National

The Indian Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force have commenced their 14-day bilateral air exercise 'Veer Guardian 2026' at Air Force Station Jodhpur.

The Reserve Bank of India has rejected Tata Sons' application to surrender its Core Investment Company registration, clearing the path for the $185-billion conglomerate's holding firm to go public.

The Union Ministry of Environment conferred the 5th Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Awards on Swachh Vayu Diwas 2026 to celebrate top-performing cities in air quality management. Lucknow topped the category of cities with over 1 million population, while Rourkela led the 3 to 10 lakh category.

The Ministry of Rural Development announced the operational guidelines for DILRMP 3.0, backed by a ₹565.50 crore outlay to build a GIS-enabled land infrastructure. The five-year roadmap introduces paperless property registration and assigns a 14-digit Unique Land Parcel Identification Number to every land plot.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing stricter standards for grievance redressal and online price disclosures. Coming into force on January 1, 2027, the regulations ban dark patterns, fake discount practices, and search result manipulation.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda inaugurated critical care facilities and public health labs across Andhra Pradesh under PM-ABHIM to boost emergency medical responses.

The Union Cabinet approved eight railway expansion projects worth ₹20,804 crore to add 1,196 km of track across nine states, aiming to boost freight capacity and ease traffic congestion by 2030.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed welcomed an $11.5 billion investment by UAE's International Holding Company for a greenfield aluminium project in Odisha.

The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹1.10 lakh crore for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. About 98% of the total procurement value will be sourced from domestic Indian defence manufacturers.

The 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, will hold its first official meeting on September 18 under the chairmanship of BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled 'OneTag' at the 7th Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, allowing vehicle owners to switch FASTag issuer banks without changing the physical tag.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has directed state-run oil marketing companies to implement a uniform 25-day refill booking interval for all domestic LPG consumers nationwide. This decision removes the 45-day waiting period previously imposed on rural households.

Addressing the 3rd Global Summit on Advanced Materials and Critical Minerals in New Delhi, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh asserted that critical minerals are strategic assets vital for national security and clean energy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated three final sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor in Vadodara, completing India's nationwide 2,800-km dedicated freight network.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met with representatives of major farmer organizations across India to finalize the draft of a new and stringent Seed Act. The proposed law seeks to replace the outdated 1966 legislation by establishing QR-code traceability and imposing heavy penalties for selling fake seeds.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has proposed a constitutional provision under Article 371 to grant a directly elected governing body with legislative authority for the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has virtually launched 'ORV Sagar Manthan', a ₹840-crore state-of-the-art oceanographic research vessel built indigenously by GRSE Kolkata. Developed under the Deep Ocean Mission, the ship will boost deep-sea exploration and scientific research.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized around 41 kg of foreign-origin gold valued at ₹62 crore in six pan-India operations. Twenty-four individuals, including three foreign nationals, have been arrested.