Daily Current Affairs- 28th September 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 28th September 2026

Kandla Begins Development of India’s First Port-Based E-Methanol Facility

In the News: The foundation stone for India’s first port-based e-methanol production facility was laid at Deendayal Port Authority (DPA), Kandla, Gujarat. The project is designed to produce green fuel for ships and strengthen India’s green maritime and clean-energy ecosystem. It is also linked with India’s long-term Net Zero 2070 target.

Key Points:

• Location and Implementing Partners: The facility is being developed at Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla, Gujarat. Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL) had earlier signed an joint initiative with DPA for setting up the e-methanol plant. Capital contribution is in a 76:24 ratio.
• Production Capacity: The proposed facility has a planned production capacity of around 150 tonnes per day (TPD) of e-methanol. The fuel is intended primarily for maritime applications and green shipping.
• What is E-Methanol?: E-methanol is a synthetic methanol produced using renewable hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide. It is increasingly being considered as a lower-carbon alternative to conventional marine fuels.
• Green Shipping Initiative: Kandla has already conducted a shore-to-ship methanol bunkering trial. DPA is working towards supplying Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin compliant e-methanol for vessels operating on major international shipping routes.
• About Deendayal Port: Deendayal Port, formerly known as Kandla Port, is a major port located in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat. It functions under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and is strategically important for India’s western maritime trade.

India’s First LNG-Powered Train Flagged Off from Sabarmati

In the News: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah flagged off India’s first LNG-powered train from Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on September 27, 2026. The initiative introduces LNG-diesel dual-fuel technology into Indian Railways and aims to reduce diesel consumption, emissions and operating costs.

Key Points:

• First LNG Train: The train is India’s first railway service to use Liquefied Natural Gas as part of its propulsion system. It uses a dual-fuel arrangement combining LNG with conventional diesel rather than operating solely on LNG.
• Technology Used: The LNG system has been incorporated into the train’s Driving Power Cars. The conversion is expected to substitute nearly 40% of diesel consumption and thereby lower carbon dioxide and other pollutant emissions.
• Why LNG Matters: LNG is natural gas cooled to approximately -162°C, converting it into liquid form for easier storage and transportation. It produces lower particulate matter and sulphur emissions than conventional diesel fuel.
• Indian Railways’ Green Target: The LNG initiative forms part of Indian Railways’ wider transition towards cleaner transport technologies. Indian Railways has set a target of achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030.
• Related Railway Projects: The Sabarmati programme also included railway safety and infrastructure projects such as the WAG-12 maintenance shed, Kavach deployment, automatic signalling and railway line-doubling works.

Trinidad and Tobago to Become First Caribbean Nation to Adopt UPI

In the News: Trinidad and Tobago is pursuing implementation of India’s Unified Payments Interface technology, making it the first Caribbean nation to adopt a payments platform based on UPI. High Commissioner Chandradath Singh highlighted the initiative on September 28, 2026, as part of expanding India-Trinidad and Tobago digital cooperation.

Key Points:

• India-Trinidad UPI Agreement: NPCI International Payments Limited and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Digital Transformation entered into an agreement in 2024 to develop a real-time payment platform modelled on India’s UPI.
• First in the Caribbean: Trinidad and Tobago is the first Caribbean country to move towards adopting UPI technology. The proposed system is intended to facilitate fast and interoperable digital transactions and strengthen financial inclusion.
• Transaction Categories: The payment architecture is intended to support Person-to-Person, Person-to-Merchant and Government-to-Person transactions. It seeks to provide a reliable and efficient domestic real-time payments infrastructure.
• About UPI: UPI was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India and was launched in 2016. It enables instant bank-to-bank payments through mobile applications using identifiers such as UPI IDs and linked accounts.
• Bilateral Relations: India and Trinidad and Tobago have expanded cooperation in digital public infrastructure, healthcare, education, energy and pharmaceuticals. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1962, while Port of Spain is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

Cool Leaders Award 2026: Singapore, UAE and Dong Mingzhu Recognised

In the News: Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Chinese business leader Dong Mingzhu were named the inaugural “Cool Leaders” at the Global Cooling Pledge Assembly held in Singapore on September 17, 2026. The awards recognise leadership in sustainable cooling and resilience against extreme heat.

