Daily Current Affairs- 26th August 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 26th August 2026

Kerala Officially Renamed Keralam

In the News: The official name of the State of Kerala was changed to “Keralam” with effect from August 25, 2026, after the Union Home Ministry notified the commencement of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026. President Droupadi Murmu had assented to the legislation on August 14, 2026. The change aligns the State’s official English name with its Malayalam name, “Keralam”.

Key Points:

• Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026: Parliament enacted the law to replace “Kerala” with “Keralam”. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on August 11, 2026 and the Rajya Sabha on August 12, followed by presidential assent on August 14. It became operational from August 25, 2026.
• Constitutional Provision: Alteration of the name of a State is undertaken under Article 3 of the Constitution. A Bill for this purpose can be introduced in Parliament only on the President’s recommendation, and the President refers it to the concerned State Legislature for its views before introduction.
• Constitutional Changes: The Act substitutes “Keralam” for “Kerala” in the First Schedule and Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. Consequential changes are also made to references appearing in Articles 31A and 290A.
• Background of Demand: The Keralam Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, seeking the change. The State argued that “Keralam” is the name traditionally used in Malayalam, while “Kerala” became the commonly used English form.
• Legal Position: A law made under Articles 2 or 3 for alteration of State boundaries or names is not treated as a constitutional amendment under Article 368 merely because it modifies the First or Fourth Schedule.

Indian Navy to commission second indigenous diving support vessel Nipun

In the News: The Indian Navy is scheduled to commission Nipun, its second indigenous Diving Support Vessel of the Nistar class, on August 31, 2026 at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The vessel was delivered to the Navy by Hindustan Shipyard Limited on July 30, 2026 and will strengthen deep-sea diving and underwater rescue capabilities.

Key Points:

• Nistar-Class Vessel: Nipun is the second vessel of the Nistar class and has been indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam. The first vessel of the class, INS Nistar, was commissioned on July 18, 2025.
• Specialised Role: Nipun is designed for deep-sea diving, underwater intervention, salvage and rescue operations. Its modern diving systems allow sustained support to naval divers working in challenging underwater conditions.
• Submarine Rescue Capability: The vessel can function as a Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV). A DSRV is used to rescue and evacuate sailors from a distressed submarine trapped underwater.
• Advanced Equipment: The Nistar-class incorporates saturation-diving systems, remotely operated vehicles and specialised underwater equipment. The first vessel, Nistar, is capable of saturation diving up to 300 metres, while its remotely operated vehicles can support operations at far greater depths.
• Indigenisation: Nipun represents the Navy’s push towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence shipbuilding, with the vessel having a high level of indigenous content. Its construction demonstrates domestic capability in highly specialised naval platforms.

Sugar Price Surge in India

In the News: Sugar prices in India have risen sharply ahead of the 2026 festive season amid lower-than-expected production, crop damage and increasing demand. Government data showed the all-India average retail sugar price rising from ₹48.18 per kg on July 20 to ₹55.70 on August 20, before climbing further to ₹65.05 per kg on August 26, 2026.”

Key Points:

• Reasons for the Rise: The Government attributed the price increase to lower sugar output, festive demand, weather-related crop damage, tightening international supplies and speculative hoarding. Sugarcane production has also been affected by Red Rot, Top Borer and waterlogging caused by excess rainfall.
• Production Estimate: Sugar production for the current season is estimated at about 306 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), considerably below the initial State estimates of around 343 LMT. India normally produces about 320–340 LMT annually against domestic consumption of around 280–290 LMT.
• Duty-Free Imports: To augment supplies, the Government permitted the duty-free import of 10 LMT, or one million tonnes, of raw sugar. This marks a significant policy intervention as India normally maintains a high import duty on sugar.
• Anti-Hoarding Measures: A stock limit of 400 tonnes was imposed on sugar dealers from August 1 to November 30, 2026. From September 1, bulk consumers are also barred from holding stocks exceeding 15 days of consumption, alongside physical stock verification at sugar mills.
• Ethanol Link Clarified: The Government stated that ethanol diversion was not responsible for the current price rise. Sugar diversion towards ethanol declined from about 12% in 2022-23 to 9% in 2025-26, while nearly three-fourths of India’s ethanol is now produced from grains, particularly maize.

Census 2027: Ladakh Among First Regions to Begin Independent India’s First Comprehensive Caste Enumeration

In the News: The Union Territory of Ladakh will conduct Population Enumeration from September 1 to September 30, 2026, ahead of most of India because of its snow-bound conditions. Since caste enumeration forms part of Phase II of Census 2027, Ladakh will be among the first areas where India’s first comprehensive caste enumeration after Independence begins.

Key Points:

• Two-Phase Census: Census 2027 consists of Phase I, Houselisting and Housing Census, and Phase II, Population Enumeration. For most of India, Population Enumeration will take place in February 2027, while Ladakh and specified snow-bound areas follow an advanced schedule.
• Special Schedule for Snow-Bound Areas: Population Enumeration in Ladakh and notified snow-bound areas of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will run from September 1–30, 2026, followed by a revisional round from October 1–5.
• Caste Enumeration: The Government has decided that enumeration of castes will form part of Phase II of Census 2027. Post-Independence censuses have regularly recorded Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but Census 2027 marks the first comprehensive nationwide caste enumeration after Independence.
• India’s First Fully Digital Census: Census 2027 is being conducted using mobile applications and digital monitoring platforms. It also provides a self-enumeration facility, allowing citizens to submit information through an online portal before house-to-house enumeration.
• Census Details: Census 2027 will be the 16th Census of India and the 8th after Independence. The nationwide reference date is March 1, 2027, whereas for Ladakh and specified snow-bound areas the reference date is October 1, 2026.

SCO Summit 2026 in Bishkek: Dates, Venue, Agenda and Member States

In the News: Kyrgyzstan will host the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Bishkek, with the wider SCO and SCO Plus programme scheduled for August 31–September 1, 2026. The formal meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State is scheduled for September 1. The summit coincides with the organisation’s 25th anniversary and is being held under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship.

Key Points:

• Dates and Venue: The Council of Heads of State will meet in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, 2026. Preparatory meetings have been conducted under the Kyrgyz chairmanship, with draft summit documents being finalised ahead of the leaders’ meeting.
• Major Agenda: Cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism is expected to remain a major security focus. Leaders will also discuss regional stability, trade and economic cooperation, transport, energy security, environmental issues and broader international developments.
• Bishkek Declaration: Foreign Ministers have prepared the draft Bishkek Declaration on the 25th Anniversary of the SCO along with thematic statements and decisions for consideration by the leaders. Energy cooperation and energy-efficiency initiatives are also expected among the summit outcomes.
• SCO Membership: The SCO currently has 10 full members: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran joined in 2023 and Belarus became the tenth member in 2024.
• Organisation Facts: The SCO was founded in Shanghai in 2001, evolving from the earlier “Shanghai Five” mechanism. Its permanent Secretariat is headquartered in Beijing, while the Executive Committee of its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, or RATS, is based in Tashkent; Chinese and Russian are its official languages.