Inflation target band preserved as CPI edges higher due to food-led pressures, keeping rate policy pause plausible.
Retail inflation rose but remained within the central bank's inflation target band, driven mainly by food prices while core inflation stayed unchanged; analysts cautioned that geopolitical-driven crude price rises could transmit into CPI and support a near-term pause in policy easing. Data use the 2024 CPI base and show regional variation, compiled from urban and village price collection.

Religious conversion allegations dismissed as the couple present identity documents and registered marriage to affirm consent and age.
Allegations that the marriage constituted love-jihad and involved religious conversion were denied by the parties, who stated both remained in their respective faiths and that the wedding was solemnised according to Hindu customs. The couple produced identity documents and a marriage certificate to support the assertion that the bride was an adult and that the marriage was registered, emphasising consent and denying reports of underage marriage.

Sanctions debate intensifies as advocacy groups cite increased fossil fuel export revenues influencing calls for tougher measures.
Analysis showing Russia earned nearly USD 7 billion from fossil fuel exports during the Iran war and that daily export revenues averaged materially higher prompted a German nonprofit and research groups to urge tougher sanctions on those exports while another government considers easing restrictions.

NBFC registration: RBI-registered gold-loan lender reports strong AUM growth and emphasizes disciplined underwriting and technology investments.
Finkurve Financial Services Limited (Arvog), an RBI-registered non-deposit-taking middle-layer NBFC, has expanded its secured lending business predominantly through gold loans and crossed a notable AUM milestone. Growth is attributed to disciplined underwriting, prudent loan-to-value norms, collateral-backed lending, a branch-led phygital network, technology-enabled loan servicing, and strategic partnerships, with continued emphasis on asset quality, capital prudence, governance, and sustainable expansion.

Priority supply of domestic LPG sought to enforce export restrictions and secure household allocations amid supply disruption.
Six LPG distributors allege a supplier refused to reallocate LPG from export channels to the domestic market despite Ministry directions prioritising household supplies; they seek orders compelling the supplier to halt exports and increase domestic allocations, identifying the petroleum ministry as policy authority and the trade directorate as competent on export restrictions.

FDI relaxation for land-border ownership reduces mandatory approval requirements, enabling limited bordering-country stakes to invest.
India amended its FDI rules to exempt from mandatory approval overseas firms incorporated outside land-bordering countries that have non-controlling beneficial owners from those countries below a specified threshold, while continuing mandatory approval for entities domiciled in bordering countries; sectoral caps and entry routes remain applicable and large-scale or controlling investments follow the previous approval process, with a limited fast-track approval available for certain sectors.

Economic Stabilisation Fund seeks parliamentary approval as a fiscal reserve to shield the economy against future shocks.
The government has tabled a second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26 requesting parliamentary approval to create an Economic Stabilisation Fund as a reserve for future shocks and to provide additional allocations for fertiliser and food subsidies and defence expenditure, with debate reflecting both support for fiscal preparedness and objections on transparency and social impact.

LPG supply prioritisation may restrict commercial fuel access, disrupting restaurants and raising input costs for consumer firms.
Government prioritisation of LPG for domestic cooking and essential services has produced restrictions on commercial supplies, limiting fuel access to non-essential enterprises like quick-service restaurants. High import dependence and transit concentration through the Strait of Hormuz, absence of strategic LPG reserves, and regulatory storage licensing combine with limited channel inventory to create operational risk that can impact commercial operations within 48-72 hours and contribute to higher input costs for glass, plastics, FMCG and related sectors.

RRB reforms prioritize IT modernization and vernacular digital services to boost inclusion and operational resilience across rural banking.
A reform roadmap for Regional Rural Banks focused on strengthening governance, operational resilience and technology adoption through consortium approaches and IT modernization. Emphasis was placed on vernacular digital offerings and structured customer feedback to improve engagement and financial inclusion, alongside targeted measures in agri financing innovation, human resource development, and stakeholder collaboration.

Aadhaar authentication questioned; court orders Railway Board to file response on mandatoriness for tatkal bookings within three weeks
The Kerala High Court directed the Railway Board to file a response within three weeks on whether Aadhaar based authentication is mandatory for tatkal bookings, in a public interest litigation challenging a central government circular, and reprimanded the Board for months of unexplained delay.

