The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to resume licensing of urban cooperative banks (UCBs) on an 'on tap' basis after a two-decade pause. The decision follows stakeholder feedback on a discussion paper published…
Reserve Bank of India Hikes Banks' Minimum Daily CRR Maintenance to 99% from October 16
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised the minimum daily Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) maintenance requirement for scheduled banks to 99 per cent from the existing 90 per cent, effective from the fortnight beginning October 16, 2026.
- The decision, announced in an RBI notification issued on Friday and signed by Chief General Manager Manoranjan Padhy of the Department of Regulation, follows a review of prevailing liquidity conditions.
- Currently, banks may maintain a minimum of 90 per cent of required CRR on individual days, provided the average of daily balances over the reporting fortnight does not fall below the prescribed CRR; the revised rule requires at least 99 per cent each day, reducing banks' daily flexibility.
- The move will help reduce banking system liquidity, which stood at a surplus of around 3.88 lakh crore rupees as of October 8.
- The decision raises only the minimum daily maintenance threshold and does not increase the prescribed CRR rate itself; CRR is the portion of banks' net demand and time liabilities maintained as cash reserves with the RBI.
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The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50% on October 7, 2026, the first rate hike since February 2023. The MPC changed its…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised the Bank Rate upwards by 25 basis points from 5.50 per cent to 5.75 per cent with immediate effect, as announced in the Monetary Policy Statement 2026-27 dated October 07, 2026.…
The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, the first hike under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, with a unanimous vote and median dots projecting one more 25 bps hike this year. The hike was largely priced…
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposes curbs on forex derivative contracts and opens special dollar window for three public sector OMCs
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Saturday, October 10, 2026, announced restrictive measures on foreign exchange derivative contracts involving the rupee to strengthen market discipline and ensure orderly functioning of the forex market.
- Authorised Dealers cannot permit users to rebook any cancelled forex derivative contract involving INR, whether deliverable or non-deliverable, while rollover of contracts on maturity remains permitted subject to extant regulations.
- The threshold for undertaking forex derivative transactions to hedge contracted exposures without establishing the underlying exposure has been reduced from USD 100 million to USD 5 million equivalent across all Authorised Dealers, with a corresponding reduction for exchange-traded currency derivatives involving INR across all recognised stock exchanges taken together.
- Authorised Dealers must maintain with the RBI a Foreign Exchange Risk Reserve (FERR) in cash equal to 20% of the INR equivalent of the notional amount for all INR forex derivative contracts exceeding USD 2 million, applicable to contracts hedging current account exposures where the user purchases foreign currency against the rupee.
- Authorised Dealers are required to obtain and retain an undertaking from users confirming that the same underlying exposure has not been hedged with any other Authorised Dealer.
- RBI will open a special window from October 12, 2026, until further notice to meet the entire daily dollar requirements of three public sector oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation — by selling USD through designated banks.
- The rupee closed at 96.71-96.73 against the US dollar on Friday, has lost about 7% this year, and the measures come amid sustained foreign capital outflows and rising fuel prices.
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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Fifth Amendment Directions, 2026 on October 07, 2026, effective from the…
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Twelfth Amendment Directions, 2026 on October 07, 2026, under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Forthcoming Instructions) Amendment Directions, 2026, finalising the framework for the Standardised Approach for Counterparty Credit…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Reserve Bank of India (Small Finance Banks – Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Sixth Amendment Directions, 2026 on October 7, 2026, under Section 35A of the Banking…
Bank Credit Rises 19.4% Year-on-Year in H1 FY27 as Credit-to-Deposit Ratio Hits 81%
Key Updates:
- Indian banks ended the first half of FY27 with year-on-year credit growth of 19.4% and deposit growth of 17.8%, taking the credit-to-deposit ratio to 81% as of September 30, 2026.
- Total bank credit stood at over Rs 229.9 lakh crore and aggregate deposits at about Rs 284 lakh crore as of September 30, 2026.
- Large banks attributed the deposit increase to $133 billion mobilised under the FCNR(B) scheme.
- At the end of the first quarter (June 30, 2026), deposit growth was 13.3% and advances growth was 18.6%; a year earlier, at end-September 2025, credit growth was 11.4% and deposit growth 9.9%.
