Former Indian Air Force Group Captain and Vir Chakra awardee Abhinandan Varthaman has joined Goa-based regional airline FLY91 as a pilot.
Mr. Varthaman, who downed an enemy jet during an aerial combat with Pakistan in 2019 and was held captive for three days in that country, was honoured with the Vir Chakra award in 2021.
The fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force was decorated with Vir Chakra — India's third-highest wartime gallantry medal — for displaying an "exceptional sense of duty" during the dogfight, as per the award citation.
FLY91, which started flying in March 2024, currently operates a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, calling for stronger cooperation on security, connectivity and development while urging member countries to take committed action against terrorism.
The summit, held from August 31 to September 1 in the Kyrgyz Republic, coincides with the 25th anniversary of the SCO. Leaders reviewed the organisation’s progress and discussed ways to strengthen its role in promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region.
The SCO’s 25th anniversary provided an opportunity to prepare a roadmap for the next 25 years, building on the organisation’s tradition of dialogue and cooperation. The Bishkek Summit adopted the Bishkek Declaration, along with four Memoranda of Understanding and more than 20 decisions and statements covering areas including climate, nuclear safety,
energy conservation and combating drug addiction.
India also led and supported several initiatives incorporated into the Bishkek Declaration. These included English as an official language in the SCO Charter, the Civilisation Dialogue Forum, the Young Scientist Forum and the Young Author’s Conclave.
Pakistan’s cultural hub, Lahore, has been named the Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27 by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).The decision was announced at the 26th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The Tourism and Cultural Capital title has been annually rotated among SCO member states since 2022 and aims to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among member states while highlighting the cultural heritage of the country holding the organisation’s rotating presidency.
Pakistan assumed the SCO presidency , with Mr. Sharif defining the theme of the chairmanship as ‘Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity’.
The decision to designate Lahore was taken in April , when the heads of tourism administrations of SCO member states met in Bishkek. Cities that previously held the title include
Varanasi in India (2022-23), Almaty in Kazakhstan (2023-24), Qingdao in China (2024-25) and Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan (2025-26).
The Beijing-headquartered SCO, marking its 25th anniversary this year, is a regional grouping founded in 2001 comprising 10 member states, including India. The summit was held in Bishkek under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan.
Smriti Mandhana has created history by becoming the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket, surpassing the legendary Mithali Raj during India's Women's Asia Cup 2026 Group A match against Hong Kong in Dubai. Mandhana went past Mithali Raj's tally of 10,868 international runs,
becoming the all-time leading run-scorer in women's international cricket across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. She scored a stunning 124 off 64 balls, hitting 14 fours and 7 sixes, as India posted 193/5 against Hong Kong. The knock took her career aggregate to around 10,880 international runs, placing her ahead of Mithali Raj.
Giorgia Meloni has made history by leading Italy's longest-serving uninterrupted government since World War II, surpassing the previous record held by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Her coalition government has remained in office for 1,413 consecutive days since taking power in October 2022,
a rare achievement in a country known for frequent government changes. Since the Italian Republic was founded in 1946, Italy has had 68 governments in about 80 years, with an average government lasting only around 14 months. Meloni's government overtook Berlusconi's 2001–2005 administration, which had previously held the post-war longevity record.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to acquire an aggregate holding of up to 9.99 per cent of the paid-up share capital or voting rights in the bank, according to an exchange filing.The approval allows LIC to acquire the stake within one year from the date of the RBI letter,
failing which the central bank's approval will stand cancelled. The approval is subject to certain conditions, including compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory provisions. As of June 30, 2026, LIC had a 4.35 per cent stake in the bank, and if the insurer acquires a 9.99 per cent stake in the bank, its stake will increase to 14.34 per cent.
According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai), insurers are allowed to acquire up to a 15 per cent stake in a company, depending on the size of the insurer’s assets.
LIC remains the single largest institutional investor in domestic equity markets,
holding substantial minority stakes across major public and private lenders, infrastructure enterprises, and technology firms. Its assets under management (AUM) at the end of the June quarter of FY27 (Q1FY27) were Rs.59.39 trillion. The insurer also posted a 6 per cent year-on-year increase in its investment income to Rs 1.09 trillion in the quarter.
President Droupadi appointed eight judges of various High Courts as Chief Justices of different High Courts.
Justice Sanjay Kumar Agarwal of the Chhattisgarh High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Valluri Rameshwar Rao of the Delhi High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Patna High Court,
Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge of the Bombay High Court will head the Calcutta High Court.
Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the same court.
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra of the Orissa High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court,
while Justice Alpesh Yeshwant Kogje of the Gujarat High Court will head the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi of the Allahabad High Court will take over as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati of the Rajasthan High Court has been appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of J&k and Ladakh.
