India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement talks advance with focus on market access, digital trade, supply chains, and interim deal pathways.
India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations advanced through consultations on enhanced market access, digital trade, supply chain resilience, reduction of non-tariff barriers, and expanded cooperation in strategic sectors. The discussions also focused on an interim agreement as a milestone toward a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement, with both sides reaffirming support for a commercially meaningful framework that benefits businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers and strengthens bilateral trade and trusted supply chains.

Competition approval for share acquisition in data centre colocation services company through primary equity subscription.
Approval was granted for the acquisition of certain shareholding in Nxtra Data Limited by Alpha Wave Ventures II, LP through primary subscription of equity shares. The acquirer is a private equity fund managed by Alpha Wave Ventures GP, a joint venture between Alpha Wave Global and Lunate Holding RSC Ltd.

MSME credit access expands through digital lending, guarantee cover, and collateral-free finance measures.
Priority sector lending, collateral-free lending, guarantee cover, receivables discounting, simplified working capital norms, NBFC on-lending and co-lending recognition, the Account Aggregator framework, and restriction on pre-payment charges are described as measures expanding formal credit access for MSMEs. The remarks also note structured engagement through MSME town halls, capacity-building of bankers, and empowered committees to review MSME financing, stressed accounts, credit linkage, and credit application pendency. The Unified Lending Interface is presented as a consent-based digital mechanism for faster MSME credit assessment.

Audit quality and financial reporting standards drive NFRA-ICAI workshop focus on professional capacity and global competitiveness.
NFRA, in collaboration with ICAI, organised a workshop in Pune to enhance professional capacity for audit practitioners, strengthen audit quality and improve the quality of financial reporting. The programme focused on the role of the accountancy profession in safeguarding public interest and maintaining trust in financial reporting, while urging audit firms, including small and medium practitioners, to align with contemporary global standards and continuously improve competence.

Government e-marketplace access expands through last-mile seller facilitation, onboarding support, and catalogue listing through new partnership.
Government e-marketplace access is being expanded through a strategic partnership between GeM and CSC-SPV aimed at strengthening last-mile facilitation for sellers, especially in rural and underserved regions. The collaboration extends support through the full onboarding chain up to catalogue listing, with assistance for Vendor Assessment, Brand Approval, and creation and publication of product and service catalogues. A pilot rollout of 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras will provide guidance, training, onboarding support, capacity building, and grievance redressal for a range of enterprises.

Statistical governance and coordination strengthened through appointments to the National Statistical Commission and its standard-setting role.
Appointment of the Chairperson and Members of the National Statistical Commission was approved, with Dr. Saibal Chattopadhyay as Chairperson and three Members appointed. The Commission is a nodal body for core statistical activities, responsible for statistical priorities, standards and coordination. Its functions include standardising concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies, improving public trust in official statistics, laying down quality standards, coordinating with governments and ministries, undertaking statistical audit, and monitoring the statistical system for performance improvement.

Competition Commission approval for equity subscription in a financial services company through a proposed combination
Competition Commission approval was granted for a proposed combination involving the subscription of certain equity shareholding by Kedaara Pearl Holding and Kedaara Capital Fund IV AIF in Axis Finance Limited. The transaction concerns a minority equity subscription in a financial services enterprise, with the Commission's detailed order stated to follow.

Proposed combination approval for acquisition of asset management and trustees businesses by TVS entities.
Approval of a proposed combination involving acquisition of 100% of the issued, subscribed and paid-up share capital of PGIM India Asset Management Private Limited and PGIM India Trustees Private Limited by TVS Emerald Limited and TVS Venu Management and Consultancy Services Private Limited. TVS Emerald Limited is engaged in real estate development in India, while TVS Venu Management and Consultancy Services Private Limited presently has no business activities. The target entities are engaged in wealth management, including mutual funds, portfolio management services, alternative investment funds and investment advisory services.

Competition clearance for acquisition and CCPS subscription in Romsons Group under a proposed internal restructuring.
Competition Commission of India clearance was granted for a proposed combination involving internal restructuring of the Romsons Group and the subscription to compulsorily convertible preference shares together with acquisition of equity share capital in Romsons Group Private Limited by Jongsong Investments Pte. Ltd. The acquirer is an investment holding company and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings Private Limited. The target is engaged in the manufacture and sale of medical devices and personal care and hygiene products.

Quality and skilling ecosystem partnership expands certification, testing access and training support for leather and footwear workers.
Quality Council of India and Footwear Design and Development Institute have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the quality, testing, accreditation and skilling ecosystem in the leather and footwear sector. The collaboration is directed at building a structured framework for capacity building, certification, testing infrastructure development and quality ecosystem support across major footwear clusters, with emphasis on workers, MSMEs, supervisors and other stakeholders in the value chain. The partnership assigns QCI a role in providing technical guidance on accreditation principles, quality management systems and standards, while also supporting awareness initiatives on quality, testing, accreditation and applicable government schemes. FDDI is to lead cluster-specific skilling and training programmes, map testing and calibration laboratories, identify gaps in laboratory access, support sample collection centres and develop knowledge resources.

