1 India-Singapore agreement for training, research and development in civil aviation
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday said that the partnership between India and Singapore is based on shared values, mutual respect and deep trust. In a world full of uncertainty and turmoil, the partnership between the two countries becomes even more important. Lawrence Wong addressed a joint press conference after talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi . India and Singapore have signed a major agreement on civil aviation (India Singapore aviation), training, research and digital connectivity . This will boost air travel, tourism and business and will give a new flight to the aviation industry. India has already launched more than 20 Singapore-made satellites. Now there is an agreement to take this cooperation further. Also, PSA’s India Mumbai Container Terminal in Navi Mumbai is moving towards becoming the country’s largest container terminal. Singapore has accepted partnership with India in the ‘National Center of Excellence’ to be built in Chennai. Under this, work will be done on skill development in semiconductors and aviation.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with the Government of Japan on Joint Credit Arrangement (JCM) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC). This reflects India’s firm commitment to climate action and is another milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement. The MOC signed earlier this month is part of a key area of India-Japan cooperation – ‘Green Energy Focus for a Better Future’ – highlighted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his visit to Japan. India and Japan have a strong history of economic, commercial and cultural cooperation. The present MoC aims to strengthen the partnership between India and Japan on climate change mitigation. Low-carbon technologies approved under Article 6.2 by the National Designated Agency for Implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (NDAIAPA) are an important component of India’s long-term low-carbon development strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc will officially come into force from October 1, 2025. The agreement not only promises huge economic benefits but also contains legally binding sustainable development provisions (linked to environment, labour and human rights) for the first time in India’s trade history. The members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) on March 10, 2024. Under the agreement, EFTA will invest $100 billion in India over 15 years, creating one million direct jobs in India. At the same time, low or zero duty will be effective on many products like Swiss watches, chocolates and cut-polished diamonds.
4 NITI Aayog started ‘Brain Health Initiative’ at district and block level, pilot program in 12 districts
In a significant step towards empowering human resources as part of independent India’s development plans, NITI Aayog has launched the ADP/ABP Brain Health Initiative . The initiative was formally launched at NITI Aayog on Wednesday and will first be implemented on a pilot basis in 12 aspirational districts of the country . The program will be overseen by the National Task Force on Brain Health . One in every three people in the world suffers from brain-related diseases. . This figure highlights the urgent need for this initiative.
5 Royal Bhutan Buddhist Temple inaugurated in Rajgir, Bihar with Buddhist rituals
The newly built Royal Bhutan Buddhist Temple in Rajgir , Bihar was inaugurated with traditional and Buddhist rituals. Rajgir is the ashram of Lord Buddha . It has great importance in Buddhism. This temple was inaugurated by Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay , Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and representatives of both the countries in accordance with Bhutanese tradition.
Delhi High Court has launched digital preservation of judicial records including its mobile app , e-HRMS portal for judicial officers , e-office pilot project , inclusion of Municipal Appellate Tribunal and Juvenile Justice Board on e-court platform . It aims to make the judiciary digitally and technologically robust. During the launch of these portals, Justice Vikram Nath , Chairman and Judge of e-Committee of Supreme Court , Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Devendra Kumar Upadhyay , Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Justice Pratibha M. Singh were present.
7 Indian Navy stealth warship INS Trikand has reached Alexandria, Egypt to participate in Exercise Bright Star 2025
Indian Navy ‘s stealth warship INS Trikand has reached Alexandria, Egypt to participate in Exercise Bright Star 2025. Indian Army and Indian Air Force contingents will also participate in this exercise. This exercise will run till 10 September. Bright Star 2025 is a multilateral US Central Command exercise conducted in land, air and sea areas. This exercise will strengthen regional security and cooperation as well as promote interoperability against hybrid threats. Apart from the US, Egypt and India, forces from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Greece, Cyprus and Italy are also expected to participate in the exercise.
