Overview
This Daily Current Affairs edition for 22 September 2026 focuses on completed government releases and examination-relevant developments available up to the date of publication. The topics cover economy, international trade, defence, health, environment, infrastructure, science and culture. The selection avoids routine political statements and treats announced or scheduled milestones clearly so that candidates do not confuse a proposal with a completed outcome.
After revision, attempt the Daily Current Affairs Quiz - 22 September 2026 for ten exam-focused questions. The edition is useful for APSC, ADRE, Assam Police, Assam TET, SSC, Banking, Railway and other government examinations.
Culture and Awards - 72nd National Film Awards
The 72nd National Film Awards are being presented at Ekta Nagar, formerly Kevadia, Gujarat, on 22 September 2026. The awards recognise achievements in Indian cinema for the year 2024. The President of India is presenting the honours, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024 to Anant Nag.
The National Film Awards were instituted in 1954 and cover Feature Films, Non-Feature Films and Writing on Cinema. In the 72nd edition, Article 370 was selected as Best Feature Film, while Mammootty and Kartik Aaryan were announced as joint Best Actors in a Leading Role for Bramayugam and Chandu Champion respectively. Yami Gautam was announced Best Actress in a Leading Role for Article 370. These award categories and the first presentation outside Delhi are useful culture and awards facts.
Source: PIB - 72nd National Film Awards.
Economy - Index of Core Industries for August 2026
The provisional Index of Core Industries (ICI) grew by 4.8% year-on-year in August 2026, compared with the revised 5.0% growth recorded for July 2026. The release reports sector-wise data for coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, electricity and iron ore, making the index useful for tracking industrial activity and infrastructure-linked output.
Cement recorded 12.5% growth, electricity 11.6%, iron ore 5.5%, steel 3.4% and refinery products 2.6% in August. Coal, natural gas, crude oil and fertilisers recorded negative growth. The cumulative growth of the index during April-August 2026 was 4.3%. Remember that the August figure is provisional and that the index is an important indicator for tracking industrial activity.
Source: PIB - Index of Core Industries, August 2026.
International Trade - India-New Zealand FTA
India and New Zealand announced that their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will enter into force on 20 October 2026 after both countries completed their internal processes. New Zealand's Parliament passed the legislation giving effect to the agreement on 16 September 2026. The FTA was signed on 27 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
From the date of entry into force, 100% of India's exports to New Zealand will receive zero-duty access from day one. The agreement also includes New Zealand's commitment to facilitate USD 20 billion in investment into India, service-sector opportunities, skilled mobility provisions and a dedicated quota of 5,000 Temporary Employment Entry visas for skilled Indians. The date of entry into force is the key current-affairs fact; the agreement should not be described as operational before 20 October.
Source: PIB - India-New Zealand FTA.
Defence - Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2026
The 18th edition of Exercise Nomadic Elephant commenced at the Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, on 21 September 2026. It is the annual platoon-level joint military exercise between India and Mongolia and is being held from 21 September to 3 October. Both the Indian Army and the Mongolian Armed Forces are represented by 45 personnel each.
The exercise focuses on counter-insurgency operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. Training includes cordon-and-search operations, room intervention drills, special heliborne operations, cyber-security training, drones and counter-drone systems. It is conducted alternately in India and Mongolia; the previous edition was held in Ulaanbaatar in May-June 2025.
Source: PIB - Nomadic Elephant 2026.
International Security - ADMM-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity
Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Kulish arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 20 September 2026 to participate in the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity. The activity brings together maritime forces from ASEAN member states and eight Plus countries for professional and operational engagements.
The deployment is linked with India's Act East Policy and the MAHASAGAR vision, or Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. It also supports maritime interoperability and strengthens India's strategic engagement with the Philippines. Candidates should distinguish ADMM-Plus multilateral activity from a bilateral naval exercise.
Source: PIB - Indian Navy at Subic Bay for ADMM-Plus.
Defence Technology - Auxiliary Power Units for T-72 and T-90 Tanks
The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs. 586 crore contract with Accurate Industrial Controls Private Limited to procure indigenously developed Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for the Indian Army's T-72 and T-90 tanks. The contract was signed in New Delhi on 21 September 2026.
An APU provides an alternate source of electric power for systems such as the fire-control system, firing circuit, gun-stabilisation system and other tank ancillaries. The procurement is linked with indigenisation of critical sub-systems of armoured platforms and the Make-II route for industry-led research and development. The exam distinction is between an APU and the tank's main propulsion system.
Source: PIB - Auxiliary Power Units for T-72 and T-90 tanks.
