Startup funding commitment pledged, subject to due diligence, with mentorship and network support to scale recycling operations nationally.
DPIIT, with Startup India and Stride Ventures, selected Buoyancy Plastics for Change as the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge 2025 winner and announced Stride's commitment to provide venture-debt funding subject to due diligence, plus mentorship, market access and network support under an existing memorandum of understanding to scale the startup's recycled plastics supply-chain initiatives.

Abuse of dominance settlement: Google to unbundle Play Store and permit Android forks on smart TVs, altering OEM obligations.
The Commission found that Google's TADA and ACC collectively imposed bundling and pre-installation obligations and restricted OEMs from creating or using forked Android versions, reinforcing dominance in licensable Smart TV OS and App Store markets; refusal-to-deal claims were not substantiated. Google's settlement under Section 48A provides standalone licences for Play Store and Play Services on smart TVs, waives ACC requirements for devices without Google apps shipped into India, removes default bundling and placement mandates, and the Commission accepted the proposal with a settlement discount applied.

Data modernisation advances: enhanced survey methodologies and integrated administrative data to improve official statistics and accessibility.
MoSPI committed to improve production and timeliness of official statistics by integrating administrative and survey data, standardising metadata, and using technology for prompt releases; operational measures include monthly PLFS labour indicators with expanded rural and district coverage, methodological revisions to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey including consideration of sectoral and spending-based metrics, GDP base revision with clearer documentation and new administrative sources, and CPI updates incorporating an updated classification, broader coverage, online data integration, and development of seasonally adjusted series.

Direct Benefit Transfer efficiency driving fiscal savings and broader beneficiary coverage through targeted digital transfers.
The document evaluates DBT as a reform replacing paper disbursals with targeted digital transfers via the JAM trinity, attributing large leakage reductions and a decline in subsidy share to elimination of ghost beneficiaries and intermediaries while expanding coverage. It introduces the Welfare Efficiency Index, combining DBT savings, subsidy reduction and beneficiary growth to quantify multi-dimensional efficiency gains, and reports correlations showing increased coverage associating with higher savings and lower subsidy burdens, framing DBT as a replicable mechanism for fiscal optimisation and inclusive welfare delivery.

Core industry output rises, ICI up year on year with mixed sectoral performance and provisional data report
The Index of Eight Core Industries rose 3.8% in March 2025 year on year, with Cement, Fertilizers, Steel, Electricity, Coal and Refinery Products growing while Crude Oil and Natural Gas fell; the ICI combines eight sectors with specified weights (total 100) and comprises 40.27% of IIP. April-March 2024-25 cumulative growth is provisionally 4.4% and December 2024 final growth was 5.1%. Data for Jan-Mar 2025 are provisional and subject to revision; renewables are included in electricity data and a new steel product (HRPO) has been added.

IIP release timeline shortened to a regular monthly 28-day schedule with a single subsequent revision, announced by MOSPI.
MOSPI will publish the All India Index of Industrial Production (IIP) on the 28th of each month at 4:00 PM as a Quick Estimate for the reference month, followed by a single Final Estimate in the next month; the prior practice of issuing three estimates including a second revision is discontinued, reducing the release timeline from 42 days to 28 days and limiting each month to two releases.

Anti-competitive tie in and exclusive supply restrictions prompt prohibition on restrictive lease clauses and penalties imposed.
The Commission found that UFO Moviez (with its subsidiary) and Qube, as significant suppliers of DCI compliant digital cinema equipment on lease, used lease clauses to impose tie in, exclusive supply and refusal to deal restrictions, foreclosing Post Production Processing providers and other content suppliers. Under Section 27 the Commission directed that leases must not impose such restrictions and ordered modification of existing agreements, alongside imposition of monetary penalties and compliance measures to restore competitive access.

Insurance procurement via GeM enables direct, IRDAI approved sourcing of group and personal policies, improving transparency and cost efficiency.
GeM's Insurance Services permits government buyers to procure Group Mediclaim, Personal Accident and Term Insurance directly from IRDAI approved providers, reducing intermediaries, expediting procurement and lowering premiums. Since its launch in January 2022 the platform has expanded to include Asset, Transit and Marine, Liability, Livestock, Motor, Crop and Cyber insurance, thereby consolidating diverse insurance needs onto a single transparent and cost efficient marketplace for public purchasers.

Merger approval under competition law: amalgamation of Quality Care into Aster DM Healthcare cleared with minority stake retention.
The Competition Commission of India approved a transaction where Quality Care India Limited will be amalgamated into Aster DM Healthcare Limited, preceded by Aster's purchase of a minority stake via primary share issuance; post merger, existing Quality Care shareholders will hold minority stakes in the renamed merged entity, with one investor holding a non controlling stake below a material threshold.

