Tuesday, 29 September 2026 · IST · National & International · 10 items · 2 MCQs
Crude oil above $107 and a rupee near 96 per dollar put India's external balance under stress, while RBI wrapped up a ₹1 lakh crore OMO sale to drain surplus liquidity. The Supreme Court declined to stay the new UPI MDR framework, the J&K Assembly sought restoration of statehood, and Tarang Shakti 2026 saw the US F-35 fly in an Indian exercise for the first time.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Brent crossed $107/bbl; rupee slid to about 96 per US dollar.
RBI completed a ₹1,00,000 crore OMO sale in three tranches (17, 21, 28 Sept).
SC refused to stay UPI MDR on P2M payments above ₹2,000 (effective 15 Oct 2026).
J&K Assembly passed a resolution for restoration of statehood by voice vote.
India's first port-based e-methanol plant at Kandla: 150 tonnes/day, ₹2,300 crore.
Tarang Shakti 2026 (2nd edition) at Jodhpur: 7 foreign air forces, US F-35 debut.
Delhi winter plan: 50% WFH, No PUCC, No Fuel at 500 ANPR fuel stations.
CJI opened India's first Victim Rights Centre at Patna (BSLSA).
Aarogya Manthan 2026: 8 years of AB PM-JAY, 5 years of ABDM.
Detailed notes
1. Brent Crosses $107 as Hormuz Disruption Persists; Rupee Near 96/$
ECONOMYCOMMON: Prelims + Mains GS3
Syllabus linkage
GS3 – Indian economy, external sector, energy security. Prelims: BoP, CAD, OMCs, Strait of Hormuz.
Context
Brent futures jumped over 3% to about $107.35/bbl on 28 Sept after the US rejected Iran's plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; the rupee weakened to about 96/$.
Key facts
India imports about 89% of its crude needs – every $10/bbl rise widens the import bill.
Hormuz carried about one-fifth of global oil before the conflict began in late February; transits fell to 132 in a week vs about 130 per day earlier.
OMCs (IOC, BPCL, HPCL) are absorbing losses; annual under-recoveries estimated at ₹64,000 crore.
FPIs pulled out ₹5,353 crore in one session; US 10-year yield at about 5.24%.
Q1 FY27 CAD widened to $4.2 bn (0.5% of GDP) from $3.4 bn; oil imports rose to $60.6 bn.
Way forward
Diversify crude sources, fill Strategic Petroleum Reserves on dips, speed up EVs, green hydrogen and biofuels, and deepen rupee trade settlement.
Concept
Current Account Deficit = shortfall of exports of goods, services and transfers over imports. Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman; it lies between Iran and Oman.
Grouped bar chart comparing India's Q1 FY26 and Q1 FY27 external-sector figures in US$ billion: CAD 3.4 vs 4.2, merchandise trade deficit 68.9 vs 86.1, oil imports 49.2 vs 60.6, net services 47.9 vs 51.6, remittances 33.2 vs 42.9. — StudyForGS
2. India's First Port-Based E-Methanol Plant at Kandla
SCI-TECHCOMMON: Prelims + Mains GS3
Syllabus linkage
GS3 – Energy, infrastructure (ports), environment. Prelims: e-fuels, green hydrogen, green shipping.
Context
Foundation stone laid at Deendayal Port (Kandla), Gujarat by Union Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal with the CMs of Gujarat and Assam for a green marine-fuel plant.
Key facts
Capacity 150 tonnes/day; investment ₹2,300 crore – Phase I (50 t/day) by Jan 2027, Phase II (100 t/day) by Mar 2027.
JV: Deendayal Port Authority (76%) + Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (24%).
Feedstock: renewable power + water + biogenic CO₂ via green hydrogen.
Cost about $750/tonne vs global rate of about $1,300/tonne; to bunker ships on the Asia–Europe corridor.
Expected to create 3,500+ direct and indirect jobs.
Way forward
Build green bunkering standards at major ports, link with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and secure long-term offtake with shipping lines.
Concept
E-methanol = methanol made from green H₂ + captured CO₂; a near carbon-neutral marine fuel supporting the IMO goal of net-zero shipping around 2050.
Flowchart: renewable power and water produce green hydrogen through electrolysis; green hydrogen combined with biogenic CO2 is synthesised into e-methanol at Kandla (150 tonnes per day) and bunkered to ships on the Asia-Europe corridor; side tiles compare cost of 750 vs 1,300 US dollars per tonne. — StudyForGS
3. Tarang Shakti 2026: US F-35 Debuts in an Indian Exercise
The IAF began the operational phase of the 2nd edition of its multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti at Air Force Station Jodhpur, running 26 Sept – 12 Oct 2026.
