India is hosting the BRICS summit, leveraging the platform to address global trade tensions and champion the developmental priorities of the Global South, including food, energy, and supply chain security. The summit, attended by leaders like President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, will focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability, with India aiming to strengthen intra-BRICS collaboration and discuss global matters. The expanded BRICS grouping represents a significant portion of the world's population and GDP, making its discussions crucial for global economic stability.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is in Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary issue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. These crucial discussions precede Chinese President Xi Jinping's anticipated visit to India for the BRICS summit, offering a potential opportunity for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The talks aim to address the long-standing border dispute and recurring tensions, with both sides emphasising the importance of peace and tranquillity for bilateral relations amidst recent reports of aggressive Chinese posturing in Arunachal Pradesh.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Gyaneshwari Yadav is preparing for the Asian Games, aiming to surpass her personal best of 199kg. She plans to leverage her CWG experience despite facing tough international competition from powerhouses like China and South Korea. Yadav also acknowledges the upcoming domestic challenge from Mirabai Chanu and Bindyarani Devi in the 53kg category but remains confident and inspired by Chanu.
India is making a significant push to establish itself as a global semiconductor manufacturing hub, driven by strategic investments and policy support. The upcoming SEMICON India 2026 event will showcase the country's advancements and ambitions in this critical industry, which underpins virtually all modern electronic devices and has faced global supply chain vulnerabilities.
One of the important topics of discussion between the two leaders is expected to be the Northern Sea Route and the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's impromptu rendition of Kishore Kumar's classic 'Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat' has captivated audiences online, with a video of his performance garnering over a million views and widespread appreciation.
Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne discusses the team's preparations and strategy for the upcoming Asian Games. He highlights the different challenge posed by lower-ranked opponents compared to the World Cup, emphasising the need for effective scoring and maintaining focus. Marijne also stresses using the World Cup disappointment as motivation for gold and the importance of humility and unity within the team.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council's October 7 meeting will focus on 'GST 2.0' process reforms, including e-invoicing and input tax credit rules, while also addressing complex issues surrounding the taxation of the digital economy and cryptocurrency.
Rescue teams led by the Nepal army continue search operations to locate survivors from the August 26 disaster. 4,873 people remain missing.
A new IDC report reveals that artificial intelligence is prompting organisations worldwide to retrieve and utilise previously archived, "cold-tier" data for AI training, significantly increasing its perceived value and leading to longer data retention periods and a burgeoning market for datasets.
VVS Laxman, BCCI's Centre of Excellence chief, will coach the Indian men's cricket team at the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. He will be assisted by Sunil Joshi, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh. Gautam Gambhir, the regular head coach, will be with the senior team for the West Indies ODI series. Amol Muzumdar will continue as the head coach for the Indian women's team, who will also defend their title.
India's U20 football team secured a historic qualification for the AFC U20 Asian Cup main tournament after a 20-year hiatus, following a dominant 3-0 victory over Bangladesh. Goals from Danny Meitei Laishram, Vishal Yadav, and Md Arbash sealed their spot as one of the best runners-up, with the main tournament scheduled for 2027 in China.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship saw thrilling performances on its second day, with Audrey Werro defeating Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the women's 800m and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocking the season's fastest time in the women's 100m. Other notable winners included Kenny Bednarek in the men's 100m, Collen Kebinatshipi and Marileidy Paulino in the 400m, Haruka Kitaguchi in javelin, Klaudia Kazimierska in 1500m, Miltiadis Tentoglou in long jump, and Sandi Morris in pole vault.
New Delhi was told it had given something up; in reality it had stopped talking about it, notes Dr Abhishek Puri.
India's junior women's hockey team commenced its Women's Junior Asia Cup title defence with a commanding 4-1 victory over South Korea. Goals from Sanika Chandrakant Mane, Purnima Yadav, Puja Sahoo, and Madhu Sidar secured the win, showcasing India's strong offensive and defensive play throughout the match.
Indian squash players Abhay Singh and Anahat Singh have received high seedings for the upcoming Asian Games, positioning them as strong contenders for gold medals. Their performance is crucial as singles winners will secure direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, significantly raising the stakes for the Indian contingent.
BRICS members have expressed 'serious concerns' over the unilateral imposition of trade and finance-related measures, including higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers, stating these actions distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. The grouping also highlighted elevated risks to the global economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, and protectionism.
