CENVAT credit on input services received at premises omitted from a centralised registration cannot be denied solely because those premises are unregistered. In contrast, works contract services used to construct or set up BPO branches fall within the exclusion for construction of buildings or civil structures, making related credit inadmissible. Where disputed credit was disclosed in ST-3 returns and refund claims, audit detection alone does not establish suppression or other conditions for extended limitation; recovery is confined to the normal period and requires recomputation. Interest follows on recoverable inadmissible credit, but penalties based on suppression or failure to include premises are unsustainable without the requisite contravention or intent to evade.

Composite engineering assignments involving drawing assistance, development, technical clarification, material specifications, quality coordination and dispatch assistance are classifiable by their essential character as Consulting Engineer Service, rather than Technical Inspection and Certification Service where inspection is only incidental and independently uncharged. Services supplied to a foreign contractual recipient for convertible foreign exchange qualify as exports where the recipient is the user; physical performance in India does not displace export treatment. From 1 July 2012, the physical-availability-of-goods rule applies only when goods must be physically available to provide the service, so the foreign recipient's location g.....

Forensic audit was ordered to trace the dissipation of promoter shareholding and other assets represented as available to satisfy a foreign arbitral award. Conflicting accounts concerning share transfers, loans, pledges, top-up arrangements, encumbrances, and use of proceeds required factual reconstruction rather than resolution on existing material. The audit extends to concerned entities, banks and financial institutions, notwithstanding the decree holder's later request to exclude banks, because they may have assisted in breach of court orders. Separate corporate personality does not prevent examination of a listed company's possible knowledge, facilitation, and regulatory compliance where common controllers may have used the structure to frustrate execution. The audit determines no present liability; consequential issues remain open.

Operational leadership for bilateral economic engagement is strengthened through the appointment of Shuchita Sonalika as the first Chief Operating Officer of the Canada-India Business Council. The appointment is directed toward enhancing the council's capacity to support expanding investment and economic relations between Canada and India, in coordination with its board, members and partners. Sonalika brings international affairs experience in advancing India's economic partnerships across global markets.

Regulatory certainty, ease of compliance and investment facilitation are identified as central elements of India's economic reform orientation. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is included among reforms supporting regulatory certainty, reduced paperwork and easier compliance. Policy priorities include infrastructure development, artificial intelligence and data centres, credit access for MSMEs, reduction of banks' non-performing assets, fiscal discipline, and investment facilitation by central and state governments.

Japan Credit Rating Agency upgraded India's foreign-currency and local-currency long-term issuer ratings to A-, citing solid economic growth, strengthened growth-oriented policies and improved financial-system soundness. Improved banking asset quality, insolvency mechanisms, government capital infusion and stronger central-bank supervision support financial resilience. Fiscal quality has improved through greater infrastructure-focused capital expenditure and restraint in current spending, while a contained current-account deficit, services surplus and substantial foreign-exchange reserves support resilience to external shocks.

Foreign capital inflows and modest foreign institutional equity purchases supported rupee appreciation against the US dollar despite weak domestic equities, elevated crude oil prices and a stronger dollar. RBI monitoring and apparent currency-market intervention supported the rupee amid risk aversion, higher US Treasury yields and concerns over crude supply disruptions. Forthcoming US employment data remained relevant to dollar and rupee direction.

Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposits are fixed-term foreign-currency deposits for non-resident Indians, with principal and interest repayable in the deposit currency and without direct rupee exchange-rate risk. A special central-bank programme mobilised substantial FCNR(B) deposits, alongside overseas foreign-currency borrowings and external commercial borrowings, to strengthen foreign-exchange liquidity. Banks received hedging-cost support and permission to lend against the deposits. The facility was closed earlier than scheduled after its mobilisation objective was met.

Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act requires reasonable grounds to believe that an accused is not guilty of money laundering and is unlikely to commit an offence while on bail. Statements recorded under Section 50 may be considered as admissible material at the bail stage. Financial transactions, property acquisitions through a company, unsecured loans, multiple accounts and links with co-accused may prima facie indicate participation in concealing, acquiring, using or projecting proceeds of crime as untainted. Coordinated transactions and associate involvement may also support a risk of further similar activity. The applicant failed to satisfy either statutory condition for regular bail.

