Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement talks advance as India and Chile deepen trade, investment and business cooperation.
Bilateral economic and commercial cooperation between India and Chile was advanced through high-level ministerial and official engagements focused on deepening trade, investment and institutional ties. The discussions reaffirmed the shared commitment of both sides to expand bilateral business engagement and to work towards the early conclusion of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as a framework for unlocking the relationship's economic potential. The talks also covered trade facilitation, market access, investment promotion and stronger economic institutional engagement.

Logistics excellence recognition drives innovation, multimodality and sustainability across supply chains under a structured national awards framework.
Recognition was conferred on logistics organisations across core logistics, MSMEs, startups, institutions and special categories for operational excellence, innovation, sustainability, multimodality and technology adoption in supply chain and logistics services. The LEAPS 2025 initiative was described as a flagship national platform aligned with PM GatiShakti and the National Logistics Policy to acknowledge leadership in logistics performance and best practices. The evaluation process for LEAPS 2025 was stated to have been conducted through a structured and transparent mechanism involving online applications, expert committee scrutiny and award committee review.

VAT on industrial piped natural gas draws MSME demand for rate cut and GST inclusion to ease costs
Micro, small and medium enterprises in Madhya Pradesh sought a reduction in the VAT on piped natural gas used for industrial purposes, saying high fuel prices and the absence of GST input tax credit are raising production costs and hurting competitiveness. They urged either a lower VAT rate or inclusion of PNG within the GST ambit. Industry and business groups also demanded simplification of the GST return filing process.

Fuel price pass-through concerns grow as West Asia crisis disrupts oil supplies and pressures India's import-dependent economy.
Energy price pressures from the West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz disruption are affecting India's import-dependent economy. The Reserve Bank Governor noted that sustained disruption may require the government to pass on higher fuel costs to retail prices, even though petrol and diesel prices have so far not been raised.

Rupee weakness against the dollar deepens as crude prices, geopolitical tensions and strong demand pressure the currency
Rupee weakness against the US dollar reflected pressure from elevated crude oil prices, West Asia geopolitical tensions and a strong dollar, with the currency touching a record low before closing near its all-time closing low. Traders noted that possible RBI intervention and reduced gold import demand following higher import tariffs could moderate further depreciation, but the near-term direction remained linked primarily to crude prices and geopolitical developments. Gold and silver import duties were raised to curb overseas purchases and ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Export policy expansion through free trade agreements aims to boost market access and wider FTA utilisation.
India's export policy focus is on scaling goods and services exports through a higher annual target, supported by record export levels and continued market diversification. A central instrument of this strategy is the use of free trade agreements and related preferential trade arrangements, alongside efforts to improve FTA utilisation by increasing awareness among industry participants, especially small and micro units, so that the benefits of these agreements are more widely accessed across the export ecosystem.

Money laundering summons challenge arises in a land deal case after cognisance on the ED charge sheet.
Robert Vadra moved the Delhi High Court against a trial court order issuing summons to him in a money laundering case linked to a land transaction in Gurugram's Shikohpur area. The trial court had taken cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's charge sheet and directed Vadra and other accused persons to appear, noting prima facie material to proceed further under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Export expansion target drives focus on raising goods and services exports to a higher annual benchmark.
India's export policy focus was framed around scaling goods and services exports to a USD 1 trillion target for the current fiscal year. The benchmark was the previous year's record export performance of USD 863 billion, with the additional growth requirement described as about 16-17 per cent.

Investor awareness through public broadcasting expands financial literacy, safe investing, and unclaimed dividend claim guidance nationwide.
Investor awareness initiatives are being expanded through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority and Prasar Bharati for dissemination of scroll messages on Doordarshan. The collaboration is intended to promote financial literacy, investor protection, safe investing practices, and awareness of the process for reclaiming unclaimed dividends and shares. It also encourages use of the Search Facility, filing of claims through Form IEPF-5, and fraud prevention awareness.

Easy EMI financing and RBI-registered NBFC lending support budget smartphone purchases through partner stores.
Easy EMI financing is offered for purchase of the Redmi Note 15 SE through Bajaj Finserv partner stores, with repayment tenures from 3 to 60 months, zero down payment on select models, instant approval at checkout, and same-day delivery after OTP-based eligibility verification. Bajaj Finance Limited is described as a deposit-taking NBFC-D registered with the Reserve Bank of India and classified as an NBFC-Investment and Credit Company, engaged in lending and acceptance of deposits.

Import duty on gold raised to curb non-essential imports, conserve foreign exchange, and support the rupee.
Import duty on gold has been more than doubled to 15 per cent from 6 per cent to discourage non-essential imports, conserve foreign exchange for essential imports such as crude oil and fertiliser, and support the rupee. The increase is intended to curb domestic consumption of gold in the context of a high import bill and elevated international prices. Higher duty has historically reduced import volumes, though the overall import bill may remain elevated because of global price conditions.

