National News
Prime Minister Modi’s Bihar Visit and Major Development Projects
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited poll-bound Bihar’s Purnea district on September 15, 2025, inaugurating development projects worth Rs 36,000 crore
Key highlight includes the inauguration of the newly developed terminal at Purnea Airport, fulfilling the region’s long-standing demand for air connectivity
Establishment of the National Makhana Board announced in Union Budget 2025 to promote production, technology development, and market expansion for Makhana farmers
Foundation stone laid for India’s largest private sector thermal power project – 3×800 MW power plant at Pirpainti in Bhagalpur worth Rs 25,000 crore using ultra-super critical low-emission technology
Foundation stone ceremony for Phase 1 of the Kosi-Mechi Intra-State River Link Project worth over Rs 2,680 crore to benefit northeastern Bihar through improved irrigation and flood control
New rail connectivity projects launched including Rail Line between Bikramshila and Katareah worth over Rs 2,170 crore and Araria-Galgalia Rail Line worth over Rs 4,410 crore
Four new trains flagged off including Vande Bharat Express between Jogbani and Danapur, and Amrit Bharat Express trains between Saharsa-Chheharta and Jogbani-Erode
Griha Pravesh ceremonies conducted for over 40,000 PMAY beneficiaries with distribution of Rs 500 crore to women’s self-help groups under DAY-NRLM
Income Tax Return Filing Deadline
September 15, 2025 marks the final deadline for filing Income Tax Returns for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) without penalty for non-audit taxpayers
Over 6 crore ITRs have already been filed by September 14, showing significant compliance from taxpayers across the country
The deadline was previously extended from July 31, 2025 to September 15, 2025 due to structural and content revisions in ITR forms
Finance Ministry indicates no further extension likely, urging taxpayers to complete filing immediately to avoid penalties and interest charges
Belated returns can be filed until December 31, 2025, but will attract penalties and interest on outstanding taxes
Government Appointments and Administrative Changes
C.P. Radhakrishnan sworn in as 15th Vice President of India after winning with 452 votes against opposition candidate B. Sudershan Reddy’s 300 votes
Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Gujarat, given additional charge as Maharashtra Governor following Radhakrishnan’s elevation
Financial Services Institutions Board (FSIB) recommends Ravi Ranjan for Managing Director position at State Bank of India
Multiple senior bureaucratic appointments approved including 35 Joint Secretary-level positions across various central ministries
Amit Khare appointed as Secretary to Vice-President of India in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Defence and Security Updates
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference in Kolkata with theme “Year of Reforms – Transforming for the Future”
Indian Navy commissioned second indigenous anti-submarine shallow water craft named ‘Androth’ built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers
India and Thailand concluded joint military exercise ‘Maitree’ in Meghalaya, strengthening bilateral defence cooperation
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched Fast-Track Immigration Facility at five additional international airports under FTI-TTP program
National Conference of Anti-Narcotics Task Force Heads inaugurated by Amit Shah to strengthen drug enforcement mechanisms
Natural Disasters and Weather Updates
Earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit parts of Northeast India, causing concerns but no major damage reported
IMD predicts heavy rainfall in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh over coming days
67 dog bite cases reported in single day from Kalyan and Dombivli towns in Thane district, raising public health concerns
GST Reforms and Economic Measures
Major GST reforms under GST 2.0 set to be implemented from September 22, 2025, simplifying tax structure to primarily 5% and 18% slabs
Daily essentials like hair oil, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet soap, butter, ghee, cheese moving from 18% to 5% GST
Individual health and life insurance made completely exempt from GST, providing significant relief to policyholders
Automotive sector benefits with small cars, motorcycles under 350cc, and commercial vehicles moving from 28% to 18% GST
Electronic appliances including air conditioners, large televisions, dishwashing machines reduced from 28% to 18% GST
New 40% GST slab introduced for sin goods including pan masala, aerated waters, and caffeinated beverages
Banking and Financial Sector Updates
Government likely to revisit consolidation among public sector banks to create larger, globally competitive lenders targeting 3-4 major banks
NCSSR signs MoU with IIT-Delhi to promote sports science and indigenous innovation in India’s athletic development
TCS signs strategic MoU with C-DAC for India’s sovereign cloud development initiative
IFC pledged USD 137 million to JBM and GreenCell for e-buses rollout across India under sustainable transport initiative
ICRA raised India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.5% for FY26, reflecting positive economic outlook
