Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, J. P. Nadda, on Friday released the 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP 2026), marking a major step in strengthening India’s pharmaceutical quality and regulatory framework.

The new edition was released at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The Indian Pharmacopoeia is the country’s official book of drug standards and plays a central role in ensuring the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines manufactured and sold in India.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said the Indian Pharmacopoeia has gained international recognition and is now accepted in 19 countries of the Global South, reflecting India’s growing stature in global health diplomacy and pharmaceutical regulation. He noted that IP 2026 incorporates 121 new monographs, taking the total number to 3,340, with expanded coverage of anti-tubercular, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer medicines, as well as iron supplements used under national health programmes.

In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, laid the foundation stone of the Bhoramdev Corridor Development Project at a programme held at Bhoramdev Dham in Kabirdham district yesterday.

Under the Central Government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0, the Bhoramdev Corridor Development Project will be developed at an estimated cost of around 146 crore rupees, on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.

The Bhoramdev Temple, popularly known as the Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh, is renowned in India and abroad for its ancient architectural excellence and religious significance. With the development of the corridor, modern facilities will be made available to pilgrims and tourists, which is expected to give fresh momentum to the economic, social and cultural development of the region.

IFFCO which is country's leading cooperative institution in the fertiliser sector on Tuesday conferred the "IFFCO Sahitya Samman 2025" on renowned fiction writer Maitreyi Pushpa. At the same ceremony, the "IFFCO Yuva Sahitya Samman" was awarded to Ankita Jain for her book "Oh Re! Kisan".

IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani presented the awards at a function held at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi on December 30.

Maitreyi Pushpa was born on 30 November 1944 in Sikurra village of Aligarh district. Her early life was spent in Khilli village of Jhansi district. She obtained her M.A. in Hindi Literature from Bundelkhand College, Jhansi.

Air Marshal Tejinder Singh assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the South Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force on January 1, 2026.

After taking over the new appointment, the Air Marshal paid homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the war memorial.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Tejinder Singh was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 13, 1987. A Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor, he has over 4,500 hours of flying experience. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College.

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor on Thursday (January 1, 2026) assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who superannuated after 40 years of distinguished service to the nation. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College, Air Marshal Kapoor is an accomplished fighter pilot with over 3,400 flying hours on MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft.

He has held several key command, operational, instructional and staff appointments, including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command and South Western Air Command, and is a recipient of multiple gallantry and distinguished service awards.

In another significant development, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh on Thursday assumed charge as the 29th Director General Border Roads, formally taking over the reins of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in June 1991, he brings over three decades of experience across diverse command, staff and leadership roles.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) today announced the nationwide roll-out of Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi), also known as Wi-Fi Calling services.

The Ministry of Communications said that this service will now be available to all BSNL customers across every telecom circle in the country, ensuring seamless and high-quality connectivity in challenging environments.

It said that VoWiFi enables customers to make and receive voice calls and messages over a Wi-Fi network, ensuring clear and reliable connectivity in areas with weak mobile signal, including homes, offices, basements, and remote locations.

The Ministry said that this service is particularly beneficial in rural and remote areas.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Thursday unveiled a new logo and mascot as part of efforts to modernise its institutional identity and improve public outreach.

The launch marks a step towards reinforcing the role of official statistics in policy formulation and nation-building, while promoting data-driven governance and transparency.

According to the Ministry, the new logo reflects the theme “Data for Development” and highlights the importance of statistics in India’s economic and social progress. The design incorporates the Ashoka Chakra to symbolise truth, transparency and good governance, while the Rupee symbol at the centre underlines the role of statistical data in economic planning and policymaking.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that a third district would be formed in the state.

The state currently has two districts — South Goa and North Goa. The third district will comprise the four hinterland talukas of Sangeum, Dharbandora, Quepem and Canacona, which currently fall under the South Goa district. The headquarters for the third district will be located in Quepem.

The Goa Cabinet had approved a proposal for the creation of the new district in July this year.

Currently, North Goa district comprises five talukas — Bardez, Tiswadi, Pernem, Bicholim and Sattari. South Goa has seven talukas — Ponda, Mormugao, Salcete, Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem and Canacona.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully conducted a salvo launch of two indigenously developed Pralay missiles in quick succession from the same launcher off the coast of Odisha.

The flight tests were carried out at around 10:30 am on December 31 as part of user evaluation trials. According to officials, both missiles precisely followed their intended trajectories and met all mission objectives. Their performance was confirmed by tracking sensors deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, while terminal events were validated through onboard telemetry systems installed on ships positioned near the impact points.

Pralay is a solid-propellant, quasi-ballistic missile equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems to ensure high accuracy. The missile is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads and engaging a variety of targets, enhancing the operational flexibility of the armed forces.

Gujarat government on Tuesday said that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has given an in-principle approval for setting up Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO) at GIFT City in Gujarat that will focus on cutting edge AI research and development. among other activities.

The IAIRO will be established through a tripartite partnership involving the Gujarat government, Government of India and Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA). A budget of approximately ₹300 crore has been fixed for this project for the first five years, in which the State, centre and the private partners will contribute 33.33 per cent each. IPA which has joined as the anchor private partner for IAIRO will contribute ₹25 crore for the year 2025-26, an official statement from Gujarat government stated.

Set up as a non-profit entity under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, the IAIRO will be operationalised through a Special Purpose Vehicle in GIFT City from January 1, 2026. The IAIRO’s core activities will include cutting edge AI research and development, AI-based products and solutions development, collaboration between academic institutions, industries, start ups and the government. In addition, IAIRO will also focus on intellectual property creation, capacity building and policy-based research. It will operate under a hybrid compute model, integrating on-premise GPU infrastructure with national platforms like IndiaAI Cloud, the government added.