GATS Article VI:4 multilateral approval secured for certification of updated services domestic regulation commitments, preserving WTO process.
India objected to certification of updated GATS schedules on the ground that development of domestic regulation disciplines is vested in the Working Party on Domestic Regulations under GATS Article VI:4. India required confirmations that certification would not create precedent for incorporating Joint Statement Initiative outcomes, that additional commitments remain subject to multilateral disciplines, and that such commitments would be MFNised without affecting rights or obligations of other Members. The WPDR reviewed and concurred with the procedural path and understandings, after which India withdrew its objections.

Regulatory eligibility expansion for retirement advisers streamlines registration, removes security deposit, and mandates expedited disposal.
The Retirement Adviser amendments expand eligibility to non individual applicants regulated by other financial regulators, eliminate the requirement for a security deposit, and mandate expedited processing of registration applications within a specified short period to simplify compliance and reduce costs.

Startup Mahakumbh highlights Bharat Innovates theme and launches a national startup registry to boost district-level participation.
Startup Mahakumbh establishes an annual national platform emphasising the Bharat Innovates theme, launches the Bharat Startup Ecosystem Registry with a website and logo, and seeks to aggregate diverse regional startup footprints. DPIIT is urged to enable district-level representation through financial and logistical support so that at least one startup from each district participates, while promoting youth entrepreneurship and leveraging national MICE infrastructure to scale the event and connect grassroots innovation to broader economic growth.

Multilateral trade integrity: Opposition to mixing non trade topics in trade negotiations to prevent fragmentation and preserve policy space.
India opposed inclusion of non trade topics in multilateral trade negotiations, warning that mixing issues like gender and environmental measures with trade rules risks trade fragmentation and trade distortive subsidies. It stressed the need for policy space and flexibility in existing WTO agreements to address industrialization constraints of developing countries, advocated that inclusion issues be dealt with by national measures and relevant international fora, and highlighted domestic initiatives using digital public infrastructure while reaffirming commitment to a rules based multilateral trading system.

Interest-free loan and penalty waiver enable tobacco growers to sell damaged or excess FCV crop via auction platform.
Approval of a one-time interest-free loan from the Grower Welfare Fund for Andhra Pradesh FCV tobacco growers affected by cyclonic rains, recoverable from their 2023-24 auction sale proceeds; and a permissive authorization for sale on the Tobacco Board auction platform for Karnataka growers with a waiver of penalties on excess and unauthorized production for the 2023-24 crop season only.

Location optimality assessment to guide greenfield industrial smart city planning using PM GatiShakti data-driven framework.
A Memorandum of Understanding creates a collaboration between NICDC and FITT IITD to assess location optimality for Greenfield Industrial Smart Cities using PM GatiShakti's spatial and analytical tools; FITT IITD will evaluate factors such as ease of business, logistic costs, multi modal connectivity, ease of living, living costs, industry potential, raw material availability and sustainability, and produce a comprehensive report to guide future urban and industrial planning decisions.

Public procurement access expanded for MSMEs through digital onboarding, buyer engagement and expedited collateral-free credit.
GeM conducted a Karnataka-focused registration and onboarding drive linking Central and State PSU buyers with local MSE sellers to expand participation in public procurement. The campaign provided live digital onboarding integrated with the Udyam portal, on-the-spot redressal, and buyer-seller interactions to clarify procurement needs. GeM promoted inclusion of marginalised seller groups and announced GeM Sahay 2.0 to provide expedited collateral-free loan access to address working-capital constraints.

Public stockholding for food security seeks ministerial conference decision to secure a permanent solution and separate safeguard mechanism.
The G33 urged a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security through text-based negotiations informed by a joint proposal and India's textual inputs, which produced a COASS Chair's text for ministerial consideration. The group emphasized food security as a non-trade concern and cited national PSH programmes' role in protecting vulnerable populations. Ministers also demanded advancement of a Special Safeguard Mechanism as a distinct mandated deliverable, opposing any linkage to market access, and called for united advocacy at the ministerial conference.

Services procurement on GeM now dominates procurement value, driven by digital categories and competitive e bidding efficiencies.
GeM's expanded digital procurement platform and dedicated service categories have caused services procurement to surpass goods procurement in value; adoption of e bidding, reverse auction and modular service offerings (including insurance, chemist empanelment, sanitation, consultancy and event management) has produced cost efficiencies and enabled large scale and programmatic procurements by central and state buyers and urban local bodies, thereby integrating services into mainstream public procurement and improving buyer capability and service delivery.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism concerns to be pursued within WTO rules and bilaterally with EU.
India adopts a cautious, consultative approach to trade negotiations to ensure Free Trade Agreements are fair and balanced, emphasising stakeholder and inter-ministerial consultations. India will seek to preserve WTO guiding principles at the ministerial, oppose inclusion of non-trade issues, and pursue institutional reforms. The government identified the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as a concern to be addressed within WTO rules and bilaterally with the EU while aiming to turn challenges into opportunities through domestic reforms and competitiveness measures.

