Current Affairs - National

BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) launched several customer-centric digital initiatives and infrastructure projects on August 15, 2026, to commemorate India’s 80th Independence Day. The company ordered 26,300 additional 4G BTS sites for deployment in rural and remote areas. It also introduced the Re 1 Freedom 2.0 offer, extended the validity of its ₹2,399 annual prepaid plan, and launched the BSNL Selfcare New app with AI chatbot and voice-search features. BSNL also partnered with Polycab to manufacture telecom hardware under the Hardware-as-a-Service model. BSNL is a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Communications.

Gandhinagar was the location associated with the launch of the Gramin Gyan Setu app, an initiative aimed at integrating rural libraries in Gujarat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the app through video conferencing on August 12, 2026. The project seeks to interconnect 752 libraries within the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency and provide rural children and youth access to a collective pool of around 2.80 lakh books. It covers villages across the Gandhinagar, Kalol, and Sanand assembly constituencies and uses a hub-and-spoke model. Specialised vans funded through MPLAD funds will visit villages every fortnight to facilitate book distribution and collection.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) initiated the rollout of the 1601 number series on August 10, 2026, for service and transactional voice calls made by utility and logistics companies. The initiative aims to help consumers identify legitimate business communications and reduce impersonation fraud involving standard 10-digit mobile numbers. In its first phase, the series covers electricity, water, city gas and LPG providers, along with courier, express logistics and freight companies. Eligible entities must use the numbers exclusively for service and transactional calls, while promotional calls through the 1601 series are prohibited.

India has added 11 new international ports that allow foreign citizens with valid Indian e-Visas to enter the country. The new additions comprise 9 land ports and 2 airports, taking the total number of designated international ports for e-Visa entry to 88. These include 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports. The move is aimed at making international travel to India more convenient, supporting tourism, improving regional connectivity and expanding visa infrastructure. The newly added airports are Bhopal and Tirupati, while the nine land ports include Agartala, Darranga, Gede, Ghojadanga, Haridaspur, Jaigaon, Dawki, Moreh and Attari (Road).

Operation Trishul was launched by India to track and bring back fugitives hiding abroad through advanced technology and international law enforcement cooperation. Between 2019 and August 5, 2026, India successfully returned 274 fugitives from 36 countries under this effort. The operation uses satellite imagery, surveillance, and digital footprint analysis to identify the geo-location of fugitives. Its implementation involves major agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and INTERPOL. A three-year roadmap has also been established to bring back identified narco-terrorist fugitives by 2029.