Current affairs — 24 September 2026

General Dhiraj Seth is Chief of Army Staff

General Dhiraj Seth assumed charge as the Chief of the Army Staff on June 30, 2026. Other current service chiefs include Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as Chief of Naval Staff (since June 1, 2026) and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh as Chief of Air Staff (since September 30, 2024).

Why it matters: Defence appointments and service chiefs are regularly asked in current affairs sections

General N.S. Raja Subramani is Chief of Defence Staff

General N.S. Raja Subramani has been serving as India's Chief of Defence Staff since June 1, 2026. The CDS is the highest-ranking uniformed officer and serves as the principal military adviser to the Defence Minister and government.

Why it matters: Chief of Defence Staff position is crucial for integrated military command structure

Harjit Singh Grewal is Chairperson, National Commission for Minorities

Harjit Singh Grewal was appointed as Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities on July 22, 2026. The NCM is a statutory body under the Ministry of Minority Affairs constituted to monitor and safeguard the interests of minority communities.

Why it matters: Constitutional and statutory body appointments are frequently tested in polity section

Mahesh Dixit Appointed as Intelligence Bureau Director

Mahesh Dixit, IPS, was appointed as the Director of the Intelligence Bureau on July 1, 2026. The Intelligence Bureau is India's internal intelligence agency and one of the oldest such organizations in the world.

Why it matters: Heads of national security agencies are important current affairs topics

Centre Reduces Customs Duty on Edible Oils

The Central Government reduced the basic customs duty (BCD) on various edible oils, including soybean oil, palm oil and sunflower oil, effective from September 24, 2026. The move aims to reduce landed cost and retail prices of edible oils, providing relief to consumers and helping to cool overall inflation.

Why it matters: Import duty changes frequently tested in economy section; impacts inflation and consumer prices

RBI Deputy Governor Confirms Inflation Within Target

RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta confirmed on September 24, 2026 at the SBI Banking and Economics Conclave in Mumbai that India's inflation continues to stay within the central bank's projected target range. The repo rate currently stands at 5.25%, maintained since the February 2026 policy.

Why it matters: RBI policy stance and inflation targeting are core topics in banking and economy sections

18th BRICS Summit Concluded in New Delhi

India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026 under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. The expanded grouping now includes 11 member nations. PM Modi chaired the summit with leaders including Russian President Putin attending.

Why it matters: International groupings, India's chairship, and multilateral diplomacy are frequently tested topics

8th Pay Commission in Consultation Phase

The 8th Central Pay Commission, chaired by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and constituted on November 3, 2025, is currently conducting stakeholder consultations. The Commission has scheduled visits to various cities and the memorandum submission deadline was June 15, 2026. The fitment factor is expected between 2.28 to 2.86, potentially raising minimum basic pay to ₹41,000-₹51,480.

Why it matters: Affects nearly 49 lakh serving employees and 65 lakh pensioners; major employment policy development

Banks to Remain Open on September 27 Ahead of 3-Day Strike

Banks will remain open on Sunday, September 27, 2026 for customer convenience ahead of a proposed nationwide 3-day bank strike. This exceptional Sunday opening aims to minimize inconvenience to customers during the upcoming strike period.

Why it matters: Banking sector labor relations and customer service policies impact financial sector operations

Dearness Allowance Currently at 60% for Central Govt Employees

The current Dearness Allowance (DA) for central government employees stands at 60% of Basic Pay/Pension, following a 2% increase effective from January 1, 2026. The next DA revision is anticipated in September 2026, with expectations of an increase to approximately 63%.

Why it matters: DA revisions directly impact salary of 49 lakh central govt employees and 65 lakh pensioners

ISRO Wins NAeG 2026 Gold Award for AI Cybersecurity Platform

ISRO's Space Applications Centre won the National Award for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026 Gold Award for developing an indigenous AI-powered cybersecurity platform. The system blocks cyber threats in real-time, protecting critical space infrastructure, communication systems, and mission-critical networks.

Why it matters: ISRO achievements, cybersecurity, and AI applications are trending topics in science & technology

NISAR Mission Completes One Year on Orbit

ISRO and NASA celebrated one successful year of the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission on orbit as of July 2026. NISAR is the first dual-band radar imaging satellite used for remote sensing, launched on July 30, 2025.

Why it matters: India-US space cooperation and satellite technology are important for international relations and science topics