Illegal immigration enforcement prioritises dismantling entry, documentation and employment networks while requiring citizens to report information through police channels. Illegal immigration enforcement involves continuous identification and verification operations, coordination with relevant officials, and confidential investigation of networks facilitating entry, identity documentation, accommodation and employment. Enquiries extend to intermediaries, contractors, Aadhaar procurement and verification practices, rather than focusing only on apprehended individuals. Citizen vigilantism, moral policing and social-media targeting of suspected migrants are discouraged because they may compromise investigations; information should instead be given through proper police channels.
Technology, transparency and governance strengthen urban cooperative banks through modern customer services, depositor protection and cooperative-sector support. Technology adoption, transparency, sound governance and modern customer services are identified as necessary for urban cooperative banks to remain competitive. Banks are encouraged to join the sector's umbrella organisation and self-regulatory body, which provides capital, information-technology infrastructure and liquidity support. Protection of depositors' money remains a regulatory responsibility, while banks are expected to improve governance, train staff, adopt technology and enhance customer-centric services. Customer prosperity and reduced perception gaps between the central bank and urban cooperative banks are emphasised as measures to strengthen the sector.
Authorised Dealer Category-II licensing expands permissible FEMA current account and foreign trade transaction services for cross-border payment customers. An Authorised Dealer Category-II approval under the Foreign Exchange Management (Authorised Persons) Regulations, 2026 enables Paul Merchants to undertake additional permissible non-trade current account transactions under FEMA, excluding gifts and donations, and foreign trade transactions within the applicable per-transaction limit. The approval supports foreign exchange and cross-border payment services, including overseas remittances for education, medical treatment, travel, and conference or event participation.
Integrated investor claim portal modernisation advances digital KYC, streamlined verification, stakeholder-informed safeguards, and efficient investor claim settlement services. Integrated IEPFA Portal 2.0 is proposed to modernise investor claim processing through digital KYC, pre-filled Form IEPF-5, entitlement search, and a simplified e-Verification Report filing workflow. Stakeholder feedback included Aadhaar eKYC address validation, KYC for authorised representatives, entitlement-letter validation checks, bulk DSC and eSign functionality, integration of approved IEPF Form-4 data, lower-value share valuation using NSE and BSE data, and alerts for frequent address changes to prevent fraud.
Foreign capital inflows supported the rupee despite geopolitical uncertainty, oil-price pressures, and volatile global market sentiment. Foreign capital inflows supported a marginal strengthening of the rupee against the US dollar despite global risk aversion arising from uncertainty surrounding negotiations affecting the Strait of Hormuz. Higher crude oil prices and weak domestic equity sentiment remained relevant pressures. Near-term currency movement was expected to depend on developments in the negotiations, weekend decisions, US employment data, the dollar index, crude oil prices, and the reported increase in foreign exchange reserves.
Energy security through diversified sourcing protected fuel supplies during Hormuz disruption and supports domestic exploration and alternative fuels. Energy security measures based on diversified crude oil and LPG sourcing, expanded infrastructure, increased domestic LPG production and alternative fuels were presented as maintaining fuel availability during disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Domestic resilience is also linked to support for private deep-water oil and gas exploration, opening offshore acreage, and expansion of compressed biogas and ethanol blending. Ethanol-blended petrol testing identified limited contamination instances rather than a systemic issue, while excise duty reductions were described as cushioning consumers against global fuel-price volatility.
Credit valuation adjustment framework revises derivative capital requirements through flexible basic approaches, hedge recognition, and risk-sensitive counterparty treatment. Credit Valuation Adjustment framework revisions align CVA capital treatment with final Basel III standards. Eligible banks may use the full or reduced basic approach, while banks with an insignificant volume of non-centrally cleared derivatives may calculate their CVA capital charge at 100 per cent of the counterparty credit risk capital charge. The draft also clarifies CVA hedge recognition, introduces risk weights sensitive to sector and credit quality, and separates systematic and idiosyncratic CVA risk in the full basic approach.
Leverage ratio framework amendments propose Basel-aligned capital adequacy standards, with public feedback invited on the draft directions. Proposed amendments to the leverage ratio framework would revise Chapter VII of the 2025 Commercial Banks Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy Directions to implement the Basel Committee's Leverage Ratio 2017 Standard. Public comments and feedback on the draft Eleventh Amendment Directions, 2026, are invited until August 28, 2026, through the designated online platform, postal submission, or email.
BHAVYA Scheme project selection uses challenge-based evaluation of infrastructure, industrial ecosystems, and policy enablers under prescribed eligibility criteria. BHAVYA Scheme Phase-I proposals submitted by State and Union Territory governments will be evaluated and scored under prescribed eligibility and evaluation criteria. Challenge-based project selection considers connectivity and site suitability, quality of core, value-added and social infrastructure in the detailed project report, and the industrial ecosystem and policy enablers. The Scheme guidelines provide for completion of the first-phase selection process within one year from notification.
