Top-seed Indian Abhijeet Gupta secured a crucial victory in the eighth round of the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, maintaining his lead. Fellow Indian International Masters Aswath S and Kushagra Mohan also won, positioning themselves strongly for the title in the final round, with Aswath eyeing a Grandmaster title and Kushagra a Grandmaster norm.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has opened applications for its Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster, a crucial step under the newly adopted National Sports Governance Act. This initiative aims to induct retired players into the federation's General Body, ensuring greater representation and direct involvement in governance. The process outlines specific eligibility criteria across various tiers of sporting achievement and allows direct applications, bypassing state association endorsements.
Aryaveer Dewan leads a strong Indian contingent into the finals of the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Panzhihua, China, with Shiven Agarwal, Anika Dubey, and Amarya Bajaj also competing for titles in their respective categories.
G.D. Goenka School, Dwarka and Bharti Public School have clinched their maiden boys' and girls' titles, respectively, at the fourth edition of the Oriental Cup. The tournament also introduced a scholarship programme for 10 student-athletes, recognising their outstanding performances.
Indian para swimmer Tejas Nandakumar has been ruled out of the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games due to a classification issue. His entry, initially accepted, was later rejected by organisers after a validation process by World Para Athletics, citing his R-2025 class status as ineligible for the G2026 competition.
A 24-member Indian Junior women's hockey team has travelled to the United Kingdom for an exposure tour, playing matches against junior teams from England, Scotland, the United States, and Belgium, as well as the Scotland senior women's team, to prepare for upcoming international tournaments like the Junior Asia Cup.
India's Special Olympics Bharat football team is heading to Sweden to compete in the Gothia Cup 2026, aiming for their third consecutive title in the Special Olympics Trophy. The team, comprising players with intellectual disabilities, received a send-off from Sweden's ambassador, highlighting their role as national ambassadors. Their coach detailed the unique training methods involving actions and sign language.
A search operation was initiated in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district after a suspected Pakistani drone, fitted with a blinking light, was sighted over forward villages along the Line of Control. The drone briefly entered Indian airspace before returning to Pakistan. Security forces conducted a thorough search for any dropped payloads, but no suspicious material was found.
The Indian Olympic Association hosted a grand send-off for the country's Commonwealth Games contingent, unveiling the official ceremonial and competition kit for athletes heading to Glasgow. Dignitaries including Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and IOA President PT Usha attended the event, expressing hopes for a successful campaign.
Indian startup funding plummeted by 43 per cent year-on-year to $7.81 billion between March 1 and June 15, 2026, largely due to the West Asia conflict, which has amplified global risk perceptions, tightened liquidity, and led to rupee depreciation, making global investors cautious.
Indian stock markets witnessed a significant rally, with the Sensex climbing 964.58 points and the Nifty reaching 24,330, driven by strong buying in blue-chip stocks, particularly in the IT and banking sectors, amidst optimism over Q1 earnings and a shift towards large-cap investments.
French Olympian Prithika Pavade delivered a stellar performance, including a crucial win over two-time UTT MVP Yangzi Liu, to lead PBG Pune Jaguars to a 9-6 victory against UP Prometheans in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7. The match saw several closely contested battles and dramatic finishes.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant has announced the signing of Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira Damasceno, the reigning ISL Golden Ball winner, on a two-year contract. Miguel, who previously played a crucial role in East Bengal's title-winning campaign, is known for his attacking prowess and ability to provide assists. He expressed excitement about playing for Mohun Bagan's passionate fanbase and aims to help the team win multiple titles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his three-nation tour in New Zealand, where he and his counterpart Christopher Luxon elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. The visit focused on doubling trade by 2030 and expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, marking the first visit by an Indian PM in 40 years.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rallied in early trade, driven by a significant decline in crude oil prices and positive developments on the geopolitical front, alongside strong performance in blue-chip IT stocks. Track Sensex, Nifty on July 2, 2026
Indian athletes secured three gold medals at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong, maintaining their second-place position. Nikhil Chandrashekar, Basant, and Shahnavaz Khan contributed to India's success in the 3000m steeplechase, high jump, and long jump events, respectively.
The Indian contingent at the Norway Chess tournament faced a difficult day as all four players, including world champion D Gukesh, suffered defeats in Round 6. Magnus Carlsen gained momentum, while Wesley So took the lead.
Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma missed the cut at the BMW International Open on his return to competitive golf. Meanwhile, Germany's Thomas Rosenmueller shot the day's best round to move into contention for the title, just two strokes behind the leaders.
The 23rd Commonwealth Games opened in Glasgow with a vibrant ceremony at the OVO Hydro, blending Scottish heritage with modern performances. King Charles III declared the Games open, emphasising a message of sustainability, particularly regarding plastic pollution in oceans. The event showcased a new, more compact model for the Games, focusing on existing venues and integrated Para sports, following Glasgow's role as a step-in host.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has reached her first final in over two years at the Japan Open. Her opponent, Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei of China, retired midway through their women's singles semifinal due to a hamstring injury. Sindhu was leading 21-19, 15-10 when Chen was forced to pull out. Sindhu will now face the winner of the second semifinal between Japan's Akane Yamaguchi and Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani.
