Investment facilitation and manufacturing confidence drive grounded projects, diversified inflows, and large-scale job creation across multiple states.
Invest India facilitated the grounding of 60 projects worth over USD 6.1 billion in Financial Year 2025-26, spanning 14 states and expected to generate more than 31,000 jobs. The investment inflow was led by Europe, with participation from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other markets, while emerging source countries reflected diversification in the investment base. The facilitation model covers the full investment lifecycle, supports joint ventures, and builds integrated industrial ecosystems. Chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, and food processing accounted for a major share of grounded investments, alongside activity in electronics system design and manufacturing, aerospace and defence, and auto/EV.

Stressed asset resolution gains pace as NARCL expands acquisitions and accelerates recoveries across large borrower accounts.
National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) has expanded its stressed asset resolution role by acquiring 33 borrower entities with aggregate debt exposure of Rs.1,65,862 crore and participating in resolution processes under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. FY 2025-26 saw accelerated recoveries, with Rs.4,364 crore realised during the year and cumulative recoveries reaching Rs.6,345 crore across 23 accounts, while further recoveries remain underway.

Insurance modernisation through digitalisation, customised products and wider outreach was emphasised to strengthen service delivery and growth.
Strategic review of the vision documents of four public sector insurance companies focused on improving operational efficiency, financial soundness, sustainable growth, human resource and IT strategies, and service delivery. The review emphasized reducing loss ratios, preserving market share, strengthening retail portfolios and rural and semi-urban presence, developing customised products for younger customers and emerging risks, and advancing full digitalisation. It also highlighted cybersecurity compliance, online insurance services, grievance redressal, prompt claims processing, and expansion of distribution networks through outreach and social media.

Persons with benchmark disabilities: public sector financial institutions must strengthen reservation, equal opportunity, and grievance redress mechanisms.
Reservation for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities in direct recruitment and promotion is to be implemented by public sector banks, insurance companies and other public sector financial institutions in line with Government of India instructions. Public sector financial institutions are also advised to hold periodic meetings with PwD Employees Welfare Associations, appoint a Chief Liaison Officer or Liaison Officer, adopt an Equal Opportunity Policy with board approval, and establish a Grievance Redressal Officer for PwD employees.

Renewable energy expansion and climate leadership shape India's push for cleaner growth, efficiency, and global economic engagement.
India's climate policy and energy transition are presented as a combined framework of renewable energy expansion, structural power-sector reform, and international climate leadership. India is described as having achieved its renewable energy goals ahead of schedule, raised clean energy ambitions, and strengthened a unified national grid to improve transmission efficiency, lower power costs, and support large-scale renewable integration. The transition to LED lighting and broader efficiency measures are highlighted as examples of how data-driven policy and behavioural change can reduce energy use and emissions while remaining economically viable.

Bilateral trade cooperation deepens as India and Kenya expand market access, customs facilitation and local currency settlement talks.
Bilateral trade and economic cooperation between India and Kenya was reviewed and strengthened at the Joint Trade Committee meeting in Nairobi, with emphasis on trade diversification, market access and institutional engagement. The discussions covered trade facilitation through standardisation cooperation, exchange of pre-arrival customs information, and possible use of local currency settlement mechanisms, along with broader sectoral collaboration in engineering, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, renewable energy, digital public infrastructure, capacity building and education.

Carbon border adjustment mechanisms and climate justice shaped discussions on balancing trade competitiveness with climate responsibility.
Carbon governance and climate justice were examined through an international symposium on trade competitiveness and climate responsibility, jointly organised by CTIL and CITIL at DNLU, Jabalpur. The discussions centred on the legal, ethical and economic dimensions of carbon pricing mechanisms, carbon border adjustment mechanisms and other climate-linked trade instruments, with emphasis on balancing climate action with trade competitiveness and on equitable climate outcomes in developing countries.

Multilateral trade governance faces pressure as WTO dispute settlement, consensus decision-making, and special treatment for developing countries are reassessed.
Multilateral trade governance is being reshaped by geopolitical contestation, technological change, and economic imbalances, with the World Trade Organization's future role assessed in light of these pressures. The discussion examined the WTO's core functions of monitoring, negotiation, and dispute settlement, and noted that monitoring through committees and trade policy reviews remains active while negotiations face persistent difficulty. The dispute settlement system was described as impaired by the continued non-functionality of the Appellate Body, with interim arrangements providing only partial solutions.

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 sets a catalytic AIF framework to mobilise private capital for startup funding access.
Operational guidelines for Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 provide a structured framework for fund deployment, governance, and monitoring through SEBI-registered Category I and II Alternative Investment Funds investing in DPIIT-recognised startups. SIDBI is the initial Implementation Agency, with provision for an additional agency, and AIFs are segmented by focus areas such as deep tech, micro venture capital, innovative manufacturing, and sector- and stage-agnostic funds. The scheme requires minimum private capital mobilisation, includes a two-stage selection process, and allows co-investment and ecosystem capacity-building use of returns.

Infrastructure project monitoring through PAIMANA tracks ongoing central sector works, sectoral progress, and ministry-wise implementation trends.
Central Sector infrastructure projects worth Rs.150 crore and above are monitored through the PAIMANA portal, a centralized web-based system based on the "one data, one entry" principle and linked with DPIIT's IPMP portal through APIs. As of March 2026, PAIMANA tracks 1,941 ongoing projects across 17 Central Ministries/Departments with a revised cost of Rs.41.50 lakh crore and cumulative expenditure of Rs.19.93 lakh crore. The report records substantial project progress, sector-wise distribution led by Transport & Logistics, and ministry-wise monitoring across major infrastructure portfolios.

