Week of 10 – 16 Aug 2026
26 articles this week.
Sunday, 16 August 2026
State of India's Environment 2026 Report: Seven Planetary Boundaries Breached, Extreme Weather on 99% of India's DaysThe Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth released the State of India's Environment (SOE) 2026 report at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue on 25 February 2026, warning that seven of nine planetary boundaries have been breached and that India experienced extreme weather events on 99% of days in 2025 — with ocean acidification newly crossing its threshold for the first time.PRAHAAR: India's First National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy — A Whole-of-Government FrameworkThe Ministry of Home Affairs released PRAHAAR — India's first comprehensive National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy — on 23 February 2026. The eight-page doctrine integrates counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization, cybersecurity, and coordinated response under a "whole-of-government" and "whole-of-society" framework anchored in the UAPA, PMLA, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.Delhi Lakshmi Yojana 2026: ₹2,500 Monthly Cash Transfer for Women and the Unconditional Cash Transfer Policy DebateThe Delhi Government approved the Lakshmi Yojana on 28 July 2026, providing ₹2,500 per month to women aged 21–60 from households with annual income up to ₹2.5 lakh. With a budget of ₹5,110 crore in 2026-27, the scheme is expected to benefit over 17 lakh women. It has reignited India's national debate on the fiscal sustainability, design, and empowerment effectiveness of Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) schemes for women.Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act 2026: Centre Restricts State Mineral Tax Powers, Voids Pending LeviesParliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill on 13 August 2026, restricting state governments from levying taxes or cesses on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, and voiding all uncollected state mineral levies — a direct legislative response to the Supreme Court's landmark nine-judge bench ruling in the Mineral Area Development Authority v Steel Authority of India case (July 2024).
Saturday, 15 August 2026
RBI Monetary Policy August 2026: Repo Rate Held at 5.25% for Fourth Consecutive Time, GDP Growth Forecast Raised to 6.7%The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), at its August 3–5, 2026 meeting, unanimously kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% for the fourth consecutive time, retained its neutral stance, and raised India's FY27 GDP growth forecast from 6.6% to 6.7% while lowering the CPI inflation projection to 5.0%. Governor Sanjay Malhotra cited the need for greater clarity on the inflation trajectory before any rate action.PM Modi Unveils 'Shakti Ki Saptadhara' on India's 80th Independence Day: Seven Pillars for Viksit Bharat@2047Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the Red Fort on India's 80th Independence Day (August 15, 2026), unveiled 'Shakti Ki Saptadhara' — a seven-stream roadmap of Manufacturing, Agriculture, Technology, Connectivity, Defence, Green Energy, and Soft Power — to drive Viksit Bharat by 2047. Key announcements included a 100 GW nuclear power target, AI training for one crore youth, 33% women's political reservation, and India's 2036 Olympics bid.
Friday, 14 August 2026
Nine Anchor Species Could Help India Meet Its 30×30 Biodiversity and Climate Targets, Says Study in Conservation LettersA new study in Conservation Letters (Lamba et al., 2026, DOI: 10.1111/con4.70059) identifies nine wildlife species — including the tiger, sambar deer, and dhole — whose habitat protection could simultaneously conserve over 700 vertebrates and 1.1 gigatonnes of above-ground carbon per species, offering India a species-centred pathway to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 30×30 target while only 5% of Indian land is currently protected.UNSC Sanctions Report Officially Attributes November 2025 Red Fort Blast to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)The UN Security Council's 38th Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team report (document S/2026/651, circulated 10 August 2026) officially attributes the November 2025 car-bomb blast near Delhi's Red Fort — which killed 11 people — to Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), marking the first formal UN attribution of the attack and warning that AQIS is evolving into a regional terrorist entity in South Asia.ISRO's Space Debris Mitigation Drive: 20 of 22 Indian Satellites at Elevated Collision Risk in Low Earth OrbitThe government has informed Parliament that 20 of India's 22 active satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where collision risk has risen 20% since 2024 due to rapidly expanding mega-constellations. ISRO carried out 9 collision avoidance manoeuvres in 2026 (on top of 20 in 2025) and is accelerating its NETRA tracking project and Debris-Free Space Mission (DFSM) to address the crisis.Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026: Parliament Grants Tax Exemptions to FIIs, Diamond Traders, Data Centres and Investment FundsParliament has passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — cleared by Lok Sabha on 6 August and Rajya Sabha on 10 August — replacing an Ordinance issued on 5 June 2026. The Bill grants income-tax exemptions to Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on government securities, extends incentives for diamond and electronics manufacturing, removes restrictions on offshore investment funds, and expands data-centre tax benefits.
Thursday, 13 August 2026
Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026: Parliament Expands Apex Court Bench to 38 JudgesParliament passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 — Lok Sabha on 3 August and Rajya Sabha on 5 August — permanently increasing the apex court's sanctioned bench strength from 34 to 38 judges (including the Chief Justice). The legislation replaces an Ordinance promulgated on 16 May 2026 and amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.India's 80th Independence Day 2026: Viksit Bharat@2047, Atmanirbhar Defence and the 80th Freedom Anniversary on August 15India celebrates its 80th Independence Day on 15 August 2026, marking eight decades of freedom from British colonial rule. The Prime Minister will hoist the national flag at the Red Fort, New Delhi, delivering an address to be translated in real time into 22+ Indian languages via the AI-powered Digital India Bhashini tool — reflecting India's Viksit Bharat@2047 development vision.Partition Horrors Remembrance Day 2026: Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas on August 14India observes Partition Horrors Remembrance Day — Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas — on August 14 each year, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 August 2021. The day commemorates the 10–20 million displaced and up to 2 million killed during the 1947 Partition of British India, while promoting social harmony and unity.
Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026: Centre Curtails State Mineral Taxes, Unlocks Critical Mineral PotentialThe Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, proposes to restrict state governments from levying taxes, cess, or other charges on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands, remove the 50% cap on captive mine sales, allow multiple minerals in a single lease, and expand the National Mineral Exploration Trust's scope — aimed at bringing certainty and uniformity to India's critical minerals sector.Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026: Lok Sabha Passes Constitutional Rename to 'Keralam', Rajya Sabha Consideration UnderwayThe Lok Sabha passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, by voice vote on 11 August 2026, to officially rename the state from "Kerala" to "Keralam" — its authentic Malayalam name — by amending the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on 12 August 2026 for consideration and passing.Supreme Court Directs 19 States and UTs to Declare Cancer a Notifiable Disease for Early Detection and Uniform CareA Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed 19 states and Union Territories to declare cancer a "notifiable disease" to enable systematic early detection, uniform treatment, and data-driven public health planning. The order came in a PIL filed by Dr Anurag Srivastava, a former AIIMS surgeon, noting that only 17 of India's 36 states and UTs had complied with a parliamentary standing committee recommendation to notify cancer.NSE Launches Nifty India FPI 150 Index Derivatives from August 12, 2026 with SEBI ApprovalThe National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched derivatives contracts — futures and options — on the Nifty India FPI 150 Index from 12 August 2026, after receiving SEBI's approval. The index tracks the top 150 stocks from the Nifty 500 that are accessible and investible for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), providing new hedging tools for both domestic and international investors in Indian capital markets.
Tuesday, 11 August 2026
Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025: Parliament Considers Replacing UGC, AICTE and NCTE with Single Higher Education RegulatorThe Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025 — introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 15, 2025 and backed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report in July 2026 — proposes replacing the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) with a single apex regulator, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Commission, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020.Vanashakti v. Union of India (2026 INSC 761): Supreme Court Permanently Closes Door on Ex Post Facto Environmental ClearancesIn a landmark judgment on July 29, 2026 (2026 INSC 761), a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant quashed the Centre's 2021 Office Memorandum permitting post-facto (retrospective) environmental clearances, ruling that the prior Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance regime under the EIA Notification, 2006 is mandatory and can be modified only through a statutory notification — not an administrative order.Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, 2026: Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan Form Trilateral Defence Pact — Implications for IndiaOn August 7, 2026, Saudi Arabia, Turkey (Türkiye), and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (MJDA) at Al-Safa Palace, Mecca — a collective security pact declaring that any armed attack on one signatory is an attack on all three. The agreement builds on the 2025 Saudi-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement and has significant implications for India's strategic balance, energy security, neighbourhood policy, and West Asia diplomacy.Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026: Lok Sabha Establishes National Tribunals Commission for 16 Quasi-Judicial BodiesThe Lok Sabha on August 10, 2026, passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, establishing a National Tribunals Commission (NTC) to oversee appointments, performance evaluation, and complaints across 16 central tribunals. The legislation fulfils a long-standing Supreme Court directive (Madras Bar Association v. Union of India, 2021) for an independent, non-ministerial oversight body insulating tribunals from executive interference.RBI Monetary Policy Committee August 2026: Repo Rate Held at 5.25%, GDP Forecast Raised to 6.7%, Inflation Cut to 5.0%The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), at its 62nd meeting (August 3–5, 2026), unanimously voted to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25% while retaining the 'Neutral' stance. The RBI raised FY27 GDP growth forecast to 6.7% and lowered CPI inflation projection to 5.0%, reflecting domestic resilience and moderating demand-side pressures even as global geopolitical uncertainties persist.
Monday, 10 August 2026
India-US Navy EOD Exercise 2026 Commences at Kochi: Strengthening Maritime Security CooperationThe 8th edition of the bilateral India-US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026 commenced on 10 August 2026 at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, and will run through 14 August 2026. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability between specialist diving and EOD teams of both navies through subject matter expert exchanges, equipment demonstrations, and scenario-based practical drills.Enforcement Directorate Director Rahul Navin Gets One-Year Tenure Extension: Governance and PMLA ImplicationsThe Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a one-year extension in the tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Rahul Navin, extending his term from 13 August 2026 to 13 August 2027. The extension also allows Navin to continue in service beyond his superannuation date of 31 July 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.India Crosses 300 GW Non-Fossil Fuel Installed Electricity Capacity: A Milestone in Clean Energy TransitionIndia's installed non-fossil fuel electricity generation capacity crossed 300 GW (300.50 GW) as of 31 July 2026, announced the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy on 10 August 2026. This represents 54% of total installed capacity of 552 GW and over 60% of India's Paris Agreement NDC target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.World Lion Day 2026: India's Asiatic Lion Population Rises to 891 — A Conservation Success StoryWorld Lion Day is observed on 10 August each year to raise awareness about lion conservation globally. On World Lion Day 2026, India highlighted the results of the 16th Asiatic Lion Census (May 2025): the population has risen to 891 from 674 in 2020 — a 32.2% increase in five years — all found exclusively in and around Gir in Gujarat.