Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 01 September, 2026

Context: A study identified 219 hanging glaciers in Uttarakhand’s Alaknanda basin, warning that warming and permafrost thaw are increasing break-off risks — potentially triggering ice-rock avalanches and outburst floods.

What a Hanging Glacier Is

• A glacier that originates high on a mountain wall or valley flank
• And terminates abruptly at the edge of a steep precipice or cliff face
• Rather than flowing down into a main valley floor
• Its snout ends high above the valley trough
• Routinely shedding ice through calving, icefalls and avalanches

Where They Are Found

Globally: high-relief alpine environments — the European Alps, the Andes, the North American Rockies, and the Himalaya-Karakoram range

In India: heavily concentrated along the steep, glaciated slopes of:

• Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas (Uttarakhand)
• Himachal Pradesh
• Ladakh
• Sikkim

How They Form — Three Processes

• High-altitude accumulation: Heavy snowfall collects in steep niches, ledges and cirques → compacts into firn → glacial ice.
• Glacial retreat: Warming causes trunk/valley glaciers to thin and retreat, disconnecting smaller tributary glaciers → leaving them perched high on mountain walls.
• Thermal destabilisation: Rising temperatures thaw permafrost and basal ice, producing meltwater that lubricates the glacier–bedrock interface → making hanging glaciers unstable and prone to collapse.

• NCDEX launched RAINCHNNAI, India’s second rainfall-based weather derivatives contract.
• It covers the North-East/retreating monsoon during September–December.
• Uses IMD stations at Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam in Chennai.

• ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR), Hyderabad will organise a national consultation on 10 September 2026.
• Focus is on commercialisation of oilseed technologies.
• Important for oilseed productivity, technology transfer and agricultural R&D.

• Fisheries infrastructure projects worth ₹36.49 crore will be launched in Puducherry.
• Projects are under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
• Focus on sustainable livelihoods, fisheries infrastructure and value-chain efficiency.

• A Multi-Dimensional Capacity Building Conclave will promote cooperative-led seaweed farming.
• It is linked with the Blue Economy.
• Focus: sustainable coastal livelihoods and strengthening the seaweed value chain.

• Nearly 80% of ANRF funding is concentrated in IITs.
• India lacks a standardised system to track research funding, recipients and duplicate projects.
• Proposed UPMS requires robust Persistent Digital Identifiers (PIDs) and metadata infrastructure.

• The 4th Indo-German Environment Forum is being held in New Delhi on 1 September 2026.
• Theme: “Together For More Resilience.”
• Focus: bilateral cooperation on environment and climate change.

• India’s foreign exchange reserves reached an all-time high of $729.3 billion.
• About $47 billion was added after RBI’s swap scheme announced on 5 June.
• Reserves provide approximately 11 months of import cover.

• Kissht, an RBI-registered NBFC, launched a campaign promoting simplified digital lending.
• It highlights fast, paperless and app-based loan approvals.
• Important for NBFCs, fintech and digital lending

Context: India’s GDP growth stood at 7.8 per cent in the April–June 2026 quarter (Q1 FY27) — quicker than the 6.9 per cent in Q1 of last year, but slower than the 8.6 per cent of the January–March 2026 quarter.

The Figures

Comparison: 6.9% in Q1 FY26; 8.6% in Q4 FY26

Note that GVA growth (8.2%) exceeds GDP growth (7.8%). GDP = GVA + taxes on products − subsidies.
When GDP grows slower than GVA, it usually means subsidies rose faster than product taxes — consistent with the fertiliser subsidy overshoot.

GDP — Gross Domestic Product

GDP is the total monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a country during a specific period, usually one year or one quarter.

Simple example

Suppose in one year India produces:

• Wheat and other agricultural products → ₹10 lakh crore
• Cars, steel, textiles etc. → ₹20 lakh crore
• Banking, IT, transport, hotels etc. → ₹70 lakh crore

Then the country’s GDP would broadly represent the ₹100 lakh crore of final economic production, after accounting for the relevant taxes and subsidies.

GDP Formula

• GDP = GVA + Taxes on products − Subsidies on products
• Where:
• GVA (Gross Value Added) = Output − Intermediate Consumption
• So, GDP measures the value created by the economy after avoiding double counting of intermediate goods.

Three major sectors

• Agriculture, forestry & fishing
• Industry — mining, manufacturing, electricity, construction etc.
• Services — banking, IT, trade, transport, real estate, public administration etc.

In India, services account for the largest share of GVA, followed by industry and agriculture.

Nominal GDP vs Real GDP

Nominal GDP

• Measured at current prices
• Affected by both production and price changes/inflation

Real GDP

• Measured at constant prices
• Removes the effect of price changes
• Therefore, it is more useful for measuring actual economic growth

Example:
If GDP rises 10%, but prices have increased 6%, the economy’s real output has not necessarily grown by 10%.

GDP vs GVA

• GVA → measures value added by producers/sectors.
• GDP → GVA plus net product taxes.
• Therefore: GDP = Σ GVA + taxes on products − subsidies on products.

GDP vs NDP

• NDP = GDP − depreciation (Consumption of Fixed Capital).

• India’s fiscal deficit stood at 26.8% of the full-year Budget Estimate by July-end.
• Absolute fiscal deficit was ₹4.55 lakh crore.
• Net tax revenue was ₹8.45 lakh crore, while expenditure stood at ₹17.62 lakh crore.

• 30 August is observed as National Small Industry Day in India.
• It recognises the contribution of small industries and MSMEs to employment and economic development.
• The observance is linked to the 2000 policy package for Small Scale Industries.

