National Startup Awards 6.0 establishes a national recognition framework for startups demonstrating innovation, scalability, sustainability and socio-economic impact. Recognition is available across 20 sectoral categories and three special categories, including the Student Innovator / Aspiring Entrepreneur Award. Eligible award recipients may receive monetary prizes subject to applicable guidelines, alongside mentorship, investor engagement, market access, industry partnerships and ecosystem visibility. Applications are open through the Startup India portal.

The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement provides a framework for increased foreign direct investment, employment generation and deeper commercial engagement. Engagement with Liechtenstein focuses on manufacturing partnerships, technology collaboration, research and development, supplier integration and global value chains. Priority cooperation areas include precision engineering, advanced manufacturing, industrial technologies and innovation, supported by simplified regulatory processes, digital governance and ease of doing business.

India and Mexico have launched negotiations for a mutually beneficial and balanced Preferential Trade Agreement through signed Terms of Reference establishing the negotiation framework, scope, modalities and roadmap. Negotiations encompass market access for goods, rules of origin, customs procedures and trade facilitation, dispute settlement, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, and trade remedies.

Corrigendum-6 withdraws 35 identified RINL land plots from the e-auction process because a court order prohibits their sale. Corrigendum-7 extends registration and Earnest Money Deposit submission until 1 November 2026, 8:00 PM, and schedules the e-auction of remaining plots for 3 November 2026. Property inspection remains available by prior appointment, while all other Request for Proposal terms and prior corrigenda remain unchanged unless specifically modified.

Additional instalments of Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners take effect from 1 July 2026. The prevailing rate increases by 3 percentage points from 60% of basic pay or pension to compensate for price rise, using the accepted formula based on Seventh Central Pay Commission recommendations. The measure has an annual fiscal impact and benefits employees and pensioners.

Two Nepal-bound transshipment containers were intercepted following intelligence of e-cigarette smuggling. Declared as water glass and ceramic mugs, the consignments contained e-cigarettes concealed within cover cargo, including IGET, VTV, VOKO, Bang and Ejoy products. Around 55,000 e-cigarettes valued at Rs. 13.50 crore, together with the cover cargo, were seized under relevant Customs Act provisions.

Wildlife-smuggling enforcement at Trichy International Airport involved interception of two Indian passengers arriving from Bangkok via Colombo on specific intelligence. Examination of their baggage revealed 45 live reptiles, sedated and concealed in 27 food packets. Coordinated action resulted in seizure of the reptiles and arrest of the passengers under the Customs Act, 1962.

Registered concessionaires under Toll-Operate-Transfer concession agreements supplying operation and maintenance services must pay Union Territory tax on amounts charged or debited from the Escrow Account towards operation and maintenance expenses. Tax is payable in the tax period in which the relevant expenditure is charged or debited.

Registered Toll-Operate-Transfer concessionaires supplying operation and maintenance services to concessioning authorities must pay integrated tax on amounts charged or debited from the escrow account towards operation and maintenance expenses. Tax is payable in the tax period in which the relevant expenditure is charged or debited. The procedure applies where the concessionaire holds exclusive toll collection rights, must operate and maintain the road or highway, and pays an upfront concession fee.

Non-commercial construction and related services supplied to governmental nuclear-power organisations fell outside the invoked construction and maintenance service categories. A bona fide belief in non-taxability meant that non-registration and non-filing of returns, without evidence of intent to evade tax, did not establish suppression or permit the extended limitation period. Composite construction agreements required assessment as works contract service rather than under the construction and maintenance categories used in the demand. The service-tax demand, interest and penalties were set aside with consequential relief.

Registered concessionaires supplying operation and maintenance services under a Toll-Operate-Transfer concession agreement must pay central tax on amounts charged or debited from the Escrow Account towards operation and maintenance expenses. Tax becomes payable in the tax period in which the relevant expenditure is charged or debited. The arrangement applies where the concessionaire holds exclusive toll collection rights, operates and maintains the road or highway, and pays the concession fee upfront.

Union Territory GST treatment of intra-State delivery services supplied through electronic commerce operators is revised. Electronic commerce operators must pay tax on delivery services other than postal and courier services. This liability does not apply where the supplier providing services through the operator is liable for registration under the specified Union Territory GST and Central GST registration provisions. The revised treatment takes effect from 1 November 2026.

Inter-State supplies of delivery services, other than postal and courier services, made through an electronic commerce operator are subject to the operator's tax-payment liability. This liability does not apply where the supplier is liable for registration under the applicable inter-State supply and central tax registration provisions. The substituted treatment takes effect from 1 November 2026.

Electronic commerce operators must pay CGST on intra-State supplies of delivery services supplied through their platforms, excluding postal and courier services. Operator tax-payment liability does not apply where the supplier using the electronic commerce operator is liable for registration under the CGST registration provision. The revised treatment takes effect on 1 November 2026.

Union territory tax liability under the reverse charge mechanism for services is amended by substituting the figure "9" for "6" in column (3) against serial number 15 of the prescribed table. The revised table entry takes effect on 1 November 2026 and applies prospectively within the UTGST framework governing services subject to reverse charge.

Reverse-charge liability for integrated tax services is amended for the service entry at serial number 17. The figure in column (3) is substituted from "12" to "18". The revised entry takes effect from 1 November 2026 as part of the framework governing services on which integrated tax is payable under the reverse charge mechanism.

Reverse-charge tax liability for listed services under section 9(3) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, is modified through a targeted change to the prescribed services table. Against serial number 15, column (3), the figure "6" is replaced by "9". The substitution takes effect on 1 November 2026 and updates the referenced entry for services on which tax is payable under reverse charge.

Union Territory GST service exemptions are amended to include specified helicopter seat-share transport, services of the Seamen's Provident Fund Organisation, governmental grants of toll collection rights, and coffee curing supplied to cultivators. Storage or warehousing treatment covers cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables and seeds intended for sowing. Goods transport agency services relating to goods supplied through an electronic commerce operator are excluded from the relevant exemption, and seed is broadly defined to include propagating and planting material.

GSTR-3B due dates for February to April 2020 remain unchanged, but delayed filing attracts concessional interest or nil interest only when returns are filed within prescribed cut-off dates. Late fee waiver for GSTR-3B and GSTR-1 is conditional on timely furnishing. Composition taxpayers receive extended timelines for CMP-08, GSTR-4, CMP-02 and ITC-03. Rule 36(4) input tax credit compliance applies cumulatively for February to August 2020 in the September GSTR-3B. Expired e-way bills and specified returns or statements receive limited extensions. Earlier GST guidance on secondary or post-sales discounts is withdrawn ab initio.

Clarifications concerning GST treatment of secondary or post-sales discounts are withdrawn ab initio under section 168(1) of the Jharkhand Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The withdrawal follows representations expressing apprehension about the implications of the earlier clarification and is intended to ensure uniform implementation of GST provisions across field formations. Suitable trade notices are requested to publicise the withdrawal.