National

The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹586 crore contract with Accurate Industrial Controls Private Limited to procure indigenously developed Auxiliary Power Units for T-72 and T-90 battle tanks.

The 22nd edition of the bilateral India-US military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas 2026' commenced simultaneously at Auli in Uttarakhand and Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan. The multi-domain drills focus on high-altitude mountain warfare, counterterrorism operations, and emerging military technologies.

The Indian Army is establishing six specialized AASHVAST laboratories across the country to conduct mandatory hardware and firmware security checks on military drones and surveillance systems. The initiative aims to detect undisclosed foreign components, backdoor vulnerabilities, and cyber risks to bolster defense security.

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises celebrated the third anniversary of the PM Vishwakarma Scheme in Kolkata, announcing that over 30 lakh traditional artisans have registered under the flagship initiative. Around 24.5 lakh beneficiaries have already received basic skill training alongside financial and marketing support.

The 3rd BIMSTEC Conference on Traditional Medicine Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Intellectual Property Rights concluded in Goa, adopting the "Goa Conclusions" framework to protect traditional health heritage.

An Indian Navy warship and a Pakistan Navy vessel collided in international waters in the North Arabian Sea, leading India to lodge a strong diplomatic protest with Pakistan.

The India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Sub-Committee met in New Delhi to review bilateral market access, customs digitization, border infrastructure, and rail-road connectivity.

Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth completed a high-profile three-day official visit to Russia, engaging with senior Russian military leadership on capability development, training exchanges, and artillery modernization. The visit reinforces strategic Army-to-Army cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a massive ₹14,105.83 crore investment for the 1,200 MW Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project on the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the dedicated online monitoring portal for Special Campaign 6.0 across 84 Central Ministries and Departments. The initiative aims to clear administrative pendency, free up office space, and promote systematic e-waste recycling.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth chaired the 15th Defence Information Technology Consultative Committee meeting in New Delhi to advance indigenous IT solutions for India's armed forces. The committee approved strategic projects focusing on advanced chip manufacturing, sovereign operating systems, and secure defence data centers.

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.