Current affairs — 13 September 2026

Prelims pointers

• The Houthis took control of Sana’a in 2014; Saudi Arabia formed a coalition and declared war against them in 2015.
• A 2022 ceasefire between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces allowed the group to consolidate in northern and northwestern Yemen.
• In early September 2026, the Houthis captured Mokha, Dhubab and Perim Island, extending control into the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
• Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, while the Red Sea links Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal.
• The Red Sea normally carries roughly 12–15% of global trade, making control of its southern chokepoint strategically significant.

Prelims pointers

• The Rajasthan High Court dismissed a writ petition by former North Western Railway Senior Auditor Neeraj Bishnoi.
• A Division Bench of Justice Inderjeet Singh and Justice Sandeep Taneja upheld the CAT Jaipur Bench order dated February 27, 2026.
• The petitioner had resigned to contest the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly election from Ratangarh as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.
• The Court held that electoral defeat was neither a compelling reason nor a material change under Rule 26(5) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021.
• Rule 3(1)(vii) of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 requires political neutrality; the Court upheld the finding that party candidacy violated it.

Prelims pointers

• The spotted-hyena findings were published in Science Advances and involved researchers in Berlin and Montpellier.
• The study covered 29 years, eight generations and 2,743 wild hyenas belonging to eight Ngorongoro Crater clans.
• Researchers obtained DNA information from mucus around faecal samples to conduct paternity analysis.
• In the Lemala clan, almost all living members traced back to a single founding female lineage in a 30-year genealogical tree.
• The youngest daughter of an alpha female inherits her mother’s rank and gains better access to food, allies and breeding opportunities.

Prelims pointers

• The pygmy hog is described in the article as an endangered species.
• The article says the pygmy hog had once been thought extinct.
• The reported pygmy-hog population stood at six animals in 1996.
• The population had increased to a reported total of 194 by the time of the article.
• The increase from six to 194 is attributed to a captive-breeding programme.

Prelims pointers

• India sent the first components for a 70-metre Bailey bridge intended to restore connectivity in Nepal’s flood-affected Betrawati area.
• The consignment was handed to Nepal’s Road Division in Hetauda on September 12, 2026, with additional consignments expected.
• A Bailey bridge is a portable, prefabricated modular steel-truss bridge that can be assembled by hand without heavy machinery or special tools.
• India had supplied more than 130 tonnes of relief material and deployed 54 experts for rescue, relief and forensic operations.
• The Indian Air Force operated at least eight special relief flights, while Indian tunnel-rescue and forensic teams assisted Nepali authorities.

Prelims pointers

• Xi Jinping presented five AI- and technology-focused initiatives at the second session of the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 13, 2026.
• China proposed pioneering a BRICS open-source AI community and building an open ecosystem for artificial intelligence.
• The proposed BRICS special economic zone partnership includes an intelligent portal, policy coordination and open development.
• China proposed a BRICS digital ecosystem cloud platform and offered to help members build smart factories and develop standards and norms.
• The talent-development proposal includes an engineer cultivation alliance and mutual recognition of competency standards.

Prelims pointers

• Guterres said superpower divisions have paralysed the Security Council, while the wider UN continues humanitarian work and peacekeeping.
• He argued that the Security Council reflects the power structure of 1945 and that emerging economies are underrepresented in the World Bank and IMF.
• The UN defended freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb without tolls or selective permission.
• Guterres said the UN created the first international independent scientific panel on artificial intelligence and the first global dialogue on AI.
• He said the UN had not issued an official map defining borders; the disputed online map was an NGO contribution.

Prelims pointers

• AI tools can formalise mathematical proofs by translating them into machine-verifiable languages such as Lean.
• Researchers said current models can write code and proofs quickly but may omit key intuitive steps, invent terminology and inadequately cite earlier work.
• Terence Tao described a possible shift from proof scarcity to proof abundance, with a resulting risk of proof indigestion.
• The Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics emerged from contacts formed after a 2025 Leiden University conference.
• Issued in June 2026, the Leiden Declaration recommends responsible and ethical engagement with AI tools in mathematics.

