Competition approval for acquisition of shareholding in a logistics platform permits KDT's investment under merger control oversight.
The Competition Commission has issued competition approval for KDT Venture Holdings, LLC to acquire certain shareholding in Shiprocket Private Limited. KDT is a US incorporated early stage venture capital firm and wholly owned subsidiary of Koch, Inc.; Shiprocket operates a logistics services platform aggregating logistics providers for business customers. A detailed Commission order will follow.

Competition clearance for acquisition financing via optionally convertible debentures secures pledged airport shares to back subscription.
The Competition Commission approved a combination in which Platinum Stone A 2014 Trust will subscribe to unlisted, unrated optionally convertible debentures of GMR Infra Enterprises Private Limited. The Target SPV will acquire approximately nine percent of the fully diluted shareholding of GMR Airports Limited from its promoter and pledge that GAL shareholding in favour of the Acquirer to secure the OCD subscription. The Acquirer is a trust whose sole beneficiary is a sovereign investment institution; the Target SPV currently has no business operations.

ASI data access and use: conference to discuss application and methodology; registration open for stakeholders.
The Ministry will convene a one-day Data User Conference on ASI 2022-23 on December 5, 2024 in New Delhi to present key findings, discuss access and methodology, and promote use of unit-level data. MoSPI released ASI 2022-23 results and detailed publications in September and October 2024; these publications and unit-level data are available on the MoSPI website. The conference programme includes methodology and application sessions, a presentation on industrial data in GDP calculation, a panel on leveraging ASI for corporate planning and research, and a Q&A; the event will be live-streamed and requires registration.

Supply Chain Resilience Council formed with US chair and India vice chair to advance action plans and MoUs for critical sectors.
A Supply Chain Council under the Supply Chain Resilience Agreement (Pillar II) of the IPEF, chaired by the United States with India as Vice Chair, aims to strengthen supply chain resilience for national security and economic stability, encourage private sector engagement, and identify critical sectors and key goods. Initial operational measures include Action Plan Teams on Semiconductors, Critical Minerals and Chemicals, India's proposed leadership for a healthcare/pharma action plan, Sub Committees on Logistics and Data and Analytics, participation in a Crisis Response Network exercise, and bilateral MoUs on semiconductors and critical minerals.

Fraudulent subsidy claims under FAME II exposed, prompting regulatory searches and ongoing investigation into PMP noncompliance.
SFIO searched three electric vehicle manufacturers after investigations found misrepresentations of compliance with the FAME II Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) guidelines, revealing that several restricted components had been imported contrary to eligibility requirements; digital records, books and other material were seized and investigations continue.

Data accuracy and transparency enforced through digital validation, harmonised metadata, and institutional review mechanisms.
National statistical governance mandates digital primary data collection with in-built validation, multi-level scrutiny, and robust training to minimise non-sampling errors and ensure data accuracy. A National Metadata Structure sets harmonised norms for producers, compilers and disseminators to promote comparable quality reporting, while Committees/Working Groups and stakeholder consultations validate statistics and enhance transparency through the e-Sankhyiki portal.

GDP base year revision: government updates base and forms advisory committee to standardize national accounts methodology.
The Government announced a GDP base year revision and constituted an Advisory Committee on National Accounts Statistics (ACNAS) to identify new data sources and advise on compilation methodology; it will standardize data structures across the National Statistical System and incorporate administrative data to harmonize quality reporting for the revised national accounts series.

Common but differentiated responsibility: partner countries must shoulder sustainability duties while addressing consumption-driven carbon footprints.
Partner countries are not responsible for historic environmental damage but have shared sustainability obligations under common but differentiated responsibility, with responsibility apportioned by contribution to environmental harm; policy focus should be on consumption-based carbon footprints, circular economy measures, aligning energy strategy for sustainable growth, mobilising liquidity for financial stability, and promoting trade, tourism, education and skilling alongside technological adoption.

National Pension System adoption promotes corporate onboarding and minor enrolment, enhancing retirement planning and pension coverage.
The National Pension System (NPS) promotion focuses on expanding retirement coverage through corporate onboarding, subscriber awareness campaigns, and product innovation. The programme outlines employer integration practices, partnerships with trade bodies, and subscriber-centric enrolment processes to increase participation. It frames these measures against demographic pressures and limited household pension allocation, and cites extensions such as the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and NPS-Vatsalya to reach underserved cohorts and encourage early savings.

