Horticulture development roadmap targets export growth, stronger production, and better market linkages for Jammu and Kashmir crops.
Operation Golden Greens proposes a phased horticulture development roadmap for Jammu and Kashmir centred on five sub-missions for dry fruits, fresh fruits, vegetables, floriculture and minor crops. The plan seeks to raise production, improve quality, strengthen market linkages and expand exports of apple, walnut, almond and saffron through branding, irrigation support, storage and cold-chain infrastructure, grading, packaging, processing, CA storage and high-density plantations.

Ceasefire-driven oil supply relief lifts global stocks as Strait of Hormuz disruption fears ease.
Global markets rallied and crude oil prices fell after a two-week ceasefire eased fears of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. The article notes that uncertainty remained over whether maritime traffic would normalise and whether the truce would last, but the immediate effect was a sharp recovery in stocks, especially energy-sensitive sectors, and lower Treasury yields as inflation concerns eased.

Battery industry transition toward higher-value lithium-ion, energy storage, and low-carbon manufacturing takes center stage at a major exhibition.
China's battery sector is described as shifting from scale toward higher-value lithium-ion products, power batteries, energy storage technologies, smart manufacturing, and lower-emission production. The 18th China International Battery Fair is presented as a major international exhibition covering batteries, materials, manufacturing equipment, system solutions, and recycling applications, with forums on advanced batteries, new energy storage, battery carbon-footprint management, and battery passport themes.

Strait of Hormuz supply disruption eases as ceasefire improves tanker movement and steadies India's energy imports.
A conditional ceasefire between the United States and Iran eased pressure on India's energy supplies by lowering crude prices and improving prospects for transit through the Strait of Hormuz. India had earlier reduced LPG and natural gas supplies, then partially restored them as alternative sources were secured, while directing city gas distributors to prioritise piped natural gas connections for commercial users. Shipping authorities aimed to move stranded vessels before resuming trade.

Natural diamonds celebrated through World Diamond Day as a storytelling campaign on heritage, emotion, and craftsmanship.
The Natural Diamond Council launched World Diamond Day as a global awareness initiative to celebrate the personal, emotional, and heritage value of natural diamonds. The campaign invited artisans, manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and industry stakeholders to share authentic stories about diamonds as symbols of love, milestones, memory, legacy, and craftsmanship. A dedicated toolkit and optional creative assets were made available to participants, while the campaign message emphasised that natural diamonds are timeless heirlooms carrying meaning across generations.

Landing and parking charges reduced for domestic flights as AERA implements tariff relief across major airports.
AERA reduced landing and parking charges at major airports by 25 per cent, effective immediately, for all domestic flights for three months. The reduction applies to aeronautical tariff components and was implemented in response to the government's direction in view of the ongoing West Asia crisis.

Industrial viability and gas availability in Gujarat remain intact despite West Asia disruptions, officials say.
Industrial activity in Gujarat remains largely functional despite the West Asia crisis, with officials stating that gas supply is fully available and that shutdowns in some sectors are driven mainly by viability, pricing, logistics and export-demand pressures rather than fuel shortage. The State Government is monitoring fuel supply, logistics and operational disruption, prioritising critical sectors, and has permitted temporary use of alternative fuels such as agro-waste, biofuels and briquettes to ease pressure on gas consumption.

Global oil supply disruption limits emergency reserve releases, sanctions waivers, and shipping fixes as prices remain elevated.
Rising oil and gasoline prices after disruption to Middle East supply routes have led governments to deploy emergency reserves, sanctions waivers, and shipping measures to add oil to the market. The article says these steps are only incremental and cannot fully replace the volumes stranded by conflict-related disruption, especially while transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. Analysts emphasize that resumption of transit is the most important step to restore stable oil and gas flows, and note that U.S. production and refinery constraints limit the effect of short-term fixes.

Export curbs on wood briquettes shift shipments to restricted authorisation amid West Asia supply concerns.
Export policy on wood briquettes is revised from free export to restricted export authorisation, so shipments may now be made only with government permission or a licence. The policy also eases exports of sawdust and wood waste and scrap, agglomerated in logs, briquettes, pellets or similar forms, from prohibited to restricted, with both categories now subject to restricted export authorisation.

Strait of Hormuz transit remains open for Indian-flagged LPG tankers despite conflict disruptions
Indian-flagged LPG tankers continued to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite the West Asia conflict, with two additional vessels safely crossing and proceeding toward Indian ports while 16 other Indian-flagged vessels remained stranded in the Persian Gulf. Officials stated that maritime operations remained safe and uninterrupted, and that the vessels still in the region included LNG, LPG, crude, container, dredger, chemical, and bulk cargo ships. The report notes that no information was available regarding any fee for passage through the strait, and records that Iran has said non-hostile vessels may transit after coordination with Iranian authorities.

