Current Affairs — 21 August 2026
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
Fri, 21 Aug 2026
Centre notifies ₹62,500-crore Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme
MeitY notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with an outlay of ₹62,500 crore on 21 August 2026 to scale up production, raise domestic value addition and back Indian-owned phone brands.
BRICS Tourism Ministers adopt Jaipur Declaration
The BRICS Tourism Ministers' Meeting under India's Chairship concluded in Jaipur on 21 August 2026 with the adoption of the BRICS Tourism Ministers' Communiqué 2026, the 'Jaipur Declaration'.
Paradip Port gets 18.5-metre deep-draft capability; ₹427.80-crore projects opened
Union Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated seven projects worth ₹427.80 crore at Paradip Port, Odisha, on 21 August 2026, marking its 18.5-metre deep-draft capability.
12th BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting held in Pune
India hosted the 12th BRICS Communications Ministers' Meeting in Pune on 21 August 2026, chaired by Jyotiraditya Scindia, and signed a telecom and ICT MoU with Brazil on the sidelines.
29 FDI investments worth ₹4,895.65 crore reported under eased land-border rules
The Commerce Ministry said on 21 August 2026 that 29 FDI investments worth ₹4,895.65 crore have been reported under the revised framework for investors with small, non-controlling ownership from land-bordering countries.
India and UK hold 25th Defence Consultative Group meeting
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and UK Permanent Under Secretary for Defence Jeremy Pocklington co-chaired the 25th India–UK Defence Consultative Group meeting in New Delhi on 21 August 2026.
Centre steps in to curb sugar prices before festive season
The Centre on 21 August 2026 set out steps to cool sugar prices, which rose from ₹48.18 to ₹55.70 a kg in a month, including dealer stock limits and duty-free import of 10 LMT of raw sugar.
14th India–Nepal Joint Working Group on border management meets in Dehradun
The 14th India–Nepal Joint Working Group on border management and security met in Dehradun on 20–21 August 2026.
India and ADB sign $230-million loan for Chennai water and sewerage
India and the Asian Development Bank signed a $230 million loan on 21 August 2026 for the Chennai Climate-Resilient Water Security and Sewerage Project.
PM Modi meets CEOs and founders of 20 space start-ups
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 space start-ups at Seva Teerth on 21 August 2026 and called for wider use of space technology to improve lives.
Cochin Shipyard delivers 'Mangrol', third anti-submarine shallow water craft, to Navy
Cochin Shipyard Limited delivered 'Mangrol', the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft it has built, to the Indian Navy on 21 August 2026.
First steering committee meeting held for 57th IFFI in Goa
The first Steering Committee meeting for the 57th International Film Festival of India, to be held in Goa from 20 to 28 November 2026, met in New Delhi on 21 August 2026.
CCI penalises agro-input dealer associations for cartelisation
The Competition Commission of India on 21 August 2026 imposed monetary and non-monetary sanctions on the Agro Input Dealers Association and Agro Input Welfare Association for cartelisation.