Result-linked financial assistance enables DISCOMs to receive funding upon meeting pre-qualifying criteria and performance benchmarks.
The Government approved a result-linked distribution sector scheme providing conditional financial assistance to public DISCOMs based on pre-qualifying criteria and annual performance appraisals; REC and PFC are nodal agencies. Core measures include mission-mode prepaid smart metering prioritised for urban, UT and high-loss areas, system metering at feeder and DT levels, feeder segregation for agricultural solarization, SCADA/DMS for urban areas, and use of AI for energy accounting and loss reduction. Differential central grant support and incentives apply for Special Category States and timely smart meter deployment.

Loan guarantee schemes expand credit support and microfinance guarantees to restore liquidity and revive pandemic hit sectors.
The package comprises three pillars-economic relief, public health strengthening and growth & employment-with major credit guarantee and liquidity measures: a new Loan Guarantee Scheme targeting health and other sectors with specified guarantee cover, an expansion of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme to raise admissible guarantees, and a new Credit Guarantee Scheme enabling banks to on lend to MFIs/NBFC MFIs for small borrower loans under prescribed caps and tenors; tourism stakeholders receive simplified loan support. Public health measures fund short term surge capacity, paediatric care, testing, and logistics while growth measures include export insurance boosts, broadband rollout, PLI tenure extension and a result linked power distribution reform scheme.

Export facilitation for north-eastern agricultural products enabled international shipments through infrastructure, market promotion, and capacity building.
APEDA facilitated export of north-eastern agricultural produce by coordinating APEDA-registered exporters, certified collection and packing centres, and required export infrastructure; it provided market promotion, financial assistance for pack-houses, facilitation for GI-certified products, and capacity building to strengthen supply chains and ensure compliance for international shipments.

Geographical Indications promoted for export to Algeria via virtual buyer-seller meet connecting exporters and importers for market access.
APEDA and the Indian embassy held a virtual buyer-seller meet connecting Indian exporters, processors and trade associations with Algerian importers and officials to explore export opportunities, with emphasis on GI certified agricultural products and commodities including cereals, animal products and rice, as part of APEDA's virtual export promotion series during pandemic restrictions.

International taxation capacity building drives Bhutan's TIWB programme launch, enabling transfer pricing audit expertise and skills.
Launch of a Tax Inspectors Without Borders programme in Bhutan to strengthen tax administration through technical assistance and capacity building. India is the Partner Jurisdiction providing the Tax Expert in collaboration with the TIWB Secretariat, UNDP and OECD for a planned twenty-four month programme aimed at enhancing tax auditors' skills and transferring best audit practices, with a primary focus on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing.

Export promotion through market access and phytosanitary compliance enabled rapid diversification of cereal shipments to new destinations.
India expanded cereal exports in 2020 21 through APEDA led coordination among farmers, millers, exporters and government agencies to secure market access, ensure product quality and meet phytosanitary requirements. The Rice Export Promotion Forum under APEDA aligned industry, exporters, commerce ministry and state agriculture directors to facilitate shipments to new destinations, while COVID 19 safety protocols maintained export continuity. The combined measures promoted export diversification and a marked increase in rice, wheat and other cereal shipments to several first time or previously low volume markets.

Monetary Policy Committee retains repo rate at 4% and keeps accommodative stance to support growth amid COVID 19.
The Monetary Policy Committee retained the policy repo rate at 4.00 per cent and resolved to continue the accommodative stance as long as necessary to revive and sustain growth and mitigate the impact of COVID 19 while ensuring inflation remains within the medium term target. The decision was unanimous. The MPC projected CPI inflation for 2021 22 at 5.1 per cent and real GDP growth at 9.5 per cent, highlighted upside risks from commodity and logistics costs, and called for coordinated supply side and fiscal measures alongside continued liquidity operations.

Geographical Indication certification boosts exportability of Jalgaon banana, facilitating quality-linked international market access.
A consignment of GI-certified Jalgaon banana was exported to Dubai from Tandalwadi village, sourced from a designated banana cluster under the Agri Export Policy; the GI certification (granted in 2016) serves as a quality- and origin-linked assurance that supports international marketability. The release links this shipment to broader export growth and notes export-promotion measures including infrastructure, quality development, market development assistance, and buyer-seller engagements that facilitate market access for certified agricultural produce.

Exports growth drives provisional rebound in trade, but higher imports and oil prices shift April-May position into an estimated deficit.
India's external trade for April-May 2021 shows strong year on year recovery: merchandise exports rose substantially with broad based commodity gains; imports increased driven by both oil and non oil categories (oil imports up sharply versus the prior year but below 2019 levels); services exports recorded modest positive growth in April 2021 with May data estimated. Combining merchandise and services, the provisional overall trade position for April-May 2021 shifted to an estimated deficit versus a surplus in the prior year, and figures are reported in both US dollar and rupee terms subject to RBI revision for May services estimates.

Geographical Indication certified mango export expands market access through coordinated export promotion and registered packhouse treatment.
First commercial export of Geographical Indication certified Jardalu mangoes from Bhagalpur to the United Kingdom was facilitated by APEDA in collaboration with government and diplomatic partners; the mangoes were packed and phytosanitary treated at an APEDA assisted packhouse, exemplifying use of GI status and registered packhouse infrastructure to access foreign markets.

