Introduction of e-Invoicing Facility for Recipient Generated Self Invoices under Reverse Charge Mechanism for Domestic Supplies from Unregistered Pers...
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participates in the 114th meeting of the Development Committee Plenary of the W...
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) destroy 2.87 Hectares (7.08 Acres) of illicit cannabis (ganja) cultiva...
The cumulative exports (merchandise & services) during April-September 2026-27 are estimated at US$ 476.20 Billion, as compared to US$ 418.31 Billion ...
Narcotics trafficking enforcement led to airport and road interceptions, baggage concealment detection, seizures, and arrests under the NDPS framework. Narcotics trafficking enforcement under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, involved intelligence-led interceptions at Bengaluru and Delhi airports and near Nagpur. Passenger baggage and a backpack were examined, leading to the seizure of amphetamine and cocaine and the arrest of three passengers. The recoveries included amphetamine concealed in baggage, a ladies' suit and a backpack lining, and cocaine contained in transparent packets within baggage.
Gold smuggling syndicate enforcement traces concealed imports through airport handlers, illicit melting, and jewellery-market disposal under customs law. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence enforcement action identified an organised gold-smuggling syndicate importing foreign-origin gold through Ahmedabad and Surat airports, followed by handover to handlers, intermediary routing, illegal melting, and cash-based supply through an Ahmedabad jewellery outlet. Further searches recovered undocumented foreign-origin gold bars and records concerning smuggled gold linked to a Dubai-based financier. The investigation identified interconnected roles across the movement, processing, and disposal of smuggled gold; three persons were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962.
Free trade agreement utilisation requires origin compliance, product standards, and documentation to secure preferential export market access. Effective FTA utilisation requires businesses to identify eligible products and markets, assess tariff preferences and rules of origin, and meet applicable quality, certification, documentation and importing-country requirements. Preferential access under agreements with the UAE, Australia, EFTA countries and the United Kingdom remains subject to each agreement's provisions and implementation status. Tariff preferences may improve price competitiveness and facilitate participation in international supply chains where product- and partner-specific conditions are satisfied.
Drug prevention awareness initiatives engage students through health education, interactive activities and pledges supporting a drug-free society. Mission Yuva Raksha advances preventive drug awareness and demand-reduction efforts among students through programmes at educational institutions in Madhya Pradesh. Sessions addressed the harmful effects of substance abuse on physical and mental health, education, family life and careers, supported by interactive learning activities. Participants were encouraged to avoid drugs, adopt healthy lifestyles, take pledges and support awareness initiatives in their schools, families and communities. Preventive education and youth engagement complement enforcement-oriented work through informed choices and community-based resistance to substance abuse.
Coastal narcotics trafficking enforcement addresses suspected maritime methamphetamine smuggling through seizure, asset recovery, and arrests under drug-control law. Intelligence-led narcotics enforcement addressed suspected coastal storage and maritime transfer of methamphetamine to Sri Lanka. Searches recovered crystal methamphetamine concealed in foil packets within duffel bags, which was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Searches also recovered suspected drug-sale proceeds and vehicles allegedly used in transportation. Persons allegedly involved in organising coastal export, transport, storage and logistics were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
Centralised audit framework targets lower physical branch audit coverage while preserving regulatory oversight and maintaining remuneration. For FY 2026-27, audit remuneration is to remain at existing levels. Member banks are advised to accelerate a centralised audit framework to improve cost efficiency while retaining comprehensive risk oversight. Physical statutory branch audit coverage should be reduced to cover 50% of total business, apart from centralised treasury audits. Audit coverage must align with SEBI listing and disclosure requirements and RBI guidelines, supported by a Board-approved policy for the centralised audit roadmap.
Promissory estoppel cannot prevent Government shareholding dilution where enacted legislation imposes no restriction on strategic disinvestment. Government shareholding in IDBI may be reduced or divested because the IDBI (Repeal) Act, 2003 contains no restriction on dilution of the Government's stake. A proposed amendment to limit dilution was rejected and not incorporated into the enacted law. Parliamentary statements cannot override statutory text, and promissory estoppel cannot be invoked on the basis of legislative debate statements to prevent dilution of Government shareholding. Successive Union Budget speeches also reflected a policy of transformation and strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank.
