Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the BRICS session on “Inclusive Global Governance and Strengthening Multilateralism” during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12, 2026. During his remarks, the Prime Minister highlighted that the Global South remains at the front row of global crises but the back row of decision-making, advocating to turn the pyramid of privilege into a platform of partnership. He stressed the need for inclusive global governance reflecting current realities with greater representation in institutions like the UN Security Council. Furthermore, he proposed enabling the Global South to become rule-shapers through BRICS training, establishing a Seafarers Emergency Support Network, and the adoption of the New Delhi BRICS Leaders' Declaration.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change chaired a review meeting in Bhuj, Gujarat, focusing on flagship conservation programmes including Great Indian Bustard (GIB) conservation, grassland restoration, and Project Cheetah. During the meeting, the Gujarat Action Plan for GIB Conservation—prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Gujarat Forest Department—was released to establish a viable population of over 30 birds in the Lala–Rawa landscape. The Minister highlighted landscape-level restoration efforts, invasive species removal, predator-proof fencing, and a jump-start intervention involving egg replacement. Additionally, a five-year national assessment for grassland restoration was announced, and progress under Project Cheetah was reviewed, noting a population of 52 individuals and planned future release sites.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met the President of the Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in New Delhi on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit. The Prime Minister welcomed the Philippines' participation in the summit as the current ASEAN chair. The leaders expressed satisfaction with bilateral cooperation and agreed to expand collaboration in defence and security, trade and investment, space, railway infrastructure, fintech, education, tourism, science and technology, innovation, and people-to-people ties. They also agreed to advance relations under their Strategic Partnership established in August 2025. Additionally, the Prime Minister welcomed the Philippines' decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and both leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The leaders recalled India’s role in including the African Union in the G20 during India's 2023 presidency and emphasized the India-African Union partnership as a pillar of Global South cooperation. They discussed convening the 4th India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-IV), reviewed India-Burundi bilateral ties including agricultural modernization and healthcare, and noted cooperation regarding the Ebola outbreak.

Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh met Vietnam's Deputy Minister of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, in New Delhi on September 13, 2026. Held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit engagements, the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral ties, regional security, and the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Discussions covered accelerating joint initiatives, technology sharing, defence industrial collaboration, and maritime ties for a rule-based regional security architecture. Both sides also emphasized coordination in multilateral fora, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) construct, and agreed to host the next Defence Policy Dialogue in India during Aero India 2027.

The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is organizing the 'Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE)' programme from 14 to 18 September 2026 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. The five-day programme involves senior officers of the Defence Forces alongside participants from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, and Home Affairs. It aims to expose senior leaders to contemporary national and regional security issues through interactions with subject matter experts. Key themes include regional and global security challenges, technological transformation in warfare, strategic communication, and civil-military understanding to foster jointness, integrated thinking, and professional competencies in national security.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. During the meeting, the Prime Minister recalled ancient civilizational linkages and expressed satisfaction regarding the steady development of bilateral relations. The leaders reviewed cooperation across various sectors including political, trade, defence and security, connectivity, energy, critical minerals, emerging technologies, creative economy, and people-to-people ties, while also exchanging perspectives on regional and international developments and reaffirming their commitment to the strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The leaders reviewed bilateral relations, emphasizing cooperation in technology partnerships, capacity building, knowledge sharing, investment facilitation, and private-sector collaboration. The Prime Minister reaffirmed India's support for Uganda's 'Vision 2040'. Additionally, both leaders highlighted the importance of people-to-people ties and called for closer engagement to champion the voice of the Global South.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met the President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 13th September 2026. The leaders reviewed cooperation and strategic partnership areas, highlighting shared historical struggles, cultural affinities, economic ties, and people-to-people connections. They discussed global issues, agreed to maintain coordination in multilateral fora, and addressed the translocation of cheetahs from South Africa to India, prompting an invitation for South Africa to consider joining the International Big Cat Alliance.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Mr. Kashim Shettima Mustapha, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The leaders reviewed bilateral relations, focusing on trade and investment, defence and security, energy, agriculture, health, and digital technologies. They exchanged views on regional and global matters, including priorities of the Global South, and emphasized multilateral cooperation. Prime Minister Modi highlighted India's commitment to strengthening ties with Nigeria and Africa, while Vice President Shettima Mustafa appreciated India's development experience and contributions to capacity building and economic development in Nigeria.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation addressed the 52nd India Gems and Jewellery Awards ceremony in Mumbai, organized by the India Diamond Board. Highlighting India's historical and contemporary significance in the global gems and jewellery trade, the Home Minister noted that nine out of ten cut and polished diamonds globally are processed in Surat, while Mumbai serves as a key financial and export hub anchored by the Bharat Diamond Bourse. The address emphasized the emerging market for lab-grown diamonds, calling for an indigenous manufacturing value chain spanning machinery production, creation, and global branding, backed by government support and initiatives such as the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change presided over a Workshop on Mangrove Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Management in Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat. The Minister reviewed progress under the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) programme, noting that Gujarat has covered 27,652 hectares against its 2023–27 target of 29,250 hectares. During the event, the Minister launched the Mangrove GIS (MGIS) Portal, released the Coffee Table Book on Kachchh Mangroves and the Mangroves Atlas of Gujarat, and felicitated the Guneri Inland Mangrove Village Biodiversity Management Committee for its community-led conservation of Gujarat's first Biodiversity Heritage Site.

