Current affairs relevant to GS3.
On 1 September 2026 the Centre cut the stock holding limit for sugar dealers from 4,000 to 2,000 quintals, from 15 September to 30 November 2026, to curb hoarding and speculation. Dealers also cannot hold stock beyond 30 days. Kolkata and its metropolitan area keep the 4,000 quintal limit because they supply eastern and north-eastern India.
1 Sep 2026
On 31 August 2026 the Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, the second Diving Support Vessel of the Nistar class, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. Designed and built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, it supports saturation, air and heliox diving and submarine rescue. It will be based on the West Coast under the Western Naval Command.
31 Aug 2026
On 31 August 2026 MoSPI released GDP estimates for April to June 2026, the first quarter of 2026-27, on the new 2022-23 base. Real GDP grew 7.8 per cent to ₹81.36 lakh crore and nominal GDP 10.3 per cent to ₹88.27 lakh crore. Real GVA grew 8.2 per cent. The next estimate, for Q2, is due on 30 November 2026.
31 Aug 2026
On 30 August 2026 NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) signed a commercial agreement with Uzbekistan's National Interbank Processing Centre, operator of the HUMO payment system. Indian travellers can now scan Uzbekistan's national QR code, UZQR, with UPI apps to pay merchants. It was announced during the Prime Minister's visit to Uzbekistan.
31 Aug 2026
A PIB backgrounder of 31 August 2026 reviews the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, approved in 2018 with ₹3,660 crore for nine years and run by DST. Its 25 Technology Innovation Hubs and 4 Technology Translation Research Parks have enabled 1,146 technologies, 1,136 start-ups and 5,824 fellowships, and it supports the BharatGen AI effort.
31 Aug 2026
On 31 August 2026, its 43rd Foundation Day, C-DOT unveiled 14 indigenous quantum products in Quantum Key Distribution and Post-Quantum Cryptography. They range from fibre-based QKD systems and single-photon detectors to quantum-safe encryptors of up to 200 Gbps, IP phones and wireless links, for telecom, enterprise and defence networks.
31 Aug 2026
On 30 August 2026 the Department of Fertilizers described a new phase of the Integrated Fertilizer Management System, built by NIC. It covers over 14 crore Aadhaar-linked buyers and 2.5 lakh retailers and supports a subsidy of nearly ₹2 lakh crore a year. It now links to farmer and land data, app-based booking, vehicle tracking and electronic bills.
30 Aug 2026
The Department of Fisheries announced on 30 August 2026 that the Vice President would release "Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031", a Strategic Action Plan for ornamental fisheries, at Agatti, Lakshadweep, on 31 August. The plan gives a uniform framework for scientific management, biosecurity, quality and regulatory compliance across the ornamental fish value chain.
30 Aug 2026
On 30 August 2026 the National Biodiversity Authority disbursed ₹5.68 crore under Access and Benefit-Sharing to State Biodiversity Boards, UT Biodiversity Councils and a research institution. Most of it relates to okra, cucumber and watermelon accessed by seed companies. Okra alone accounted for ₹3.51 crore to 32 boards. Total ABS disbursed has crossed ₹191 crore.
30 Aug 2026
On 29 August 2026 the Petroleum Ministry explained that the price paid for compressed biogas under GOBARdhan is ₹2,110 per MMBtu, about 43 per cent above the earlier ₹1,478. Support of ₹10 per kg cuts the cost to be recovered to about ₹1,895, and a much larger gas pool keeps the impact on consumers negligible.
29 Aug 2026