Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has reaffirmed Moscow’s support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. Lavrov argued that the Council should better reflect the current global balance and opposed adding further Western countries, specifically mentioning Germany and Japan. Russia has consistently supported India’s permanent membership alongside Brazil. The UNSC currently has five permanent members—Russia, the US, UK, France and China—along with 10 elected members. India has been seeking Council reform to increase representation for Asia, Africa and Latin America.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 26, said governments involved in terrorism must be held accountable. Without naming Pakistan, he criticised a “serial practitioner of terrorism” for allegedly misrepresenting facts and attempting to normalise terrorism. Jaishankar asserted India’s right to defend itself against terrorism and said its zero-tolerance policy would not be diluted. He also argued that friendship and goodwill cannot coexist with terrorism and called for terrorism financing to be exposed and countered. Jaishankar separately condemned attacks on commercial shipping and seafarers amid ongoing regional conflicts. (PC: X)

Sahil Majothi, a 23-year-old engineering student from Morbi, Gujarat, travelled to Russia in January 2024 to study. He was arrested in Moscow in April 2024 in a drug-related case and later said he was pressured into joining the Russian military. In October 2025, Sahil surrendered to Ukrainian forces after reportedly being sent toward the battlefield and is now held at a prisoner-of-war facility in Lviv. His mother, Hasina Majothi, has been seeking his return to India. The Ministry of External Affairs has secured consular access and is pursuing his release with Ukrainian authorities. 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with significantly expanding energy access in India, saying more people gained access under Modi’s leadership than in any decade, region or country in history. Speaking at an Asia Society Policy Institute event, Albanese also highlighted the strengthening relationship between Australia and India and described Modi as a leader with whom Australia has developed close ties. His remarks come amid global energy-security concerns linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. India has sought to maintain energy supplies by diversifying crude oil, LPG and PNG imports across 41 countries, compared with 27 previously. (PC: ANI)

Newcastle University has denied that Anant Ambani bought his “Professorship of Practice”, saying it received no donation from him or any company linked to him. The university said the recognition was awarded for his work in wildlife conservation, biodiversity protection, animal welfare and environmental sustainability through Vantara and his role in Reliance Group’s green energy transition. The clarification follows criticism reported by The Guardian, with some conservationists and academics questioning the decision. The university said the position does not grant academic qualifications or involve setting its academic direction. It described Ambani as a leader in sustainability and clean-energy transition. (PC: The Telegraph)

Bangladesh is unlikely to export Hilsa to India ahead of Durga Puja 2026 and has also stopped importing the fish from India, traders in West Bengal said. The move comes after India exported more than 500 metric tonnes of Hilsa to Bangladesh over the past two months. According to the Fish Importers Association in Bengal, Bangladesh cancelled import permits through a circular issued on September 23. Traders said the usual window for importing Hilsa before Durga Puja has passed. Bangladesh has restricted Hilsa exports to India since 2012, allowing limited shipments during the festival season since 2019. (PC: The Indian Express)

Nisarga Adhikary, a 19-year-old Indian cybersecurity researcher who flagged security flaws in the CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) portal, has been named in the US Department of Justice’s cybersecurity Hall of Fame. The recognition follows his report of a critical vulnerability in a US law enforcement system, which he said was fixed after the department verified his findings. The Hall of Fame acknowledges researchers who responsibly report security weaknesses. In June 2026, Adhikary joined IIT Kanpur’s C3iHub as an Open-Source Intelligence and Threat Intelligence Engineer. His work highlights the role of ethical hacking in improving digital security. (PC: India Today)

India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations General Assembly after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address. Exercising India’s Right of Reply, First Secretary Petal Gahlot called Pakistan a “regime of the army, by the army, and for the army”. She accused Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism and criticised its record on minorities and human rights. Gahlot also referred to Osama bin Laden’s presence near a Pakistani military academy. On Kashmir, she said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and raised concerns over Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. She added that India would continue exercising its right to defend itself against terrorism.  (PC: India Today)

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah used his first United Nations General Assembly address to warn that climate change and conflicts are disproportionately affecting South Asian nations. Referring to Nepal’s August floods, Shah said Nepal, Bangladesh, India and other nations in South Asia were “hit by the climate we did not warm, and hit again by the wars we did not start”. He contrasted weapons deliveries with shortages of food, fuel and fertiliser, describing “flawless logistics for war and broken logistics for food”. Shah proposed a Himalayan Climate Resilience Mechanism led by Nepal, India and China, focusing on satellite data sharing, glacier monitoring, joint early-warning systems and coordinated cross-border disaster assistance efforts.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to a Pakistani reporter who questioned India over terrorism during an interaction on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. While speaking alongside Liberia’s Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Jaishankar was asked when India would stop sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan. He replied, “A terrorist country is asking me that question,” before leaving. The exchange followed Jaishankar’s remarks at the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers, where he highlighted repeated attacks on commercial vessels and seafarers in the Gulf, Red Sea and Black Sea. He said such attacks were “no longer exceptional occurrences” and called for stronger cooperation.