Combination approval enables Unifeeder's acquisition of stakes in Avana and Transworld entities, affecting feeder and NVOCC services.
The Competition Commission of India cleared Unifeeder ISC FZCO's acquisition of stakes in Avana Logistek Limited, Transworld Feeders Private Limited and Transworld Feeders FZCO. Unifeeder, part of the DPW group and active in India via Feedertech and Perma Shipping Line, provides EXIM feeder and NVOCC services. Avana offers multimodal coastal and NVOCC solutions, and TFPL is proposed to take on the EXIM feeder business of Shreyas Shipping and Logistics.

Startup recognition expands geographic reach and job creation, backed by DPIIT funding schemes and ecosystem support.
DPIIT recognition of startups has expanded national registration and geographic spread, correlating with increased employment and sectoral growth; nearly half of startup leadership teams include women. This expansion is supported by funding instruments including a Fund of Funds and a Seed Fund Scheme and by programs such as national awards, state ranking and international summits, which together provide regulatory, fiscal and infrastructural support to strengthen incubation, investment and scale-up pathways.

SDG monitoring: expanded SDG India Index uses 115 indicators to benchmark States and UTs and guide policy action.
NITI Aayog's third edition of the SDG India Index 2020-21 uses 115 indicators aligned to the National Indicator Framework to compute goal-wise and aggregate 0-100 scores for States and Union Territories across 16 SDGs, with a qualitative assessment of Goal 17. States and UTs are classified into four bands-Aspirant, Performer, Front-Runner, Achiever-based on aggregate scores. The modular Index, developed through consultations with Union Ministries, UN agencies and subnational governments, serves as a policy benchmarking tool, is published with state profiles and an interactive dashboard, and highlights national score improvements and sectoral strengths.

SDG India Index advances sub national SDG monitoring and ranking, emphasising partnerships and data driven targeted planning.
NITI Aayog's SDG India Index & Dashboard expands to 17 Goals, 70 targets and 115 indicators, measuring States and UTs using quantitative data for the first 16 Goals and a qualitative assessment for Goal 17; the Index uses target setting and normalisation per global methodology, assigns equal weight to each Goal to derive composite scores, and is produced through a consultative process with States, Union Ministries, MoSPI and UN agencies to support localisation, identify gaps, and promote competitive, data driven SDG planning.

Unified Procurement System expansion to integrate e procurement platforms and broaden supplier access, enhancing transparency and market access.
Expansion of GeM into a Unified Procurement System is prioritized to serve central and state buyers, PSUs and MSMEs, with rapid integration of GeM and the Railway e procurement system to create a single procurement channel and guard against seller cartelization. Operational reforms include COVID responsive bid and delivery adjustments, new bidding formats, Price Variation Clauses, procurement of services with milestone payments, demand aggregation, seller challenge mechanisms, interest penalties for buyer delays and a revamped seller ratings system to enhance transparency and market access.

Green Channel clearance: intra-group reorganisation between Motherson entities is deemed approved following demerger and amalgamation.
Notice under Green Channel relating to an intra-group reorganisation of the Motherson Group is deemed approved. The reorganisation involves demerging Motherson Sumi Systems Limited's domestic wiring harness undertaking into a new wholly owned subsidiary, Motherson Sumi Wiring India Limited, and amalgamating Samvardhana Motherson International Limited into Motherson Sumi Systems Limited, with the resultant company renamed Samvardhana Motherson International Limited. Parties include Motherson Sumi Systems Limited, Samvardhana Motherson International Limited, and Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited.

Pension fund regulation: AUM under national pension schemes crosses a major milestone as subscribers substantially increase.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority is the statutory authority established by Parliament to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the National Pension System and related pension schemes. PFRDA reports that Assets Under Management across NPS and Atal Pension Yojana have crossed a significant milestone, with notable subscriber and corporate enrolment growth, reflecting expanded participation in regulated retirement savings mechanisms under PFRDA oversight.

Expert Committee on Investment Funds to recommend roadmap and regulatory measures for fund operations in IFSCs.
Constitution of an Expert Committee on Investment Funds by the International Financial Services Centres Authority to recommend a roadmap for investment fund operations in IFSCs, including: a long term vision; recommendations on fund structures with short term measures implementable by the Authority and mid term measures potentially involving other regulators; identification of critical and inter regulatory issues; and proposals to build the ecosystem across asset managers, hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, sovereign funds, family offices and professional services.

Ex-post facto approval of MoUs enabling mutual recognition and international cooperation in professional qualification and training.
The Union Cabinet granted ex-post facto approval to Memoranda of Understanding executed by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India with foreign professional bodies to regularise bilateral arrangements that facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications and collaborative activities such as technical cooperation, exchanges, conferences, training programmes, workshops, seminars and joint research projects.

