1 India ranked 31st in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026
India has climbed nine places to 31st among 110 economies in the World Economic Forum ‘s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026, released on September 26, 2026 in collaboration with the Zurich Insurance Group . Japan topped the global ranking for the second consecutive year . TTDI 2026 assesses how prepared countries are to support long-term, sustainable tourism growth. Global tourism has rebounded strongly; international tourist arrivals exceeded 1.5 billion in 2025, and the sector’s economic contribution reached a record $11.6 trillion. However, the report notes that the real challenge now is not attracting tourists, but managing the pressures that come with rapid growth. The TTDI does not rank countries based on tourist numbers or revenue. Instead, it measures policies and conditions across 17 pillars, such as security, digital readiness, infrastructure and cultural resources, that help destinations sustain tourism over the long term.
2 India and Liberia launch ‘Group of Friends’ for safety and security of shipping and seafarers
India and Liberia have jointly launched a new multilateral initiative , the ” Group of Friends on Safety & Security of Shipping & Seafarers. ” The Group was announced on September 25, 2026 , during the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York , with both countries as co-chairs. Maritime security means protecting ships, cargo, crew members, and sea lanes from threats such as piracy, accidents, armed attacks, and unlawful interference. In recent years, security concerns have grown in key shipping corridors such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf region, the Red Sea, and the Black Sea, making global shipping routes more unsafe and uncertain.
3 Rs 200 crore research for development of fully reusable Agnibaan launch vehicle
India’s journey towards building a new generation of indigenous and reusable space transportation systems has received a significant boost with the Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India , signing an agreement with Chennai, Tamil Nadu- based M/s Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited for financial support of ₹200 crore under the Research , Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund. The primary objective of this project is to develop a reusable launch vehicle – Agnivan RLV – to take this technology from TRL-4 to TRL-8. Financial support will be provided through Optionally Convertible Debentures (OCDs). The project seeks to move beyond the traditional approach of recovering only the first stage of the launch vehicle and work towards reusing the entire system.
4 Asian Games: Indian women’s kabaddi team wins gold, beats Iran 37-34 in the final
The Indian women’s Kabaddi team has won the country’s third gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. The Indian team defeated Iran 37-34 in the final to win the gold medal. The Indian women’s team also won the gold medal at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games. In a thrilling and close match, India held on until the very end. In squash, Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar won the bronze medal after losing the mixed doubles semi-final against Tang Ming Hong and Lee Ka Yi of Hong Kong.
5 Indian men’s kabaddi team wins gold
India won its second gold medal in Kabaddi at the 2026 Asian Games . The men’s Kabaddi team performed brilliantly by defeating Iran 40-34 in the final . The match was a close one. Iran took the lead in the first half, but then Team India made a spectacular comeback in the second half. This was India’s fourth gold medal at the Asian Games. Previously, the women’s cricket team and the pair of Suruchi Singh Phogat and Kamaljeet won gold medals in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event . The women’s Kabaddi team won gold after this. In the 10 events of the Asian Games held from 1990 to 2026, India’s men’s Kabaddi team has won the gold medal nine times. Only in 2018 did the Indian men’s team miss out on winning the gold medal.
6 Asian Games: India wins silver in women’s 50m rifle 3P
India’s Tilottama Sen , Vidarsha Vinod Kochlumkal , and Ashi Chouksey won the silver medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions team event at the Asian Games 2026. The trio scored a total of 1763 points in the qualification round. China won the team gold with 1773 points , while Kazakhstan won the bronze with 1754 points.
7 Abhiram Singh appointed as Associate Member of ICC
On 25 September , Abhiram Singh Yadav was appointed as the Associate Member’s representative in the Chief Executive Committee of the International Cricket Council (ICC) . Abhiram is currently the Chairman of Persatuan Cricket Association Indonesia . His term will last till June 2027. Other Associate Member’s representatives in the CEC include Gurdeep and Anurag Bha. This committee of ICC takes important decisions on the rules, calendar and business matters of international cricket. Abhiram has been appointed to this post after Gurumurthy Palani joined the ICC Board. Abhiram has been associated with Indonesia Cricket since 2014 and was also the Chairman of Indonesia Cricket Association till 2023.
8 Tennis player Parikshit Somani banned for 4 years
On September 25 , Indian tennis player Parikshit Somani was banned for four years for violating anti-doping rules . The ban was imposed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) independent tribunal after testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine . The 26-year-old was tested on July 1 , 2025 , during the ATP Challenger tournament in Astana, Kazakhstan . The prohibited substance trimetazidine was found in Parikshit’s sample. He was subsequently provisionally suspended on September 23, 2025. In February 2026, Parikshit stated in his defense that he had eaten food prepared by a family member. After considering the opinions of scientific experts presented by the ITIA and Parikshit, the tribunal found the food contamination theory to be scientifically unsound and unreliable.
9 Actor Mushtaq Khan passes away
On September 24th , actor Mushtaq Khan passed away at the age of 75. His roles as tailor Rafu Master in Aashiqui and Bhagwati Prasad Mishra in Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke were well-known. Mushtaq began his acting career in theater and entered Hindi cinema in 1980 with the film Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai. In a career spanning over four decades, he appeared in over 250 films . In the 1990s, Mushtaq appeared in films such as Aashiqui, Sadak, Saathi, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Krantiveer, Raja, Major Saab, and Mann. Mushtaq gained particular recognition for his role as Majnu Bhai’s companion Ballu in the 2007 film Welcome . He subsequently appeared in films such as Welcome Back, Stree, and Stree 2.