Key Points:

• Inaugural Cool Leaders: Singapore and the UAE received country-level recognition, while Dong Mingzhu, Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances, was selected as the individual Cool Leader. She was the sole individual recipient of the inaugural awards.
• Singapore’s Recognition: Singapore was recognised for its work in passive cooling and heat resilience. Passive cooling involves reducing indoor temperatures through building design, ventilation, shading and other methods requiring limited mechanical cooling.
• UAE’s Recognition: The United Arab Emirates was honoured for leadership in district cooling and for promoting sustainable cooling within international climate and development policy.
• Dong Mingzhu: Dong Mingzhu was recognised for advancing energy-efficient and low-carbon cooling technologies, including Gree’s Zero Carbon Source air-conditioning system. She serves as Chairwoman of Gree Electric Appliances.
• Global Cooling Pledge: The awards were announced under the Global Cooling Pledge framework supported by the UNEP-led Cool Coalition. The pledge promotes energy-efficient cooling, climate-friendly refrigerants and improved resilience to extreme heat.

WorldSkills Shanghai 2026: India Finishes 10th With Six Silver Medals

In the News: India finished 10th at the 48th WorldSkills Competition held in Shanghai, China, from September 22 to 27, 2026. Team India won six Silver Medals and 20 Medals for Excellence, improving from its 13th-place finish at WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Key Points:

• India’s Performance: India secured six Silver Medals and 20 Medals for Excellence at Shanghai 2026. The country sent its largest-ever WorldSkills contingent, comprising 70 competitors across 63 skills.
• Silver Medallists: India’s six Silver Medals came in Bakery, Dental Prosthetics, Digital Interactive Media Design, Industrial Design Technology, Logistics and Freight Forwarding, and Retail Sales.
• Best of Nation: Bakery silver medallist Smriti Nambiar received the “Best of Nation” recognition for India. The honour is presented to a competitor whose performance particularly represents excellence for their country.
• About WorldSkills: WorldSkills Competition is a major international vocational skills event in which young professionals compete across technical, industrial and service skills. Shanghai 2026 was the 48th edition and featured more than 1,400 competitors from nearly 70 countries and regions.
• Previous Performance: At WorldSkills Lyon 2024, India had ranked 13th with four Bronze Medals and 12 Medals for Excellence. The Shanghai performance therefore represented an improvement in both ranking and medal achievements.

Bhagat Singh Birth Anniversary 2026

In the News: India observed the 119th birth anniversary of revolutionary freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh on September 28, 2026. Born in 1907, Bhagat Singh became one of the leading figures of India’s revolutionary nationalist movement and was associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association.

Key Points:

• Birth and Early Life: Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, at Banga village in Lyallpur district of undivided Punjab, now in Faisalabad district of Pakistan. His parents were Kishan Singh and Vidyavati.
• Revolutionary Organisations: Bhagat Singh was closely associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association and the Naujawan Bharat Sabha. The HSRA emerged from the reorganisation of the Hindustan Republican Association in 1928.
• Saunders Case: Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and other revolutionaries became involved in the killing of British police officer J. P. Saunders in Lahore in December 1928. The action followed protests against the Simon Commission during which Lala Lajpat Rai was injured.
• Central Legislative Assembly Bombing: On April 8, 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi while protesting against the Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill. They subsequently surrendered themselves for arrest.
• Martyrdom: Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were executed at Lahore Central Jail on March 23, 1931, in connection with the Lahore Conspiracy Case. March 23 is observed as Shaheed Diwas in remembrance of their sacrifice.