Decarbonization collaboration advances cement sector research and thermal plasma technology adoption under new industry MoUs.
NCB concluded two Memoranda of Understanding: one with the Global Cement and Concrete Association, India to coordinate decarbonization research and support sectoral pathways toward net zero, and another with AIC Plasmatech Innovation Foundation to explore applications of Thermal Plasma Torch Technology in cement manufacturing through technical evaluation, pilot assessment, and knowledge sharing.

National Single Window System: industry engagement and portal tracking urged to improve approvals and regulatory responsiveness.
A new Regulatory Affairs and Ease of Doing Business Portal with a member dashboard enables industry to submit, track and receive real time updates on suggestions and initiatives, intended to integrate industry inputs into the National Single Window System, improve licence facilitation and industrial land bank data, and enhance transparency and accountability in processing.

Decarbonization and circular economy advance as conference seeks industry support for startups and Net Zero roadmap.
The National Council for Cement and Building Materials, under DPIIT administration, held an international conference and technical exhibition focused on decarbonization, circular economy practices, and alternative fuels and raw materials; the event released sector publications and awards, and called for industry support for startups to advance R&D, energy efficiency and the Net Zero trajectory.

Renewable energy partnerships to expand clean energy access and catalyse joint industrial and technology collaboration between India and France.
India and France set a cooperative framework to scale renewable energy via the International Solar Alliance, expand defence and aerospace manufacturing in India under a patent-protected regime that does not require technology transfer, and pursue co-innovation in automotive, EV and digital technologies. The partnership targets joint R&D, startup and academic exchanges, enhanced trade and investment, and participation in major infrastructure and industrial city projects to strengthen long-term strategic and economic ties.

Merger control approval: foreign affiliated investor cleared to acquire and subscribe to shares in an organised food services company.
Competition approval was granted for a proposed acquisition whereby an investment holding company indirectly owned by a Singapore investment firm will subscribe to compulsorily convertible preference shares and acquire equity in a domestic organised food services company operating cloud kitchens, restaurants, food courts and cafes; a detailed Commission order will follow.

Competition approval granted for share subscription by foreign holding company with affiliated service arrangement in e commerce target.
Competition approval was granted for Shoreline International Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., to subscribe for shares of Flipkart Private Limited, together with an arrangement between an affiliate of the Acquirer and a subsidiary of the Target for provision of certain services; the Acquirer is a holding company and the Target is an investment holding company in the Walmart Group operating wholesale and marketplace e-commerce businesses in India.

Acquisition approval: Starcin to acquire multiple Fosroc entities, consolidating holding and trading operations under Saint Gobain.
The Commission authorised Starcin, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint Gobain, to acquire 100% of the shares of Fosroc Top One Limited, Fosroc Top Two Limited and Fosroc Supply FZE, transferring two UK holding companies and one UAE trading company from Fosroc Group Holdings Limited to Starcin; Starcin provides corporate services and investment holding functions and Fosroc supplies specialty construction chemicals, with a detailed Commission order to follow.

Quality assurance for temporary site testing laboratories enhances reliability and trust in construction materials testing across projects.
A memorandum establishes a recognition scheme for temporary site testing laboratories performing on-site materials testing in civil engineering projects, aiming to ensure accuracy, reliability and competency of test results-particularly for larger-scale projects-and to raise construction standards by promoting recognised accreditation, improved lab competency, and trust in material integrity.

Memorandum of Understanding to build startup ecosystems and bridge the talent gap in interactive entertainment through training and incubation.
A two year Memorandum of Understanding establishes a public private collaboration to support a large cohort of interactive entertainment startups via mentorship, hackathons, workshops, accelerator programs and a developer mentoring initiative, while bridging the talent gap through training in coding, animation, game design and development. The MoU also provides for a Center of Excellence to advance workforce readiness, monetization strategies, indigenous intellectual property development, attraction of foreign investment, and manufacturing of interactive technology products to scale startups for global markets.

Design protection harmonization expands procedural flexibility and electronic filing to improve access for startups and small designers.
The Final Act of the Riyadh Design Law Treaty harmonizes procedural frameworks for industrial design protection, introducing relaxed time limits, reinstatement mechanisms for lost rights, correction or addition of priority claims, simplified recording of assignments and licenses, and the option to file multiple designs in a single application, while encouraging electronic filing systems and electronic exchange of priority documents to improve accessibility and efficiency across jurisdictions.

Cabinet approval of railway multitracking expands capacity and connectivity, enabling additional freight and passenger services and greener logistics.
Cabinet approval authorises three multi-tracking railway projects to expand line capacity on key Mumbai-Prayagraj corridors, ease operations, reduce congestion, enable additional passenger and freight services, and advance objectives of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan while lowering logistics costs and CO2 emissions.