Multilateral business partnerships highlighted at B20 event to promote regional economic opportunities and sectoral collaboration.
Business 20 (B20), the G20 business engagement forum, will hold a three day Aizawl event to promote multilateral business partnerships and sector collaboration in urban planning, infrastructure, bamboo, startups, skill development, nursing and paramedics, channeling private sector recommendations to the rotating G20 presidency. The programme pairs conference sessions with cultural showcases to familiarise delegates and strengthen regional promotion and investment dialogue.

Separation of accounts from audit established departmentalised Union accounts and a central accounting authority overseeing PFMS and TSA reforms.
Separation of accounts from audit in 1976 was effected by two Ordinances creating departmentalised Union accounts and establishing the Indian Civil Accounts Service. The Controller General of Accounts acts as Principal Accounting Advisor, overseeing payment, accounting and pension systems. Public Financial Management System (PFMS) is presented as a Government-wide web-based platform delivering Direct Benefit Transfers, treasury integration, GST refund processing, non-tax receipt automation, real-time accounting integration, and cash and debt management through TSA, CNA and SNA mechanisms. Revised Receipt and Payment Rules and internal audit reforms support e-bill implementation, funds-flow modifications and strengthened controls.

Ease of Doing Business: DPIIT promotes technology solutions to simplify business compliance and administration.
A post budget webinar co led by DPIIT and led by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology concentrates on using technology to advance Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living. DPIIT anchored breakout session for small businesses will consider the National Single Window System, PAN as a common business identifier, KYC simplification, unified filing, lab grown diamonds, and dispute resolution for MSMEs, emphasising inter ministerial and stakeholder coordination for implementation.

Global debt coordination and MDB reform guide G20 policy on climate finance, crypto approaches, digital infrastructure, and taxation.
The Chair Summary consolidates G20 policy directions prioritising global debt coordination and MDB reform, principles for mobilising climate finance, a common approach to crypto regulation and interoperable digital public infrastructure, measures to deepen financial inclusion and mechanisms for financing cities, and reaffirmed cooperation on international taxation harmonisation.

Merger control clearance for acquisition of sole control over VGP Holdings LLC, involving lubricant business transfer.
The Competition Commission of India approved the proposed acquisition of 100% of the issued and outstanding share capital and sole control of VGP Holdings LLC by Gateway Velocity Holding Corp., an indirect subsidiary of Saudi Aramco. The deal follows a pre-closing reorganisation transferring Valvoline Inc.'s Global Products Business to the Target, which sells lubricants, coolants and AdBlue in India; a detailed CCI order will follow.

Post-budget webinars convene stakeholders to operationalize Saptarishi priorities through sectoral action plans and quarterly targets.
Prime Minister will address a series of post budget webinars organised by Ministries and Departments to operationalise the Saptarishi priorities through virtual, sectoral consultations that bring together ministers, officials, regulators, academia, industry and practitioners to prepare coordinated action plans with quarterly targets for implementation of budget announcements.

Quality Control Orders to shield the domestic electrical industry from low quality imports and raise manufacturing standards.
The Minister urges issuing Quality Control Orders across the electrical industry to shield domestic manufacturers from low quality imports, requests larger firms to handhold smaller companies to build quality consciousness and markets, and asks the sector to run campaigns linking quality to energy efficiency. He promotes exhibitions and export expansion, leveraging FTAs and regional shows, and calls for investments in solar, storage, electric vehicles, and energy efficient infrastructure to advance sustainability and conservation.

Gold smuggling interdiction leads to nationwide seizures and arrests, exposing cross border concealment schemes and asset recovery.
A coordinated customs enforcement operation intercepted persons and premises linked to a cross border gold smuggling syndicate, recovering concealed gold in paste and assorted forms, foreign and Indian currency, and detaining suspected handlers and facilitators. The operation documented concealment methods-specialised clothing cavities and luggage concealment-use of transit hubs for distribution, and proceeded to secure seized material and arrests for further investigation and potential prosecution.

Innovation ecosystem strengthened through AIM initiatives to extend tinkering, incubators, and industry collaboration across schools and higher education institutions.
AIM 2.0 initiatives to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem were advanced, focusing on expanding access to innovation education, bringing tinkering to all students, developing an innovation curriculum for schools and higher education institutions, enhancing sectoral incubation and industry accelerators, leveraging digital platforms, and collaborating with public sector undertakings to establish incubators and support startups.

Integrated infrastructure planning promotes coordinated project implementation and attracts private investment through the National Master Plan framework.
The workshop promoted the National Master Plan as an integrated instrument to align macro planning with micro implementation by sharing geospatial layers and interlinked Central and State Master Plan portals, enabling synchronized planning, implementation and monitoring across infrastructure, economic and social sector projects and improving inter-agency project planning.