Merger control: Competition approval granted for minority share acquisition affecting automotive component supply to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
Approval by the Competition Commission of India is recorded for Minda Corporation Limited to acquire up to 8.79% of the equity share capital of Pricol Limited, a minority equity acquisition; both parties operate in the automotive components sector supplying OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, and the detailed CCI order will follow.

AITIGA review advances negotiations to update market access, rules of origin and standards to enhance trade facilitation.
The Joint Committee convened its third meeting to assess progress under the structured review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), receiving reports from eight Sub-Committees on market access, Rules of Origin, and standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures, updating the review work programme, identifying focus areas for further deliberations, and providing guidance to advance the negotiations.

Financial assistance increase for natural rubber sector expands planting, nursery support and digitization to benefit growers.
The programme raises assistance under the Sustainable & Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector for 2024-25 and 2025-26, increasing per hectare planting aid, supplying planting material, promoting sponsored nurseries, and providing targeted planting support for SC growers in non traditional areas. It funds productivity interventions (rain guarding, plant protection), formation of circa 250 Rubber Producers Societies and 1,450 farmer clusters, grants for RPS equipment and mechanisation, construction and modernisation of Group Processing Centres, research into clones, Board digitisation and regional training institutes, and worker welfare measures.

Economic development ambition: Government aims to make India a fully developed economy by mid-century and ensure food and energy security.
The government's stated objective is to make India a fully developed economy by 2047 by substantially expanding the national economy and ensuring food and energy security. This objective is presented as supported by macroeconomic measures including strengthened foreign exchange reserves, favourable currency performance, reduced inflation, controlled interest rates, and targeted welfare policies in food, healthcare and education to sustain inclusive growth.

Appointment of Member: replacement to be made after a nominated member declines to serve on the Finance Commission.
A notified Member of the 16th Finance Commission declined the appointment due to personal reasons, and the government will take administrative action to appoint a replacement Member to fill the resultant vacancy.

Public procurement via GeM increases defence sourcing transparency and MSE participation, enhancing cost effective government purchases.
Public procurement through the Government e Marketplace (GeM) is the principal procurement channel for the Ministry of Defence, which has recorded total order value through GeM above one lakh crore and executed over 5.47 lakh orders; the MoD awarded a large share of transactions via GeM and applies demand aggregation to secure cost effective procurement. The portal advances inclusion by directing a majority share of orders to Micro and Small Enterprises and enables Defence PSUs to both procure and sell on GeM, extending procurement reach into remote regions.

Public procurement transparency strengthened through a digital marketplace, expanding state and grassroots participation and supplier inclusion.
GeM's digital procurement infrastructure has increased transparency and efficiency by linking a large network of sellers and service providers with government buyers, digitising end-to-end procurement, reducing collusion risks, and driving substantial growth in Gross Merchandise Value and daily transaction averages through expanded services procurement and broader state and grassroots participation.

CIS registration requirement to qualify for ad-hoc permissions; industry urged to ensure complete, regular cement production reporting.
DPIIT sought 100% coverage and regular submission of cement production data via the Cement Information System (CIS) portal, with industry assurances to provide authentic data and onboard remaining plants by the stated deadline. The Department announced that future ad-hoc permissions for manufacture and sale without ISI mark will require prior CIS registration, directed NCCBM to coordinate portal updates, and flagged an imminent revised CIS portal relaunch.

Copyright protection governs AI-generated works; users must obtain permission for commercial use beyond fair dealing.
The existing Indian IP framework of copyright and patents is sufficient to protect AI-generated works; copyright confers exclusive economic rights enforceable by owners, requiring users of generative AI to obtain permission for commercial use unless covered by the fair dealing exceptions, and statutory civil and criminal remedies-including against digital circumvention-address infringement.

Decriminalization of regulatory provisions reduces compliance burdens and complements a national single window investor approvals platform.
DPIIT coordinates measures to improve the business regulatory environment by reducing compliance burdens via simplification, rationalization, digitization and decriminalization; by assessing States/UTs under the Business Reform Action Plan; and by implementing the National Single Window System as a one stop platform for investor approvals. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act effected decriminalization across multiple Central Acts, as reported in a parliamentary written reply.