In Current Affairs for 18 August 2026, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 18 August 2026
India and Nepal Set Three-Year Target for Border Land Mapping
India and Nepal have agreed to complete the mapping of cross-border occupation of land within three years, in an effort to address a long-standing technical issue along their open and porous border.
The proposed mapping exercise will use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to identify areas where people from one country may be cultivating land or residing in territory belonging to the other country. The exercise is expected to provide reliable technical information that can help both countries deal with border-related issues.
When will the mapping begin?
According to the PPT, the mapping process is likely to begin after the 2026 monsoon season, around September or October 2026.
The exercise is aimed at generating credible technical information that can assist India and Nepal in addressing issues associated with their border dispute.
India-Nepal Border: Important Facts
India and Nepal share a border of approximately 1,880 kilometres, passing through 27 districts.
Nepal’s Department of Survey has stated that 8,554 boundary pillars have been erected along the border. However, 1,325 pillars are missing, while another 1,956 boundary pillars are damaged.
Exam Points
- Countries involved: India and Nepal
- Border length: About 1,880 km
- Districts covered: 27
- Technology proposed: UAVs
- Target period: Three years
- Likely start: September/October 2026
- Missing boundary pillars: 1,325
- Damaged boundary pillars: 1,956
One-liner: India and Nepal have set a three-year target for mapping cross-border land occupation using UAV technology.
Vignesh Vermula and Saranya Devi Win Asian Junior Blitz Chess Titles
Indian chess players Vignesh Vermula and Saranya Devi won the Open and Girls’ gold medals respectively at the Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship held in Mumbai on 17 August 2026.
The tournament was organised at the ITC Maratha Sheraton in Mumbai under the aegis of the Maharashtra Chess Association.
Vignesh Vermula Wins Open Blitz Title
Vignesh Vermula, who was the 23rd seed, secured the Open blitz championship on tie-break scores after finishing level on points with other players.
Indian players dominated the top positions in the Open category. Sharnarthi Viresh finished second, while Nandish V S secured third place.
Saranya Devi Wins Girls’ Title
In the Girls’ section, Saranya Devi, the ninth seed, emerged victorious after displaying tactical skills throughout the tournament.
Prishita Gupta won the silver medal, while Shanmathi Sree secured the bronze medal.
Turkmenistan’s top seed Lala Shohradova finished fourth.
What is Blitz Chess?
Blitz chess is a fast format of chess in which players have a very short time control. When players finish with equal points, tie-break scores are used to determine their final positions.
Exam Points
- Event: Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship
- Date: 17 August 2026
- Venue: ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai
- Open Gold: Vignesh Vermula
- Girls’ Gold: Saranya Devi
- Open Silver: Sharnarthi Viresh
- Open Bronze: Nandish V S
- Girls’ Silver: Prishita Gupta
- Girls’ Bronze: Shanmathi Sree
- Organising association: Maharashtra Chess Association
One-liner: Vignesh Vermula and Saranya Devi won the Open and Girls’ gold medals respectively at the Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship 2026.
Hurricane Lala Hits Hawaii’s Big Island and Maui
Hurricane Lala strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane on 15 August 2026 while moving just offshore of Hawaii’s Big Island.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and brought heavy rainfall, strong winds, power outages, airport closures, flight cancellations and flood warnings across parts of Hawaii.
When Does a Tropical Storm Become a Hurricane?
A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its maximum sustained winds reach at least 74 mph (119 km/h) in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins.
The intensity of hurricanes is classified using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which ranges from Category 1 to Category 5 based on sustained wind speed.
Impact on Hawaii
Hawaii’s Big Island is the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It includes Hilo on its eastern side and Kona on the western side.
The storm also affected Maui County, which includes Maui and several smaller islands.
Forecasts on 15 August projected rainfall of 10–20 inches on the Big Island, with some local areas potentially receiving up to 25 inches. Eastern Maui was forecast to receive approximately 8–12 inches of rainfall.
Airports Closed
The Hawaii Department of Transportation closed:
- Hilo International Airport
- Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole
The closures took effect at 2:00 p.m. HST. The Hawaii Department of Water Supply also issued an “Essential Needs Only” notice for water use.
The Wailuku River in Hilo rose sharply from 3.4 feet on Friday night to 16.2 feet by Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Exam Points
- Hurricane: Lala
- Category: Category 1
- Strengthened: 15 August 2026
- Location: Hawaii
- Maximum sustained winds: 75 mph
- Scale used: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
- Minimum hurricane wind speed: 74 mph / 119 km/h
- Major affected areas: Big Island and Maui
One-liner: Hurricane Lala strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane near Hawaii’s Big Island on 15 August 2026.
Government Clears ₹7,877 Crore Electronics Components Projects
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) approved 31 project proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) on 17 August 2026.
The approved projects involve a proposed investment of ₹7,877 crore spread across 10 Indian states. They are expected to generate production output worth approximately ₹82,243 crore and create nearly 10,000 direct jobs.
What is the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme?
The Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) is a central government initiative aimed at strengthening India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
The scheme covers various components and inputs, including:
- Electronic components
- Sub-assemblies
- Raw materials
- Capital goods used in electronics manufacturing
Cumulative Investment Crosses ₹69,548 Crore
With the latest approvals, cumulative investment under the scheme has reached ₹69,548 crore through 106 approved applications.
This figure has surpassed the scheme’s original investment target of ₹59,350 crore.
Major Investments
Wipro Global increased its investment commitment by ₹1,033 crore for manufacturing copper-clad laminates. Its total proposed investment under the scheme has consequently reached ₹1,401 crore.