Section 301 investigations target foreign industrial policies, enabling potential retaliatory trade measures after public review and hearings.
Section 301 investigations have been initiated to determine whether the industrial policies and practices of certain trading partners are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden US commerce, focusing on sectors such as steel, autos, batteries, electronics, chemicals, machinery, semiconductors and solar modules; the process includes public submissions, hearings and consultations, and may lead to retaliatory trade measures tied to identified practices such as state subsidies, state-owned enterprise activity, market-access barriers, currency practices or suppressed domestic demand.

Security protocol: Blue Book and SPG rules govern dais attendance and identity checks at official inaugurations.
Attendance and access to the Prime Minister's public programme were governed by the Blue Book protocol and the Special Protection Group's operational limits on dais attendance; organisers stated that requests to include particular state ministers could have been accommodated if made in advance, and SPG identity and security procedures, including presentation of identity documents, were routine and applied regardless of an attendee's office.

Industry-start-up collaboration to enable mentorship, testing, PoC programmes and field trials for cooling and smart-appliance technologies.
A government ministry and a private enterprise entered a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate industry-start-up collaboration by identifying start-ups in cooling and smart-appliance technologies and providing mentorship, technical guidance, access to testing infrastructure, market linkages, innovation challenges, and participation in structured Proof-of-Concept programmes and field trials for product validation and technology integration.

Energy supply diversification: India shifts toward Russian crude to offset Strait of Hormuz disruptions and protect fuel flows.
India increased Russian crude imports to offset shipments halted through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing the immediate shortfall from Middle Eastern supplies while maintaining refined product availability. The Strait of Hormuz is identified as a critical chokepoint for crude, LPG and LNG; mitigation measures include supplier diversification, enhanced Russian flows, and refinery adjustments to maximise LPG recovery, though such optimisations yield only marginal increases and leave a significant import dependency.

LPG supply assurance: household supplies prioritized, measures to prevent hoarding and secure alternate imports and maintain continuity.
The government affirms domestic LPG stocks and diversified procurement are sufficient to meet household cooking needs despite Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Refinery adjustments have boosted domestic LPG output and LNG cargoes have been secured; imports have been rerouted. Measures prioritise household distribution, curtail non-domestic deliveries, adjust pricing and refill intervals, and establish a committee to allocate commercial supplies. State and central authorities are directed to prevent hoarding and coordinate to maintain energy security and uninterrupted essential supplies.

Money laundering probe under PMLA registered and searches conducted after alleged diversion of government funds into shell entities and real estate.
Enforcement Directorate registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and searched multiple premises after a vigilance FIR alleging that bank employees and private associates diverted Haryana government funds, used accommodation (hawala) entries, transferred money to shell companies and small jewellery entities, and channelled proceeds into purported gold purchases and real estate, with significant cash withdrawals noted.

Model policy for digital service delivery to standardise Maha e-Seva and Aadhaar centre operations, ensure timely services and operator viability.
Directed formulation of a model framework and comprehensive policy within one month to standardise delivery of government digital services through Maha e-Seva and Aadhaar service centres, ensuring timely citizen access while preserving operator viability. Immediate administrative measures include release of pending commissions, a joint meeting to address deposit refunds, and establishment of a study group to assess actual operational costs for centre operations.

Money laundering probe targets alleged diversion of government deposits at a private bank, prompting searches and shell company tracing.
Enforcement Directorate searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act allege that government deposits at a private bank were diverted instead of being placed in fixed deposits; investigations target business entities, ex-bank officials, beneficiaries and real estate agents accused of providing accommodation entries. The agency alleges proceeds were routed through shell companies, layered through transactions, disguised as gold purchases and real estate investments, with substantial cash withdrawals and an identified absconder.

Trade agreements expand market access while preserving domestic safeguards and promoting value-added food exports through targeted support.
India's export expansion strategy combines preferential market access through recently concluded Free Trade Agreements with calibrated domestic safeguards for farmers, fishermen and MSMEs - excluding concessions in sensitive sectors (notably dairy, certain cereals and pulses) and denying duty concessions or market access for genetically modified products - while promoting value addition via the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and export handholding through the Export Promotion Mission and DGFT to integrate businesses into global value chains.

Merger clearance: acquisition of additional stake in Curefit approved to bolster the Target's capital in the fitness sector.
The Competition Commission of India approved an additional stake acquisition by MacRitchie Investments Pte. Ltd., an investment holding company and indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek, in Curefit Healthcare Private Limited to supplement the Target's capital requirements in the fitness sector; the Target is the ultimate parent of the Curefit Healthcare Group, which operates fitness management programmes, memberships, franchising and sales of fitness apparel and accessories in India, and a detailed order will follow.