Financial inclusion through PMMY expands collateral-free credit for small entrepreneurs across banks, NBFCs and MFIs.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) extends collateral-free institutional credit to small and micro entrepreneurs for non-corporate, non-farm income-generating activities, with the objective of funding the unfunded and broadening financial inclusion. The scheme operates through banks, NBFCs and MFIs, and is structured into Shishu, Kishor, Tarun and TarunPlus categories according to the borrower's credit needs. Loan support covers term finance and working capital across manufacturing, trading, service activities and allied agricultural activities, while interest rates are governed by RBI guidelines and repayment terms are flexible.

Competition Commission approval for hospitality sector acquisition and group restructuring through amalgamation and demerger.
Competition Commission approval was granted for the acquisition of certain equity shares in Fleur Hotels Limited by Coastal Cedar Investments B.V. and the internal restructuring of the Lemon Tree Hotels Limited group through amalgamation and demerger. The transaction concerns a hospitality sector structure in which Fleur Hotels Limited is a subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels Limited and owns and leases hotels directly and through subsidiaries, while several wholly owned subsidiaries of Lemon Tree Hotels Limited are involved in the restructuring.

Infrastructure investment trust acquisition of KNR SPVs approved for highway project SPVs under the Hybrid Annuity Model.
The Competition Commission of India approved the proposed acquisition of 100% equity shareholding in KNR SPVs by Indus Infra Trust from KNR Constructions Ltd. The transaction is structured through the trust's investment manager and concerns four special purpose vehicle companies incorporated for infrastructure development projects. Indus Infra Trust is a SEBI-registered infrastructure investment trust governed by the SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014, while the target SPVs operate highway projects under concession agreements on a Hybrid Annuity Model.

Bid rigging in public tenders led to cease-and-desist directions for anti-competitive conduct and proprietor liability.
The Competition Commission of India directed seventeen opposite parties to cease and desist from anti-competitive conduct in tenders for internal and external electrification works in police station buildings across Assam. The proceedings concerned alleged bid rigging by bid rotation and cover bidding, supported by identical mistakes in bids, identical IP addresses, call detail record details, and consecutive demand draft numbers, and the Commission acted under Section 27 for contravention of Section 3(3)(d) read with Section 3(1), with proprietors also held liable under Section 48.

Acquisition of sole control and minor shareholding increase in a joint venture were approved under competition law scrutiny.
Acquisition of an additional 0.4% shareholding in Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. through market purchases, together with acquisition of sole control over the 50:50 joint venture HCJI Holdings K. K. through a share buyback, was approved by the Competition Commission of India. Citrus Investment LLC is an investment vehicle with no other business activities, while HCM manufactures construction equipment and HCJI is a holding company with no other activities.

Competition approval for Torrent Power's acquisition of Nabha Power's equity and convertible preference shares.
Competition approval was granted for the proposed acquisition of 100% equity shares and non-cumulative optionally convertible redeemable preference shares in Nabha Power Limited by Torrent Power Limited from L&T Power Development Limited. The transaction was structured on a fully diluted basis and concerned a target operating a 2x700 MW supercritical thermal power plant at Rajpura, Punjab. The acquirer is a listed power company engaged in generation, transmission, distribution and cable manufacturing, and forms part of the Torrent Group.

Competition approval for minority equity acquisition in a housing finance company through preferential issue and private placement.
Approval was granted for a proposed combination involving acquisition of equity shares in a housing finance company through a preferential issue on a private placement basis. The transaction contemplates acquisition of 14.286% of the post-issue paid-up equity share capital of the target on a fully diluted basis by an investment holding company. The target is a non-deposit accepting housing finance company registered with the National Housing Bank and engaged in home loans, loans against property, construction finance loans, and lease rental discounting loans.

Rupee appreciation follows ceasefire-driven risk-on buying as markets watch central bank policy and currency stability.
The rupee appreciated in early trade after a two-week suspension of military strikes against Iran triggered risk-on buying across currencies, equities and commodities, while Brent crude and the dollar index fell. Foreign exchange conditions were also shaped by the Reserve Bank of India's deadline for squaring overnight positions and the day's monetary policy announcement, with markets expecting the rupee to remain range-bound and volatile as attention shifted to inflation, growth, global uncertainty and currency stability.

Extraterrestrial reach and personal jurisdiction challenges frame dismissal bid in offshore securities fraud proceedings.
US securities fraud proceedings concerning an offshore bond offering by an Indian renewable energy company were met with a request for dismissal on grounds of lack of personal jurisdiction and impermissible extraterritorial application of US law. The filing contends that the securities were issued outside the United States under Rule 144A and Regulation S, were not listed or traded on a US exchange, and involved an Indian issuer and conduct alleged to have occurred in India. It further asserts that the complaint does not plead a domestic transaction, sufficient minimum contacts, or that irrevocable liability was incurred in the United States.

Landing and parking charges reduced for domestic flights as AERA implements tariff relief across major airports.
AERA reduced landing and parking charges at major airports by 25 per cent, effective immediately, for all domestic flights for three months. The reduction applies to aeronautical tariff components and was implemented in response to the government's direction in view of the ongoing West Asia crisis.

