# Current Affairs September 2026 for UPSC: BRICS Summit New Delhi, CPI and WPI Inflation, Rabi MSP 2027-28, PM-DHARA and the Arabian Sea Collision Source: https://tracknation.in/story/current-affairs-september-2026-for-upsc-brics-summit-new-delhi-cpi-and-wpi-inflation-rabi-msp-2027-28-pm-dhara-and-the-arabian-sea-collision (TrackNation — free UPSC notes with PYQs) > Current affairs for 1 to 30 September 2026 for UPSC Prelims 2027: the 18th BRICS Summit and the New Delhi Declaration, August CPI (4.82%) and WPI (9.92%) inflation, the rabi MSP for 2027-28, PM-DHARA for renewable-energy transmission, the PNS Hunain-INS Kolkata collision, the Asian Games and SEMICON India, with practice questions. ## September 2026 at a Glance 🎯 **September 2026: 1 to 30 September.** India hosted the BRICS summit, inflation numbers turned upward on both retail and wholesale measures, the Cabinet set the rabi MSPs and a large renewable-grid scheme, and an Indian and a Pakistani warship collided in the Arabian Sea. The SCO summit that opened on 31 August is covered in the August note. Everything here is from news reports (secondary). ## September at a glance | **Date** | **Event** | **Subject** | **Exam angle** | | 12-13 Sep | 18th BRICS Summit, New Delhi; New Delhi Declaration | IR | India's chair year; China next | | 14 Sep | CPI 4.82% and WPI 9.92% for August | Economy | New CPI base 2024; WPI base 2022-23 | | 15 Sep | PNS Hunain collides with INS Kolkata | IR, Defence | Diplomatic protest | | 17-19 Sep | SEMICON India 2026, New Delhi | Industry | Semiconductor push | | 19 Sep | Asian Games open at Aichi-Nagoya | Sports | Ends 4 October | | 30 Sep | Cabinet: rabi MSP 2027-28, PM-DHARA, Delhi ITMS | Economy | Wheat Rs 2,610 | ## International Relations: the BRICS Summit and the Arabian Sea Collision India chaired BRICS in 2026 and the New Delhi summit is the headline for IR. ## International relations: the BRICS summit and the Arabian Sea collision - **18th BRICS Summit (12-13 September).** India hosted the **18th BRICS Summit on 12-13 September 2026**, which ended with the **adoption by consensus of the New Delhi Declaration, a text of about 140 points**, after negotiations that ran to the wire because of **sharp differences between Iran and the UAE** over the West Asia conflict. The Declaration reportedly backed a **bigger United Nations role for India and Brazil**, opposed unilateral tariffs, secondary sanctions and carbon border adjustment measures not compliant with WTO rules, condemned the 22 April 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and called for a ceasefire in Gaza. President Putin and President Xi attended, and Xi urged BRICS to act as a peacemaker in West Asia. **China will chair BRICS in 2027 and host the 19th summit.** No new members were reported. *Static:* the chair rotates (Russia 2024, Brazil 2025, India 2026, China 2027); the group began as BRIC in 2009, South Africa joined in 2010, and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined in 2024 and Indonesia in 2025. - **Naval collision (15 September).** On the evening of 15 September **PNS Hunain (a Yarmook-class corvette)** of the Pakistan Navy collided with **INS Kolkata in the North Arabian Sea**. India called the conduct 'unacceptable and unprofessional', **summoned the Charge d'Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission** and had its envoy in Islamabad lodge a protest; it reported no structural damage or injuries to its ship. Reports differ on the location and Pakistan made no clear public statement. *Static:* INS Kolkata is the lead ship of the Kolkata-class guided-missile destroyers (Project 15A). ## Economy: CPI, WPI, the Rabi MSP and PM-DHARA August's price data, released in mid-September, showed both consumer and wholesale inflation rising. Know which ministry compiles which index, and which base year each one uses. ## Economy: CPI, WPI and the rabi MSP - **CPI (14 September, MoSPI).