Coal gasification incentive scheme boosts domestic syngas production, import substitution, and long-term project policy certainty.
A Union Cabinet-approved incentive scheme promotes surface coal and lignite gasification projects with a financial outlay of Rs 37,500 crore to accelerate coal gasification, support clean energy production, and reduce dependence on imports of LNG, urea, ammonia, methanol and other substitutable products. The scheme provides financial incentive of up to 20 per cent of plant and machinery cost, to be disbursed in four equal instalments linked to project milestones, with caps for a single project, product and entity group.

Gold import duty hike may curb jewellery volumes while boosting recycling and domestic circulation of idle gold.
Higher import duty on gold and silver is expected to affect jewellery volumes in the short term while encouraging recycling, exchange of old gold, and circulation of idle domestic gold. The increase is aimed at conserving foreign exchange reserves, reducing dependence on imported gold, and supporting a circular domestic gold economy. Consumer demand is still expected to remain resilient because gold retains strong cultural, wedding-related, savings, and investment significance in India, even as buyers shift toward lighter-weight jewellery and exchange-based purchases.

Import duty on precious metals drives up local prices and may temporarily dampen physical demand.
Import duty on precious metals was increased to 15 per cent, with platinum duty raised to 15.4 per cent and consequential changes made for gold and silver related goods. The revision was intended to discourage purchases and reduce non-essential imports amid rising foreign-exchange outflows and a widening import bill. The higher levy was expected to feed into purchase bills, raise local prices and temporarily dampen physical demand.

Rupee weakness and gold import curbs reflect pressure from crude prices, geopolitical tensions, and foreign exchange demand management.
The rupee weakened to a record low against the US dollar amid pressure from elevated crude oil prices, West Asia geopolitical tensions, and a strong dollar, while traders said possible RBI intervention and reduced gold imports helped limit further depreciation. The government raised import tariffs on gold and silver to curb overseas purchases and ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves, alongside a call to avoid gold purchases to conserve foreign exchange.

Copper manufacturing expansion drives strong financial growth, capacity ramp-up, and an NCLT-admitted demerger plan.
Strong financial growth is reported in the copper manufacturing business, with revenue, EBITDA, profit before tax and profit after tax rising sharply in FY 2025-26. The company outlines a long-term expansion roadmap for the non-ferrous metals sector, including capacity expansion to 45,000 metric tonnes, manufacturing capital investment, and a revenue target of INR 5,000 crore by FY 2029-30. The plan also refers to an NCLT-admitted demerger scheme for carving out the copper business into Tieramet Limited as a standalone listed company.

Wealth management leadership appointment strengthens product innovation, strategic partnerships and technology-enabled platform building at Centrum Wealth.
Centrum Wealth Limited announced the appointment of Saurabh Rungta as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, with responsibility for the investment team across products, advisory and in-house PMS platforms, as well as the Family Office business. The role is intended to support the firm's growth agenda, strengthen product architecture, deepen strategic partnerships and build a differentiated, technology-enabled wealth platform. The text also notes that Centrum Wealth is an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor.

US-China trade and artificial intelligence discussions shape a Beijing trip with major executives from technology, finance and manufacturing.
Prominent US executives from technology, finance, manufacturing and agriculture were invited to accompany President Donald Trump on a trip to Beijing for discussions expected to cover trade and artificial intelligence, alongside broader bilateral issues. The delegation included senior leaders from companies with significant China exposure, reflecting the commercial importance of the visit and the role of corporate diplomacy in managing trade relations. The report highlights Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Kelly Ortberg as examples of executives whose businesses have faced distinct China-related pressures.

Import duty on precious metals raised to curb non-essential imports and ease pressure on the rupee.
Import duty on gold and silver was raised to 15 per cent, with basic customs duty and cess revised, and platinum and related precious-metal items also adjusted. The measure was introduced to curb non-essential imports, reduce foreign exchange outflows, and ease pressure on the rupee and the external account amid elevated balance-of-payments stress. Government sources described it as a calibrated, preventive intervention using price-based disincentives rather than quantitative restrictions.

Rupee pressure deepens as crude oil costs, global risk aversion and dollar strength drive a record intraday low.
The rupee weakened to a record intraday low against the US dollar amid elevated crude oil prices, global risk aversion linked to West Asia tensions, a strong dollar and foreign institutional outflows. The government's increase in import duties on gold and silver was intended to curb overseas purchases and support forex reserves, but market participants said it did not fully ease pressure on the currency.