Daily Current Affairs · Last published 22 September 2026
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs: 22 September 2026
A Bay of Bengal system nears Odisha as a deep depression, Indian refiners weigh cutting Russian crude, and core sector growth eases to 4.8 percent.
Bay of Bengal system intensifies into deep depression, IMD warns of landfall near Odisha-Andhra coast on 23 September
The India Meteorological Department said the low pressure system being tracked over the Bay of Bengal, which would be named Arnab if it strengthens into a cyclonic storm, intensified into a deep depression over the west central Bay of Bengal on 22 September 2026. The system was forecast to move west northwestwards and cross the south Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh coast near Kalingapatnam and Srikakulam district by the morning of 23 September. The IMD warned of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over north coastal Andhra Pradesh from 22 to 24 September and south Odisha from 22 to 25 September, along with gusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph over several Odisha districts including Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada, and advised fishermen against venturing into the sea.
Jaishankar discusses Ukraine, Gulf and Indo-Pacific with EU and Indo-Pacific counterparts at UNGA
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a joint meeting with European Union foreign ministers and Indo-Pacific counterparts on the margins of the high level week of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September 2026. Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the ministers discussed cooperation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific to defend the fundamental principles of international law, alongside the situation in the Gulf, Ukraine and the wider Indo-Pacific. Foreign ministers from the Indo-Pacific region, including Australia's Penny Wong and South Korea's Cho Hyun, also joined the discussion, which touched on developing a common framework for artificial intelligence. The meeting came as Jaishankar leads India's delegation through the UNGA's high level General Debate week, ahead of his own address scheduled for 26 September.
Indian refiners weigh cutting Russian crude cargoes for November after new US sanctions law
Indian oil refiners are reassessing purchases of Russian crude for November delivery after a sweeping new US sanctions law targeting buyers of Russian oil took effect on 18 September 2026, reports said on 21 September 2026. India, the world's third biggest crude buyer, sourced more than half its imports from Russia in some recent months to counter high global prices, but top processors have begun seeking alternative cargoes over the past few days as the new law empowers the US president to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that continue buying Russian oil. Talks for November delivery cargoes typically begin in the last week of September, putting the next buying cycle squarely inside the period of uncertainty.
President Murmu presents 72nd National Film Awards at Ekta Nagar, first ceremony held outside Delhi
President Droupadi Murmu presented the 72nd National Film Awards, honouring Indian cinema of 2024, at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on 22 September 2026, marking the first time in the awards' history that the ceremony was held outside New Delhi. Article 370 won Best Feature Film, Kartik Aaryan and Mammootty shared the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for Chandu Champion and Bramayugam respectively, and Yami Gautam won Best Actress in a Leading Role for Article 370. Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian cinema across more than five decades and 300 films in six languages. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said future editions of the awards will also be held in different states and cities rather than being confined to the capital.
India's core sector output growth eases to 4.8% in August as coal and crude oil contract
Government data released on 21 September 2026 showed the combined output of India's eight core industries grew 4.8 percent year on year in August, easing from 5 percent in July. Cement output rose 12.5 percent and electricity generation climbed 11.6 percent to a 27 month high, with iron ore up 5.5 percent, steel up 3.4 percent and refinery products up 2.6 percent, while coal contracted 3.8 percent, crude oil fell 3.6 percent, natural gas dropped 4.9 percent and fertiliser output declined 12.4 percent. The cumulative growth of the Index of Core Industries for April to August 2026 stood at 4.3 percent, against 2.4 percent in the same period last year.