Current Affairs 30 September 2026
30 stories for 30 September 2026: Cabinet decisions on Rabi MSPs, Green Energy Corridor Phase-III and Delhi's AI traffic system, CAFE-III norms, National Coastal Mission 2.0, unchanged small savings rates, a Supreme Court ruling on preventive detention, a compound archery sweep and International Translation Day.
On this page
Key facts at a glance
The numbers and names most likely to turn up in Prelims, Phase 1 or a GA section.
| Topic | What to remember | Source, date |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat MSP RMS 2027-28 | ₹2,610/qtl (+₹25) | CCEA |
| Highest MSP rise | Safflower +₹675 | CCEA |
| GEC-III outlay | ₹1,86,405 crore; 135 GW | Cabinet |
| CAFE-III | 1 Apr 2027–31 Mar 2032; 3.3273 L/100 km | MoP |
| NCM 2.0 | ₹767 crore; 2025-26 to 2030-31 | MoEFCC |
| PPF / SSY (Q3 FY27) | 7.1% / 8.2% | DEA |
| Crude palm/soy oil BCD | 5% (from 10%) | CBIC |
| Delhi ITMS | ₹1,789.52 crore; 42 corridors | Cabinet |
| Literacy (PLFS 2025) | 81.1% | MoE |
| NSA max detention | 12 months | NSA 1980 |
| India tally (Day 11) | 60 (10 gold); 8th | Asian Games |
| Translation Day theme | 'The Power of Being Understood' | UN |
Economy
6 storiesRabi MSPs raised for 2027-28
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, raised MSPs for all six mandated Rabi crops for Rabi Marketing Season 2027-28 on 30 September 2026. Safflower received the highest increase, ₹675 per quintal, to ₹7,215. Rapeseed and mustard rose by ₹413 to ₹6,613 and lentil by ₹390 to ₹7,390. Wheat rose by ₹25 to ₹2,610 per quintal, a margin of 106% over its cost of production. MSPs are fixed on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.
Import duty cut on edible oils
Under Notification No. 31/2026-Customs, effective 24 September 2026, basic customs duty on crude soybean and crude palm oil was cut from 10% to 5%. Duty on crude sunflower oil was cut from 10% to nil. The effective gap between crude and refined oils stays at 19.25 percentage points to support domestic refining. India imports about 57% of its edible oil needs.
Sulphur prices nearly quadruple
Sulphur prices rose from $280 a tonne in July 2025 to $1,050 a tonne in July 2026. India's sulphur import bill rose from $248 million in 2024 to $638 million in 2025. Sulphur is a key input for fertiliser production. West Asia supplies about 90% of India's sulphur imports. Demand is also rising from battery production and nickel processing.
India and Qatar to fast-track trade talks
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman met Qatari counterparts in Doha on 30 September 2026. The meeting was on the sidelines of the AIIB 2026 Annual Meeting. The sides agreed to fast-track talks on a Bilateral Investment Treaty and a Free Trade Agreement. Qatar reaffirmed its plan to invest $10 billion in India.
Ministry of Mines to launch auction of offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea
The Ministry of Mines said on 30 September 2026 that it would launch an auction of offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea the next day. The auction is held under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. It also follows the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024. The Ministry said minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements are key for electric mobility and renewable energy. It said offshore resources can support resource security and self-reliance.
RIS study puts Ayush services economy at US$36.92 billion
A study by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) estimates the Ayush services sector's economic contribution at US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25, the Ministry of Ayush said on 30 September 2026. The sector has grown at a CAGR of 16.91% since FY2022-23. The study projects it could reach US$216–318 billion by 2047. The report was released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations in Nagpur on 23 September. Shri Prataprao Jadhav is the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush.
Banking & Markets
1 storySmall savings rates unchanged for Q3 FY27
The Department of Economic Affairs kept interest rates on all small savings schemes unchanged for October–December 2026. PPF stays at 7.1%. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme stay at 8.2%. NSC is at 7.7% and Kisan Vikas Patra at 7.5%.
Polity & Governance
2 storiesSC: confession alone cannot justify NSA detention
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu held on 29 September 2026 that a confessional statement cannot be the sole ground for detention under the National Security Act, 1980. The Court said surrounding circumstances must be examined. It quashed a detention order arising from the November 2024 violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. Under the NSA, the maximum detention is 12 months. Article 22(4) requires an Advisory Board's opinion for detention beyond three months.