General trade digitisation through DigiDukaan aims to streamline kirana procurement, improve scheme visibility, and strengthen FMCG supply chains.
DPIIT and ONDC convened an industry roundtable on DigiDukaan to digitise B2B procurement for kirana stores across India's General Trade ecosystem. The discussion focused on fragmented ordering, limited inventory visibility and manual sales processes, and on how open digital infrastructure can improve procurement efficiency, scheme visibility, fill rates, working capital management, distributor reach and access to retailer demand signals.

Anti-smuggling operations target foreign-origin cigarette trafficking across the North Eastern Region with major seizures and arrests.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence conducted coordinated anti-smuggling operations in the North Eastern Region against foreign-origin cigarettes. Since May 2026, the operations led to seizure of about 71 lakh sticks of smuggled cigarettes, cumulatively valued at approximately Rs. 14 crore, and the arrest of four persons. A major seizure was made in Mizoram on 11 June 2026, where more than 45 lakh sticks were recovered with assistance of the 34th Battalion, Assam Rifles, and preliminary investigation indicated smuggling from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector.

Free trade agreements with developed economies are positioned as engines for investment, innovation, jobs and quality upgradation.
India's strategy of entering free trade agreements with developed economies is aimed at supporting long-term growth through expanded global engagement, investment inflows, innovation, job creation, quality upgradation and deeper participation in international trade. The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement is described as a framework for trade, investment and innovation-led cooperation, with the EFTA countries committing investment support and direct job creation over the implementation period, while India provides access to a large and growing market.

Trade and economic partnership implementation drives ministerial talks on bilateral trade, investment, and industrial cooperation.
India's economic engagement with Switzerland and the EFTA States is to be advanced through ministerial discussions focused on implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). The visit includes meetings with Swiss Government representatives and pharmaceutical industry leaders, with attention to operational issues, bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation. Interaction with Swiss companies and investors will further explore opportunities for expanding trade and deepening collaboration.

Global imbalances and multilateral cooperation require stronger development finance, resilient supply chains, and fairer burden sharing.
Global growth requires coordinated action through strengthened multilateral cooperation, with particular attention to the disproportionate effects of conflicts, uncertainty and global imbalances on developing countries and the Global South. Policy responses should focus on excessive and persistent imbalances while recognising differing domestic needs across countries, and adjustment burdens should not fall on countries that are not the source of such imbalances. Stronger and more representative multilateral institutions, including Multilateral Development Banks with greater financing capacity, and resilient, diversified supply chains are needed.

Credit guarantee support under ECLGS 5.0 expands liquidity access for MSMEs and other borrowers through broad lender participation.
The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 provides credit guarantee support to extend additional liquidity to existing borrowers facing pressures arising from the West Asia crisis. It offers 100% guarantee coverage for the MSME sector and 90% coverage for the non-MSME sector, encouraging lending institutions to extend credit under the government-backed framework. The reported coverage has crossed 1 lakh guarantees, with the MSME sector and Public Sector Banks accounting for the bulk of the issuance.

Competition approval for minority share acquisition in a life insurer through a preferential issue by a Mauritius investor.
Competition Commission of India approved the acquisition of a minority shareholding in Shriram Life Insurance Company Limited by Sanlam Emerging Markets (Mauritius) Ltd through a preferential issue. The transaction involves 2.80% of the expanded equity capital, and the target is a registered life insurance company engaged in life insurance and unit-linked insurance business within the ambit of the Insurance Act, 1938.

Competition approval for share acquisition in PUMA SE by Ancat Holding GmbH through a secondary purchase.
Competition approval was granted for the acquisition of certain shareholding in PUMA SE by Ancat Holding GmbH, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ANTA. The proposed combination involved Ancat's secondary purchase of 29.06% of the issued and outstanding share capital of PUMA SE. Ancat was described as an acquisition vehicle with no business activities, while ANTA and PUMA were engaged in sports products and sportswear businesses.

Credit guarantee scheme extension expands microfinance lending support and raises loan limits for large NBFC-MFIs and MFIs.
Extension of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Microfinance Institutions-2.0 continues credit guarantee support through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited for banks and financial institutions lending to NBFC-MFIs and MFIs for onward lending to small borrowers. The validity of the scheme has been extended up to 31 August 2026 or until guarantees aggregating to Rs.20,000 crore are issued, whichever occurs earlier, and the maximum loan amount for large-sized NBFC-MFIs/MFIs has been increased from Rs.300 crore to Rs.1000 crore, subject to the overall ceiling of 20% of assets under management.

Digital public procurement on GeM expands transparency, inclusivity and access for enterprises, startups and small businesses.
Government e Marketplace (GeM) functions as a digital public procurement platform that replaces manual, fragmented purchasing with a technology-driven system. It uses online onboarding, transparent bidding, digital contract management and end-to-end procurement processes to improve transparency, reduce human interface and widen participation by enterprises across geographies. Inclusivity is a central feature, with strong growth in participation by micro and small enterprises, women-owned enterprises, startups and SC/ST enterprises, alongside procurement support for public service delivery and healthcare supplies.