India will cut tariffs on most US industrial and agricultural goods to 0% under a new trade agreement.
India will reduce tariffs to zero on approximately 98-99% of US industrial goods and on a broad array of agricultural products, while retaining protections for certain sensitive sectors. The United States will lower its tariff on Indian imports to 18%. The agreement further establishes a process to address non tariff barriers through recognition of certain US technical standards, and includes commitments on energy procurement shifts away from Russian oil and major Indian investments into US sectors.

Special intensive revision of electoral rolls challenged as targeting West Bengal and excluding eligible voters.
The petition challenges the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as disproportionately targeting West Bengal by focusing on deletions over inclusions, alleged non-compliance with a court direction to accept Aadhaar, an accelerated three-month timetable, and instances of living persons recorded as deceased; the Election Commission contends the state provided inadequate senior officers, the bench emphasised that genuine persons must remain on the electoral roll and issued notices seeking replies.

Arunachal Pradesh governance urged to adopt people-centric development and five pledges to achieve a viksit vision.
The governor urged MLAs to pursue people-centric governance and uphold Assembly dignity while aligning state policy with the Viksit Arunachal vision. The development roadmap centres on human capital-education, youth employment, and women's empowerment-plus equitable benefits and cultural preservation. Five pledges commit to prioritising human capital, bolstering livelihoods and rural self-reliance, pursuing nature-harmonious growth, advancing green energy and hydropower, and promoting sustainable tourism; initiatives like the GST Bachat Utsav are cited to enhance transparency and a business-friendly environment.

Road infrastructure projects evaluated to strengthen multimodal connectivity, last mile access, and regional logistics efficiency.
The Network Planning Group evaluated seven MoRTH road projects for conformity with PM GatiShakti, prioritising integrated multimodal infrastructure, last mile connectivity, and a whole of government approach to enhance freight movement, reduce travel time and emissions, and promote regional economic development. Projects include six lane and greenfield corridors, ORR development, strategic border and bypass works, and lane widening/upgradation to strengthen links with ports, airports, rail terminals, ICDs, SEZs and industrial clusters.

India joins BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies to bolster Industry 4.0 skills and support manufacturing and MSMEs regionally.
India formalised participation in the BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies by signing a Trust Fund Agreement with UNIDO and designated the National Productivity Council as the India centre; DPIIT will give policy guidance and UNIDO will provide technical support while NPC leads capacity building, productivity enhancement and adoption of advanced manufacturing practices for manufacturing firms and MSMEs with a focus on Industry 4.0 competencies.

Mukesh Ambani says sustained double-digit growth depends on stable leadership, law and order, energy self-reliance and rural 5G.
Sustained double-digit economic growth is attainable if stable economic leadership, prolonged law and order, and social harmony persist for 15-20 years; energy self-reliance and ubiquitous, low cost rural 5G connectivity are identified as enabling conditions that will foster significant private sector expansion.

Transformation NOW! 2026 India convenes 1,500+ leaders to explore AI-driven, data-led enterprise transformation and strategic partnerships.
Announcement of Transformation NOW! 2026 India, a full-day event by NTT DATA Business Solutions gathering CXOs, IT leaders and partners to present actionable frameworks, solution showcases and partner-led experience zones focused on implementing AI and data-driven strategies within SAP-centric enterprise transformations.

IndiGo adjusts long haul flights amid airspace and congestion constraints, suspending Copenhagen and reducing London and Manchester services.
IndiGo will suspend Copenhagen services from February 17 and reduce Delhi-Manchester and Delhi-London Heathrow frequencies due to changing airspace conditions and airport congestion that have increased flight and block times for its leased Boeing 787 9 operations; the airline says the measures preserve schedule reliability, avoid misconnections, and will be flexibly adjusted as geopolitical and airspace developments evolve.

Kowori Group launches brand, enters South Delhi luxury housing with a boutique ultra-luxury builder-floor project in Greater Kailash.
Kowori Group launched its brand and announced entry into South Delhi with an inaugural ultra-luxury builder-floor project in Greater Kailash-I. The boutique development will offer limited inventory and emphasise refined, design-led living focused on intelligent layouts, quality execution, everyday comfort, and enduring value aimed at discerning, exclusivity-seeking homebuyers.

Nucleus Software appoints Dr. Apurva Chamaria as Chief Business Officer to drive global growth and expand BFSI solutions.
Nucleus Software appointed Dr. Apurva Chamaria as Chief Business Officer to lead global business growth, deepen customer relationships, execute expansion across key markets, accelerate go-to-market initiatives, strengthen partnerships, and scale enterprise sales and brand-led growth-prioritising commercial strategy for cloud-native lending, transaction banking, and AI-driven solutions in regulated BFSI environments.

Stock markets edge up as IT sell-off limits gains; US-India trade framework to cut US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent.
Domestic equity indices rose marginally but were restrained by heavy selling in IT stocks after concerns that new AI workflow automation tools could disrupt traditional software models; concurrently, India and the United States announced a trade framework to reduce US tariffs on specified Indian goods to 18 percent, a development portrayed as material to trade flows following prior steep tariffs.