- Time deposits contributed Rs 36.3 lakh crore, or 84.5% of annual deposit growth, reaching Rs 246.6 lakh crore with 17.3% annual growth, while demand deposits rose 21.6% (Rs 6.6 lakh crore) to Rs 37.4 lakh crore.
- The credit-to-deposit ratio moved from 78.9% in September 2024 to 80.8% in March 2025, fell to 79.9% by September 30, 2025, and peaked at 81.4% on March 31, 2026.
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Non-banking financial companies' (NBFC) credit growth accelerated to 15.8% year-on-year in August 2026 from 10% a year earlier, according to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data. Credit to agriculture and allied activities…
India's debt-to-GDP ratio reached 58.2 per cent in the financial year 2025-26, missing the government's budgeted target of 56.1 per cent by 210 basis points. The central government's fiscal deficit declined from 9.2 per…
The Japanese Credit Rating Agency (JCR) upgraded India's sovereign rating to A- from BBB+. JCR also raised India's country ceiling by one notch to A.
India's gross foreign direct investment (FDI) hit $30.66 billion in the first quarter of 2026-27, the strongest quarter in 15 years, surpassing the previous peak recorded in Q2 of 2020-21. Net FDI in Q1 FY27 stood at a…
SEBI Notifies Revised Settlement Formula and Fast-Track Route for Small Cases
Key Updates:
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) notified new regulations on October 6 providing a revised formula for calculating settlement amounts and a fast-track settlement route.
- Under the new framework, settlement terms comprise the settlement amount, disgorgement of wrongful gains where applicable, and remedial and regulatory terms, removing the existing double counting of wrongful gains, loss avoided or loss caused to investors.
- The settlement amount is based on a base amount linked to the minimum penalty prescribed for the violation, adjusted by factors such as stage of proceedings, regulatory action, gravity of the violation, aggravating and mitigating factors, and legal costs.
- Wrongful gains, loss avoided or loss caused to investors are excluded from the base amount and, where quantified, are disgorged separately.
- Fast-track settlement has two types: violation-based and monetary threshold-based; cases with settlement amounts up to ₹10 lakh move directly from the internal committee to a panel of whole-time members.
- Under violation-based fast-track settlement, covering certain disclosure-related violations, SEBI will issue a notice offering the entity an opportunity to settle by paying the specified amount.
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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved a revised settlement framework with a new formula comprising a base amount linked to minimum penalty, multipliers for stage of proceedings, regulatory action…
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) proposed reviewing the Closing Auction Session (CAS) framework, market timings and derivatives settlement methodology, with two options for expiry-day settlement prices.…
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced that the regulator is examining position limits for non-agricultural commodity derivative contracts to improve liquidity and depth…
GST Council Proposes 2% TDS on Specified Waste and Scrap Transactions
Key Updates:
- The 57th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has proposed a 2% tax deducted at source (TDS) on specified waste and scrap transactions between registered businesses, along with a reverse charge mechanism (RCM) on purchases from unregistered suppliers.
- The proposed levy covers plastic waste, discarded tyres, electrical and electronic scrap, and used cooking oil.
- Registered buyers must deduct TDS when purchasing from registered suppliers and pay GST under RCM on purchases from unregistered sellers, even below the GST registration threshold.
- The recommendations were detailed in FAQs issued by the finance ministry, following a similar compliance framework for metal scrap introduced after the 54th GST Council meeting.
- Seaweed-extract biostimulants registered under the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985, will be classified as fertilisers under HSN heading 3101, while products containing plant growth regulators will not qualify for the concession.
- Second-hand car dealers can avail the concessional GST margin scheme while claiming input tax credit on eligible business inputs, but not on the purchase of the second-hand vehicles themselves.
- Retreaded tractor tyres will be aligned with new tractor tyres for GST treatment, and a separate nil-rate entry has been created for psyllium seeds.
- Past disputes involving eligible seaweed-based biostimulants and sublimation paper are proposed to be regularised on an 'as is where is' basis.
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Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue rose 14.8% year-on-year to ₹1,99,853 crore in August 2026. Net GST revenue after refunds increased 8.3% to ₹1,68,057 crore in August 2026.
