Recent 6 months news in National

The 10th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC), the largest digital technology forum in Asia, has been held at the Yashobhoomi India Convention & Expo Centre (IICC) in Dwarka, New Delhi.

The event was organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) under the theme “Scale Without Boundaries”. During the conference, PM Narendra Modi stated that the cost of one gigabyte (GB) of mobile data has declined from ₹268 in 2014 to ₹8 in 2026.

The event was structured around 4 key pillars: Srishti (Building the Future), Samvardhan (Fueling Growth), Sashakt (Expanding Opportunities), and Suraksha (Strengthening Trust), covering 9 major technology sectors.

The IMC announced the launch of the 1st edition of “Viksit Tech 47 (VT47)”, a special platform for technology brands to compete in the global market. The conference also featured the release of the inaugural edition of the VT47 flagship report titled “Building India’s Global Brands in Gadgets, Devices, Appliances and Connected Cards”.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan has inaugurated the third international conference on Kaumarabhritya (Ayurvedic paediatrics) named KAUMARACON-2026 at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi. The AIIA is an autonomous institution operating under the Ministry of Ayush.

The conference, coinciding with the institute foundation day, was held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Child Health: Global Perspectives, Research Innovations, and Clinical Frontiers in Kaumarabhritya”.

During the event, the Vice President inaugurated the AYUSH Start-up Portal, the AIIA-iCAINE website, and the Ayurveda Digital Innovation and Venture Acceleration Facility (AyuDIVA), alongside launching the Vamana App and the Panchakarma Assessment App. An international MoU between Maharishi International University (MIU) in the USA and AIIA was also exchanged during the conference.

PM Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated infrastructure projects worth ₹3,350 crore in Ladakh across roads, aviation, and renewable energy sectors. It includes the ₹650-crore Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport terminal in Leh.

The new terminal expands the annual passenger-handling capacity from 1 million to 3.5 million. It is the first airport terminal in India to feature geothermal heating alongside solar energy use to suit the harsh climate. He also dedicated 40 newly constructed reservoirs developed under Project Amrit Him Sarovar.

Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh has launched the redeveloped websites of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) to enhance the accessibility of scientific information and research opportunities for citizens.

The updated portals support 22 languages through the BHASHINI (BHASHa INterface for India) integration. Additionally, these websites comply with the Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) 3.0 and the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps (GIGW) 3.0.

The Ministry of Rural Development has notified the Schedule of Permissible Works under the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-G RAM G] Act, 2025. The Act expands permissible rural works from 266 to 375, reflecting a 41% increase across 4 pillars through Gram Sabha-approved Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans.

The expanded works are categorised into Water Security (128 works; 34%), Core Rural Infrastructure (111 works; 30%), Livelihood-related Infrastructure (98 works; 26%), and Disaster Preparedness (38 works; 10%). Additionally, agriculture accounts for 181 works under the updated schedule.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched the MeitY-IndiaAI Centre of Excellence in AI, known as the Centre for AI in Keralam (CAIK), in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, under the IndiaAI Mission.

Digital University Kerala will serve as the implementing agency for the initiative, with Innovation Incubator Advisory Pvt Ltd acting as the industry partner. The centre has also announced its first cohort comprising 15 AI startups.

The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, implemented by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), has completed two years.

Launched in 2024 for an initial period of two years, the scheme has now been extended until March 2028. It is to be noted that 26.59 lakh Electric Vehicles (EVs) have been sold under the scheme as of June 2026.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reconstituted the Press Council of India (PCI) by nominating 13 journalists. The PCI is a statutory, autonomous, and quasi-judicial body comprising 1 Chairperson and 28 other members.

The 28 members include 13 working journalists (6 editors and 7 others), 6 newspaper-owner representatives, 5 Members of Parliament, and 3 specialised-field representatives. Retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai serves as the Chairperson of the PCI for a 3-year term.

The Department of Commerce (DoC), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), has established a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Utilisation Cell to assist Indian entrepreneurs and businesses in understanding and leveraging the benefits provided by trade agreements of India.

India has finalized FTAs with several partners, including the European Free Trade Association, UAE, Australia, Mauritius, Oman, New Zealand, UK, and European Union. These agreements provide domestic businesses with access to 32 countries, facilitating largely zero-tariff trade opportunities across global markets.

PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several development projects worth over ₹13,000 crore in Chennai. The official ceremony was held at the Kendriya Vidyalaya Ground on the IIT Madras campus.

During the event, he inaugurated the Poonamallee-Vadapalani elevated stretch as part of the Chennai Metro Phase II Expansion. He also inaugurated 5 redeveloped railway stations across the state under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme to enhance rail connectivity and passenger amenities.

The PM Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU), a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has successfully completed its first year of implementation.

The initiative was launched in 2025, with a total budgetary outlay of ₹60,000 crore. A total of 850 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been identified under the scheme, which includes 172 Hub ITIs and 678 Spoke ITIs.

Union Minister JP Nadda has launched the ‘Joint Squad for Health’ (JOSH) Teams under the ‘TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The initiative aims to enhance youth-led community participation to eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) before the global target of 2030.

In the first phase, JOSH Teams are deployed across 55 districts in 11 States and Union Territories. It is to be noted that India has recorded a 21% decline in the incidence of TB, with treatment coverage reaching 92%.

The Ministry of Power has notified the “Corporate Average Fuel Economy” (CAFE)-III norms for passenger vehicles, to be implemented over 5 years from April 2027 to March 2032. The regulations apply to M1 category motor vehicles (carrying 8 to 9 passengers including the driver, excluding commercial vehicles).

The fuel-consumption benchmark will be tightened from 3.996 litres (L) per 100 km in 2027-28 to 3.3273 L per 100 km by 2031-32, aiming for a 16.7% efficiency improvement. The government has increased the reference vehicle weight for calculations from 1,082 kg to 1,229 kg.

The framework introduces “Carbon Neutrality Factors” (CNF) to reduce the declared Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions of manufacturers. A reduction of 8% is provided for E20 and higher ethanol-blended petrol vehicles (including hybrids), and 22.3% for Flex-fuel ethanol vehicles.

It is to be noted that a 5% reduction in CO2 emissions is allowed for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles or the notified Compressed Biogas (CBG) blending percentage, whichever is higher. The number of efficiency technologies for fuel conservation credits has been increased from 4 to 12.

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has launched the “PRAGATI-50” initiative in New Delhi, which aims to develop 50 cities across 24 states as role model cities for sanitation. The initiative is being implemented under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U 2.0).

It is to be noted that a digital review mechanism named Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) has been established on the Swachhatam Portal to ensure effective monitoring and oversight of the initiative.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has released the first installment of ₹3,600 crore for the construction of 3 lakh houses in Andhra Pradesh under the PM Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) 2.0.

He also laid the foundation stone for the first Three Dimensional (3D) concrete printing pilot housing project of India at Burripalem village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is to be noted that the technology uses additive manufacturing to build a residential unit in 10 days through computer-controlled machinery and cement-based materials.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) to establish a campus in Hyderabad.

With this, the university becomes the first public American university authorized to set up a degree-granting location in India.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav has launched the implementation guidelines for the ‘National Coastal Mission’ (NCM 2.0), a Central Sector Scheme to enhance the conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems of India. The mission has been approved with a total budget of ₹767 crore and will be implemented until FY31.

The mission will cover 9 coastal states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal) and 4 Union Territories including Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.

The mission framework is organized into 5 thematic categories: climate resilient blue economic growth, coastal vulnerability and risk reduction, climate change adaptation with mitigation co-benefits, capacity building and outreach, and committed liabilities and project management.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Air Ayodhya, a regional airline operated by Megamax Aviation Pvt Ltd.

The airline is authorized to operate under the Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS - UDAN) to improve air connectivity in the underserved regions of Uttar Pradesh (UP).

The Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has launched the ‘New Discovery Track’ under the Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma and MedTech (PRIP) scheme.

The initiative provides financial assistance of up to ₹50 crore per project to startups and MSMEs through the PRIP portal. To advance projects from Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1-3 to TRL 6, participants must provide a mandatory 25% co-funding.

It is to be noted that 41 projects were approved with a total funding of ₹1,600 crore during the initial call of the scheme. The PRIP scheme was launched in 2023 with a total outlay of ₹5,000 crore to promote research and innovation in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has announced that Kolkata will host the 5th edition of India Energy Week (IEW) in January 2027.

The event is scheduled to take place at the New Town Convention Centre under the theme “Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.”