LeadPrelims and MainsGrid, power sector and energy policy
India's non fossil capacity crossed 300 GW on 31 July 2026, and renewables supplied a record 20 per cent of generation in July. In the same weeks solar plants were being told to switch off output, because the grid could not carry it.
- 300.50 GWnon fossil capacity, over 54 per cent of installed capacity
- 500 GWthe target for non fossil capacity by 2030
- 20 per centrenewables' share of generation in July 2026, a record
LeadPrelims and MainsHydrogen and bioenergy
The Cabinet on 6 August 2026 approved GOBARdhan as the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, to run to 2035 to 2036. It brings the compressed biogas programmes of four ministries under one, and requires city gas distributors to blend compressed biogas into the gas they sell.
LeadPrelims and MainsCritical minerals and rare earths
August 2026 brought three developments on one problem: twenty bids came in under India's scheme for rare earth magnets, two pilot plants in Odisha were set to recover rare earths from industrial waste, and fresh data showed how tightly the refining of critical minerals is held by a few countries.
LeadPrelims and MainsNuclear power programme
The Supreme Court on 17 August 2026 issued notice on a challenge to the liability caps in the SHANTI Act, 2025. It asked whether a cap written into a statute can stop a constitutional court from awarding fair compensation to the victims of a nuclear accident.
LeadPrelims and MainsAI governance, safety and ethics
The European Union's AI Act became applicable on 2 August 2026, two years after it came into force, and the European Union launched a team to enforce it. It is the first comprehensive law on artificial intelligence anywhere.