Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey 2025-26 in Parliament.Prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the supervision of Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran, the Survey offers government’s official assessment of the state of the economy and an outlook for the coming FY.
Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men’s team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness. The 72 year old earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985. Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men’s team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), the apex institute under the Ministry of AYUSH, has achieved a significant milestone in digital health by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Ayurveda Education, Innovation & Technology (CAYEIT).
This partnership aims to foster cutting-edge research, technology transfer, and innovative educational frameworks within the Ayurvedic sector.
The event concluded with vote of thanks from Dr. Prashant Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor, Department of Kaumarabhritya, AIIA New Delhi. Till date All India Institute of Ayurveda has signed 74 National MoUs and 20 International MoU.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, superseding the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The rules have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and will come into full effect from April 1, 2026.
The revised rules integrate the principles of Circular Economy and Extended Producer Responsibility, with a specific focus on efficient waste segregation and management.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) will prepare the relevant guidelines, while State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees will levy the environmental compensation.
Four-stream Segregation of Solid Waste at Source
Four-stream segregation of solid waste at source has been made mandatory under the SWM Rules, 2026. Waste is required to be segregated into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste.
Minister for state of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Jitin Prasada, launched the Aadhar App in New Delhi on the occasion of the Unique Identification Authority of India day. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that Aadhar is one of India’s strongest global examples of digital innovation and inclusive governance.
Mr Prasada underlined that the country is now being recognised as a digital and skill capital of the world. He highlighted that the upcoming AI Impact summit scheduled for next month in India will showcase the country as a global service provider for AI and emerging technologies.
With the new Aadhaar app, users can make their Aadhaar information more secure, keep it updated, and share it safely with others. The app allows citizens to update their mobile number and home address online, perform secure online verification, and manage multiple Aadhaar cards of family members at the same time.
Star England and Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt created history on Monday during Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 Match 16 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara as she became the first batter to score a century in WPL history.
Before this, ten batters crossed the ninety-run mark but none managed to reach the three-digit mark. Georgi Voll (99 not out off 56 balls) and Sophie Devine (99 runs off 36 balls) held the joint highest individual score in the tournament record before Brunt’s record-breaking century.
Capital expenditure by the central government is expected to cross Rs 12 lakh crore in (Financial Year) FY27, registering a year-on-year growth of around 10 per cent, according to a report by the State Bank of India (SBI).
The SBI report highlighted a steady rise in government-led capital spending over the years, highlighting the continued focus on infrastructure creation and economic growth.
Data from the report showed that total capital expenditure through the Budget increased sharply from Rs 2.5 lakh crore in FY16 to Rs 11.2 lakh crore in FY26, as per Budget Estimates.
Grants for the creation of capital assets have also shown a rising trend. These grants increased from Rs 1.3 lakh crore in FY16 to Rs 4.3 lakh crore in FY26, reflecting higher support for asset creation at various levels of government.
The report also shared that capital expenditure by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), funded through internal and extra-budgetary resources, stood at Rs 4.3 lakh crore in FY26. When budgetary capex and grants are combined, effective capex rose significantly over the years, reaching Rs 15.5 lakh crore in FY26.
In a strategic move to boost offshore energy exploration and operational efficiency, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Reliance Industries Ltd have signed an agreement to share resources such as supply vessels used in finding and producing oil and gas.
The two firms signed an MoU for resource-sharing collaboration on the sidelines of India Energy Week (IEW), ONGC Director (Production) Pankaj Kumar said.
The pact aims to enhance operational efficiency, enable faster execution of offshore projects, and create stronger synergies between India's largest oil and gas producer and the nation's biggest and most valuable company who have adjacent fields and operations particularly off the east coast, he said.
A team of researchers from Nagaland University has recorded a new plant species in the high-altitude forests of Nagaland, cementing the northeastern region of India as a biodiversity hotspot and reaffirming the vital role of community-protected forests in conservation.
The hitherto undocumented species, Hoya nagaensis, was found during botanical surveys in remote forest areas that have remained largely unexplored by science.
Nagaland’s forests are unusual in that many are protected and managed by local communities rather than the State.
While this traditional stewardship has preserved vast tracts of forest, limited scientific documentation has left much of the region’s biodiversity unrecorded.
Led by Gyati Yam of the University’s Department of Forestry, the study involved observation, specimen collection, and comparison with known species.
The other authors of the study are the university’s researchers, Vieneite-o Koza and Joynath Pegu.
The research, supported by Nagaland University’s Start-Up Project for Young Faculty, was published in Kew Bulletin, an international journal on plant taxonomy and biodiversity.
India is participating as a partner country at Gulfood 2026, the world’s largest annual food and beverage sourcing event, which opened today in Dubai across two venues for the first time in its 31-year history.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is leading India’s participation at the event, which spans the Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai.
The pavilion features 161 exhibitors from 25 states and regions across India, representing exporters, farmer-producer organisations, cooperatives, startups, state government agencies and national institutions.
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is also participating, with 11 exhibitors showcasing agricultural and food products, primarily basmati rice and other cereal grains. A high-level delegation led by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is visiting Gulfood 2026.
Our Dubai Correspondent reports that India’s participation reflects its growing role in global agri-food trade and strengthened ties with the UAE following the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which has enhanced market access for Indian agricultural and food products in the Gulf region. Gulfood 2026 will be open till 30th of this month.
Venezuela's National Assembly approved sweeping changes to the country's oil laws, granting foreign energy companies greater operational control and opening the door to sharply reduced royalties, a move that could reshape the nation's energy sector.
The overhaul also enables authorities to lower taxes and royalties paid to the government, although Petroleos de Venezuela will remain under state ownership.
The reforms reverse key elements of Venezuela's 2007 nationalisation drive, which had prompted major US oil companies to exit the country despite its vast reserves.
The changes are expected to provide a short-term boost to Venezuela's oil-dependent economy, which has suffered for years from falling revenues, infrastructure decay, expropriations and US sanctions.
Chandrakant Lahariya, former staff member of World Health Organisation (WHO), has won the Wiley Research Heroes Prize 2025.
According to a press release, Dr. Lahariya is the first and only Indian so far to win this prize, which received over 2,000 nominations.
These awards highlight individuals who ensure that research is inclusive, innovative, and impactful. He won in the category of “Impact Beyond Academia” prize this year. Dr. Lahariya has been recognised among five researchers from around the world for outstanding research contributions and research for policy impact.