** Retail inflation on the new series (base 2024=100) was **4.82 per cent in August 2026 (provisional), up from 4.45 per cent in July**. **Food inflation (Consumer Food Price Index) rose to 5.95 per cent from 5.52 per cent**; **rural inflation 5.23 per cent and urban 4.31 per cent**. Headline CPI has risen every month since May (3.93 per cent, then 4.38 per cent in June) and is above the RBI's 4 per cent target for the third month running. - **WPI (14 September, Commerce Ministry).** **Wholesale Price Index inflation rose to 9.92 per cent in August 2026 from 9.78 per cent in July**, on base year 2022-23. **Fuel and power inflation rose to 22.93 per cent from 20.05 per cent**, food inflation to 7.05 per cent and **manufactured products to 8.37 per cent**, a series high; primary articles eased to 7.76 per cent. ICRA expects double-digit WPI inflation in September and October. *Static:* the WPI is compiled by the Office of the Economic Adviser in the Commerce Ministry (DPIIT); the CPI by MoSPI; the RBI's target is on CPI, not WPI. - **Rabi MSP 2027-28 (30 September).** The CCEA fixed **wheat at Rs 2,610 per quintal (up Rs 25 from Rs 2,585**, a small rise attributed to ample stocks), **gram Rs 5,958 (up Rs 83)**, **rapeseed and mustard Rs 6,613 (up Rs 413)**, barley Rs 2,286, masur Rs 7,390 and safflower Rs 7,215, with an **estimated farmer payout Rs 90,962 crore and procurement of 324 lakh tonnes**. The reported cost of wheat production is Rs 1,264 per quintal. *Static:* six rabi crops are covered here; MSP is at least 1.5 times the cost of production. - **PM-DHARA (30 September).** The same meeting approved **PM-DHARA (Developing Harmonized and Accelerated Renewable Energy Access) with Rs 1,86,405 crore** to strengthen intra-State transmission so that **up to 135 GW of renewable energy can be evacuated with 50 GWh of battery storage**, and **Rs 1,790 crore for an Intelligent Traffic Management System in Delhi**. The **combined value of the three decisions was Rs 2,79,157 crore**. ## Sport and Industry: the Asian Games and SEMICON India Two events round out the month: the Asian Games and SEMICON India. ## Sport and industry - **Asian Games.** The games were held at **Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026**; India's first shooting gold came on 25 September in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with an Asian Games record score of 484.6. The final tally is in the October note. *Static:* the previous Games were at Hangzhou (2022 edition, held in 2023), where India won 106 medals. - **SEMICON India 2026** was held in New Delhi from 17 to 19 September (single news item), following the July Cabinet approval of Semicon 2.0. ## Further Reading - PIB press releases, ministry websites and annual reports, the Gazette of India, MEA and UN documents and the official sources named in each note — the primary sources behind every fact above. ## How UPSC Could Ask This Next Here is how UPSC could turn September into questions. ## How UPSC could ask this next - **Groupings:** the members of BRICS, the chair rotation and the year each country joined; what the New Delhi Declaration asked for on the UN and on carbon border measures. - **Price indices:** which body compiles CPI and WPI, the base years, and why fuel prices move WPI more than CPI. - **Agriculture:** the MSP for wheat, which crops are covered in the rabi list, and the 1.5 times cost principle. - **Energy:** why intra-State transmission and storage are bottlenecks for renewables, and what 135 GW and 50 GWh mean. - **Defence:** Project 15A and the class of INS Kolkata; the rules for naval encounters at sea. ## Test Yourself: Practice Questions Sixteen practice questions on September 2026, each tied to a verified fact. ## Practice Questions **Q1.** The 18th BRICS Summit in September 2026 was hosted by - (a) China - (b) South Africa - (c) Brazil - (d) India **Answer: (d)** — India held the chair in 2026. **Q2.