Chabahar port: India considers transferring committed funds and creating new entity amid US sanctions waiver expiry.
India is reassessing its Chabahar port engagement due to a US sanctions waiver expiring April 26, 2026 and a threatened additional tariff. New Delhi is engaging with the US while considering transferring approximately USD 120 million to end direct government exposure and creating a new non-sovereign entity to continue development, thereby preserving support without sovereign liability.

Startups: FTAs, Rs.10,000 cr Startup Fund, GeM/ONDC integration, supply chain linkages and reskilling for deep-tech, tourism, and artisans.
The release describes policy measures to accelerate startup growth: priority sector focus on tourism and skill development with technology integration and workforce reskilling; Free Trade Agreements creating market and investor opportunities for cross-border startup collaboration; a second Rs.10,000-crore Startup Fund of Funds to support early-stage deep-tech; Government e-Marketplace and ONDC-based digitisation to enable artisans' market access; and institutional efforts to link startups and small enterprises with large investors and manufacturers to build domestic supply chains.

Startup India expands financing and governance: Fund of Funds, Rs.1 lakh crore R&D fund, state rankings and national awards boost deep tech growth.
The Government's operative startup framework combines targeted capital instruments-an expanded Fund of Funds and a Rs.1 lakh crore R&D fund-with DPIIT recognition for over 200,000 startups to support job creation and deep tech development. Complementary governance and incentive mechanisms include the States' Startup Ranking Framework, assessing six reform areas across nineteen action points to drive measurable ecosystem outcomes, and the National Startup Awards across 20 categories to recognise innovation, scalability, and societal impact.

India-EU free trade agreement nearing conclusion promises major export opportunities and diversification for Indian exporters.
The free trade agreement between India and the 27 member EU is in final-stage negotiations and expected to be announced around 27 January; it is presented as a large, mutually beneficial pact to expand market access, aid export diversification amid high external tariffs, and deepen bilateral goods and services trade, with the EU already accounting for about 17% of India's exports and total goods trade of USD 136.53 billion in 2024-25.

West Bengal IT sector opens state data centre access to private firms and facilitates Rs30,000 crore silicon valley investments.
West Bengal is advancing a Rs 30,000 crore silicon valley project prioritising AI, data centres and global capability centres, with 41 firms allotted land on a 250 acre site. The state will finalise a proposal to allow private companies access to the state run Siliguri data centre's high end GPU infrastructure for AI training, and the IT department will act as a single window facilitator to expedite clearances and support project expansion.

Tariff swap: EV tariff cut for agricultural tariff reductions, including canola seed duties and export caps.
Canada will cut the 100% tariff on imported Chinese electric vehicles and allow a capped volume - 49,000 vehicles initially rising to 70,000 over five years - while China will reduce its canola seed duty from about 84% to about 15%; these are coordinated sector-specific tariff concessions paired with a staged export cap.

Green ammonia project in Andhra Pradesh will scale to 1.5 Mtpa and enable India's green energy exports.
A USD 10 billion brownfield conversion at Kakinada will create a phased green hydrogen and green ammonia complex reaching 1.5 Mtpa by 2030, integrating 7.5 GW of solar and wind, 1,950 MW of electrolyser capacity and 2 GW of round-the-clock renewable power backed by pumped hydro, built to meet RFNBO standards and supported by long-term supply agreements and export infrastructure to enable India's first green ammonia exports.

China-Canada relations: leaders seek improved ties to address reciprocal tariffs disrupting agriculture, metals and EV trade.
Reciprocal tariff measures between China and Canada-Canada's duties on EVs, steel and aluminum and China's duties on canola products, pork and seafood-have effectively closed Chinese markets to key Canadian exports and created sectoral trade disruption; senior leaders are engaging to restore cooperation and pursue negotiations to reopen market channels in agriculture, energy, finance and trade.

India US trade talks: ambassador hosts US lawmakers as negotiations address 50% tariffs and bipartisan support.
The Indian ambassador hosted bipartisan US lawmakers to reinforce legislative support for expanded India-US cooperation and to discuss ongoing bilateral trade negotiations-now in six rounds-which include a framework to address a roughly 50 percent tariff dispute on Indian goods entering the US, alongside dialogue on technology, defence, counterterrorism and the economic implications of India's projected growth.

US-Taiwan trade deal cuts tariffs to 15% for USD 250 billion investment and semiconductor reshoring.
The agreement lowers the tariff on Taiwanese goods to 15% in return for approximately USD 250 billion of Taiwanese investment into US semiconductor, AI application and energy industries, establishes an economic partnership to develop US based industrial parks to build domestic production, and provides exemptions for specified imports plus preferential tariff treatment for Taiwanese semiconductor producers that make qualifying US investments.

