Current Affairs - September 23, 2026 Current Affairs

September 23, 2026, is observed as the 11th Ayurveda Day in India. The day celebrates Ayurveda, an ancient system of traditional medicine with roots tracing back more than 5,000 years to the Rigveda. The theme for Ayurveda Day 2026 is “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow.” The observance highlights the growing integration of Ayurveda with modern healthcare through public health infrastructure, scientific research, education, health insurance, telemedicine, and international cooperation. The government marks Ayurveda Day annually on September 23, aligning it with the autumnal equinox and symbolising the principle of balance associated with Ayurveda.

Assam is the state where Adani Power has laid the foundation stone for a 3,200 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power project in Chapar, Dhubri district. The project involves an investment of ₹48,000 crore and is expected to become the largest power generation asset in the Northeast region. It is part of the Adani Group’s commitment to invest ₹1 lakh crore in the Northeast over 10 years. The project is also projected to create around 40,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities across Assam, supporting industrial growth and infrastructure development in the state.

Arunachal Pradesh is the state where scientists discovered the rare, non-photosynthetic orchid species Gastrodia keyiensis in Keyi Panyor district. The species was formally named after the Keyi River and is locally known as Oram Opuh, meaning Ghost Flower, in the Nyishi dialect. It is a holomycotrophic plant that lacks leaves and chlorophyll and depends entirely on soil fungi for nutrients. The orchid grows up to 35 cm and was found at an altitude of about 1,000 metres. Arunachal Pradesh is also known as the Orchid Paradise of India and is home to around 600 documented orchid species.

Asad Siam, whose full name is Asad Alam Siam, has been named as Bangladesh’s new envoy to India. He will succeed Riaz Hamidullah as the head of Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi. Siam has prior diplomatic experience, including serving as Bangladesh’s ambassador to Washington, DC. His appointment comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and India, including discussions over the possible visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. Meanwhile, outgoing High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah is expected to move to Geneva to serve as Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office there.

Andhra Pradesh Police launched the Centralised Drone Monitoring Portal (CDMP) and SafeStay AP app to strengthen surveillance, crime prevention, and public safety. The initiatives were launched in Guntur on September 22, 2026, by Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta in collaboration with Guntur Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal. The CDMP provides authorised police personnel with a centralised live feed of active police drones and AI-powered monitoring and analytics. SafeStay AP provides real-time occupancy information from hotels and paying guest accommodations. Students and technology professionals from KL University contributed to developing these technology-based policing solutions.

INS Trishul is the Talwar-class guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy that made a strategic port call at Alexandria, Egypt, from September 14 to 17, 2026. During the visit, the crew paid homage to Indian soldiers at the Chatby War Memorial and participated in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Egyptian Navy ship ENS Bernees. The exercise included coordinated manoeuvring drills, specialised communication exercises, and operational approaches for replenishment at sea. Commissioned in 2003, INS Trishul is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based in Mumbai.

S&P Global Ratings has raised India’s FY27 real GDP growth forecast to 7% from its earlier estimate of 6.6%. The revision reflects better-than-expected economic performance during the June quarter, supported by strong industrial activity, healthy consumer spending, goods exports, and increased government investment. S&P also highlighted India’s strong investment momentum compared with other Asia-Pacific economies. However, the agency expects growth to slow in the second half of FY27 as the effects of GST rationalisation and income tax cuts fade. It also expects a 25-basis-point RBI policy rate hike amid inflation, crude oil prices, and weather-related risks.

Rajat Sharma was unanimously re-elected as the president of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) for the 2026-27 tenure. The decision was taken by the NBDA Board of Directors during its meeting on September 23, 2026. Sharma is the chairman and editor-in-chief of India TV and will continue to lead the association for another term. The NBDA represents leading news and current affairs broadcasters in India and has 29 member organisations operating 130 news channels and digital platforms. The association also inducted Jayant Mammen Mathew of MM TV into its Board of Directors during the 19th Annual General Meeting.

The Assam government announced that all government offices in the state will transition to a paperless e-Office system from January 1, 2027. The decision, announced by the Chief Minister's office on September 23, 2026, aims to make public administration transparent, efficient, and people-friendly. The e-Office system, designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), digitises file handling, notes, drafting, digital signing, and archiving. Currently, all 58 departments of the Assam Secretariat already use e-Office, and implementation is being extended to directorates and Deputy Commissioners' offices. Assam began this digital governance initiative in 2021 and launched e-Office District in 2026.

Fitch Ratings has raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY27 to 6.9%, from its earlier projection of 6.4%. The upward revision was driven by stronger-than-expected economic activity, including India’s 7.8% GDP growth in the June quarter. Fitch also expects private investment to improve, with investment growth projected to exceed 10%. However, it has cautioned that economic momentum could slow during the remaining part of FY27 due to weaker manufacturing and services growth, below-normal monsoon rainfall, and higher inflation. Other agencies, including S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s, had projected 7% growth for India in FY27.

Assam will host ISRO’s Advanced Radar Research Centre at Chandrapur, near Guwahati. The facility is being developed under Project NETRA (Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis), which aims to strengthen India’s Space Situational Awareness capabilities. The Assam government has allotted 200 bighas of land for the project. The centre will monitor and track orbital debris and other space objects, helping protect critical national space assets from potential collisions. The project marks a significant expansion of advanced space infrastructure and technology into Northeast India. ISRO, established in 1969, is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

September 23 is observed annually as the International Day of Sign Languages, including in 2026. The day highlights the importance of sign languages in ensuring the full realisation of the human rights of deaf people. The 2026 theme is “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights,” focusing on access to education, healthcare, public services, information, employment, and social participation. The date was chosen because the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was established on September 23, 1951. The United Nations General Assembly officially declared the International Day of Sign Languages through Resolution A/RES/72/161, adopted on December 19, 2017.

Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. She lifted a total of 198kg, comprising 87kg in the snatch and 111kg in the clean and jerk. North Korea’s Ri Song Gum won the gold medal, while Indonesia’s Wijayana Luluk Diani Tri secured bronze with 191kg. Chanu’s achievement ended India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games weightlifting medal since Karnam Malleswari’s 1998 performance. Chanu had previously finished fourth at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023 and ninth at Incheon 2014.