Key facts
7 foreign air forces: USA, France, Australia, UAE, Germany, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka; 32 observer nations (40+ countries overall).
US F-35A stealth fighter's first-ever appearance in an Indian military exercise.
Focus: interoperability, network-centric operations and showcasing Make in India platforms.
Way forward
Use such exercises to build Indo-Pacific partnerships and market indigenous platforms like Tejas to friendly nations.
Concept
Tarang Shakti = IAF's largest multinational air exercise; 1st edition in 2024. Other IAF exercises: Garuda (France), Cope India (USA), Red Flag (USA-hosted).
Mind-map with Tarang Shakti 2026 at the centre linked to the seven foreign participant air forces and their aircraft: USA (F-35A, KC-135), France (Rafale, A400M, MRTT), UAE (F-16), Germany (A400M), Australia (C-130J), Bangladesh (C-130J), Sri Lanka (KA-360ER), plus boxes for 32 observers and the dates 26 Sept to 12 Oct. — StudyForGS
4. Delhi's Winter Pollution Action Plan: 50% WFH, No PUCC No Fuel
New NHAI norms tie the Provisional Completion Certificate (PCC) of highway projects to plantation targets, backed by financial withholdings for shortfalls.
Key facts
≥80% plantation of available Right of Way (ROW) and ≥90% sapling survival at inspection.
Dead plants must be replaced with saplings of similar age and growth.
NH network grew from 91,287 km (2014) to 1,46,572 km (Mar 2026) – about 61% rise.
3.61 crore saplings planted along 1.32 lakh km of highways (as of July 2026).
Way forward
Geo-tag every sapling, prefer native species and pollinator corridors ("Trees for Bees"), and audit survival through third parties.
Concept
Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance) Policy, 2015 – earmarks 1% of project cost for plantation. Miyawaki = dense native planting (3–5 saplings/m²).
Bar chart of National Highway network length: 91,287 km in 2014 versus 1,46,572 km in March 2026, a 61 percent rise, with tiles showing the 80 percent plantation and 90 percent survival norms. — StudyForGS
6. Aarogya Manthan 2026: 8 Years of PM-JAY, 5 Years of ABDM
Launched NHPR Mobile App, NHCX payer guide, Secure Data Environment app and auto-adjudication framework.
Way forward
Curb fraud via AI claim audits, raise private-hospital empanelment in tier-2/3 towns and strengthen data-privacy safeguards.
Concept
AB PM-JAY (Sept 2018) – ₹5 lakh/family/year cover for secondary & tertiary care. ABDM (Sept 2021) – digital health backbone; ABHA = 14-digit health ID.
Six stat tiles on India's health schemes: 13 crore plus PM-JAY hospital admissions, 2 lakh crore rupees plus treatment value, 49 crore Ayushman cards, 97.8 crore ABHA IDs, 121 crore plus linked health records, 5.6 lakh registered facilities. — StudyForGS
7. SC Refuses to Stay MDR on UPI Merchant Payments Above ₹2,000
On 28 Sept, a bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana declined an interim stay on Finance Ministry notifications of 14–15 Sept and issued notice to the Centre, RBI and NPCI.
Key facts
MDR applies to specified person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI payments above ₹2,000 from 15 Oct 2026.
Standard rate 0.4% (capped at ₹300); essential services (railways, fuel, insurance, farm inputs) flat ₹5; capital-market payments 0.02%.
Government says about 96% of merchant transactions are unaffected.
Court asked whether the charge is a tax or a fee; counter-affidavits due in 4 weeks.
Way forward
Balance ecosystem sustainability (bank/PSP costs) with financial inclusion; keep small merchants and P2P transfers free.
Concept
MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) = fee a merchant pays to banks/payment providers per digital payment. NPCI (2008) runs UPI; it is a Section 8 not-for-profit company promoted by RBI and IBA.
Stat-tile row explaining the new UPI MDR framework: applies above 2,000 rupees on P2M payments, standard 0.4 percent capped at 300 rupees, flat 5 rupees for essential services, 0.02 percent for capital-market payments, effective 15 October 2026, about 96 percent of merchant transactions unaffected. — StudyForGS
8. J&K Assembly Passes Resolution Seeking Restoration of Statehood
On 28 Sept, CM Omar Abdullah moved a resolution for the immediate and urgent restoration of full statehood; it passed by voice vote amid a BJP walkout.
Key facts
Resolution recalls earlier House resolutions of June 2000 and November 2024.
CM flagged UT-status limits: restricted departmental powers and pending business rules.
Members were urged to withdraw eight amendments seeking restoration of Article 370.
A state-level resolution is not binding; only Parliament can restore statehood.
Way forward
A time-bound roadmap for statehood, as assured before the Supreme Court, with continued security gains and elected-government autonomy.
