Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

His Excellency Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, met the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 12, 2026. Welcoming the Iranian President on his first visit to India, the President expressed appreciation for Iran's support during India's BRICS presidency. Both leaders discussed long-standing bonds of friendship, including strong cultural and people-to-people ties. The President reiterated India's commitment to enduring regional peace and emphasized that conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Le Minh Hung, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Vietnam’s participation as a Partner Country in the summit. The leaders reviewed bilateral ties, which were elevated to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during a State Visit in May 2026, and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual importance. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their partnership, noting Vietnam's role as a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and Southeast Asia engagement.

The two-day National Conference on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW), organised by the Ministry of Labour & Employment in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, concluded in Mumbai. The event brought together central and state officials, BOCW Welfare Boards, and stakeholders to discuss worker welfare, skilling, employment, and social protection. Discussions focused on addressing labour market asymmetries, worker mobility, occupational health and safety, and the role of BOCW boards under the New Labour Codes. States and UTs showcased various initiatives, including skill development in Uttar Pradesh, Digital Labour Chowks in Rajasthan, Shram Seva Suvidha Kendras in Bihar, and the Nirman Sakhi Portal in Assam.

On 12 September 2026, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, two commemorative postage stamps were released to mark two decades of BRICS cooperation (2006–2026). The stamps celebrate the evolution of BRICS as a platform for dialogue, cooperation, mutual respect, understanding, and solidarity. Additionally, they capture the priorities of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,' highlighting a people-centric vision and 'humanity first' approach.

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited operating in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, has showcased significant operational, financial, and technological transformation since 2014. SECL's annual coal production increased from 124.26 million tonnes in 2013-14 to 176.28 million tonnes in 2025-26, while Output per Man-Shift more than doubled. The company has advanced mechanization through surface miners and continuous miners, expanded First Mile Connectivity projects, developed railway corridors in partnership with IRCON and the Chhattisgarh government, integrated digital systems like DigiCOAL, and enhanced its CSR initiatives, environmental restoration, and renewable energy capacities.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi, hosted Ms. Zahra Pezeshkian, daughter of the President of Iran, at the BRICS Bazaar held at the National Crafts Museum in New Delhi. The event was organized under the framework of India's BRICS 2026 Chairship. The Bazaar serves as a platform to showcase the diverse art, traditional crafts, and cultural heritage of BRICS member and partner nations. The interaction highlighted the significance of such forums in fostering cultural connections and strengthening ties among the participating countries.

The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi, held a luncheon meeting with Her Excellency Mrs. Louise Araneta-Marcos, First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines. During the meeting, the Union Minister shared the vision of women-led development and underscored India's commitment to empowering women as leaders and equal partners in shaping a prosperous future.

The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar, organized a three-day workshop on microbiome research and health from September 9 to 11, 2026. The workshop explored microbiome science in relation to Ayurveda, covering diet, digestion, metabolism, and preventive healthcare. Experts from the Ministry of Ayush and IIIT-Delhi delivered sessions. The program brought together 52 faculty members and research scholars to discuss interdisciplinary research, aiming to scientifically validate Ayurvedic concepts like Agni, Ahara, and Prakriti using contemporary microbiome frameworks.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with the President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Vladimir Putin, on the margins of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation across political, economic, defence, energy, space, skill mobility, and people-to-people domains, and welcomed the first-ever 'INNOPROM India' International Industrial Exhibition. They also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues, including the conflicts in West Asia and the Black Sea region, with the Prime Minister reiterating that dialogue and diplomacy are the way forward. Additionally, President Putin invited the Prime Minister to visit Russia for the 24th India-Russia Annual Summit, which was accepted.

The Union Ministry of Education, alongside the Ministry of External Affairs, is organizing the 'Bharat Innovates Exposition' on September 11-12, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Held as part of the 18th BRICS Summit under India’s BRICS Chairship (themed "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"), the event showcases 37 Indian deep-tech startups and ventures. It serves as a global accelerator for innovations from the Indian higher education ecosystem, following the maiden edition held in Nice, France. The exposition coincides with the BRICS Business Forum to facilitate B2B engagements, technology partnerships, and investment discussions, advancing the BRICS Education Track priority of enhancing research, innovation, and startup ecosystems.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal addressed the Opening Session of the BRICS Business Forum in New Delhi, calling for deeper, resilient, and more balanced intra-BRICS trade. Emphasizing that BRICS accounts for nearly one-fourth of global trade, he urged member and partner countries to open markets, simplify regulatory procedures, and link payment systems such as India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI). He also encouraged promoting trade in local currencies, and fostering cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, engineering, electronics, automobiles, startups, and emerging technologies. Union Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar highlighted supply chain connectivity, trade facilitation, innovation, and digital public infrastructure as key BRICS priorities, while Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal noted that intra-BRICS trade has grown significantly over the past two decades.