Rupee volatility eases as dollar pressure, capital outflows and RBI policy caution keep the market on edge.
The rupee weakened against the US dollar amid foreign capital outflows, a firm dollar, higher crude oil prices, and geopolitical uncertainty. Market participants remained cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank's monetary policy review and the expiry of a geopolitical deadline affecting the Strait of Hormuz. The market also reflected the Reserve Bank's recent steps to curb speculative positions and limit banks' net open positions to reduce volatility in the domestic currency.

Bail in money-laundering case granted after prolonged custody crossed the statutory threshold under the bail provision.
Bail was granted in a money-laundering case arising from allegations of acting as a middleman in relation to the AIADMK's election symbol, after the court noted detention beyond half of the maximum imprisonment prescribed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The court applied the near-mandatory bail provision under Section 479(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, subject to strict conditions including bonds, non-interference with witnesses, surrender of passport and travel restrictions.

Election affidavit disclosures and money laundering scrutiny mark the legal backdrop to a high-profile Tamil Nadu Assembly contest.
Election affidavit disclosures in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections record that an AIADMK candidate for the Lalgudi constituency declared assets of about Rs 1,049.56 crore, comprising movable and immovable properties, along with business interests in real estate, gaming and hospitality. The filing also records four pending criminal cases, including Income Tax Department proceedings over transfer of tax assessments and matters under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act linked to Enforcement Directorate scrutiny of the husband's lottery business.

Provisional attachment under money laundering law freezes Al-Falah-linked assets amid alleged diversion of proceeds of crime.
Provisional attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was issued against residential and agricultural immovable property, demat holdings, bank balances and fixed deposits linked to Al-Falah Group chairman Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui and Al-Falah Charitable Trust. The attachment was stated to freeze the properties pending further proceedings in an ongoing money laundering probe concerning alleged generation and diversion of proceeds of crime through the trust and university, including routing of funds through controlled entities and alleged siphoning of funds to a foreign destination.

Business correspondent framework reform proposes new delivery point definitions, simpler eligibility norms, and uniform remuneration arrangements.
Reserve Bank of India has issued draft amendment directions for public comments across multiple categories of banks, revising branch authorisation and the business correspondent framework. The proposals define branch, Business Correspondent-Banking Outlet and Business Correspondent-Banking Touchpoint, simplify eligibility criteria for engaging business correspondents, subsume Business Facilitators under the business correspondent model, and standardise commission and remuneration arrangements in the business correspondent ecosystem.

Relationship-led banking targets the emerging affluent with premium service features, digital access, and zero forex mark-up benefits.
DBS Bank India introduced DBS Aspire, a relationship-led banking proposition aimed at the emerging affluent segment and globally mobile customers seeking premium service features with digital access. Eligibility is linked to a total relationship value of Rs. 10 lakh or a minimum monthly savings account average balance of Rs. 2 lakh. The programme includes a DBS Aspire debit card with zero forex mark-up on international spends, zero charges on banking transactions and services, access to a relationship manager, competitive savings account returns on eligible balances, and access to the bank's digiportfolio investment platform.

Industrial viability and gas availability in Gujarat remain intact despite West Asia disruptions, officials say.
Industrial activity in Gujarat remains largely functional despite the West Asia crisis, with officials stating that gas supply is fully available and that shutdowns in some sectors are driven mainly by viability, pricing, logistics and export-demand pressures rather than fuel shortage. The State Government is monitoring fuel supply, logistics and operational disruption, prioritising critical sectors, and has permitted temporary use of alternative fuels such as agro-waste, biofuels and briquettes to ease pressure on gas consumption.

PMLA bail principles shape relief in a money laundering case despite multiple pending proceedings and prolonged detention.
Bail was granted in a money laundering complaint under the PMLA arising from the AIADMK "two leaves" symbol matter. The court held that the pendency of multiple cases did not, by itself, defeat the accused's right to bail in the present case when detention had crossed more than half of the proposed imprisonment period. It also noted that the accused was already on bail in most connected cases and had undergone prolonged detention because the predicate offence and PMLA proceedings had remained stayed.

Regional accounts standardisation advances with draft guidelines for Gross State Value Addition and district income estimates.
Uniform guidelines have been released for the compilation of Gross State Value Addition estimates and District Domestic Product estimates, with a revised base year intended to improve accuracy, consistency and comparability of regional economic measurement. The framework aligns regional accounts with national accounts, emphasises updated data sources, refined estimation techniques, improved district allocation methods and standardised compilation practices across States and Union Territories.

Base year revision for national and state accounts supports more accurate, consistent, and comparable economic estimates.
The base year for National Accounts has been revised to 2022-23 to reflect the current structure of the economy, incorporate updated data sources, and align estimation practices with international standards. States and Union Territories are also to revise the base year for Gross State Domestic Product so that state-level estimates remain accurate, consistent, and comparable. A three-day workshop is being organised to discuss methodological changes in GSDP compilation and draft uniform guidelines for District Domestic Product.