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Current affairs18th BRICS Summit 2026, New Delhi: India's Chairship, Theme, Agenda and What to Expect on September 12–13India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12–13, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — India's fourth BRICS chairship. The theme is "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." Over 350 BRICS meetings were held across 25+ cities under India's 2026 presidency. The expanded BRICS+ grouping now includes nine members, making this summit the largest in the bloc's history. Current affairsIndia-Belgium Joint Statement 2026: Investment Fast-Track Mechanism, IMEC Semiconductor Partnership, and Defence CooperationBelgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever visited India (September 2–4, 2026) — the first Belgian PM visit in two decades — and issued a comprehensive Joint Statement. India and Belgium set a target of doubling bilateral trade from approximately USD 13 billion, established an Investment Fast-Track Mechanism, announced IMEC semiconductor research collaboration, and signed a defence Letter of Intent covering exchanges, staff talks, and joint production. Current affairs26th SCO Summit Bishkek 2026: Bishkek Declaration, English as Official Language, and India's Priorities Under PM ModiThe 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on August 31–September 1, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended, signed the Bishkek Declaration alongside 13 key outcome agreements, and advanced India's three-pillar agenda of Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. English was recognised as an official SCO working language for the first time. Current affairsRAKSHA Defence Diplomacy Framework 2026: India's 10-Year Roadmap for Global Security PartnershipsDefence Minister Rajnath Singh released the 'RAKSHA' Defence Diplomacy Framework on September 3, 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi — a comprehensive 10-year strategic document (2026–2036) positioning India as a Net Security Provider and First Responder in the Indian Ocean Region through four core pillars: Strategic Partnerships, Capacity Building, Indigenous Exports, and Maritime Security. Current affairsNepal Monsoon Floods 2026: Death Toll Crosses 1,000 — India's Humanitarian Response, Disaster Diplomacy, and India-Nepal RelationsNepal's 2026 monsoon floods have claimed over 1,000 lives — one of the country's worst flood disasters — with Nepal's hydropower generation dropping approximately 10%, requiring emergency power imports from India. India deployed rescue teams, dispatched humanitarian aid, and coordinated with China and Nepal for relief operations, demonstrating India's Neighbourhood First policy in action. Current affairsIndia-China 25th Round of Special Representatives' Talks on the Boundary Question: Doval-Wang Yi Meet in Beijing, 26th Round Scheduled for India in 2027On August 25, 2026, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi held the 25th Round of Special Representatives' Talks on the India-China Boundary Question in Beijing. Both sides committed to a "fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable package solution" and pledged to maintain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The 26th round of talks is scheduled to be held in India in 2027. Doval also called on Chinese Vice President Han Zheng during the visit. Current affairsIndia-Uzbekistan Bilateral Ties Elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: PM Modi's Tashkent Visit, Oliy Darajali Do'stlik Award, and the Uranium-Critical Minerals Cooperation FrameworkPrime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day state visit to Uzbekistan (August 29–30, 2026) elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev conferred Uzbekistan's highest state honour — the Order of Oliy Darajali Do'stlik — on PM Modi. The two nations agreed on a long-term uranium supply framework, deepened critical-minerals cooperation, and established a Foreign Ministers' Coordination Council. India and Uzbekistan also set a bilateral trade target of US $5 billion by 2030. Current affairsIndia-US Javelin Anti-Tank Missile Deal 2026: FMS Route, Fire-and-Forget Technology, and India's Atmanirbhar Defence StrategyIndia signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the United States on August 28, 2026 for the FGM-148 Javelin man-portable anti-tank guided missile system via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. The deal, valued at approximately $45.7 million, covers ~100 Javelin rounds and 25 Lightweight Command Launch Units (CLUs), with potential co-production arrangements under Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence. Current affairsBRICS Summit 2026: India Hosts 18th Edition in New Delhi — Xi Jinping's First Visit Since 2019, Local-Currency Trade, and the Architecture of a Multipolar WorldIndia hosts the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12–13, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — its fourth chairmanship. The summit's theme is "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability." Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend, marking his first visit to India since 2019, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and heads of state from the expanded BRICS+ membership. Current affairsExercise Udara Shakti 2026: India-Malaysia Bilateral Air Exercise with Rafale and Su-30MKM — UPSC Defence GuideExercise Udara Shakti 2026, the biennial India-Malaysia bilateral air exercise, was conducted from August 10–14, 2026, at Subang Air Base, Malaysia. For the first time, the Indian Air Force deployed Dassault Rafale fighters (replacing Su-30MKI), flying dissimilar air combat training sorties against Royal Malaysian Air Force Su-30MKM and F/A-18D Hornets. The exercise involved 83 personnel and 11 aircraft from both nations. Current affairsIndia-China 25th Special Representatives Talks: NSA Doval in Beijing, LAC Boundary Diplomacy, and the Post-Galwan ResetNSA Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on August 24, 2026, for the 25th round of India-China Special Representatives Talks on the boundary question, scheduled for August 25 with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The talks follow the 24th round's ten-point consensus (August 2025) and aim to advance boundary delimitation, operationalise new border management mechanisms, and address the Yarlung Tsangpo mega-dam transparency issue. Current affairsIndia's Polar Strategy: Parliamentary Panel Recommends Polar Ambassador, Arctic Council Full Membership, and Quadrilateral Polar PactThe Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Shashi Tharoor, presented its report "India's Role and Presence in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions" in the Lok Sabha on July 30, 2026. The panel recommended appointing a dedicated Polar Ambassador within the Ministry of External Affairs, seeking full membership of the Arctic Council, and forging a quadrilateral agreement among India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea to amplify Asia's collective polar voice.