NITI Aayog
The government think-tank that replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 as the apex public-policy body.
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On UPSC.wiki
Current affairsGender Snapshot 2026 (UN Women & UN DESA): 1 in 3 Gender Equality Institutions Weakened, SDG 5 Off Track by 171 YearsUN Women and UN DESA jointly released the Gender Snapshot 2026 on September 17, 2026, revealing that 1 in 3 national gender equality institutions lost institutional power in just two years, while bilateral aid for gender equality fell 13% between 2023 and 2024. Not a single SDG 5 (Gender Equality) indicator is on track by 2030, and gender equality globally is 171 years away at the current pace of progress. Current affairs40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development: UN High-Level Meeting at UNGA 81, September 23, 2026A UN High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development was held on September 23, 2026, at UN Headquarters, New York, authorised by UNGA Resolutions 79/170 and 80/207. The Declaration — adopted on December 4, 1986, under UNGA Resolution 41/128 — proclaims development as an inalienable human right. Not a single SDG indicator aligned with the Declaration's vision is on track globally, highlighting persistent implementation gaps four decades on. Current affairs11th National Ayurveda Day 2026: Theme 'Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow', Key Initiatives and India's AYUSH ExpansionIndia observed the 11th National Ayurveda Day on September 23, 2026 — permanently fixed on the autumnal equinox by a Gazette Notification of March 2025 — with the theme "Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow." The Ministry of Ayush launched the Ayush Vision 2030 strategic document and conferred the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2026 at the main national celebration in Nagpur, Maharashtra. 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 affairsWestern Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area: 6th Draft Notification 2026, Kerala's Push to Exclude 131 Villages, and the Conservation-Livelihood DebateThe Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued its 6th draft notification on July 25, 2026, proposing to declare over 56,825 sq km of the Western Ghats as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). The public objection window closes September 24, 2026. Kerala has moved to exclude 131 villages and approximately 9,993 sq km, while the Centre insists no part — except the Palakkad Gap — should be excluded to maintain ecological continuity. Current affairsMahanadi Water Dispute 2026: Both States Accept Centre's Decision as Tribunal Hearing Approaches September 28Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated on September 20, 2026 that both Chhattisgarh and Odisha have agreed to accept the Central Water Commission's (CWC) water-sharing formula for the Mahanadi river. Technical teams from both states met on September 21, with the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) hearing scheduled for September 28 — signalling a potential resolution of a decade-long inter-state river dispute. Current affairsIndia's First Soil Carbon Payments: Aadi Programme Disburses ₹2.9 Crore to 2,550 Farmers in Punjab and HaryanaIndia launched its first direct-benefit-transfer soil carbon payments on September 17, 2026 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Under the Aadi farmer carbon programme, 2,550 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Haryana received more than ₹2.9 crore for adopting regenerative agriculture practices — direct seeded rice, reduced tillage, and crop residue management — between 2019 and 2022, marking a landmark convergence of climate finance and agricultural welfare. Current affairsRBI-SEBI Real World Asset (RWA) Tokenisation Pilot: India's First Tokenised Corporate Bond and the Blockchain Finance FrontierRBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra and SEBI Chairperson Tuhin Kanta Pandey jointly launched India's first tokenised corporate bond pilot at Global Fintech Fest 2026. REC Limited raised ₹500 crore via blockchain, settled in RBI's wholesale CBDC (e₹-W). By September 10, three issuers raised ₹1,025 crore under SEBI's Demat 2.0 framework — marking India's entry into blockchain-based capital markets. Current affairsDeep-Sea Mining in India: ISA Contracts, Deep Ocean Mission, and the Critical Minerals vs. Conservation DilemmaIndia is accelerating its deep-sea mineral exploration programme under the Deep Ocean Mission, holding three contracts with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) covering ~95,000 km² across three ocean zones. A high-level industry outreach workshop convened by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in September 2026 spotlighted the strategic imperative of securing critical minerals — nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese — while environmentalists warn of irreversible benthic habitat destruction. 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 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 affairsIndia Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025: Delhi Tops Rankings, National EV Share Reaches 8.25%NITI Aayog and WRI India released the second edition of the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025, ranking Delhi first with a score of 84/100. India's national EV market penetration reached 8.25% in 2025–26, with 2.5 million new registrations — a 25% year-on-year rise — placing the country on a trajectory toward its EV30@30 target.
In previous-year questions
- According to NITI Aayog's 2026 report on professional services, India has the highest restrictiveness score on the OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) for which professional services sector?UPSC · Current Affairs
- In the context of trade in services under the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), 'Mode 4' refers to which type of service delivery?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The NITI Aayog report on professional services (2026) recommended negotiating Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Indian professionals. Which statutory body regulates the accountancy profession in India and would be the primary party in MRA negotiations with bodies like ACCA (UK) and CPA Australia?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The NITI Aayog report (2026) on professional services notes that India's legal services market has a high OECD STRI score of 0.865. Which Act and regulatory body currently govern the legal profession in India, and what significant change was made in 2023?UPSC · Current Affairs
- India's services sector contributes approximately what percentage of India's GDP, making it the dominant sector of the economy — a context cited in NITI Aayog's 2026 professional services report?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The 16th Finance Commission, which recommended including heatwaves and lightning as SDRF-eligible natural calamities, covers which award period and is chaired by whom?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Financial Stability Report (FSR) in India is prepared by the Sub-Committee of which body, and how frequently is it published?UPSC · Current Affairs
- NITI Aayog launched PACT (Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport) at the 5th e-FAST India Summit in September 2026. Which of the following best describes the primary function of PACT?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The PACT (Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport) launched by NITI Aayog at the 5th e-FAST India Summit targets freight electrification because heavy commercial vehicles, despite being 3–4% of India's vehicle fleet, contribute what approximate share of total transport-sector carbon emissions?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Which of the following correctly gives the full form of e-FAST, the initiative under which NITI Aayog launched PACT and the ZET Marketplace in September 2026?SSC · Current Affairs
- The World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 — the 10th edition of this global event — was held at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (September 15–18, 2026). Which of the following bodies co-organised WCEF 2026 as India's primary executing host?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025, the second edition of India's state-level EV ranking, was jointly published by which two organisations?UPSC · Current Affairs