Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the 1st Annual Green Hydrogen R&D Conference organised by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in New Delhi and launched a new ₹100 crore Call for Proposals to support start-ups in hydrogen innovation.
The scheme will provide up to ₹5 crore per project for pilot projects in innovative hydrogen production, storage, transport and utilisation technologies. At the conference, 25 start-ups are showcasing their innovations, ranging from electrolyser manufacturing to AI-driven optimisation and biological hydrogen solutions.
Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Communications, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of India’s leading public sector banks, on 03 September 2025, to strengthen PNB’s IT infrastructure and fast-track its technology transformation journey,
enabling faster, more reliable, and customer-centric digital services.
Under the MoU, TCIL will provide specialized expertise in IT consultancy, project management, and turnkey execution of complex technology initiatives.
The collaboration aims to deliver robust, secure, and regulatory-compliant solutions that will reinforce PNB’s digital backbone, improve operational resilience, and support innovation in customer services.
Key areas of support include RFP lifecycle management, System Integration, IT Infrastructure Rollout, and Regulatory-Compliant Technology deployment.
Achieving a major milestone, Insurance Surety Bonds (ISB) issued by the insurance companies for NHAI contracts has crossed Rs. 10,000 crore landmark. Till July 2025, 12 insurance companies have issued around 1,600 ISBs as ‘Bid Security’ and 207 ISBs as ‘Performance Security’ valued at around Rs. 10,369 crores for NHAI contracts.
NHAI has been encouraging the use of Insurance Surety Bonds as an additional mode of submitting Bid Security and/or Performance Security Deposit.
In a bid to further promote wider adoption of Insurance Surety Bonds (ISB) and Electronic Bank Guarantee (eBG), a workshop was organized by NHAI in New Delhi.
Insurance Surety Bonds are instruments where insurance companies act as ‘Surety’ and provide the financial guarantee that the contractor will fulfil its obligation as per the agreed terms. The Ministry of Finance, Government of India has made e-BG and Insurance Surety Bonds at par with BGs for all Government procurements.
The Insurance Surety Bonds, when issued, would be cost effective and provide adequate security for NHAI projects.
As India is poised to become the world’s third largest construction market, the requirement of Bank Guarantees in the Indian Infrastructure Sector is expected to grow by 6 to 8 percent Year on Year basis.
Surety Bonds act as a viable alternative to Bank Guarantees.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated India’s first overseas Atal Innovation Centre at the IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus during his two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates. The visit, taking place on September 10-11, aims to deepen bilateral cooperation in education, foster academic excellence and innovation, and explore new avenues of partnership.
At the inaugural ceremony, Minister Pradhan also launched two key academic programs: a Ph.D. program in Energy and Sustainability and a B.Tech program in Chemical Engineering. He commended the collaborative efforts behind the project and engaged with students and faculty during his campus tour.
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), under which the new centre has been established, is a flagship initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in India. AIM serves as an umbrella framework to drive entrepreneurial policies, programs, and collaborative platforms across multiple sectors.
Minister Pradhan’s itinerary also includes attending the first anniversary celebration of Symbiosis University’s Dubai campus, further underscoring the growing footprint of Indian educational institutions in the region and strengthening India-UAE educational ties.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan has said that India has secured nine major world records in space exploration and is on track to add 8 to 10 more in the coming years.
Addressing an event in New Delhi, Mr Narayanan highlighted India’s achievements from Chandrayaan missions to Mars Orbiter Mission and advancements in cryogenic technology.
He said, Mars Orbiter Mission in 2014 made India the first nation to reach Mars on its maiden attempt.
The International Cricket Council unveiled its flagship “Will to Win” campaign for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
Built on the core concept of determination and perseverance leading to glory, the campaign celebrates the journey of resilience, belief and transformation that defines women’s cricket.
While India’s 12 year wait to host the mega tournament also gets a brush, the idea of cricket enabling a million dreams by empowering women from adversity to triumph, takes centre stage.
The ICC brings in the spotlight to several star cricketers including India’s Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, Australia’s Ellyse Perry,
South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp, Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali, Bangladesh’s Nigar Sultana Joty, New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt through the campaign.
The visual representation weaves an emotional connect with audiences by showcasing not just the players’ present-day brilliance but also their early dreams and relentless journeys.
India’s external debt increased 10.1 per cent in 2024-25 (FY25) to $736.3 billion, marking the fastest expansion in seven years in dollar terms. In rupee terms, the debt stock climbed to ₹63 trillion, reflecting a 13 per cent growth and an addition of ₹7.3 trillion, according to the External Debt Status Report 2024-2025 released by the Union Finance Ministry.
