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19 August 2026 · exam-relevant news
Latest digest · 19 August 2026
AI summaries of PIB, RBI, All India Radio and national newspaper reports, organised for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railway and State-PSC revision. Every story links to its source.
24 current-affairs updates for major exams.
The US Federal Reserve's July meeting minutes revealed heightened inflation concerns among policymakers, with three officials dissenting in favor of an immediate rate hike. While the Fed held rates steady, officials sig…
Read full storyCrude oil prices approached $92 per barrel on August 19 amid escalating Middle East tensions and a diplomatic deadlock between the US and Iran, with former President Trump stating no talks are underway. Analysts from Go…
Read full storyThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced an Overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) on August 19, 2026, to absorb surplus liquidity. The notified amount is ₹1,5…
Read full storyRBI conducted State Government Securities auction on August 18, 2026, for 12 securities across 8 states with total notified amount of ₹8,200 crore. All issues were fully subscribed with competitive bids exceeding notifi…
Read full storyRBI conducted yield/price-based auction of State Government Securities (SGS) on July 22, 2026, where 12 states/UTs raised ₹20,200 crore through re-issue of existing securities. All states received full subscription with…
Read full storyThe RBI conducted its second Overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on August 18, 2026, with a notified amount of ₹75,000 crore. Banks submitted offers worth ₹36,595 crore, all of which were accepted at a c…
Read full storyOn August 17, 2026, RBI conducted LAF operations showing net liquidity absorption. Key operations included a 1-day variable rate reverse repo of ₹96,914 crore at 5.24%, a 7-day reverse repo of ₹98,945 crore at 5.24%, MS…
Read full storyOil prices surged as US-Iran peace talks collapsed, with Iran adopting a fully offensive military posture and the US refusing to extend a temporary ceasefire. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has drastically declin…
Read full storyFour Indian private banks — Kotak Mahindra Bank, YES Bank, IDFC First Bank, and Federal Bank — are accelerating dollar bond issuances worth $1.85 billion before the RBI's swap window deadline of August 31. This follows…
Read full storyIndia plans to launch its first cargo ship voyage along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2027, enhancing maritime connectivity with Russia. The Arkhangelsk region of Russia is actively discussing economic collaboration,…
Read full storyThe Government of India announced the re-issue of two dated securities — 7.06% GS 2041 and 7.43% GS 2076 — for a total notified amount of ₹28,000 crore. The auction will be conducted by RBI on August 21, 2026, using the…
Read full storyThe RBI announced an Overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction of ₹1.5 lakh crore on August 18, 2026, under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) to manage surplus liquidity. The one-day tenor auction will r…
Read full storyRBI conducted money market operations on August 14, 2026, with total overnight segment volume at ₹5,92,337.70 crore at a weighted average rate of 5.09%. Key operations included a 3-day variable rate reverse repo of ₹80,…
Read full storyGangster Shahzad Bhatti, operating from the UAE and posing as a social media influencer, recruited Indian youth via social media to carry out terror activities including grenade attacks, planting explosives near critica…
Read full storyIndia's unemployment rate dropped to a four-month low of 5.1% in July 2024 from 5.5% in June, according to official Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data. Rural unemployment declined to 4.5%, while labour force parti…
Read full storyIndia has initiated WTO dispute settlement consultations with the United States over its tariff-rate quota imposing a 50% duty on quartz surface imports, effective August 15 for four years. India exported approximately…
Read full storyICRA estimates India's GDP growth at a four-quarter low of 7% for the April-June 2024 quarter, down from previous quarters. The industrial sector is projected to grow at 7.7%, with agriculture and services also showing…
Read full storyThe Reserve Bank of India is actively intervening to defend the rupee at the 95.45 level against the US dollar amid heightened dollar demand from oil importers due to rising crude oil prices triggered by the West Asia c…
Read full storyPM Modi announced seven major initiatives from Red Fort on 80th Independence Day including AI skilling for 1 crore youth in one year, free online coaching, nationwide sports talent hunt for ages 5-15, modern Civil Defen…
Read full storyPM Modi announced India's strategic push to secure critical minerals through the National Critical Mineral Mission with substantial government funding. Four dedicated processing parks will be established across states t…
Read full storyIndia's Balance of Payments (BoP) slipped into a deficit of $8.1 billion in Q1 FY27 (April–June 2026), driven primarily by capital account outflows. The Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to $3.1 billion, mainly due…
Read full storyIndia's engineering services exports surged nearly eightfold to USD 13.77 billion in 2024-25 from 2014-15 levels, according to a NITI Aayog report. The sector shows strong export growth while imports remain stable, high…
Read full storyNITI Aayog projects India's chemicals sector exports to reach USD 81 billion by 2030, driven by speciality chemicals, agrochemicals, and pigments. This ambitious target aims to reduce import dependence while significant…
Read full storySBI Research reaffirms India's position as one of the world's fastest-growing economies, highlighting strong credit and deposit growth, robust foreign currency inflows, improved monsoon outlook, and rising high-income t…
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Exam-relevant stories with MCQ-ready key points, summarised by AI from PIB, RBI, All India Radio and national newspapers. Edition: 19 August 2026. Hindi appears where a translation is ready.
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