India-Cambodia trade and investment cooperation addressed trade diversification, market access, customs alignment, digital payments and investment facilitation. Discussions covered traditional medicine, e-governance, recognition of the Indian pharmacopeia, trade statistics, agricultural cooperation, banking and insurance. The parties agreed on an MoU on Customs Cooperation to promote uniform customs procedures and considered early completion and signature of the Bilateral Investment Treaty. UPI-KHQR payment integration, investment promotion, priority-sector cooperation and a private-sector feedback mechanism were also discussed.

Shipment or dispatch date determines the date of import for second-hand digital multifunction print, copying and scanning machines under the Handbook of Procedures; for sea consignments, the bill of lading date applies rather than the date of arrival at an Indian port. Where bills of lading predated the import-prohibition notification, the prohibition did not govern those consignments. The applicable prior position on equivalent imports therefore supported consideration of provisional release on payment of quantified enhanced duty.

The Memorandum of Understanding creates a cooperative framework for legitimate pharmaceutical exports and safeguards against diversion of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and controlled precursors. A voluntary, non-binding code of conduct will recommend industry practices without imposing obligations beyond applicable law. Cooperation includes identifying export bottlenecks, streamlining procedures for compliant exporters, capacity-building programmes, lawful and confidential information sharing, and nomination of company contact persons to coordinate voluntary compliance measures.

USD-INR forex swap facility for FCNR(B) deposits, overseas foreign-currency borrowings and external commercial borrowings enabled banks to access foreign-currency funding through a special swap window. FCNR(B) deposits formed the principal component of the reported foreign-exchange inflows, reflecting participation by non-resident Indians. The FCNR(B) window was scheduled for early closure after the stated mobilisation objective was achieved ahead of schedule, and the inflows were presented as strengthening external buffers through long-term non-resident deposits and institutional funding.

Refund of unutilised input tax credit is available to manufacturer-exporters of specified fabrics where the fabrics are exported as zero-rated supplies. Restrictions on refunds for accumulated credit arising from higher tax rates on inputs than output supplies do not apply to zero-rated supplies. Subject to applicable refund conditions, eligible manufacturers may claim credit of GST paid on inputs used in exported fabrics, but not credit paid on capital goods.

GST exemption for handling, packing, storage and warehousing is confined to agricultural produce that is unprocessed or processed by cultivators without changing essential characteristics. Processed tea, coffee, jaggery, split pulses, spices, dry fruits and cashew nuts are excluded, while green tea leaves and whole pulses qualify. Inter-State stock transfers of aircraft engines, parts and accessories between distinct persons are taxable, with corresponding input tax credit available. Specified government-funded and government-managed general insurance services supplied to individuals are exempt from GST.

Capital assets received on partition of a Hindu undivided family retain the previous owner's cost of acquisition and qualifying improvement costs for capital-gains computation. As partition distribution is not treated as a transfer, the statutory deeming rule requires the previous owner's period of holding to determine the first year for indexation. Where the Hindu undivided family held the asset before 1 April 1981, indexed cost must use the cost inflation index for 1981-82, rather than the year in which the recipient obtained absolute ownership under the partition decree. This results in capital gains being computed with the 1981-82 base year.

Generation and availability of FORM GSTR-2A and FORM GSTR-1A were aligned with extended filing deadlines for FORM GSTR-1 and FORM GSTR-2 for July 2017. FORM GSTR-2A, containing supplier-furnished details, was available to recipients from 11 October 2017 for verification, validation, modification or deletion through FORM GSTR-2, due by 30 November 2017. Recipient changes in FORM GSTR-2 were available to suppliers in FORM GSTR-1A from 1 December to 6 December 2017, enabling acceptance or rejection and consequential amendment of FORM GSTR-1.

Cyber incident reporting by regulated entities is aligned with the Financial Stability Board's FIRE framework through standardised information fields, definitions and incident classifications. Regulated entities must report incidents by email within six hours and through the Cyber Incident Reporting Portal within 24 hours. The portal enables initial reports, intermediate updates and final closure as information becomes available. Entities must establish implementation systems and make consequential amendments to applicable bye-laws, rules or regulations where necessary.

Reassessment under Sections 147 and 148 requires reasons based on material linking the assessee to the alleged escapement of income. Information from the Investigation Wing concerning purported accommodation-entry providers, without evidence connecting the assessee to those entities or transactions, does not establish the required nexus. Where the alleged entry provider's statement is unavailable or contains no reference to the assessee, general allegations of entries to multiple recipients cannot support reopening. Reassessments initiated on that basis were void and cancelled for both assessment years.