Competition approval for acquisition and joint venture between sovereign-backed investor and elevator manufacturer enables strategic market entry.
The Competition Commission of India approved a combination in which Alat Technologies Company, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, will indirectly acquire a minority shareholding in Vertical Topco, the holding company of the TKE Group, and will form a joint venture with the TKE Group (KSA JV) to manufacture, supply, install and maintain elevators, escalators and related transportation units primarily in Saudi Arabia and potentially other MENA countries.

NDPS seizure: DRI interception at airport leads to arrest and investigation into drug smuggling network.
Acting on intelligence, customs enforcement intercepted an arriving passenger whose baggage concealed multiple packets that tested positive for cocaine. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence recovered the contraband during an arrival inspection and arrested the individual under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, while initiating further investigations to identify sources and any smuggling networks.

Bilateral investment cooperation expanded through new strategic projects agreed at a recent working group meeting.
Agreement to include six new strategic projects was reached to deepen bilateral investment cooperation by identifying and advancing collaborative projects across multiple sectors; commitments were recorded in a co chairs' protocol to guide further investment collaboration and implementation.

Access to Assistive Technology expanded via coordinated policy, domestic manufacturing and global partnerships to promote social inclusion.
The workshop advanced an operational ecosystem for Assistive Technology by promoting expanded access through coordinated central and state initiatives, targeted public programmes, and partnerships with industry and start ups, while prioritising domestic capacity building for AT manufacturing and international collaboration to support technology transfer, standards alignment and market development for greater social inclusion.

Hybrid Annuity Mode project approval boosts regional connectivity via Zirakpur bypass and reduces urban congestion and travel time.
The Cabinet approved a six lane, access controlled Zirakpur Bypass of 19.2 km across Punjab and Haryana to be executed on Hybrid Annuity Mode, following the Punjab Master Plan alignment from the NH 7 junction to the NH 5 junction, to bypass urbanized stretches and relieve congestion on NH 7, NH 5 and NH 152 while improving connectivity to Himachal Pradesh and supporting the ring road and transport network objectives under the PM Gatishakti framework.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement drives expanded India-UAE trade, logistics integration, and sectoral collaboration in energy and technology.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement serves as the central framework accelerating India-UAE economic integration by expanding non-oil trade, enhancing logistics and supply-chain connectivity, and promoting bilateral investment. Complementary collaboration includes establishing Indian higher-education campuses in the UAE and joint sectoral cooperation in energy, critical minerals, renewables, green hydrogen, fintech, AI, food security, and advanced manufacturing, supported by mutual efforts to deepen digital and commercial linkages and diaspora engagement.

Self reliance and supply chain resilience urged to convert global disruptions into long term economic opportunity through collaborative industry action.
Emphasises national economic strategy urging industry to prioritise self reliance, supply chain diversification, and energy and food security while warning that predatory pricing and over-reliance on cheap imports threaten long-term resilience; calls for collaborative industry action focused on quality and capacity building to convert global disruptions into domestic opportunity.

Data accessibility strengthened through revamped microdata portal and AI classification tool improving official statistical workflows.
MOSPI launched a revamped Microdata Portal and the National Statistical System Training Academy website, developed in-house with international technical collaboration, to centralize access to survey and census microdata and capacity-building resources. The portal uses a modern, scalable technology stack meeting current security standards and responsive data-access mechanisms. MOSPI also demonstrated a Proof of Concept for an AI/ML-based classification tool using natural language processing to suggest NIC codes, aimed at reducing manual effort, boosting enumerator productivity, and enhancing the accuracy of official statistics.

National Sample Survey seminar promotes evidence-based policy through presentation of survey findings and computational analyses.
The National Statistics Office organises a seminar to disseminate and discuss recent National Sample Survey findings through five technical sessions and a stakeholder session; a Paper Selection Committee shortlisted submissions for presentation, including computational studies applying machine learning and neural-network techniques to NSS datasets to support evidence-based policy insights, with participation open by registration and proceedings streamed online.

Gender-disaggregated indicators reveal trends in education, labour participation, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and electoral engagement.
Publication provides gender-disaggregated official indicators across education, labour participation, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and electoral engagement to support gender-sensitive policymaking. It notes high Gender Parity Index at primary and higher secondary levels, rising labour force participation for ages 15 and above, increased female bank account ownership and deposit share with strong rural representation, rapid growth in DEMAT accounts with growing female participation, rising female-headed proprietary establishments, narrowed gender gaps in elector registration and turnout, and an increase in startups with at least one-woman director.

Public procurement as innovation policy: GeM showcased mechanisms to connect startups with government buyers and scale market access.
Use of public procurement to promote startup growth is central: GeM outlines mechanisms-category-based procurement, direct access to central buyers, onboarding and skilling via its Learning Management System, mentorship, and catalogue facilitation-to enable startups to register, validate solutions, and scale within government markets. GeM frames its platform as an intermediary converting procurement opportunities into market access and inclusive development pathways for innovation-driven suppliers.