1 India and the European Union launch a new ‘Ideathon’ project to combat marine plastic pollution.
India and the European Union (EU) have launched a new programme ‘
Ideathon ‘ to tackle
the problem of marine plastic waste . Startups, researchers, businesses and other stakeholders from both India and the EU can apply to this initiative to jointly develop practical and innovative solutions. Dr. Parvinder Myneni, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA), Government, said that this ‘Ideathon’ is a collaborative effort aimed at developing solutions that are globally relevant and locally impactful. Dr. Parvinder Myneni, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA), Government, said that this ‘Ideathon’ is a collaborative effort aimed at developing solutions that are globally relevant and locally impactful.
2 PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore in Banswara
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over
₹1,22,100 crore in
Banswara . He laid the foundation stone for
the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project at
Napla near
the Mahi Dam . The project, with
an investment of approximately ₹42,000 crore, will include four nuclear power units with a capacity of 700 MW each . He also distributed over 15,000 appointment letters and flagged off three trains. He also announced the launch of power projects worth ₹90,000 crore in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. These include solar power projects in Rajasthan, transmission lines, and a nuclear power project in Banswara.
3 DRDO successfully test-fires medium-range Agni-Prime missile from a rail-based mobile launcher
The DRDO, in collaboration with
the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), has successfully test-fired the medium-range
Agni-Prime missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system . Designed to strike targets with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers, the next-generation missile is equipped with various advanced features. The Ministry of Defence issued a statement on Thursday, stating that this first-of-its-kind launch was conducted from a specially designed rail-based mobile launcher. It can be launched without any hindrance from the rail network. The missile offers pan-India mobility, has the capability to launch in low visibility conditions and with a short reaction time. It is self-sufficient and equipped with all the features including state-of-the-art communication systems and safety mechanisms.
4 Indian Air Force bids farewell to MiG-21 aircraft in Chandigarh
After six decades of service to the nation
, the Indian Air Force ‘s legendary
fighter aircraft, the MiG-21, was given a final farewell. The farewell ceremony was held at
Chandigarh Air Base in the presence of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan, Air Force Chief Air Marshal AP Singh, and other dignitaries. The MiG-21’s operations concluded with a ceremonial flypast. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew the squadron’s final sortie, known as Badal 3. Inducted into the Indian Air Force in 1963 after the Sino-Indian War, the MiG-21 was the country’s first supersonic fighter aircraft. It played a decisive role in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani Wars, inflicting heavy losses on the Pakistani Air Force. Wing Commander Dilbagh Singh led the first MiG-21 squadron at Chandigarh in 1963. Dilbagh Singh later became the Chief of the Indian Air Force.
5 To tackle border threats, BSF opens India’s first drone warfare school in Tekanpur
In response to the evolving threats on India’s borders following
Operation Sindoor , the Border Security Force (BSF) has established
the country’s first dedicated drone warfare school at its
training academy in
Tekanpur , Madhya Pradesh , to build
offensive and defensive unmanned aerial capabilities . Established last month, the first batch of 40 officers underwent a week-long “Drone Orientation” course, comprising commandant and second-in-command level officers from all BSF borders and Subsidiary Training Centres (STCs). Currently, a second group of 47 personnel is enrolled in an intensive six-week “Drone Commando Course,” comprising trainees from the ranks of subordinate officers, assistant sub-inspectors, and constables. The school will teach these personnel about drone flying, tactics, research and development (R&D), and countering the growing number of drone smuggling and intimidation tactics. The school is the brainchild of the ADG and Director of the BSF Academy in Tekanpur.
6 Department of Telecommunications and Financial Intelligence Unit signed an MoU to enhance information sharing and coordination
The Department of Telecommunications and the Financial Intelligence Unit under the Ministry of Finance signed
a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance information sharing and coordination . This MoU will help prevent misuse of telecommunications resources to combat cybercrimes and financial fraud. The agreement will facilitate a standard operating procedure for information sharing and enable response mechanisms to strengthen fraud detection analysis.
7 Russia to launch world’s first nuclear power system by 2030: President Vladimir Putin
President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will launch
the world’s first nuclear power system by 2030 , which will be a system using recycled fuel . He made the announcement at
the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow . Putin said the system will
reuse up to 95% of spent fuel , significantly reducing radioactive waste and the demand for uranium. He called it one of Russia’s proudest scientific achievements. The system will be built in the Tomsk region. Putin invited international scientists to join testing efforts at a new research center in Ulyanovsk.
