India-US trade pact preserves sensitive agriculture and dairy protections while lowering many US tariffs to 18%.
A bilateral India-US trade framework reduces US tariffs on many Indian labour intensive and manufactured exports to an effective 18 percent and removes a 25 percent punitive tariff tied to Russian oil purchases, while explicitly excluding sensitive agricultural and dairy sectors (including dairy, rice, wheat, meat, poultry, cereals, GM foods, soymeal and maize). India will grant duty concessions mirroring other FTAs-some eliminations on entry into force, phased reductions, tariff cuts and quota based concessions-and the pact includes reported procurement commitments by India to import large volumes of US goods over a multi year period.

STT hike on F&O targets speculative trading to protect small investors, complementing existing derivatives safeguards.
The finance minister stated that increased Securities Transaction Tax rates on equity futures and options are intended to deter speculative 'satta' trading and protect small investors, citing studies showing over 90% of retail F&O trades result in losses; the change complements existing regulatory measures like higher margins, contract-size rationalisation, position limits and upfront premium collection. Separately, a tariff reduction agreement with a major trading partner was noted as likely to boost export competitiveness for affected sectors.

Minimum wages in Jammu and Kashmir were revised and further changes will follow national floor wage implementation under the Code on Wages.
Jammu and Kashmir revised minimum wages for scheduled employments on October 12, 2022, with subsequent upward adjustments following central notifications that alter the Variable Dearness Allowance linked to CPI-IW; revisions cover basic wage plus VDA across all skill categories. The Code on Wages, effective in the UT from November 21, 2025, subsumes the Minimum Wages Act, introduces a national floor minimum wage and mandates periodic socio-economic-based revisions, and further changes will follow national floor wage implementation.

Faceless property registration pilot in Faridabad will digitize registrations to boost transparency and reduce in-person interactions.
Haryana will pilot a faceless property registration system in one tehsil of Faridabad for three months after technical completion and successful UAT sign-off by the Sub-Registrar. The system will be hosted on the MeitY Cloud to ensure enterprise-grade security and data protection. Dedicated nodal officers from the Revenue Department and the implementing agency will coordinate implementation, with server hosting support from the Revenue Department's IT team, and monitoring will inform any phased roll-out to other districts.

India hailed the US tariff rollback as recognition of its reliability and announced major pharma investment MoUs boosting jobs.
Chief Minister described the US rollback and reduction of tariffs as recognition of India's reliability and a product of firm national policy, presenting it as evidence of enhanced global standing and policy stability. At a pharmaceutical conclave, over Rs 10,000 crore in MoUs were reported, with 11 MoUs worth Rs 5,525 crore exchanged, major investor commitments announced, and expected benefits including strengthened infrastructure, innovation and job creation that position the state as a pharma investment hub.

US tariff cut to 18% aims to boost Indian exports and restore competitiveness in US market.
The United States agreed to cut applied tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% in return for India reducing trade barriers and stopping purchases of Russian oil while increasing purchases of specified US and other energy and goods; the tariff cut aligns US duties with regional rates, restores Indian exporters' price competitiveness-notably in labour intensive sectors-and is tied to reciprocal tariff and non tariff concessions and multiyear procurement commitments, with implementation details to follow.

Digital addiction among children calls for comprehensive policy, age-based limits, statutory usage advisories, and parental oversight.
Unregulated exposure to social media and smartphones is producing digital addiction and developmental harms among children and adolescents, necessitating a comprehensive policy with age-based restrictions, statutory usage advisories on smartphone packages, and enforceable limits on screen time. Parents and schools must actively monitor duration and content, guided by pediatric and WHO recommendations, while policymakers should treat screen-related mental health as a public-health concern requiring coordinated legislative or regulatory safeguards.

Money-laundering prosecutions may be examined for whether prior acquittal in predicate offences bars ED trials.
The Supreme Court will examine whether an acquittal or quashing of a scheduled (predicate) offence necessarily prevents prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by determining if such acquittal negates the existence of proceeds of crime and thereby disables the Enforcement Directorate from pursuing independent money laundering proceedings.

Gold and silver prices rebounded sharply after a steep three-day fall due to firm global cues and a weak US dollar.
Silver and gold rebounded sharply after a three-day steep fall, with silver rising to Rs 2,84,000 per kg and gold to Rs 1,57,700 per 10 grams, driven by firm global cues, a weak US dollar, bargain hunting after rapid prior gains, and technical unwinding; commentators noted higher margin requirements and shifting expectations on US policy easing as contributors to the earlier sell-off and flagged continued volatility ahead tied to US jobs data and China market dynamics.

RBI monetary policy meeting likely to pause on repo rate amid low inflation and a watch on CPI and GDP data.
The Monetary Policy Committee is likely to pause after cumulative repo easing, keeping the repo at 5.25% following recent rate cuts, while considering liquidity measures such as open market operations, forex swaps and a possible CRR reduction; forthcoming CPI and GDP releases will guide whether to hold or cut further.