Recipient-generated e-invoicing under reverse charge enables eligible taxpayers to obtain IRNs for domestic unregistered supplies and imported services. Eligible active registered recipients meeting the applicable aggregate annual turnover threshold may report recipient-generated self-invoices for specified reverse-charge domestic supplies from unregistered persons and imports of services. RCMDOM and RCMIMP must be selected as the relevant e-invoice supply types when reporting through an authorised Invoice Registration Portal. Submission and validation of prescribed invoice particulars would generate an Invoice Reference Number, subject to applicable GST provisions, notifications and e-invoice specifications.
Reservation Policy Implementation in public financial institutions was examined through capacity building, practical deliberations, and measures for consistent application. Implementation of the Government of India's Reservation Policy across public sector banks, public sector insurance companies, sectoral regulators and public financial institutions was addressed through capacity building to support uniform and effective application. Deliberations considered practical implementation issues, operational challenges and actionable measures for consistent policy application, alongside related welfare measures and interactive discussion of implementation questions.
Organic agricultural export certification supports overseas market access for Palmyra Jaggery Powder through export-oriented producer linkages. APEDA facilitated the maiden sea export of NPOP- and EU-certified organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder from Tamil Nadu to Bulgaria. The initiative seeks to diversify India's organic export basket, create market linkages for traditional Palmyra-based products, and improve producer access through export-oriented value chains. It covers organic cultivation and reports improved price realisation for participating farmers and the manufacturer compared with the domestic market. APEDA supports certified organic and value-added agricultural exports through market development, quality compliance, and overseas buyer linkages.
Data-driven trade governance enables integrated monitoring, application analysis and evidence-based policy inputs through the National Strategic Trade Command Centre. The National Strategic Trade Command Centre provides an integrated analytics and visualisation platform consolidating trade data to monitor trade indicators, scheme performance, application pendency, processing timelines, regional trends and compliance-related parameters. It enables analysis across national trade performance, Regional Authorities, schemes, products, destination markets and individual applications, subject to role-based access permissions. Initial dashboards cover key trade-facilitation and regulatory processes, including SCOMET, export promotion schemes, certificates of origin, importer-exporter registration and restricted imports and exports.
Private capital mobilisation should use competitive financing, guarantees and risk mitigation to expand productive employment and productivity. Private capital mobilisation is treated as essential to employment generation and productivity growth. Private enterprises, MSMEs and startups should remain central to job creation, with financing assessed by employment and productivity outcomes rather than volume. Guarantees, risk-mitigation instruments, local-currency financing and lower transaction costs are identified as means to expand affordable and predictable access to capital. Methodologies underlying governance indicators should be transparent, objective, evidence-based and responsive to diverse development experiences.
Narcotics smuggling through misdeclared air cargo triggered seizure, arrest, and ongoing investigation into concealed hydroponic weed imports. A Bangkok-origin air-cargo consignment declared as PU Tubes was examined on suspicion of mis-declaration. Plastic spools were found to contain concealed cavities holding polythene-wrapped packets of compacted green substance, preliminarily identified as suspected ganja/marijuana and described as hydroponic weed. The concealed substance, packaging and concealment material were seized under the NDPS Act, 1985. One person was arrested, and follow-up searches produced leads for continuing investigation.
Unaccompanied baggage gold smuggling: concealed hardware and insider coordination triggered interception, seizure, and arrests under customs law. Foreign-origin gold smuggling through the unaccompanied baggage channel involved concealment of gold within hardware items and coordinated retrieval through warehouse personnel and intermediaries. Intelligence-led interception resulted in recovery and seizure of foreign-origin gold concealed in a floor spring, metal locks, a grease gun and a door closer. The arrangement used a trolley secured by a pre-decided number-lock combination, with a warehouse staff member, mediator and receiver allegedly involved in delivery of the concealed gold.
Opium cultivation licensing grievance redressal advances through public hearings, administrative remedies, policy recording, and a planned cultivator helpline. Opium cultivation licensing grievances were addressed through a public hearing where cultivators raised irrigation, climatic, single-plot licensing, and village-wise allocation concerns. Participants were informed of available legal provisions and administrative remedies. Requests for more licences and larger cultivation plots were considered, with policy matters recorded. A helpline is intended to assist cultivators during the 2026-27 licensing operation.
Illicit cannabis cultivation: crop destruction followed legal formalities, while investigation continues in a remote wildlife sanctuary. Illicit cannabis cultivation was located by a joint DRI and CBN team across five stretches of remote, densely forested wildlife-sanctuary land near village Jamniapani, Shirpur, District Dhule, Maharashtra. The cultivation covered 2.87 hectares. Following requisite legal formalities, the cannabis crop was destroyed using a rotavator in the presence of Police and Forest Department officials. Investigation remains in progress.