In a significant step towards strengthening anti-doping efforts in sports, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Guwahati, under Department of Pharmaceuticals in collaboration with National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL), New Delhi has successfully developed a rare and high purity Reference Material (RM) – Methandienone Long Term Metabolite (LTM) . The reference material was formally launched by Hon’ble Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Minister of Labour & Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya during the 22nd Governing Body Meeting of NDTL in New Delhi . Reference Materials (RM) are the most highly purified and scientifically characterized forms of drugs or their metabolites. These are essential for accurate analytical testing. In the context of anti-doping, these are important for the detection of more than 450 substances. , which are currently banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
9 India announces 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan students in 2025-26
India has announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan nationals for the academic year 2025-26 , under which Afghan students can apply for a wide range of online programmes offered by nine Indian universities . In a major push to promote higher education among Afghan youth, India has announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan nationals for the academic year 2025-26. The initiative is a part of the Special Scholarship Scheme (SSSAN) for Afghan Nationals through the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) , which allows students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses online through the government’s e-Vidya Bharati (e-VB) i-learn portal. The announcement, following similar scholarship grants in 2023-24 and 2024-25, enhances India’s commitment to Afghan students. Under the scheme, Afghan nationals aged between 18 and 35 can apply for a wide range of online programmes offered by nine Indian universities, including Jamia Millia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Anna University and Kurukshetra University.
10 Russia-China sign ‘Power of Siberia 2’ gas pipeline deal
Russia ‘s Gazprom and China ‘s China National Petroleum Corporation have signed a legally binding agreement to build the Power of Siberia 2 (PoS 2) gas pipeline. . Russia and China have signed a legally binding agreement to build the Power of Siberia 2 (PoS 2) gas pipeline. The project is led by Gazprom from the Russian side and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) from the Chinese side. The pipeline, which will transport gas reserves in Russia’s western Siberia to northern China via eastern Mongolia, will enable the supply of 50 billion cubic metres (BCM) of gas per year. The supplies under the new Power of Siberia 2 agreement will last for 30 years. The agreement aims to increase supplies from 38 billion cubic metres (BCM) per year to 44 billion cubic metres (BCM) through the existing Power of Siberia pipeline that runs from eastern Siberia to China. Russia’s gas exports to Europe have been stalled since Moscow’s massive invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Western countries have imposed punitive economic sanctions on the Kremlin and reduced its reliance on Russian energy, cutting off a major source of revenue for Putin’s war machine. These measures have further intensified Moscow’s years-long effort to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. As a result, Russia is trying to turn to Beijing to replace Europe as its major gas customer.
11 Tata Electronics and Merck tie up for semiconductor development
Tata Electronics Private Limited and Merck have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen India’s semiconductor and electronics manufacturing capabilities . This collaboration is in line with the India Semiconductor Mission and is a significant step towards making India a global semiconductor hub. Merck will provide Tata Electronics with high-quality solutions for the fabrication plant (Fab) to be built in Dholera, Gujarat:
- High-Purity Electronic Materials
- Gas and chemical delivery systems
- Turnkey Fabrication Infrastructure
- AI-powered Material Intelligence Solutions
Tata will gain access to the Athinia® platform , enabling real-time data analysis and performance optimisation.
12 IIT-Madras top NIRF Ranking 2025 for seventh consecutive year
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) released by the Ministry of Education on 4 September 2025 once again declared IIT-Madras as India’s leading educational institution. For the seventh consecutive year, IIT-Madras ranked first in the overall category, while the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and IIT-Mumbai ranked second and third respectively . The 10th edition of the rankings highlighted excellence in 17 categories, including engineering, management, law, medicine, agriculture, research and sustainable development. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the NIRF rankings are a step towards “Developed India 2047”. He announced the introduction of a “One Nation, One Data” policy to bring more transparency in rankings.
13 Skyscraper Day 2025: A Celebration of Urban Marvels
Every year on September 3 , engineers, architects and urban enthusiasts around the world celebrate Skyscraper Day . The day celebrates the heights of modern engineering and architecture, appreciating iconic buildings that touch the sky and symbolize progress, creativity and human ambition. September 3 is significant because it is the birthday of American architect Louis H. Sullivan, known as the “Father of Skyscrapers”.