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Henri Kagan of France and Kenso Soai of Japan were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their breakthrough in developing methods that enable chemical reactions to favour a single molecular mirror image. Their work addresses homochirality, a phenomenon involving molecules that exist in two mirror-image forms. This achievement has important applications in medicine because different molecular forms can produce different biological effects. Producing drugs containing only the desired therapeutic variant can improve treatment effectiveness and reduce the risk of harmful side effects. The Nobel Prize includes an award of 12 million Swedish kronor, with the ceremony scheduled for December 10, 2026, in Stockholm, Sweden.

Rahul Navin received a one-year extension as the Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), following approval by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on August 9, 2026. His extended tenure is effective beyond August 13, 2026, and continues until August 13, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The extension was formally processed through an order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT). The Enforcement Directorate operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, and is responsible for enforcing important laws such as the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.

Rajat Sharma was unanimously re-elected as the president of the News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) for the 2026-27 tenure. The decision was taken by the NBDA Board of Directors during its meeting on September 23, 2026. Sharma is the chairman and editor-in-chief of India TV and will continue to lead the association for another term. The NBDA represents leading news and current affairs broadcasters in India and has 29 member organisations operating 130 news channels and digital platforms. The association also inducted Jayant Mammen Mathew of MM TV into its Board of Directors during the 19th Annual General Meeting.

Article 75(2) of the Constitution of India provides that Union ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President. This provision operates within India’s parliamentary system, where the President acts on the aid and advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, in accordance with the Constitution. The provision was highlighted when President Droupadi Murmu accepted L. Murugan’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers following the Prime Minister’s advice. Murugan, who served as Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, resigned to focus on strengthening the BJP’s organisational presence in Tamil Nadu.

Mastercard exited Pine Labs by selling its entire 4.31% stake for ₹933.57 crore through open market transactions on September 22, 2026. The transaction was executed through block deals on the BSE, involving the sale of 4.97 crore equity shares at ₹187.75 per share. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance was the largest institutional buyer, acquiring a 0.8% stake, while Societe Generale and Citigroup Global Markets Singapore also purchased significant stakes. Pine Labs is an Indian merchant commerce platform headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and was established in 1998. Mastercard is a global payment technology corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York.

ReNew Power secured a $100 million financing facility, approximately ₹955 crore, from the Dutch development bank FMO on October 13, 2026, to fund renewable energy projects under construction in India. The 10-year, rupee-denominated facility was extended to ReNew Solar Power Private Limited through the Reserve Bank of India's Voluntary Retention Route (VRR). This investment marked FMO's largest single-ticket investment in India's energy sector and was recognised as the largest 2X-aligned corporate financing in Asia to date by FMO. The facility also qualifies under the global 2X Challenge, which promotes women's economic participation and empowerment. ReNew's gross clean energy portfolio reached 20.5 GW as of August 18, 2026.

Cochin Shipyard Limited delivered Mangrol, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), to the Indian Navy on August 21, 2026. The vessel has more than 80% indigenous content and is designed for underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, coastal operations, low-intensity maritime operations, and mine warfare. Equipped with torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, radar, and sonar systems, Mangrol enhances the Navy’s capabilities in shallow and coastal waters. Its delivery also supports the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative by strengthening India’s indigenous defence shipbuilding and reducing dependence on foreign technology and manufacturing.

2047 is the target year for India to increase its crude steelmaking capacity to 604 million tonnes (MT) under the draft National Steel Policy – Vision 2047. Released on October 12, 2026, the policy outlines a roadmap to expand domestic steel production, reduce import dependence and promote sustainable industrial growth. It also targets finished steel demand of 505 MT and an increase in per capita steel consumption from 116 kg to 302 kg. The policy aims to reduce dependence on imported coking coal and lower the average emission intensity of steel production from 2.54 to 1.54 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne of crude steel through cleaner technologies, hydrogen-based steelmaking and greater use of scrap.

Oman became India's leading supplier of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in September 2026, overtaking the United States amid shifting global trade routes and regional disruptions. Oman supplied 0.59 million tonnes of LNG during the month, an 11.6% increase compared with August. The United States ranked third with 0.34 million tonnes, while Nigeria secured second place. Oman's location and ability to export LNG without depending on the Strait of Hormuz provided an advantage during regional disruptions. Between May and September 2026, Oman supplied 2.33 million tonnes, accounting for 20% of India's LNG imports during that period. India's LNG demand was supported by the city gas distribution and fertiliser sectors.

August 23 is observed as National Space Day in India to commemorate the historic soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon on August 23, 2023. The Vikram lander successfully landed near the lunar south polar region, making India the first country to achieve a successful landing in that region and the fourth country to accomplish a soft landing on the Moon. National Space Day celebrates India’s achievements in space science and aims to inspire students, researchers, innovators, startups, and young entrepreneurs to contribute to the country’s growing space sector. The 2026 theme focuses on innovation, collaboration, and global space leadership.

