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India’s Gross GST revenue in August 2026 reached ₹1.99 lakh crore, registering a 14.8% year-on-year growth over August 2025. The strong collection reflects robust domestic consumption, improved tax compliance, and continued growth in manufacturing and services.
📊 Key Facts
GST Collection: ₹1.99 lakh crore
YoY Growth:14.8%
CGST: ~₹35,000 crore
SGST: ~₹44,000 crore
IGST: ~₹95,000 crore
Cess: ~₹25,000 crore
GST introduced:1 July 2017
Tagline/Concept:“One Nation, One Tax”
About GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Introduced: 1 July 2017
Nature: Indirect tax replacing multiple levies like excise duty, service tax, VAT.
Structure:
CGST: Collected by the Centre on intra-state sales.
SGST: Collected by States on intra-state sales.
IGST: Collected by Centre on inter-state sales and imports.
Objective:“One Nation, One Tax” – to simplify taxation, remove cascading effect, and create a unified national market.
The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the SCO. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration.
🔑 Key Points
Theme:“25 Years of the SCO: Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity”
Members: 10 countries, including India, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Belarus.
Counter-terrorism: Members called for action against terror financing, recruitment, radicalisation and terrorist safe havens. PM Modi stressed that terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for anyone.
Cybersecurity: Adopted the 2026–2028 International Information Security Cooperation Plan.
Anti-narcotics: Cooperation programmes against drug addiction and synthetic drugs up to 2030; an SCO Anti-Narcotics Centre was also proposed/established.
Green technology: Roadmap for a Green Technology Corridor (2026–2030).
Biodiversity: Cooperation initiative for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management during 2026–2031.
Connectivity: Action Plan for developing transport and logistics centres (2026–2030).
West Asia & Iran: The declaration addressed the conflict in West Asia, including the situation involving Iran and Palestine, and opposition to unilateral sanctions.
India’s focus: India highlighted counter-terrorism, stronger connectivity with Central Asia and greater institutional cooperation within the SCO.
India’s real GDP grew 7.8% in Q1 (April–June) of FY 2026–27, while real GVA increased 8.2%, reflecting strong economic activity despite global uncertainties, oil price shocks and supply-chain disruptions.
Key Points
Real GDP growth: 7.8% in Q1 FY27
Real GVA growth: 8.2%
Real GDP: ₹81.36 lakh crore
Nominal GDP: ₹88.27 lakh crore, up 10.3%
Manufacturing: Major driver of growth
Capital goods output: +15.2%
Electrical equipment manufacturing: +27%
Computer, electronic & optical products: +12.4%
Exports of goods and services:+25.8%
Imports:+30.5%
Transport goods exports:+52.2%
Machinery and equipment exports:+31.9%
Commercial vehicle sales:+18.3%
Three-wheeler sales:+29.7%
The estimates use the new national accounts series with 2022–23 as the base year, introduced by MoSPI in February 2026.
Next GDP estimates (Q2 FY27): Scheduled for 30 November 2026.
Apple has undergone a major leadership transition. John Ternus became Apple’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective September 1, 2026, while Tim Cook became the company’s Executive Chairman. Apple had announced the leadership transition in April 2026.
Before becoming CEO, John Ternus served as Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, leading hardware engineering for products including the iPhone, iPad, Mac and AirPods.
Apple Inc. is a leading American technology company best known for products such as the iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. Its major software platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS, along with services such as the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple introduced the Macintosh in 1984, marking a major milestone in personal computing.
Q. NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy on 30 August 2026 to study dark energy, dark matter and exoplanets, is named after whom? 30 अगस्त 2026 को SpaceX Falcon Heavy के माध्यम से प्रक्षेपित NASA के Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope का नाम किसके नाम पर रखा गया है, जो डार्क एनर्जी, डार्क मैटर और एक्सोप्लैनेट्स का अध्ययन करेगा?
