IICA and NPC to collaborate on productivity, training, sustainability and compliance to support India's development.
IICA and NPC agreed to pursue strategic collaboration to combine IICA's policy research, training, advisory services with NPC's implementation driven productivity expertise-covering productivity enhancement, sustainability, ESG initiatives, MSME capacity building, and compliance support-aimed at strengthening organisational readiness, competitiveness, and India's transition to a more innovative and sustainable economy.

Government finances: receipts, devolution to states and expenditure through December 2025 show revenue and capital composition.
Total receipts up to December 2025 were Rs.25,25,156 crore (72.2% of BE 2025-26), comprising Tax Revenue (Net to Centre) Rs.19,39,254 crore, Non Tax Revenue Rs.5,39,855 crore and Non Debt Capital Receipts Rs.46,047 crore. The Government transferred Rs.10,38,164 crore to states as Devolution of Share of Taxes, Rs.1,37,014 crore higher than the previous year. Total expenditure was Rs.33,80,998 crore (66.7% of BE 2025-26), with Revenue Expenditure Rs.25,93,063 crore (including Interest Payments Rs.9,11,059 crore and Major Subsidies Rs.3,17,490 crore) and Capital Expenditure Rs.7,87,935 crore.

Design law reforms propose virtual design protection, a 12 month grace period, 30 month deferred publication and harmonisation internationally.
Proposed amendments to the Designs Act, 2000 seek to extend protection to virtual designs by revising definitions, introduce a 12 month full grace period, permit deferred publication up to 30 months, and add timeline relief in line with the Designs Law Treaty. The Concept Note further proposes statutory damages, a revised term of protection, multiple designs filings in a single application, and an option to divide applications, with other miscellaneous changes to enable accession to the Riyadh DLT and the Hague Agreement.

NARCL reports complete SR redemption in three accounts and urges faster acquisitions through lender cooperation.
Secretary, DFS reported NARCL increased acquired accounts to 30 with aggregate debt exposure of about Rs 1.63 lakh crore and a pipeline toward the Rs 2 lakh crore target. Net recovery rose by ~Rs 1,439 crore to total recoveries of Rs 5,496 crore; security receipt redemption totals Rs 4,803 crore, with 100% SR redemption and upside distribution in three accounts. Discussion focused on shortening acquisition timelines by addressing inter-se creditor issues from differential security structures, additional collateral and valuation disputes, and on coordinated action with lenders to follow decisions made in the Joint Lenders Meeting (JLM).

Elliott entities acquire Toyota Industries shareholding via on market purchases after CCI approval on Tokyo and Nagoya exchanges.
CCI approved the acquisition by Elliott Associates, Elliott International and The Liverpool Limited Partnership of certain equity shareholding and voting rights in Toyota Industries Corporation to be effected through one or more on market purchases on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and/or the Premier Market of the Nagoya Stock Exchange.

Nitro Asia to acquire units in National Highways Infra Trust; CCI approval for on-market unitholding acquisition.
The Competition Commission of India approved Nitro Asia Holdings II Pte. Ltd.'s proposed acquisition of certain unit holdings in National Highways Infra Trust via on-market transactions. Nitro Asia is a Singapore-incorporated special purpose vehicle whose principal activity is holding equity and non-equity assets. National Highways Infra Trust is an infrastructure investment trust registered under the InvIT regulatory framework and may invest in SPVs in India as permitted.

National Household Income Survey and ASISSE launch preparatory training for year-long digital national data collection.
The NSO will hold an All-India Workshop of Trainers for the inaugural NHIS and ASISSE in Chennai on 28-29 January 2026; both surveys will run in digital mode for one year from April 2026. NHIS will collect household-level data on income distribution, living conditions and links between income and economic returns to inform policy and enable inter-household and inter-regional comparisons. ASISSE will compile an enterprise-based corporate services sector database using the GSTN framework to estimate GVA, fixed capital, capital formation, employment and emoluments at State and industry levels. Coverage excludes villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

PFRDA constituted SAARG to review NPS investment guidelines and recommend reforms for asset allocation, risk and governance.
PFRDA constituted the Committee for Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance (SAARG) to comprehensively review and modernize NPS investment guidelines, benchmark them with global pension systems, and recommend reforms to strengthen strategic asset allocation, risk management, diversification, performance measurement, ALM principles, valuation standards for alternative investments, portfolio stability and liquidity measures, governance and intermediary architecture, sustainability integration, and subscriber choice; SAARG, chaired by Shri Narayan Ramachandran, has nine months to submit its report.

DRI busts mobile mephedrone lab, seizes 21.912 kg finished drug and 71.5 kg precursors; five arrested.
Enforcement Operation codenamed Operation Sahyadri Checkmate dismantled a mobile clandestine mephedrone manufacturing unit disguised as a poultry farm, seizing 21.912 kg finished mephedrone in liquid, semi-liquid and crystalline forms and 71.5 kg raw material; five persons were arrested, four of whom are repeat offenders, following surveillance, a coordinated raid, and subsequent interception of individuals collecting the product.