Delhi High Court's IP Division
The Delhi High Court set up an Intellectual Property Division in July 2021, after the Intellectual Property Appellate Board was abolished. The IP Division Rules were framed in 2022. The 2005 amendment to the Patents Act, 1970 reintroduced product patents for chemical substances. This was done to meet TRIPS obligations. Specialised IP courts aim to speed up dispute resolution.
International Relations
1 storyEAM on de-risking amid US–China competition
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar spoke at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York after the UN General Assembly session. He said the US and China are in a competitive mode. He said India and other countries must de-risk and diversify. India imports over 88% of its crude oil requirement. Samudra Manthan is a national scheme for offshore exploration.
Schemes & Missions
4 storiesAI traffic management system for Delhi
The Cabinet approved an AI-enabled Intelligent Traffic Management System for Delhi at ₹1,789.52 crore on 30 September 2026. It covers 42 traffic corridors. Adaptive traffic signals will be installed at 1,092 locations. Automated enforcement will cover 1,029 locations. It will be built in three phases over 24 months, followed by five years of operation and maintenance.
PRAGATI-50: waste guidelines released
Along with PRAGATI-50, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs released guidelines for source segregation of municipal solid waste. SOPs for construction and demolition waste collection centres were also issued. Monitoring will use the Swachhatam Portal and a WhatsApp channel for complaints. A Swachh Bharat Test Bed and Innovation Centre was launched at Durgapur with CSIR-CMERI. PRAGATI-50 is part of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.
NRIDA–IIM Kolkata study of rural roads
The National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency signed an MoU with IIM Kolkata on 30 September 2026. The four-year study will assess the impact of roads built under PMGSY-IV and PM-JANMAN. It covers 250 roads in 50 districts of 10 States and UTs. About 5,000 households will be surveyed. It will measure effects on mobility, livelihoods, education and health care.
Literacy rate reaches 81.1%
India's literacy rate reached 81.1% as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2025. It was 74.04% in the 2011 Census. ULLAS – the New India Literacy Programme – targets 5 crore adult learners by 2027 and has over 4.03 crore registered. Ten States and UTs, including Ladakh, Mizoram and Goa, were declared fully literate between 2024 and 2026. NIPUN Bharat aims at universal foundational literacy and numeracy.
Environment
6 storiesGreen Energy Corridor Phase-III approved
The Union Cabinet approved Green Energy Corridor Phase-III on 30 September 2026 with an outlay of ₹1,86,405 crore. It will build intra-state transmission to evacuate up to 135 GW of renewable energy by 2032-33. The outlay includes ₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh of battery energy storage. Central financial support is ₹54,082 crore. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will implement it.
CAFE-III fuel-economy norms notified
The Ministry of Power notified the third phase of Corporate Average Fuel Economy norms for passenger cars on 30 September 2026. The norms apply from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032. The fleet benchmark tightens by 16.7%, from 3.996 to 3.3273 litres per 100 km. Targets are weight-based, with the reference weight raised to 1,229 kg. CAFE norms are framed under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
National Coastal Mission 2.0 guidelines
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav launched the implementation guidelines of National Coastal Mission 2.0 on 30 September 2026. The ₹767 crore scheme runs from 2025-26 to 2030-31. It covers India's 9 coastal States and 4 coastal Union Territories. It funds vulnerability assessment, ecosystem restoration and pollution control. Coastal spatial planning and sustainable tourism are also included.
CAQM approves revised GRAP for NCR
The Commission for Air Quality Management approved a revised Graded Response Action Plan for the National Capital Region. Restrictions on diesel generator sets and BS-IV buses move to Stage I. Curbs on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light vehicles now extend to Sonipat. Exemptions for older goods vehicles carrying essential items are removed in Stages III and IV. The revised GRAP has 48 actions across four stages.
Uttarakhand's first glacial lake early-warning system
Uttarakhand has set up its first glacial lake early-warning system at Vasundhara Tal in Chamoli district. It was installed by CBRI Roorkee and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology. Sensors send data by satellite phone and low-Earth-orbit devices. Vasundhara Tal is one of the high-risk glacial lakes identified by NDMA in the State. The system aims to reduce the risk of glacial lake outburst floods.
Gandak embankment breaches in Bihar and UP
Heavy rain in Nepal's Gandak basin caused embankment breaches in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The Valmikinagar Barrage recorded a discharge of 5,43,500 cusecs. The river set a new highest flood level at the Bagaha gauge. The Gandak is called the Narayani in Nepal.