8 Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches ATL Sarathi and Border Area Programme in Kashmir
NITI Aayog ‘s
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), in collaboration with
the University of Kashmir , launched
the ATL Sarathi and Border Areas Program at the University of Kashmir’s Convocation Complex in
Srinagar . The program was inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Science . The Union Minister announced that under the Border Areas Program, 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) will be established in Jammu and Kashmir with an investment of ₹100 crore, representing the largest share of the 2,500 labs approved for border areas. This landmark initiative, with the announcement of 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), provides a boost to innovation in the Union Territory. Atal Tinkering Labs provide activity-based learning in identified schools across the country, where young minds can transform their ideas into solutions to societal problems.
9 River Festival inaugurated with great pomp
The sixth River Festival was held at
the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) , inaugurated by Union Water Power Minister C.R. Patil . The three-day festival began with a national symposium on ”
Riverscape Dynamics, Changes, and Continuity .” Over 300 research papers were received, 45 of which were presented. Organized in collaboration with Delhi University, the symposium discussed the cultural, ecological, and artistic aspects of rivers. A documentary film festival, “My River Story,” was also held, showcasing films such as “Givers: The Disappearing Diving Community,” “River Man of India,” “Artha Ganga,” and “Cauvery – River of Life.” The event concluded with a classical rendition by Guru Sudha Raghuraman and her team, which captivated the audience.
10 Donald Trump approves TikTok deal, US to control app
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order approving
TikTok ‘s agreement to operate in
the US . While signing the order at
the White House on Thursday, Trump said he had a “very good conversation with President Xi, who approved the deal.” According to the executive order, TikTok’s US app will be operated by ” a new joint venture established in the US .” According to the US government order, TikTok’s US app will now be operated by a new US company. This company will be majority owned and controlled by the American people, and will not be under the control of any foreign enemy country.
Oracle, Silver Lake, and several other US investors will hold a majority stake in this new company. It also stated that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, will hold less than a 20 percent stake in this entity. US Vice President J.D. Vance announced that TikTok US will be valued at $14 billion.
11 UAE introduces its first sovereign mobility cloud at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport
United Arab Emirates – The UAE has unveiled its first
sovereign mobility cloud at the Dubai World Congress for Self-Driving Transport , marking a major step in the country’s
autonomous mobility strategy . Powered by Core42’s sovereign public cloud and
powered by Microsoft Azure, the platform establishes a secure digital infrastructure for next-generation transportation. It is designed to accelerate autonomous mobility. It also ensures that all data is hosted within the UAE and operates under national regulations. It will support high-definition mapping, telematics, fleet operations, traffic management, and digital twins.
12 Indian shooters win five medals at ISSF Junior World Cup
Indian shooters gave the country a strong start by winning
five medals at
the ISSF Junior World Cup in
New Delhi . Anushka Sharma won gold, Anshika silver, and Aadhya Agarwal bronze in
the women’s 50m rifle prone event . In the men’s event, Deependra Singh Shekhawat won
silver and Rohit Kanyan bronze .
13 Kashmir’s Atiqa Mir, who has excelled in Formula One racing, has won the European Karting Championship.
Jammu and Kashmir ‘s
first Formula 1 racing talent, Atiqa Mir, has grabbed headlines with her impressive performance at
the European Karting Championship held in
Slovakia . She may have missed out on a medal, but her fourth-place finish has still drawn congratulations and best wishes. 11-year-old Atiqa Mir, a resident of
Srinagar , is making motorsport history as
the first Indian and Asian girl to be selected for the Formula 1 Academy’s ‘
Discover Your Drive ‘ programme . With the support of Formula 1, she recently achieved the best result for an Indian and a woman at the European Karting Championship in Slovakia, where she finished fourth.
14 Asian Youth Games 2025: BFI announces 23-member Indian team
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Thursday announced
a 23-member squad for
the 2025 Asian Youth Games in
Bahrain . The athletes’ training camp is underway at the NIS in Patiala from September 23 to October 20. The team was selected based on their performance at the recently held 6th U-17 Junior Boys and Girls National Boxing Championships 2025. Gold medalists were directly included in the squad, while silver medalists were designated as reserves.
15 World Contraception Day
Every year ‘
World Contraception Day ‘ is celebrated on 26th September to make people aware about safe contraceptive measures.
