Payments company FSS adopts ISO IEC 42001, committing to enterprise AI governance, continuous monitoring, and risk mitigation.
FSS has implemented an enterprise-wide ISO/IEC 42001-aligned framework establishing ownership, governance structures, and lifecycle controls that require continuous post-deployment monitoring and proactive risk assessment for bias, unintended outcomes, explainability gaps, and regulatory non-compliance across AI use cases such as fraud detection, transaction monitoring, reconciliation, dispute management, and automation.

Stock markets slipped as geopolitical tensions and tariff concerns triggered profit-taking and foreign fund outflows.
Markets opened lower as geopolitical risk and potential tariff increases triggered profit-taking and constrained risk appetite, producing stock- and sector-specific weakness rather than broad directional movement; foreign institutional selling contrasted with domestic institutional buying, and a softer global oil price modestly influenced sentiment.

China bans exports of dual-use goods to Japan that could enhance Japanese military power in new trade restriction.
China prohibits exports of dual-use goods to Japanese military users and to any end users whose receipt could enhance Japanese military power, imposing legal consequences on individuals or organizations that transfer such products to Japanese groups or people regardless of their nationality or location; the measure did not list specific items but includes technologies adaptable for military use.

US tariffs on India now at 50%, including 25% on Russian oil, straining ties and affecting defense sales.
The United States has imposed elevated import tariffs targeting India, described as a 50% tariff posture with a 25% component on purchases of Russian oil, producing diplomatic friction and affecting bilateral energy transactions; the announcement also referenced an outstanding Indian order for 68 Apache helicopters and indicated adjustments to that defense sale amid changing policy conditions.

Legal rulings: Courts define aggravated POCSO assault, uphold website blocks for piracy, rebuke pollution watchdog delays.
The Supreme Court reprimanded the pollution regulator for seeking adjournment on toll-plaza relocation to ease congestion; the Delhi High Court ruled that forcing a small child to touch private parts with sexual intent is aggravated sexual assault under the POCSO Act; an Odisha POCSO court imposed the death penalty in a six-year-old's rape-murder; Delhi HC ordered blocking of websites illegally streaming films and shows; a court extended time for response in an electoral-roll inclusion challenge; Madras HC upheld permission to light a religious lamp on a hill.

Bangladesh political violence: chargesheet filed, protests demand justice and work-permit bans amid communal attacks escalating.
Chargesheet against 17 persons alleges the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi resulted from political vengeance, triggering protests seeking justice and demands to cancel work permits of foreign nationals; concurrent reports document violence against Hindu community members, trader-organized demonstrations, claims that conditions for free and fair elections are lacking, a curfew later lifted after communal unrest, arrests for political expression at a private event, and state measures including an entry ban and a trade agreement impacting cross-border movement and commerce.

US tariffs' impact on Indian exporters assessed through sectoral consultations and interagency evaluation of mitigation measures.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce is conducting sectoral consultations and field visits to assess how higher United States tariffs affect market access for Indian marine, automotive, leather, textile and apparel exporters, and to evaluate mitigation measures taken by financial institutions, central and state governments. Interagency participation from commerce, DPIIT, textiles and MSME aims to inform coordinated responses and export-augmentation strategies in the context of India-US trade relations.

Bihar teacher recruitment paper leak: police arrest gang member amid probe of coordinated exam fraud network.
The Economic Offences Unit arrested a gang member linked to the Bihar Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE-3) paper leak; interrogation revealed that candidates were transported to receive leaked question papers in a coordinated scheme that arranged access for hundreds of aspirants for payment. The incident is part of an alleged interstate network responsible for multiple recruitment exam leaks, with the purported mastermind already in custody and related probes ongoing.

FTA with India to expand market access and a USD 20 billion FDI commitment to boost exports and investment.
A concluded Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and India creates a bilateral framework to expand market access and stimulate investment, including a USD 20 billion FDI commitment over 15 years, aimed at boosting exports, supporting farmers and businesses, and enabling trade diversification.

Morbi ceramic cluster drives India's ceramic exports-80-90% share-and is being upgraded with state incentives and technology.
Morbi district accounts for approximately 80-90% of India's ceramic exports (about Rs 15,000 crore in 2024-25), with roughly 1,200 units producing about 60 lakh tonnes annually and employing around 9 lakh people. The state is showcasing the cluster's advanced products and Ceramics Park at VGRC and strengthening it through technology upgradation, automation, renewable energy adoption, waste recycling, logistics support, and industrial incentives totaling over Rs 115 crore to more than 2,200 beneficiaries.

