Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026: seven air forces at Jodhpur
The IAF's second Exercise Tarang Shakti, with seven air forces and 32 observer nations, ran at Jodhpur, 26 September–12 October 2026.
The full storyCurrent affairs
43 stories in the last twelve months
International current affairs 2026 for CUET
Every International story from the last twelve months, newest first, each in one line with the static fact it hangs on and a link to the full story.
October 2026
INS Sahyadri reaches Vladivostok for Exercise INDRA 2026
INS Sahyadri reached Vladivostok on 10 October 2026 for INDRA 2026, the India–Russia naval exercise of 13–18 October.
The full storyThe World Bank's World Development Report 2026, on AI, launched in India
The World Bank's World Development Report 2026, 'The Promise of Artificial Intelligence', was launched in New Delhi on 8 October 2026.
The full storyINS Trishul off Plymouth for Exercise KONKAN 2026 with the Royal Navy
KONKAN-26, the annual India–UK naval exercise, was held off Plymouth from 8 to 15 October 2026, with INS Trishul for India.
The full storySwiss President Guy Parmelin visits India
Swiss President Guy Parmelin visited India in October 2026; agreements on mobility, research and technology transfer were signed.
The full storyFirst cargo from upper Assam to a foreign port since Independence
On 5 October 2026 a methanol barge left Bogibeel, Dibrugarh, for Dhaka: upper Assam's first cargo to a foreign port since 1947.
The full storyIndia and the UAE begin Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026
Mountain Guardian 2026, the India–UAE army exercise on mountain warfare: Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, 5–18 October 2026.
The full storyIndia at the 153rd IPU Assembly, in Arusha
An Indian delegation led by Harivansh attended the 153rd IPU Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania (5–9 October 2026).
The full storyG20 Trade Ministers meet in Milwaukee under the US presidency
The G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting opened in Milwaukee on 1 October 2026, under the US G20 Presidency.
The full storySeptember 2026
India at the 15th UN Crime Congress, in Abu Dhabi
India presented its new criminal laws at the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi (September 2026).
The full storyThe second ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise begins in the Philippines
The second ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026) began at Subic Bay, Philippines, on 28 September 2026.
The full storyThe India–New Zealand FTA enters into force on 20 October 2026
The India–New Zealand FTA, signed on 27 April 2026, enters into force on 20 October 2026.
The full storyNomadic Elephant 2026: India and Mongolia train at Pithoragarh
India–Mongolia exercise Nomadic Elephant ran at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, from 21 September to 3 October 2026.
The full storyYudh Abhyas 2026: India and the US train at Auli and Mahajan
The 22nd India–US Yudh Abhyas ran at Auli (Uttarakhand) and Mahajan (Rajasthan) from 15 September 2026.
The full storyIndia and MERCOSUR open talks to expand their trade agreement
India and MERCOSUR launched talks on 14 September 2026 to expand their Preferential Trade Agreement.
The full storyIndia hosts the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi
India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September 2026; the theme's initials spell BRICS.
The full storyBelgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever visits India
Belgian PM Bart De Wever made an official visit to India on 2–4 September 2026.
The full storyThe 26th SCO Summit, in Bishkek
The 26th SCO Summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on 31 August–1 September 2026, in the SCO's 25th year.
The full storyAugust 2026
India and Uzbekistan become Comprehensive Strategic Partners
During PM Modi's visit on 29–30 August 2026, India and Uzbekistan became Comprehensive Strategic Partners.
The full storyJuly 2026
Sarnath, India's 45th World Heritage site
On 25 July 2026 the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, Varanasi, became India's 45th World Heritage site, at Busan.
The full storyA State Visit to Indonesia and work at Prambanan
PM Modi's State Visit to Indonesia, 6–8 July 2026, launched Indian restoration work at the Prambanan temples in Yogyakarta.
The full storyJune 2026
The G7 summit at Evian, France
PM Modi attended the G7 summit at Evian, France, in June 2026 as an outreach guest, meeting Carney and Trump.