A) NASA’s first chief astronomer, known as the “Mother of Hubble” / NASA की पहली Chief Astronomer, जिन्हें “Mother of Hubble” के नाम से जाना जाता है B) NASA’s first woman astronaut / NASA की पहली महिला अंतरिक्ष यात्री C) The first woman to walk on the Moon / चंद्रमा पर चलने वाली पहली महिला D) The scientist who designed the James Webb Space Telescope / James Webb Space Telescope को डिजाइन करने वाली वैज्ञानिक
Answer / उत्तर: A) NASA’s first chief astronomer, known as the “Mother of Hubble” / NASA की पहली Chief Astronomer, जिन्हें “Mother of Hubble” के नाम से जाना जाता है NASA successfully launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on 30 August 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The telescope will study dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets. NASA ने 30 अगस्त 2026 को फ्लोरिडा के Kennedy Space Center से SpaceX Falcon Heavy के माध्यम से Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope का सफल प्रक्षेपण किया। यह टेलीस्कोप डार्क एनर्जी, डार्क मैटर और एक्सोप्लैनेट्स का अध्ययन करेगा।
Q. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, was held in which city? Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2026, जो Shanghai Cooperation Organisation की 25वीं वर्षगांठ के अवसर पर आयोजित किया गया, किस शहर में आयोजित हुआ?
A) Tashkent, Uzbekistan / ताशकंद, उज़्बेकिस्तान B) Astana, Kazakhstan / अस्ताना, कज़ाखस्तान C) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan / बिश्केक, किर्गिस्तान D) Dushanbe, Tajikistan / दुशांबे, ताजिकिस्तान
Answer / उत्तर: C) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan / बिश्केक, किर्गिस्तान The SCO Summit 2026 was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). SCO Summit 2026 का आयोजन 31 अगस्त से 1 सितंबर 2026 तक बिश्केक, किर्गिस्तान में किया गया। यह सम्मेलन Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) की 25वीं वर्षगांठ के अवसर पर आयोजित हुआ।
The SCO Summit 2026 is being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The summit brings together leaders of its 10 member states, including India, China, Russia and Iran.
Key Facts
Founded: 2001 in Shanghai, China
Founding members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
India & Pakistan: Joined in 2017
Iran: Became a full member in 2023
Belarus: Joined in 2024
Current members:10 countries
2026 Summit venue:Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Dates:31 August–1 September 2026
2026 theme:“25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development, and Prosperity”
Main Agenda
The summit focuses on regional security, counter-terrorism, connectivity, trade, energy cooperation, cybercrime, organised crime and cultural exchanges. Connectivity projects such as the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway are also significant.
Significance for India
The SCO provides India with an important platform to engage simultaneously with China, Russia and Central Asian countries. India also highlights the need for a terrorism-free region and seeks stronger connectivity and economic cooperation through initiatives such as Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
NASA successfully launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on 30 August 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The telescope will study some of the biggest mysteries of the universe, including dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets.
Key Points
Launch Date: 30 August 2026
Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon Heavy
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Destination: Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2), about 1 million miles from Earth
Journey: Around 3 months to reach its final orbit
Field of View: About 100 times wider than Hubble
Exoplanets: Expected to help discover around 100,000 new planets
Major Instrument: Coronagraph for directly imaging exoplanets and planet-forming disks
Main Studies: Dark energy, dark matter, exoplanets and the evolution of galaxies
The telescope is named after Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer, who is often called the “Mother of Hubble” for her important role in establishing NASA’s space-based astronomy programme.
In August 2026, a catastrophic flash flood hit Nepal’s northern river valleys after a glacial collapse near the Tibet border triggered a sudden surge down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. The disaster swept away major infrastructure and caused widespread loss of life across the region.
Trigger: A massive ice and rock slide detached from a glacier near Langtang Lirung, temporarily damming the Lhende Khola river before bursting and creating a surge up to 9 meters high.
Human Impact: Hundreds of fatalities were confirmed across Nepal and Tibet, with over 2,000 people reported missing, including local residents, guides, and foreign tourists.
