Transit agreement amendment expands rail freight connectivity enabling direct container and bulk movement between India ports and Nepal land customs.
Amendment to the Protocol to the Treaty of Transit via a Letter of Exchange broadens rail transit by permitting both containerized and bulk cargo on the Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link, and extends liberalised access along corridors including Kolkata-Jogbani, Kolkata-Nautanwa and Visakhapatnam-Nautanwa, enabling direct rail movement from Indian ports to the Nepal Customs Yard in Morang District.

PLI Scheme for White Goods attracts 13 applications committing Rs.1,914 crore, with majority from MSMEs targeting AC and LED components.
The PLI Scheme for White Goods received 13 applications committing Rs. 1,914 crore, with over 50% from MSMEs; nine applicants (Rs. 1,816 crore) target Air Conditioner component manufacture and four (Rs. 98 crore) target LED components across six States, 13 districts and 23 locations. The Scheme, with an approved outlay of Rs. 6,238 crore and 80 beneficiaries committing Rs. 10,335 crore to date, aims to build a complete AC and LED component ecosystem and increase domestic value addition from 15-20% to 75-80%, with projected production and employment gains.

Tribal products to receive government-backed export promotion, reduced GI fees, budget boosts and market access support.
The Government will promote tribal products via Department of Commerce support-e commerce, international display warehouses, and trade networks-while developing an export-promotion scheme, reducing GI application fees by 80%, and increasing budget allocations to strengthen welfare, market access, incubation, and investor engagement for tribal enterprises.

Quality assurance framework strengthened through inter-PSU collaboration to advance operational excellence and conformity assessment.
An inter-PSU initiative promotes a national quality assurance framework by sharing and benchmarking operational excellence practices-Six Sigma, Lean, Quality Circles, TPM, digital automation and supplier development-while reinforcing conformity assessment and accreditation to enhance credibility and international comparability. The programme proposes institutional collaboration through tailored quality partnerships and maturity enhancement programmes to integrate supply chain quality, digital transformation and sustainability into PSU governance and performance frameworks.

Startup credit portal enables unified loan applications, offer comparison and tracking across public sector banks with guarantee-backed loans.
The Department of Financial Services launched the Start-up Common Application Journey on the Jan Sammarth Portal to provide startups a unified digital platform for loan applications across public sector banks, enabling application submission, offer comparison and tracking. The portal integrates PAN, GST, Udyam, ITR and credit bureau data to accelerate processing and transparency. The scheme is supported by a Model Loan Scheme offering loans up to Rs.20 crores under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups, and includes interest concessions for women entrepreneurs.

CSR and ESG education program launched to mainstream sustainability in management education and certify future leaders.
The IICA-WNS Ybrant CSR, ESG & Sustainability Program is a six-month blended learning course combining 22.5 hours of academic instruction and 18 hours of fieldwork across 15 modules that include CSR basics, global CSR trends, the Indian CSR legal framework, impact assessment, ESG reporting, corporate governance and leadership. It integrates weekly live sessions with faculty and industry experts on IICA's Learning Management System and issues digitally verifiable certification through IICA's credential system.

Competition approval permits a foreign subsidiary to increase its shareholding, resulting in a majority stake in the target company.
The Competition Commission of India approved Lence Pte. Ltd.'s proposed acquisition of between eleven percent and twenty percent of AWL Agri Business Limited, increasing the Acquirer's shareholding from forty three point nine four percent to a post transaction holding between fifty four point nine four percent and sixty three point nine four percent.

Healthcare affordability: government reducing taxes and duties to expand access and promote medical value travel.
The Government is advancing healthcare affordability through fiscal measures-zero GST on health and life insurance and reduced duties on medical devices, cancer drugs and essential medicines-with openness to further duty or cess reductions upon industry consultation. Complementary initiatives include expanding Jan Aushadhi Kendras for affordable generics, enlarging medical education and infrastructure, broad Ayushman Bharat coverage including free care for senior citizens, and policies to promote medical value travel via eased visa facilitation, capped foreign patient admissions with revenue contributions to public programmes, and expanded training for healthcare personnel.

Financial inclusion campaign expands grassroots access to flagship welfare schemes and drives mass enrolments and KYC updates.
The Department of Financial Services concluded a four-month campaign to saturate Gram Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies with access to flagship welfare schemes by facilitating enrolment, KYC re-verification, nomination updates, financial literacy on digital frauds and grievance redressal, and reported extensive outputs across account openings, scheme enrollments and claims settlement through nationwide camps.