Prelims pointers

• The Ministry of Defence annual report said PLA troop deployment along the Line of Actual Control declined during 2025.
• Despite the reported reduction in PLA deployment, ten combined arms brigades remained along the LAC.
• The annual report described Indian deployment as robust across every sector of the Line of Actual Control.
• The report documented India-China engagement that included a Prime Ministerial visit and Special Representatives’ dialogues.
• Corps Commander meetings and meetings between border personnel were among the dialogue channels recorded in the report.

Prelims pointers

• As of August 30, Andhra Pradesh had 7,895 malaria cases, 27.9% more than the 6,172 recorded in the same period last year.
• The State reported 1,475 dengue cases this year against 1,410 last year, representing a 4.6% increase.
• Scrub typhus cases reached 941, with increases reported in Alluri Sitarama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts.
• Food-borne illness cases in Srikakulam increased from 34 last year to 408 this year.
• A ‘Dry Day’ is to be held every Friday to remove stagnant water and breeding sites, involving ASHA workers, health staff, local government personnel, and residents.

Prelims pointers

• Modi held separate summit-side meetings with leaders from Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa and Burundi.
• The Philippines became India’s strategic partner in August 2025 and is the first foreign customer for the BrahMos missile system.
• The Philippine BrahMos agreement was valued at $375 million, with deliveries and training reported to be underway.
• India and Kazakhstan reviewed defence and security cooperation along with connectivity, energy, critical minerals and emerging technologies.
• Malaysia said exploratory talks on acquiring BrahMos were underway, but no final decision had been taken.

Prelims pointers

• Ernakulam is one of five pilot districts in a campaign intended to make the district TB-free by the following year.
• Kochi Corporation plans to finance nutrient kits for detected TB patients through Corporate Social Responsibility funds.
• TB Mukt status requires testing 30 per 1,000 persons, positivity below one per thousand and a 90% cure success rate.
• The campaign uses screening tests, phlegm collection for examination and X-rays, focusing on vulnerable and high-risk groups.
• Camps will work through 19 Urban Primary Health Centres, while eligible asymptomatic susceptible people will receive 12-week preventive therapy.

Prelims pointers

• Putin proposed an insurance mechanism and a collaborative grain market as Russian initiatives for BRICS members.
• The G-7, European Union and United Kingdom restricted Western insurance for ships carrying Russian crude above a specified price cap.
• The New Development Bank is a multilateral development bank established by BRICS nations and was said to be handling projects worth $140 billion.
• BRICS expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia; Indonesia joined in 2025.
• The 11 BRICS economies were reported to represent about 49.5% of global population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of global trade.

Prelims pointers

• DAHD reviewed Delhi's Lumpy Skin Disease situation with the territory's animal-husbandry authorities on 13 September 2026.
• Delhi had around 584 active LSD cases on 13 September 2026, mainly among unvaccinated and vulnerable animals.
• The release described LSD as sporadic and under control in Delhi and reported no mortality among affected cattle.
• More than 45,950 animals had been vaccinated against Lumpy Skin Disease in Delhi during 2026.
• Control measures include vaccination, surveillance, isolation, vector control, disinfection, biosecurity and movement-control check-posts.

Prelims pointers

• Gandhinagar will host the World Circular Economy Forum 2026 from 15 to 18 September, the forum’s first edition in South Asia.
• The forum theme is ‘Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity’.
• Circularity is described as reusing, refurbishing and recycling materials and products and looping them back as valuable resources.
• The 15–16 September programme includes four plenaries, 16 parallel thematic sessions and an expo with more than 125 exhibitors.
• India recently assumed the role of Co-Chair of the Board of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns.

Prelims pointers

• MISHTI expands to Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes in the PIB release.
• Gujarat covered 27,652 hectares under MISHTI against its 2023–27 target of 29,250 hectares.
• The reported restoration coverage includes 12,450 hectares in the ecologically challenging Kori Creek region.
• The Minister launched the Mangrove GIS Portal for science-based decisions and monitoring of Gujarat’s mangrove habitats.
• Guneri’s inland mangroves were declared Gujarat’s first Biodiversity Heritage Site in January 2025.

Prelims pointers

• The Gujarat GIB Action Plan was prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India with the Gujarat Forest Department.
• The plan targets a minimum viable population above 30 Great Indian Bustards and 200–500 sq. km. of safe, contiguous habitat.
• At Naliya, about 11 sq. km. of Prosopis juliflora-infested grassland was restored, while 30 km of fencing secures 15 sq. km.
• A jump-start intervention replaces infertile eggs of wild GIB females with viable eggs from the conservation-breeding programme.
• A proposed five-year grassland assessment would involve WII, ICFRE and the Forest Survey of India with National CAMPA support.