Merchandise and services trade estimates show export growth, import expansion, and a wider combined trade deficit over the reporting period. Combined trade estimates for April-September 2026-27 show exports of US$ 476.20 billion and imports of US$ 551.13 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of US$ 74.93 billion. Merchandise exports rose to US$ 259.89 billion, while merchandise imports reached US$ 437.53 billion. Estimated services exports were US$ 216.31 billion and services imports were US$ 113.60 billion, producing a services trade surplus of US$ 102.71 billion. September services figures are estimates, and specified earlier-period data were revised using quarterly balance-of-payments data.
Emerging technology skills and resilient supply chains are positioned as foundations for investment competitiveness and inclusive economic growth. Ministerial policy priorities for India's trade, investment and technology agenda emphasise artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, technology adoption, manufacturing investment and lifelong skill development. Investment competitiveness is linked to political stability, resilient supply chains, and fair and transparent trading practices. The first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement with the United States has been finalised, while final contours and legal drafting continue before operationalisation.
Majority stake acquisition in the jewellery sector receives competition clearance for GRT Jewellers' purchase of Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri. Competition Commission of India approved GRT Jewellers (India) Private Limited's proposed acquisition of a majority stake in Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Limited. The transaction concerns entities operating in the Indian gems and jewellery market, including a private limited acquirer and a publicly listed target engaged in manufacturing and sale of gems and jewellery.
Minority shareholding acquisition in mother and baby healthcare receives competition clearance for a private equity-backed investment. Competition Commission of India clearance authorises NuageLux BidCo S.a r.l. to acquire approximately 23% of the fully diluted shareholding in Kids Clinic India Ltd. The transaction constitutes an acquisition of a minority equity interest in a healthcare provider operating under the Cloudnine brand. NuageLux BidCo is a Luxembourg-incorporated private limited special purpose vehicle, ultimately controlled by Permira Holdings Ltd.
The Government of India today signed a loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for $208 million for Tranche 3 of this Investment programme titled 'Himachal Pradesh Clean Energy Development Investment Program'. This Facility is for a series of loans to provide funding for four run-of-river hydropower projects totaling 856 MW in Himachal Pradesh, for an amount of $ 800 Million from ADB. This particular loan provides partial funding for stages II & III of the Integrated Kashang Hydroelectric Project totaling 195 MW located in District Kinnaur, and for the 100 MW Sainj Hydroelectric Project located in District Kullu.
Himachal Pradesh has abundant water resources, with five major rivers flowing from the western Himalayas. Its power generation potential is about 23,000 MW - about one fourth of India's total hydropower potential - out of which about 6,480 MW has been developed. Recognizing the state's comparative advantage, the state government in 2006 approved a hydropower policy that aims to make Himachal Pradesh the "hydropower state" of India.
Shri Venu Rajamony, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, signed the loan on behalf of the Government of India (GOI). Mr. Venu Rajamony said on the occasion, "We appreciate ADB's support to this project. This is part of GOI's priority to supply clean renewable energy power projects. We look forward to successful completion of the project. The Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation, the Implementing Agency for this project is also taking the lead in development and accreditation of its project for availing carbon credits as part of the Clean Development mechanism under the UNFPCC. We also look forward to development and realization of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) benefits by the project authorities."
"Himachal Pradesh's focus on hydropower development is vital to meet all in-state demand by providing affordable, reliable power to its residents as the state currently meets only about 50% of its power demand through its own power generating capacity. Harnessing this hydropower will also enable the export of excess power to the rest of the country for the benefit of power deficient states. Himachal Pradesh's focus on clean energy development will provide jobs to state residents and will further the country's goal of meeting its energy needs through treading a low carbon path," said Mr. Andrew Jeffries, a Senior Energy Specialist at ADB's South Asia Department.
The Executing Agency for the loan program is the Multi-purpose Projects & Power Department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. is the Implementing Agency. These two projects are expected to be completed by 2016.
Clean energy loan financing supports hydropower project construction and carbon credit accreditation under a multilateral investment programme.
A multilateral loan tranche provides partial funding for specified stages of the Integrated Kashang Hydroelectric Project and for the Sainj Hydroelectric Project as part of a larger facility to finance run-of-river hydropower projects, to be executed by the state multipurpose projects and power department and implemented by the state power corporation, with project designs pursuing Clean Development Mechanism accreditation and an anticipated completion timeline.
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