India imported large volumes of discounted Russian oil despite sanctions; some refiners halted purchases after new US measures.
India became a major purchaser of discounted Russian crude and coal after February 2022, buying approximately 162.5 billion in fossil fuels through January 2026; continued trade was enabled by price discounts, a growing shadow fleet, and sales via non sanctioned entities despite G7 and EU restrictions, while recent US secondary sanctions led some major Indian refiners to pause purchases from sanctioned exporters but other refiners continue buying.

Indian equity markets fell on geopolitical tensions and US tariff threats, driven by profit-booking and weak services PMI.
Indian equity benchmarks declined as geopolitical tensions and US tariff-hike threats prompted profit-booking and selling in large-cap stocks led by Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank; sectoral divergence saw energy, oil & gas and services drop while healthcare and select banking and IT names gained, foreign institutional investors sold net while domestic institutions bought, and market sentiment was dented by a slowdown in the HSBC India Services PMI.

Reliance Industries halted Russian crude at its export SEZ refinery and says no Russian deliveries expected in January.
Reliance Industries ceased processing Russian crude at its export-only Jamnagar SEZ refinery to comply with EU sanctions, stopped Russian barrel receipts from November 20, and will source all SEZ export products from non-Russian crude; the company denied reports of incoming Russian cargoes, saying no Russian deliveries were received in about three weeks and none were expected in January.

India services sector growth slowed in December as PMI readings eased, job creation stalled, but exports rose.
India's services sector expansion eased in December with the HSBC India Services PMI falling from 59.8 to 58.0 and the Composite PMI Output Index declining to 57.8, reflecting slower new work and output, stalled private sector job creation, rising new export orders, and only benign increases in input costs and output charges amid heightened market uncertainty and exchange rate concerns.

Stock markets fall as tariff warnings over oil purchases and heavy blue chip selling hit investor sentiment and prompt volatility.
A US warning to potentially raise tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases pressured investor sentiment and, together with heavy selling in major blue chips like Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank, drove early declines in the Sensex and Nifty; foreign institutional investors showed net outflows while domestic institutions were net buyers, and market volatility was attributed to geopolitical and tariff related concerns despite supportive domestic fundamentals.

Bilateral security cooperation faces public threats of foreign military intervention used as negotiation leverage, while enforcement and diplomacy continue.
Threats of unilateral foreign military action are assessed as very unlikely due to strong bilateral cooperation, economic interdependence and legitimate domestic governance; authorities have rejected foreign military intervention while increasing domestic enforcement, extraditions and deportation agreements. Public threats serve as a negotiation weapon to secure concessions-such as expanded access for foreign security agencies, high profile captures or trade leverage-while analysts caution that military intervention would suspend cooperation and raise sovereignty and international law concerns.

US tariffs claimed to generate over $600 billion, framed as strengthening national security and correcting unfair trade.
The executive asserts collection of over USD 600 billion in tariffs imposed on imports, presenting those levies as strengthening the United States financially and in national security, and describes the measures as corrective trade policy addressing unfair foreign treatment of American products while anticipating a consequential tariff decision.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's India visit to prioritize boosting trade, investment, technology and defence cooperation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's two day India visit will prioritize intensifying bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, defence, technology, education and mobility under the framework of Inter-Governmental Consultations, with business engagement and a review of the Indo German green hydrogen roadmap to advance energy, sustainability and commercial ties.

US tariff threat prompts Congress to accuse Modi of bowing to Trump, citing 'Mogambo khush hua' comment.
The article reports a US tariff threat-Washington can raise tariffs on India "very quickly" over its Russian oil purchases-and the Indian opposition's response accusing the Prime Minister of bowing to US pressure, invoking the phrase "Mogambo khush hua" to characterise the US President's remarks and urging a stronger defence of national trade autonomy.

Delhi riots bail applications and customs duty on SEZ-generated power addressed, court distinguished participation and revisited duty liability.
The Supreme Court distinguished levels of alleged involvement in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy, describing a hierarchy of participation and finding prosecution material indicating planning, mobilisation and strategic direction by certain activists. Separately, the Court revisited the legal characterisation of customs duty on electrical energy generated in a special economic zone and supplied to the domestic tariff area, departing from prior high court analysis and affecting the approach to customs liability for such SEZ-DTA supplies.