The dollar-terms growth significantly outpaced the 6.4 per cent uptick recorded in FY24, when external debt had touched $663.8 billion. The FY25 external debt growth was the highest in seven years in rupee terms as well. In FY18, external debt had increased 12.6 per cent in rupee terms and 12.3 per cent in dollar terms.
A regulator has approved a world-first vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia infections, which are causing infertility and death in the iconic native species that is listed as endangered in parts of Australia.
The single-dose vaccine was developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland state after more than a decade of research led by professor of microbiology Peter Timms.
The research showed the vaccine reduced the likelihood of koalas developing symptoms of chlamydia during breeding age and decreased mortality from the disease in wild populations by at least 65%.
The recent approval by Australia's veterinary medicine regulator means the vaccine can now be used in wildlife hospitals, veterinary clinics and in the field to protect the nation's most at-risk koalas, Timms said.
Deborah Tabart, chair of the conservation charity Australian Koala Foundation, said resources being spent on vaccinating koalas should be redirected at saving koala habitat.
Tabart's foundation estimates there are fewer than 100,000 koalas in the wild.The government-backed National Koala Monitoring Programme estimated last year there were between 224,000 and 524,000 koalas.
Koalas are listed as endangered species in the states of Queensland and New South Wales and in the Australian Capital Territory, with habitat loss due to wildfires and urban expansion as the major threats. Chlamydia can cause urinary tract infections, infertility, blindness and death.
Amazon Pay and ICICI Bank have renewed their long-term partnership to enhance the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card, India’s most-adopted co-branded credit card, with over 5 million customers. Since its launch in 2018, the card has transformed digital payments by offering simple, transparent rewards along with seamless convenience.
The card will reduce the forex markup on international transactions to 1.99%, down from 3.5%, making it even more appealing for frequent travelers. Prime members will continue to enjoy 5% unlimited cashback on shopping and travel bookings via Amazon Pay, while Non-Prime members will receive 3% unlimited rewards,
further strengthening the card as both a rewarding everyday credit card and an ideal travel companion.
Key benefits that remain include no joining or annual fees, unlimited cashback on Amazon shopping and Amazon Pay transactions, always-on 3-month no-cost EMI on eligible Amazon purchases, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
In recognition of the continued importance of South-South cooperation, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 58/220, endorsed the observation of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. 12 September marks the adoption of the 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA), a pivotal framework for technical cooperation among developing countries.
This year’s theme; “New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation”, calls for turning promises into progress. It highlights the growing role of the Global South in tackling shared problems; from strengthening health systems and adapting to climate change to driving digital innovation and sustainable finance.
In its continuing efforts to sustain its influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) amid an expanding Chinese footprint, India pledged $680 million special economic package for Mauritius, including $25 million budgetary assistance for 2025-26 (FY26).
After the delegation-level talks between Indian and Mauritian officials, led by the prime ministers (PMs) of the two countries, PM Narendra Modi said the two nations are working to enable bilateral trade in local currencies following successful launch of UPI and RuPay cards in Mauritius.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, on September 11, 2025, virtually flagged-off a historic Tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition Samudra Pradakshina, the first ever in the world, from the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Over the next nine months, 10 women officers will sail onboard the indigenously-built Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni on an easterly route covering approximately 26,000 nautical miles. They will cross the Equator twice, round the three great Capes - Leeuwin, Horn & Good Hope - covering all major oceans and some of the most dangerous waters,
including the Southern Ocean & the Drake Passage. The team will also make four international port calls before returning to Mumbai in May 2026.
Shri Rajnath Singh termed Samudra Pradakshina as not only a voyage onboard a ship, but also a spiritual sadhana and a journey of discipline & willpower.
About the crew
The 10-member crew includes Expedition Leader Lieutenant Colonel Anuja Varudkar, Deputy Expedition Leader Squadron Leader Shraddha P Raju, along with Major Karamjeet Kaur, Major Omita Dalvi, Captain Prajakta P Nikam, Captain Dauli Butola, Lieutenant Commander Priyanka Gusain, Wing Commander Vibha Singh, Squadron Leader Aruvi Jayadev and Vaishali Bhandari.
The circumnavigation will follow the strict norms of the World Sailing Speed Record Council, requiring the crossing of all longitudes, Equator crossings and completion of over 21,600 nautical miles under sail alone, without use of canals or powered transit.The most formidable phase will be the rounding of Cape Horn in the Southern Ocean during December 2025 - February 2026.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (UK) was the first to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation in 1969. In India, Captain Dilip Donde (Retd) completed the first solo circumnavigation (2009–10) and Commander Abhilash Tomy (Retd) was the first Indian to circumnavigate non-stop in 2012–13.
Navika Sagar Parikrama (2017–18) and Navika Sagar Parikrama-II (2024-25) by Indian Navy on INSV Tarini have been previous successful circumnavigation expeditions.