Infrastructure Destruction: Over 30 bridges, key mountain highways, and 14 solar and hydropower projects were destroyed or severely damaged, cutting off roughly 10% of Nepal’s power grid capacity.
Economic Disruption: Key cross-border trade hubs, including the Gyirong Port complex, were swept away, severing a major trade route between Nepal and China.
Regional & Relief Response: Surging river waters caused flooding downstream in northern India, triggering evacuations, while search and rescue operations in Nepal faced major delays due to severed communications and destroyed roads.
World Sanskrit Day 2026 (विश्व संस्कृत दिवस) was observed on28 August 2026, coinciding withShravana Purnima. It celebrates the timeless legacy of Sanskrit, India’s classical language, and promotes awareness of its role in literature, philosophy, science, and spirituality.
📌 Key Facts About World Sanskrit Day 2026
Date: 28 August 2026 (Shravana Purnima, full moon of Shravana month).
Other Names: Sanskrit Diwas, Vishva Sanskrit Diwas.
First Observed: 1969, initiated by India’s Ministry of Education.
Purpose: Promote Sanskrit learning, preserve cultural heritage, and highlight its relevance in modern knowledge systems.
🌍 Significance
Cultural Heritage: Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas, and classical sciences like Ayurveda and Yoga Shastras.
Intellectual Legacy: Contributions of scholars like Panini (grammar), Aryabhata (mathematics), and Charaka (medicine) are rooted in Sanskrit texts.
Modern Relevance: Though not widely spoken, Sanskrit continues to influence Indian languages, linguistics, philosophy, and traditional knowledge.
Educational Importance: Schools, colleges, and universities organize shloka recitations, essay contests, debates, seminars, and Vedic chanting to encourage Sanskrit learning.
PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has completed 12 years, transforming financial inclusion in India by providing millions of people, especially women and rural populations, access to banking, digital payments and direct welfare benefits.
Key Points
Launched: 28 August 2014
Completed: 12 years in August 2026
Total PMJDY Accounts:59.09 crore (as of 19 August 2026)
Women Account Holders:32.92 crore (55.7%)
Rural & Semi-Urban Accounts:45.95 crore (77.8%)
Total Deposits:₹3.17 lakh crore
Average Deposit per Account:₹5,356
RuPay Cards Issued:41.29 crore
Key Benefits
Zero-balance basic bank account with no maintenance charges.
Free RuPay debit card with accident insurance cover of up to ₹2 lakh.
Overdraft facility of up to ₹10,000, subject to eligibility.
Access to insurance, pension and other financial services.
The JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile) enables direct, transparent and diversion-proof transfer of welfare benefits.
PMJDY accounts have also helped expand access to digital payments, savings, credit and schemes such as MUDRA loans.
Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. He defeated defending champion Fabiano Caruana 15–13 in the final at St. Louis, USA, on 27 August 2026.
After trailing by six points, Praggnanandhaa staged a remarkable comeback by winning both rapid games and holding his lead in the blitz games. He won the $200,000 first prize and secured a place in the next year’s Grand Chess Tour.
The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) has issued its first compliance certificate for a 15-metre multi-axle sleeper bus under AIS-119 and AIS-153, in accordance with the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR).
Recipient: Synaty Automotive Pvt. Ltd.
Bus: 15-metre multi-axle sleeper bus designed for long-distance travel.
Capacity: 42 berths in the fully sleeper version; 21 berths + 42 seats in the hybrid version.
Focus: Structural strength, vehicle and fire safety, emergency provisions, passenger movement and comfort.
The certification demonstrates ICAT’s capability to test and certify advanced passenger vehicle configurations while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.
The certificate was formally handed over by Saurabh Dalela, Director, ICAT, to Naresh Kumar Yadav, Managing Director, Synaty Automotive Pvt. Ltd.
National Sports Day 2026 will be observed from 28–30 August as a three-day nationwide campaign themed “Tribute, Play, and Move,” commemorating Major Dhyan Chand’s birth anniversary on 29 August and promoting sports, fitness, and youth participation.
Date: 29 August every year; first observed in 2012.
