Weekly Current Affairs 2026

Weekly Current Affairs: August 17–23, 2026

This week: the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 comes into force on 23 August, inserting Section 9D to bar State taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands; Amit Shah chairs the 31st Southern Zonal Council at Kovalam near Mahabalipuram; the Health Ministry restricts all Chlorpheniramine–Phenylephrine fixed dose combinations for children under four; MeitY notifies the ₹62,500 crore Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme replacing PLI-LSEM; the CCEA clears ₹13,041 crore of rail and highway projects adding 410 km to the rail network; the Defence Ministry signs a ₹1,943 crore lease for two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones and notifies a sixth Positive Indigenisation List of 405 items; Cochin Shipyard delivers the ASW craft Mangrol; Nepal confers the honorary rank of General on Army Chief Dhiraj Seth; India launches its first Guide to Grasslands at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar; the third National Space Day is observed on 23 August; Sophie Adenot becomes the first French woman to spacewalk; India hosts the 30th BWF World Championships in New Delhi with a Treesa–Gayatri bronze; India beat Pakistan 5-3 at the Hockey World Cup; and the National Teachers Awards 2026 go to 48 teachers.