Power tariff stability with ToD concessions and storage-driven renewable integration to meet industrial and data centre demand.
Maharashtra maintains a stable tariff regime while revising the Time-of-Day (ToD) tariff to align with solar generation-offering daytime concessions-and plans further tariff reductions to support industry and data centre growth. The policy pairs renewable targets (52% by 2030; 65% by 2035) with large-scale battery and pumped storage investments to ensure grid stability and round-the-clock cheaper power, and notes regulatory procurement estimate corrections that avoided potential financial stress.

Safe maritime passage secured through diplomacy enabled LPG carriers to transit the Strait of Hormuz and reach Indian ports.
Negotiations between Indian authorities and Iranian counterparts secured safe passage for Indian-flagged LPG vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid conflict, enabling the Shivalik and Nanda Devi to transit from the west side of the strait and proceed to Indian ports. Vessels maintained standoff distances until receiving clearance from headquarters; cargo discharge was allocated across Mundra and Mangaluru with the other vessel expected at Kandla. The incident is set against India's significant dependence on West Asian energy supplies and the blockade-related stranding of multiple ships.

Trade Growth: combined exports rising with widening import-driven deficit as services surplus offsets merchandise shortfall.
Combined merchandise and services exports for April-February 2025-26 are estimated at US$ 790.86 billion, up from US$ 747.58 billion, while combined imports are estimated at US$ 900.51 billion, producing a widened trade deficit. Merchandise exports rose modestly to US$ 402.93 billion against imports of US$ 713.53 billion, increasing the merchandise deficit. Services exports of US$ 387.93 billion and services imports of US$ 186.98 billion generate a sizeable services surplus that partially offsets the merchandise shortfall.

Hoarding enforcement intensifies to curb illegal LPG stockpiling and stabilise supplies amid import-route disruptions.
State and local authorities increased enforcement against illegal LPG stockpiling and black marketing, conducting coordinated raids and inspections, registering cases under the Essential Commodities Act, seizing cylinders and detaining suspects, while governments and petroleum entities emphasised coordination among enforcement, distributors and oil-marketing companies and rolled out incentives to shift consumers from LPG to piped natural gas to stabilise supplies amid import-route disruptions.

CURE Act statutory framework proposed to unify agencies and guide Telangana's urban development and economic transformation.
The state advances a spatially differentiated development strategy under the CURE-PURE-RARE framework and proposes a statutory governance structure through the CURE Act to replace the existing municipal framework, unify multiple agencies, and coordinate urban planning and infrastructure delivery to realise the Telangana Rising Vision 2047 and interim economic targets.

Freedom of navigation: attacks on shipping and chokepoint security disrupt energy transit and prompt military protection measures.
Cross-border strikes and missile/drone barrages have produced damage to religious and civilian sites and disrupted maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting military measures to protect freedom of navigation. The conflict has caused energy-market volatility and operational responses including alternative export routing and calls for allied naval presence. Incidents involving non state armed groups have prompted government statements prohibiting unauthorized armed activity and raised displacement and peacekeeping protection issues.

Energy and trade security risks may disrupt exports and rural employment, prompting calls for contingency fiscal measures.
Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill warned that the West Asia conflict and strained ties could disrupt Gulf trade routes, reduce exports, and displace millions of rural and semi urban workers, urging contingency plans for returning workers and protection of dependent families. The discussion flagged supply risks to LPG and fertilisers due to import dependence, noted a supplementary demand for additional nutrient based subsidy allocation, and criticised replacement livelihood frameworks for weakening existing employment guarantees, calling for targeted fiscal measures and timely notification of support schemes.

Trade investigations risk harming bilateral economic relations as tariff measures prompt diplomatic concern ahead of planned visit.
China warned that US trade investigations into foreign manufacturing, launched after the US Supreme Court struck down earlier tariffs, could interfere with or damage bilateral economic and trade relations, and conveyed serious concern that investigation outcomes and subsequent tariff actions might undermine recently stabilised China-US economic ties reached after a prior tariff war and truce.

War risk insurance denial halts rice exports, prompting calls for emergency relief to sustain mills and protect workers.
The West Asia conflict has caused export holds and storage backlogs for Bundi-Kota Basmati rice, with shipping companies denied war risk insurance and imposing steep surcharges, depressing local prices and creating storage and employment risks; millers request special government concessions and a targeted relief package to sustain production and protect workers.

Free Trade Agreement implementation advances, coupled with Security and Defence Partnership to prioritise efficient delivery and regional stability.
The EU and India are concentrating on operationalising the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement and the signed Security and Defence Partnership, prioritising efficient implementation to deliver benefits to both populations; discussions also identified de escalation, stability and energy security as shared objectives while advancing practical trade measures and defence cooperation.