The three-day Dryland Congress 2026 concluded in New Delhi with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D), emphasizing South–South and triangular cooperation to transform dryland agri-food systems. Coinciding with the UN Day for South–South Cooperation, the event featured announcements of new partnerships, institutional frameworks, and Memoranda of Understanding involving ICAR, ICRISAT, and the Global Crop Diversity Trust, among others. Dr M.L. Jat called for robust data systems and living laboratories, while Dr Himanshu Pathak stressed translating deliberations into short- and long-term actions. The Congress also presented the inaugural ISSCA Global Awards 2026 to recognize agricultural innovations, climate-resilient technologies, and sustainable farming practices from across the Global South.

INS Kulish arrived at Ream Naval Base in Cambodia on September 12, 2026, as part of the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet Operational Deployment. The visit aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and professional linkages between the Indian Navy and the Royal Cambodian Navy through professional interactions, familiarisation visits, sports fixtures, and structured naval engagements. The port call aligns with India's Act East Policy, the MAHASAGAR vision, and efforts to expand maritime outreach and promote a free, open, and inclusive maritime environment in the Indo-Pacific.

The Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram marked one year of operation since its inauguration on September 13, 2025. Spanning 51.38 kilometres through challenging hill terrain, the engineering project comprises 153 bridges and 45 tunnels, bringing rail connectivity to the threshold of Aizawl through stations like Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang. Over the past year, the line has facilitated over 15 lakh passengers across multiple train services, including direct routes to Guwahati, Kolkata, Delhi, and Silchar. Additionally, freight services have transported construction materials, automobiles, and essential commodities, reducing logistics costs and boosting tourism, education, and local enterprise mobility in Mizoram.

ICAR–Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur, has developed four moth bean varieties (CAZRI Moth-4, CAZRI Moth-5, CAZRI Moth-6, and CAZRI Moth-7) that demonstrated remarkable resilience during a 35-day dry spell in the Kharif 2026 El Niño year. Cultivated widely in western Rajasthan, moth bean yields are typically limited by erratic rainfall and low soil moisture. These varieties exhibit developmental plasticity, enabling them to adjust growth and maturity based on available soil moisture and sustain flowering and pod formation under moisture-stress conditions. Their performance was supported by crop management practices such as timely sowing and moisture conservation. Seed production is underway to meet indent requirements through the Saathi Portal.

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is implementing measures to strengthen the safety, welfare, and dignity of sanitation workers and waste pickers. Key initiatives include worker profiling, the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, health insurance coverage, financial assistance through capital subsidies for purchasing sanitation vehicles, and safety devices for Emergency Response Sanitation Units. Additionally, waste pickers have been included under the scheme coverage, resulting in profiling and validation through e-KYC, distribution of PPE kits, and processing for Ayushman Cards. Awareness workshops on preventing hazardous cleaning are also being conducted.

The Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections was launched on 18 August 2026 and came into effect on 1 September 2026 to accelerate active domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections across India's City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks. Regulated by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), CGD entities spanning 309 Geographical Areas had 1.74 crore domestic PNG connections as of 18 August 2026. The scheme incentivizes entities to convert unbilled connections and expand networks by awarding an additional allocation of 200 Standard Cubic Metres of cheaper domestically produced Administered Price Mechanism (APM) gas for each incremental billed connection added beyond a fixed threshold. This APM gas replaces costlier LNG used in the transport segment, reducing gas sourcing costs and shortening the capital payback period from about ten years to three years. Supplementary initiatives include streamlined regulatory approvals under the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, lower VAT rates, National PNG Drive 2.0, and a unified registration portal.

The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit welcomed the establishment of a BRICS Expert Working Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) under the BRICS Health Track. The declaration emphasizes evidence-based global cooperation, research on medicinal plants and herbal preparations, shared pharmacopoeias, and ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of TCIM practices. This development builds upon the BRICS Meeting on TCIM held in Chandigarh under India's BRICS Chairship and aligns with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, aiming to contribute to universal health coverage and resilient health systems.

India is set to host the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2026 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from 15th to 18th September 2026, marking a first for South Asia. The forum, themed 'Circular Economy: Transition for People and Prosperity', is jointly organized by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the Government of Finland, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the Government of Gujarat, and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB). The event aims to showcase India's initiatives in circularity—focusing on reusing, refurbishing, and recycling materials—and enhance international cooperation by bringing together over 2,000 stakeholders from more than 65 countries. On the sidelines, the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10 YFP) Board will hold an in-person meeting, following India's recent assumption of the role of Co-Chair.