The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, at its 57th meeting on October 8 approved proposals to rationalise input tax credit (ITC) and refund reforms to support manufacturing, liquidity and…
The 57th Meeting of the GST Council was held on 8 October 2026 in New Delhi under the chairpersonship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The GST Council recommended complete withdrawal of…
Gross GST collections stood at ₹2,03,521 crore in September 2026, up 14.7% year-on-year from ₹1,77,365 crore in September 2025. Net GST revenue after refunds rose 18.1% to ₹1,76,520 crore in September 2026, from…
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority asks Union Health Ministry to list cancer drugs with profit margins capped at 30 per cent
Key Updates:
- The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has directed the Union Health Ministry to submit, by October 14, a list of cancer medicines along with details of their profit margins, which are to be restricted to 30 per cent.
- Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader announced the development in Bengaluru, calling it a historic day for patients' access to medical treatment.
- Khader stated that effective implementation of the proposed measures could reduce out-of-pocket expenditure by around ₹2,500 crore.
- Karnataka's Food and Drug Safety Department compiled a list of around 253 cancer medicines, documenting their landed costs, manufacturing costs and consumer sale prices.
- Karnataka will also seek similar profit-margin regulation for expensive medicines and medical equipment used in treating heart disease and kidney ailments.
- Khader cited excessive pricing examples, including a medicine costing ₹3,000 sold at ₹25,000 and an injection costing ₹5,000 sold at ₹65,000.
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The Centre has capped trade margins at 30% for all non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, which could reduce maximum retail prices (MRPs) by up to 70% and save patients an estimated Rs 2,500 crore annually. The cap covers…
The Centre has decided to cap the trade margin at 30 per cent for 110 non-scheduled cancer drugs, including 35 patented medicines, covering branded, generic, domestic, imported, patented and non-patented medicines. The…
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) fixed the retail prices of 39 new drug formulations under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013. The notification was issued by the Department of…
The Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare recommended that the gap between landing price and MRP of medicines and medical devices should not exceed 20%. The committee cited Tenecteplase, a clot-busting drug…
Statistics Ministry Unveils Manual for States to Compute GDP via Expenditure Approach
Key Updates:
- The statistics ministry unveiled a new manual for computing state GDP through the expenditure approach, tracking household spending, government outlays, capital investments, and net trade, moving away from the decades-old production approach.
- The new methodology explicitly logs modern household costs, including OTT streaming subscriptions, DTH fees, and specialised personal care items such as face washes, hair serums, and electric grooming tools.
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Moody’s Ratings has increased its real GDP growth forecast for India for the 2026-27 fiscal year to 7% from the previous estimate of 6%. The revised growth projection for India is higher than the 6.4% forecast by the…
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) welcomed India's efforts to modernise its statistical framework, noting that the new Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Producer Price Index (PPI) series incorporated into the…
India's central government fiscal deficit stood at ₹7.1 lakh crore, or 41.9% of the full-year target, at end-August 2026, up from ₹6 lakh crore a year earlier. The Centre has set a fiscal deficit target of 4.3% of GDP…
The Union Cabinet-approved 'Bhavya Rasayan' scheme will support states in developing three greenfield chemical parks selected through a challenge mode, with the Centre providing a grant of Rs 1,000 crore per park for…
Centre Clears ₹5,000 Crore German KfW Funding for Telangana Climate Resilient Urban Transformation Initiative
Key Updates:
- The screening committee of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) approved Telangana's Telangana Climate Resilient Urban Transformation Initiative (Telangana-CRUTI) for external assistance of ₹5,000 crore (€500 million) from Germany's development bank KfW.
- The overall programme cost is estimated at ₹7,143 crore, with ₹5,000 crore as external assistance and ₹2,143 crore contributed by the Telangana government.
- A flagship component is the ₹5,257-crore Comprehensive Sewerage and Wastewater Management Transformation Project of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), including an underground sewerage network in Warangal, upgraded wastewater treatment facilities and reuse of treated wastewater.
- Telangana-CRUTI will also support 24x7 water supply, stormwater management, waterbody rejuvenation, integrated solid waste management, blue-green infrastructure and sustainable mobility across priority Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
- The proposal was supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), subject to project-specific Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) before the loan agreement, and endorsed by NITI Aayog with suggestions on prioritisation and governance reforms, which the State government accepted.
- Separately, the Telangana government and UN-Habitat signed a Framework of Cooperation Agreement, with MA&UD Secretary T.K. Sreedevi and UN-Habitat Regional Programmes Division Director Patrick Canagasingham signing for their institutions, to promote sustainable urban development through NIUM.