Safe passage of Indian-flagged vessels ensured amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions through coordinated maritime measures and port relief.
Indian-flagged vessels faced disruption after an attack on the Fujairah oil terminal; the tanker Jag Laadki sailed safely from Fujairah and is due at Mundra. A DG Shipping Control Room and an inter-ministerial group are coordinating with ports and Customs to monitor movements, repatriate crew, and ensure seafarer welfare. Ports have offered operational and commercial relief-priority discharge, concessions on anchorage, berth hire and storage, temporary transshipment storage, and rebates on reefer plug-in charges-to maintain continuity of crude, gas and LPG supply chains and maritime trade.

Tariff measures on Indian goods altered bilateral flows, reducing exports to the US while imports and trade deficits expanded.
India's merchandise exports to the United States contracted in February amid elevated US tariff measures on Indian goods, while US imports into India rose; a subsequent change in US duties is expected to affect future monthly data. Over the 11-month fiscal period, imports from China surged faster than exports, driving a substantial bilateral trade deficit. The notice also records country-specific import and export movements, including a marked increase in imports from Switzerland driven by gold.

Promotion of piped natural gas to relieve LPG supply pressure, with regulatory guidance and incentives to switch.
City gas distributors and the petroleum ministry are promoting conversion from LPG to piped natural gas through incentives and regulator guidance; CGD companies are to deploy additional resources and expedite connections via customer portals, call centres or other channels where pipelines exist, while the ministry urges online bookings, voluntary surrender of LPG where consumers have PNG, and state enforcement against hoarding and black marketing to manage LPG supply pressure.

Trade Balance narrows as merchandise exports dip amid geopolitical disruptions and surge in gold imports, now affecting shipments.
Merchandise exports declined 0.81% to USD 36.61 billion in February while the trade deficit narrowed to USD 27.1 billion month on month. Imports rose sharply-led by gold, silver, and oil-contributing to a wider year on year gap. Geopolitical conflict in West Asia has disrupted maritime and air logistics, raising freight and insurance costs and expected to suppress March exports. The government is consulting exporters to mitigate impacts, and a prospective bilateral trade pact awaits a new tariff architecture.

Tariff architecture uncertainty delays signing of interim trade agreement until US restores a stable global tariff framework.
The interim India-US trade framework remains unsigned pending establishment of a new US global tariff architecture; the previously agreed preferential tariff of 18 per cent for India is contingent on how the US restructures tariffs after a Supreme Court decision altered the prior emergency tariff regime. Negotiators have postponed final legalisation to ensure India's comparative advantage is preserved and to resolve outstanding non tariff and national security tariff issues before signing.

LPG supply prioritisation and PNG conversion policy secures fuel availability while imposing sectoral allocation controls.
Gujarat expanded LPG distribution and prioritised PNG connections, directing district collectors to coordinate with city gas distribution companies to encourage LPG-to-PNG conversion and facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial users, while maintaining rising buffer stocks and sectoral LPG allocation rules where PNG is unavailable.

Trade deficit widens as merchandise exports dip and imports surge, signalling supply-chain and geopolitical risks to trade.
Merchandise exports fell marginally in February while imports rose sharply, producing a monthly trade deficit; year to date exports rose modestly but imports grew faster. The Commerce Secretary warns of expected export softness in March due to logistical disruptions from the West Asia crisis, with trade-route interruptions, notably in the Strait of Hormuz, cited as the principal constraint on outbound shipments.

Regulatory harmonization for medical devices drives export policy to expand global market access and manufacturing competitiveness.
Strengthening India's medical devices export ecosystem focuses on regulatory harmonization, streamlining approval processes, and coordination between industry and regulators to reduce compliance bottlenecks and facilitate exports, supported by trade policy measures to improve market access. Complementary measures include development of manufacturing clusters, expansion of testing and certification capacity, and incentives for research and development and innovation to build global brand recognition and scale high value manufacturing.

Strait of Hormuz access disrupted, prompting multinational responses and elevated risks to regional shipping and energy flows.
A civilian freight convoy returning from Afghanistan to Turkey was struck near Zanjan in northwest Iran, killing a Turkish truck driver and leaving his vehicle shredded by shrapnel with a large crater at the site. Concurrent regional developments include restrictions on Strait of Hormuz access for certain states, discussion of strikes on energy infrastructure, a planned phased partial shutdown by a major aluminum producer due to blocked exports, and humanitarian and ordnance-clearance responses to civilian impacts.

Domestic gas priority may limit commercial hotel supplies; government seeks balanced approach to prevent operational disruptions.
The central advisory mandates uninterrupted household PNG and CNG supply and has led to regulated reductions in industrial and commercial gas deliveries, with commercial LPG allocated to states for priority distribution; Maharashtra will review hotel sector concerns and seek a balanced approach to protect domestic consumers while addressing commercial supply hardships.