August 20 is observed annually as World Mosquito Day to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases and their prevention. The day commemorates the important discovery made by British-Indian physician and scientist Sir Ronald Ross in 1897, when he demonstrated that malaria is transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. World Mosquito Day highlights the health risks associated with diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, and Zika virus. It also encourages communities to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, avoid stagnant water, use protective measures, and cooperate with public health agencies to reduce mosquito-borne disease transmission.

Sri Lanka lost the hosting rights for the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 following concerns over the autonomy and governance of Sri Lanka Cricket. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held from February 14 to 28, 2027, with six teams participating. The ICC had previously suspended Sri Lanka Cricket in 2023-24 over alleged political interference. In April 2026, the Sri Lankan government temporarily took charge of the cricket body and established a Transformation Committee. The ICC has emphasised the need for a democratically elected cricket board operating independently of government interference.

100% is the maximum tariff that the US President may impose on countries that purchase Russian crude oil or natural gas or assist in evading sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The law expands US powers to impose sanctions and tariffs related to Russia’s energy and defence sectors. Countries such as India and China could potentially come under these powers because they are major purchasers of Russian crude oil. However, the legislation does not automatically impose a 100% tariff on them, as the President has discretion over how the authority is used.

Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov visited New Delhi on August 5, 2026, to deepen the strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan in critical minerals, mining, trade, and defence. Bilateral trade between the two countries has reached nearly $1 billion, with both sides aiming for further expansion. Cooperation is also being strengthened in infrastructure, energy, defence, and digital technology. Uzbekistan supported India’s BRICS Presidency in 2026, while India backed Uzbekistan’s candidacy to chair the Non-Aligned Movement for 2027–2029. Uzbekistan’s capital is Tashkent, and its currency is the Uzbekistani Soʻm.

Raji Doshi, a student of Indian origin from Farmington, Connecticut, won the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge and received a cash award of $25,000. She is a student at Stanford Online High School and was recognised for her innovative project, ALKACORE, which explores ways to reduce coastal ocean acidification. Her research combines macroalgae cultivation with aragonite, a natural form of calcium carbonate, to study their effects on carbon dioxide levels and seawater alkalinity. Doshi competed against nine other finalists during the competition held on October 12–13, 2026, at 3M’s global headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jorhat, located in Assam, is the site of the newly inaugurated Grainage Building and Cold Storage facility at the Central Silk Board’s Silkworm Seed Production Centre in Rowriah. The facility was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita on October 8, 2026, under the North-East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS). The new infrastructure can produce 30 lakh Disease-Free Layings (DFLs) of mulberry hybrid silkworm seed annually and preserve up to one crore DFLs in cold storage. The project aims to strengthen silkworm seed production, support Assam’s sericulture industry, improve silk quality, and create employment opportunities in the region.

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, hosted the 14th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting and the 23rd ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultation on September 24, 2026. The Indian delegation was led by Nitin Kumar Yadav, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce. Discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation and reviewing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) to address trade asymmetries and improve business facilitation. India’s bilateral trade with ASEAN reached USD 128.38 billion in 2025–26, accounting for 10.55% of India’s global trade. The meetings also covered regional energy infrastructure, industrial clusters, and opportunities for trade and services.

The Assam government announced that all government offices in the state will transition to a paperless e-Office system from January 1, 2027. The decision, announced by the Chief Minister's office on September 23, 2026, aims to make public administration transparent, efficient, and people-friendly. The e-Office system, designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), digitises file handling, notes, drafting, digital signing, and archiving. Currently, all 58 departments of the Assam Secretariat already use e-Office, and implementation is being extended to directorates and Deputy Commissioners' offices. Assam began this digital governance initiative in 2021 and launched e-Office District in 2026.

West Bengal launched four dedicated toll-free helplines to enable citizens to directly report various illegal activities. The helplines cover complaints related to extortion, syndicate activities, illegal road and toll tax collections, and illegal liquor. The numbers introduced are 155334 for extortion, 155335 for syndicate activities, 155337 for illegal road and toll tax collections, and 155339 for illegal liquor. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the functioning of these helplines during his visit to the state and assured that complaints received through the numbers would be acted upon promptly.

Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of deceased organ donors in India during 2025, with 266 deceased donors, according to the NOTTO Annual Report 2025–26. The state also ranked second in total organ transplants, behind Delhi, and has the country's largest transplant infrastructure with 172 transplant centres. Tamil Nadu performed the highest number of transplants involving kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreases, and small bowels. The state's advanced healthcare system and well-established organ donation network have made it a national leader in promoting organ donation, improving transplant outcomes, and supporting patients in need of life-saving organ transplants.