Daily Current Affairs - 2026-09-25

Defence, sports, economy, judiciary and international relations all made headlines today — here's everything you need for your UPSC/SSC/Banking/Railway exam prep in one place.

India Notifies 600-km Missile Test Zone in Bay of Bengal

India has issued a maritime and aviation danger-zone notification for a missile trial to be conducted in the Bay of Bengal on 25-26 September 2026, covering a range of nearly 600 km. The exact missile system has not been officially disclosed by the Ministry of Defence, though it is speculated to be a Pralay tactical ballistic missile, a Prithvi-series missile, or an extended-range BrahMos variant. The notification ensures civilian aircraft and ships avoid the designated zone during the trial window. Exam relevance: Such tests are routinely tracked in exams covering India's missile and defence indigenisation programme.

India Wins Historic Medals on Day 5 of Asian Games 2026

At the 2026 Asian Games being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (19 September-4 October), India added five medals on Day 5, including two silver and three bronze across athletics, wushu, shooting and rowing.

• Seema won bronze in the women's 10,000m.
• The 4x400m relay team clinched silver.
• Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in men's double sculls — India's first-ever Asian Games medal in this rowing event.
• Manush Shah and Diya Chitale secured India's first-ever table tennis medal at the Games, beating a higher-ranked Hong Kong pair.

Exam relevance: Asian Games medal tallies and 'first-ever' achievements are frequently asked in sports current affairs sections.

RBI Deputy Governor Flags Gap Between Real Economy and Equity Markets

RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta stated that India has been among the most challenged emerging market economies over the past year and a half due to global shocks, but the economy has emerged largely unscathed. She noted India's growth remains the highest among peer economies, inflation is anchored, and fiscal consolidation is on track, even as equity market performance has not fully mirrored this underlying strength. She also suggested there is a fair case for the rupee to stabilise or even appreciate going forward. Exam relevance: This is important for banking and economy sections covering RBI statements, inflation, and currency trends.

Supreme Court Clarifies Limits of Authority Under Payment of Gratuity Act

The Supreme Court ruled that the Controlling Authority's power under the Payment of Gratuity Act is limited strictly to computing the amount of gratuity payable, and does not extend to adjudicating disputes over an employer's underlying liability to pay. The judgment, cited as 2026 INSC 1019, clarifies that liability disputes must be resolved through appropriate civil or labour forums rather than the gratuity Controlling Authority. Exam relevance: Important for banking, judiciary, and administrative exams testing statutory interpretation and labour law.

Supreme Court Seeks Karnataka's Response in Cauvery Water Sharing Case

The Supreme Court directed Karnataka to respond to a plea by Tamil Nadu seeking to make up for past shortfalls in water released under the Cauvery water-sharing arrangement. The Cauvery dispute is a long-running inter-state river water conflict, and the Court's continued monitoring underscores the judiciary's role in enforcing tribunal awards on inter-state water disputes. Exam relevance: Frequently referenced in polity and federalism sections of competitive exams.

EAM Jaishankar to Address 81st UNGA Session, Lead Indian Delegation

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to address the General Debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on 26 September 2026, leading India's delegation. At a related multilateralism summit, he warned that the global order is under stress from great-power competition and geopolitical tensions that could undermine international cooperation, with expected emphasis on reform of multilateral institutions, the voice of the Global South, and expanded concessional finance. Exam relevance: Significant for international relations sections of UPSC and state PSC exams.

Delhi Government Approves DURGA Scheme for Pink E-Autos

The Delhi government approved the DURGA scheme, aimed at empowering women and transgender individuals through a fleet of dedicated pink electric autos, as part of the city's broader push for women's safety and livelihood generation using clean-energy transport. Exam relevance: Adds to the list of state-level women-centric welfare schemes tracked for schemes-and-policy questions.

4th Prithvi Awards and Global ESG Conference Held in New Delhi

The ESG Research Foundation hosted the Global ESG Conference and 4th Prithvi Awards 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, recognising individuals and organisations for contributions to environmental, social and governance goals. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, attended as chief guest. Exam relevance: Such awards and honours are commonly tested in the awards section of banking, SSC, and railway exams.

Cultural Icon and Former ISRO Scientist Soorya Krishnamoorthy Passes Away

Soorya Krishnamoorthy, a cultural pioneer and founder of Kerala's globally renowned Soorya Festival, died in Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 78 after a period of illness. Before turning to the arts, he began his career as a scientist with ISRO in the early 1970s, and in 2023 he had received the Kerala Prabha Award, the state's second-highest civilian honour. Exam relevance: Relevant for the obituaries section of current affairs compilations.

Southwest Monsoon Withdraws from Delhi, Earliest Since 2002

The India Meteorological Department declared the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon from Delhi, two days ahead of its normal date of 25 September, marking the earliest withdrawal from the capital since 20 September 2002. Delhi recorded 728.6 mm of rainfall at Safdarjung since 1 June against a normal of 629.7 mm, a surplus of about 16%. The withdrawal signals the start of a drier weather phase and is accompanied by a rise in the city's air quality index. Exam relevance: Relevant for geography and environment current affairs.

That wraps up today's roundup — revise these points regularly to stay exam-ready!