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Telangana is targeting 5 GW of data centre capacity by 2029, with around $30 billion in potential investment across the AI and digital infrastructure ecosystem. The State has over 2.5 GW of data-centre capacity…
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Board approved the proposal for payment of FPI and FVCI registration and related fees in Indian Rupees (INR). The SEBI Board also approved the proposal for capturing the…
The Telangana government launched a gold and copper mining exploration programme at the Devadurga block in Karnataka. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched the initiative on August 28, 2026, at…
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy requested the Centre to convince Maharashtra to allow increasing the height of the Tummidihatti barrage on the Pranahita river from 148 metres to 150-152 metres. The request was…
Indian Navy to Commission Third Indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Craft Mangrol on 12 October in Mumbai
Key Updates:
- The Indian Navy will commission Mangrol, its third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), on 12 October 2026 at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, with Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, presiding over the ceremony.
- Mangrol is one of eight ASW-SWC being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited under the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, with over 80 per cent indigenous content.
- Named after a coastal town in Gujarat's Junagadh district, the ship carries forward the legacy of the erstwhile INS Mangrol (M85), a minesweeper that served until 7 April 2004.
- The vessel is equipped with the Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher and the Maareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.
- Powered by three diesel engines with waterjet propulsion, Mangrol measures 78 metres in length, displaces 896 to 1,100 tonnes, and can achieve speeds of 25 knots.
- The ship was delivered to the Navy in August 2026, ahead of the formal commissioning ceremony.
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Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) delivered 'Mangrol', the third of eight indigenously designed Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), to the Indian Navy on August 21, 2026. The vessel is designed for coastal…
The Indian Navy will commission its first Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) Samarthak and the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Mangrol in October 2026. Samarthak, built at the Larsen and Toubro shipyard in…
INS Malvan, the second ship in the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft series, will be commissioned on July 22, 2026. The commissioning ceremony will be led by Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the…
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Nipun, its second indigenous Nistar-class Diving Support Vessel, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. INS Nipun was commissioned in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna…
Indian Navy Launches Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel Shreyas (Yard 3040) at GRSE, Kolkata on 10 October 2026
Key Updates:
- Yard 3040, named 'Shreyas' (meaning 'Best' or 'Most Excellent' in Sanskrit), a Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), was launched at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, on 10 October 2026 by Mrs Reyman Kochhar in the presence of Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.
- NGOPVs are indigenously designed and built, with construction concurrently undertaken at two shipyards: GSL, Goa and GRSE, Kolkata.
- These ships will augment existing OPVs/NOPVs for multi-domain operations including maritime surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, HADR and anti-piracy missions.
- The launch aligns with the Government of India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' initiatives.
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Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) launched Shruti, the second Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), at its Kolkata facility on 11 August 2026. The vessel, designated as Yard 3037, was formally…
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) handed over the 51.43-metre fast patrol vessel ICGS Ajit to the Indian Coast Guard on 25 August 2026. The vessel, designated Yard 1277, was formally handed over after the First Reading…
Rajnath Singh Addresses Multinational Air Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Jodhpur, Highlights Defence Self-Reliance and Global Partnerships
Key Updates:
- Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed participants of the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur on October 10, 2026.
- The Indian Air Force hosted the multinational air exercise from 26 September to 12 October 2026, with air forces from seven Friendly Foreign Countries—Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States—along with 32 observer nations.
- Indigenous platforms including the LCA Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand participated in the exercise, which featured combat, transport, surveillance and air-to-air refuelling capabilities.
- Singh highlighted indigenous systems such as Tejas, Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand, LUH, Akash air defence system and AESA radars, and referred to the AMCA programme as a step towards fifth-generation stealth fighter technology.
- The exercise's relevance was underscored by the role of air power in Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated the IAF's ability to conduct precise and calibrated operations.
- Chief of Defence Staff General N. S. Raja Subramani, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Admiral Krishna Swaminathan attended the event.
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The Indian Air Force (IAF) commenced the operational phase of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur, a day after the inaugural ceremony. The multilateral air exercise is being conducted from 26…
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the milestone event marking delivery of the 2,000th aero-engine by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Koraput Division, Odisha, on October 6, 2026. The event will highlight a…
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the NCC's All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek 'Aparajita - Parang La 2026' on August 18, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi. The expedition comprises 28 NCC girl cadets led…
Germany's Airbus A400M military transport aircraft of the German Air Force is taking part in large-force engagements alongside fighter aircraft during Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026 at Jodhpur, strengthening coordination…
Living Planet Index 2026 Reports 73% Average Decline in Global Wildlife Populations
Key Updates:
- The 2026 Living Planet Index (LPI) report records an average decline of 73% in studied wildlife populations between 1970 and 2022.