Multilateral trade cooperation preserves developing economies' policy space while advancing MSME finance, diversified value chains and digital services. BRICS ministers adopted measures supporting a development-centred multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, preservation of Special and Differential Treatment, binding two-tier dispute settlement, and developing economies' policy space for food security and public stockholding. MSME measures include study of an invoice discounting mechanism and credit-assessment principles focused on cash flow rather than collateral. Value-chain measures provide for a GVC Action Plan, technical cooperation, Special Economic Zone cooperation and digitised trade documents, alongside principles for trusted cross-border digitally delivered services.
Digital public procurement promotes transparent sourcing, reduced seller charges, competition monitoring and evidence-based spending oversight through an integrated marketplace. Government e-Marketplace digitises public procurement through a unified platform promoting transparency, efficiency, good governance and wider supplier participation. Seller-facing measures include reduced transaction charges, exemption of smaller orders, a cap on maximum transaction fees and reduced vendor assessment fees. The platform uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools to identify suspected cartelisation, collusion and order splitting, while its digital transactional trail supports expenditure monitoring, identification of inefficiencies and evidence-based policy interventions.
Criminal justice, extremist-material regulation and administrative schemes feature in reports on prosecutions, demolition practices, loan waivers and fuel policy. Criminal justice reports cover bail and an expedited trial in an assault prosecution, arrest for allegedly sheltering an accused, allegations of rape and murder of a minor, and claimed irregularities in a police recruitment examination. Regulatory developments include a ban on extremist literature associated with proscribed organisations and judicial disapproval of coercive demolition. Administrative coverage includes farmer loan-waiver transfers following Aadhaar authentication and debate over the E20 fuel-blending programme.
Foreign exchange reserves rose as foreign currency assets, gold holdings, Special Drawing Rights and IMF reserve position increased. India's foreign exchange reserves increased during the week ended July 31, principally because of higher foreign currency assets and gold reserves. Foreign currency assets include US dollar valuation effects arising from movements in currencies such as the euro, pound and yen. Special Drawing Rights and India's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund also increased. The movement followed measures to attract foreign exchange inflows, including an FCNR(B) measure, after earlier reserve declines associated with rupee pressure and dollar sales for foreign exchange market intervention.
Farm loan waiver eligibility depends on verified beneficiary status and Aadhaar authentication for direct credit of eligible crop-loan relief. The farm loan waiver scheme covers eligible short-term crop loans within the prescribed ceiling and eligibility period. Waiver amounts are credited to verified bank accounts after field verification and completion of Aadhaar authentication. Aadhaar authentication is the operative condition for automatic processing of benefits, while eligibility rules and technical conditions have raised concerns about exclusion of distressed farmers.
Corporate agency distribution expands access to life insurance products, supporting insurance awareness, financial inclusion and long-term household financial protection. A corporate agency arrangement enables J&K Bank to distribute SBI Life Insurance protection, savings, retirement and child-oriented life insurance plans through its branch network. The partnership aims to improve insurance access, awareness, financial literacy and long-term financial planning for households, particularly in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It is intended to expand insurance penetration, strengthen household financial protection and support financial inclusion in line with the IRDAI vision of "Insurance for All by 2047".
Cross-border smuggling controls target narcotics, poppy seeds and areca nuts entering through the Indo-Myanmar border region. Cross-border smuggling enforcement targeted methamphetamine, foreign-origin poppy seeds and areca nuts allegedly brought from Myanmar. Methamphetamine concealed in an ambulance was seized under the NDPS Act, 1985. Poppy seeds and areca nuts recovered in separate operations were seized under the Customs Act, 1962. Poppy-seed imports are restricted to designated countries and require registration to ensure traceability and prevent illicit produce entering legitimate supply chains. The enforcement action addresses circumvention of customs controls and regulated import requirements.
Direct benefit transfer for welfare pensions replaces cooperative-bank doorstep delivery, while retaining limited home service for excluded beneficiaries. Direct Benefit Transfer for social security and welfare pensions is to be made through Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, replacing cooperative-bank doorstep delivery. Home delivery remains available for bedridden persons and others who cannot be excluded. The change is associated with delays in remitting undistributed amounts, record-update failures, reconciliation issues, duplicate payments, and incomplete Aadhaar-based payment implementation. Concerns have been raised that mandatory bank-account credit may disadvantage beneficiaries dependent on doorstep delivery.
Direct Benefit Transfer for welfare pensions replaces doorstep cooperative-bank delivery, while home delivery remains for bedridden beneficiaries. Direct Benefit Transfer of social security and welfare pensions is to be made mandatory through Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, replacing cooperative-bank doorstep distribution. Home delivery continues for completely bedridden beneficiaries and others who cannot be excluded. The change addresses delays in remitting undistributed amounts, record-update and reconciliation deficiencies, duplicate payments linked to incomplete Aadhaar-based payments, delivery incentive costs, and the need to comply with Direct Benefit Transfer norms to avoid loss of central financial assistance.
