Two-thirds of India's 160 airports, approximately 120, have very low utilisation rates, with only 40 operating at 70-80 per cent capacity.
Defending champions India's men's kabaddi team secured a dominant 37-21 victory over Chinese Taipei, advancing to the semi-finals of the Asian Games with an unbeaten record in Group A.
The Indian women's hockey team secured its fourth consecutive victory at the Asian Games, defeating hosts Japan 3-1, a win that virtually guarantees them a semi-final berth.
Head coach V V S Laxman hailed the Indian team's 'champion's mindset' after they beat Pakistan to win the gold medal in the men's T20 cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.
President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Indian athletes Parul Chaudhary, Gulveer Singh, Vithya Ramraj, and Esha Singh for their medal-winning performances on Day 9 of the Asian Games. Parul Chaudhary secured her second medal with a bronze in the women's 5,000m, while Gulveer Singh earned a silver in the men's 1,500m, adding to his previous silver. Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women's 400m hurdles with a personal best and national record, and Esha Singh claimed silver in the women's 25m pistol event.
Former India hockey captain Sardar Singh has highlighted the need for greater discipline and sharper man-marking for the Indian team to bridge the gap with top European sides and Australia. He acknowledged India's progress in ball possession and overall fitness but stressed the importance of disciplined play. Singh also commented on Pakistan's withdrawal from the Asian Champions Trophy and expressed confidence in India's chances as hosts.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated the India-New Zealand Under-20 International Rugby Sevens Series in Nalanda district. The event, held from October 23 to 28 at the Rajgir Sports Complex, marks 100 years of bilateral sporting relations and aims to promote rugby in Bihar. Matches were played between the men's and women's teams, with the Indian women's team securing a victory.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated a Rs 75 lakh NCC hangar at Bhuntar Airport in Kullu. This new facility aims to significantly enhance aviation training infrastructure for NCC cadets, offering practical knowledge, simulator training, and flying skill development. It is the first dedicated facility of its kind in Kullu since Air NCC's inception in Himachal Pradesh in 1972, designed to inspire youth towards careers in aviation and the Indian Air Force.
Veteran batter Paras Dogra has become only the second player to feature in 150 Ranji Trophy matches, joining Wasim Jaffer. Dogra achieved this milestone during his side's match against Baroda on Monday. He has been a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket, also having played in the IPL.
Indian golfer Vani Kapoor achieved a career-best runner-up finish at the Hero Women's India Open, expressing optimism for future Ladies European Tour opportunities. Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum secured her fourth title in India, while 13-year-old Ojaswani Saraswat was named the best amateur.
Aditya has become the first Indian male boxer to secure a medal at the World Boxing U-19 Championships by reaching the semifinals in the men's 55kg category. He defeated Italy's Tommaso Orlando and will now face Nihat Gasimov of Azerbaijan. Two Indian women boxers, Megha Sheokand and Prachi Tokas, have also reached the semifinals.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a decline in early trade due to elevated crude oil prices, ongoing geopolitical uncertainties, and investor caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy decision later this week. Track Sensex, Nifty on October 26.
The Sports Authority of India, Kolkata, felicitated Asian Games gold medallists Sahil Rajesh Jadhav and Kirti Sharma, along with bronze medallist rower Satnam Singh, for their outstanding performances. The athletes expressed gratitude for the support, with Sahil also securing an Olympic quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
India has issued a fresh advisory for its nationals, particularly Umrah pilgrims, in Saudi Arabia due to ongoing flight cancellations and regional tensions. The Indian Consulate in Jeddah is providing assistance, coordinating with Saudi authorities, and helping facilitate the early return of affected individuals amidst disruptions caused by drone and missile attacks.
Veteran Indian midfielder Nilakanta Sharma has announced his retirement from international hockey after the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy, citing a desire to make way for younger talent. The decision, made after India's Asian Games gold medal win, is part of Hockey India's transition strategy for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Sharma plans to focus on coaching the next generation of players.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu defeated Japan's Hina Akechi in a thrilling three-game match to reach her second Super 750 final of the year at the French Open. She will now face world No. 1 An Se Young in the summit clash.
India has issued an advisory to its nationals in Saudi Arabia, urging them to abide by local rules and regulations, particularly regarding filming or publishing information about missile and drone interceptions. This comes amidst escalating regional tensions and recent drone and missile attacks. The advisory also includes updates on flight suspensions by Air India and Air India Express to Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah, with some suspensions extending until 2026. Indian missions are providing assistance to affected nationals and liaising with Saudi authorities.
Veteran Indian squash players Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar have secured their spot in the mixed doubles quarter-finals at the Asian Games.
13-year-old Ojaswani Saraswat has already created history by becoming the youngest Indian woman to make the cut at a Ladies European Tour (LET) event.