- The study analysed 35,803 wildlife populations, covering mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
- Data indicates that 50% of the studied populations were in decline, 43% were increasing, and 7% remained stable.
- The 2026 technical report was produced by ZSL.
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Assam is home to 3,260 one-horned rhinoceroses, around 80 per cent of the estimated global population of about 4,075, according to the latest survey announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 15, 2026.…
Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the Uluberia Botanical Institute Herbarium, West Bengal, recorded Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb) Ker Gawl in India for the first time, from West Kameng district…
Assam shelters nearly 80% of the world's greater one-horned rhinoceros, with the global population estimated at 4,075 — 3,323 in India and 752 in Nepal. Kaziranga National Park alone holds more than 2,600 greater…
National Wildlife Day 2026 will be observed on Friday, September 4, 2026. National Wildlife Day was founded in 2005 by Colleen Paige.
South Africa's Pieter Coetze Breaks Men's 50m Backstroke Short-Course World Record in Tashkent
Key Updates:
- South African swimmer Pieter Coetze set a new short-course world record of 22.09 seconds in the men's 50-metre backstroke at a World Aquatics World Cup meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, surpassing the previous record of 22.11 seconds set by Russia's Kliment Kolesnikov in Kazan in 2022.
- Coetze, 22, is the reigning world champion in the 100m backstroke, and this was his first individual world record.
- Kolesnikov finished sixth in the record race with 22.88 seconds, while his compatriot Egor Kornev took second place in 22.29 seconds.
- The men's 50m backstroke is scheduled to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
- Egor Kornev won the men's 100m freestyle final in Tashkent, clocking 45.24 seconds, matching Australia's Cameron McEvoy.
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19-year-old Indian swimmer Rishabh Das set a new national record in the men's 200m backstroke at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, clocking 1:58.77 to finish sixth in the final on September 25, 2026. Rishabh Das…
Ahmedabad to Host BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026 on October 12
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in collaboration with the Government of Gujarat, will organise the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games 2026 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad, on 12 October 2026, under India's BRICS Chairship.
- Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will inaugurate the event, with Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Union Minister of State Raksha Nikhil Khadse and Gujarat Minister of State Jayram Gamit in attendance.
- The Games are a non-competitive platform for demonstration, documentation and exchange of traditional sporting practices, promoting cultural exchange, heritage preservation and people-to-people cooperation among BRICS member and partner countries.
- Participating countries will showcase traditional sports: Belarus (Gorodki), Bolivia (Lucha de Cholitas, Tinku, Rayuela, Trompo, Cachinas, Carrera de Sacos), Brazil (Zarabatana, Corrida de Toras, Brazilian Para-Jiu-jitsu, Capoeira), China (Wushu, Lion Dance, Health Qigong), Ethiopia (Ethiopian Wrestling/Tegel, Ethiopian Gena, Selus Gebeta/18-12/Bube/Shahe), India (Mallakhamb, Yogasana, Kalaripayattu), Iran (Zoorkhaneh, Haft Sang, Ghanieh), Kazakhstan (Asyk Atu, Togyzkumalak, Qazaq Kuresi), Russia (Gorodki, Sambo), South Africa (Kgati, Iintonga) and the United Arab Emirates (Al Tabbah).
- Bilateral meetings with visiting delegations are planned on the sidelines to strengthen sports cooperation and promote traditional and indigenous games within the BRICS framework.
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The Gujarat government has allocated Rs 301 crore for preparations to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, including Rs 200 crore towards the host fee, as informed in the state assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh…
Ahmedabad will host the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships 2026 in October. The championships will be held at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed on Tuesday that India and Qatar are among seven bidders in the race to host the 2036 Olympics, with South Africa, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Turkey also in talks…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will host…
Vande Bharat trainset built at Rail Coach Factory Kapurthala clears 180 kmph high-speed trial on Mathura-Nagda section
Key Updates:
- A new 16-coach Vande Bharat Chair Car trainset, manufactured at Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, Punjab, completed a high-speed trial at 180 kmph on the Mathura-Nagda section.
