Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

Depalpur has achieved "Zero Legacy Waste" under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 through mentorship by Indore under the Swachh Shehar Jodi initiative. The initiative, launched during Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, utilizes an "Each One Teach One" model for peer learning in urban waste management. Depalpur remediated 1,250 metric tonnes of legacy waste accumulated over five years, implementing a 4-bin waste segregation system, recovering recyclables, and sending Refuse Derived Fuel to cement factories. The remediated site is planned to be converted into a public space, accompanied by the revival of Surajkund Bawdi and plantation drives.

The ICAR–Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR) in Hyderabad is hosting a National Consultation and Industry Interface Meet on 10th September 2026. The event aims to accelerate the commercialization of oilseed technologies, including improved varieties and hybrids, biopolymer-enabled seed enhancement technologies, and microbial biopesticide formulations. The meet brings together stakeholders such as the seed industry, agri-business firms, start-ups, and entrepreneurs to explore technology transfers, licensing, public-private partnerships, and large-scale deployment to support domestic oilseed production and self-reliance in edible oils.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh is scheduled to conduct the annual performance review of 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) in New Delhi. The review emphasizes indigenous technology development and export enhancement. During the event, CMDs of seven DPSUs—HAL, MDL, BEL, BDL, GRSE, BEML, and MIDHANI—will present dividend cheques for FY 2025–26 to the Government. Additionally, four publications, including books on self-reliance, a student awareness initiative named DISHA, and modernisation and indigenisation roadmaps of HAL, will be released. The release highlights that in FY 2025–26, the total turnover of DPSUs reached Rs 1.29 lakh crore (a 15.4% increase), cumulative Profit After Tax stood at Rs 23,136 crore (a 15.6% increase), and exports registered a 151.2% growth over the previous year.

Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan attended the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology and inaugurated Confluence 3.0, an Industry-Academia Summit in Kochi. During the event, he emphasized the need for research-driven higher education, stronger industry-academia linkages, and alignment with market demands rather than just producing graduates. He suggested that Keralam focus on high-tech and knowledge-based industries to generate local employment and enable reverse migration. Additionally, he appealed to students to shun drugs and laid the foundation stone for the institution's new Administrative Block.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted a series of intelligence-led operations across locations including Kolkata, Mumbai, and Kerala, seizing over 42 kg of foreign-origin gold and approximately 10 kg of silver valued at more than Rs. 65 crore. The operations resulted in the arrest of 25 individuals, including 5 foreign nationals. The seizures exposed various smuggling techniques, such as concealment in vehicle cavities, body concealment, exploitation of transit passengers, airport personnel collusion, and illicit transport through land and coastal routes.

A two-day capacity-building workshop titled “Samvardhan: From Academic Excellence to Sustainable Wellness” was organized at IIT Indore by the Department of Higher Education, Union Ministry of Education, in collaboration with IIT Indore. The workshop brought together 94 participants from 21 Higher Education Institutions across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh under the Teacher Connect Programme of the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP). Dr. Suhas S. Joshi, Director of IIT Indore, emphasized collective commitment toward resilient minds, connected campuses, and student wellbeing. Sessions covered psychosocial landscapes, peer mentoring, lifestyle conditions, early identification of learning disabilities, substance use prevention, and institutional wellbeing indicators.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy addressed the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) Annual Conclave 2026, emphasizing the need to build a future-ready workforce for India's evolving automotive sector. He highlighted that India is emerging as a global automotive hub driven by electric mobility, automation, and Industry 4.0. The Minister stressed strengthening industry-skill linkages to align training with real-world technological requirements and expanding global employment opportunities for Indian youth, notably flagging off 43 candidates placed in Romania. During FY 2025–26, the ASDC impacted 5,08,173 learners, conducted 1,53,240 assessments, and generated 2,88,756 apprenticeship contracts.

The President of India presided over the combined convocation ceremony of 18 National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campuses in New Delhi on August 31, 2026. Emphasizing the significance of the textile and apparel sector as a cultural heritage and a crucial livelihood provider for millions, the President highlighted the role of NIFT's 'Craft Cluster Initiative' in connecting traditional weavers and artisans with modern techniques and markets. Graduates were encouraged to adopt a global outlook while remaining connected to cultural roots, create eco-friendly and sustainable products using locally available materials, support a circular economy, and contribute toward building a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.

The President of India graced the Combined Convocation Ceremony 2026 of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in New Delhi, which brought together 3,793 graduating students from across 18 NIFT campuses. During the event, the President highlighted the textile and apparel sector's role in cultural heritage and livelihoods, noting the 'Craft Cluster Initiative' implemented by NIFT centres to assist weavers and artisans with modern techniques and market connectivity. Founded in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles and governed by the NIFT Act, 2006, NIFT aims to shape India's fashion education landscape by combining contemporary learning with traditional craft and culture.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth is scheduled to inaugurate the second Annual Trident Lecture of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on September 1, 2026. The lecture's theme is 'National Resurgence through the Lens of Defence Forces' and it is organized as part of CENJOWS' anniversary celebrations. The event features addresses on leveraging the next generation for nation building, emerging contours of jointness and integration, civil-military fusion, and multi-domain operations. CENJOWS is a tri-services think tank established in 2007 under the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