Geographical Indication certification supports mango export promotion alongside registered packhouse and vapor heat treatment compliance.
The release reports a Bahrain promotion showcasing sixteen mango varieties, including three Geographical Indication certified cultivars supplied by an APEDA-registered exporter, and emphasizes APEDA's export-promotion strategy which pairs virtual buyer-seller engagement with facilitation of registered packhouse processing and vapor heat treatment protocols to enable shipments to new markets.

Agriculture export facilitation strengthened to secure uninterrupted shipments and expand market access amid pandemic disruptions.
Agricultural exports in 2020-21 expanded substantially, with significant growth across cereals, spices, organic products and other commodities, and an improved agricultural trade balance. The Department of Commerce and agencies implemented export facilitation measures during COVID 19-electronic issuance and extensions of accreditations and certificates, virtual inspections, 24x7 emergency cells, logistic support via Krishi Udan/Rail, and virtual trade platforms-to ensure uninterrupted exports. Implementation of the Agriculture Export Policy advanced through state action plans, cluster identification and activation, country specific strategies, SPS/TBT mitigation, and market access initiatives, including measures to address pesticide residue issues for EU market compliance.

Extension of New Investment Policy applicability enables RFCL revival and boosts domestic urea production capacity and supply.
Approval extends the applicability of the New Investment Policy (NIP) 2012 (amended) to RFCL to enable revival of the former FCIL Ramagundam unit by establishing a new gas based neem coated urea plant, with gas supply via existing pipeline infrastructure, marketing through a public sector marketer, and institutional arrangements to support project execution, increased indigenous production, and reduced import dependence.

Geographical Indication mango exports expand following APEDA export promotion and registered packhouse phytosanitary compliance measures.
Sixteen mango varieties including three Geographical Indication certified cultivars were exported to Bahrain via an APEDA-registered exporter, illustrating APEDA registration and export-promotion measures. APEDA-led virtual buyer-seller meets and festivals have promoted non-traditional regional sourcing. Separate consignments to South Korea involved GI-certified varieties processed at an APEDA-assisted registered packhouse and subjected to vapor heat phytosanitary treatment, exported by IFFCO Kisan SEZ under an export supply agreement.

Export certification procedures ensure traceable, aflatoxin-tested groundnut consignments proceed under APEDA-mandated compliance.
The export of groundnuts from West Bengal to Nepal demonstrates APEDA oversight and exporter eligibility for regional consignments. The export regime requires buyer registration, batch processing by APEDA-registered units, exporter applications for certificates of export and stuffing certificates, mandatory aflatoxin analysis with laboratory-issued stuffing certificates, and final issuance of export certificates by APEDA to ensure compliance and food-safety verification for international shipments.

Accommodative monetary stance maintained; policy repo rate left unchanged to support growth while monitoring inflation.
The MPC retained the policy repo rate and continued an accommodative stance to support durable growth while ensuring CPI inflation remains within the medium term target; it cited large surplus liquidity, moderated headline inflation with upside commodity and fuel risks, mixed domestic activity amid the second COVID wave, and the need for coordinated fiscal and supply side measures and accelerated vaccination to sustain recovery.

Exchange rate determination under Customs Act establishes separate import and export conversion rates effective for specified foreign currencies.
Determination under section 14 of the Customs Act prescribes separate notified conversion rates for specified foreign currencies for the purposes of customs valuation and related requirements, with distinct rates for imported and exported goods set out in Schedule I (per unit) and Schedule II (per one hundred units); the notification supersedes the prior exchange rate notification except as to past actions and is effective from the stated operative date.

Trade performance recovery: strong merchandise export growth, diversified sectoral gains and an estimated services surplus improving external trade balance.
India's external trade in May 2021 registered marked recovery driven by robust merchandise export growth and a provisional services surplus; merchandise exports excluding PoL and gems & jewellery showed substantial gains, imports rose year on year yet remained below pre pandemic comparators, and numerous commodity groups reported strong year on year increases with several showing sustained recovery since mid 2020. Services figures for May are estimated and may be revised by the central bank.

Seafood export trends show pandemic-driven contraction while aquaculture-led shipments and shrimp remain central to export mix.
India's seafood exports contracted during FY 2020-21 with a late-fiscal recovery; aquaculture contributed a larger share of export value and volume while frozen shrimp stayed the principal export despite year-on-year declines, and major markets (notably the United States, China and the European Union) showed disparate demand patterns affecting product- and market-level outcomes.

Merchandise trade data show export rebound and import recovery, resulting in a narrower but persistent trade deficit.
Preliminary May 2021 merchandise trade statistics show strong year-on-year export recovery and pronounced import recovery, with exports driven by non-petroleum and non-gems-and-jewellery categories and imports influenced by oil and select industrial inputs. Commodity-group breakdowns identify significant positive performers (cereals, iron ore, engineering goods, certain textiles, petroleum products) and continued weakness in others (gems and jewellery, leather, some textiles). The trade balance remained a deficit in May 2021, wider than May 2020 but narrower than May 2019.