Defending champion Dhruvh Goswami secured a dramatic victory in the first LGB Formula 4 race on the final day of Round 1 of the CTR-JK Tyre FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship in Coimbatore. Despite challenging conditions and multiple safety car interruptions, Goswami showcased exceptional skill. The rain-hit day also saw Balaprasath win the second LGB Formula 4 race, Kabir Sahoch achieve a hat-trick in the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup Amateur class, and other notable wins across various categories.
Asian Games gold medallist Devank Dalal has been retained by Bhiwani Bulls for the second season of the Kabaddi Champions League for Rs 21.20 lakh. His fee increased by Rs two lakh, and Dalal aims to lead the team to a title win after their runners-up finish last season.
The Indian women's kabaddi team secured a dominant 48-24 victory over Nepal, advancing to the Asian Games final and maintaining their unbeaten streak. They are now poised to win their fourth consecutive gold medal in the event, continuing their historical dominance since women's kabaddi was introduced in 2010.
Despite recent foreign portfolio outflows, India's long-term investment prospects remain strong, but the return of capital hinges on global financial conditions, relative valuations, and the country's ability to attract sustained foreign investment, according to foreign bankers at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit.
The wife and three children of an Indian Navy employee in Faridabad allegedly attempted suicide by ingesting rat poison on Sunday, citing physical abuse and character questioning by the husband/father. They were rushed to a hospital in Delhi for treatment, and police are awaiting a formal complaint to take action.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams delivered impressive performances at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The men's team defeated Uganda 44-30, while the women's team secured a dominating 32-16 victory over Singapore. Both teams showcased strong raiding and defensive skills, setting the stage for upcoming matches.
The Indian cricket team is set to face New Zealand in the third T20 International on Tuesday, aiming for a series-clinching victory. The match, held in Wellington, will test India's bowling attack, particularly Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and the team's ability to handle challenging conditions and a resilient New Zealand side.
The inaugural Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Tournament will commence in Chennai on October 30, featuring prominent Indian and international grandmasters. The eight-day event, running until November 7, will host 80 FIDE-rated players, including 32 grandmasters, and is expected to be one of India's strongest open chess tournaments, offering opportunities for players to earn various FIDE titles.
India's men's and women's skeet shooting teams have both secured bronze medals at the Asian Games in Nagoya. While the teams celebrated podium finishes, individual shooters Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, and Anantjeet Singh Naruka, despite reaching the finals, narrowly missed out on individual medals. This marks India's first-ever Asian Games medal in the women's team skeet event.
This article provides a comprehensive schedule for Indian athletes participating in various disciplines at the Asian Games on October 1, including archery, cricket, hockey, wrestling, and more, detailing their qualification rounds, semi-finals, and potential medal matches.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to persistently high crude oil prices and significant selling pressure in IT stocks, with global factors like US bond yields and upcoming Federal Reserve decisions also contributing to cautious investor sentiment. Track Sensex, Nifty on October 27.
Indian archers Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi secured a gold medal in the para recurve men's doubles event at the Asian Para Games, defeating China 5-1 in the final. Meanwhile, the Indian women's para recurve doubles team of Bhawna Choudhary and Pooja Jatyan earned a silver medal after losing to China.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the Indian women's cricket team for winning the gold medal at the Asian Games. Shah praised their "bedazzling" performance and "unmatched cricketing prowess" after they defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final held in Japan.
Indian paddlers Jehan Dorab Madan and Shubham Wadhwa secured a bronze medal in the men's doubles MD4 table tennis event at the Asian Para Games. Despite a 0-3 loss to South Korea in their final group match, their overall performance placed them among the top four, earning them a podium finish. Jehan Madan, at 50, became the oldest Indian medallist at the event.
President Droupadi Murmu extended her congratulations to Indian athletes, including Mirabai Chanu, for their impressive medal-winning performances on Day 4 of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She highlighted significant achievements such as Chanu's silver in weightlifting, ending a 28-year drought, and historic bronze medals in shooting and soft tennis.
Indian tennis players Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh face challenging draws in the Asian Games men's singles, with tough opponents early in their campaigns. While singles prospects appear difficult, India holds strong medal hopes in men's and mixed doubles events, with top-seeded pairs.
Oracle NetSuite identifies India as one of its highest-priority markets, noting that small businesses, particularly outside major metros, are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies to expand domestically and internationally. This adoption is driven by India's young, tech-native population, which is less burdened by legacy systems, allowing smaller firms to compete more effectively with larger enterprises.
The Indian men's chess team, led by world champion D Gukesh, secured a 2.5-1.5 victory over Germany, while the women's team dominated Uzbekistan 3-1 in the ninth round of the 46th Chess Olympiad. Both teams remain in contention for a podium finish, with Gukesh's comeback win being a highlight.
The Indian women's table tennis team was defeated 0-3 by North Korea in the Asian Games quarterfinals, while the men's team exited in the round of 16, marking a disappointing performance for both squads.
Indian squash players Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh both secured silver medals at the Asian Games after losing their respective singles finals to Malaysian opponents.
Indian factories saw an 8 per cent decline in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) in FY25, marking the first drop since the pandemic, despite achieving record high employment generation, according to the latest Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) data.
