Current affairs — 2 September 2026

Govind Mohan Serving as Home Secretary Since August 2024

Govind Mohan, a 1989-batch IAS officer from Sikkim cadre, has been serving as Home Secretary of India since August 23, 2024. He succeeded Ajay Kumar Bhalla and previously served as Secretary, Ministry of Culture (2021-2024). He holds degrees from IIT BHU and IIM Ahmedabad.

Why it matters: Key bureaucratic appointments like Home Secretary are frequently tested in static GK and current affairs sections.

Periasamy Kumaran Appointed High Commissioner to UK from March 2026

Periasamy Kumaran assumed office as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom on March 26, 2026, succeeding Vikram Doraiswami. Kumaran previously served as Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs and as High Commissioner to Singapore (2020-2023).

Why it matters: Important diplomatic appointments, especially to key countries like UK, are frequently tested in current affairs sections.

Rajesh Kumar Singh Serving as Defence Secretary Since November 2024

Rajesh Kumar Singh, 1989-batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre, has been serving as the 40th Defence Secretary of India since November 1, 2024. He previously served as Secretary of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (May 2023-October 2024) and Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Why it matters: Defence Secretary appointment is crucial for defence-related exams and UPSC Prelims/Mains current affairs.

Vikram Doraiswami Named Ambassador to China; Assumed Office March 2026

Senior diplomat Vikram Doraiswami took charge as India's Ambassador to China on March 19, 2026, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. He previously served as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2022-2026). This is a crucial diplomatic posting given India-China bilateral relations.

Why it matters: Appointments to strategic diplomatic positions, especially China, are important for IR questions in UPSC and State PSC exams.

RBI Maintained Repo Rate at 5.25% in Recent Policy; GDP Growth Forecast Raised to 7.4%

The Reserve Bank of India kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% in its February 2026 monetary policy meeting, maintaining neutral stance. RBI raised GDP growth forecast for FY2025/26 to 7.4% from 7.3%. Inflation for FY26 projected at 2.1%, below the 2-6% tolerance band. SDF rate stands at 5.0% and MSF rate at 5.50%.

Why it matters: RBI monetary policy decisions, repo rate changes, and macroeconomic projections are core topics in Economics for all competitive exams.

India to Host 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, 2026 in New Delhi

India will host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026. India assumed BRICS Chairship on January 1, 2026 under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. This is India's fourth time chairing BRICS, with leaders of expanded member countries expected to attend.

Why it matters: BRICS summits, India's multilateral diplomacy, and expanded membership structure are key IR topics for UPSC Mains GS-II and Prelims.

PM Modi Visited Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan from August 29 to September 1, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a State Visit to Uzbekistan (August 29-30) at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, followed by visit to Kyrgyz Republic (ending September 1). The visits aimed at strengthening India's ties with Central Asian nations under India's 'Connect Central Asia' policy.

Why it matters: PM's bilateral visits, especially to strategic regions like Central Asia, are important for IR current affairs in all major exams.

8th Pay Commission Consultations Ongoing; Memoranda Deadline Passed in June 2026

The 8th Pay Commission is actively consulting stakeholders with implementation date set for January 1, 2026. Employee unions have submitted demands including higher fitment factor (2.86-3.25 range proposed) and minimum basic pay increase. The Commission's recommendations are expected by mid-2027, with arrears to be paid retrospectively from January 2026.

Why it matters: Pay Commission questions frequently appear in General Awareness sections; understanding fitment factor, DA mechanism, and implementation timeline is crucial.

DA for Central Government Employees at 60% from January 2026; Next Hike Expected September 2026

Dearness Allowance stands at 60% of basic pay/pension effective January 1, 2026 (2% increase from 58%). The next DA revision for July 2026 cycle is expected to be announced in September 2026, with estimates suggesting 2-3% hike based on AICPI-IW index reaching 149.5 in March 2026.

Why it matters: DA calculation mechanism based on AICPI-IW is a standard static GK topic; current rates are frequently tested in SSC and Banking exams.

ISRO Plans Chandrayaan-4 for October 2027, Shukrayaan Venus Mission for March 2028

ISRO outlined ambitious missions in Parliamentary Standing Committee report: Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission scheduled for October 2027, followed by Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) with JAXA in September 2028. India's first Venus probe, Shukrayaan mission, planned for March 2028 to study the planet's surface and atmosphere.

Why it matters: ISRO's upcoming missions are high-priority topics for Science & Technology sections across all competitive exams.

ISRO Sets 2035 Target for Bharatiya Antariksha Station; First Module Approved

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan confirmed that India's space station, Bharatiya Antariksha Station, will be operational by 2035. The first module BAS-01 has received approval and is scheduled for launch in 2028. This marks India's entry into permanent human presence in space alongside USA, Russia and China.

Why it matters: ISRO missions and India's space program milestones are high-priority current affairs topics for all government exams, especially UPSC Prelims and Mains.

ISRO to Transfer Launch Vehicle Manufacturing to Private Sector; 120 Technologies Already Transferred

ISRO is exiting launch vehicle manufacturing and handing over technology to private sector to focus on research. The space agency has already transferred 120 technologies to private firms. Government plans to hand over operations of a new launch centre to private industry within 4-5 months. India aims to expand space economy from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2033.

Why it matters: Space sector reforms, privatization initiatives, and technology transfer are important topics for Economy and S&T sections in UPSC Mains and Prelims.