Indian Express Daily Quiz 20 August 2026: Test Your Current Affairs Knowledge
Preparing for UPSC, SSC, Banking or State PSC? The Indian Express Daily Quiz 20 August 2026 converts today's most crucial news items — criminal cases against MPs and MLAs, naval MQ-9B drone leasing, ISRO's GISAT-1A launch, Artemis Accords lunar exploration, Centre-State MMDR Bill tussle, Taliban regional diplomacy, Rotating Detonation Engine technology, Gaza peace roadmap, surrogate advertising guidelines, and CERC grid connectivity rules — into ten high-standard MCQs across English, Hindi and Tamil.
What You Will Learn from Indian Express Quiz 20 August 2026
The Indian Express Daily Quiz for 20 August 2026 covers ten key current affairs topics from today's newspaper that are directly relevant for UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, and Banking examinations. Today's questions test your understanding of the Supreme Court amicus curiae report revealing over 4,100 pending criminal cases against sitting and former legislators, the Indian Navy's ₹1,943-crore contract to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE remotely piloted aircraft for long-duration maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean, ISRO's upcoming GISAT-1A Geo Imaging Satellite launch to end its operational hiatus, India's participation in NASA's Moon Base under the Artemis Accords framework, the Centre-State fiscal federalism debate over the Mines and Minerals (MMDR) Amendment Bill 2026, regional engagement with the Taliban regime five years after Kabul's fall, the thermodynamic efficiency breakthroughs of Rotating Detonation Engines (RDE), the proposed Board of Peace framework for Gaza ceasefire and Hamas disarmament, the CCPA 2022 guidelines prohibiting surrogate advertising of restricted products, and CERC's compensation-based mechanism allowing delayed renewable energy projects to retain grid connectivity.
People Also Ask About Today's Current Affairs
Q1. How many criminal cases are currently pending against MPs and MLAs in India?
An amicus curiae report submitted to the Supreme Court reveals that 4,192 criminal cases are currently pending against sitting and former MPs and MLAs across India. Around 700 cases remain under investigation, while 360 cases have been stalled for over three years without a chargesheet being filed, prompting the apex court to seek expedited trial mechanisms.
Q2. What is the MQ-9B Sea Guardian and why is the Indian Navy leasing it?
The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is a High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System manufactured by General Atomics. The Indian Navy is leasing two Sea Guardians for 30 months under a ₹1,943-crore contract to significantly enhance persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Maritime Domain Awareness across the Indian Ocean Region.
Q3. What is ISRO's GISAT-1A satellite designed for?
GISAT-1A is a Geo Imaging Satellite designed to provide continuous, near real-time high-resolution imagery over large areas from geostationary orbit. It supports natural disaster monitoring, agricultural crop planning, forestry surveillance, and environmental management, ending a seven-month operational hiatus caused by earlier launch anomalies.
Q4. What are the Artemis Accords for lunar exploration?
The Artemis Accords are a US-led international agreement establishing principles for peaceful, transparent, and sustainable space exploration. Joined by India in 2023, the accords enable civil space cooperation, interoperability, and responsible in-situ resource utilization on the Moon, anchoring India's potential participation in NASA's Moon Base programme.
Q5. Why are mineral-rich States opposing the MMDR Amendment Bill 2026?
Mineral-rich States oppose the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 because it restricts their ability to levy additional taxes or cesses on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land. States argue this infringes upon fiscal federalism and their taxation powers affirmed by the Supreme Court in the 2024 Mineral Area Development Authority judgment.
Q6. How is India's foreign policy handling engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan?
India pursues a policy of calibrated, pragmatic engagement with the Taliban focused on humanitarian assistance, trade connectivity, and regional security. Guided by its Strategic Autonomy and Neighbourhood First policy, India maintains diplomatic contacts in Kabul while advocating for counter-terrorism commitments, human rights, and inclusive governance.
Q7. How does a Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) differ from conventional jet engines?
A Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) uses supersonic detonation waves propagating continuously around a ring-shaped chamber, unlike conventional jet engines that rely on subsonic deflagration combustion. This process generates higher pressure and offers 10–25% greater thermodynamic efficiency, making it valuable for rockets, missiles, and hypersonic vehicles.
Q8. What does the proposed Board of Peace framework entail for the Gaza conflict?
The proposed Board of Peace framework outlines a phased resolution to the Gaza conflict, requiring the complete disarmament of Hamas alongside the structured withdrawal of Israeli military forces, establishing a transitional governance body, and restoring humanitarian access while working toward a negotiated two-State solution.
Q9. How does Indian law regulate surrogate advertising by restricted brands?
Surrogate advertising is regulated under the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements, 2022. It prohibits brand extension or indirect advertising of restricted items (like tobacco or alcohol) using look-alike products, imposing strict penalties and liability on manufacturers, advertisers, and celebrity endorsers.
Q10. How do CERC's new rules assist delayed renewable energy projects?
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) introduced a mechanism allowing renewable energy developers facing land or financial execution delays to retain their General Network Access (GNA) grid connectivity by paying a specified compensation, preventing automatic cancellation while ensuring power grid capacity is not indefinitely blocked.
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