India has taken a significant step in strengthening its public healthcare system with the approval of QDENGA, the country's first dengue vaccine. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted marketing approval to Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India's QDENGA vaccine, making it the first vaccine authorised in India for the prevention of dengue among individuals aged 4 to 60 years. The approval comes as the country continues to battle seasonal dengue outbreaks that affect

The Central Government is working on a comprehensive overhaul of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) through its proposed EPFO 3.0 reforms, a move aimed at expanding social security coverage to millions of workers outside the formal employment sector. The initiative seeks to bring gig workers, self-employed individuals, and workers in the unorganised sector into a structured pension framework, ensuring that retirement planning is no longer limited to those emplo

In a significant move aimed at strengthening the legal protection accorded to India's national symbols, the Union Government is set to introduce the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The proposed legislation seeks to extend the same legal safeguards currently available to the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, to Vande Mataram, India's National Song. The Bill, which has already received the Union Cabinet's

India has taken another significant step towards strengthening its space and telecommunications capabilities, with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) granting technical approval to Reliance Jio's proposal to deploy nearly 1,600 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. The approval paves the way for what could become India's first large-scale indigenous satellite broadband constellation, reinforcing the country's ambitions of becoming a global lea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated a new chapter in India’s railway sector by flagging off the country’s first hydrogen-powered train from Jind to Sonipat. The event highlighted significant advancements in sustainable mobility and the transformation of Indian Railways over the past decade. PM Modi addresses a gathering in Haryana's Jind | Moneycontrol Strategic Benefits of Railway Reforms Addressing a public gathering in Jind, the Prime Minister pointed out th

Serum Institute of India (SII) has taken a significant step in the global fight against tuberculosis by partnering to manufacture M72/AS01E, a promising vaccine candidate that could become the first new TB vaccine in more than 100 years. The Pune-based company announced the agreement with the Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI), marking an important milestone in efforts to address one of the world’s most persistent infectious diseases. India’s Serum Institute joins g

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has achieved another significant success in its ongoing operation against a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) module. In the latest development, five more suspected operatives linked to the banned Pakistan-based terror group were arrested from various parts of the state. These arrests have helped foil a plot involving the assembly of a time bomb. One of the arrested individuals reportedly possessed advanced knowledge of explosives and was on the ve

In a defining moment for India’s space sector, Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace is preparing to launch the Vikram-1 rocket on July 18, 2026, at 11:30 AM IST. This maiden test flight from the historic First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota will mark the country’s first privately developed orbital rocket mission. India’s first private orbital rocket, Vikram-1, stands fully stacked at Sriharikota; components being assembled for the upcoming 'Mission A

In a determined effort to strengthen internal security and enforce immigration laws, the Gurugram Police have detained 13 suspected Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the city. Authorities have initiated formal deportation proceedings, marking another step in ongoing verification drives across the district. Representational image | Firstpost Operation Details The arrests stemmed from a special verification drive conducted by the Crime Branch team in Sector-39. Acting o

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Punjab on July 17 to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for major National Highway projects valued at Rs 5,278 crore. These initiatives aim to significantly enhance connectivity, ease traffic congestion in the Chandigarh Tricity area, and promote economic development across the region. The package reflects the government’s continued focus on modernising transport infrastructure under the PM Gati Shakti National Master P

Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and a revered centre of spirituality and culture, is set to undergo a significant infrastructure overhaul. On July 15, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved two landmark elevated corridor projects collectively valued at over ₹25,445 crore. These initiatives, known as the Ganga-Varuna Corridors, aim to alleviate long-standing traffic congestion, enhance connectivity, and further strengthen the city’s role as a global

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has emphasised the pressing need for stronger collaboration among Bay of Bengal nations to navigate an increasingly complex global security environment. Addressing the fifth BIMSTEC National Security Advisers’ Meeting hosted by India, Doval highlighted how conflicts, geopolitical uncertainties, technological disruptions, and supply chain challenges are affecting all member countries, urging collective and decisive responses for mutual bene

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has intensified efforts to reduce India's dependence on imports, focusing on building robust domestic manufacturing capabilities. This strategic initiative aims to protect supply chains, ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and enhance economic resilience amid rising global uncertainties and geopolitical tensions. Building domestic capacity is now a key pillar of PM Modi's economic agenda. | NDTV Identifying and Addressing Import Dependenci

India and Belgium have inaugurated a new era in their bilateral relations with the launch of the India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue. This high-level mechanism aims to provide a structured and comprehensive framework for sustained political engagement and practical cooperation between the two nations. The inaugural meeting, held in Brussels on July 15, was co-chaired by India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreig

India stands at a pivotal moment in its energy journey as the government explores opening the thorium sector to private companies. This development aims to harness the country’s abundant thorium resources, strengthen critical mineral supply chains, and reduce reliance on imported uranium, thereby advancing the nation’s clean energy objectives. (Representative Image) | News18 The Current Policy Shift The Centre is actively considering policy reforms to increase thorium product

A phone vibrated inside a high-security ward in Sabarmati Central Jail. More than eleven thousand kilometers away, two men shot Hardeep Singh Nijjar dead outside a temple in Surrey, Canada. On 7 July 2026, law enforcement agencies across three continents moved simultaneously against a criminal network that U.S. authorities say was directed by a man who had not stepped outside an Indian prison since 2015. Lawrence Bishnoi now faces federal charges in the United States for alle

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the country’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train from Jind railway station in Haryana on July 17, 2026. This landmark event highlights India’s growing focus on sustainable mobility and innovative clean energy solutions in the railway sector. The introduction of this train marks a significant advancement for Indian Railways as it explores alternative propulsion technologies beyond traditional diesel and electric systems. The

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has partnered with Amar Chitra Katha (ACK), India’s beloved publisher of illustrated stories, to bring the nation’s aerospace heritage to a new generation of readers. The forthcoming book celebrates HAL’s remarkable transformation from its early days of aircraft assembly to becoming a leader in designing and producing advanced indigenous fighters, most notably the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A. This collaboration seeks to present India’s

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has officially launched the Index of Services Production (ISP), India’s first high-frequency monthly indicator dedicated to measuring the performance of the services sector. This development represents a significant advancement in the country’s statistical architecture, addressing a long-standing gap in tracking the dominant segment of the Indian economy. India's services sector gets its own monthly growth tracke

A new chapter in India-United Kingdom relations began today with the formal implementation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the development as a “significant moment” that translates high-level diplomatic ambitions into practical benefits for citizens of both nations. In his message on X, PM Modi highlighted how the agreements would deepen economic ties and create meaningful op