Exercise MAITREE: The Indian Army contingent departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th edition of the India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026). Exercise MAITREE is the joint military exercise between India and Thailand. It was instituted in 2006. It is an important platform for sharing best practices and strengthening military cooperation between India and […]
Month: August 2026
Greenium and Sovereign Green Bonds
Greenium and Sovereign Green Bonds: India’s sovereign green bond market is gaining traction as strong investor demand has pushed green bonds to trade at a persistent greenium over comparable conventional government securities. The average greenium in the first half of FY27 reached its highest level since India began issuing sovereign green bonds in FY2022-23. The […]
154th Birth Anniversary of Aurobindo Ghose
154th Birth Anniversary of Aurobindo Ghose: The Prime Minister paid tribute to Sri Aurobindo on his birth anniversary on 15th August 2026, highlighting his contribution to India’s freedom struggle and his ideas on human progress and transformation. Aurobindo Ghose, born on 15th August 1872 in Calcutta, was a yogi, philosopher, poet, seer, and nationalist. He […]
Odisha Coastal Erosion
Odisha Coastal Erosion: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways informed the Rajya Sabha that 28.3% of Odisha’s 564-km coastline is undergoing erosion, based on a long-term assessment (1990–2022) by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). Coastal erosion is the progressive wearing away and landward displacement of beach or dune sediments caused by hydrodynamic […]
The Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) — FCNR(B) Deposits
The Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) — FCNR(B) Deposits: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) advanced the deadline for fresh Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits to qualify for its special USD–INR forex swap window to August 31, 2026.An FCNR(B) deposit is a term/fixed deposit account maintained in approved foreign currencies by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and […]
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification: The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, under the theme “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope.” The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. […]
Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th Aug 2026
Today’s Current Affairs: 18th Aug 2026 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc
Green India Mission
Green India Mission: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) have flagged major shortcomings in the implementation of the Green India Mission (GIM). It was launched in the year 2014 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). It aims at protecting, restoring […]
Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme
Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme: The government has notified a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme, Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS). It is a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme contained in Chapter IV of the Finance Act, 2026. It enables eligible taxpayers to declare certain undisclosed foreign assets, undisclosed foreign income, […]
Leucas droupadiae : Plant species
Leucas droupadiae: Plant species Botanists recently discovered a previously unknown plant species named growing along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast. Leucas droupadiae is a new species of plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It was discovered along the sandy shores of the Coromandel Coast during a survey of the coastal dunes in […]