At the Global Fintech Fest 2026, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the benefits of a federated industry platform to give the Indian technology sector a collective international voice. She discussed emerging technological frontiers like AI safety risks, tokenized bond pilots using CBDC, and agentic AI, while cautioning against systemic risks, fraud, and speed-induced market shocks. The Minister released the BCG report titled 'Balance: Thriving in the Age of AI' and reiterated five key priorities outlined by the Prime Minister for the sector, including cybersecurity, data protection, and a Fintech Consumer Protection Index.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, organized a National Conference on Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) in Mumbai, chaired by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. The conference focused on the welfare, employment, skilling, social security, and international labour mobility of India's construction workforce, which totals over 7 crore workers with an accumulated BOCW cess corpus of approximately Rs. 77,000 crores. Discussions covered best practices from various states, the utilisation of cess funds, worker safety, dignified living conditions, and digital initiatives such as the Digital Labour Chowk, Labour Chowk-cum-Facilitation Centres, and Online BOCW Cess Collection Portals. The conference also highlighted the implementation of Labour Codes and the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY).

The Prime Minister addressed the BRICS Business Forum 2026, marking twenty years of BRICS and highlighting that BRICS and its partners now represent over fifty percent of global population, forty percent of GDP, and twenty-five percent of trade. Emphasizing India's BRICS presidency theme of building for resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, the address highlighted India's economic growth, infrastructure expansion, startup ecosystem with over two lakh startups and one hundred and twenty unicorns, population-scale digital public infrastructure like UPI, and efforts to reduce trade barriers. New cooperation initiatives introduced during India's presidency include the BRICS Incubator Network, BRICS MSME Portal, and BRICS Startup Innovation Fund.

India has administered more than 80 lakh doses of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine under the National HPV Vaccination Campaign since its launch in February 2026. Initiated by the Prime Minister, the campaign provides free, voluntary single-dose HPV vaccinations with parental consent to 14-year-old girls, targeting an annual cohort of approximately 1.2 crore girls according to Registrar General of India 2021 estimates. Several states including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram have achieved 100% coverage, with Uttar Pradesh vaccinating over 22 lakh adolescent girls. The campaign utilizes the U-WIN digital health platform for district-level monitoring, operates under medical supervision with 24x7 arrangements for rare adverse events, and engages frontline health workers and educators for community mobilization.

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and Drydocks World (a DP World company) have signed a 50:50 joint venture agreement to operate and expand the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) in Cochin. Signed on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit 2026, the partnership represents a public-private collaboration in India's ship repair sector. The joint venture combines CSL's domestic capabilities and skilled workforce with Drydocks World's global expertise in high-end vessel maintenance, conversions, and offshore engineering. The initiative aims to serve regional and global demand, attract foreign investment, and align with India's broader maritime goals under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed the National Conference on Coastal Ecology, Security and Sustainability (CCESS) 2026, stating that India's 11,000–12,000 km long coastline must be treated as an integrated space encompassing ecology, security, economy, technology, and human development. Highlighting the Deep Ocean Mission and the launch of the indigenous research vessel ORV Sagar Manthan, the Minister emphasized exploring unexplored marine resources such as metals, minerals (including black sulphite), and fisheries to boost the Blue Economy. He noted that emerging technologies like ocean observation, remote sensing, and submersibles are key to strengthening coastal security and scientific understanding. Additionally, he mentioned the 'Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar' citizen-participation clean-up campaign scheduled from September 12 to September 19.

This PIB backgrounder marks seven years of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY), a voluntary and contributory old-age pension scheme launched in September 2019 for small and marginal farmers. Administered by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and implemented via the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the Central Sector Scheme provides a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 per month to eligible farmers upon attaining 60 years of age. As of February 2026, over 24.96 lakh farmers have enrolled nationally, supported by ₹540.66 crore in public investment. The scheme incorporates a shared contribution model, family pension provisions, and a digital enrollment process through Common Service Centres.

Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, will participate in the G20 Energy Ministerial Meeting in Houston, USA, held from 14–16 September 2026 under the U.S. G20 Presidency. The meeting convenes G20 Energy Ministers to discuss global energy security, affordability, infrastructure, and supply chains. The Minister will take part in sessions focusing on 'Energy Security and Affordable Baseload', 'Permitting and Regulatory Efficiency', and 'Critical Minerals & Resilient Supply Chains'. He will highlight India's approach to building a resilient energy system, its regulatory reforms, and its focus on critical mineral value chains, while reaffirming India's commitment to constructive international engagement and technology-neutral approaches.

The Ministry of Rural Development, through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and in collaboration with the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE), organized the seventh edition of Gender Samvaad. The theme for the event was “Participation to Leadership: Enhancing Women’s Agency in Livelihoods,” aligned with the UN International Year of Women Farmers 2026. The dialogue convened over six lakh stakeholders to deliberate on women’s leadership, decision-making, and economic agency in rural livelihoods. Discussions highlighted initiatives such as Lakhpati Didis, the National Campaign on Entrepreneurship-II, state-led innovations from Maharashtra, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, and the role of women's collectives like Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).