Jammu and Kashmir Current Affairs 2026

At a glance

the top events

The most important events of this page, and how many news items each topic holds.

Top events

1. Pakistan and China activated a joint border commission in September 2026, with its first meeting in Islamabad; it rests on their 2013 border management agreement, and India rejected it, saying Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India.
2. The Court of Arbitration at The Hague said India's "suspension" of the Indus Waters Treaty after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack was not justified, adding that the treaty covers only water sharing, not terrorism; India rejected the court's jurisdiction as illegally formed.
3. The J&K Assembly passed the Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in its 21-30 September session; it keeps seven as the minimum size of a municipal body and removes the Chief Election Officer from ward delimitation.
4. 8 Oct — The markhor population in the Kazinag landscape of J&K is estimated at 227 in 2026, up about 71% from 133 in 2005, per a Wildlife Trust of India and J&K Wildlife Department study.
5. 19 Oct — Srinagar master artisan Rafiq Ahmed Sofi won the National Award 2025 from the Ministry of Textiles in the hand-knotted carpet category; he is the only awardee from J&K.
6. 23 Oct — Jammu and Kashmir Bank signed an MoU with the J&K government for banking services to employees and raised the accident cover for government employees to Rs 1 crore.
7. 24 Oct — The Centre appointed Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav, a 1995-batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir; the transition begins on 1 November 2026.
8. 25 Oct — The third Kashmir International Marathon was flagged off in Srinagar by CM Omar Abdullah with about 2,000 runners; Kenyans Kanab Kalob Omolo and Lemensa Harpaa won the men's and women's full marathons.

News by topic

Government & States

9 one-liners

International & Agreements

5 one-liners

Economy & Banking

2 one-liners

Science, Defence & Environment

5 one-liners

Sports, Days & Culture

7 one-liners

Awards, Appointments & Books

4 one-liners

Government & States

9 one-liners

Policy · laws · schemes · states.

National

• 20 Aug — The Union Cabinet approved a permanent bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in Ladakh. It will be the court's third seat after Srinagar and Jammu, sparing people of Leh and Kargil long journeys.
• Under the proposal Ladakh would get an elected legislative body and powers over land, culture, language and forests; the demand has grown since Article 370 was removed and the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 was passed.
• The J&K Assembly passed the Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in its 21-30 September session; it keeps seven as the minimum size of a municipal body and removes the Chief Election Officer from ward delimitation.
• 23 Oct — Jammu and Kashmir designated courts in Jammu and Srinagar as special fast-track courts to try offences linked to public examinations, such as paper leaks.
• 23 Oct — The Jammu and Kashmir government amended its Medical Attendance Rules, revising medical reimbursement and capping the treatment cost that can be claimed at private hospitals.
• 23 Oct — Under the Nasha Mukt J&K 100 Days Abhiyan, more than 72 lakh outreach events were held and police registered 1,187 FIRs; a three-year rehabilitation and reintegration scheme for drug-abuse victims is proposed.
• 23 Oct — Under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, J&K selected 419 villages with large SC populations as model villages, of which 28 have been declared Adarsh Grams.

States & UTs

• Among the newly recognised breeds are the Braj donkey (Uttar Pradesh) and the Kashmiri horse/pony (Jammu and Kashmir).
• 24 Oct — A Kashmiri farmer, Zafar Ahmad Bhat, was felicitated at the Bharat International Rice Conference in New Delhi for conserving Mushk Budji, a fragrant rice from Sagam in Anantnag that won a GI tag in 2023.

International & Agreements

5 one-liners

World · summits · MoUs · exercises.

International

• Pakistan and China activated a joint border commission in September 2026, with its first meeting in Islamabad; it rests on their 2013 border management agreement, and India rejected it, saying Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India.
• India treats Aksai Chin as part of Ladakh while China calls it part of Xinjiang; the same dispute explains India's objection to CPEC, since a part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
• The Court of Arbitration at The Hague said India's "suspension" of the Indus Waters Treaty after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack was not justified, adding that the treaty covers only water sharing, not terrorism; India rejected the court's jurisdiction as illegally formed.

Summits, Agreements & Exercises

• 22 Oct — India and Poland aim to double bilateral trade by 2030 from about US$6 billion. They plan a defence industry dialogue and a counter-terrorism dialogue, and both condemned terrorism, including the Pahalgam attack (22 April 2025).
• 24 Oct — Farmvision Pvt Ltd signed an MoU in Poland with nursery firm Jankowski to bring European nursery technology to India, with a joint venture making planting material for J&K horticulture from 2027.