India-Australia CECA negotiations reviewed; commitment to early conclusion and expanded trade, investment, services cooperation and diaspora engagement.
Ministers reviewed progress in negotiations toward an ambitious and balanced Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), agreeing to work constructively toward an early, balanced conclusion building on the India Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), with a negotiating agenda covering trade in goods, services, investment and related cooperation.

Acquisition of IL JIN Electronics shareholding by private equity acquirers approved, covering convertible preference shares and equity.
The Competition Commission of India approved a Proposed Combination under which ChrysCapital Fund X, Two Infinity Partners, and Raptor Investments will acquire certain compulsorily convertible preference shares and equity shares in IL JIN Electronics (India) Private Limited; the acquirers are private equity investors and a detailed order will follow.

Merger control: approval granted for acquisition of shareholding in La Renon Healthcare by an SPV investor.
Merger control approval was granted for the proposed acquisition of a specified shareholding in La Renon Healthcare Private Limited by Rajadhiraja Limited, a special purpose vehicle owned and controlled by an investment fund; La Renon operates in pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution including drugs, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and the Acquirer does not currently carry on business in India, with a detailed administrative order to follow.

Acquisition of 26% of Continuum Green Energy approved, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Continuum Energy Pte. Ltd.
The Competition Commission approved CEPL's acquisition of 26% equity in Continuum Green Energy Holdings Ltd., resulting in Continuum SG becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of CEPL; both parties are Singapore private companies with affiliated renewable power operations in India and a detailed order will follow.

Acquisition of Aadhar Housing Finance: proposed up to 80.15% stake by BCP Asia via secondary acquisition and open offer.
Approval concerns the proposed acquisition of up to 80.15% shareholding in Aadhar Housing Finance by BCP Asia II Holdco VII via a secondary acquisition and an open offer; the Acquirer is a Blackstone advised investment vehicle and the Target provides home loans, loans against property and distributes insurance as a Corporate Agent.

Infrastructure upgrades to roads and rail under PM GatiShakti aim to boost multimodal connectivity and freight efficiency.
Planned upgrades and new lines under PM GatiShakti aim to strengthen multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency: NH-160A upgradation to form a high-capacity freight corridor linking Nashik industrial clusters to western ports; a ~300 km Madhya Pradesh corridor to shorten freight routes and improve access to industrial and power zones; and rail capacity augmentations-3rd/4th lines on Gamharia-Chandil and a 4th line on Sainthia-Pakur (an Energy Corridor)-to relieve congestion, enable modal shift, and support industrial supply chains.

India-New Zealand trade and cultural engagement advancing cooperation in connectivity, trade, investment, tourism and sustainability through ministerial and business dialogues.
Bilateral engagement concentrated on strengthening trade, investment, connectivity, tourism and sustainability; meetings included a discussion with the airline CEO on air services and tourism, reception by Rotorua's Mayor, a traditional Ma ori po whiri emphasizing cultural exchange, and co chairing an India-New Zealand CEOs Roundtable to promote partnerships across technology, agriculture, education, clean energy and sustainable development.

Free trade agreement negotiations seek balanced market access and sectoral cooperation between India and New Zealand.
The document reports bilateral engagement focused on ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations aimed at achieving balanced outcomes through reciprocal market access and sectoral cooperation, leveraging India's market scale and New Zealand's technological strengths. It highlights targeted collaboration in agriculture and food processing, maritime, forestry, education, technology and tourism, and stresses the catalytic role of a large Indian business delegation and the diaspora in strengthening economic ties and facilitating enterprise expansion under India's domestic incentive frameworks.

NDPS Act enforcement disrupts clandestine alprazolam manufacturing network, resulting in large seizures and multiple arrests.
Enforcement under the NDPS Act uncovered an industrial-scale clandestine Alprazolam manufacturing unit with finished and semi-finished product, precursor chemicals, and processing equipment; multiple arrests followed, indicating manufacture for multi-state distribution.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations advance through high-level ministerial discussions and business engagement to strengthen economic partnership.
Free Trade Agreement negotiations are being advanced through a ministerial visit focused on expediting the ongoing FTA rounds and shaping a more comprehensive economic partnership covering trade, investment, innovation, technology collaboration, and sustainable growth. The program pairs high level ministerial dialogue with business delegation interactions, a business forum, diaspora engagement, and a moderated policy discussion to align negotiating objectives with private sector and industry input.

Hydroponic weed seized at Mumbai airport; two arrested and contraband booked under NDPS Act by DRI.
DRI seized 42.34 kg of hydroponic cannabis concealed within 21 ordinary food packets at Mumbai Airport after intelligence-led baggage inspection; field tests indicated narcotics and two passengers were arrested and the contraband was seized under NDPS Act provisions as part of "Operation Weed Out" targeting airport-based trafficking and concealment methods.