Current Affairs - September 25, 2026 Current Affairs

September 25 is observed every year as World Lung Day to raise awareness about lung health and respiratory diseases. The 2026 campaign is spearheaded by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) and partner organisations. The theme for World Lung Day 2026 is “A Lifetime of Lung Health,” emphasising the importance of maintaining healthy lungs throughout life. The campaign focuses on lung development, lung growth, preservation of lung health, and lifelong respiratory well-being. It also highlights major risk factors such as air pollution and smoking and promotes prevention, research, healthcare access, and respiratory care.

The Netherlands collaborated with India through two Tripartite Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to advance Gujarat’s Kalpasar Project. The agreements involve the Central Water Commission, the Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Netherlands-based organisations Deltares and TU Delft. The cooperation covers hydraulic and hydrological modelling, coastal and structural engineering, climate-resilient infrastructure, salinity management, water management, and capacity building. The Kalpasar Project, also known as the Gulf of Khambhat Project, aims to create a large freshwater lake to improve water availability, particularly in the Saurashtra region. Dutch expertise from projects such as Afsluitdijk is relevant to the project’s technical requirements.

PhonePe secured in-principle approval for two key payment licenses from the Central Bank of the UAE on September 23, 2026. The licenses are Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes (RPSCS) and Stored Value Facilities (SVF). These approvals will enable PhonePe to support the UAE’s domestic payment systems, including Aani, which is comparable to India’s UPI, and Jaywan, the UAE’s domestic card scheme equivalent to RuPay. The company plans to deploy digital wallets, gift cards and e-payment acceptance infrastructure for local merchants. This marks PhonePe’s first international market entry and expands its existing UPI payment services for Indian travellers in the UAE.

Jay Meena secured India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. He reached the men’s singles semi-finals after defeating Sherwin Nuguit of the Philippines 4-3 in the quarter-finals, thereby guaranteeing India a podium finish in the sport. Soft tennis is a variation of tennis played with soft rubber balls and is governed internationally by the International Soft Tennis Federation (ISTF). Meena had previously represented India at the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The 2026 Asian Games are being hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

India ranked 31st in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026, which evaluates 110 economies based on factors supporting sustainable and resilient tourism development. Japan topped the 2026 ranking, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France. India ranked 39th out of 119 economies in the 2024 TTDI, showing an improvement in its position in the 2026 edition. India’s strong natural and cultural tourism resources, along with improvements in tourism infrastructure, services and connectivity, contributed to its performance. The TTDI measures the enabling environment for tourism rather than simply counting tourist arrivals or tourism revenue.

Muthoot FinCorp signed a title sponsorship agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for international cricket matches organised by the board until March 2028. The deal is valued at up to Rs 150 crore, with a reported payout of up to Rs 4.3 crore per match. Muthoot FinCorp replaced IDFC First Bank, whose previous sponsorship cycle ended in August 2026. The earlier deal had a per-match payout of Rs 4.2 crore. The new agreement forms part of BCCI’s broader sponsorship portfolio for Indian home cricket, which also includes associate partnerships with Campa, SBI Life and ChatGPT.

Tamil Nadu expanded the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme to cover students of Classes VI to VIII. The expansion, launched on September 22, 2026, is expected to benefit approximately 15.30 lakh additional students across 15,454 government and state-aided schools. The scheme includes staples such as upma, kichadi and pongal, with millet-based dishes mandated twice a week. An additional ₹217.63 crore has been allocated for the current financial year, taking the total programme budget to ₹724 crore. The scheme is implemented through different agencies across urban, municipal and rural schools. It builds upon the earlier 2022 breakfast programme for Classes I to V.

Paneer is the product name that FSSAI has proposed restricting for use on non-milk dairy analogue products. The draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026, seeks to prohibit products licensed or registered under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category from using the word “paneer” in their names or labelling. The proposal aims to prevent consumers from being misled about the nature and ingredients of food products. The draft was published on September 24, 2026, and FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders for a period of 60 days.

Seema Kumari won the bronze medal in the women’s 10,000m event at the Asian Games 2026 with a time of 32:50.05. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won gold in 32:39.18, while Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka secured silver in 32:41.54. Seema’s bronze ended India’s 16-year wait for a medal in the women’s 10,000m event at the Asian Games. India also won silver in the mixed 4×400m relay with Manu TS, M.R. Poovamma, Vishal TK and Vithya Ramraj, clocking 3:14.46. Bahrain won gold in 3:12.87, while Vietnam took bronze in 3:14.54.

Karan Yadav was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Super League (ISL) on September 21, 2026. He will oversee the League Office and manage the strategic, commercial and organisational direction of the league under its new club-led model. His responsibilities include strengthening relationships with broadcasters, sponsors and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), while building a high-performing League Office to support Indian football. The upcoming ISL season is scheduled to begin on October 10, 2026, and conclude in May 2027. The ISL was founded in 2013 and launched its first season in 2014.