** The 19th BRICS Summit in 2027 will be hosted by - (a) Indonesia - (b) China - (c) Russia - (d) Ethiopia **Answer: (b)** — The New Delhi Declaration extended support to it. **Q3.** The outcome document of the 18th BRICS Summit is called - (a) Bishkek Declaration - (b) Johannesburg Declaration - (c) Delhi Accord - (d) New Delhi Declaration **Answer: (d)** — It was adopted by consensus. **Q4.** Which of the following joined BRICS as a full member in 2024? - (a) Argentina - (b) Iran - (c) Saudi Arabia - (d) Turkey **Answer: (b)** — Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined in 2024. **Q5.** Which Pakistani ship collided with INS Kolkata in the North Arabian Sea in September 2026? - (a) PNS Khaibar - (b) PNS Hunain - (c) PNS Tippu Sultan - (d) PNS Babur **Answer: (b)** — India summoned Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires. **Q6.** INS Kolkata is the lead ship of the Indian Navy's - (a) Visakhapatnam-class destroyers - (b) Shivalik-class frigates - (c) Kolkata-class (Project 15A) destroyers - (d) Talwar-class frigates **Answer: (c)** — Project 15B is the Visakhapatnam class. **Q7.** Retail inflation (CPI) for August 2026 was - (a) 6.5 per cent - (b) 4.82 per cent - (c) 9.92 per cent - (d) 2.75 per cent **Answer: (b)** — The new CPI series has base year 2024. **Q8.** Wholesale price inflation for August 2026 was - (a) 5.95 per cent - (b) 4.82 per cent - (c) 3.3 per cent - (d) 9.92 per cent **Answer: (d)** — Fuel and power inflation was 22.93 per cent. **Q9.** The Wholesale Price Index is compiled by the - (a) NITI Aayog - (b) Office of the Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry - (c) Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation - (d) Reserve Bank of India **Answer: (b)** — The CPI is compiled by MoSPI. **Q10.** The MSP of wheat for the 2027-28 marketing season is - (a) Rs 3,000 per quintal - (b) Rs 2,275 per quintal - (c) Rs 2,610 per quintal - (d) Rs 2,585 per quintal **Answer: (c)** — It was raised by Rs 25. **Q11.** Which crop got the largest rise in MSP among wheat, gram and rapeseed-mustard in the 2027-28 rabi list? - (a) Wheat (Rs 25) - (b) Gram (Rs 83) - (c) Rapeseed and mustard (Rs 413) - (d) All the same **Answer: (c)** — Safflower also received a large increase. **Q12.** MSP is announced on the recommendation of the - (a) Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices - (b) Finance Commission - (c) NITI Aayog - (d) Food Corporation of India **Answer: (a)** — The CCEA approves it. **Q13.** PM-DHARA, approved on 30 September 2026, relates to - (a) renewable energy transmission and storage - (b) digital payments - (c) crop insurance - (d) rural housing **Answer: (a)** — Its outlay is Rs 1,86,405 crore. **Q14.** PM-DHARA aims to enable evacuation of up to how much renewable energy, with 50 GWh of battery storage? - (a) 135 GW - (b) 50 GW - (c) 22 GW - (d) 500 GW **Answer: (a)** — It strengthens intra-State transmission. **Q15.** The Asian Games 2026 were held at - (a) Jakarta, Indonesia - (b) Doha, Qatar - (c) Hangzhou, China - (d) Aichi-Nagoya, Japan **Answer: (d)** — They ran from 19 September to 4 October. **Q16.** Headline CPI inflation in India has to be kept within the target band set for the RBI of - (a) 1 to 4 per cent - (b) 3 to 5 per cent - (c) 2 to 6 per cent - (d) 4 to 8 per cent **Answer: (c)** — The target is 4 per cent. ### Mains Practice Questions Use these to frame full-length answers. You don't have to answer one exactly — they show the angles UPSC tests, so let them guide which points you cover. - Evaluate the outcomes of India's BRICS chairship in 2026 and the relevance of BRICS in the context of divisions between member states. - Explain why WPI inflation is rising faster than CPI inflation and what it implies for monetary policy. - Critically examine the determination of MSP in the light of the small wheat increase for 2027-28. - Discuss the challenges in integrating large-scale renewable energy into the grid and how PM-DHARA addresses them.