International News
Nepal Political Crisis
Death toll from violent protests in Nepal rises to 61 as political instability continues
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki takes over as interim Prime Minister with mandate to restore law and order
India-Nepal border reopened after four-day closure due to violent protests, with limited cross-border movement resuming
China congratulates new Nepal PM Karki, emphasizing “time-honoured friendship” between the two nations
Russia-NATO Tensions
Romania scrambles fighter jets after Russian drone breaches NATO airspace, marking second such incident in recent weeks
Russia deploys Iskander ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad region near Polish border, capable of reaching Warsaw in three minutes
Ukrainian drones strike major Russian oil refinery, sparking significant fire and affecting export operations
Russia successfully test-fires Zircon hypersonic cruise missile during joint military exercises with Belarus
Middle East Developments
Israeli strikes intensify in northern Gaza as US Secretary of State Rubio arrives in Israel for diplomatic discussions
Turkey expresses wariness over Israeli threats following airstrike on Hamas leadership in Qatar
Continued escalation in Gaza conflict affects regional stability and international diplomatic efforts
China Trade Fair
China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) concludes in Beijing with over 900 signed agreements
Event draws participants from 60+ countries and 20+ international organizations at Shougang Park
Fortune Global 500 companies unveil 198 achievements in AI, fintech, healthcare, and green technology sectors
Australia, as guest country of honor, secures 15 cooperation agreements with Chinese partners in finance and education
Sports News
Asia Cup Cricket 2025
India defeats Pakistan by 7 wickets in Asia Cup 2025 Group A clash in Dubai, chasing down 128-run target in just 15.5 overs
Captain Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with unbeaten 47 off 37 balls, leading India to comprehensive victory
Unprecedented scenes as Indian players did not shake hands with Pakistani counterparts after the match
India dedicates victory to families of Pahalgam terror attack victims and armed forces personnel
Pakistan’s qualification hopes severely dented following the crushing defeat to India
Other Sports Updates
Jaismine Lamboria clinches gold at World Boxing Championships 2025 in 57kg category, defeating Poland’s Julia Szeremeta
Hong Kong Open Badminton finals see Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag finish as runners-up
India Women’s cricket team scores 281/7 against Australia in first ODI with fifties from Rawal, Mandhana, and Deol
Paris Olympic medallist Aman disqualified from World Wrestling Championship for being overweight
International Sports Recognition
Major sporting events continue across global venues with Indian athletes making significant mark in international competitions
Awards and Honours
Recent Recognition
Emmy Awards 2025 ceremony held with outstanding performances recognized across television categories
15-year-old Owen Cooper becomes youngest artist to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in Limited Series category
Cristin Milioti wins Outstanding Lead Actress for ‘The Penguin’ series
Various technical and creative categories see recognition for excellence in television production
Government Honours
Multiple Padma Awards announcements expected as part of ongoing recognition of distinguished service
National awards across various sectors including sports, arts, literature, and public service
Infrastructure and Development
Connectivity Projects
Multiple rail and road connectivity projects announced across Bihar and other states
Airport infrastructure development continues with new terminals and facilities
River linking projects progress with focus on irrigation and flood management
Technology and Innovation
Green Hydrogen Mission advances with new R&D proposals and international collaboration
Digital infrastructure development continues across various sectors
Innovation platforms launched to support technological advancement
Environmental and Health Updates
Health Initiatives
Ministry of Ayush joins National ‘Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan’ to promote women’s health across India
Jan Dhan accounts re-KYC campaign extended until September 30, 2025, with doorstep services at panchayat level
Sex-sorted semen facility inaugurated in Purnea under Rashtriya Gokul Mission for cattle development
Environmental Measures
Various sustainability initiatives launched across different sectors
Green technology adoption continues in transportation and energy sectors
Economic Indicators
Growth Projections
India’s economy shows resilience with positive growth indicators across multiple sectors
Consumer confidence expected to improve with GST rate reductions on essential items
Manufacturing sector likely to benefit from simplified tax structure and reduced compliance burden
Market Developments
Stock markets show mixed performance with sector-specific variations
Banking sector consolidation plans indicate government’s focus on creating stronger financial institutions
Infrastructure investments continue to drive economic growth across region.