Economy & Banking

2 one-liners

RBI · markets · trade · reports.

Economy & Banking

• 5 Oct — J&K auctioned its first two mineral blocks through the Centre's auction process: the Koot-Kapran (22.43 hectares) and Wantrag limestone blocks in Anantnag district.
• 23 Oct — Jammu and Kashmir Bank signed an MoU with the J&K government for banking services to employees and raised the accident cover for government employees to Rs 1 crore.

Science, Defence & Environment

5 one-liners

Space · tech · forces · ecology.

Science & Technology

• 23 Oct — The Jammu and Kashmir government stepped up action to make the Union Territory TB-free under the PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• 23 Oct — SKUAST-Kashmir set up two community units in Batlan village, Tangdhar, to conserve the indigenous Karnah sheep, each with four ewes and one ram, under the ICAR-NBAGR network project on animal genetic resources.
• 24 Oct — The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations (CIRI) of the University of Kashmir was given Centre of Excellence status by the ICMR for its biomedical research.

Defence & Security

• 1 Oct — Security forces killed Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Musa alias Asif Fauji at Gurwatkalan in Budgam under Operation Sheruwali; the Home Ministry says all four senior LeT commanders active in J&K since 2022 are now neutralised.

Environment & Ecology

• 8 Oct — The markhor population in the Kazinag landscape of J&K is estimated at 227 in 2026, up about 71% from 133 in 2005, per a Wildlife Trust of India and J&K Wildlife Department study.

Sports, Days & Culture

7 one-liners

Results · important days · heritage.

Sports

• Jammu and Kashmir won the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, its first title, by beating Karnataka on first-innings lead in the final at Hubballi. Auqib Nabi (62 wickets) was Player of the Tournament.
• 7 Oct — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opened Rs 30.35 crore sports facilities at the Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre, Srinagar, including Kashmir's first Olympic-sized swimming pool and an indoor gymnastics hall.
• 22 Oct — Para-archer Sheetal Devi of Kishtwar won silver in the women's doubles archery with Payal Nag at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
• 25 Oct — The third Kashmir International Marathon was flagged off in Srinagar by CM Omar Abdullah with about 2,000 runners; Kenyans Kanab Kalob Omolo and Lemensa Harpaa won the men's and women's full marathons.

Important Days

• 24 Oct — Coming up: J&K Accession Day on 26 October (1947) and Infantry Day (Shaurya Diwas) on 27 October, marking the landing of the 1st Sikh Regiment at Srinagar in 1947.

Art, Culture & Tourism

• 22 Oct — Minister Sakeena Itoo led the J&K delegation to ITB Asia 2026 in Singapore, promoting pilgrimage, adventure and winter-sports tourism, and co-inaugurated the India Pavilion.
• 23 Oct — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the autumn edition of the Know Your Artisan handicrafts event at the Chrysanthemum Garden, Srinagar, to attract tourists.

Awards, Appointments & Books

4 one-liners

Honours · new posts · books · obituaries.

Awards & Honours

Appointments

Obituaries

• 13 Aug — Major General Sunil Kumar Razdan (retd), a Kirti Chakra and VSM awardee and the Army's first wheelchair-bound general, died in New Delhi. He was wounded while leading a 1994 hostage rescue in Jammu and Kashmir.

Quick quiz

test yourself

Practice questions on this period. Tap an option to check your answer.

Fill in the blank: one-liner flashcards

Pakistan and China activated a _____ in September 2026, with its first meeting in Islamabad; it rests on their 2013 border management agreement, and India rejected it, saying Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India.

joint border commission

The _____ said India's "suspension" of the Indus Waters Treaty after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack was not justified, adding that the treaty covers only water sharing, not terrorism; India rejected the court's jurisdiction as illegally formed.

Court of Arbitration at The Hague

The _____ passed the Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in its 21-30 September session; it keeps seven as the minimum size of a municipal body and removes the Chief Election Officer from ward delimitation.

J&K Assembly

The _____ population in the Kazinag landscape of J&K is estimated at 227 in 2026, up about 71% from 133 in 2005, per a Wildlife Trust of India and J&K Wildlife Department study.

markhor

Srinagar master artisan _____ won the National Award 2025 from the Ministry of Textiles in the hand-knotted carpet category; he is the only awardee from J&K.

Rafiq Ahmed Sofi

Jammu and Kashmir Bank signed an MoU with the J&K government for banking services to employees and raised the _____ for government employees to Rs 1 crore.

accident cover

The Centre appointed _____, a 1995-batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir; the transition begins on 1 November 2026.

Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav

The third _____ was flagged off in Srinagar by CM Omar Abdullah with about 2,000 runners; Kenyans Kanab Kalob Omolo and Lemensa Harpaa won the men's and women's full marathons.

Kashmir International Marathon

_____ won the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, its first title, by beating Karnataka on first-innings lead in the final at Hubballi. Auqib Nabi (62 wickets) was Player of the Tournament.

Jammu and Kashmir

Major General _____ (retd), a Kirti Chakra and VSM awardee and the Army's first wheelchair-bound general, died in New Delhi. He was wounded while leading a 1994 hostage rescue in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sunil Kumar Razdan

MCQs

1. Who has been appointed the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, with the transition beginning on 1 November 2026?

   1. Atal Dulloo
   2. Rohit Kansal
   3. Sajjan Singh Yadav
   4. Arun Kumar Mehta
   Show answer

   Answer: Sajjan Singh Yadav — Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav, a 1995-batch IAS officer, was named the new Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir.

2. J&K Bank's MoU with the J&K government raised the accident cover for government employees to what amount?

   1. Rs 10 lakh
   2. Rs 25 lakh
   3. Rs 1 crore
   4. Rs 5 crore
   Show answer

   Answer: Rs 1 crore — The accident cover for J&K government employees was raised to Rs 1 crore under the MoU.

3. Who flagged off the third Kashmir International Marathon in Srinagar on 25 October 2026?

   1. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah
   2. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha
   3. Union Sports Minister
   4. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo
   Show answer

   Answer: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah — CM Omar Abdullah flagged off the race; LG Manoj Sinha addressed the award ceremony later.

4. In which year did the Mushk Budji rice of Sagam, Anantnag, receive a GI tag?

   1. 2023
   2. 2020
   3. 2021
   4. 2024
   Show answer

   Answer: 2023 — Mushk Budji, a fragrant high-altitude rice of Kashmir, was given its GI tag in 2023.

5. The J&K Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 keeps what as the minimum number of elected members of a municipal body?

   1. Seven
   2. Five
   3. Nine
   4. Eleven
   Show answer

   Answer: Seven — The Bill removes the five-member reference and keeps seven as the minimum in the J&K Municipal Act, 2000.

6. A 2026 estimate put the markhor population in which J&K landscape at 227?

   1. Gurez
   2. Dachigam
   3. Tral
   4. Kazinag
   Show answer

   Answer: Kazinag — The Kazinag landscape population rose about 71% from 133 in 2005, per a WTI and J&K Wildlife Department assessment.

7. Rafiq Ahmed Sofi of Srinagar won the National Award 2025 in which craft category?

   1. Hand-knotted carpet
   2. Papier-mache
   3. Walnut wood carving
   4. Pashmina shawl
   Show answer

   Answer: Hand-knotted carpet — He is the only J&K awardee; Kashmiri carpets received GI registration in 2016.

8. Minister Sakeena Itoo led the J&K delegation to which international travel fair in October 2026?

   1. IMEX Frankfurt
   2. ITB Berlin
   3. World Travel Market, London
   4. ITB Asia, Singapore
   Show answer

   Answer: ITB Asia, Singapore — The delegation promoted pilgrimage, adventure and winter-sports tourism at ITB Asia 2026.

9. Mohammad Zaid Malik was posted as Superintendent of Police at which agency's Jammu branch?

   1. NIA
   2. CBI
   3. ED
   4. SIA
   Show answer

   Answer: NIA — He was posted on deputation to the National Investigation Agency branch in Jammu for an initial four years.

10. The first two mineral blocks auctioned in J&K in 2026 were limestone blocks in which district?

    1. Baramulla
    2. Kathua
    3. Anantnag
    4. Doda
    Show answer

    Answer: Anantnag — The Koot-Kapran and Wantrag limestone blocks are in Anantnag district.

11. Kashmir's first Olympic-sized swimming pool was opened by Omar Abdullah at which Srinagar facility?

    1. Bakshi Stadium
    2. Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre
    3. Tulsi Bagh complex
    4. Polo Ground
    Show answer

    Answer: Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre — The Rs 30.35 crore project at Gindun Rajbagh also includes a gymnastics hall and a heated training pool.

12. Under the Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan, for how many days was the campaign planned?

    1. 50
    2. 100
    3. 75
    4. 365
    Show answer

    Answer: 100 — It was the Nasha Mukt J&K 100 Days Abhiyan, reviewed in Srinagar on 22 October 2026.