National

New Delhi [India], August 22: After a gap of five years, India has decided to officially reopen its e-visa facility for Chinese nationals. The move, effective 24 July 2025, was announced by the Indian Embassy in Beijing. This ends a long pause caused by border tensions triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes and COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and signals a possible thaw in bilateral relations. This reopening ushers in a new chapter in cultural exchange and economic collaborations between the two neighbouring giants. This change follows years of low tourist traffic between the two countries due to the political tension. For tour operators, heritage hotels, and spiritual hubs, this decision helps in reintroducing India to a curious audience that has been absent from the tourism chart of ...

New Delhi [India], August 19: For Rockstar DSP, Independence Day celebrations have always been core memories. He unlocked his first back in 2022 when he became the first-ever Indian musician to be invited to New York to illuminate the iconic Empire State Building in celebration of Independence Day. Recalling the moment, DSP says, “It was a surreal honour to see the Indian tricolour light up the New York skyline. Being part of such a symbolic gesture on behalf of my country is something I’ll carry with me forever.” This historic lighting ceremony was part of a larger celebration of India’s 75th year of independence, and DSP was honoured to compose the official patriotic anthem ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ to mark this milestone. The song, which quickly became a national favourite, showcased his deep ...

Ranebennur (Karnataka) [India], August 16: Marking the 79th Independence Day with a historic milestone, the iconic T-55 battle tank Shivashakti was unveiled in Ranebennur, Karnataka. This initiative, spearheaded by MLA Shri Prakash Koliwad, reflects the state’s deep respect for India’s military heritage and its commitment to honouring the armed forces. The ceremony was graced by the Chief Guest and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Shri U.T. Khader, who inaugurated the tank installation amidst a grand parade from Ashoka Circle to Municipal Maidan. The T-55 tank, which played a decisive role in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, now stands as a tribute to the courage of Indian soldiers and as an educational exhibit for future generations. Speaking at the event, MLA Shri Prakash Koliwad sai...

New Delhi [India], August 11: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Odisha hosted an Interactive Session with Hon’ble Members of Parliament from Odisha in New Delhi, drawing participation from 14 MPs representing various constituencies across the state, alongside members of the CII Odisha State Council. The session focused on advancing Odisha’s socio-economic growth through stronger industry & government collaboration. Discussions highlighted several key priorities – boosting tourism by leveraging heritage and natural assets, promoting agro-based industries to enhance value addition and rural incomes, development of robust logistics infra in key industrial areas, curbing bauxite imports and iron ore exports to promote greater value addition within Odisha and boost MSME growth, loc...

New Delhi [India], August 6: The prestigious Global Indians Conclave & Awards (GICA) 2025, an initiative by I Am Still Human NGO, concluded with great enthusiasm and impact on 5th August 2025 at Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi. The event brought together distinguished leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers from across India and abroad. The highlight of the event was the launch of a nationwide Organ Donation Awareness Campaign, inspired by Shri Nitin Gadkari’s vision shared at GICA’s last edition. Over 551 pledges have already been secured, and the initiative—supported by strategic partners like Micron Group—aims to mobilize 11,000 organ donation pledges by August 2026. A dedicated registration desk was also set up at the venue to invite real-time participation from attendees. ...

New Delhi [India], August 6: As part of its ongoing Start-up Series Roadshow, the UAE-India CEPA Council (UICC) partnered with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), the industry interface organisation of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), to host an engagement session aimed at advancing global opportunities for India’s next-generation start-ups. The event was held at the IIT Delhi campus, an institution widely regarded as a cornerstone of India’s innovation ecosystem. With its research-driven entrepreneurial culture, strong industry linkages, and globally oriented start-up ecosystem, IIT Delhi served as a natural forum for discussions on internationalisation and collaboration. The session opened with a welcome address by Dr. Nikhil Aggarwal, Manag...

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 4: NASA and ISRO’s joint NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Earth observation satellite has lifted off in a landmark mission, and Kolkata-born scientist Subhradip Ghosh played a pivotal role in its success. NISAR will measure Earth’s changing ecosystems and dynamic surfaces – from melting ice sheets to vegetation changes – providing critical data on biomass, sea-level rise and natural hazards. Launched on July 30, 2025 from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, NISAR carries advanced L- and S-band radars and represents the first-ever joint hardware collaboration between ISRO and NASA. Landmark NASA-ISRO NISAR Earth-Observing Mission The 3-stage Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk II (GSLV Mk II) rocket – a 52-meter tall launch vehicle – ca...

New Delhi [India], July 28: The Government of India has extended the cut-off date for opting into the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) until 30th September 2025. This move gives central government employees more time to weigh their options between UPS and the National Pension System (NPS). Here’s a breakdown of what this means, who is eligible, and how to make the switch. Understanding the Deadline Extension The Ministry of Finance has extended the UPS option window from the earlier deadline of June 30, 2025, to September 30, 2025. This extension came in response to multiple requests from stakeholders, including government employees and their families, seeking more time to make a well-informed decision about retirement planning. This change applies to:Central government employees in service ...

New Delhi [India], July 26: As India marked the 26th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, a powerful wave of patriotism swept the nation from schools to colleges, offices to parks and memorials across the country. In a landmark initiative, State Bank of India (SBI), the nation’s largest bank and Fitistan- Ek Fit Bharat, India’s largest community-based fitness movement, concluded the 2nd Edition of the SBI Kargil Tiger Hill Challenge with resounding success. The nationwide tribute honoured the 527 bravehearts of the Indian Armed Forces who laid down their lives during the Kargil War in 1999. With an overwhelming 35,000+ participants and active involvement of 17 SBI Circles, the challenge went far beyond being a fitness activity. It became a powerful movement of remembrance, respect, unity...

New Delhi [India], July 23: In light of new cybersecurity mandates affecting intelligent transport systems (ITS), this policy recommendation recommends extending the ER-01 cybersecurity certification deadline for CCTV network cameras to January 1, 2026. The ITS India Forum fully supports the intent of the ER-01 mandate – effective April 9, 2025 – to safeguard national security from substandard surveillance systems. However, the forum highlights that while compliance with these standards is crucial amid India’s rapid ITS growth, several operational challenges could delay effective implementation in key projects like tolling and traffic enforcement. To prevent disruptions and ensure the mandate’s success, the forum formally proposes extending the compliance deadline to January 1, 2026. This ...