2026 Campaign:28–30 August 2026.
Themes:Tribute, Play, Move.
Major Event: PM Narendra Modi’s “Khelo India Dialogue – Khel Ki Baat, PM Ke Saath” on 27 August.
Reach: More than 1,500 locations across India.
Focus: Youth participation, grassroots sports, fitness, athlete development, and preparation for the 2036 Olympics.
Participants: Schools, colleges, universities and Fit India-registered institutions.
Key athletes: P.T. Usha, Mary Kom, Mirabai Chanu, Saina Nehwal, Baichung Bhutia and others.
India’s indigenous AK-203 assault rifle, named ‘Sher’, is set to be delivered to the Indian Army soon. Manufactured at the Korwa facility in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, the rifle is being produced by Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) under an India-Russia technology-transfer arrangement.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on 25 August 2026 approved the purchase of 25 lakh tablets for free distribution to eligible youth under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.
Tablets: 25 lakh
Budget for 2026–27: ₹2,374.60 crore
Scheme duration: 5 years
Beneficiaries: Eligible youth pursuing higher education, diploma, skill development and other training programmes.
Purpose: Provide access to digital education, training, employment and self-employment opportunities.
The scheme aims to technologically empower youth and improve their employability skills.
The decision was taken under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
India and China held the 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) border talks in Beijing on 25 August 2026, with NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi focusing on maintaining stability along the LAC and improving bilateral ties.
Date & Venue: 25 August 2026, Beijing
Participants:Ajit Doval (India) and Wang Yi (China)
Main focus: Boundary question and institutionalising stability along the LAC
Background: Talks follow the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and Ladakh standoff.
Progress: The October 2024 disengagement at Demchok and Depsang helped reduce tensions.
Strategic importance: Talks aim to create a favourable atmosphere for PM Modi–Xi Jinping interaction during the upcoming BRICS Summit.
Xi Jinping’s expected visit: New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on 12–13 September 2026.
UPI (Unified Payments Interface)has completed 10 years on 25 August 2026, transforming India’s digital payments ecosystem and becoming the world’s largest real-time payment system.
Launched: 25 August 2016 by NPCI under RBI oversight.
Transaction growth: From 1.78 crore transactions in 2016–17 to 24,162 crore in 2025–26 — nearly 13,000-fold growth.
Transaction value: Increased from ₹0.07 lakh crore to ₹314 lakh crore.
July 2026: Record 2,366 crore transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore.
Banks on UPI: Increased from 44 to 703.
Global recognition: UPI accounted for 49% of global real-time payment transactions in 2025.
International reach: UPI is accepted in several countries, including Singapore, UAE, France, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Mauritius.
Impact: Promotes financial inclusion, cashless payments, digital innovation and convenient P2P/P2M transactions.
East Bengal defeated Mohun Bagan 4–1 in the Durand Cup 2026 final at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on 23 August 2026, ending a 22-year wait for the trophy.
🏆 Winner: East Bengal
⚽ Score: East Bengal 4–1 Mohun Bagan SG
🏟️ Venue: Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata
🏆 17th Durand Cup title for East Bengal, equalling Mohun Bagan’s record.
⏳ Their previous title came in 2004.
⭐ Edmund Lalrindika scored a spectacular hat-trick in the first half.
⚽ Bipin Singh scored East Bengal’s opening goal.
🇮🇳 East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are now joint-most successful teams in the Durand Cup.
Extra Facts for Exam: Asia’s oldest football tournament is the Durand Cup, which has been held since 1888
The Government has approved duty-free import of 10 lakh tonnes (10 LMT) of raw sugar to boost domestic availability and stabilize sugar prices ahead of the festive season.
Sugar prices rose from ₹48.18/kg (20 July) to ₹55.70/kg (20 August 2026).
Domestic sugar production is estimated at 306 LMT, below the initial estimate of 343 LMT.
Price rise is attributed to lower production, festive demand, crop damage, global supply concerns, and hoarding/speculation—not ethanol diversion.
