Daily Current Affairs 28-August-2026 – Latest MCQs, News Analysis for UPSC, SSC & Banking Exams
1. Which institution successfully tested the Scramjet Engine for hypersonic flight vehicles, as per the recent ISRO official statement?
A) Defence Research and Development Organisation
B) Indian Space Research Organisation
C) Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
D) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Correct answer: B) Indian Space Research Organisation
Notes: The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully ground-tested its indigenous supersonic combustion ramjet engine at a propulsion test facility. This technological milestone marks a critical leap toward developing reusable launch vehicles and advanced cruise missiles. Operating on air-breathing propulsion, the system uses atmospheric oxygen to burn onboard fuel, significantly reducing launch weight and payload costs. For UPSC aspirants, understanding aerodynamic heating and hypersonic speed regimes is vital for the Science and Technology syllabus. Such breakthroughs strengthen India’s strategic autonomy in aerospace engineering, positioning the nation among elite global powers possessing advanced high-speed propulsion capabilities.
2. According to a Ministry of External Affairs briefing, India recently signed a key maritime security pact with which Indian Ocean nation?
A) Maldives
B) Seychelles
C) Mauritius
D) Sri Lanka
Correct answer: D) Sri Lanka
Notes: India and Sri Lanka formalized a comprehensive bilateral maritime security agreement aimed at joint anti-piracy patrols and intelligence sharing. This pact underscores New Delhi’s Neighborhood First policy and reinforces the Security and Growth for All in the Region doctrine across the southern Indian Ocean. Joint naval exercises and radar network integrations will enhance regional stability against emerging transnational maritime threats. From an exam perspective, questions frequently test India’s strategic engagements and regional diplomacy frameworks within international relations, making this Colombo partnership a key topic for civil services preparation.
Which wildlife sanctuary was officially declared a Ramsar Wetland Site, as notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change?
A) Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
B) Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary
C) Sundarbans Wildlife Sanctuary
D) Nagi Bird Sanctuary
Correct answer: D) Nagi Bird Sanctuary
Notes: The Nagi Bird Sanctuary received official designation as an international Ramsar wetland site under the Ramsar Convention framework. This listing grants global recognition to the ecological habitat, ensuring enhanced international funding, conservation monitoring, and strict legal protection against anthropogenic degradation. The site hosts diverse migratory avifauna species along the Central Asian Flyway, serving as a vital wintering ground. UPSC ecology questions regularly focus on newly added wetlands of international importance, highlighting biodiversity conservation, ecological succession, and international treaty obligations aimed at safeguarding fragile aquatic ecosystems.
4. As per the Reserve Bank of India press statement, what is the newly revised repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility?
A) 6.25 percent
B) 6.50 percent
C) 6.75 percent
D) 7.00 percent
Correct answer: B) 6.50 percent
Notes: The Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the policy repo rate at 6.50 percent while adopting a calibrated withdrawal of accommodation stance. This decision balances retail inflation control with domestic growth momentum amidst volatile global commodity markets. The central bank continues to target a medium-term consumer price index inflation goal of four percent. Banking and civil services aspirants must analyze monetary transmission mechanisms, liquidity management tools, and how benchmark interest rates influence credit expansion, commercial borrowing costs, and overall macroeconomic stability across financial sectors.
5. Which ministry launched the unified portal for agricultural credit, according to a recent PIB release?
A) Ministry of Rural Development
B) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
C) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
D) Ministry of Consumer Affairs
C) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
D) Ministry of Consumer Affairs
Correct answer: B) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Notes: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare introduced a centralized digital platform to streamline institutional credit delivery to rural cultivators. The portal integrates multiple public and private lending institutions to simplify the Kisan Credit Card loan sanctioning process. Digital public infrastructure initiatives in agriculture aim to reduce informal moneylender dependency and enhance financial inclusion for smallholders. Evaluators frequently ask about technology-driven welfare delivery systems in agricultural economics, making this digital reform critical for mains answer writing and prelims matching sets.
Frequently Asked Questions – Daily Current Affairs
Q1. Why is the testing of the scramjet engine significant for India’s aerospace sector?
The scramjet engine test is crucial because it validates indigenous air-breathing propulsion technology, which drastically reduces satellite launch costs and powers future hypersonic cruise systems.
Q2. What are the primary objectives of the newly signed maritime security pact with Sri Lanka?
The pact focuses on joint anti-piracy operations, seamless intelligence sharing, and enhancing regional naval interoperability to secure vital commercial shipping lanes across the Indian Ocean.
Q3. How does the Ramsar wetland designation impact local biodiversity conservation efforts?
Receiving Ramsar status ensures legal protection, unlocks international conservation grants, and mandates rigorous ecological monitoring to safeguard migratory bird habitats and aquatic flora.