India and Japan have launched Exercise Veer Guardian 2026, with three Japanese F-2A fighter aircraft arriving at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan—the first time Japanese fighter jets are operating from an Indian air base in a bilateral air exercise. It marks the first deployment of Japanese fighter aircraft to India for a bilateral air exercise,
reflecting the deepening India–Japan defence partnership. The exercise focuses on air-to-air combat manoeuvring, mission planning, communication, and tactical coordination, helping both air forces improve interoperability and operational synergy. India is expected to field frontline fighters, including the Su-30MKI and LCA Tejas,
for realistic combat training with the F-2A.The first edition of Exercise Veer Guardian was held in Japan in January 2023, where the IAF deployed Su-30MKI fighters while Japan participated with F-2 and F-15 aircraft. The 2026 edition represents a major step forward by bringing Japanese fighters to Indian soil for the first time.
The Central Government has deferred the house-listing operations for Census 2027 in Manipur until further notice, making Manipur the only state where this phase of the census has been postponed. The decision was notified by the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs by amending the earlier Census schedule.
The postponement follows strong demands from Meitei, Naga, and Pangal civil society groups that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) should be updated before conducting the Census. The Manipur Legislative Assembly also passed a resolution urging the Centre to update the NRC before the Census,
while the Manipur High Court had earlier directed the state government to keep the house-listing exercise in abeyance. The issue remains contentious, with Kuki-Zo organisations opposing an NRC-before-Census sequence, arguing that the Census should be completed first.
India and the United States (US) collaborated to expand the space economy and join the Moon Base programme, US Ambassador Sergio Gor announced , while inviting Indian startups to explore opportunities within the American market.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has officially invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to join its Moon Base programme.India has set a target of launching up to 300 more satellites from 56 now in the next seven years, and plans to land its first astronauts on the Moon by the year 2040.
India's bold space sector reforms ignited an awakening of the private sector. Innovators like Pixxel, GalaxEye, Skyroot, and AgniKul Cosmos are making giant leaps. Launched in 2025, the India-US NISAR satellite mission is already transforming global Earth observation by providing critical data for climate research, disaster management.
Initial public offering (IPO)-bound business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce (ecom) firm Udaan has acquired LYNK Logistics Limited (LYNK), Swiggy’s wholly-owned, technology-driven retail distribution platform, for Rs.500 crore.
The transaction will be settled through the issuance of preference equity shares to Swiggy in Trustroot Internet Private Limited (TIPL), the parent entity of Udaan.
As part of the transaction, Swiggy will acquire about 2.8 per cent stake in Udaan and make a primary equity investment of Rs.75 crore in TIPL for an additional 0.4 per cent stake in Udaan.
Credit against gold jewellery by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), including housing finance companies, grew 68.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in July 2026, accelerating sharply from 43.9 per cent a year earlier. In contrast, growth in banks’ credit against gold jewellery moderated to 88.1 per cent from 136.4 per cent during the same period
At the end of July, NBFCs’ gold loan book stood at nearly Rs.3.54 trillion, while that of banks stood at Rs.5.52 trillion. Gold loans were the fastest-growing category within retail loans for NBFCs, reflecting increased demand for gold-backed credit.
Novartis India has acquired the Minipress and Minipres trademarks in India and certain related intellectual property rights from Pfizer Inc and Pfizer Products Inc for Rs 1,250 crore, expanding its cardiovascular portfolio with an established hypertension brand.
The company’s board approved the transaction , following which Novartis India executed an asset purchase agreement and trademark assignment deeds with Pfizer Inc and Pfizer Products Inc. The transaction involves the acquisition of the trademarks registered in India. The signing and closing of the transaction are to take place simultaneously
According to IQVIA data cited by Novartis India, Minipress XL generated revenue of Rs 228.6 crore in the 12 months ended July 2026. The brand has recorded a 6.3 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the past four years, compared with 9 per cent growth for the overall category during the same period.
Minipress XL contains prazosin and is primarily used in India for treating hypertension, or high blood pressure, and managing urinary symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition involving enlargement of the prostate. The acquisition, therefore, strengthens Novartis India’s presence in cardiovascular therapies.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Monday exempted foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) investing exclusively in government securities from furnishing investor group details. The market regulator amended its Master Circular for FPIs, Designated Depository Participants (DDPs), and Eligible Foreign Investors, dated May 30, 2024.
The move extends a relaxation Sebi first carved out in September 2025 for FPIs investing only in government bonds under the fully accessible route (FAR).The latest amendment follows the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI's) June 5, 2026 circular, which withdrew the requirement for FPIs investing in government securities through the general route to comply with
the prescribed concentration limit. With the concentration limit no longer applicable, Sebi said the requirement for identifying investor groups for such FPIs had become redundant and was accordingly scrapped. The revised provision now reads: "FPIs investing only in government securities shall not be required to furnish investor group details,"
widening the earlier exemption that was restricted to the fully accessible route alone to cover all FPIs investing purely in government debt, irrespective of route.
The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is observed every year on 7 September. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) through Resolution A/RES/74/212 in 2019, with the first observance held in 2020.
Theme for 2026 - "Clean Air for Climate Action"
The 2026 campaign highlights that tackling air pollution and climate change together delivers major health and economic benefits. It is centered on the UNEP–Climate and Clean Air Coalition report, Hidden Assets: The Economic and Health Case for Climate and Clean Air Action, which outlines 25 proven measures to reduce emissions, improve public health.