PLI White Goods Scheme selects five AC-component manufacturers committing Rs.863 crore, targeting higher domestic value addition and output.
Provisional selection in the fourth round of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods commits Rs.863 crore by five AC-component manufacturers, projecting Rs.8,337.24 crore production and 1,799 direct jobs by FY 2027-28; eight applicants were referred to a Committee of Experts. The Scheme, with a Rs.6,238 crore outlay for FY 2021-22 to FY 2028-29, provides reducing incremental-sales incentives (approximately 6% to 4%) over five years after a base year and one-year gestation, aiming to raise domestic value addition to 75-80% and strengthen the component ecosystem for Air Conditioners and LED Lights.

International trade and global energy transition conference examined aligning trade rules with climate and sustainable energy goals.
The Centre for Trade and Investment Law and National Law University Odisha convened an international conference under the WTO Chairs Programme on the role of the multilateral trading system in supporting the global energy transition, focusing on aligning trade rules with clean energy deployment and sustainability objectives and examining green industrial policy, sustainable trade frameworks, carbon governance, regulatory practices and challenges for developing economies.

India-Myanmar trade: both sides commit to boost connectivity, AITIGA review, and expand bilateral commerce to USD 5 billion.
India and Myanmar agreed to improve cross border connectivity and trade facilitation by reopening and upgrading key land border posts, promoting the Rupee Kyat trade settlement mechanism, streamlining financial and customs processes, and pursuing an expeditious, balanced review of AITIGA to make the agreement more trade facilitative, with coordinated follow up among relevant agencies.

Law and economics conference highlights WIPO TKGR Treaty TRIPS interface, India's health services trade and regulatory challenges.
The conference examined the interface between the WIPO TKGR Treaty and the TRIPS Agreement, highlighting risks of fraudulent disclosures and wrongful patent grants based on traditional knowledge, the robustness of India's patent regime, and compliance challenges. It also analysed trade in health services-temporary movement of natural persons, cross-border delivery modes, visa and insurance barriers, Mutual Recognition Arrangements, digital health and AI-stressing institutional, regulatory and fiscal measures to align commercial growth with access objectives.

Atal Pension Yojana extended to 2030-31 with funding for outreach and gap support to sustain the scheme.
Cabinet approved continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) to FY 2030-31 with government funding for (i) promotional and developmental activities to expand outreach among unorganised workers, and (ii) gap funding to meet viability requirements and ensure the scheme's sustainability.

Equity support to SIDBI will fund Rs5000 crore infusion to bolster MSME credit and maintain bank capital ratios.
The Cabinet approved Rs.5,000 crore equity infusion into SIDBI in three tranches (Rs.3,000 crore in FY 2025 26 and Rs.1,000 crore each in FY 2026 27 and FY 2027 28 at relevant book values) to enable SIDBI to raise resources at competitive rates, expand MSME credit, and maintain a healthy CRAR in light of rising risk weighted assets from directed credit, digital collateral free products and venture debt.

Apollo Hospitals to increase stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle to 99.42% following regulatory approval.
Approval granted for the Proposed Combination in which Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited will acquire an additional 30.58% equity stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited, increasing its shareholding from 68.84% to 99.42%, effecting near-complete consolidation of the Target by its listed parent that operates across healthcare services, diagnostics and telemedicine; a detailed Commission order will follow.

Steel business transfer via slump sale and 50% JFE stake will create a 50:50 joint venture with JSW Steel.
The Commission approved the transfer of Bhushan Power and Steel Limited's steel business to JSW Sambalpur by way of a slump sale, and JFE Steel Corporation's acquisition of 50% of JSW Kalinga, producing an indirect 50% holding in JSW Sambalpur; JSW Kalinga and JSW Sambalpur will be operated as a 50:50 joint venture between JFE and JSW Steel Ltd.

Tata Steel acquisition of 50.01% stake in Thriveni Pellets approved, affecting iron ore pellet production and sales.
The Commission approved Tata Steel Limited's acquisition of 50.01% equity in Thriveni Pellets Private Limited from Thriveni Earthmovers Private Limited, giving Tata Steel majority control of a company engaged in production and sale of iron ore pellets; TPPL's subsidiary Brahmani River Pellets Limited also produces and sells iron ore pellets in India.

MSME digital lending via Jan Samarth enables instant in-principle sanctions using digital footprints and automated credit assessment.
Public Sector Banks adopted a Credit Assessment Model using digitally verifiable footprints to automate MSME loan appraisal and model-based limit assessment for ETB and NTB borrowers. The system ingests GST, ITR, bank statements via account aggregators, CIC reports and other API-fetched data for KYC, fraud checks and due diligence, enables instant in-principle sanctions through the Jan Samarth Portal for loans within defined thresholds, supports end-to-end Straight Through Processing, and integrates with credit guarantee mechanisms such as CGTMSE.

LIC urged to align its capital and digital strategy with national growth priorities while expanding insurance coverage.
LIC's designation as a Domestic Systemically Important Insurer (D-SII) carries responsibility for financial stability; the Secretary urged using LIC's consolidated AUM and strong solvency to align investments with national priorities such as green energy, infrastructure, startups and alternate investment funds, while improving persistency. Operational measures include Project DIVE for end-to-end digital transformation, a strategic product shift to high-growth non-participating and customizable products to attract younger customers, and strengthening distribution via Jeevan Samarth and the Bima Sakhis programme to expand rural coverage.