National Startup Awards incentivise innovative scalable startups with cash prizes and access to pilot and market opportunities.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has instituted the National Startup Awards to recognise startups and ecosystem enablers that develop innovative, scalable solutions with employment, wealth creation and measurable social impact; winners and runners up receive cash prizes, opportunities to present to public authorities and corporates for pilot projects and priority participation in national and international startup events.

Advance Pricing Agreement programme provides pre agreed transfer pricing methods and rollback relief for multinational transactions.
India's APA programme provides a pre emptive mechanism to determine the Arm's Length Price for international related party transactions for up to five years, with rules (10F-10T) governing application, processing, annual compliance reporting, audits and renewal. Rollback provisions extend certainty for up to four prior years (yielding a potential nine year period). The scheme allows unilateral, bilateral and multilateral APAs; bilateral APAs require Competent Authority negotiations and subsequent domestic agreements. Dedicated APA teams and the CBDT's Foreign Tax & Tax Research divisions process and approve APA positions, and the 2018 19 report highlights rising bilateral filings, program statistics and operational resource challenges.

National Industrial Corridor trust governance established with ministerial board oversight; projects sanctioned and several completed under DMIC.
Constitution and governance of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust are described, listing a Board of Trustees chaired by the Secretary, DPIIT and composed of senior secretaries, the Chairman of the Railways Board, the CEO of NITI Aayog, with the CEO of NICDIT as Member Secretary. The Trust has evaluated and sanctioned projects, obtained Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approvals for a subset, and reports several projects completed or nearing completion under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

Trade Policy Review set to proceed with Secretariat engagement, reiterating projections of increased export share and updated trade data.
Seventh Trade Policy Review of India at the WTO is scheduled for September 2020, with preparatory information sharing interactions between India and the WTO Secretariat already underway; the Secretariat had envisaged an increased export share by 2020, and WTO estimates cited in a parliamentary reply record India's 2018 merchandise and services trade positions.

Mandatory electronic filing of CIRP forms required; non-compliance may attract sanctions including denial of authorisation.
The amendment requires insolvency professionals to file prescribed Forms covering the lifecycle of the CIRP on an electronic platform to enable collection, maintenance and dissemination of records for monitoring by the regulator and professional agencies. Failure, delay or inaccuracy in filing attracts actions permissible under the Code, including refusal to issue or renew Authorisation for Assignment.

Merger approval under Section 31(1): acquirer cleared to acquire remaining stake and sole control of target.
Approval under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 was granted for MHMM (MHI) to acquire the remaining minority interest in Primetals Technologies, converting the existing joint-control arrangement with Siemens into sole ownership and control by MHI; a detailed CCI order will follow.

Competition approval for acquisition of minority stake in retail group secures regulatory clearance for proposed shareholding change.
CCI approves a proposed combination in which Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC will acquire a significant minority equity interest in Future Coupons (Private) Limited through interrelated steps involving Future Coupons, Future Corporate Resources Private Limited and Future Retail Limited, with the acquisition cleared under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 and a detailed order to follow.

MSME scheme allocations announce targeted funding across credit, technology and cluster programmes to support small enterprise growth.
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises allocated specified budgets for 2019-20 to implement targeted schemes: an innovation and rural industry promotion programme; a fund for regeneration of traditional industries; an employment generation programme; a credit guarantee scheme for micro and small enterprises; a credit-linked subsidy for capital and technology upgradation; an interest subvention scheme for incremental MSME credit; cluster development for MSEs; and support for tool rooms and technology institutions, reflecting policy instruments of grant, subsidy and credit support to foster finance access, technological modernization and sectoral/regional clustering.

Land availability responsibility clarified: states must provide land for industrial corridor extension and integrated manufacturing clusters.
The Trust approved extending the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor to Kochi and Coimbatore and adding Integrated Manufacturing Clusters in Kerala and Tamil Nadu; consultant selection for detailed master planning and preliminary engineering is in progress with typical completion timelines of four to five years from project initiation.

Article 370 abrogation expands applicability of central laws and removes residency restrictions, enabling broader economic integration.
Abrogation of Article 370 and related constitutional changes extended the applicability of central laws and removed residency-linked restrictions that had limited constitutional rights and benefits, thereby enabling fuller economic integration; concurrently, a development package and central flagship schemes are being implemented and a Market Intervention Scheme for apple procurement was activated to secure remunerative prices for growers.

Extension of Finance Commission term allows broader coverage for medium term fiscal planning and improved state assessment.
Approval was granted to extend the Fifteenth Finance Commission's tenure and expand its coverage to permit submission of an initial report for the first fiscal year and a final report covering an extended five year period, so the Commission can incorporate reform impacts, complete delayed state assessments, and comprehensively address its wide Terms of Reference to improve medium term resource planning and fiscal recommendations for Central and State Governments.

