SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 CURRENT AFFAIRS

Alternatives to SWIFT — Building Resilient and Interoperable Cross-Border Payments

GS III – Economy | GS 2 – International Relations

Why in News?

BRICS discussions in 2026 have emphasised cross-border payment interoperability and greater use of local currencies, renewing debate over alternatives to existing international payment infrastructure.

What is SWIFT?

• SWIFT — Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.
• It is a financial messaging network used by banks and financial institutions to exchange standardised payment instructions.
• Important: SWIFT does not itself transfer or settle money.
• Actual settlement occurs through financial institutions and payment/settlement systems.

India''s Approach

India has largely pursued diversification and interoperability rather than attempting to create a single replacement for SWIFT.

• Special Rupee Vostro Accounts : Allow foreign banks to maintain accounts with Indian banks in Indian rupees.Facilitate trade settlement in rupees between participating countries.
• UPI Internationalisation : India is linking UPI with foreign payment systems, enabling faster and potentially lower-cost retail cross-border payments.
• Central Bank Digital Currency : The Digital Rupee (e₹) is being tested for different use cases, including potential cross-border applications.
• Payment-System Interoperability : Linking domestic payment systems can reduce dependence on traditional correspondent-banking arrangements for certain transactions.

Angh — Regional Cinema as Cultural Diplomacy

GS 1 – Art & Culture

Why in News?

Konyak-language film Angh, directed by Theja Rio, won the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026.

About Angh

• The film is rooted in the Konyak cultural context of Nagaland.
• Its recognition highlights how regional-language cinema can carry local histories, identities and cultural experiences to international audiences.

Cultural Significance

• Representation of Northeast India : Provides international visibility to the cultural traditions and lived experiences of the Northeast.
• Regional Languages : Demonstrates that Indian linguistic diversity is also a source of creative and cinematic expression.
• Preservation of Cultural Identity : Cinema can document languages, customs, landscapes, oral traditions and social transformations that may otherwise receive limited global visibility.

Expanding the Idea of Indian Heritage

GS I – Art & Culture

Why in News?

Four Indian cultural properties were added to UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2026:

What is a UNESCO Tentative List?

• It is a national inventory of properties that a country considers suitable for possible nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• Inclusion in the Tentative List does not mean that the property has become a World Heritage Site.
• A property generally needs to be on the Tentative List before it can be formally nominated for World Heritage inscription.

Rangpur–Sivasagar Historic Ensemble — Ahom Civilisation

• Located in Assam, the area is associated with the Ahom Kingdom, which ruled large parts of Assam for nearly six centuries.
• The Ahoms established their kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley in 1228 CE, under Sukapha.
• Sivasagar (earlier Rangpur) became an important political and cultural centre of the Ahom state.
• The region contains monumental remains reflecting the political power, religious traditions and engineering capabilities of the Ahoms.

Important Historical Features

• Rang Ghar: Royal sports and cultural pavilion; an important example of Ahom architecture.
• Talatal Ghar: Large royal complex with military and administrative significance.
• Sivasagar Sivadol: Major Shaivite temple associated with Ahom patronage.
• Kareng Ghar: Royal palace complex.

Painted Havelis of Shekhawati — Merchant Heritage of Rajasthan

• Shekhawati, in present-day Rajasthan, developed as an important region of merchant communities and caravan trade.
• From roughly the 18th to early 20th centuries, prosperous merchant families constructed elaborate havelis in towns such as Mandawa, Nawalgarh, Fatehpur and Jhunjhunu.
• These merchants accumulated wealth through long-distance trade connecting Rajasthan with North India, Gujarat and other commercial centres.

Architectural & Cultural Features

• Havelis contain elaborate frescoes and murals.
• Paintings depict: Hindu religious themes, royal processions, animals and everyday life, trade and transportation, later, modern technologies such as trains, cars and telephones.

