeting operated under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" with participation from nine BRICS member states. The declaration focuses on four thematic priorities: Artificial Intelligence and Tourism; Sustainability and Responsible Tourism; Tourism Skilling and Capacity Building; and Tourism Exchanges and Seamless Travel Facilitation. The discussions emphasized digital technologies, community-centred tourism, heritage protection, skills development, and strengthening people-to-people connectivity among member countries.