Indian rupee fell amid trade deal uncertainty, dollar buying and weak services data, trading around 90-90.60.
The rupee fell 11 paise to 90.43 against the dollar on suspected corporate and importer dollar buying and profit-taking after a prior rally; traders remained cautious due to the absence of a signed India-US trade agreement, while weaker services PMI and elevated crude oil prices amid geopolitical tensions also pressured the currency; analysts cited FII inflows and equity gains as supportive but expected USD INR to trade around 90.00-90.60.

Property verification model enhances buyer safeguards through structured due diligence and developer-funded zero-brokerage.
Roofline Realty Karnataka's 10-Step Verification Process institutionalises pre-contractual due diligence by verifying title and ownership chains, validating RERA registration and regulatory approvals, conducting encumbrance and liability audits, assessing developer and broker credibility, performing site inspections, benchmarking valuations, assessing forward-looking compliance risks, verifying possession timelines and scrutinising final legal documentation to identify legal, structural and regulatory gaps before properties are offered to buyers.

CKK Retail Mart Limited IPO fully subscribed 1.60 times; listing Feb 6; offered via Red Herring Prospectus.
CKK Retail Mart Limited's IPO was subscribed 1.60 times with bids for 76,71,200 shares against an issue of 48,00,000; price band Rs. 155-Rs. 163, face value Rs. 10, and IPO size up to Rs. 88.02 crore. Six hundred thousand shares were allotted to anchor investors at Rs. 163 per share. Shares to list on NSE Emerge on February 6, 2026. The offering is made only through the Red Herring Prospectus and investors should consult the prospectus Risk Factors before investing.

SHRMTech'26 announced: HR technology conference on intelligent HR systems, leadership and skills, May 21-22 in Mumbai.
SHRM announced SHRMTech 2026, a two day HR technology conference on May 21-22, 2026 in Mumbai, themed "Connected Intelligence." The event will examine how intelligent HR systems inform leadership, organisational design, skills development, governance, and enterprise strategy through tracks on leadership and strategy, workforce and skills, technology and innovation, and human experience. SHRMTech 2026 will convene HR leaders, CXOs, global speakers, partners and exhibitors, facilitate industry partnerships, and offer up to 15 SHRM Professional Development Credits.

Ladki Bahin scheme may be renamed after Ajit Pawar as government agrees to consider the demand.
The government will consider renaming the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana after Ajit Pawar following an NCP demand; the scheme, announced by Pawar and launched in July 2024, provides Rs 1,500 monthly via direct bank transfer to eligible women aged 21-65 and has been credited with influencing the 2024 electoral outcome.

Cyber fraud syndicates dismantled: 55 arrests, recoveries and asset freezes after multi state investigations into investment, trading and crypto scams.
Coordinated multi state financial trail investigations led to 55 arrests, recoveries of about Rs 4.84 crore and freezing of Rs 1.55 crore; operations revealed impersonation, bulk SIM to e SIM conversion shared with foreign operators, use of mule and agent procured bank accounts, and fund rotation via digital wallets and bank accounts. Cases included fake investment/trading platforms, social media investment lures, retail advance scams and cryptocurrency linked laundering, with ongoing efforts to trace proceeds, expand asset freezes, and obtain restitution for victims.

Biopeak secures repeat investment to scale preventive longevity care, expand diagnostics, AI, and a flagship Bengaluru centre.
Biopeak has secured follow-on funding to scale multidisciplinary specialist-led longevity care by expanding diagnostics, proprietary AI, research, program development and a flagship Bengaluru centre, while strengthening clinical governance, research protocols, institutional partnerships and sustained longitudinal follow-up tailored to Indian health profiles.

ALTA School of Technology launches AI-first Computer Science program with industry-aligned curriculum and internships, scholarships via A-SAT.
Sunstone launched the ALTA School of Technology, an AI-first Computer Science program delivered with UGC/AICTE-approved institutes that embeds career readiness into the curriculum through competitive coding, mentor-led mock interviews, portfolio-driven hiring, access to major AI tools, 20+ project deliverables, a mandatory six-month internship, and employer partnerships; admissions use the A-SAT and scholarships up to full tuition are awarded based on merit and performance.

Budget FY27: Finance Minister challenges Rahul Gandhi to cite specific Budget paragraphs evidencing alleged gaps in unemployment and rural support.
The Finance Minister challenged a critic to cite specific paragraphs in the Budget document to substantiate claims that it ignores unemployment, rural distress and a manufacturing slowdown, asserting that criticisms must be tied to documentary evidence. She detailed the Budget's operative emphases on youth skilling, entrepreneurship, agricultural and rural-job supports, and initiatives for emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and declined to address a tariff-related accusation, referring trade-policy questions to the commerce minister in Parliament.