Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticised the Aam Aadmi Party's governance in Punjab, citing issues such as drug addiction, crime, and financial instability. He promoted the BJP as an alternative, highlighting their development agenda and commitment to fulfilling promises.
BRICS leaders, in their New Delhi Declaration 2026, have called for wider access to Artificial Intelligence resources and stronger international cooperation to ensure the technology is safe, secure, inclusive, and reliable. The declaration outlines a broad technology agenda covering AI, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, telecom, quantum technologies, and advanced manufacturing, committing to implement the grouping's statement on 'Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence'.
In recent years, China and Russia have pushed for de-dollarisation within BRICS, which India has resisted. One reason is that India does not want to hurt its relationship with the United States, and another is the fear of China controlling trade because the renminbi is considered the strongest currency in the bloc today.
Ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held extensive talks in Beijing on August 25 on the boundary issue and reached an eight-point consensus.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the 'Khelo India Dialogue' to engage with youth on India's sporting journey, national development, and Olympic aspirations. The virtual event, structured around five key themes including sports ecosystem improvement, youth leadership, and a 'Nasha Mukt Yuva' movement, aims to gather ideas for a stronger, youth-led 'Viksit Bharat' and nurture talent for the 2036 Olympics.
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.
China has called for stronger global governance of artificial intelligence, advocating for international cooperation to develop the technology for humanity's benefit while preventing it from getting out of control. This comes amidst warnings from leading AI researchers in the US about potential existential risks, with China emphasizing both rapid development and robust safeguards, including its new AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0. The issue is expected to be a key topic in upcoming US-China talks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the BRICS summit, called for a fundamental shift in global governance, advocating for the replacement of the current 'pyramid of privilege' with a 'platform of partnership' where the Global South becomes a 'rule shaper' rather than a 'rule follower'.
The highlight of the successful BRICS Summit was its ability to deliver a joint statement that all members, including Iran and the United Arab Emirates, embroiled in the war in West Asia, signed.
'It is not about a place with fewer incidents of violence but a city where women have real agency in planning their daily lives.'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged BRICS nations to expand trade in national currencies and build an inclusive global economic framework. He criticised "unilateral sanctions" by Western powers, stating they make emerging economies vulnerable and impact global food security. Pezeshkian emphasised BRICS' role in creating a balanced world order and highlighted Iran's geopolitical and energy capacities for cooperation.
India's national security adviser was in Dhaka for roughly three-quarters of the day on Thursday to prepare the ground for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to New Delhi.
During the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting, outlining a four-point approach for the steady and long-term development of China-India relations. The leaders stressed strategic understanding, win-win cooperation, mutual respect, and inclusive multilateral engagement, reaffirming their commitment to resolving the boundary question and addressing economic concerns. They also discussed global challenges and strengthening people-to-people ties.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is set to meet Hockey India League (HIL) franchise owners and federation officials to address the league's financial and administrative crisis. The HIL is struggling with unpaid player dues, rising costs, and franchise withdrawals, prompting the ministry to seek solutions for its survival, especially given its importance for Indian hockey development.
The BRICS summit in New Delhi brings together leaders from major emerging economies to address global challenges like trade disputes, geopolitical upheavals, and the economic impact of conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. India, as chair, aims to position BRICS as an economic growth engine, focusing on the Global South's food, energy, and supply chain security. The summit also highlights the grouping's expansion and its growing influence in global governance.
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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed a new investment platform, based on the New Development Bank (NDB), to fund projects in trade, infrastructure, logistics, and technology across BRICS nations, emphasising that the grouping's expanding economic cooperation is not 'against anyone' but aims to advance members' national interests.
Ajit Agarkar has informed the BCCI he will not continue as chief selector, prompting the board to begin searching for his successor as his contract ends October 4.
A top UN official has emphasised the critical role of women in India's development, highlighting that gender equality should be viewed as both a human right and a key factor in development effectiveness.
Danish FA President Jesper Moller has renewed calls for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down, citing FIFA's refusal to answer 'critical questions' regarding its abandoned proposal to sell commercial stakes in tournaments.
For India, the goal is not simply to host another grand diplomatic gathering. It is to prove that a diverse coalition of emerging powers can still deliver.
India and China are in what experts call 'a cooperation-versus-competition situation'.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 later on Friday (local time). A White House official confirmed the development to ANI without revealing further details.
For the second time in two years, Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the state Cabinet on Friday amid the Opposition heat over his alleged involvement in the Rs 89 crore Valmiki Corporation scam.
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.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to India for the BRICS summit is a pivotal diplomatic event poised to significantly impact bilateral ties and global cooperation amidst ongoing international instability.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held extensive discussions to strengthen bilateral trade, defence, and energy cooperation, while also addressing the ongoing Ukraine conflict and exploring avenues for peace and resolution, with Modi reiterating India's call for dialogue and diplomacy.
Who is running the show in Dhaka? This kind of flip-flop, culminating in a last-minute decision to skip a maiden visit, can happen only when the remote is in the hands of one of the competing lobbies within the BNP -- one that appears determined to play a game of chess with India.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution, backed by India, to correct the world map for a more accurate representation of continental landmasses. The resolution addresses the distortions caused by the widely used Mercator projection, which minimises the perceived sizes of regions like Africa, Latin America, and South Asia, promoting an unbalanced global view. India supports the move towards more accurate cartographic practices, specifically endorsing broader use of Equal Area map projections.
Kerala University vice-chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal on Saturday said those who do not say Vande Mataram do not know who their mother is.
Congress MLA and former India Hockey Captain Pargat Singh has criticised the change in the Indian hockey team's national jersey colour from blue to saffron, alleging it reflects the BJP's mindset of 'giving everything a particular colour' and urging a focus on sports development instead.
The official Instagram account of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was temporarily taken down on Independence Day, prompting the outfit to allege an attempt to silence its voice. The account was later restored, and the CJP, known for its student-centric campaigns, vowed not to be intimidated.
The National Conference and BJP held significant protests in Jammu and Kashmir, accusing each other of failing to deliver on promises. The NC demanded the restoration of statehood, while the BJP criticised the NC government's performance on issues like jobs and corruption, marking the first major political unrest since Article 370's abrogation.
'There needs to be a monitoring of glaciers in high altitude areas and one needs to check regularly how geological changes are taking place.' 'We can mitigate that by regular monitoring but unfortunately, hardly any monitoring is happening.' 'And without monitoring those higher altitudes of Himalayas, people are suffering.'
The Indian Parliament is scheduled for a significant legislative day, with the Lok Sabha set to consider and pass the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Concurrently, the Rajya Sabha will introduce the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and pass the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, highlighting a busy agenda for both houses.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that 'a lot of progress' has been made regarding Iran, suggesting that Tehran has reached out for talks and that developments could become clearer within 48 hours.
Japan is deepening its defence relationship with India while simultaneously expanding its economic, infrastructure and security engagement with countries around India -- particularly Bangladesh. The result is an emerging Japanese conception of South Asia in which India remains the strategic anchor, but the geography surrounding India is becoming increasingly important, points out Varun Arya.
A research paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) recommends that Bihar revoke its alcohol ban, citing its failure to reduce violence against women and a rise in illicit drug and alcohol consumption. The report suggests that reinstating the liquor excise tax would significantly increase state revenues and decrease enforcement costs.
'Wages have not risen. Rural wages have stagnated. The growth was 0.7 per cent last year. For casual and irregular labour, the wage growth is negative.'