Union Budget shows recession risk: central revenue growth under 3% with cuts to key programmes and under disbursements.
The Union Budget signals an economic slowdown as central revenue receipts rise by less than three percent (about Rs 1 lakh crore), risking unmet estimates and real-term declines; allocations have been reduced across programmes including a Rs 58,000 crore cut to rural employment and cuts to education, health and fuel subsidies. Significant under-disbursement of prior allocations (notably for a national drinking-water mission) has compelled state borrowing to pay contractors, while trade and import exposure-especially to dairy-heighten risks to local producers.

J&K SCARD Bank liquidation approved; no employee rehabilitation plan yet; depositor protections and KYC underway.
The government approved the liquidation of J&K SCARD Bank under the Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Societies Act, 1989; no proposal for employee rehabilitation, absorption, or compensation has been formulated, though employee interests are to be safeguarded per the Act. Depositor and borrower protections include a completed KYC verification across branches and consultations with NABARD that produced a structured, legally compliant course of action; further steps await NABARD's prior sanction.

Production linked incentive 2.0 under development, paired with tax holidays and incentives to expand electronics and tech sector jobs.
The government is developing a successor to the mobile production linked incentive scheme, consulting manufacturers and IT firms before Cabinet submission; concurrent FY27 budget measures-including a Rs 40,000-crore component scheme allocation, a five-year income tax exemption for foreign capital-equipment suppliers in bonded zones, an AI data centre tax holiday, and raised safe harbour limits-are intended to deepen domestic electronics component manufacturing, expand the semiconductor and design ecosystem, and significantly increase employment across electronics, IT services and GCCs.

India-US trade deal cuts tariffs to 18%, boosting export competitiveness and triggering a broad equity rally and sectoral gains.
The India-US trade agreement implements a material tariff reduction-reported as a decline from 50% to 18%-removing a tariff overhang, improving export competitiveness and visibility for capital inflows, the exchange rate, and manufacturing investment, and producing immediate sectoral gains in export exposed and manufacturing linked industries.

Air India Boeing 787-8 fuel control switch issue; DGCA found no abnormal parameters and ordered procedural guidance circulation.
Air India's Boeing 787-8 experienced a fuel control switch that failed to latch twice during engine start but latched on the third attempt; crew verified the switch physically, observed no abnormal engine parameters, and monitored systems for the flight. Engineering checks conducted with DGCA oversight found switches serviceable and pull-to-unlock force within limits, while noting that incorrect directional pressure on an angular base plate can cause the switch to slip from RUN to CUT OFF. DGCA grounded the aircraft for checks and instructed Air India to circulate Boeing's recommended operating procedure for the fuel CUT OFF switch.

Indo US trade deal: India secured lower applied tariffs and is pursuing critical mineral self reliance to bolster supply chain resilience.
The commentary frames the Indo US trade deal timing as practical time zone coordination and emphasizes substantive provisions: India's applied tariff at 18 percent is lower than several competitors, presenting a competitive advantage; the agreement is set against wider policy goals of supply chain resilience, reduction of foreign concentration in critical minerals through domestic mining and processing, and strengthened strategic partnerships to enhance economic and security resilience.

Capacity building programme for Central Asian republics focused on countering terror financing via crypto, crowdfunding and NPO misuse.
The programme trained Central Asian Republic representatives on detecting and investigating misuse of virtual assets, crowdfunding exploitation for extremist activity, and regulatory and financial intelligence frameworks for monitoring non-profit organisations, including hands-on sessions on financial intelligence gathering, risks from Virtual Asset Service Providers, crowd-funding exploitation, financing of radicalisation, and NPO risk-profiling.

India-US trade deal reduces reciprocal tariffs to 18% and protects agriculture and dairy sectors while opening opportunities for farmers.
The bilateral trade agreement with the United States is in final stages to be formalised by an Indo US joint statement, and includes a reciprocal tariff reduction on Indian goods from 50% to 18% while preserving protections for the agriculture and dairy sectors and aiming to expand opportunities for fishermen, farmers, youth and the poor.

Climate change shifts fruiting cycles and harvests, disrupting labour, local ecologies, and community seasonal knowledge.
The exhibition examines how climate change-driven shifts in fruiting and harvest cycles disrupt labour arrangements, local ecologies, and seasonal knowledge, showing how monocultural cultivation and species centric conservation create socio ecological vulnerabilities that reshape labour, infrastructure dependencies, and community sustenance practices.

Maharashtra women farmers to receive training in sustainable farming under a three-year MoU with a private partner.
A three-year MoU tasks the state rural livelihoods mission with mobilising women farmers via self-help groups and the Krushi Sakhi network while the private partner provides training workshops, demonstration plots, farmer field schools and safety kits. The programme targets over 5,000 women across nine districts, emphasises Good Agricultural Practices and Integrated Pest Management, and initially covers about 50,000 acres with plans to expand to 500 SHGs and additional crops such as maize.