Prelims Current Affairs includes World Coconut Day 2026 , 26th SCO Summit Held In Bishkek, National Accounts Statistics 2026 Released, India’s Current Account Deficit Widens To $4.2 Billion In Q1, Ncdex Launches Chennai Rain Futures Contract, Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031 & 5th Edition Of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. WORLD COCONUT DAY 2026

Current Context: World Coconut Day is observed annually on 2 September to highlight the importance of coconut in agriculture, food security, livelihoods, trade, industry and sustainable development.

ABOUT WORLD COCONUT DAY

• First Observed:2009
• The date commemorates the establishment of the International Coconut Community (ICC) in 1969.
• Established under: UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UN-ESCAP
• Secretariat: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Coconut is popularly known as: “Tree of Life”
• The celebration recognises the economic and social importance of coconut-producing communities around the world.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. 26TH SCO SUMMIT HELD IN BISHKEK

Current Context: The 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was held at Yrys Ordo Congress Hall, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from 31 August to 1 September 2026, under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

• The summit was the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the SCO, the highest decision-making body of the organisation.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India and participated in the summit’s deliberations.
• The summit took place against the backdrop of major geopolitical challenges, including terrorism, regional conflicts, energy security, connectivity and changing global power dynamics.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

• Established: 15 June 2001
• Founded by: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Original predecessor: Shanghai Five, established in 1996.
• India and Pakistan became full members: 2017, at the Astana Summit.
• Iran became a full member: 2023
• Belarus became a full member: 2024
• Members:10 (India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus)

Summit Highlights:

• Chair:Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov → handed over to Pakistan
• Bishkek Declarationsigned
• SECURE Visionpresented by PM Modi (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
• Lahoredeclared as SCO Tourist and Cultural Capital
• Key Institutional Approvals:
• Universal Centre for Countering Security Challenges and Threats
• Executive Committee of SCO Anti-Narcotics Centre
• Green Technology Corridor cooperation programme (2026-2030)

ECONOMY

3. NATIONAL ACCOUNTS STATISTICS 2026 RELEASED

Current Context: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released National Accounts Statistics 2026 on 31 August 2026.

ABOUT NATIONAL ACCOUNTS STATISTICS 2026

• The publication is prepared by the National Statistical Office (NSO), MoSPI.
• It provides comprehensive data on national income, GDP, GVA, production, consumption, expenditure, savings, capital formation, public-sector transactions and external transactions.
• The 2026 publication contains 60 statistical statements covering major macroeconomic aggregates.

GDP REVISIONS:

Key Updates:

• Base Year:2022-23 (introduced 27 February 2026)
• New Indices:Output Producer Price Index, Banking Services Price Index
• Q1 FY 2026-27 Growth:Real GDP 8%, Nominal GDP 10.3%

ECONOMY

4. INDIA’S CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT WIDENS TO $4.2 BILLION IN Q1

Current Context: India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to US$4.2 billion, or 0.5% of GDP, in Q1 FY27 (April-June 2026), compared with US$3.4 billion, or 0.4% of GDP, in Q1 FY26, according to the RBI’s latest Balance of Payments data.

WHAT IS CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT?

• The Current Account records transactions between India and the rest of the world involving goods, services, primary income and secondary income.
• Current Account Deficit (CAD) occurs when the total current payments exceed total current receipts.
• CAD is different from the trade deficit, which mainly measures the excess of merchandise imports over merchandise exports.

COMPONENTS OF CURRENT ACCOUNT

• Merchandise trade: Export and import of goods
• Services: IT, business, financial, transport and other services
• Primary income: Investment income, interest, dividends etc.
• Secondary income: Transfers, including remittances from Indians abroad

KEY DATA:

ECONOMY

5. NCDEX LAUNCHES CHENNAI RAIN FUTURES CONTRACT

Current Context: The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) launched RAINCHNNAI, a rainfall-based weather futures contract for Chennai, to help market participants hedge financial risks arising from variability in the Northeast Monsoon.

ABOUT RAINCHNNAI

• RAINCHNNAI is a weather derivatives futures contract whose underlying parameter is rainfall in Chennai.
• It is designed particularly for the Northeast Monsoon period, September to December.
• The Northeast Monsoon contributes approximately 70% of Chennai’s annual rainfall, making rainfall variability particularly important for the city.
• Chennai receives around 1,400 mm of annual rainfall, with the majority concentrated during September to December.

HOW DOES THE CONTRACT WORK?

• RAINCHNNAI is based on Cumulative Deviation Rainfall (CDR).
• CDR measures the deviation of actual cumulative rainfall from the Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall for the specified period.
• The LPA is based on historical IMD rainfall data, with the methodology using approximately 50 years of data.
• Rainfall observations from India Meteorological Department (IMD) stations at Meenambakkam and Nungambakkam, Chennai, form the basis of the contract.
• The contract is cash-settled, meaning there is no physical delivery of an underlying commodity.
• Settlement is based on observed rainfall data, rather than requiring participants to demonstrate or assess an actual financial loss.
• Complements:RAINMUMBAI (launched May 2026)

SCHEMES/PROGRAMMES

6. MISSION RANGEEN MACHHLI 2031

Current Context: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan released Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031, the Strategic Action Plan for Ornamental Fisheries Development, at a Fisheries Outreach Programme in Agatti, Lakshadweep.

ABOUT MISSION RANGEEN MACHHLI 2031

• It is a strategic action plan for the scientific, sustainable and organised development of India’s ornamental fisheries sector.
• The plan has been developed under the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
• It seeks to transform ornamental fisheries into a more organised, quality-driven and globally competitive sector.
• The plan covers the entire ornamental-fish value chain, from broodstock management and breeding to hatcheries, quarantine, health management, transport, aquarium operations and trade.
• The Mission complements the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) under Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying launched in 2020.
• PMMSY provides financial and infrastructural support for fisheries and aquaculture activities, including ornamental fisheries infrastructure.

ENVIRONMENT

7. 5TH EDITION OF SWACHH SAGAR, SURAKSHIT SAGAR 2026

Current Context: 5th edition of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar launched on 1 September 2026.

ABOUT SWACHH SAGAR, SURAKSHIT SAGAR

• Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar is a nationwide campaign focused on cleaning India’s beaches, reducing marine litter and promoting ocean conservation.
• The campaign is spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• It promotes Jan Bhagidari, involving citizens, students, youth, coastal communities, NGOs and volunteer organisations.
• The initiative has evolved over the last four years into a broader people’s movement inspired by the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Under:PRITHVI scheme (shoreline erosion monitoring, seawater quality monitoring) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)

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