Daily Current Affairs — 28 September 2026
· 20 min read · TS Police Hub (Anvil Edtech)
Russia backs India's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat but opposes Germany and Japan; Xi Jinping's state visit to the US brings panda diplomacy and an AI hotline; India's first LNG dual-fuel train is flagged off from Sabarmati; Dhamra Port runs fully on renewable power; Delhi tops Indian cities in the Global Cities Index 2026; the Army Chief unveils the SAMARTH vision and HUMSA-NG Mk II sonar heads to 16 warships; Telangana to launch Indiramma Bima on 19 November and starts sheep-and-goat insurance; Andhra Pradesh's Muktyala–Machilipatnam waterway moves ahead; Sarah Peluse wins the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize and India finishes 10th at WorldSkills Shanghai; World Rabies Day and Bhagat Singh Jayanti.
1. International Relations
Russia Backs India for a Permanent UNSC Seat — but Not Germany or Japan
Why in news: Addressing the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York (September 2026), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov supported permanent seats for India and Brazil on the UN Security Council, and called for more representation from Asia, Africa and Latin America. He opposed any new permanent seats for Western countries, naming Germany and Japan.
This matters because India's campaign is run jointly through the G4 — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — who support each other's claims. Russia's position backs two G4 members and rejects the other two.
Know the UN Security Council
- United Nations: Came into existence on 24 October 1945 (UN Day); 193 member states; six principal organs, one of which is the Security Council.
- Composition: 15 members — 5 permanent members with veto power (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) and 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms; five are elected every year.
- India: Has been a non-permanent member eight times, most recently in 2021–22.
- Uniting for Consensus ('Coffee Club'): A group formed in the 1990s, led by Italy (members include Pakistan and South Korea), that opposes adding new permanent members — the opposite of the G4.
US–China Summit: Panda Diplomacy and an AI Hotline
Why in news: During his state visit to Washington — his first to the United States in more than a decade — Chinese President Xi Jinping announced two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, for Zoo Atlanta in Georgia. The pair was flown from a research base in Chengdu. The two countries also agreed to set up an artificial-intelligence 'hotline' to handle AI-related incidents quickly.
2. Railways, Ports & Energy
India's First LNG Dual-Fuel Train Flagged Off from Sabarmati
Why in news: On 27 September 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off India's first LNG-powered train at Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It will run between Sabarmati and Mehsana.
It is not an LNG-only train: it is an eight-coach, non-AC DEMU whose two driving power cars (1,400 horsepower each) were converted at the Sabarmati coaching depot to run on both diesel and LNG. LNG can replace up to about 40% of the diesel, cutting fuel costs and emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
- What is LNG?: Liquefied Natural Gas — natural gas (mainly methane) cooled to about −162°C so that it becomes a liquid, which makes it easy to store and transport. (LPG, by contrast, is mainly propane and butane.)
- Railway basics: India's first passenger train ran from Bombay (Bori Bunder) to Thane on 16 April 1853. Railways are in the Union List (Seventh Schedule). India's first hydrogen train has been introduced on the Jind–Sonipat route in Haryana.
Dhamra Port Goes Fully Renewable
Why in news: Dhamra Port in Odisha, run by Adani Ports and SEZ (APSEZ), has become India's first large private multi-cargo port to meet all its electricity needs from renewable power (effective August 2026). It handles over 48 million tonnes of cargo a year and uses more than 108 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually.
3. Economy & Rankings
Global Cities Index 2026: Delhi Tops Indian Cities
Why in news: In Oxford Economics' Global Cities Index 2026, which ranks the world's 1,000 largest cities, Delhi is the best-placed Indian city at 268th. New York is first worldwide.
Cities are scored on five categories — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. Because it combines several indicators, it is called an 'index' rather than a simple ranking.
| World top 5 | Indian cities (world rank) |
|---|
| 1. New York | Delhi — 268 |
| 2. London | Bengaluru — 311 |
| 3. Paris | Mumbai — 330 |
| 4. Seattle | Chennai — 381 |
| 5. San Francisco | Hyderabad — 421 · Pune — 427 |
4. Defence & Security
Army Chief Unveils the 'SAMARTH' Vision
Why in news: Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth unveiled 'SAMARTH', a seven-point framework to prepare the Indian Army for long, technology-intensive wars at a defence conclave on 27 September 2026. 'Samarth' means 'capable'.
| Letter | Stands for |
|---|
| S | Sustainability — the ability to endure long wars |
| A | Adaptation — upgrading existing weapons with new technology |
| M | Modernisation |
| A | Acceleration — responding faster than the threat |
| R | Resilience |
| T | Technology — AI, autonomous systems, robotics, drones |
| H | Human–Machine Teaming |
HUMSA-NG Mk II Sonar for Navy Warships
Why in news: The indigenous HUMSA-NG Mk II sonar has been selected for 16 Indian Navy ships, including the Project-17A (Nilgiri-class) stealth frigates.