10 LMT duty-free raw sugar imports have been approved as a precautionary supply measure.
A 400-tonne stock limit has been imposed on sugar dealers from 1 August to 30 November 2026.
Sugar mills have been advised to begin crushing from 15 October 2026 to increase festive-season supply.
Kajal Dhochak created history by winning her second consecutive U20 World Wrestling Championship gold, defeating China’s Jingru Sun 7–0 in the women’s 76 kg final in Slovakia on 21 August 2026.
Kajal Dhochak: Gold – 76 kg; second consecutive U20 World title (2025 – 72 kg, 2026 – 76 kg).
At 18, she became only the second Indian wrestler to win back-to-back U20 World titles.
She completed a flawless campaign without conceding a single point.
2026: Five successive gold medals, including the U23 Asian Championships, Ulaanbaatar Ranking Series, U20 Asian Championships, Budapest Ranking Series and U20 World Championships.
Other Indian medals: Tanu Sharma – Silver (72 kg); Savita – Silver (62 kg).
India remained in contention for medals in several women’s and men’s freestyle categories.
The Union Cabinet on 20 August 2026 approved the establishment of a new Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh, making it the third seat of the High Court after Srinagar and Jammu. The decision was announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Ladakh Bench is aimed at bringing High Court services closer to residents, reducing the need to travel to Srinagar or Jammu and improving access to justice in the remote Union Territory. It is also expected to help address judicial pendency, with 44,557 cases pending before the High Court as of July 2026, including 6,106 cases pending for more than 10 years.
The move will strengthen judicial infrastructure in Ladakh, where only 5 of 10 subdivisions currently have court facilities. The Centre also reiterated its commitment to protecting Ladakh’s land, employment and cultural rights.
Key Fact: Ladakh will now have the third seat/bench of the High Court, alongside Srinagar and Jammu.
On 19 August 2026, the Union Cabinet approved infrastructure projects worth over ₹13,000 crore to strengthen railway and road connectivity.
Railway projects: Four multitracking projects worth ₹9,450 crore were approved across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
Railway expansion: The projects will add around 410 km to the railway network across 8 districts.
Beneficiaries: Improved connectivity to nearly 6,448 villages with a combined population of about 60 lakh.
Freight capacity: Expected to facilitate an additional 76 million tonnes of freight traffic annually.
Key benefits: Reduced congestion, logistics costs and fuel consumption, along with improved passenger and freight movement.
Environmental benefit: Expected to save around 13 crore litres of oil and reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 65 crore kg.
Bihar NH-22 project: The Cabinet approved four-laning of the 82.578-km Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi–Sonbarsa section of NH-22.
Cost:₹3,590.73 crore, to be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).
Importance: The highway will improve connectivity between Muzaffarpur and the India-Nepal border at Sonbarsa, reduce travel time and boost trade, tourism and economic activity.
Major structures: The project includes 7 major bridges, 3 railway overbridges and 2 flyovers.
The railway projects are aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for integrated multimodal connectivity.
On 18 August 2026, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant became the first Indian and fourth player in the world to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket during the fourth day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka.
Pant reached the milestone in his 51st Test, becoming the fastest player to complete 100 Test sixes.
He surpassed Ben Stokes, who reached 100 sixes in his 82nd Test.
Players ahead of Pant in the overall list:
Ben Stokes – 138 sixes
Brendon McCullum – 107 sixes
Adam Gilchrist – 100 sixes
Rishabh Pant – 100 sixes
Among Indian players, Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma are joint second with 91 sixes each.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025 on 18 August 2026 to recognise excellence and outstanding contributions by sportspersons, coaches and organisations in various sporting disciplines.
The awards were decided on the recommendations of a Selection Committee chaired by former Supreme Court Judge Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra. The committee included eminent sportspersons, sports administrators and persons with experience in sports journalism. Applications were invited through a dedicated online portal, allowing sportspersons, coaches and entities to self-apply.
🏅 Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance – 2025
The Arjuna Award recognises good performance over the previous four years, along with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
A total of 17 sportspersons were selected:
No.
