Now Reading: Today in India: 15 September 2026
-
01
Today in India: 15 September 2026
NPCI sets 0.4% MDR on UPI payments above Rs 2,000 from October 15. CCPA fines Rapido Rs 10 lakh for dark patterns. India dismisses Pakistan's bounty hike on Masood Azhar as a gimmick.
-
NPCI sets 0.4% MDR on UPI payments above Rs 2,000 from Oct 15
The National Payments Corporation of India has notified a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, effective from October 15, 2026. The MDR is capped at Rs 300 for transactions of Rs 75,000 and above. Transactions up to Rs 2,000 and all person-to-person payments remain free. The Times of India reports the move follows an amendment to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act passed in August, which created an enabling framework for MDR.
11 sources, 1 pro-government, 2 government-critical, 8 neutral
-
CCPA fines Rapido Rs 10 lakh for dark patterns and tipping prompts
The Central Consumer Protection Authority has imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on Roppen Transportation Services, which operates Rapido, for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices and dark patterns that prompted riders to pay more before their ride was confirmed. The CCPA found prompts such as "Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride" and a colour-coded slider that steered users toward higher payments, classifying these as "Confirm Shaming" and "Interface Interference." The regulator also rejected Rapido's argument that pre-ride tipping was voluntary.
4 sources, 3 neutral, 1 sensationalist
-
India slams Pakistan's bounty hike on Masood Azhar as gimmick
India on Tuesday dismissed Pakistan's decision to increase the reward on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar from PKR 50 lakh to PKR 70 lakh as a "phoney announcement" and an attempt to hoodwink the international community. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such gimmicks were nothing new from a "state sponsor of terrorism" and called on Pakistan to take concrete action against terror groups instead of making hollow declarations.
6 sources, 6 neutral
-
Gates Foundation pledges $1 billion for equitable AI access
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a commitment of at least $1 billion over the next two years to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-enabled solutions, aiming to ensure the technology narrows gaps between the richest and poorest rather than widening them. Bill Gates, chair of the foundation, said in the 10th annual Goalkeepers Report that left to the market alone, the most capable AI tools will be built first for those who can pay.
3 sources, 3 neutral
More from today
-
IndiGo flight diverted after smoke warning, 109 safe
An IndiGo flight from Agartala to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow on Tuesday evening after the pilot received a smoke warning indication in the cargo area. Flight 6E6504 landed safely at 6:29 pm, carrying 103 passengers and six crew members. Airport authorities activated full emergency procedures, deploying fire, rescue, medical and security teams. Checks after landing found no fire and the warning was declared a false alarm. All passengers deboarded safely and no injuries were reported.
5 sources, 5 neutral
-
SC gives Rajpal Yadav final two weeks to deposit Rs 2 crore in cheque case
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav a final two-week extension to deposit Rs 2 crore with the court registry in a cheque-bounce case. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana remarked that Yadav's past conduct does not inspire confidence and that he is "perfect at doing drama" in court. However, it granted the last opportunity after his counsel said Yadav had already spent four-and-a-half months in jail.
5 sources, 5 neutral
-
Adhikari alleges 'bhaipo gang' paid Rs 2 crore for aide's murder
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday alleged the 'bhaipo gang' was involved in the murder of his personal assistant Chandranath Rath, and claimed Rs 2 crore was spent on the killing. The CBI, which is investigating the case, has arrested and charge-sheeted 11 suspects. Adhikari said phone records from Diamond Harbour and a money courier have been traced. He made the allegation on the day the BJP named Rath's mother, Hasirani Rath, as its candidate for the Nandigram bypoll.
3 sources, 2 neutral, 1 sensationalist
-
Salman Khan watches Bhuvan Bam's The Revolutionaries at his home
Salman Khan watched the Prime Video series The Revolutionaries with star Bhuvan Bam and director Nikkhil Advani at his Galaxy residence in Mumbai. The superstar shared a glimpse of the evening and the trailer on his Instagram Stories. Bhuvan Bam expressed gratitude, saying the validation from Salman Khan meant the world to him. The Revolutionaries, which premiered on Prime Video on September 11, 2026, is adapted from Sanjeev Sanyal's book and stars Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta and Gurfateh Pirzada.
3 sources, 3 neutral
-
CCPA fines Rapido Rs 10 lakh for dark patterns
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on Roppen Transportation Services, which operates ride-hailing platform Rapido, for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, and the use of dark patterns. The action followed a sector-wide examination of cab and bike-taxi aggregators over advance tipping and dynamic pricing. During the review, the CCPA found that Rapido displayed prompts such as "Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride" and "Captains aren't accepting at Rs 60. Try adding".
4 sources, 4 neutral
Useful today
-
UPI merchant payments above Rs 2,000 to attract 0.4% MDR from Oct 15
The government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate on UPI person-to-merchant transactions above Rs 2,000, effective October 15. The fee is capped at Rs 300 for transactions of Rs 75,000 and above. Small merchants receiving up to Rs 1 lakh per month through UPI QR codes are exempt. Person-to-person transfers and transactions up to Rs 2,000 remain free.
4 sources, 4 neutral
-
UPI to levy 0.4% merchant fee on payments above Rs 2,000 from Oct 15
The NPCI will impose a 0.4% MDR on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 from October 15, 2026. The fee is capped at Rs 300 for transactions of Rs 75,000 or more. Consumers continue to use UPI free of charge. Transactions below Rs 2,000 remain exempt, covering over 95% of merchant payments by volume. Small merchants receiving up to Rs 1 lakh per month are also exempt.
4 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 government-critical, 2 neutral
The closing thought
Today's stories show a familiar pattern: India pushing back on Pakistan's theatrical gestures while the CCPA cracks down on corporate dark patterns. The NPCI's MDR move ends the zero-fee era for large UPI payments, a shift merchants will watch closely. The Gates Foundation's AI pledge is a welcome counterweight to market-driven development. Watch how the UPI fee structure affects small businesses in the coming months and whether the CCPA's action prompts other aggregators to revise their tipping interfaces.
This digest is refreshed through the day at indianopinion.org/today.
This digest was compiled and written by AI from the day’s Indian Opinion coverage.
