A report by Scholars at Risk, 'Free to Think 2026', states that academic freedom in India is "severely restricted" due to increasing government influence over higher education, university governance, and curbs on student expression. India is listed among six countries in this category, with its Academic Freedom Index score sharply declining. The report cites instances of faculty dismissals, event cancellations, and pressure on student protests, highlighting the alleged use of the UGC as a vehicle for state influence.
India's Quimcy Dsouza experienced a double setback at the Asian Games in Nagoya, narrowly missing out on bronze medals in both women's singles and mixed doubles Teqball. Despite a valiant effort against Japan's Yuina Sakamoto in singles, losing 0-2, and a subsequent loss in mixed doubles with Mohamed Anas Beg, her performance highlighted India's growing presence in the sport.
'The large number of tariff lines in the 90-99 per cent band highlights how deeply embedded Chinese sourcing has become in India's electronics imports.'
The Afghanistan Cricket Board hosted 'Koh-E-Zafar' in New Delhi to celebrate the strong cricketing friendship between India and Afghanistan.
Indian track and field athlete Tejaswin Shankar earned a bronze medal in the men's decathlon at the Asian Games in Nagoya. He secured his position by winning the final event, the 1500m race, accumulating a total of 7,934 points.
Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat will lead the Indian contingent as flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has threatened to suspend the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) due to its failure to finalise a new constitution and hold elections as directed by the Delhi High Court. The international body cited breaches of good governance principles and has given EFI until September 28 to provide an explanation before its board considers suspension on October 13. The crisis stems from long-standing governance disputes and divisions within the ad-hoc committee appointed to oversee the federation.
Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her joy and hope after securing a gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka. She believes this victory will inspire other Indian athletes to win more medals and highlighted the team's focus on adapting to conditions despite initial concerns about facilities in Japan. Kaur also reflected on the unique experience of winning a medal for the country compared to traditional trophies.
Former chief selector Ajit Agarkar's departure from the BCCI was primarily driven by disagreements over Rohit Sharma's future in white-ball cricket and policy differences with Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman, culminating in his absence from a crucial review meeting.
Srihari Nataraj secured a spot in the 50m backstroke final at the Asian Games, clocking 25.37 seconds. However, other Indian swimmers, including Rishabh Das, Akash Mani, Geetesh Shah, Danush Suresh, and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team, failed to advance beyond the heats, marking a mixed day for India in the pool.
Indian boxers Kapil Pokhariya (90kg) and Priya Ghanghas (60kg) have advanced to the quarterfinals at the Asian Games after dominant victories. However, Jadumani Singh (55kg) was eliminated after a loss to Tokyo Olympics silver-medallist Carlo Paalam.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
India has opened its Asian Games medal tally with two silvers in shooting, driven by Elavenil Valarivan's performance, and secured an unexpected podium finish in Mixed Martial Arts. The women's cricket team also advanced to the finals, aiming for a second consecutive gold.
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra announced plans to significantly scale up the company's chip assembly and testing facility in India, moving from "vision to execution" in the nation's semiconductor ambitions. He highlighted the success of the Sanand, Gujarat plant, which is already producing "Made in India" memory chips, and the company's substantial engineering contributions from its Indian centres. Mehrotra also emphasised the critical role of memory chips in the AI era, driving Micron's growth.
The Indian government has officially declared the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This action, announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, targets a group involved in cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives, and narcotics, as well as inciting youth into terrorism and spreading hateful digital content. SBN is accused of threatening India's democratic structure, communal harmony, and internal security.
Air India has been issued a show-cause notice by the ministry of civil aviation after three Italian nationals travelled from Amritsar to Delhi and then to Munich without obtaining mandatory departure immigration clearance, highlighting a 'serious security and immigration-related lapse'.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir stated that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is not yet fit to bowl a full 10-over quota in ODIs and will not be rushed back. Gambhir also hinted at the possibility of playing both Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy once Pandya achieves full bowling fitness, emphasizing his return depends on his all-round contribution.
Pakistan has requested the Asian Hockey Federation to move its Asian Champions Trophy matches from India to a neutral venue, citing a "sensitive bilateral situation" and security concerns. Hockey India has rejected this demand, stating there will be no change in venue for the tournament scheduled in Mohali and Jalandhar from October 27 to November 5. Pakistan's participation remains uncertain, with potential replacements like Bangladesh and Oman being considered.
The Sports Ministry is closely monitoring the internal dispute within Hockey India between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh, stemming from a controversial jersey colour change. The Ministry prefers the factions resolve their differences amicably before considering intervention.