Sportsperson
Discipline
1
Tejaswin Shankar
Athletics
2
Muhammed Ajmal V
Athletics
3
Priyanka Goswami
Athletics
4
Treesa Jolly
Badminton
5
Pullela Gayatri Gopichand
Badminton
6
Narender
Boxing
7
Vidit Santosh Gujarathi
Chess
8
Divya Jitendra Deshmukh
Chess
9
Dhanush Srikanth
Deaf Shooting
10
Lalremsiami
Hockey
11
Rajkumar Pal
Hockey
12
Surjeet
Kabaddi
13
Pooja
Kabaddi
14
Rudransh Khandelwal
Para-Shooting
15
Ekta Bhyan
Para-Athletics
16
Arvind Singh
Rowing
17
Akhil Sheoran
Shooting
🏆 Arjuna Award (Lifetime) – 2025
The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) honours sportspersons who have made significant contributions through their performances and continued to promote sports after retiring from active competition.
I Arumainayagam – Football
🥇 Dronacharya Awards – 2025
The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches for outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel at international events.
Regular Category:
Parveer Singh – Athletics
Chhote Lal Yadav – Boxing
Neha Nandkumar Chavan – Shooting
Lifetime Category:
Dharmendra Singh Yadav – Boxing
Virender Kumar – Wrestling
🇮🇳 Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025
The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to entities that play a visible role in the promotion and development of sports.
The Indian Army contingent has departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th edition of the India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise, MAITREE-XV (2026), scheduled from 18–31 August 2026.
Key Facts
Exercise: MAITREE-XV 2026
Participants: Indian Army & Royal Thai Army
Venue: Vibhavadi Rangsit Camp, Surat Thani, Thailand
Dates: 18–31 August 2026
Strength: 85 personnel from each army
Indian contingent: Primarily troops from 9 Gorkha Rifles
Focus: Joint operations in jungle and semi-urban terrain
Objective: Improve interoperability and capabilities for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under Chapter VII of the UN Charter
Activities: Field exercises, combat discussions, lectures, demonstrations and a final validation exercise
Started: Exercise MAITREE was instituted in 2006
The exercise will promote military cooperation, interoperability, operational experience-sharing and camaraderie between the Indian and Royal Thai armies, further strengthening bilateral defence ties.
India’s first 14D Virtual Zoo has been inaugurated at Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalaya in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, on 16 August 2026. The facility was inaugurated by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and developed at a cost of about ₹4.5 crore under the PPP model.
Key Facts
Location: Kamla Nehru Prani Sangrahalaya, Indore
Major attractions: 14D Cinema, 360° Virtual Jungle Safari, holograms, glow garden and roar maze
Ticket: ₹70 per person
Shows: 16 shows daily, each lasting 20 minutes
Timing: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 AM–6 PM
The 14D cinema uses sensory effects such as moving seats, water sprays, wind, fog, bubbles and vibrations, while the 360° virtual safari creates an immersive jungle experience through digital technology.
The project aims to combine wildlife education, entertainment and conservation awareness, while also boosting tourism and generating revenue for the Indore Municipal Corporation.
Suryapath Tiranga is a global Tiranga relay launched as part of Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 to mark India’s 80th Independence Day. The national flag was hoisted successively at Indian Missions and Posts across different time zones, symbolically following the path of the rising sun from East to West.
📅 Launch: 15 August 2026
📍 Started: Suva, Fiji — 1:30 AM IST
🌍 Initial coverage: 21 countries in the first 9 hours
🕥 Reached: Qatar — 10:30 AM IST
🇺🇸 Planned conclusion: San Francisco, USA
🎯 Aim: Promote national unity, patriotism, Indian heritage and global connection through the Tiranga.
🌐 Participants: Indian Missions, diaspora and friends of India worldwide.
🇮🇳 Campaign:Har Ghar Tiranga 2026
Exam Point:Suryapath Tiranga symbolically carries the Tiranga with the movement of the sun across time zones, connecting India and the global Indian community on Independence Day.
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