1) 🇮🇳 National

• The 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit begins today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with India hosting the summit as the 2026 BRICS Chair.

• The summit will be held on September 12–13, 2026, with discussions focusing on global governance, economic cooperation, technology, energy security, food security, trade and resilient supply chains.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting several bilateral meetings with visiting leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

• India has proposed greater CBDC interoperability among BRICS countries to facilitate faster and more efficient cross-border payments.

• The BRICS Summit is expected to bring together leaders from the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping.

2) 🌍 International

• Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting India for the BRICS Summit, marking his first visit to India since 2019.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin is also attending the New Delhi BRICS Summit.

• The expanded BRICS grouping consists of 11 members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

• BRICS countries collectively represent a significant share of the world's population, territory and global economic output.

• The summit is taking place amid major geopolitical concerns involving West Asia, global energy security and disruptions to international trade routes.

3) 💰 Economy

• India’s foreign-exchange reserves reached a record US$785.706 billion for the week ended September 4, 2026.

• The reserves increased by approximately US$44.903 billion in a single week.

• Foreign Currency Assets (FCA) increased by around US$47.498 billion to approximately US$648.168 billion.

• The sharp increase in reserves has been supported by significant foreign-currency inflows into India.

• Large capital inflows have also contributed to surplus liquidity in the domestic banking system, requiring active liquidity management by the RBI.

• The RBI has announced an Open Market Sale of government securities worth ₹1 lakh crore to absorb excess liquidity.

4) 🗓 Date’s importance

International Day for South-South Cooperation – September 12

• Observed annually on September 12.

• The day promotes cooperation among countries of the Global South through sharing knowledge, technology, expertise and resources.

• The date is associated with the Buenos Aires Plan of Action of 1978, which promoted technical cooperation among developing countries.

• The observance was established by the United Nations General Assembly.

Saragarhi Day – September 12

• Observed in memory of the Battle of Saragarhi, fought on September 12, 1897.

• 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, defended the Saragarhi post against a much larger force.

• The soldiers fought until the last man and are remembered for their exceptional courage, sacrifice and military valour.

• The battle is considered one of the most remarkable last stands in military history.

5) 👱‍♂👩‍🦳 Person of the day

Havildar Ishar Singh

• Commander of the 21 Sikh soldiers who defended Saragarhi on September 12, 1897.

• Served in the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army.

• Led his men against a vastly superior opposing force.

• His leadership and sacrifice made him an enduring symbol of military courage and duty.

• The Battle of Saragarhi is commemorated annually on September 12.

6) 🏅 Sports

• East Zone won the Duleep Trophy 2026, ending a 13-year wait for the title.

• East Zone secured the championship after taking a massive first-innings lead against South Zone in the final.

• East Zone captain Ishan Kishan scored a spectacular 270 runs in the final.

• Mohammad Kounian Quraishi scored an unbeaten 116, registering his maiden first-class century.

• India won six medals — 2 gold and 4 bronze at the World Archery Para Series Stage III in Ahmedabad.

• Sheetal Devi won individual gold in the women’s para compound category.

• Harvinder Singh and Bhawna won gold in the para recurve mixed-team event.

• The 2026 Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

7) 🏆 Awards

• Chabila won the Best Feature Film award at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards.

• Sthal emerged as the most-awarded film, winning six awards.

• Rani Mukerji received the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award.

• Salim Khan was honoured with the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar received the V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award.

• The awards recognised significant contributions to Marathi cinema and the Indian film industry.

8) ⭐️ Other important significance

• BRICS 2026: India’s chairmanship focuses on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.

• CBDC interoperability: India is promoting stronger digital-payment connectivity among BRICS nations.

• Foreign-exchange reserves: India’s reserves crossing US$785 billion provide a stronger external financial buffer.

• Saragarhi: September 12 commemorates one of the most celebrated examples of military valour and sacrifice.

• Asian Games 2026: The Aichi-Nagoya Games will be held from September 19–October 4, 2026.

📚 Word of the day

Resilience — the ability to withstand difficulties and recover or adapt effectively.

Example: Strong foreign-exchange reserves increase India’s resilience against external economic shocks.