Jyoti CNC Automation received approval for an investment of ₹1,021 crore in electronic capital-goods manufacturing.
Bhagwati Products Limited, associated with Micromax, announced an investment of ₹1,015 crore. This includes ₹450 crore for mobile display manufacturing through TXD India and ₹565 crore for precision moulding in Greater Noida.
Exam Points
- Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
- Scheme: Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme
- Projects approved: 31
- Investment: ₹7,877 crore
- States: 10
- Expected production: ₹82,243 crore
- Expected direct jobs: Nearly 10,000
- Cumulative investment: ₹69,548 crore
- Approved applications: 106
- Original target: ₹59,350 crore
One-liner: MeitY approved 31 electronics-component projects worth ₹7,877 crore under ECMS on 17 August 2026.
National Sports Awards 2025 Announced
The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 18 August 2026.
The awards were finalised on the recommendations of a selection committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Arjuna Awardees
The PPT lists the following sportspersons among the Arjuna Award recipients:
| Sport | Awardee |
|---|---|
| Chess | Divya Deshmukh |
| Badminton | Gayatri Gopichand |
| Badminton | Treesa Jolly |
| Chess | Vidit Gujurathi |
| Athletics | Tejaswin Shankar |
| Boxing | Narender |
| Shooting | Dhanush Srikanth |
No Khel Ratna Award
A notable feature of the National Sports Awards 2025 announcement was that no awardee was announced for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement
Mr. I Arumainayagam, a former football player who was part of India’s gold-winning team at the 1962 Asian Games, was selected for the Arjuna Award in the Lifetime Achievement category.
Dronacharya Award
The PPT lists the following recipients under the Dronacharya Award for Best Coaches:
- Parveer Singh – Athletics
- Chhote Lal Yadav – Boxing
- Neha Nandkumar Chavan – Shooting
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
The Pune-based Army Paralympic Node was selected for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2025.
Exam Points
- Awards: National Sports Awards 2025
- Announced: 18 August 2026
- Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
- Selection committee chair: Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra
- Khel Ratna: No awardee announced
- Arjuna Award: Includes Divya Deshmukh, Gayatri Gopichand, Treesa Jolly, Vidit Gujurathi, Tejaswin Shankar, Narender and Dhanush Srikanth
- Dronacharya Awardees: Parveer Singh, Chhote Lal Yadav, Neha Nandkumar Chavan
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: Pune-based Army Paralympic Node
One-liner: The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced on 18 August 2026, with no awardee declared for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
210 Indian Peacekeepers Receive UN Medal in South Sudan
A total of 210 Indian peacekeepers received the United Nations Medal in Juba, South Sudan, on 17 August 2026.
The group included six women and seven staff officers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping
India remains one of the major contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations. According to the PPT, India is the second-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping missions.
More than 4,200 Indian military and police personnel, including 155 women, were deployed globally in 2026.
India has contributed more than 200,000 personnel to 49 of the 71 United Nations peacekeeping missions established since 1948.
More than 160 Indian peacekeepers have died while serving under the United Nations flag.
About UNMISS
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established in 2011, following the independence of South Sudan.
Its major responsibilities include:
- Protection of civilians
- Support for humanitarian assistance
- Assistance to the peace process in South Sudan
UNISFA
Another group of Indian peacekeepers received UN medals in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) on 15 August 2026.
UNISFA operates in the Abyei Area, a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan.
Exam Points
- UN Medal awarded to: 210 Indian peacekeepers
- Location: Juba, South Sudan
- Date: 17 August 2026
- Mission: UNMISS
- UNMISS established: 2011
- Indian uniformed personnel deployed globally in 2026: 4,200+
- Women among them: 155
- Indian personnel contributed since 1948: 200,000+
- UN missions contributed to: 49 of 71
- Indian peacekeepers who died: 160+
- UNISFA: United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei
Review Questions
- India and Nepal have set what target for mapping cross-border occupation of
land?
A. One year
B. Two years
C. Three years
D. Five years
Answer: C. Three years - Which technology is proposed to be used for India-Nepal border land mapping?
A. Satellites only
B. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
C. Sonar systems
D. Underwater drones
Answer: B. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) - Who won the Open gold medal at the Asian Junior Blitz Chess Championship
2026?
A. Sharnarthi Viresh
B. Nandish V S
C. Vignesh Vermula
D. Lala Shohradova
Answer: C. Vignesh Vermula - Hurricane Lala strengthened into which category on 15 August 2026?
A. Category 1
B. Category 2
C. Category 3
D. Category 4
Answer: A. Category 1 - What was the maximum sustained wind speed of Hurricane Lala?
A. 65 mph
B. 70 mph
C. 75 mph
D. 85 mph
Answer: C. 75 mph - How many project proposals were approved under the Electronics Components
Manufacturing Scheme on 17 August 2026?
A. 21
B. 31
C. 41
D. 51
Answer: B. 31 - What was the total investment involved in the newly approved Electronics
Components Manufacturing Scheme projects?
A. ₹5,877 crore
B. ₹6,877 crore
C. ₹7,877 crore
D. ₹8,877 crore
Answer: C. ₹7,877 crore - Which award was not given to any recipient in the National Sports Awards 2025
announcement?
A. Arjuna Award
B. Dronacharya Award
C. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
D. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
Answer: C. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award - How many Indian peacekeepers received the United Nations Medal in Juba, South
Sudan, on 17 August 2026?
A. 110
B. 150
C. 210
D. 310
Answer: C. 210 - UNMISS, in which Indian peacekeepers are serving, was established in which
year?
A. 2005
B. 2008
C. 2011
D. 2015
Answer: C. 2011