Special leave jurisdiction in a customs dispute was invoked against an unspecified prior determination. The Supreme Court found no reason to interfere on the facts presented and dismissed the special leave petition. The material provides no further factual background, statutory issue, legal principle, or reasoning beyond the refusal to grant interference in the customs matter.

Deemed export treatment applies to goods supplied by registered persons to EOU, EHTP, STP and BTP units, with refund of tax available to either the supplier or recipient. Recipient units must give prior Form-A intimation to the supplier and both jurisdictional GST officers, endorse tax invoices after receipt, and circulate endorsed copies as proof of supply. They must maintain auditable digital Form-B records of receipt, use, removal and stock, provide monthly transaction data to the jurisdictional GST officer, and comply with applicable Foreign Trade Policy and duty-exemption conditions.

The IT Resilience Index framework requires market infrastructure institutions to assess critical IT systems and related feeder systems through weighted parameters covering availability, security, integrity, governance, reliability and monitoring, business continuity, flexibility, scalability and incident handling. ITRI must be computed automatically on a half-yearly basis, with comparative analysis and corrective actions placed before the Standing Committee on Technology and Governing Board. Institutions must develop early warning systems, continuous service-delivery dashboards and procedures for identifying disruptions or anomalies. The framework must be operational by February 28, 2027.

Classification of unstitched salwar suit fabric under GST remains under the relevant fabric headings where fabric is merely cut from bundles or thans into pieces of varying lengths and packed for sale. Cutting and packing does not alter the character of the goods, including where purchasers subsequently have the pieces stitched. Such fabrics remain subject to GST at 5%, without refund of unutilised input tax credit.

Electoral disqualification for holding an office of profit arises where an engagement creates a continuing position with attached duties and a possibility of remuneration, even if payment depends on work performed and the engagement is terminable. Inclusion on a Railway panel of lawyers met this test because it required continuing duties to monitor litigation, notify the administration, seek adjournments when instructions were absent, and refrain from acting against any Railway; the engagement therefore disqualified the member. In contrast, a gazetted appointment as President of an Improvement Trust Tribunal did not establish that the office was held without evidence of acceptance, assumption of charge, or performance of functions.

Custodianship under the Customs Act is conferred on M/s. Apollo World Connect Ltd. for imported goods landed at Kamarajar Port, Ennore and received at its container freight station, until clearance for home consumption, warehousing, or transhipment. The entity is also appointed custodian of export cargo brought into its premises until export from that port. The custodian must comply with applicable customs provisions, cargo-handling regulations, rules, and instructions.

Marine Infrastructure Developer Pvt. Ltd.'s premises at Kattupalli Village are declared a Customs Area under section 8(b) of the Customs Act, 1962. The area may handle imported FCL and LCL cargo arriving from Kamarajar Port, excluding passengers' unaccompanied baggage, and export cargo until export from the port. Cargo operations must comply with the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, 2009 and applicable public notices.

Defects in prosecution sanction, including error, omission, irregularity or lack of competence of the sanctioning authority, do not vitiate criminal proceedings under Section 19(3) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 465 of the Code of Criminal Procedure unless they cause a failure of justice. This protection applies during ongoing proceedings; prosecution cannot be stayed or quashed mid-course merely because sanction is challenged. Allegations that sanction was granted mechanically or without considering relevant material ordinarily require evaluation after trial evidence is recorded. Interdiction of prosecution on sanction defects is therefore impermissible absent an established failure of justice.

Foreign-exchange conditions reflected a marginal weakening of the rupee against the US dollar, influenced by elevated crude-oil prices, importer demand for dollars, weaker Asian equities and geopolitical uncertainty. The currency remained within a narrow trading band, with RBI dollar sales described as moderating sharper depreciation. The RBI's special USD-INR forex swap facility for FCNR(B) deposits, Overseas Foreign Currency Borrowings and External Commercial Borrowings mobilised substantial foreign-exchange inflows, indicating support from non-resident Indian participants.

Terracotta idols are treated as idols made of clay because terracotta is clay-based material. They are therefore covered by the nil-rate entry applicable to clay idols under the relevant State Tax (Rate) notification. Implementation difficulties may be brought to the notice of the Commissioner of State Tax.