Concept
Article 3 lets Parliament form/alter States by simple law; Article 4 – such laws are not amendments under Article 368. J&K became a UT with legislature on 31 Oct 2019.
9. CJI Opens India's First Victim Rights Centre in Patna
CJI Surya Kant inaugurated the centre at the Bihar State Legal Services Authority (BSLSA) on 26 Sept, saying "the justice system must find its way to the citizen".
Key facts
Single-window case management: compensation, legal aid, medical help, counselling, rehabilitation.
Also launched: a Transgender Helpline, a VRC booklet and multi-utility vehicles for remote villages.
Aims to end the process becoming a "second injury" for victims.
Recalled NALSA v. Union of India (2014) – recognition of the third gender.
Way forward
Replicate VRCs in every district, fix timelines for compensation and integrate police, hospitals and One Stop Centres.
10. At UNGA, India Warns 'Everything Is Being Weaponised'
IRCOMMON: Prelims + Mains GS2
Syllabus linkage
GS2 – India & global groupings, UN reforms. Prelims: UNGA, Global South.
Context
EAM S. Jaishankar addressed the UN General Assembly general debate on 26 Sept, saying nations far from conflict are paying for wars not their own.
Key facts
Flagged weaponisation of finance, trade and technology hurting the Global South.
Zero tolerance for state-sponsored terrorism; called for accountability.
Backed a two-state solution in West Asia; concern over the Ukraine war in its 5th year and Gulf shipping attacks.
India supports about 600 projects in 78 countries; called the 1945 order outdated – ended with "Peace is the path".
Way forward
Push reformed multilateralism (UNSC expansion), use the BRICS chairship for Global South agendas and diversify supply chains.
Concept
UNGA – one of 6 principal UN organs; one nation, one vote; recommendations are non-binding. India seeks a permanent UNSC seat with the G4 (Brazil, Germany, Japan).
Data point of the day
₹1,00,000 crore
RBI OMO sale completed (Sept 2026) Three tranches – ₹50,000 cr (17 Sept), ₹25,000 cr (21 Sept), ₹25,000 cr (28 Sept) – to drain surplus liquidity after FCNR(B) inflows above $132 bn; the last auction (G-secs maturing 2029–2032) was covered over 2.7 times. OMO sale = RBI sells G-secs to absorb rupee liquidity (a quantitative tool).
Prelims rapid-fire
29 Sept – World Heart Day and World Rabies Day (death anniversary of Louis Pasteur).
Bio-bitumen via pyrolysis of rice straw – developed by CSIR-CRRI and CSIR-IIP; bio-oil blended at 20–30% with bitumen; trial on NH-40 (Jorabat–Shillong).
National Rabi Conference (28–29 Sept, New Delhi): push for pulses & oilseeds in rice-fallow lands; water-based crop planning.
ADMM-Plus maritime drill at Subic Bay, Philippines – INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish took part.
PM E-DRIVE: ₹221.13 crore for testing upgrades at GARC, Chennai (scheme outlay ₹10,900 crore, till 31 Mar 2028).
Practice MCQs — UPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI notified in September 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It applies to all person-to-person (P2P) UPI transfers above ₹2,000. 2. The standard rate is 0.4%, capped at ₹300. 3. Payments for essential services such as railways and fuel attract a flat charge of ₹5. How many of the above statements are correct?
Only one
Only two
All three
None
Show answer
Answer: B Statement 1 is wrong – MDR applies only to specified person-to-merchant (P2M) payments above ₹2,000, not P2P. Statements 2 (0.4%, cap ₹300) and 3 (flat ₹5 for essential services) are correct.
Q2. Consider the following pairs regarding recent developments: 1. Tarang Shakti 2026 – Multinational air exercise hosted at Jodhpur. 2. E-methanol – Produced from green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide. 3. Strait of Hormuz – Connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Only one
Only two
All three
None
Show answer
Answer: B Pairs 1 and 2 are correct. The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman; the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden link is the Bab-el-Mandeb.
Mains practice question
Q. Repeated disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz expose the vulnerability of India's energy security and external sector. Examine, and suggest short- and long-term measures. (GS3, 15 marks, 250 words)
Hint / approach
Intro: 89% import dependence, Brent above $107. Body: impact on CAD, rupee, inflation, OMC under-recoveries, FPI outflows; short term – SPR drawdown, source diversification, rupee trade; long term – EVs, green hydrogen/e-methanol, biofuels, domestic E&P. Conclude with energy Atmanirbharta.
📌 One-line revision: $107 Brent + ₹96/$ = CAD pressure | ₹1 lakh cr OMO = liquidity drain | UPI MDR >₹2,000 from 15 Oct | Art 3 = statehood with Parliament | Tarang Shakti-2: F-35 debut.