Nicobarese Cultural Continuity — Indigenous Heritage of the Nicobar Islands

• The Nicobarese communities have inhabited the Nicobar Islands for centuries and developed distinctive cultural practices adapted to the island environment.
• Their history is closely connected with the sea, forests, coastal ecology and inter-island interactions.
• European colonial powers gradually incorporated the islands into wider imperial networks, while indigenous communities retained distinctive cultural practices.

Colonial Penal Settlement of the Andaman Islands — Colonialism and Freedom Struggle

• The British established a penal settlement in the Andaman Islands in the 19th century, particularly after the Revolt of 1857.
• The remote islands were used to imprison and isolate political prisoners as well as other convicts.
• The settlement became closely associated with India''s anti-colonial struggle.

Cellular Jail

• The most famous symbol of the penal system is the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
• It Constructed mainly between 1896 and 1906, it was designed for solitary confinement.
• It became popularly known as Kala Pani, reflecting the severe isolation associated with transportation to the islands.
• Freedom-Struggle Connection : Political prisoners associated with the Andaman penal system included figures such as: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar,  Batukeshwar Dutt, Barindra Kumar Ghosh

From Hospitalisation Cover to Universal Health Coverage

GS II – Health | Social Justice | Governance

Why in News?

Ayushman Bharat completed eight years in September 2026, highlighting India''s attempt to expand healthcare access through a combination of primary healthcare strengthening and financial protection against hospitalisation.

Ayushman Bharat seeks to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through two complementary pillars:

• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs): Comprehensive primary healthcare, including preventive, promotive, screening and basic curative services.
• PM-JAY: Financial protection for eligible families against specified secondary and tertiary hospitalisation expenses.

Significance

• Financial protection: Reduces the financial barrier to secondary and tertiary hospital care.
• Primary healthcare: Expands access to preventive, promotive and basic healthcare services through AAMs.
• Portability: PM-JAY enables eligible beneficiaries to access treatment across empanelled hospitals, subject to scheme rules.
• Public–private participation: Creates a common framework through which public and private hospitals can participate in providing covered services.
• UHC pathway: Moves the policy approach beyond isolated disease programmes towards a broader continuum of care.

Hazaribagh Vulture Safe Habitat — Restoring the Sanitation Service of Nature

GS III – Environment & Biodiversity

Why in News?

Hazaribagh, Jharkhand has emerged as an important habitat and breeding area for vultures, highlighting the need for protection of safe feeding and breeding landscapes.

What is a Vulture Safe Habitat?

A Vulture Safe Zone/Habitat is an area where measures are taken to minimise threats to vultures, particularly exposure to toxic veterinary drugs, while protecting nesting, roosting and feeding sites.

 Why Are Vultures Important?

• Natural Carcass Disposal : Rapidly consume animal carcasses and prevent their prolonged accumulation.
• Disease Regulation : Their highly specialised digestive system helps limit the persistence and spread of pathogens from carcasses.
• Nutrient Recycling :  Return nutrients to ecosystems through natural decomposition processes.
• Ecosystem Sanitation: By efficiently removing dead animals, vultures perform an important ecosystem service at very low ecological cost.

Institutional Backbone of Renewable-Energy Expansion

GS III – Energy | Infrastructure

Why in News?

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) observed its 15th Foundation Day, highlighting its role in India''s renewable-energy transition.

What is SECI?

• SECI is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• It was established in 2011.
• It plays a key role in implementing and facilitating government programmes for renewable-energy development, particularly solar energy.

Major Roles

• Renewable-Energy Project Development : Facilitates development of large-scale renewable-energy projects.
• Competitive Bidding : Conducts tariff-based competitive bidding for renewable-energy procurement.Helps discover competitive tariffs and attract private investment.
• Government Scheme Implementation : Acts as an implementing agency for various MNRE renewable-energy schemes and programmes.
• Solar Parks : Supports the development of solar parks and associated infrastructure, enabling large-scale solar deployment.

Kathmandu Declaration — Treating Wildlife Trafficking as Organised Transnational Crime

GS III  – Environment | Internal Security

Why in News?