The full storyMay 2026
India and the Netherlands become Strategic Partners; Chola plates come home
India and the Netherlands became Strategic Partners in May 2026, and the Dutch returned the 11th-century Chola copper plates.
The full storyIndia and the UAE: oil reserves, LPG and a defence framework
On 15 May 2026 India and the UAE signed energy, defence and tech pacts: ADNOC may store up to 30 million barrels in India's reserves.
The full storyMarch 2026
Canada's Prime Minister visits: CEPA talks and a uranium deal
Canadian PM Mark Carney visited India on 27 February–2 March 2026; CEPA talks began and a CAD 2.6 billion uranium deal was welcomed.
The full storyFebruary 2026
India joins Pax Silica
India joined Pax Silica, a US-led coalition to secure the chip and AI supply chain, on 20 February 2026.
The full storyThe AI Impact Summit and the New Delhi Declaration
India hosted the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam on 18–19 February 2026; 92 parties endorsed the New Delhi Declaration.
The full storyJanuary 2026
India and the EU conclude their free trade agreement
India and the EU announced the conclusion of their free trade agreement at the 16th India–EU Summit, New Delhi, 27 January 2026.
The full storyDecember 2025
The 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit
Putin's State visit on 4–5 December 2025 was the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, 25 years after the 2000 strategic partnership.
The full storyNovember 2025
The first G20 summit in Africa
South Africa hosted the first G20 summit in Africa, in Johannesburg on 22–23 November 2025.
The full storyOctober 2025
Timor-Leste becomes ASEAN's 11th member
Timor-Leste became ASEAN's 11th member at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on 26 October 2025.
The full storyBig events of 2025
India and the UK sign their trade agreement
India and the UK signed the CETA in London on 24 July 2025, giving 99% of India's exports duty-free access; in force from 15 July 2026.
The full storyThe Maratha Military Landscapes, India's 44th World Heritage site
On 11 July 2025 twelve Maratha forts — eleven in Maharashtra, Gingee in Tamil Nadu — became India's 44th World Heritage site.
The full storyIndia co-chairs the AI Action Summit in Paris
India and France co-chaired the AI Action Summit in Paris in February 2025; India said it would host the next one.
The full storyBig events of 2024
The first summit of an enlarged BRICS, at Kazan
The 16th BRICS Summit at Kazan, Russia, on 23 October 2024 was the enlarged group's first; it adopted the Kazan Declaration.
The full storyThe Quad summit at Wilmington and the Cancer Moonshot
The sixth Quad Leaders' Summit, at Wilmington on 21 September 2024, adopted the Wilmington Declaration and a Cancer Moonshot.
The full storyThe Moidams of Assam, India's 43rd World Heritage site
On 26 July 2024 the Ahom Moidams of Charaideo, Assam, became India's 43rd World Heritage site, at a session held in New Delhi.
The full storyIndia and EFTA sign a trade pact with a US$100 billion investment pledge
India signed the TEPA with EFTA on 10 March 2024, with a binding pledge of US$100 billion in investment over 15 years.
The full storyBig events of 2023
Santiniketan and the Hoysala temples join the World Heritage List
In September 2023 Santiniketan (West Bengal) and the Hoysala temples (Karnataka) became India's 41st and 42nd World Heritage sites.
The full storyThe New Delhi G20 Summit: the African Union joins as a permanent member
At the New Delhi G20 Summit (9–10 September 2023) the African Union became a permanent member; the declaration was unanimous.
The full storyIndia launches the Global Biofuels Alliance
India launched the Global Biofuels Alliance at the New Delhi G20 on 9 September 2023, with 19 countries and 12 bodies joining.
The full storyIndia chairs the SCO summit, and Iran becomes a member
India chaired the virtual 23rd SCO Summit on 4 July 2023 ('Towards a SECURE SCO'), where Iran became a full member.
The full storyIndia becomes the world's most populous country
UN data showed India passing China as the world's most populous country at the end of April 2023, at about 142.6 crore.
The full story