- What it is: A fourth-generation, hull-mounted, active-cum-passive sonar. Sonar uses sound waves under water to detect submarines and ships.
- Who made it: Designed by DRDO's Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi; produced by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bengaluru.
5. Telangana Focus
Indiramma Bima to Launch on 19 November
Why in news: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka announced in Khammam district that the Telangana government will launch the Indiramma Bima scheme on 19 November 2026. It will give every eligible poor family insurance cover of ₹5 lakh.
Insurance for Sheep and Goats at ₹13 an Animal
Why in news: A new insurance scheme for sheep and goats was launched at Karimnagar by Animal Husbandry Minister Vakiti Srihari and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar. A rearer pays only ₹13 a year for each sheep or goat; the State government pays the rest of the premium.
Shepherd families — mainly of the Golla-Kuruma community — often migrate with their flocks and lose animals to disease or accidents. The insurance protects them from such losses.
6. Andhra Pradesh Focus
Muktyala–Machilipatnam Waterway Moves Ahead
Why in news: Andhra Pradesh's planned inland waterway from Muktyala (NTR district) to Machilipatnam port has received the Inland Waterways Authority of India's no-objection clearance, and the State is preparing to invite tenders by the end of November 2026.
- Length & cost: 168 km — 82 km on the Krishna river from Muktyala to Prakasam Barrage (Vijayawada) and 86 km along the Bandar Canal to Machilipatnam; about ₹1,700 crore in PPP mode.
- Purpose: Cheap transport of cement, limestone and fly ash from the Jaggayyapeta industrial belt to Machilipatnam port.
- Static link: India has 111 National Waterways (National Waterways Act, 2016). The Krishna river stretch here belongs to National Waterway-4 (Krishna–Godavari system).
7. Awards & Skills
Sarah Peluse Wins the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 2026
Why in news: Sarah Peluse, a mathematician at Stanford University (USA), has won the 2026 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for her work in number theory, additive combinatorics and related areas. She will receive it on 22 December 2026 at SASTRA's campus in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
- About the prize: Instituted in 2005 by SASTRA University; for mathematicians aged 32 or below (Ramanujan's age when he died); 10,000 US dollars and a citation.
- Guide link: Her PhD guide, Kannan Soundararajan, was a joint winner of the very first prize in 2005.
- 22 December: Srinivasa Ramanujan's birth anniversary (born 1887, Erode) is observed as National Mathematics Day.
WorldSkills Shanghai 2026: India Finishes 10th
Why in news: India finished 10th at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China (competition 23–26 September, closing ceremony 27 September 2026), winning 6 silver medals and 20 Medallions for Excellence. This improves on 13th place at Lyon 2024. Host China topped the standings.
- Organiser: WorldSkills International; held every two years (biennial).
- India's team: 70 competitors in 63 skills. Silver medallists included Smriti Nambiar, Mohammed Salam, Parth Vohra and Saniya Joshi. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development: Jayant Chaudhary.
8. Important Days — 28 September
World Rabies Day
Why in news: World Rabies Day is observed on 28 September, the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur, who developed the first rabies vaccine (1885). The 2026 theme is 'Stronger Together'. The global goal is 'Zero by 30' — zero human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by 2030.
Bhagat Singh Jayanti
Why in news: Revolutionary Bhagat Singh was born on 28 September 1907 at Banga in Lyallpur district of Punjab (now in Pakistan). With Batukeshwar Dutt he threw non-lethal bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1929. He was a leader of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) and was hanged with Rajguru and Sukhdev on 23 March 1931 — observed as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs' Day).
9. Data Check & Quick Revision
Practice questions with answers
At UNGA-81, Russia supported permanent UN Security Council seats for India and which other country?
- Japan
- Germany
- Brazil
- Italy
Answer: (C) Brazil
Explanation: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov backed India and Brazil but opposed any new permanent seats for Western countries such as Germany and Japan. India, Brazil, Germany and Japan together form the G4; Italy leads the 'Uniting for Consensus' (Coffee Club) group that opposes expansion.
With reference to the UN Security Council, consider the following statements:
- It has 15 members, 5 of them permanent with veto power.
- Non-permanent members are elected for three-year terms.
- India was last a non-permanent member in 2021–22.
- 1 and 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (B) 1 and 3 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong: the 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms, with five elected each year. India has been a non-permanent member eight times.
India's first LNG-powered train, flagged off on 27 September 2026, runs on which route?
- Sabarmati–Mehsana
- Jind–Sonipat
- Mumbai–Vadodara
- Ahmedabad–Rajkot
Answer: (A) Sabarmati–Mehsana
Explanation: The eight-coach DEMU runs between Sabarmati and Mehsana in Gujarat. Its two 1,400-hp driving power cars run on both diesel and LNG, replacing up to about 40% of diesel. Jind–Sonipat (Haryana) is the route of India's first hydrogen train.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is mainly made up of:
- Butane
- Propane
- Hydrogen
- Methane
Answer: (D) Methane
Explanation: LNG is natural gas — mainly methane — cooled to about −162°C so that it turns into a liquid for easy storage and transport. LPG, used in cooking cylinders, is mainly propane and butane.