Disaster preparedness coordination mobilises agencies and industry to issue advisories and stage emergency relief for the cyclone.
Preparedness coordination for a forecast Very Severe Cyclonic Storm emphasizes interagency and industry collaboration to minimise loss of life and property. Ministers, IMD, NDMA, DG Shipping, railways and state governments aligned on preemptive measures: advisories, control rooms, high alerts, fishing boat recalls, staged emergency equipment, and rail cancellations/regulation with alternate routing for critical consignments. Industry engagement and timely information sharing were identified as key to effective rescue, relief and rehabilitation.

FDI inflows surge to record levels, reflecting policy reforms and concentration in computer software and infrastructure sectors.
India recorded its highest ever total FDI during 2020-21, with FDI equity inflow growing significantly and the computer software and hardware sector taking the largest share of equity inflows; construction (infrastructure) and services followed. Investment was geographically concentrated, led by Singapore, the United States and Mauritius as source jurisdictions, and Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka as principal recipient states, with Gujarat showing heavy concentration in software and infrastructure activities.

Arbitral jurisdiction challenge: government contests tribunal authority and alleges award rests on abusive tax avoidance.
Government challenges an international arbitral award on grounds that the tribunal improperly exercised jurisdiction over a national tax dispute India did not agree to arbitrate, and that the award rests on claims founded in an abusive tax avoidance scheme and ratifies a double non taxation structure, thereby raising public policy concerns; the Government has applied to set aside the award and rejects media reports that it instructed state banks to repatriate foreign funds, while remaining open to amicable resolution within domestic law.

Confidentiality regime review extended for public consultation due to pandemic, with electronic submissions accepted to the registry email.
Consultation on revision of the confidentiality regime and a draft confidentiality ring has been extended by one month in response to COVID 19 disruptions; stakeholders may submit written comments by e mail to the Commission's registry address.

Priority restoration of medical oxygen and pharmaceutical operations to protect healthcare continuity during cyclone impact.
Ministers directed coordinated preparedness for Cyclone Tauktae with priority given to uninterrupted production and rapid recommencement of medical oxygen manufacturing, pharmaceutical operations, and related supply chains; maintenance of buffer stocks of medicines and essentials; pre-planning and pre-positioning of relief; power and communications protection with quick restoration; railways readiness for rapid relief logistics; continuous functioning of control rooms and helplines; and interagency coordination to channel relief effectively and support local industry and suppliers.

TRIPS waiver support to expand vaccine production while keeping supply chains open for equitable vaccine access.
The meeting addressed support for India's proposal to waive certain TRIPS provisions to expand global vaccine manufacturing and stressed that maintaining open, unimpeded supply chains is essential to scale production and improve equitable vaccine availability during the public-health emergency.

PM-KISAN instalment release expands beneficiary coverage and links MSP procurement, KCC relief, and organic farming support.
The eighth instalment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme was released via video conference to registered beneficiary farmers, with scheme coverage expanding to West Bengal and procurement at Minimum Support Price for paddy and wheat reaching record levels; the statement also outlines promotion of organic farming, an extension for Kisan Credit Card renewals, and direct transfer of procurement proceeds to farmers' accounts.

Procurement exemption for COVID-19 supplies suspends Make in India preference, permitting broader sourcing for containment.
The procurement rules exempt purchases of supplies required for containment of the COVID-19 pandemic from the applicability of the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, 2017, effecting a temporary suspension of the Make in India preference for procurements directly related to pandemic containment and enabling procuring entities to source required goods without applying the preference.

Cross-border financial cooperation to strengthen collaboration on investments, fintech, sustainable finance and tax issues from digitisation.
The dialogue addressed bilateral cross-border financial services cooperation, focusing on collaboration in investment facilitation, the International Financial Services Centre Authority and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, and mobilising infrastructure financing. Participants emphasised sustainable finance, FinTech development and coordinated bilateral action on tax challenges arising from digitilisation of the economy to support a clean, resilient post COVID recovery.

Deemed approval under Green Channel permits internal restructuring and spin-off of IBM's MIS Business to newly formed acquirers.
Deemed approval under the Green Channel was recorded for IBM's internal restructuring to separate its managed infrastructure services (MIS) business into newly incorporated acquirers, Kyndryl Holdings LLC and Grand Ocean Managed Infrastructure Services Private Limited. The MIS Business, presently housed in Network Solutions Private Limited and IBM India as indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of IBM, includes specified infrastructure and security-related offerings but excludes the public cloud platform. The acquirers were incorporated to implement the separation and will house and operate the MIS Business post-transaction.

Central funding classification for COVID vaccination clarified; Centre may incur and operate expenditure under Transfers to States.
Central Government expenditure for COVID-19 vaccination may be incurred through Demand for Grants No. 40 'Transfers to States'; the Centre has procured and paid for vaccines via this head, with the Ministry of Health operating funds and passing vaccines to States as grants in kind while States administer vaccination. The Demand's classification is one off funding outside Centrally Sponsored Schemes and is exempt from quarterly expenditure controls, providing administrative flexibility and ensuring uninterrupted vaccination operations.