- The trial took place on October 8, 2026, under the supervision of the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS), assessing high-speed performance, operational efficiency and safety parameters.
- Completing the 180 kmph trial does not automatically mean the train will run at that speed in regular service; its permitted operating speed depends on safety clearances and operational requirements.
- The trainset features KAVACH, automatic plug doors, bio-vacuum toilets, CCTV in all coaches, aerosol-based fire detection, and a design/operating speed of 180/160 kmph.
- RCF Kapurthala achieved its highest-ever annual production of 2,383 coaches in financial year 2025-26 and also exports railway coaches to countries in Asia and Africa.
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The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat route offers views of snow-covered peaks, green valleys, and rivers. The Mumbai-Madgaon Vande Bharat passes through the Konkan region and Western Ghats, with waterfalls and misty hills…
The maximum permitted speed on the 111-km Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Banihal railway section has been raised from 75 kmph to 100 kmph, over a year after the section was inaugurated in June 2025. Vande Bharat Express…
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL) signed a joint venture agreement on September 15, 2026, to maintain 80 Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets. The joint venture company will…
The Ministry of Railways approved a plan to increase the maximum permissible train speed to 100 kmph on the 111-km Katra-Banihal broad gauge section. The approved speed enhancement covers the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi…
IIT Ropar Confers Inaugural MTech Defence Technology Degrees on 59 Army Officers
Key Updates:
- IIT Ropar awarded its first batch of MTech (defence technology) degrees to 59 officers of the Armoured Corps Centre and School (ACC&S) at Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, on Friday, marking the institute's inaugural military-focused postgraduate programme.
- The degrees were presented by IIT Ropar director Rajeev Ahuja.
- The MTech programme was developed jointly by IIT Ropar and ACC&S and focuses on defence applications, applied research and technology-driven solutions to support modernisation and indigenisation of India's armed forces.
- It is the first time an IIT offered an advanced postgraduate degree built specifically for military applications.
- The associated agreement creates a framework for joint research and development covering armoured vehicle technologies, advanced armaments and new materials.
- The initiative supports India's vision of self-reliance in defence and the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047.
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IIT-Ropar signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Army Air Defence College, Gopalpur, under which it will award MTech degrees in Defence Technology to officers of the Indian Army. The agreement was signed by Prof…
Madhya Pradesh High Court Quashes 2019 Law Raising OBC Quota From 14% to 27%
Key Updates:
- The Madhya Pradesh High Court struck down the 2019 law that increased OBC reservation in the state from 14% to 27%, holding that the state failed to establish exceptional circumstances to breach the Supreme Court-mandated 50% ceiling on reservations.
- A division bench of Justices Anand Pathak and Vinay Saraf ruled that OBCs are entitled to 14% reservation but the increase to 27% was not justified.
- The court cited a 2023 study by Dr BR Ambedkar University of Social Sciences showing OBCs held 28.16% of government positions and accounted for 33.87% of higher education enrolment, along with AISHE 2021-22 data showing OBC enrolment rose 163%.
- The court noted the state is politically dominated by OBCs, with four Chief Ministers in regular succession and over 25% of Ministers and MLAs from the OBC category.
- OBC candidates appointed between March 2019 and September 29, 2022 under the additional quota will not be removed; appointments after that date are to be made on an 87% basis, with recruitment agencies directed to complete them within three months.
- The 2019 law was enacted by the then Congress government led by Kamal Nath, and the BJP government that came to power in 2020 also supported it.
- Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government would study the judgment and ensure further legal proceedings, while Congress announced it would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.
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The Supreme Court dismissed Andhra Pradesh's appeal against the high court verdict setting aside 34% reservation for Backward Classes in local bodies, holding there was a lack of empirical data to justify reservation…
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved ₹348.07 crore for the 2026-27 academic session to provide a uniform allowance of ₹600 each to 5.8 million students of Classes 1 to 8 in government schools via Direct Benefit Transfer…
The Supreme Court collegium recommended the chief justices of Gujarat, Delhi and Telangana High Courts — Justices Sunita Agarwal, Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Aparesh Kumar Singh — for appointment as judges of the Supreme…
The Madhya Pradesh archaeology department has collected a rare record of the 1857 mutiny against the British signed by rebel Tatya Tope. The collection is part of India’s Gyan Bharatam Mission, under which citizens were…