Strait of Hormuz supply risk keeps oil markets volatile as countries seek alternative energy routes.
Global oil markets remained volatile amid escalating military action involving Iran, Israel and the United States, with attention focused on the threatened reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the wider disruption risk to energy supply routes. The shipping and trade implications of the Strait of Hormuz were highlighted as especially significant for countries dependent on imported energy, including Japan and South Korea, which were reported to be seeking reserve releases and alternative transport routes.

Essential commodity price monitoring continues as officials report stable supplies and urge action against hoarding and black marketing.
Government monitoring of essential commodity prices remains continuous amid West Asia-related market concerns, with officials reporting no unusual volatility in wholesale or retail prices. The consumer affairs machinery is tracking daily rates of 40 commodities from 528 centres, maintaining a control room for coordination with states, and watching complaints through the National Consumer Helpline. States have been urged to act against hoarding and black marketing under the Essential Commodities Act, while the department continues efforts to safeguard food supply and market stability.

Geopolitical uncertainty lifts Asian shares as rising oil prices and Strait of Hormuz fears dominate markets.
Asian shares mostly rose as investors monitored rising oil prices and uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz. Japanese and South Korean benchmarks advanced, while crude prices climbed on fears that the conflict could prolong global supply risks. Market sentiment remained dominated by geopolitical uncertainty and expectations of further developments from the United States.

Refinery transfer pricing discount squeezes standalone refiners as fuel price freeze keeps retail rates unchanged.
State-run oil marketing companies have fixed discounted refinery transfer prices for petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel and kerosene in response to a freeze on retail fuel prices and rising global crude oil costs. The revised pricing reduces refinery receipts below import-parity-linked costs and is expected to affect standalone refiners more sharply than integrated oil companies, because the latter can partly offset losses across refining and marketing operations.

Pharmaceutical exports continue steady growth as India targets wider markets, stronger regulation and long-term expansion.
India's pharmaceutical exports continued to grow, with exports up to February exceeding USD 28 billion and rising 5.6 per cent year-on-year, led by formulations, biologicals, vaccines and AYUSH products. Industry representatives said the sector is likely to end the financial year broadly in line with the previous year, despite global pricing pressure and trade volatility, while future growth is expected through policy prioritisation, market diversification, foreign direct investment and improved regulatory efficiency.

Supply chain disruption from West Asia crisis threatens Indian exports, imports, and pharma inputs as government diversifies sourcing.
The West Asia crisis is disrupting Indian imports and exports, with energy and regional trade flows under pressure. A prolonged conflict could also affect exports to other regions by altering supply chains and value chains, while the government seeks to minimise disruption and diversify imports. The pharma sector is facing impact from shortages of intermediates and solvents, and supply chain resilience is being prioritised.

Maritime supply continuity keeps LPG inflows moving despite Strait of Hormuz disruption and regional shipping tensions.
Continued LPG inflows to India are reported despite disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, with an Indian-flagged tanker safely transiting the waterway and an Iranian LPG cargo reaching Mangalore for discharge. Maritime authorities are monitoring vessel movements, port operations and crew safety, while coordinating with ship owners, Indian missions and the Directorate General of Shipping. Several Indian-flagged vessels remain stranded on the western side of the strait, though seafarers are safe and port operations across India remain normal.

Pharmaceutical exports growth reflects strong global demand, diversified markets and compliance-led expansion despite pricing pressures.
India's pharmaceutical exports continued to expand despite global pricing pressure and trade volatility, with outbound shipments reaching over USD 28 billion up to February of the current financial year and recording growth of 5.6 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year. Export growth was led by formulations, biologicals, vaccines and AYUSH products, while the sector's total export performance in the preceding financial year also showed strong year-on-year growth. Pharmexcil indicated that export expansion would depend on policy prioritisation, market diversification, increased foreign direct investment inflows and improved regulatory efficiency, with a medium-term export target of USD 65 billion by 2030.

Crude import flexibility keeps India's fuel supply secure despite reports of Iranian cargo diversion.
India said there are no payment hurdles for Iranian crude imports and that refiners continue to secure oil from Iran and a wide range of global suppliers. It rejected reports of an Iranian cargo diversion as factually incorrect, stating that destination changes during transit are common in oil trade for commercial and operational reasons. The ministry said crude oil requirements remain fully secured for the coming months, and noted that an LPG vessel carrying Iranian LPG has berthed at Mangalore and is discharging cargo.

Global export hub logistics for Lalitpur Pharma Park strengthened through port connectivity and freight corridor integration.
Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority have entered into a memorandum of understanding to develop the proposed Lalitpur Pharma Park as a global export hub by linking the industrial cluster to international maritime trade routes. The cooperation contemplates use of the Dadri-Khurja rail link with the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor to create a multi-modal rail network for movement of pharmaceutical goods to JNPA, supporting import of raw materials and export of finished pharmaceutical products.