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Current affairsIndia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement Enters into ForceThe India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (IN-NZ FTA), signed on April 27 2026 and ratified on September 21 2026, entered into force on October 20 2026. It is India's first FTA to grant New Zealand's 100% tariff lines duty-free access from day one, covering 8,284 product lines across textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, and agriculture. Bilateral trade is targeted to reach Rs 35,000 crore by 2030. Current affairsIndia-Canada CEPA Negotiations: Second Round Concluded, Both Sides Target Year-End Conclusion of Free Trade AgreementIndia and Canada are accelerating negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides backing an early conclusion by end of 2026. The second round of negotiations was concluded in May 2026 at New Delhi, covering goods, services, intellectual property, and technical barriers. The agreement aims to expand bilateral trade to CAD 70 billion by 2030 and addresses diversification of India's supply chains in critical minerals and clean energy. Current affairsIndia at 14th EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting and 23rd ASEAN-India Consultation, Manila: AITIGA Mid-Term Review and USD 128 Billion TradeIndia participated in the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers' Meeting (EAS-EMM) and the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation in Manila, Philippines (September 21–23, 2026), focusing on the mid-term review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and addressing non-tariff barriers as bilateral trade reached USD 128.38 billion in 2025–26. Current affairsIndia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to Enter into Force on 20 October 2026: Zero Duty on 100% of Indian ExportsThe landmark India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed on 27 April 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, will enter into force on 20 October 2026. The agreement grants immediate zero-duty access to 100% of Indian exports to New Zealand and is the fastest-negotiated FTA in India's trade history, concluded in nine months. Current affairsExercise VARUNA 2026: 24th Edition of India-France Bilateral Naval Exercise, INS Trishul at ToulonINS Trishul, an Indian Navy guided-missile stealth frigate, arrived at the Toulon Naval Base in France on 22 September 2026 for the 24th edition of Exercise VARUNA — the annual bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy (Marine Nationale). Initiated in 1983, VARUNA is the flagship exercise of the India-France strategic partnership. Current affairsExercise Tarang Shakti 2026 (Second Edition): IAF's Multinational Air Exercise with 7 Nations, French Mission Pégase DeploymentThe second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti — the Indian Air Force's flagship multinational air exercise — commenced at Jodhpur Air Force Station from 28 September to 12 October 2026, with seven foreign air forces participating. France's Air and Space Force deployed four Rafale F4 jets under its seventh Mission Pégase as part of a 300-strong contingent, joining the United States (F-35), UAE (F-16), and others in the exercise. Current affairsDigital Communications Commission Dissolved After 37 Years: India's Telecom Governance RestructuredThe Union Cabinet on September 16, 2026 approved the dissolution of the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), the apex inter-departmental decision-making body of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), ending its 37-year existence. The Government Resolution was published in the Gazette of India on September 21, 2026. Telecom policy decisions will now flow directly through the DoT Secretary, Communications Minister, or Union Cabinet depending on project cost thresholds — eliminating an institutional layer considered structurally redundant under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Current affairsIndia-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting 2026: Jaishankar Co-chairs Largest-Ever CELAC Engagement on Sidelines of UNGA 81External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar co-chaired the India-CELAC Foreign Ministers' Meeting on September 22, 2026, on the sidelines of UNGA 81 in New York, with 30 of CELAC's 33 member nations attending — described as the "largest-ever" such engagement. Key outcomes included formalising an annual ministerial dialogue, establishing a permanent India-CELAC Commission, and adopting a bilateral Cooperation Roadmap. India-CELAC bilateral trade exceeds USD 50 billion annually. Current affairsExercise Veer Guardian 2026: India-Japan Bilateral Air Exercise at Jodhpur — Second Edition, F-2A Fighters on Indian Soil for the First TimeThe Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) are conducting Exercise Veer Guardian 2026 — the second edition of their bilateral air exercise — at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan (September 9–22, 2026). Japanese F-2A fighters operated from Indian soil for the first time, both air chiefs flew the indigenous LCA Tejas, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the exercise as a "significant milestone" for the India-Japan strategic partnership. Current affairsUS Lindsey Graham Russia Sanctions Act 2026: India's Energy Security and the 100% Tariff Threat on Russian Oil ImportsThe US President signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" on September 18, 2026, authorising tariffs of up to 100% on countries among the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and gas. India, which imports approximately 2.08 million barrels per day from Russia (≈45% of its total crude imports), faces potential designation — raising fundamental questions about India's energy security architecture and strategic autonomy doctrine. Current affairsSEMICON India 2026 and India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (Semicon 2.0): ₹1.27 Lakh Crore Chip Ecosystem PushThe 5th edition of SEMICON India 2026, themed "Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem," concluded on September 19, 2026 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, New Delhi. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated it on September 17 and formally launched India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (Semicon 2.0) with a total outlay of ₹1.27 lakh crore, extending India's semiconductor self-reliance ambitions from fabs and packaging to equipment, materials, design, research, and talent. Current affairsYudh Abhyas 2026: 22nd Edition of India-US Joint Military Exercise at Auli and MahajanThe 22nd edition of Yudh Abhyas — the flagship annual India-US bilateral military exercise — is being conducted at Auli (Uttarakhand) and Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan) in September 2026, with 600 personnel from each nation. The exercise focuses on high-altitude warfare, counter-terrorism operations under a UN mandate, and joint logistics interoperability.