Match the item in news with its correct description:
| List I | List II |
|---|
| A. SAMARTH | 1. ₹5 lakh insurance for poor families, Telangana |
| B. HUMSA-NG Mk II | 2. Army Chief's seven-point vision |
| C. Dhamra | 3. Hull-mounted sonar for Navy ships |
| D. Indiramma Bima | 4. Port in Odisha running fully on renewable power |
- A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
- A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1
- A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4
- A-1, B-3, C-4, D-2
Answer: (B) A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1
Explanation: SAMARTH — General Dhiraj Seth's seven-point vision for the Army; HUMSA-NG Mk II — NPOL-designed, BEL-built hull-mounted sonar for 16 Navy ships; Dhamra — APSEZ's Odisha port now fully on renewable power; Indiramma Bima — Telangana's ₹5 lakh insurance for poor families from 19 November. Hence A-2, B-3, C-4, D-1.
In the SAMARTH framework unveiled by the Army Chief, what does the letter 'H' stand for?
- Hardening of borders
- Human–Machine Teaming
- Hybrid warfare
- Homeland security
Answer: (B) Human–Machine Teaming
Explanation: SAMARTH stands for Sustainability, Adaptation, Modernisation, Acceleration, Resilience, Technology and Human–Machine Teaming — soldiers and machines (drones, robots, AI systems) working together as one team.
With reference to the Global Cities Index 2026, consider the following statements:
- It is released by the World Economic Forum.
- New York is ranked first in the world.
- Delhi is the highest-ranked Indian city.
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (B) 2 and 3 only
Explanation: Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is wrong — the Global Cities Index is released by Oxford Economics (UK), not the WEF. It ranks 1,000 cities on five categories; Delhi is 268th and Hyderabad 421st.
Under Telangana's new insurance scheme for sheep and goats, how much does a rearer pay per animal per year?
- ₹5
- ₹10
- ₹13
- ₹20
Answer: (C) ₹13
Explanation: The rearer pays only ₹13 a year per sheep or goat and the State pays the rest of the premium. The scheme was launched at Karimnagar by Animal Husbandry Minister Vakiti Srihari and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, mainly to protect migrating shepherd families.
Consider the Assertion (A) and Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize 2026 will be presented on 22 December.
Reason (R): 22 December, Srinivasa Ramanujan's birth anniversary, is observed as National Mathematics Day.
- Both A and R are true, and R explains A
- Both A and R are true, but R does not explain A
- A is true, R is false
- A is false, R is true
Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R explains A
Explanation: Both are true and R explains A: the prize is given on Ramanujan's birth anniversary (22 December, National Mathematics Day) at SASTRA's Kumbakonam campus. The 2026 winner is Sarah Peluse of Stanford University; the prize is for mathematicians aged 32 or below and carries 10,000 US dollars.
The 48th WorldSkills Competition, in which India finished 10th, was held in which city?
- Lyon
- Shanghai
- Seoul
- Kazan
Answer: (B) Shanghai
Explanation: The competition was held in Shanghai, China (23–26 September 2026). India won 6 silver medals and 20 Medallions for Excellence, improving from 13th at Lyon 2024. China topped the standings. The competition is organised every two years by WorldSkills International.
తెలుగులో సారాంశం (Telugu summary)
డైలీ కరెంట్ అఫైర్స్ — 28 సెప్టెంబర్ 2026
భద్రతా మండలి శాశ్వత సభ్యత్వానికి భారత్కు రష్యా మద్దతు, జర్మనీ–జపాన్లకు వ్యతిరేకత; షీ జిన్పింగ్ అమెరికా పర్యటనలో పాండా దౌత్యం, AI హాట్లైన్; సబర్మతి నుంచి దేశంలో తొలి LNG డ్యూయల్-ఫ్యూయల్ రైలు; పూర్తిగా పునరుత్పాదక విద్యుత్తో ధామ్రా పోర్టు; గ్లోబల్ సిటీస్ ఇండెక్స్ 2026లో భారత నగరాల్లో ఢిల్లీ టాప్; ఆర్మీ చీఫ్ 'సమర్థ్' విజన్, 16 యుద్ధనౌకలకు హమ్సా-NG Mk II సోనార్; నవంబర్ 19న తెలంగాణ 'ఇందిరమ్మ బీమా', గొర్రెలు–మేకలకు బీమా; ఏపీ ముక్త్యాల–మచిలీపట్నం జలమార్గం; సారా పెలూస్కు SASTRA రామానుజన్ పురస్కారం, వరల్డ్ స్కిల్స్ షాంఘైలో భారత్ 10వ స్థానం; ప్రపంచ రేబిస్ దినోత్సవం, భగత్ సింగ్ జయంతి.
పూర్తి తెలుగు పాఠం కోసం పేజీలో భాష మార్చండి (English / తెలుగు).