Science & Tech
2 storiesRDI Fund manager pauses new applications
The Technology Development Board, a fund manager under the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation scheme, has paused new applications citing administrative reasons. The scheme was approved by the Cabinet on 1 July 2025 to fund private-sector research in deep tech. It offers long-term low or nil interest loans and equity, not grants. About ₹2,192 crore in soft loans was approved for 22 companies in the first round. BIRAC is another second-level fund manager.
CAG-BHASHINI Anuvaad translation tool
The Comptroller and Auditor General and MeitY's Digital India BHASHINI Division launched CAG-BHASHINI Anuvaad on 30 September 2026. It is an AI-powered tool that translates audit reports into Indian languages. It uses consistent terminology with human review. CAG Shri K. Sanjay Murthy said it would help citizens read audit findings in their own languages. BHASHINI is India's national language translation platform.
Defence
1 storySecond Naval Commanders' Conference of 2026 opens in New Delhi
The second edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference 2026 began at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi, on 29 September 2026. It brings together the Indian Navy's senior leadership, including Operational and Area Commanders. They are discussing operational preparedness, maritime security and future capability development. Adm Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, gave the inaugural address. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh also addressed the commanders.
Reports & Indices
1 storyTRAFFIC data on tiger seizures
TRAFFIC recorded 2,551 tiger seizures involving at least 3,808 tigers between January 2000 and June 2025. The share of whole tigers in seizures rose to about 40% from 2020. The 2006 amendment to the Wild Life (Protection) Act created the NTCA and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Experts call for landscape-level enforcement beyond reserves.
Sports
4 storiesCompound archery team golds
India's women's compound archery team won gold at the Asian Games on 30 September 2026, beating China 238-234 and equalling the world record. The team was Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Chikitha Taniparthi and Prithika Pradeep. The men's team of Kushal Dalal, Sahil Jadhav and Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru beat China 238-237. India swept all three compound team golds. Compound archery will be part of the LA 2028 Olympics.
Mixed compound gold secures LA 2028 quota
Chikitha Taniparthi and Sahil Jadhav won the compound mixed team gold at the Asian Games on 30 September 2026. The win also secured India's quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Day 11 brought India four golds. The tally reached 60 medals: 10 gold, 21 silver and 29 bronze.
Mixed trap gold with Asian Games record
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai won the mixed team trap gold at the Asian Games on 30 September 2026. They scored 34, an Asian Games record, beating Qatar's 32. It was Neeru Dhanda's second gold of the Games. She had won the women's individual trap a day earlier. India ranked 8th after Day 11.
Boxing and wrestling bronzes
Boxer Priya won bronze in the women's 60 kg at the Asian Games on 30 September 2026. Kapil Pokhariya won bronze in the men's 90 kg. Both lost their semi-finals. Wrestler Sunil Kumar won bronze in the men's Greco-Roman 87 kg. These took India's bronze count to 29.
Important Days
2 stories65th National Exhibition of Art
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat felicitated 20 award-winning artists at the 65th National Exhibition of Art on 30 September 2026. The exhibition at Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi, is organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi. It drew over 6,000 entries, and 270 artists were selected. A monograph on painter Abdul Aziz Raiba was released. The exhibition runs until 31 October 2026.
International Translation Day
International Translation Day was observed on 30 September 2026 with the theme 'The Power of Being Understood'. It marks the feast day of St. Jerome, considered the patron saint of translators. The UN General Assembly recognised the day through resolution 71/288 in 2017. The day highlights the role of language professionals.
Quick-revision MCQs
Tap an option to check it. Every question comes from the stories above.
Q1.Which Rabi crop received the highest MSP increase for RMS 2027-28?
Answer: C. +₹675 per quintal.
Q2.Green Energy Corridor Phase-III aims to evacuate renewable energy of up to:
Answer: C. 135 GW by 2032-33.
Q3.CAFE norms are framed under:
Answer: B. Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
Q4.National Coastal Mission 2.0 covers how many coastal States?
Answer: B. 9 States and 4 UTs.
Q5.Maximum detention under the NSA, 1980 is:
Answer: C. 12 months.
Q6.After the duty cut, basic customs duty on crude sunflower oil is:
Answer: A. Cut from 10% to nil.
Q7.India's literacy rate as per PLFS 2025 is:
Answer: C. 81.1%.
Q8.A RIS study estimated the Ayush services economy in FY2024-25 at:
Answer: C. It grew at a CAGR of 16.91% since FY2022-23.
Q9.The Valmikinagar Barrage is on which river?
Answer: B. Gandak.
Q10.International Translation Day marks the feast of:
Answer: B. St. Jerome.
Source: PIB, RBI, The Indian Express, The Times of India and Hindustan Times.
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