PM GatiShakti platform promotes integrated planning and synchronised implementation to improve multimodal and last mile connectivity.
The PM GatiShakti platform promotes integrated planning and synchronised implementation for multimodal and last mile connectivity to improve planning, logistics efficiency, and reduce logistics costs. A regional workshop for Central and Western Zone participants from Central Ministries and State Governments will foster intergovernmental synergy, showcase national and state planning exemplars, and address tools and mechanisms including ULIP, LEADS, state logistics policies, city logistics, and the PMG monitoring mechanism.

No-penalty sale of excess tobacco on auction platforms enables affected growers to sell surplus crop after low yield.
The government authorised penalty-free sale of excess flue-cured Virginia tobacco by registered growers and unauthorized FCV tobacco by unregistered growers on auction platforms for the 2022-23 Karnataka crop season to enable affected producers to sell stock, mitigate financial distress from low yields, and support livelihoods through market access as temporary regulatory forbearance.

Railway infrastructure expansion recommended to boost port connectivity, decongest corridors and improve freight and passenger capacity.
Network Planning Group recommended three railway infrastructure projects to increase line capacity, improve port connectivity, shift freight from road to rail, and enhance multimodal logistics. Projects include doubling Aurangabad-Ankai to raise section capacity and link industrial clusters and villages; adding a third line between Bhadrak and Vizianagaram to serve ports and decongest the Howrah-Chennai freight corridor; and adding third and fourth lines on Sonnagar-Andal to improve wagon turnaround, raise section speeds, and relieve the Delhi-Howrah trunk route. Recommendations include addressing last mile connectivity and multimodal integration.

Integrated planning under PM GatiShakti promotes synchronized multimodal infrastructure planning and state adoption through regional capacity building workshops.
Regional workshops will operationalize integrated planning under PM GatiShakti by aligning Central and State stakeholders to mainstream State Master Plans, strengthen institutional arrangements (TSU, EGoS, NPG), demonstrate use cases, and implement a Quality Improvement Plan supported by integration of 30 essential data layers into State and National Master Plan platforms to improve multimodal and last mile connectivity planning and district level adoption.

Narcotics seizure: major heroin consignment intercepted at air passenger arrival; suspects arrested under NDPS Act for trafficking.
Intelligence led interception of an arriving air passenger produced concealed cream coloured granules that field tested positive for heroin under the NDPS Act; the passenger and two recipients who had come to collect the contraband were arrested under the NDPS Act and further investigation is ongoing.

Mutual recognition of professional qualifications enables bridging admissions and information exchange between Indian and UK accountancy bodies.
Cabinet approval authorises a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales to establish mutual recognition of qualifications, a prescribed bridging mechanism for admission of members in good standing, and reciprocal notification of material changes to qualifying/admission requirements, exemptions and CPD policy, enabling cooperation on training and facilitating professional mobility.

CSR initiative: SPMCIL and TERI partner to develop a model village under an MoU for rural social development.
SPMCIL entered into a MoU with TERI to implement an integrated village development project, Model Village Siroliya in Dewas district, Madhya Pradesh, under its CSR initiatives, allocating estimated CSR resources and nominating officials from both organisations to oversee planning, implementation and coordination of the social development activities.

Merger control approval under the Competition Act: SALIC subsidiary cleared to acquire equity in LT Foods.
The Competition Commission approved under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 the acquisition of certain equity share capital of LT Foods Limited by SALIC International Investment Corporation, addressing merger control implications of the proposed change in ownership. The acquirer is a Saudi agribusiness investment company; the target is a global specialty rice consumer food company with an Indian subsidiary operating multiple rice brands.

International coordination on crypto assets urged to prevent regulatory arbitrage and harmonise policy approaches during international presidencies.
International coordination on the policy approach to crypto assets is necessary to address their borderless nature and to prevent regulatory arbitrage. National legislation-whether regulation or prohibition-will be effective only with substantial international collaboration on evaluating risks and benefits and on developing a common taxonomy and standards.

IPEF negotiations advance supply chain resilience, clean economy and fair economy with emphasis on early-harvest deliverables.
India hosted a special negotiating round of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework addressing IPEF Pillars II, III and IV (Supply Chains, Clean Economy, Fair Economy). Partner countries engaged in in-depth, text-based discussions to advance negotiation text and reaffirm commitments to collaborate on concluding agreements that deliver concrete, mutually beneficial outcomes. Delegates emphasized early-harvest measures including capacity building, technical assistance, sharing expertise, investment facilitation and innovative projects to strengthen trade and investment linkages, resilient supply chains and sustainable development.