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18 August 2026 · exam-relevant news
Latest digest · 18 August 2026
AI summaries of PIB, RBI, All India Radio and national newspaper reports, organised for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway and State-PSC revision. Every story links to its source.
24 current-affairs updates for major exams.
Four Indian private banks — Kotak Mahindra Bank, YES Bank, IDFC First Bank, and Federal Bank — are accelerating dollar bond issuances worth $1.85 billion before the RBI's swap window deadline of August 31. This follows…
Read full storyIndia plans to launch its first cargo ship voyage along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2027, enhancing maritime connectivity with Russia. The Arkhangelsk region of Russia is actively discussing economic collaboration,…
Read full storyGovernment of India (GoI) has announced the sale (re-issue) of two dated securities for a notified amount of ₹28,000 crore as per the following details: GoI will have the option to retain additional subscription up to ₹…
Read full storyOn a review of current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, as under: The operational guidelines for the auction as g…
Read full story@ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL). - Not Applicable / No Transaction. @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor. $ Includes refinance fa…
Read full storyGangster Shahzad Bhatti, operating from the UAE and posing as a social media influencer, recruited Indian youth via social media to carry out terror activities including grenade attacks, planting explosives near critica…
Read full storyIndia's unemployment rate dropped to a four-month low of 5.1% in July 2024 from 5.5% in June, according to official Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data. Rural unemployment declined to 4.5%, while labour force parti…
Read full storyIndia has initiated WTO dispute settlement consultations with the United States over its tariff-rate quota imposing a 50% duty on quartz surface imports, effective August 15 for four years. India exported approximately…
Read full storyICRA estimates India's GDP growth at a four-quarter low of 7% for the April-June 2024 quarter, down from previous quarters. The industrial sector is projected to grow at 7.7%, with agriculture and services also showing…
Read full storyThe Reserve Bank of India is actively intervening to defend the rupee at the 95.45 level against the US dollar amid heightened dollar demand from oil importers due to rising crude oil prices triggered by the West Asia c…
Read full storyAddressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced a series of initiatives and targets covering Artificial Intelligence, education, sports,…
Read full storyPM Modi announced India's strategic push to secure critical minerals through the National Critical Mineral Mission with substantial government funding. Four dedicated processing parks will be established across states t…
Read full storyIndia's Balance of Payments (BoP) slipped into a deficit of $8.1 billion in Q1 FY27 (April–June 2026), driven primarily by capital account outflows. The Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to $3.1 billion, mainly due…
Read full storyIndia's engineering services exports surged nearly eightfold to USD 13.77 billion in 2024-25 from 2014-15 levels, according to a NITI Aayog report. The sector shows strong export growth while imports remain stable, high…
Read full storyNITI Aayog projects India's chemicals sector exports to reach USD 81 billion by 2030, driven by speciality chemicals, agrochemicals, and pigments. This ambitious target aims to reduce import dependence while significant…
Read full storySBI Research reaffirms India's position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, highlighting strong credit and deposit growth, robust foreign currency inflows, improved monsoon outlook, and rising high-income t…
Read full storySince the 1991 economic liberalisation reforms, India's benchmark Sensex has surged approximately 8,500%, delivering a compounded annual growth rate of around 14% over less than 35 years. This remarkable long-term wealt…
Read full storyThe government launched the Foreign Assets Disclosure Scheme 2026, a one-time voluntary window opening August 16 and closing December 31, 2026. Taxpayers can declare undisclosed foreign assets or income up to ₹1 crore,…
Read full storyPreliminary data on India’s balance of payments (BoP) for June 2026 are presented in the following table.
Read full storyRBI had introduced a special USD-INR Forex Swap facility covering FCNR(B) deposits, ECBs and OFCB inflows on June 08, 2026. The position of forex inflows as reported by Authorised Dealer Banks till August 13, 2026 under…
Read full storyReserve Bank of India announces the auction of Government of India Treasury Bills as per the following details: The sale will be subject to the terms and conditions specified in the General Notification F.No.4(2)-B(W&M)…
Read full storyThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated August 14, 2026, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2.70 lakh (Rupees Two Lakh Seventy Thousand only) on Fusion Finance Limited (the company) for non-compliance with ce…
Read full storyThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated August 14, 2026, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹6.20 lakh (Rupees Six Lakh Twenty Thousand only) on Northern Arc Capital Limited (the company) for non-compliance wi…
Read full storyThe following State Governments have offered to sell stock by way of auction, for an aggregate amount of ₹20,200 Crore (Face Value). The auction will be conducted on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Ku…
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Exam-relevant stories with MCQ-ready key points, summarised by AI from PIB, RBI, All India Radio and national newspapers. Edition: 18 August 2026. Hindi appears where a translation is ready.
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The 18 August 2026 digest is free to read here. Monthly editions (English and Hindi) are listed only after both files pass source review.