The National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health (NHRIMH), Kottayam, operating under the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Ministry of Ayush, organized a national seminar on the application of Artificial Intelligence in clinical practice and homoeopathy. The event explored topics such as AI-enabled clinical decision support, personalized care, and ethical frameworks in research. During the programme, nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with homoeopathic medical colleges and hospitals to foster academic collaboration in psychiatry and mental health, along with an MoU with Sevabharathi, Ettumanoor, for interdisciplinary research.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30, 2026, holding talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The leaders conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and agreed to elevate cooperation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Key focus areas identified include trade and investment, transport connectivity, digital transformation including AI and space, energy transition, critical minerals, food security, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, and counter-terrorism. Both nations established a Foreign Ministers-led mechanism for high-level coordination and agreed to explore a Preferential Trade Agreement. Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support for India's candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council and India's inclusion in global forums, while discussions also covered regional frameworks like the Central Asia-India format and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

During his State Visit to Uzbekistan, the Prime Minister of India held official talks with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace. The leaders elevated their bilateral Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and agreed on a bilateral trade target of USD 5 billion by 2030. Discussions covered trade, innovation, digital public infrastructure, defence, healthcare, critical minerals, space, and culture. They announced mechanisms including a Foreign Ministers-led mechanism and a ministerial-level Inter-Governmental Commission. Several MoUs and agreements were exchanged spanning culture, education, archives, mining, and environment, alongside announcements such as a USD 1 million grant for environmental rehabilitation in the Aral Sea region.

During a joint press statement in Tashkent, the Prime Minister of India announced the elevation of bilateral ties with Uzbekistan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as the nations mark 15 years of their strategic relationship. Both countries set a bilateral trade target of five billion dollars by 2030 and agreed to advance cooperation in infrastructure, Digital Public Infrastructure, AI, critical minerals, clean energy, space, nuclear energy, agriculture, traditional medicine, defence manufacturing, counter-terrorism, cultural heritage conservation, and education. Furthermore, initiatives such as city-to-city partnerships, tourism cooperation, Hindi scholarships, and sports linkages were highlighted to deepen people-to-people connections.

During the Prime Minister's State Visit to Uzbekistan, India and Uzbekistan announced the elevation of their Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The visit yielded several agreements, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), and announcements spanning diverse sectors. These include a Cultural Exchange Programme for 2026-30, cooperation in the conservation of Buddhist sites (Fayaz Tepa and KaraTepa), archival work, Ayurveda and traditional medicine, geology and mineral resources, tourism, diplomatic training, economic and financial dialogue, environmental protection, and higher education. Additional announcements included a grant for afforestation in the Aral Sea region, scholarships, an ICCR Sanskrit Chair, and a commercial agreement to enable UPI apps to scan national QR codes (UZQR) for merchant payments in Uzbekistan.

The PIB backgrounder reviews India's higher education sector over the past decade (2014-15 to 2023-24) using data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE). It highlights growth in institutional footprints, total student enrolment, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), female enrolment, Gender Parity Index (GPI), and participation of SC, ST, and OBC students. Key findings show universities increasing to 1,289 and total enrolment rising to 4.50 crore, with a GER of 30%. The report also outlines positive trends in STEM enrolments, foreign student numbers, faculty strength, and institutional infrastructure facilities, aligning with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and SDG 4.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has disbursed Rs. 5.68 crore under the Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism, stemming from the utilisation of biological resources such as Okra, Watermelon, and Cucumber, alongside specified microbial and agricultural biological resources. The funds were channelled to various State Biodiversity Boards, Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, and the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL). Because these biological resources were accessed from markets and traders and could not be traced to single geographic sources, the funds are distributed based on a modality approved by the Authority for States and UTs where the resource is cultivated. The funds are earmarked for conservation, sustainable use, and other activities under Section 32 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal met Chile's Vice-Minister of International Economic Relations, Ms. Paula Estévez Weinstein, in Santiago, Chile, to advance negotiations on the India–Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). India and Chile emphasized their shared identity as members of the Global South and a common strategic vision for bilateral economic cooperation. Both sides highlighted potential sectors for enhanced cooperation, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, energy, minerals, agriculture, machinery, and engineering. India expressed commitment to concluding the CEPA negotiations by year-end to establish a balanced framework that enhances trade, investment, technology cooperation, talent mobility, and resilient supply chains.

The Department of Consumer Affairs notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, on 27 August 2026, which will come into force after 180 days. These rules establish Indian Standard Time (IST) as the common time reference across the country for legal, administrative, commercial, and official purposes. The initiative aims to support digital payments, telecommunications, railways, power systems, and government records by ensuring consistent and accurate time-stamping. Additionally, the rules provide for utilizing NavIC and other approved Indian timing sources for time dissemination, reducing dependence on foreign sources. A White Rabbit Technology-based IST Dissemination Demonstration Network was commissioned at RRSL Bengaluru in July 2026 under the 'One Nation, One Time' initiative.

The Vice President of India is scheduled to release the "Mission Rangeen Machhli 2031" Strategic Action Plan for Ornamental Fisheries Development during an outreach programme in Agatti, Lakshadweep, organized by the Department of Fisheries. The plan provides a uniform framework for scientific management, biosecurity, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance across the ornamental fisheries value chain, covering practices from broodstock management to trade. The event also highlights India's marine resource potential, including its coastline, Exclusive Economic Zone, marine fisheries potential, and cluster-based development approaches such as designating Lakshadweep as a dedicated Seaweed Cluster.