Multiple corporate insolvency petitions pending before the Tribunal were stayed until further orders. The connected contempt petition was fixed for hearing, with the respondents concerned directed to remain personally present on the next hearing date. Applications seeking directions and intervention in the special leave proceedings were also directed to be listed with the contempt petition. The operative effect is suspension of further action in the specified insolvency matters pending further directions.

Road and Infrastructure Cess on petrol and diesel cleared for export is amended by substituting the entry against serial number 2 in the relevant rate table with Rs. 1 per litre. The revised cess rate takes effect from 1 September 2026, the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

The effective rate of Special Additional Excise Duty on Aviation Turbine Fuel cleared for export is amended to Rs. 19 per litre by substituting the entry against serial number 1 in Notification No. 08/2026-Central Excise. The revised rate takes effect from 1 September 2026, the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

The central excise rate entry at serial number 1, column (4), under Notification No. 06/2026-Central Excise is substituted with "Rs. 1.5 per litre". The amendment changes that table entry and takes effect on 1 September 2026, the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Tariff values for specified imported edible oils, brass scrap, gold, silver and areca nuts are substituted for customs valuation from 1 September 2026. Values per metric tonne are fixed for crude palm oil at US$1,214, RBD palm oil at US$1,227, other palm oil at US$1,221, crude palmolein at US$1,235, RBD palmolein at US$1,238, other palmolein at US$1,237, crude soybean oil at US$1,262, and brass scrap at US$8,162. Gold remains valued at US$1,468 per 10 grams, silver at US$2,267 per kilogram, and areca nuts at US$11,574 per metric tonne.

Taxpayer confidentiality bars officers and staff from transmitting identifiable taxpayer information or departmental data to public or commercial AI tools, third-party online platforms, external systems, browser extensions or personal accounts unless expressly authorised in writing. Permitted AI use is limited to generic, wholly hypothetical legal or procedural research and drafting support, with independent verification against primary sources. Officers remain personally responsible for disclosures made by themselves or persons acting under their control; breaches may lead to disciplinary action, criminal liability, data-protection consequences and challenges to affected proceedings. Notices and quasi-judicial orders must reflect the signing officer's independent assessment of facts and law, not unverified or mechanically adopted AI-generated content.

Customs-controlled movement of domestic/customs-cleared and EXIM containers between port terminals and designated ICDs/CFSs is extended to Container Rail Road Services Pvt. Ltd. (DP World Group), alongside CONCOR. The operator must segregate and account for domestic and EXIM cargo, give advance container details, verify container numbers and seals, maintain weekly reconciliation, and ensure at least 50% of outbound cargo is EXIM cargo. Seal or container discrepancies and suspected tampering require immediate reporting; cargo cannot be processed or released without the proper officer's permission and may undergo 100% examination. Reworking, repacking, or restuffing requires permission. Customs may conduct random checks, while custodians and CCSPs remain accountable, supported by an indemnity bond; misuse attracts action under applicable customs laws.

The Companies Compliance Facilitation Scheme, 2026 remains available until 15 September 2026, extending the previous deadline of 31 August 2026. The extension gives companies additional time to complete pending statutory filings under the Scheme. All other terms and conditions of CCFS-2026 remain unchanged.

Article 13 of the India-UK Tax Treaty taxes fees for technical services only where technical or consultancy services satisfy the treaty conditions, including making available technical knowledge, experience, skill, know-how or processes, or developing and transferring a technical plan or design. Recurring group management support for business and commercial functions does not meet that standard where it neither constitutes qualifying technical or consultancy services nor enables the Indian recipient to independently apply technical knowledge or skill without further recourse to the provider. The consideration is therefore not taxable in India as fees for technical services under Article 13.

Share application money was treated as satisfactorily explained for Section 68 purposes where the investor-company substantiated its investment through share capital and declared profit, with an earlier disclosed component settled under the Vivad se Vishwas Scheme. Other investors furnished confirmations, income-tax returns, computations and bank statements, establishing their identities as regular taxpayers and supporting the genuineness of their investments. On these facts, the nature and source of the share application money were accepted and no unexplained cash-credit addition remained sustainable.