September 18, 2026: India and the UAE have reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation on regional peace, security and stability, while HAL handed over Tejas twin-seater trainers and HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force. Major developments also included India-Russia defence talks, new district-level labour market indicators and preparations for the Asian Games 2026.
Top India Headlines
- PM Modi, UAE President Reaffirm Commitment to Regional Peace and Stability
September 18, 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a telephone call from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation and coordination to promote regional peace, security and stability. - HAL Hands Over Tejas Twin-Seater and HTT-40 Trainer Aircraft to IAF
September 18, 2026: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over Tejas Final Operational Clearance twin-seater trainer aircraft and HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force in Bengaluru. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the handover ceremony. - Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth Meets Russian Deputy Defence Minister in Moscow
September 18, 2026: Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth met Russian Deputy Defence Minister General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov in Moscow. The discussions focused on strengthening long-standing India-Russia defence cooperation. - EAM Jaishankar Meets Nepalese Finance Minister in New Delhi
September 18, 2026: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Nepalese Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle in New Delhi and discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in economic, energy and connectivity sectors. Dr Jaishankar also offered condolences over recent loss of life and property. - NSO Releases District-Level Labour Market Indicators for First Time
September 18, 2026: The National Statistical Office released district-level key labour market indicators for the first time as part of a labour market snapshot covering selected districts. Around 57.8% of districts recorded a female Labour Force Participation Rate according to the released indicators. - South Zone Regional Agricultural Conference 2026 Concludes in Hyderabad
September 18, 2026: The South Zone Regional Agricultural Conference 2026 concluded in Hyderabad. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the government is taking steps to support farmers across different agro-climatic regions and outlined measures including contingency planning. - Manu Bhaker and Tajinderpal Singh Toor Named India’s Asian Games Flagbearers
September 18, 2026: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor will lead India as flagbearers at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on September 19. Bhaker won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. - Delhi High Court Bars Victory Processions After DUSU Election Results
September 18, 2026: The Delhi High Court ordered that no victory procession should be taken out following the declaration of Delhi University Students’ Union election results. The court also asked student organisations and candidates to explain why electoral damages should not be imposed for violations. - Tripura Police Arrest Three Bangladeshi Women and Indian National for Alleged Illegal Entry
September 18, 2026: Tripura Police arrested three Bangladeshi women and an Indian national in the Agartala Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport area for allegedly entering India illegally. Police said the individuals were spotted moving suspiciously in the area. - Bhupender Yadav, Yogi Adityanath Review Air Quality Measures in Eight UP NCR Districts
September 18, 2026: Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed measures to improve air quality in eight NCR-linked districts. The districts include Noida, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Bulandshahr.