Bilateral economic cooperation deepens as India and the Czech Republic expand trade, investment, innovation and industrial collaboration.
India's economic engagement with the Czech Republic was advanced through a ministerial visit focused on strengthening bilateral trade, investment and innovation linkages, with emphasis on industrial collaboration in priority sectors. The visit included bilateral discussions with senior Czech leadership, co-chairing of the 13th session of the India-Czech Republic Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation, and the signing of the session protocol. It also involved the India-Czech Business Forum and visits to industrial, technology and research institutions.

Atal Pension Yojana expands voluntary pension security with guaranteed benefits, spouse continuation, and nominee corpus return.
Atal Pension Yojana is a voluntary, contributory pension scheme administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority as part of India's social security framework for workers in the unorganised sector and other eligible citizens. It provides a guaranteed monthly pension at 60 years of age, continuation of the pension to the spouse after the subscriber's death, and return of the accumulated corpus to the nominee after the death of both. Eligibility is limited to Indian citizens aged 18 to 40 years who are not income tax payers.

Corporate restructuring approved for Vishakha group businesses through amalgamation, slump sale transfer, and merger of renewables operations.
The Competition Commission of India approved a proposed combination involving the restructuring of Vishakha Renewables Private Limited's renewables business and its merger with Vishakha Glass Private Limited. The combination includes transfer of the pipes division and mouldings division to Progressive Pipes Private Limited on a slump sale basis, amalgamation of Vishakha Renewables 1 Private Limited, Vishakha Metals Private Limited and Vishakha Metals 1 Private Limited into Vishakha Renewables Private Limited, and merger of Vishakha Renewables Private Limited into Vishakha Glass Private Limited as the merged entity.

Transnational subsidies under the SCM Agreement drew focus as the panel discussed financial contribution, public body status, and trade remedy implications.
A panel discussion examined the WTO Panel Report in the dispute concerning European Union countervailing and anti-dumping duties on stainless steel cold-rolled flat products from Indonesia, focusing on the legal and policy implications for transnational subsidies under the SCM Agreement. The discussion considered attribution of financial contributions by foreign entities to the Government of Indonesia, the closed-list character of financial contribution under Article 1.1(a)(1), the assessment of public body status, and the broader significance of the ruling for cross-border state support and industrial policy.

Dearness Allowance revision approved for Central Government employees and pensioners to offset price rise from 2026.
An additional instalment of Dearness Allowance for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief for pensioners has been approved with effect from 01.01.2026, increasing the existing rate by 2% to 60% of basic pay or pension. The increase is intended to compensate for price rise and operates in accordance with the accepted formula based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

Maritime insurance pool strengthens domestic cover for vessels, reduces external dependence, and supports continuity of trade.
Approval has been given for creation of a domestic Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool backed by a sovereign guarantee to provide continuous maritime insurance cover for Indian flagged or controlled vessels, and for vessels destined to or starting from India. The pool is intended to reduce dependence on external insurance markets, address volatility and geopolitical disruption, and maintain insurance availability for maritime trade, including cargo movements between international origins and Indian ports and vice versa. It will cover major maritime risks, with policies issued by insurer members using combined underwriting capacity.

Trade and investment cooperation between India and Austria deepens across innovation, skills, infrastructure and future economic partnership.
The 17th Session of the India-Austria Joint Economic Commission reviewed bilateral economic relations and advanced a framework for strengthening trade, investment and innovation cooperation. Discussions covered infrastructure, scientific research, dual vocational training, skills development, startups, AYUSH, tourism, semiconductors, critical minerals, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and film funding, while both sides also welcomed the conclusion of negotiations for the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.

Logistics digitisation through ULIP aims to improve visibility, coordination, and real-time decision-making in the State.
NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited and the Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding to digitize the State's logistics ecosystem through the Unified Logistics Interface Platform. The collaboration is intended to improve visibility, streamline logistics operations, promote coordination among State departments, and support real-time, data-driven decision-making. ULIP functions as a unified digital gateway integrating logistics-related data from Government systems through APIs and supporting digital logistics applications.

Startup India recognition, funding support, and public procurement expand as startup numbers, jobs, and patent filings rise.
Government recognition of startups under the Startup India initiative reached a record level in FY 2025-26, with total recognised startups crossing 2.23 lakh and direct jobs exceeding 23.36 lakh. Support continues through the Fund of Funds for Startups, the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, and the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups, including expanded guarantee cover, incubator funding, and continued disbursement mechanisms. Startup-led innovation has also grown through higher patent filings and wider participation in public procurement through the Government e-Marketplace.

Digital insurance servicing expands as LIC launches customer and intermediary apps for paperless policy management and sales support.
LIC launched the MyLIC customer app and Super Sales Saathi intermediary app as part of its digital transformation initiative. MyLIC consolidates policy servicing, claims support, payments, documentation, and customer engagement, while also enabling portfolio management, premium payment, policy updates, online revival of lapsed policies, paperless loans, online purchase of policies, and paperless e-KYC. Super Sales Saathi provides digital sales tools, policy status tracking, automated follow-ups, customer communication, AI-driven nudges, sales kits, and performance dashboards.