India's first dual-fuel Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) train has been flagged off from Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. A dual-fuel locomotive can run on a combination of LNG and conventional diesel, helping Indian Railways cut fuel costs and lower emissions as part of its push towards cleaner traction.
India reiterated its commitment to science-based conservation of cetaceans at the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC-70) in Hobart, Australia. The IWC was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in Washington, D.C., on 2 December 1946, and now has 89 member governments.
India presented its progress in sustainable forest management and ecological restoration at the 28th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 28) in Rome, Italy. COFO is the highest global intergovernmental statutory body on forestry under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); it has 128 FAO members and meets every two years in Rome.
The Union government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has officially prohibited Paraquat Dichloride, a highly toxic non-selective herbicide. Paraquat is a fast-acting, broad-spectrum contact weedkiller used for weed control and crop desiccation. If swallowed it is extremely poisonous and can cause severe lung and kidney damage, including progressive pulmonary fibrosis.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revised India's 2026–27 growth projection upward to 7.1%, from 6.3% estimated in June 2026. It credited strong domestic demand and government policies for helping India absorb the impact of the West Asia crisis.
The Union government is encouraging aquaculture insurance under PM-MKSSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana) by offering a 40% incentive on premiums. India achieved its highest-ever fish output of 19.8 million tonnes in 2024–25, making it the world's second-largest fish producer with about 8% of global production.
According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), water storage in 178 key reservoirs dropped to 70% of total capacity by 24 September 2026, lower than the 10-year average of 76.62% and last year's 79%. The southern region, covering Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, had just 50% storage compared with 87.25% a year earlier.
A model of the Danish frigate 'Elephant', which arrived at Tharangambadi in Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu, in 1620, has been gifted to the Tranquebar Maritime Museum. The ship belonged to a fleet of two warships and three merchant vessels sent to build trade ties with South Asia.
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