The India U17 women's football team will play two friendly matches against the Philippines in Goa in late September as part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. These matches will serve as the final warm-up before their qualification campaign in Malaysia in October, where they aim for a second consecutive appearance in the Asian Cup.
China's Tiangong Ultra humanoid robot has set a new 100-metre sprint record of 8.86 seconds at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, significantly surpassing Usain Bolt's human world record of 9.58 seconds.
'This rise in foreign exchange reserves was expected given the amount of FCNR(B) flow.'
Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi asserts that India and the United States are natural partners, crucial in the geopolitical competition with China. She highlights India's pivotal role as the world's largest democracy with a young, English-speaking population, despite its "chaotic" nature. Nooyi also discusses the need for leaders to understand each other's perspectives to maintain strong bilateral ties.
Bangladesh has confirmed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not attend the upcoming BRICS Summit in India, clarifying that the invitation was extended to him as the BIMSTEC Chair, not as Bangladesh's Prime Minister. The nation is prioritising bilateral visits and discussions, while also addressing national interests like the expiring Ganges Water Sharing Treaty.
'In the current environment, India is effectively paying a premium for supply security and diversification.'
BRICS nations have successfully reached a consensus on a joint statement following extensive negotiations, with India playing a crucial role in bridging differences, particularly among West Asian members like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, despite regional conflicts and geopolitical tensions.
India concluded its campaign at the World Archery Para Series Stage III with an impressive tally of 15 medals, including four gold, three silver, and eight bronze, finishing second in the overall medal standings. The event served as a crucial preparatory test for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
'It appears to be a combination: A glacier breaking away, and a dam-like formation downstream reaching capacity and releasing water suddenly.'
India's proposal to link BRICS payment systems, including central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs), was notably absent from the grouping's New Delhi Declaration, despite being a key agenda item for India's chairmanship. This omission leaves the 16-year effort for trade in local currencies without a settled payment architecture, with the declaration only 'acknowledging' the work of the BRICS Payment Task Force.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian concluded his visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit, announcing that Iran and the UAE agreed to move past previous tensions. This diplomatic breakthrough occurred during talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince on the summit sidelines. Pezeshkian also met with PM Modi to discuss bilateral ties and West Asia developments, with Modi emphasising dialogue for regional peace. The BRICS summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, calling for global governance reforms and de-escalation in West Asia.
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has reached 1,344, with rescue teams continuing to search for approximately 5,000 missing individuals, including foreign nationals, as identification of victims proves challenging due to the condition of recovered bodies.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday described BRICS as an important global forum, highlighting the grouping's growing demographic and economic weight and noting that its members account for around half of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.
The India Under-20 men's football team secured a 1-0 victory over Yemen in their second friendly match in Bengaluru. Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam scored the decisive goal. This win comes as the Blue Colts prepare for the upcoming AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers in Uzbekistan, scheduled from August 31 to September 6.
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has tragically risen to 903, with 4,247 people still reported missing, including security personnel and foreigners. India has dispatched an 18-member team of forensic experts to assist with DNA analysis and identification of victims.
India's route to the semi-finals is straightforward: if the Netherlands beats China, a win over Australia would take the ninth-ranked Indian team through.
Defending champions India secured their spot in the Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament semifinals with a dominant 15-0 victory over Chinese Taipei. Skipper Anmol Ikka was the star of the match, scoring an incredible six goals, all from penalty corners, as India topped Pool A.
Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen stunned six-time major champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-3 after recovering from 0-5 down, extending her remarkable US Open comeback into the quarter-finals.
New satellite images provide a stark visual of the devastating flash floods that have ravaged Nepal.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule to eliminate the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders and other nonimmigrants after job loss, a move expected to significantly impact Indian technology workers.
Second seed Elena Rybakina ended Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen's stirring US Open run with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory on Wednesday, advancing to the semi-finals and securing the world number one ranking for the first time.
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, devastating flash floods in Nepal's Rasuwa district, bordering Tibet, left 105 Indian tourists among nearly 400 people missing.
A question has been raised whether the Mecca Pact will have a negative impact on our doctrine that the Operation Sindoor has only been suspended and that it would be resumed if Pakistan engages in terrorism in the future. But the Mecca Pact only speaks of aggression, not defence against terrorism, points out Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
