Fiscal receipts and expenditure review showing receipt composition and higher devolution to states mid fiscal year.
Monthly consolidation of the Government of India's accounts up to August 2025 presents year to date receipts-primarily Tax Revenue, Non Tax Revenue and Non Debt Capital Receipts-and notes increased Devolution of Share of Taxes to states compared with the prior year. Expenditure is reported by economic class with a split between Revenue Expenditure and Capital Expenditure, and identifies key revenue components including Interest Payments and Major Subsidies, each compared to the corresponding budget estimates for FY 2025-26.

NCVET-approved skill courses launched for tea sommeliers and tea tasting to strengthen workforce and tea literacy.
NCVET-approved vocational courses in tea sommelier skills and tea tasting were launched following expert-committee recommendations and development with an NCVET-recognised awarding body. A short Essentials of Tea Sommeliers course covers tea appreciation, professional tasting techniques and blend innovation; a longer Fundamentals of Tea Tasting course addresses factory-level tasting operations, session management, blending based on sensory outcomes, and modern manufacturing practices. Both courses aim to build sensory evaluation and grading capacity to strengthen the tea value chain and market competitiveness.

International trade negotiations capacity-building strengthens officials' practical negotiation skills for bilateral and multilateral trade forums.
IIFT launched a capacity-building program organised by its Centre for International Negotiations to strengthen Department of Commerce officials' negotiation skills and provide practical tools and insights for conducting bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations, using expert-led modules and case studies on free trade agreements.

Mediation training enhances ADR skills for debt recovery tribunal officers and bank executives to promote settlements by consensus.
A 40 hour mediation programme trained Presiding Officers of Debt Recovery Tribunals and senior public sector bank executives on the concept, comparative advantages, process and stages of mediation, mediator roles, communication, and negotiation. The programme emphasised stakeholder roles - referral judges, lawyers and parties - in mediating matters handled by DRT officers under the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy and SARFAESI frameworks, aiming to enhance ADR competency and promote settlement by mutual consensus.

Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times convenes global policymakers to address financial governance, legal reform, and emerging technologies.
The Fourth Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025) is a by invitation policy forum convened in New Delhi under the Institute of Economic Growth and the Ministry of Finance. Framed by the theme "Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times," the programme foregrounds macroeconomic prudence, reforms in financial governance, central banking challenges, and legal framework reforms to support growth. Sessions will also address industrial policy, trade and regional integration, and the governance implications of emerging technologies.

Institutional autonomy sought; draft Bill proposes governance overhaul for an Institution of National Importance and invites public input.
The draft Bill proposes aligning ISI with other Institutions of National Importance by instituting a revamped governance structure that makes the Board of Governance leaner and more empowered for policy, administrative and financial matters, grants greater Autonomy in institutional functioning and planning, and strengthens Accountability and transparency. The draft, following prior review recommendations, solicits stakeholder and public comments through a prescribed consultation process and provides access and submission details on the Ministry website.

Treasury bill auction schedule set for the quarter, with specified tenors and amounts and flexibility to modify timing.
Sets the Treasury Bill auction schedule for the quarter ending December 2025 with specified auction and issue dates and notified amounts for 91 day, 182 day and 364 day tenors, aggregating to stated quarterly totals; preserves Government and Reserve Bank flexibility to modify amounts and timing in response to requirements or market conditions, with changes to be communicated by press release, and makes auctions subject to the terms of the referenced General Notification as amended.

Trade Agreement negotiations progress as bilateral talks continue to shape contours and deepen commercial engagement.
A ministerial delegation engaged senior government counterparts to exchange views on possible contours of a Trade Agreement and agreed to continue consultations aimed at early conclusion, while parallel meetings with U.S. businesses signalled investor confidence and intent to intensify commercial activity to promote trade and investment.

Transparency in public procurement: GeM campaign promotes ethical, inclusive procurement and safeguards for buyers and last mile sellers.
GeM has launched a Vigilance Awareness Week campaign to strengthen public procurement transparency and ethical practices by promoting platform safeguards-such as red-flag alerts, structured bid conditions, and transparent audit trails-and encouraging buyer compliance. The initiative also focuses on inclusive market access for last-mile sellers, startups, and MSEs through curated market pages, vernacular outreach, dedicated outlets, and a progressive revenue policy that reduces participation barriers and simplifies onboarding.

Unified Pension Scheme option: deputation employees may submit physical Form A2 to enable migration through nodal office.
Central Government employees on deputation or foreign service to non Central Government organisations who cannot apply online may physically submit a duly filled Form A2 to their parent organisation's nodal office; that nodal office will process migration to the Unified Pension Scheme through the Central Recordkeeping Agency system. The scheme applies to new recruits joining Central Government service on or after commencement and permits existing NPS employees and eligible past retirees to opt into UPS under PFRDA operational regulations.