'The day that the market realises that they've overspent (on AI) and there's a sudden collapse in the capex, then India can start outperforming again.'
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, visited Mumbai to understand India's digital public infrastructure, including UPI and AI, in improving financial health for salaried individuals. She interacted with healthcare professionals and SalarySe leaders, praising India's advancements in financial inclusion and technology's role in empowering individuals.
The Indian government has informed the Lok Sabha that the income-tax return (ITR) e-filing portal is functioning in a 'largely stable and efficient manner' despite a significant increase in traffic during the peak filing season. However, it acknowledged transient technical issues and disclosed that contractual penalties have been imposed on Infosys for project delays and service-level agreement failures.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta maintained his sole lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin chess tournament after drawing with IM Akshay Borgaonkar in the seventh round. Other Indian players, IM Kushagra Mohan and IM Ashwath S, also performed well, securing third and second places respectively.
The Sports Ministry has directed Hockey India to investigate allegations of intimidation and sexual harassment raised by former India captain Asunta Lakra. Lakra accused Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh of intimidation and institutional protection of misconduct, urging an independent inquiry to safeguard women athletes.
Scientists at the ICAR-CMFRI have identified a new species of deep-sea fish, named Cyttopsis indica (Indian dory), in the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast. This discovery, based on specimens collected from the eastern Lakshadweep Sea, corrects a long-standing taxonomic misidentification and highlights the rich marine biodiversity of India's southwest coast.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist judoka Tulika Maan is determined to overcome her Paris Olympics disappointment and win a gold medal at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She is confident about facing her 2022 final opponent, Sarah Adlington, again.
The Sports Ministry has directed Hockey India to investigate allegations of intimidation and sexual harassment raised by former India captain Asunta Lakra. Lakra accused Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh of intimidation and institutional protection of misconduct, urging an independent inquiry to safeguard women athletes.
The Prime Volleyball League (PVL) has been officially recognised by the FIVB as India's first division professional volleyball league, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the country. This recognition allows PVL clubs to compete in international tournaments and aligns the league with global standards. The fifth season of PVL is scheduled to begin on November 30, with a players' auction on August 17 in Goa. This development is expected to further strengthen Indian volleyball's performance on the international stage.
India's women wrestlers achieved a perfect podium finish at the U17 Asian Wrestling Championships 2026 in Da Nang, Vietnam, winning 10 medals, including 2 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze.
Top seed Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta secured a decisive victory against Aleksej Alexandrov in the sixth round of the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, maintaining his sole lead. Indian International Masters Aswath S and Kushagra Mohan are in second and third positions, respectively, with three rounds remaining.
A High Performance national coach for rifle shooters, Manoj Kumar, is under inquiry by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for allegedly conducting private coaching at a government facility and discriminating against non-attendees. Complaints from shooters and guardians detail pressure to name him as their official coach and unequal distribution of ammunition. The National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) secretary general has refuted the charges.
India commenced its U-19 Asian Boxing Championships campaign with impressive victories from Chandrika Pujari and Joyshree Devi. Chandrika secured a unanimous 5-0 win, while Joyshree forced an RSC. The campaign continues with U-23 men's boxers entering the ring, highlighting India's strong contingent and the championships' role in developing young talent.
Political parties in Kerala are increasingly using AI-generated content to influence voters in the upcoming elections, raising concerns about the blurring lines between reality and fiction in political messaging.
'When a technology is this fundamental, a country should have its own version of it, rather than relying on whether someone else chooses to build it for you.'
Amateur golfer Alysha Dutt has taken a one-shot lead in the ninth leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour in Hosur, carding a brilliant 5-under 67, which included a stunning eagle. She is closely followed by Amandeep Drall and four other golfers.
Amazon plans to significantly expand its use of automation and advanced robotics, including systems like the SLAM labeler, across its Indian fulfilment centres. The company, which has committed substantial investments in India, also highlighted its global rollout of autonomous robots like Proteus and cautioned against premature AI regulation that could stifle innovation.
The H-1B visa once symbolised the American Dream for Indians, but today's students are increasingly asking whether they need America at all. In 1995, the question was: How do I get to America? In 2026, it may be: Do I need to?
Sutirtha Mukherjee's dominant performance in women's singles secured a crucial 3-2 victory for Dabang Delhi TTC against Kolkata ThunderBlades in the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) league. Despite Ankur Bhattacharjee's upset win over G Sathiyan, Mukherjee's clean sweep in the final match sealed the tie for Delhi.
Union Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy has urged the Indian steel industry to adopt advanced technologies like AI, Machine Learning, and IoT to enhance global competitiveness and productivity. Speaking at a Chintan Shivir, he highlighted that digitalisation is crucial for achieving ambitious steel capacity targets by 2035 and addressing challenges such as operational efficiency, decarbonisation, and export competitiveness. The minister also emphasised how technology can improve safety and reduce downtime in steel plants.