Prelims pointers

• India’s BRICS Presidency organised its work around four pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.
• BRICS agreed on an Integrated Early Warning System for infectious-disease prevention and response and prepared disaster-management data-integration guidelines.
• The BRICS Incubator Network is intended to connect start-ups and incubators, while a BRICS Startup Innovation Fund was proposed.
• The BRICS Network on Digital Agriculture links AI, geospatial technology and Digital Public Infrastructure with the real needs of farmers.
• A BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence was established for Smart Grids and Energy Storage to support reliable, efficient and accessible clean-energy systems.

Prelims pointers

• Modi met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in New Delhi on 13 September 2026 during the 18th BRICS Summit.
• The leaders reviewed progress across diverse areas of the multifaceted India–South Africa strategic partnership.
• They linked bilateral relations to shared historical struggles, cultural affinities, economic ties and people-to-people connections.
• India and South Africa agreed to maintain close coordination in multilateral forums on global issues of mutual interest.
• Following the successful translocation of cheetahs from South Africa to India, Modi invited South Africa to consider joining the International Big Cat Alliance.

Prelims pointers

• Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang in New Delhi on 13 September 2026.
• The meeting addressed regional security and the India–Vietnam Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• The two sides discussed accelerating joint initiatives, technology sharing and defence-industrial collaboration.
• India and Vietnam highlighted active engagement through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus and its Experts’ Working Groups.
• The next Defence Policy Dialogue is scheduled to be hosted by India on the sidelines of Aero India 2027.

Prelims pointers

• The Delhi Declaration on Drylands, abbreviated as 3D, was adopted at the closing plenary of Dryland Congress 2026 in New Delhi.
• The Congress's final day coincided with the United Nations Day for South–South Cooperation and called for stronger South–South and triangular cooperation.
• DARE Secretary and ICAR Director General Dr M. L. Jat said ICAR-NIAP should lead foresight work on dryland agriculture.
• The Congress promoted robust data systems and living laboratories that connect dryland research with practice and policy.
• The inaugural ISSCA Global Awards 2026 received 170 nominations from 34 countries across several regions of the Global South.

Prelims pointers

• Moth bean covers nearly 10 lakh hectares in western Rajasthan’s hot arid region, with productivity around 350 kg per hectare under 150–250 mm rainfall.
• Four varieties released in the last three years are CAZRI Moth-4, CAZRI Moth-5, CAZRI Moth-6 and CAZRI Moth-7.
• During the dry spell from August 3 to September 7, 2026, cumulative pan evaporation was about 180 mm and surface soil moisture fell to around 5–6 per cent.
• Field management included July sowing, 45 × 10 cm plant geometry, mechanical interculture at 20 days, weed management and canopy development.
• The varieties begin flowering at about 30 days after sowing and maintained green growth with profuse pod development at around 55 days after sowing.

Prelims pointers

• The India Gems and Jewellery Awards began in 1975, and the 2026 ceremony in Mumbai was their 52nd edition.
• The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026 provides a 15-year income-tax exemption to rough-diamond trading companies in specially notified areas.
• The Bharat Ratnam Mega Common Facility Centre at SEEPZ covers 1.25 lakh square feet and includes 3D printing, casting and refining facilities.
• The India Jewellery Park is expected to attract about ₹50,000 crore of investment and generate one lakh direct and indirect jobs.
• The release valued the industry at ₹2.44 lakh crore in 2025, or 6.3 per cent of merchandise exports, with around 75 lakh direct and indirect jobs.

Prelims pointers

• Narendra Modi chaired the BRICS session on inclusive global governance on September 12, 2026, during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
• The remarks called for global governance to reflect current realities through greater representation, especially in the UN Security Council.
• The Prime Minister urged movement of the Global South from rule-taker to rule-shaper and from a pyramid of privilege to a platform of partnership.
• A proposed BRICS effort would provide young Global South diplomats and policymakers with negotiation skills, practical training and legal expertise.
• The Prime Minister proposed a Seafarers Emergency Support Network, and the session adopted the New Delhi BRICS Leaders’ Declaration.