Members of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) adopted the Kathmandu Declaration to strengthen regional cooperation against wildlife trafficking.

What is the Kathmandu Declaration?

• It provides a framework for regional cooperation among South Asian countries to combat illegal wildlife trade.
• It emphasises coordinated enforcement, intelligence sharing and stronger action against the networks facilitating wildlife trafficking.

Significance

• Regional Cooperation : Wildlife trafficking routes frequently cross national boundaries, making unilateral enforcement inadequate.
• Organised Crime Linkages : Trafficking can intersect with other forms of organised crime and illicit financial networks.
• Financial Investigation : Following the money trail, rather than only intercepting wildlife consignments, can help identify financiers and higher-level networks.
• Cyber Enforcement : Digital platforms can facilitate the advertisement, negotiation and sale of wildlife products, requiring specialised cyber monitoring.
• Stronger Border Enforcement : Better coordination among wildlife authorities, police, customs and other enforcement agencies can improve detection of transnational trafficking.

SAWEN Member Countries

• Established/launched: 2011
• Launched at: Paro, Bhutan
• Secretariat: Kathmandu, Nepal
• Objective: Regional cooperation against wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trade through intelligence sharing, coordination, capacity building and policy harmonisation.
• Members : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Liquidity Fine-Tuning — RBI’s Variable Rate Reverse Repo

GS III – Indian Economy

Why in News?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) used an overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.

What is VRRR?

• VRRR is a liquidity absorption tool used by the RBI.
• Under it, banks park surplus funds with the RBI for a specified period.
• Unlike the fixed reverse repo, the interest rate is determined through an auction.
• Banks bid the rate at which they are willing to lend funds to the RBI.

How Does It Work?

• Excess liquidity in banking system → RBI conducts VRRR auction → Banks deposit funds with RBI → System liquidity declines → Short-term money-market rates are influenced

Significance

• Liquidity management: Absorbs surplus funds without permanently changing the monetary-policy stance.
• Money-market stability: Helps keep overnight and short-term rates aligned with the RBI''s operating framework.
• Monetary transmission: Supports transmission of the RBI''s policy stance to other short-term interest rates.
• Flexibility: Auction-based pricing allows the RBI to respond to changing liquidity conditions.

Planetary Boundaries — Defining the Safe Operating Space for Humanity

GS III – Environment

Why in News?

The Planetary Health Check 2026 reported that 7 of the 9 planetary boundaries have crossed their scientifically defined safe operating limits.

What are Planetary Boundaries?

The Planetary Boundaries framework, developed by scientists led by Johan Rockström and colleagues, identifies nine critical Earth-system processes that regulate the stability and resilience of the planet.

Significance

• Ecological resilience: Multiple boundary breaches can reduce the ability of ecosystems to absorb shocks.
• Tipping-point risk: Persistent pressure may push ecosystems towards difficult-to-reverse changes.
• Food and water security: Degraded freshwater, soil and ecosystems can affect agricultural productivity.
• Development planning: Brings ecological limits into discussions on infrastructure, consumption and economic growth.
• Intergenerational equity: Highlights the need to preserve Earth''s ecological capacity for future generations.

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

GS 1 – Modern india

Why in News?

The birth anniversary of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar is observed on 23 September, recalling his contribution to Hindi literature, nationalism and social thought.

Who was Ramdhari Singh Dinkar?

• Ramdhari Singh Dinkar (1908–1974) was a prominent Hindi poet, essayist and thinker whose writings combined national consciousness with questions of social justice, power, morality and cultural identity.
• He is widely associated with the Rashtrakavi (National Poet) tradition of Hindi literature.

Major Works

Saving the Five — From Anti-Poaching to Rhino Landscape Conservation

GS III– Environment & Biodiversity

Why in News?

• World Rhino Day is observed annually on 22 September to raise awareness about the conservation of the world''s five rhino species.
• The 2026 theme was “Keep the Five Alive.”

