National
The Government of India's flagship manufacturing initiative, Make in India, has successfully completed 12 years, significantly strengthening the domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is hosting the second edition of the multinational air exercise 'Tarang Shakti 2026' at the Air Force Station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
The Union Government approved a one-time, interest-free loan of Rs 50,000 per barn for Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh under the Interest-Free Working Capital Assistance Scheme.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) notified four ports, including Adani's Mundra Port, as India's first Mega Ports.
Researchers at IIT Delhi developed India's first working and demonstrable indigenous micro-Graphics Processing Unit (micro-GPU), reducing dependence on imported technology.
A new flowering plant species, Begonia neelamorum, was discovered in the Keyi Panyor district of Arunachal Pradesh.
India flagged off its first LNG-powered train using a diesel-LNG dual-fuel system from the Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
International
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have extended their Cooperative Agreement for five years until January 8, 2032, to strengthen long-standing space collaboration.
India has been elevated to the strategic partner stream within the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) following the recent FIPIC Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The Global Cooling Pledge Assembly 2026 established an Intergovernmental Committee on Cooling, with the UNEP-led Cool Coalition serving as its Secretariat.
Economy
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has raised India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast by 80 basis points to 7.1% for the Financial Year 2026-27 (FY27).
India's Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) market has overtaken Hong Kong to become Asia's fourth largest, reaching USD 17.7 billion.
The Ministry of Finance launched the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP), India's first domestic maritime insurance pool, backed by a sovereign guarantee of Rs 12,980 crore (USD 1.4 billion).
NTPC Limited and France-based EDF Power Solutions have formed a 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) to develop, own, and operate low-carbon energy projects in India.
Date's importance
September 29 is globally observed as World Heart Day. Established by the World Heart Federation (WHF) in 2000, it aims to raise awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and promote heart-healthy habits.
September 29, 2026, marks exactly ten years since the Indian Army carried out precision surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) in 2016.
This date also marks the 16th anniversary of the official rollout of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) project (Aadhaar), which was launched on September 29, 2010, in Tembhli village, Maharashtra.
Person of the day
Mandeep K. Bhandari: The senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was recently appointed as the new Chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Enrico Fermi (Born September 29, 1901): The Nobel laureate physicist who created the world's first artificial nuclear reactor (Chicago Pile-1) and is celebrated as a pioneer of the nuclear age.
Sports
The Indian women's kabaddi team won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, by defeating Iran 37-34 in the final.
Indian athlete Sawan Barwal won silver in the men's marathon at the Asian Games with a time of 2:11:36, ending a 44-year wait and giving India its first Asian Games marathon medal since 1982.
Shooters Suruchi Inder Singh and Kamaljeet clinched the 10m air pistol mixed team gold at the Asian Games with a new Asian record score of 484.6.
Baranica Elangovan won bronze in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 4.15 metres, making history as the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games medal in this event.
Abhiram Singh Yadav has been elected as an Associate Member representative to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executives' Committee.
Awards
Z. T. Lalrithangi from Mizoram was selected by the United Nations for the 'FAO 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development' award.
The Lalit Kala Akademi announced 20 National Art Awards for the 65th National Exhibition of Art (NEA), India's premier annual platform for contemporary visual arts.
Other important significance
World Tourism Day was recently observed with the 2026 theme "Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism", highlighting technology's role in creating sustainable travel.
India secured the 31st position in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026, moving up nine positions globally.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) issued operational guidelines for NPS Swasthya, a newly introduced health-linked pension scheme.