• 30 August is observed as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
• The day promotes justice, truth, accountability and victims’ rights.
• Based on UNGA Resolution A/RES/65/209

• Bihar and Jharkhand signed an MoU on sharing Sone River water.
• The agreement was signed in Delhi in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the two State Chief Ministers.
• Important for inter-state water management and cooperative federalism.

• OIL Green Energy signed MoUs with Gurugram, Faridabad, Hisar and Ambala municipalities.
• Projects will process 5,000 tonnes/day of municipal solid waste.
• Expected output: 70–75 TPD CBG and around 50 MW green power

Context: Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek is hosting the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, as the Eurasian bloc marks 25 years since its inception.

Kyrgyzstan

• Officially the Kyrgyz Republic
• A mountainous, landlocked sovereign republic in Central Asia
• Formerly a union republic of the Soviet Union, known as Kirgiziya
• Declared independence on 31 August 1991
• Location: the heart of Central Asia, dominated by the Tien Shan mountain system
• Capital: Bishkek, in the fertile Chu River valley in the north
• Borders: Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan

About the SCO

• Founded in 2001 in Shanghai, from the earlier “Shanghai Five”
• Founding members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
• India and Pakistan joined in 2017; Iran in 2023; Belarus in 2024
• Secretariat: Beijing
• RATS — Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure — headquartered at Tashkent
• India hosted the 2023 summit (virtual) and the SCO Heads of Government meeting

• National Test House (NTH) celebrated its 115th Foundation Day in Bengaluru.
• New facilities include coal, solar water-heater and utensils testing facilities.
• The NTH Suvidha mobile application was also launched.

• Department of Consumer Affairs notified rules making Indian Standard Time (IST) the single time reference for official purposes.
• Rules aim to improve accurate time-stamping, cybersecurity and synchronisation.
• They will come into force 180 days after Gazette publication.

• Indian Army signed a $93 million agreement for nearly 100 FGM-148 Javelin ATGMs.
• Javelin is a fire-and-forget, infrared-guided anti-tank missile.
• The deal may support future co-production in India.

• Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) signed an MoU with the Javelin Joint Venture.
• The agreement explores final assembly and component production in India.
• Javelin can engage tanks and armoured targets at ranges of up to 5 km.

• India secured Dialogue Partner status in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
• GCAP is a 6th-generation fighter programme of the UK, Italy and Japan.
• India is not yet a builder or co-developer under this status.

• CISF and Drone Federation of India signed an MoU to strengthen counter-drone capabilities.
• Behror, Rajasthan, will be developed as a Centre of Excellence.
• Focus areas include drone detection, SOPs and drone forensics.

• Indian Navy commissioned its second indigenous Diving Support Vessel, Nipun.
• Built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, it has around 75% indigenous content.
• Supports deep-sea diving up to 300 m and submarine rescue operations.

• A ₹472-crore tank overhaul facility is being established at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur.
• It will support MRO of India’s T-72 and T-90 tanks.
• Planned capacity: 80 tanks annually.

• Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football for Argentina on 31 August 2026, ending a 21-year international career.
• He finished as Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals.
• Major achievements include the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024; his final international match was the 2026 World Cup final.
• He is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and one of the most decorated players in international football.

• NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
• Project cost is around $4.3 billion.
• It will study dark energy, exoplanets and the infrared universe and operate around Lagrange Point 2.

• DoT and C-DOT signed a 5-year agreement to establish an end-to-end optical network testbed.
• It will test optical core, optical access and quantum-security technologies.
• Aim: bridge the gap between indigenous R&D and commercial deployment.

• China reportedly tested a new YJ-18A anti-ship cruise missile variant.
• It uses a radar-absorbing coating designed to reduce radar reflections.
• The missile combines subsonic cruising with a supersonic terminal attack.

• Scientists discovered a new subterranean fish species in West Champaran, Bihar, near Nepal.
• It is the first recorded subterranean fish from the Indo-Gangetic Basin.
• Features include lack of pigmentation, reduced eyes and an elongated body.

• China and Bangladesh are preparing for their first 2+2 diplomatic and defence dialogue.
• It will combine foreign affairs and defence-level discussions.
• Important for understanding China’s growing engagement in South Asia.

• Bihar and Jharkhand signed an agreement on Sone River water sharing.
• It addresses a long-standing inter-state water-sharing issue.
• Important for federalism and river-water governance.

• Tim Cook stepped down as Apple CEO on 31 August 2026.
• John Ternus succeeded him as CEO.
• Important corporate leadership change.

• Peyman Kargar will become TVS Motor’s CEO and Director from 27 January 2027.
• He will succeed K.N. Radhakrishnan.
• Kargar has over 30 years of global automotive experience.

• Crown Prince Haakon succeeded King Harald V as King Haakon VIII.
• He became Norway’s Head of State.
• He is a trained naval officer.

• Maharashtra Minister Ashish Shelar was elected President of the Esports Games Federation (ESGF).
• ESGF is India’s national body for esports and mind sports.
• The federation was established in 2024.

• DARPG was selected for the Rajbhasha Utkrishtta Sammaan 2025–26.
• It was recognised for outstanding implementation of Hindi as the Official Language.
• Award will be presented on Hindi Diwas, 14 September 2026.

• Lallianzuala Chhangte was named Indian Footballer of the Year.
• Manisha Kalyan won Indian Women’s Player of the Year.
• Awards were presented by FPAI in Kolkata.

• 29 August is observed as National Sports Day in memory of Major Dhyan Chand.
• 2026 marked his 121st birth anniversary.
• Campaign: “Ek Ghanta Khel Ke Maidan Mein.”

• Observed on 29 August every year.
• Declared by UNGA Resolution A/RES/64/35 in 2009.
• The date marks the closure of Kazakhstan’s Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in 1991.