Canada and China resume bilateral engagement to restore investment, ease reciprocal tariffs and reopen market access.
Canada and China have agreed to renew bilateral engagement across economic, financial, energy and security areas, restarting dialogue to promote investment and a nondiscriminatory business environment. This follows reciprocal tariff measures-Canadian duties on Chinese EVs, steel and aluminum and Chinese duties on Canadian canola, pork and seafood-that significantly restricted market access for Canadian exporters. The diplomatic reset addresses trade-policy mechanics, export diversification efforts in response to third-country tariffs, and the ongoing effects of prior law-enforcement actions that strained relations.

Supreme Court to examine alleged state interference in central probe while MHA forms committee on digital arrest issues.
The Supreme Court deemed allegations that a state chief minister obstructed a central agency's search and seizure operation as serious and will examine whether state law enforcement bodies may interfere with central probes into serious offences. The Court also noted disorder at the Calcutta High Court hearing. Separately, the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a high level committee to examine issues arising from digital arrest cases, creating an administrative review mechanism for procedural and technological law enforcement concerns.

Himachal apples: state seeks import ban in peak season, 100% off season duty, and trade protections for growers.
The state requests central intervention to protect apple growers by imposing a ban on imports during the July-November peak, raising import duty to 100 percent in off-season months, applying quantitative restrictions, and designating apples as a special category commodity; it also seeks a Green Fund allocation for hill states and permission for additional borrowing to address constrained fiscal space.

Protests in Minneapolis face threatened invocation of the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops amid legal challenges.
The executive threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces or federalize the National Guard to suppress Minneapolis protests stemming from immigration enforcement, setting federal authority against state and local objections; concurrent litigation seeks judicial restraints on the federal crackdown amid claims of constitutional violations, and the administration is assigning military legal officers to support prosecutions related to the operations.

Exports rose modestly while imports grew, widening the trade deficit amid high US tariffs and sectoral slowdown.
Exports rose 1.87% to USD 38.5 billion in December while imports grew 8.7% to USD 63.55 billion, widening the trade deficit to USD 25.04 billion. Labour intensive sectors showed export slowdown, attributed in part to a steep 50% US tariff, and the government is pursuing free trade agreements, export promotion and market diversification to mitigate impacts.

Strategic Trade Controls conference advances SCOMET guidance, licensing, enforcement and compliance for sensitive technology exports.
The National Conference on Strategic Trade Controls focused on the Strategic Trade Control framework and SCOMET policy, detailing the licensing framework, enforcement mechanisms, recent SCOMET list updates, and non proliferation considerations. It emphasized compliance measures including the Authorised Economic Operator programme and controls on Intangible Technology Transfer, and released the third edition of the Handbook on India's Strategic Trade Control System to guide implementation of export control policies and procedural obligations.

India trade: April-December 2025 exports rose 4.33% while imports rose 4.95%, widening the trade deficit.
Cumulative exports of merchandise and services for April-December 2025 are estimated at US$ 634.26 billion (up 4.33% YoY) and cumulative imports at US$ 730.84 billion (up 4.95% YoY), producing a trade deficit of US$ 96.58 billion. Merchandise exports were US$ 330.29 billion (2.44% growth) and non petroleum exports US$ 288.16 billion (5.51% growth). Services exports for April-December 2025 are estimated at US$ 303.97 billion (6.46% growth) with a services surplus of US$ 151.74 billion. December 2025 monthly estimates show total exports US$ 74.01 billion and imports US$ 80.94 billion.

India's trade with Iran is largely humanitarian and awaits clarity on the proposed 25% tariff affecting countries trading with Iran.
India describes its trade with Iran as largely humanitarian trade in food and pharmaceuticals and is awaiting the US executive order to assess the implications of the announced 25 percent tariff on countries doing business with Iran, with attention to sanctions compliance, potential secondary impacts on banks and firms, and effects on ongoing port development and sectoral exports.

India-US trade deal negotiations are reportedly near conclusion, with finalisation contingent on mutual readiness and no set deadline.
Negotiations toward a bilateral trade agreement between India and the United States are nearing conclusion with teams addressing virtually all outstanding issues; no firm announcement date will be set and finalisation is contingent on both sides' mutual readiness, while prior tariff measures and policy disagreements have strained relations but have not halted engagement.

India-EU free trade agreement to be sealed at the summit, paired with a strategic agenda and defence cooperation.
Expected India-EU free trade agreement to be finalised at the India-EU Summit on January 27 to deepen bilateral trade ties, accompanied by a new strategic agenda and a defence framework pact identifying five priority domains and expanded cooperation on maritime security, cyber defence, counterterrorism, regional connectivity initiatives including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, Global Gateway alignment, and trilateral engagement with third partners.