Customs trade data show moderating July growth while high-technology exports, vehicles and advanced manufacturing supplies remain strongly supported. Customs and trade data showed that China's July export and import growth moderated and its trade surplus narrowed from the preceding month. Typhoon-related port disruptions affected trade flows, but demand for electronics and green technology products supported elevated values. High-technology items, vehicles, electronics and machinery recorded strong January-July export growth, while trade performance varied among the United States, the European Union and Southeast Asia.
BRICS industrial cooperation advances MSME, photovoltaic, startup and logistics frameworks alongside resilient trade and digital services collaboration. BRICS industrial cooperation under PartNIR was strengthened through a Joint Declaration and institutional measures addressing MSMEs, photovoltaics, startup-led innovation, and resilient transport and logistics. The measures include an SME cooperation framework, Terms of Reference and an Action Plan for photovoltaic industry cooperation, and a startup innovation action plan. Trade discussions focused on the multilateral trading system, MSME participation in international trade, resilient global value chains, and cross-border digitally delivered services within a rules-based trading framework.
The External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) policy has been reviewed to keep it in tune with the evolving macroeconomic situation, changing market conditions, sectoral requirements, the external sector and lessons of experience.Consequent upon such a review, it has been decided to modify some aspects of the ECB policy as indicated below:
All-in-cost ceilings on ECB
As per extant ECB policy, the all-in-cost ceilings for ECBs, in respect of both automatic as well as approval routes, for average maturity period of 3-5 years and more than years are 6 month Libor+300 bps and 6 month Libor+500 bps respectively.
Keeping in view the credit conditions in the international and domestic financial markets, it has been decided to dispense with the requirement of all-in-cost ceilings on ECB until June 30, 2009. Eligible borrowers proposing to avail of ECB beyond the permissible all-in-cost ceilings specified in para 2 above may approach the Reserve Bank of India under the approval route. This relaxation in all-in-cost ceiling will be reviewed in June 2009.
ECBs for development of integrated township
In May 2007, RBI had withdrawn the exemption accorded to the 'development of integrated township' as a permissible end-use of ECB. It has now been decided to permit corporates engaged in the development of integrated township, as defined in Press Note 3 (2002 Series) dated January 04, 2002 issued by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, to avail of ECB under the Approval Route. This facility will be reviewed in June 2009.
ECBs for NBFCs exclusively engaged in financing of the infrastructure sector
As per the extant policy guidelines on ECB, NBFCs are permitted to avail of ECB for a minimum maturity period of five years to finance import of infrastructure equipments for leasing to infrastructure projects in India. It has now been decided to allow NBFCs, which are exclusively involved in financing of the infrastructure sector, to avail of ECBs from multilateral/regional financial institutions and government owned development financial institutions under the approval route. While considering the applications, RBI will take into account the aggregate commitment of these lenders directly to infrastructure projects in India. The direct lending portfolio of the above lenders vis-à-vis their total ECB lending to NBFCs, at any point of time should not be less than 3:1. This facility will be reviewed in June 2009.
ECBs by the services sector
At present entities in the services sector namely Hotels, Hospitals and Software sector are allowed to avail of ECB up to USD 100 million per financial year for import of capital goods under the approval route. It has now been decided to permit the corporates in the Hotels, Hospitals and Software sectors to avail ECB up to USD 100 million per year for both foreign currency and / or Rupee capital expenditure for permissible end use, other than for land acquisition, under the Automatic Route.
Limit for FIIs' investment in corporate debt
Currently, FIIs have been permitted to invest up to USD 6 billion in corporate debt. It has now been decided to enhance the limit to USD 15 billion.
. All other aspects of ECB policy such as USD 500 million limit per company per year under the Automatic Route, eligible borrower, recognised lender, end-use, average maturity period, prepayment, refinancing of existing ECB and reporting arrangements remain unchanged.
. The above amendments in ECB policy will come into force on the date of Notification of Regulations / directions issued by the Reserve Bank in this regard under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.
ECB policy liberalisation suspends all-in-cost ceilings temporarily and widens eligible borrowers and routes for external borrowing.
The ECB policy review dispenses with the requirement of all-in-cost ceilings until review and allows borrowers exceeding prior ceilings to seek approval from the Reserve Bank; concurrently, it permits integrated township developers and specified NBFCs to access ECBs under the approval route (with a direct-lending ratio condition), moves certain services sector capital expenditure ECBs to the automatic route (excluding land acquisition), and raises the FII corporate debt investment ceiling, with changes effective on RBI notification.
Note: It is a system-generated summary and is for quick reference only.
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