Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the S-500 missile defence system and Su-57 stealth fighter on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, as India considers expanding military cooperation with Russia. The discussions follow the reported effectiveness of India’s S-400 system during Operation Sindoor against aerial threats, strengthening interest in newer Russian defence capabilities. India could explore co-producing the S-500 with a Russian defence partner rather than simply purchasing it, though technical specifications, costs, manufacturing arrangements and logistics would require further negotiations. The Su-57, Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, is also being discussed as India seeks to address its fighter aircraft requirements. Potential agreements remain subject to detailed negotiations. (PC: The Economic Times) 

Streaming platform JioHotstar has expanded internationally by launching in the UK, Canada and Singapore, targeting the South Asian diaspora and wider audiences interested in Indian stories and culture. The platform offers more than 160,000 hours of content across 12-plus Asian languages, including films, television, originals, regional shows, reality programmes, kids’ content and anime. Subscribers can access quarterly and annual plans, while interactive features include live voting for different language editions of Bigg Boss. UK and Canadian viewers will receive 24x7 live feeds, with Canada getting Bigg Boss Hindi seven days before television broadcast. Existing Hotstar subscribers will transition to equivalent plans. JioHotstar says it has over 500 million active users and will add 30,000 fresh hours annually. (PC: CNBC TV18)

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says she intends to return to Bangladesh by December, questioning Dhaka’s decision to make her extradition a condition for a possible visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. Hasina said her return would be her own decision and that she could not remain abroad indefinitely. She criticised the BNP government, alleging persecution of Awami League members and describing the extradition issue as politically motivated. She defended the party’s role and questioned its ban, while raising concerns about Bangladesh’s economy, extremism and regional security. Hasina also questioned a reported $2.3-billion Chinese fighter-jet deal. India says her extradition request is being carefully examined through established processes. (PC: NDTV)

A 13-member specialist team from US-based Crisis Response International (CRI) has arrived in Nepal to support underground search-and-rescue operations after catastrophic floods buried hydropower infrastructure in the Trishuli River basin. A Singaporean team has also joined efforts in Rasuwa district, where workers are feared trapped inside tunnels near Chilime village. The teams will work with the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, mountain guides and technical specialists, using equipment designed for hazardous confined spaces and debris removal. Rescuers face metres of waterlogged sludge and continuing water inflow, with earlier teams forced to stop after reaching nearly 90 metres inside a 250-metre facility. Nepal’s death toll has surpassed 1,000, while thousands remain missing.

US forces continued strikes on Iranian targets, with CENTCOM saying the attacks followed attempted IRGC assaults on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US personnel. A missile attack reportedly killed four people, including a child, and injured about 50 when shrapnel struck a home hosting wedding celebrations in Kuhestak, southern Iran. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US interests in Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. Supreme Leader Mojatba Khamenei warned Washington of “unforgettable lessons,” while IRGC officials threatened further punishment. The US military denied targeting civilians. The conflict has continued since late February, when US and Israeli attacks killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Iran maintaining its Hormuz closure.

US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington has “almost total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and said Iran’s economy is “totally collapsing” as tensions escalate amid intensified strikes. In a Truth Social post issued hours after fresh US airstrikes against Iran, Trump rejected an ABC News report that he was seeking to force Tehran back to negotiations. He said he was not interested in pushing Iran into an agreement, calling any potential deal “worthless” to Tehran. Trump said he preferred the current situation, citing what he described as near-total US control of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s economic collapse. His remarks came amid continued exchanges of strikes between US and Iranian forces.

Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji won a silver medal in the deadlift at the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior and Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa. The 21-year-old lifted 140kg despite weighing 45.70kg, raising more than three times her body weight. Competing in the Junior Women’s 47kg category, Banerji finished fifth overall with a total of 280kg, including a 90kg squat and 50kg bench press. Her silver came after France’s Ines Herbaux won gold with a 165kg deadlift. India’s Joshua Ngoka also won gold in the men’s 120kg category. (PC: Economic Times)

As many as 163 Indian nationals have been rescued from flood-hit Nepal, while 151 Indians left China on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said in its latest update. Five more Indians were rescued since Monday. Indian teams continued search operations at hydropower tunnels in Chilime, where difficult terrain, restricted access and a marshy tunnel floor have hampered efforts to reach possible survivors. The team used improvised floats to move deeper into the tunnels. India has also expanded forensic assistance, including DNA analysis, with Nepalese authorities. The devastating floods have killed more than 1,050 people, while over 580 foreign nationals remain missing. (PC: X)

The US has launched fresh strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran, prompting President Donald Trump to warn Tehran that the “biggest attack” was still to come if it retaliated. US Central Command said the action followed attempted IRGC attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and American service members in the region. Iran’s state media reported that four projectiles hit areas in Chabahar and Konarak. The latest escalation comes after weeks of tensions and follows earlier US strikes on Iranian rocket launchers. Iran has vowed that Washington will regret the attacks. (PC: NDTV)

Air Vice Marshal Shakti Sharma has become the first non-medical woman officer in the Indian Defence Services to attain the rank of Air Vice Marshal or equivalent. She assumed charge as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education) at Air Headquarters on September 1, 2026, the Indian Air Force said. Commissioned into the IAF’s Education Branch in 1994, Sharma has served for over three decades at training establishments, field stations and headquarters. She earlier became the first woman officer from the Tri-Services to command a Sainik School, serving as principal of Sainik School Kapurthala. (PC: India Today)