Trivedi meets PM Rahman in Dhaka, R&AW chief there for security talks

Five days after ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's remarks in India angered Dhaka, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman raised the issue of her extradition with Indian envoy Dinesh Trivedi Monday and underlined the need to "create a conducive environment to further advance the bilateral relations between the two countries". 

House clears taxation Bill; no UPI payment charge for consumers: FM

With Parliament logjam continuing Monday as Opposition raised the issue of alleged Ram temple donation theft and demanded Home Minister Amit Shah's reply on police action on protesters, the Rajya Sabha passed by a voice vote and returned the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made it clear that UPI transactions will remain free for consumers.

The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, which aims to admit electronic and digital banking records as evidence in legal proceedings, was also passed by the Rajya Sabha. 

Amid din, LS passes

Bill to set up panel to select chiefs and members of tribunals

The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which provides for the setting up of a National Tribunals Commission to select chairpersons and members for various tribunals was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday by a voice vote amid din as Opposition demanded a discussion on alleged Ram temple donation theft and a reply from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the police crackdown on protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament. 

Find solutions to speed up work on Eklavya schools: House panel to Centre

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has yet again flagged delay in the construction and operationalisation of residential schools for ST students under the flagship Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) scheme.

'Disheartened' with govt reply, House panel seeks measures to fix delay in scholarship disbursal

The Parliamentary standing committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has sought strict measures to ensure timely completion of scholar-ship disbursal to students. 

'No suggestion accepted': Bill to overhaul drugs law draws pharma sector flak

A bill to overhaul the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, currently being circulated to stake-holder ministries, is facing fierce opposition from the country's nascent medical device sector.

Multiple pharmaceutical and medical device associations complained that no stakeholder consultation was undertaken during the drafting process. In fact, they maintained it was the same Bill that was circulated in 2022 and 2023, with cosmetic changes. 

Bridging gap between youth & nature - one bird, snake, butterfly at a time

Chhattisgarh forest dept's initiative, YUVAN, aims to connect youngsters with biodiversity. 

Physicist Deepak Dhar wins 2026 Dirac Medal

Deepak Dhar, a theoretical physicist from Uttar Pradesh, has been named the co-recipient of Dirac Medal, one of the highest honours in the field.

The award, instituted in 1985 by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy, puts the 75-year-old on an impressive list of academics who have won the Medal, named after Paul Dirac, one of the central figures in the evolution of quantum theory. 

Govt: 2012 Rules for clinics ensure quality healthcare

The Union Health Ministry has defended the constitutional validity of the 2012 Central Rules which require clinical establishments to charge for their procedures and services "within the range of rates determined by the Central government from time to time, in consultation with state governments". 

I-Day celebrations: In a first, Vande Mataram to be sung at Red Fort

When India marks its 80th Independence Day on August 15, the occasion will mark the first recital of the national song Vande Mataram from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort in New Delhi.

Defence Secretary R K Singh, addressing a press conference, stated that as 2026 marks 150 years of Vande Mata-ram, the national song that inspired millions during the freedom struggle, will be sung from the fort ramparts for the first time as a tribute to its enduring legacy.

Centre reviews J&K demography, focus on Rohingya, Bangladeshi 'settlements'

A Four-Member central committee on demographic change arrived in Jammu and Kashmir for a three-day visit Monday to evaluate claims of unnatural demographic shifts and security implications in sensitive border districts. This comes at a time when there are rising concerns about undocumented Rohingyas and Bangladeshi settlers in the Union Territory. 

India expands e-visa entry points, Attari among 9 land ports on list

The centre has notified 11 international ports-nine land ports, including Attari on the India-Pakistan border, and two airports - allowing e-visa holders to enter India.

"With the addition of these new ports, the total number of international ports where e-visa holders can enter has risen to 88. This includes 37 airports, 38 sea-ports and 13 land ports, aimed at making the e-visa facility more accessible and beneficial for international travellers. 