Competition approval of cross-shareholding: Toyota's minority stake in Suzuki and Suzuki's reciprocal stake in Toyota authorized.
The Competition Commission of India approved a proposed combination consisting of reciprocal minority share acquisitions between two multinational automotive manufacturers, limited to minority shareholdings and subject to merger control; the parties' principal commercial activities and Indian operations are summarized, and a detailed order will follow.

Corporate tax options introduced: 22% general regime and 15% for new manufacturers with restrictive conditions.
Two optional tax regimes are inserted: Section 115BAA (22% tax) and Section 115BAB (15% tax for new manufacturing companies). Both require a prescribed option, disallow specified deductions and related loss set offs, prescribe depreciation treatment, render the option invalid upon non compliance for the relevant and subsequent years, and include anti abuse rules allowing the Assessing Officer to adjust profits from closely connected transactions, with consequential amendments to surcharge, advance tax and related provisions.

Assistive technology policy: strengthen regulatory control and public-private collaboration to boost affordable, indigenous assistive devices.
Policy deliberations recommended strengthening regulatory control, capacity building, and incentives to attract private investment, and advocated a coordinated model linking government, industry, innovation centres, and NGOs to promote entrepreneurship, indigenous R&D, mass manufacturing, and product design prioritising affordability and accessibility.

Market-based procurement promotes harmonised rules and systems integration for streamlined, transparent public purchasing.
GeM and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to promote market-based procurement by Delhi buyer organisations, harmonise procurement guidelines, and integrate systems to enable a seamless procuring experience using GeM's tools for direct purchase, bidding and reverse auction while advancing transparency and efficiency.

Bilateral trade cooperation reaffirmed between India and Finland, covering multi sectoral trade and investment cooperation and a Helsinki follow up.
India and Finland reaffirmed bilateral economic and trade cooperation at the 19th Session of the India Finland Joint Commission (20-21 November 2019), reviewing an agenda covering WTO issues, India EU trade architecture, trade and investment relations, trade barrier measures, and multi sectoral cooperation (energy, environment, tech, education, skills, labour mobility, digitalization, transport, textiles, culture and tourism). Multiministerial delegations from both countries participated, and Finland invited India to host the 20th session in Helsinki in 2021.

Strategic disinvestment: transfer of government shareholding and management control in select CPSEs to strategic buyers.
Approvals were given for strategic disinvestment of specified CPSEs permitting transfer of government shareholding and management control to strategic buyers under established procedures: BPCL (53.29% sale; NRL stake 61.65% to an oil and gas CPSE), Shipping Corporation (63.75%), CONCOR (30.8% of government holding), THDCIL (74.23% to NTPC) and NEEPCO (100% to NTPC). Proceeds will form part of the budget and disinvestments aim to unlock resources, attract management and technology, and follow the policy of government exit where markets are competitive.

Reduction of public equity permits lowering government share below majority while retaining management control, expanding disinvestment options.
Cabinet approval authorises reduction of Government equity below 51% in selected CPSEs while retaining management control, to be applied on a case to case basis after assessing Government and Government controlled institution shareholding; the policy aims to widen the disinvestment window, increase free float, promote efficient management and transparency, and attract broader investor participation.

Investment gateway: regional cooperation urged to boost market access and sectoral investment between India and Europe.
India and the Europe 29 region are presented as complementary growth partners with the E29 acting as a gateway for Indian products to Europe, urging deeper economic ties in smart cities, renewable energy, start-ups, IT/ITeS and tourism. The forum called for increased Indian investment across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, machinery, agri and food processing, automobiles and electronics. Bulgaria invited investment on the basis of a predictable policy framework and a notably low corporate tax regime, positioning the Business Forum as a mechanism to bridge geographic and knowledge gaps and promote sector-focused cooperation.

Industrial corridor approvals establish centralized NICDIT-led planning and SPV execution, with node land acquisition and funding tracked.
Approval has been given for development of five national industrial corridors to be implemented through NICDIT, with SPVs incorporated for identified nodes and NICDIT-driven master planning and preliminary engineering recommended for Cabinet consideration. Node-level land-acquisition and implementation statuses are recorded-Visakhapatnam and Chittoor prioritized under VCIC, Krishnapatnam, Tumakuru and Ponneri advanced under CBIC-with trunk infrastructure, plot allotments and ADB-financed civil works underway. Corridor-wise budgetary allocations and utilizations under the Project Development Fund and Project Implementation Fund are disclosed, and certain projects face implementation constraints delaying development.