Intellectual property balance preserves public health safeguards while modernising protections and enhancing geographical indications access.
The India-UK CETA IPR chapter balances innovation incentives with access and public health safeguards, endorses voluntary licensing while preserving compulsory licensing flexibilities under the Doha Declaration, treats patent harmonisation as procedural without affecting regulatory autonomy, and strengthens Geographical Indication protection to enhance UK market access and support startups, MSMEs and traditional producers.

Urban infrastructure finance enabling continuous metered water supply and stormwater resilience alongside governance and inclusion reforms.
A loan-backed Assam urban sector project will construct water treatment plants and distribution pipelines, deploy real-time monitoring to keep nonrevenue water below 20%, and implement stormwater measures in Guwahati. It pairs infrastructure investments with institutional reforms, a state urban development institute, GIS-based property tax, digital water billing, and a volumetric water tariff structure, while embedding social inclusion through women's training, internships, and school outreach.

Core industries growth rises, led by steel, coal and cement, with mixed performances across energy and refinery sectors.
The provisional Index of Eight Core Industries rose in August 2025, with Steel, Coal, Cement, Fertilizers, Electricity and Petroleum Refinery products recording positive year on year growth while Crude Oil and Natural Gas declined. The ICI combines eight sectoral production indices (scaled to a combined weight of 100) and comprises 40.27% of the IIP weight. July 2025 data are final, August 2025 provisional; cumulative April-August 2025-26 growth is reported separately. Index numbers are subject to revision as source agency data are updated, and methodology notes disclose inclusion of renewable electricity and a new steel product.

Trade negotiations to be intensified as ministerial delegation visits to pursue early conclusion of a mutually beneficial agreement.
A ministerial delegation led by the Commerce and Industries Minister will visit the United States to continue negotiations and intensify efforts aimed at early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement following positive discussions between U.S. trade officials and Indian counterparts.

Logistics cost assessment establishes a standardized national framework to measure and benchmark logistics efficiency and guide reforms.
A national assessment implements a uniform framework mandated by the National Logistics Policy (2022) to measure logistics costs using a hybrid methodology; the NCAER report for DPIIT provides disaggregated estimates by transport mode, product category, and firm size, reports freight cost per tonne-kilometre, highlights multi-modality benefits, corrects inconsistent prior estimates, and links measurement to reforms and infrastructure initiatives intended to reduce inefficiencies and strengthen competitiveness.

Industrial park benchmarking under IPRS 3.0 enhances transparency for investors and drives infrastructure and sustainability upgrades.
The Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) 3.0 establishes a national benchmarking framework to assess and categorise industrial parks by infrastructure, competitiveness and service delivery. The third edition adds parameters including sustainability and green infrastructure, logistics connectivity, digitalization, skill linkages, and tenant feedback. Parks will be rated as Leaders, Challengers, and Aspirers to provide transparent, comparable information for investors, help States and Union Territories identify gaps, guide targeted interventions, and support attraction of investment and employment generation.

Logistics performance benchmarking guides states to improve corridor efficiency through journey-time and API-enabled speed assessments.
LEADS 2025 establishes a nationwide logistics performance benchmarking framework to reduce logistics costs and boost supply chain competitiveness, supporting manufacturing and self-reliance goals. It introduces corridor performance assessment using journey time, truck speed and waiting periods, together with API-enabled section-wise speed evaluation on major road corridors, to generate data-driven insights for state-level infrastructure and policy interventions aimed at a cost-efficient, sustainable logistics system.

Integrated State and City Logistics Plans launched to assess infrastructure gaps and map roadmaps for more efficient supply chains.
The Government has initiated Integrated State and City Logistics Plans under the SMILE programme, led by DPIIT with ADB collaboration, to assess logistics infrastructure, identify gaps, and provide roadmaps to improve efficiency and reduce costs, with pilots in eight cities and a plan to replicate nationwide; these Plans align with the National Logistics Policy and PM GatiShakti and use a programmatic approach to support States in preparing City Logistics Plans.

Investment facilitation urged: regulatory predictability and arbitration clarity to strengthen bilateral investment and business confidence.
The dialogue focused on strengthening economic partnership by facilitating investment flows through improved market access, streamlined regulatory processes, and government reforms to bolster investor confidence; participants highlighted concerns about dispute resolution and explored enhancements to arbitration frameworks and predictability of enforcement, while the Minister affirmed commitment to a transparent, facilitative business environment and encouraged UAE firms to expand their India presence and regional ambitions.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations advance with chapter progress and the next round scheduled in New Delhi.
Third-round negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement concluded in Queenstown after five days, with several chapters concluded and substantive progress in other areas. The round reinforced commitment to deepen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation, advance market access discussions, and enhance supply chain resilience. Parties agreed to sustain momentum through inter-sessional engagements and scheduled the next in-person negotiations in New Delhi, aiming to progress toward a balanced, mutually beneficial agreement.