Seamless digital payments have a price

Last week, the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed in the Lok Sabha, which proposes changes to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, that create pathways for fees to be charged on UPI and RuPay debit card payments. Introduced in 2020, the zero MDR (merchant discount rate) policy - MDR is the fee paid to the bank or payment service provider for processing digital transactions-was meant to ensure the widespread adoption of digital transactions by making them affordable and accessible. However, as the 32nd report of the Standing Committee on Finance noted, "the absence of MDR makes the UPI ecosystem financially unsustainable". 

A pact, divided within, with no single threat

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey - between an oil-rich economic powerhouse, the only Islamic country with a nuclear weapon and a NATO member with the second-largest military-is significant. The agreement proclaims a NATO-like principle of collective defence: "Any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all." But it lacks the one thing that makes collective defence alliances work: A shared threat. 

A triangular hedge in the West Asia tinderbox

New Delhi needs to engage Saudi Arabia and Turkey more, while deepening ties with other Gulf states (which may join this pact) and resuscitating its own groupings like the Quad.

For energy security, way forward is not public or private, but both

If geopolitics can disrupt maritime routes, weaponise chokepoints and sharply reduce shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb, energy security cannot be left entirely to market incentives. 

Ten years later, looking back and ahead at a true GeM

Government Marketplace (GeM) has emerged as a global leader in providing a transparent, inclusive and efficient platform for public procurement, connecting 1.37 lakh government buyers with 25 lakh sellers and service providers. GeM is distinctive in integrating all major procurement functions into a single, largescale digital marketplace. It blends global best practices with the government's focus on inclusive development, making it an engine of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. 

The MSME opportunity lies in clustering them

Clusters create knowledge spillovers. Technical know-how spreads quickly through worker mobility, informal interaction, and shared service providers. Clusters also attract and retain talent.

In first one-on-one with a foreign diplomat, Nepal PM meets Indian envoy

Five Months after being elected as the Prime Minister of Nepal, Balen Shah met Indian ambassador in Kathmandu Naveen Srivastava on Monday for the first one-on-one bilateral meeting and discussed strengthening Nepal-India relations, promoting bilateral co-operation and enhancing development partnership for the mutual benefit of two countries.

Amendments to FCRA to bring more transparency: Kwatra

In an unusual move, India's ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra took to social media on Monday to counter the objections to the amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act - which regulate laws governing foreign donations received by NGOs, civil society, educational institutions and religious organisations. 

In opposing creamy layer for SC/STS, what govt argued

In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the Centre has pushed back against the demand to introduce the "creamy layer" concept for reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). It argued that the historical disadvantages faced by these communities cannot be equated with mere economic backwardness and that altering reservation policies falls within the domain of Parliament, not the courts. 

Mecca Agreement: What India must watch out for

Pakistan pact was signed last Saudi September, Arabia has faced unprecedented missile and drone barrages on its vital infrastructure from Iran and the Houthis.

Pakistan has not fired a single shot at either party thus far, just as Riyadh has not acted against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. 

Can banks lock phone for loan default? What RBI's new rules say

The RBI has made banks directly responsible for the conduct of out-sourced recovery personnel.

Banks must conduct background verification before appointing such agents and periodically thereafter. Only certified individuals can undertake recovery work. 

82 dead after 7.4 magnitude quake strikes Colombia

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 82 people, trapping residents under debris of collapsed buildings and forcing people to evacuate their homes as far as the capital of Bogota. 

China rocket with coms satellite fails after launch

China's launch of a rocket carrying a communications satellite on Monday evening was not successful, state media reported.

The ChinaSat 4B satellite aboard a Long March 7A rocket was launched from the country's southern island of Hainan, which is home to the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. "The rocket experienced an anomaly during the flight and the launch mission failed," the Xinhua news agency said. 

Apr-Jun unemployment at 5.4%, highest in 4 quarters

India's Unemployment rate for people aged 15 years and above rose to a four-quarter high of 5.4% in April-June 2026, with joblessness rising in both rural and urban areas, data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Monday showed. The rise in un-employment was broad-based, with the highest rate of joblessness seen among young females, especially in urban areas. 

Govt plans child labour survey. panel Parliament seeks impact of welfare schemes

The Central government is planning to conduct a National Child Survey, with the Ministry of Statistics and Pro-gramme Implementation (MoSPI) having begun discussions with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).