The launch of PACT and the ZET Marketplace is aimed at addressing the challenges by bringing different stakeholders together and creating greater visibility around demand and investment. Electric freight vehicle adoption has begun to pick up, with deployments rising more than fourfold from 201 vehicles in FY25 to 826 in FY26.
India is stepping up efforts to electrify its freight sector, with NITI Aayog launching two platforms aimed at tackling key challenges facing electric truck adoption, including fragmented demand, high financing costs, and inadequate charging infrastructure.
At the fifth e-FAST India Summit 2026,
NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba launched the Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport (PACT) and the Zero Emission Truck (ZET) Marketplace. The initiatives are aimed at moving electric freight from individual pilot projects towards larger-scale commercial deployment.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organized the Swachh Vayu Diwas 2026 today, on the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. The event was presided over by Chairperson, National Green Tribunal (NGT), Justice Prakash Shrivastava as Chief Guest.
In his address on the occasion, Secretary (EFCC), Shri Tanmay Kumar informed that the Government of India is taking a multi-pronged, coordinated and scientific approach towards tackling air pollution as per Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision. Public representatives are being incorporated in this mission
to encourage participation of citizens to fight air pollution as well ensure capacity building of all stakeholders. Shri Kumar talked about the NCAP that provides a framework where cities have their own strategies to ensure clean air, while the PRANA portal tracks various parameters of air quality management for 130 cities under NCAP.
The Hon’ble Union Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics & Information Technology and Commerce & Industry, Shri Jitin Prasada, led the Indian delegation at the G20 Innovation Ministers’ Meeting held on 1–2 September 2026 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States (US), hosted by the US Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy (OSTP). The Hon’ble MoS was accompanied by Shri Ajit Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), senior officials from MeitY,Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), as well as officials of the Embassy of India in the US.
At the conclusion of the Ministerial, the G20 Ministers released the Innovation Ministerial Statement recognizing that “emerging technologies have the potential to unlock prosperity, enhance productivity, and expand opportunity for all our peoples. ”The consensus statement articulates shared broad agreement across six pillars:
pro-innovation policy frameworks, technology for opportunity and prosperity, skilled technical workforce development, intellectual property policies for artificial intelligence (AI), AI for standards and standards for AI, and industrial innovation and investment in supply chains.
pro-innovation policy frameworks, technology for opportunity and prosperity, skilled technical workforce development, intellectual property policies for artificial intelligence (AI), AI for standards and standards for AI, and industrial innovation and investment in supply chains.
Ministers also reached consensus on the Carolina Principles for Emerging Technologies, which call on countries to invest in foundational research, strengthen commercialization pathways, and enable trusted technology adoption and deployment. Other deliverables of the Ministerial included the AI Prosperity Objectives and the AI Prosperity Compact,
which will further technical workforce development across G20 nations and expand opportunities for private sector partnership.
President Murmu has appointed BJP MP Dinesh Sharma as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.Sharma, 62, earlier served as deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2017 to 2022 and previously served as the Mayor of Lucknow.
Later he went on to become an MP in the Rajya Sabha. Sharma was nominated as the BJP candidate for the 2023 Rajya Sabha by-election from Uttar Pradesh. He was elected unopposed, thereby becoming a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.
His Rajya Sabha term was to end on November 25. He was also on the panel of vice chairpersons in the Rajya Sabha.
The IndiaAI Mission, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), held a bilateral dialogue with a delegation from Sweden under the Sweden-India Technology and AI Corridor (SITAC) at Electronics Niketan, New Delhi.
The session brought together senior representatives from MeitY, IndiaAI Mission, the Embassy of Sweden in India, Business Sweden and leading Swedish companies to discuss India’s evolving AI ecosystem, digitalisation priorities and opportunities for deeper bilateral engagement in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared capital acquisition proposals worth over 1.10 lakh crore rupees for the defence forces. The approval was granted during a meeting of the Council held under the Chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The proposals include, procurement of Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN)
Recce Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMV), Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers (MML), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge System for the Indian Army. For the Indian Navy, Acceptance of Necessity was accorded for the procurement of Arudhra Radars, Design and Development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines
Arudhra Radar will replace the existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various Naval Air Stations and MGT, a warship propulsion system, will reduce dependency on foreign vendors. Meanwhile, for the Indian Air Force, approval was granted to various proposals to enhance the war-fighting capability of fighters, transports and helicopters.
Approval was also accorded for procuring Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammer (GBMPJ) and installing Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) System.
Defence Ministry said that 98 percent of total procurements will be made from the Indian Industry. The CBRN Recce Vehicles will be capable of detecting, identifying,
monitoring and marking of areas contaminated with CBRN agents. The HMVs will enhance operational capabilities, logistic support and mobility in challenging terrains. The MMLs will achieve the desired operational capability in terms of fast and responsive minelaying in difficult terrains. The ALHs will execute complex missions across all terrains and
operational situations for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. The Trawl Tanks and Bridge System will be utilised to provide composite crossings to fighting formations during operations in varied terrains.