The Indian women's badminton team was eliminated from the Asian Games after a 1-3 loss to Japan in the quarterfinals. While the doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a win, singles players PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda, and Tanvi Sharma were defeated by their Japanese counterparts, leading to India's exit from the tournament.
India has stated its commitment to protecting its economic interests and ensuring energy security after the US House of Representatives passed a bill allowing the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries, including India and China, for purchasing Russian crude oil. The Ministry of External Affairs affirmed India's resolve to maintain diversified energy sourcing and has articulated its concerns to US interlocutors regarding the bill's potential implications.
Shafali Verma produced a stunning 15-ball blitz as India crushed Japan by eight wickets with 15 overs to spare and stormed into the Asian Games semi-finals.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is facilitating discounted tickets for members of Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting for India's upcoming FIFA tier-1 friendlies against Panama, Brazil, and Uruguay. These high-profile matches will be held in Bengaluru and Kolkata, with the AIFF also planning Fan Parks across districts to promote grassroots football and allow wider viewership. The matches are seen as a significant opportunity for the Indian national team to test itself against top-ranked opponents.
Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kobir, announced that the country seeks to "reset" its relationship with India, moving towards a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests. He described ties during the previous government's tenure as "uncomfortable" and emphasised the need for Bangladesh to approach India as "just another country," focusing on balanced relations rather than an "excessive preoccupation." This comes after Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not attend the BRICS Summit in India.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has identified a significant opportunity for India as the company transitions its enterprise systems to an AI-first model. He emphasised India's crucial role, leveraging its extensive pool of technology professionals and partners, in this global technological transformation, which he likened to a "Y2K moment" for engineering.
Trump has enacted a new law imposing significant sanctions on Russia and Iran, which could lead to tariffs of up to 100% on major energy importers like India and China.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a dominant 19-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their opening Pool B match at the Asian Games. Deepika was the star performer, scoring eight goals, as India showcased their superior skill and relentless attack against a struggling Uzbekistan defence.
Is there a bigger event in India than the arrival of the rains?
India's head coach Gautam Gambhir believes the national team possesses the talent to breach the 300-run mark in T20 cricket soon, emphasising the importance of impactful performances over individual milestones.
The Indian men's badminton team secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Bangladesh at the Asian Games, advancing to the quarterfinals. Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, and K Srikkanth all won their respective matches without dropping a game, setting up a clash with hosts Japan. Lakshya Sen also shared insights on his form and the camaraderie among players.
India will take on Pakistan in the table tennis men's and women's team event at the Asian Games on Monday.
Naman Dhir's batting flexibility and useful off-spin could address a missing role in India's ODI setup, with Irfan Pathan highlighting his potential following a standout domestic T20 campaign.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been selected as India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony. This decision highlights the significant contributions of shooting and athletics to India's medal tally, with a 158-strong contingent participating in the event.
Veteran Indian shuttler H S Prannoy discusses his likely final Asian Games appearance and his long-term Olympic aspirations for LA 2028. Doubles specialist Chirag Shetty urges the Indian men's badminton team to go for gold, reflecting on their previous silver medal and the team's strong cohesion.
The 13th Leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour in Gurugram features a record 60 players, serving as a crucial warm-up for the upcoming Hero Women's Indian Open. Top Indian golfers, including Diksha Dagar and Gaurika Bishnoi, are participating to familiarise themselves with the challenging DLF Golf & Country Club course, which will host both events.
Penlope Cruz brought a piece of India to the Toronto International Film Festival in a breathtaking white gown that had everyone looking twice.
The Indian women's 50m rifle 3 positions team, comprising Tilottama Sen, Vidarsa Vinod, and Ashi Chouksey, secured a silver medal at the Asian Games in Nagoya.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey has denied sanctioning an emergent Executive Committee Meeting called by secretary Bhola Nath Singh, intensifying an internal power struggle. The dispute stems from a jersey colour change controversy and the secretary's attempt to address various issues, including the Hockey India League's future and upcoming elections, which Tirkey claims is beyond his authority to convene.
The challenge for India lies in navigating complex landscape to its best advantage. The BRICS Summit will test its navigation skills, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
The Indian men's cricket team is facing kit sizing issues and accommodation concerns ahead of their departure for the Asian Games. While most kit problems are being resolved, the BCCI has proactively arranged its own hotel for the team in Nagoya, Japan, due to reported delays and inadequate facilities for other athletes.