Health - National Formulary and Biovigilance Programme
The 7th edition of the National Formulary of India (NFI) was launched during the 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week 2026. The NFI is a guidance document for healthcare professionals that supports rational and safe use of medicines. The new edition contains 34 chapters, 20 appendices and 653 drugs, including fixed-dose combinations and immunologicals.
The Government also approved the Biovigilance Programme of India, under which the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission will lead reporting, assessment, monitoring and prevention of adverse events linked to medicines and biological products used in organ and tissue transplantation. This expands the patient-safety framework beyond pharmacovigilance for medicines and materiovigilance for medical devices.
Source: PIB - National Formulary of India and Biovigilance Programme.
Environment - Global Conservation Conference at Jaipur
The Union Environment Minister inaugurated the Global Conservation Conference of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at Jaipur on 21 September 2026. Representatives from more than 100 countries attended the inauguration. The central message was that conservation and coexistence require global action and meaningful involvement of local communities.
The event is relevant to environment questions because it connects biodiversity conservation with community participation. Conservation policy is not limited to protected-area management; it also involves local institutions, livelihoods, ecological knowledge and cooperation among countries. Candidates should remember the host city and the conference's focus on conservation and coexistence.
Source: PIB - WWF Global Conservation Conference.
Infrastructure - NHAI Guidelines for Access-Controlled High-Speed Highways
The National Highways Authority of India released comprehensive guidelines for planning and designing access-controlled high-speed National Highways other than expressways. The guidelines aim to create uniform standards for Detailed Project Reports, improve road safety and support seamless movement on high-speed corridors.
The framework is aligned with the long-term goal of developing 50,000 km of access-controlled high-speed corridors. It standardises lane configuration based on traffic assessment and includes safety provisions for exits and entries. The release also mentions a one-metre-high boundary wall to reduce unauthorised access, encroachment and the entry of stray cattle. This is a guideline and design-standard development, not the completion of a single highway project.
Source: PIB - NHAI high-speed highway guidelines.
Science and Innovation - CODEARENA 3.0 and Smart India Hackathon
Rashtriya Raksha University concluded CODEARENA 3.0, its internal hackathon for the Smart India Hackathon 2026, at Lavad, Gandhinagar. The event began on 9 September and resulted in 31 teams being nominated to represent the university at the national level. A total of 64 teams comprising 384 students worked on 74 problem statements.
The nominated teams include 12 teams in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, 10 in cybersecurity and forensics, five in IoT and embedded hardware and four in software development. The exercise shows how hackathons can connect student innovation with national problem statements. The winning team, Smart Smurfs, worked on a forensic-analysis scripting solution.
Source: PIB - CODEARENA 3.0.
Quick Revision Table
| Area | Key Point | Exam Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Culture and Awards | 72nd National Film Awards | Ekta Nagar; Anant Nag; instituted in 1954 |
| Economy | August 2026 ICI | 4.8% provisional growth |
| International Trade | India-New Zealand FTA | Entry into force: 20 October 2026 |
| Defence | Nomadic Elephant 2026 | 18th edition; India-Mongolia; Pithoragarh |
| International Security | ADMM-Plus JCA | Indian ships at Subic Bay |
| Defence Technology | Tank APUs | Rs. 586 crore contract for T-72/T-90 |
| Health | NFI 2026 and Biovigilance | IPC-led transplant-product safety monitoring |
| Environment | WWF conference | Jaipur; more than 100 countries |
| Infrastructure | NHAI guidelines | Access-controlled high-speed highways |
| Science and Innovation | CODEARENA 3.0 | 31 teams nominated for SIH 2026 |
Practice Quiz
Attempt the Daily Current Affairs Quiz - 22 September 2026 after revising the ten topics above.
Source Attribution
All selected topics are based on official releases from the Press Information Bureau and government institutions available by 22 September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the provisional growth of the Index of Core Industries in August 2026?
The ICI grew by 4.8% year-on-year in August 2026. The figure is provisional.
When will the India-New Zealand FTA enter into force?
The agreement is scheduled to enter into force on 20 October 2026 after completion of internal processes in both countries.
Where did Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2026 commence?
The 18th India-Mongolia exercise commenced at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.
What is the role of an Auxiliary Power Unit in a tank?
An APU supplies an alternate source of electric power for systems such as fire control, firing circuits and gun stabilisation.
What does the Biovigilance Programme of India monitor?
It covers reporting, assessment, monitoring and prevention of adverse events linked to medicines and biological products used in organ and tissue transplantation.