The Five Living Rhino Species

• Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
• Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
• Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
• Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
• White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)

Solarising Canals: Turning Water Infrastructure into Energy Infrastructure

GS III – Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Environment

Why in News?

Canal-Top Photovoltaics (CTPV) is gaining attention as India seeks to expand renewable-energy capacity while facing increasing competition for land.

What is CTPV?

Solar panels are installed on elevated structures over irrigation canals or along canal banks, allowing electricity generation without occupying large additional land parcels.

Core Issue

India''s solar expansion faces a land–energy–water nexus: large solar parks require land, while conventional solar installations can compete with agriculture and ecosystems.

CTPV attempts to solve two problems simultaneously by using already-developed canal corridors.

Significance

• Land efficiency: Utilises existing canal infrastructure instead of acquiring additional land.
• Water conservation: Panel shading can reduce evaporation from exposed canal surfaces.
• Dual infrastructure use: Converts irrigation corridors into renewable-energy corridors.
• Transmission advantage: Canal-based projects may sometimes be closer to existing settlements and electricity infrastructure.
• Agricultural compatibility: Reduces direct competition between solar projects and agricultural land.

Strengthening ASEAN-Centred Maritime Security

GS II – International Relations | Security

Why in News?

Indian Navy ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish participated in the ADMM-Plus Joint Cooperation Activity at Subic Bay, Philippines.

What is ADMM-Plus?

• ADMM-Plus = ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus.
• It is a multilateral defence cooperation mechanism linking ASEAN member states with eight dialogue partners.
• The eight Plus countries are: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia, United States
• Established in 2010.
• It promotes practical defence cooperation through exercises, expert working groups and capacity-building activities.

Significance for India

• ASEAN Defence Engagement : Provides India with a multilateral platform to deepen defence cooperation with ASEAN countries.
• Maritime Interoperability : Joint activities improve coordination, communication and operational understanding among participating navies.
• Act East Policy : Supports India''s broader objective of strengthening political, economic and strategic engagement with Southeast Asia.

T-90 Main Battle Tank — Indigenous Upgrades for Legacy Platforms

GS III – Defence & Technology

Why in News?

The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹586-crore contract for indigenous Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for the Army’s T-72 and T-90 tanks.

What is an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)?

• An APU is a separate power source that supplies electricity to a tank''s onboard systems without requiring continuous operation of the main engine.
• It can power systems such as communications, surveillance, electronics and climate-control equipment when the tank is stationary.

Why is it Important?

• Fuel Efficiency : Reduces the need to run the main engine merely to generate electrical power.
• Reduced Engine Wear : Less unnecessary engine idling can reduce mechanical stress and maintenance requirements.
• Lower Thermal Signature : Reduced engine operation can lower heat generation, making the tank less detectable by thermal sensors.
• Operational Endurance : Allows electronic systems to remain operational for longer periods while conserving fuel.

Veer Guardian Exercise 2026

GS II – International Relations | GS III – Security

Why in News?

The bilateral Veer Guardian 2026 air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) concluded at Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Core Issue

India and Japan face a common strategic requirement in the Indo-Pacific: maintaining the ability to coordinate effectively across increasingly complex maritime and air-security environments.

Broader India–Japan Defence Cooperation

Veer Guardian forms part of a wider expansion of India–Japan security cooperation involving:

• Army cooperation: Dharma Guardian
• Naval cooperation: JIMEX
• Air cooperation: Veer Guardian
• Multilateral frameworks: Both countries participate in mechanisms such as the Quad.

Western Ghats ESA — Reconciling Ecological Security with Livelihood Security

GS III – Environment | GS I – Geography

Why in News?

Karnataka has opposed the Centre’s latest draft notification proposing declaration of parts of the Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).

Core Issue

• The Western Ghats ESA debate is not simply about conservation versus development.
• It is fundamentally about how environmental regulation can protect fragile ecosystems without disproportionately affecting settled communities and local livelihoods.
• A major challenge is converting broad ecological assessments into locally workable regulatory boundaries.