Prelims pointers

• The 18th BRICS Summit’s New Delhi Declaration linked TCIM cooperation with stronger health systems and Universal Health Coverage.
• A proposed BRICS Expert Working Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine would operate under the BRICS Health Track.
• The declaration called for research cooperation on medicinal plants and herbal preparations used for therapeutic and preventive purposes.
• TCIM practices and products are to be approached through evidence, quality, safety, efficacy and regulatory frameworks reflecting national contexts.
• A BRICS TCIM meeting in Chandigarh on July 21, 2026 reached consensus on Terms of Reference for the proposed working group.

Prelims pointers

• INS Kulish arrived at Ream Naval Base, Cambodia, on 12 September 2026 during the Eastern Fleet Operational Deployment.
• The visit aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and professional links between the Indian Navy and Royal Cambodian Navy.
• Royal Cambodian Navy representatives and officials of the Embassy of India in Cambodia received the ship.
• The stay includes professional interactions, familiarisation visits, sports fixtures and structured naval engagements.
• The port call is linked to the Act East Policy and MAHASAGAR—Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

Prelims pointers

• Indian Railways loaded 137.9 million tonnes in August 2026, up 5.4 per cent from 130.9 million tonnes in August 2025.
• Freight revenue rose 6.27 per cent year on year, while iron-ore loading recorded the largest listed commodity increase at 12.1 per cent.
• Five new Gati Shakti Cargo Terminals took the commissioned total to 149 as of 31 August 2026.
• Fourteen Amrit Bharat services were regularised from special trains in August 2026, taking the total number of services to 86.
• Passenger traffic reached 67.27 crore in August 2026; suburban traffic rose 9.02 per cent to 38.01 crore passengers.

Prelims pointers

• Narendra Modi met Évariste Ndayishimiye, the African Union Chairperson and Burundi President, at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
• The leaders recalled India’s role in bringing the African Union into the G20 fold during India’s presidency in 2023.
• They discussed the early convening of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit, or IAFS-IV, on a mutually convenient date.
• Modi commended the African Union’s Ebola response, while its Chairperson appreciated India’s medical support to Africa CDC.
• India and Burundi reviewed economic cooperation, development partnership, agricultural modernisation, healthcare and capacity building.

Prelims pointers

• The 51.38-kilometre Bairabi-Sairang line and Sairang station were inaugurated on 13 September 2025.
• The line has 153 bridges and 45 tunnels extending for almost 16 kilometres; its tallest bridge pier reaches 114 metres.
• Four newly developed stations—Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang and Sairang—extend the national rail network toward Aizawl.
• The first cargo train reached Sairang on 14 September 2025 carrying more than 26,000 cement bags from Tetelia near Guwahati.
• More than 2,500 freight wagons reached Sairang in the first year, with about 70 per cent carrying construction materials.

Prelims pointers

• Saudi Arabia shut the East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks on September 11, 2026.
• The pipeline had rerouted about four million barrels per day, roughly 4% of global supply, to Yanbu on the Red Sea.
• Industry sources estimated that Yanbu had stocks sufficient to maintain exports for only five to seven days.
• Estimated storage capacities were about 35 million barrels at Yanbu, 18 million at Ain Sukhna and 20 million at Sidi Kerir.
• Saudi Arabia told OPEC that output fell from 10.9 million barrels per day in February to 6.2 million in August.

Prelims pointers

• Modi met the leaders of Burundi and South Africa and Nigeria’s Vice President on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
• Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye attended as African Union Chairperson, and the two sides discussed convening IAFS-IV.
• India and the African Union recalled the African Union’s entry into the G20 during India’s presidency in 2023.
• Modi invited South Africa to consider joining the International Big Cat Alliance after reviewing their strategic partnership.
• India and Nigeria reviewed cooperation spanning trade, investment, defence, energy, agriculture, health and digital technology.

Prelims pointers

• Antonio Guterres said the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution concerns distortion in landmass sizes and does not define international borders.
• He described the map displayed on a UN website as an indicative NGO contribution, not an official UN map.
• The African Union-backed resolution was adopted on September 4, 2026 and promotes greater use of equal-area projections.
• The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 for navigation, preserves directions and angles but exaggerates areas farther from the equator.
• The Equal Earth projection was introduced in 2018 to preserve proportional landmass area while keeping shapes recognisable.