Uday Kotak appointed chairman of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Ltd (GIFT City).
[Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Ltd (GIFT City), Kotak Mahindra Bank]
Key Updates:
- The Gujarat government appointed Uday Kotak as chairman of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Ltd (GIFT City).
- Uday Kotak is the founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
- He chaired the 2017 SEBI Committee on Corporate Governance that recommended sweeping governance reforms.
Similar Coverage
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conveyed approval through a letter dated 9 February 2026.
- Appointment effective 1 May 2026 for a period of three years.
- R. Vijay Anandh is currently Executive Director of City Union Bank.
- Appointment subject to approval by City Union Bank shareholders.
- City Union Bank Q3 net profit rose 16% year-on-year to ₹332 crore.
- Net interest income increased 28% to ₹752 crore in Q3 from ₹587.7 crore a year ago.
- Gross non-performing assets declined to 2.17% from 2.42% quarter-on-quarter.
- Net NPAs eased to 0.78% from 0.90% sequentially.
- City Union Bank shares closed 1.25% lower at ₹288.80 on NSE.
- Punjab & Sind Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to open a branch at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
- The branch will enable the bank to strengthen its capabilities in foreign currency lending, trade finance, treasury operations, and international banking.
- Swarup Kumar Saha, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Punjab & Sind Bank, stated that this move aligns with the bank’s long-term vision of entering the international market and supporting India’s ambition of becoming a global financial powerhouse.
- Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) has appointed Anup Kumar Saha as Whole-time Director, subject to regulatory approvals.
- Saha will act as Whole-time Director (Designate) and join senior management from January 12, 2026.
- He will oversee consumer banking, marketing and data analytics functions at KMB.
- Anup Kumar Saha most recently served as Managing Director at Bajaj Finance.
- He previously spent 14 years at ICICI Bank in senior leadership roles.
- Vivek Chaturvedi, a 1990 batch Indian Revenue Service (C&IT) officer, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
- He succeeds Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, who superannuated.
- Chaturvedi is currently serving as Member, CBIC Board (Tax Policy and Legal).
- He has earlier served as Director General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM) and as Principal Director General of Vigilance and Chief Vigilance Officer for the Board.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) launches PNB Soldierathon 2026 marathon to honour Indian Armed Forces.
[Punjab National Bank (PNB)]
Key Updates:
- Punjab National Bank (PNB) announced PNB Soldierathon 2026 on its 132nd Foundation Day at its corporate headquarters in Dwarka.
- The marathon is scheduled for 5 April 2026 under the theme 'Run with Soldiers, Run for Soldiers'.
- Major Surendra Poonia, VSM and Limca Book Record Holder, was the Chief Guest of the pre-launch ceremony.
- PNB Managing Director and CEO Ashok Chandra and Executive Director Bibhu P. Mahapatra participated in the event alongside Armed Forces representatives and veterans.
- The initiative aims to unite citizens, veterans, and fitness enthusiasts to foster national consciousness and fitness.
Similar Coverage
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted a Payment Aggregator licence to PB Pay Private Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of PB Fintech.
- The Certificate of Authorisation was issued by the RBI on 6th February and became effective immediately.
- The final approval follows an in-principle nod granted by the central bank to the subsidiary in early 2024.
- PB Fintech is the parent organisation of the online insurance marketplace Policybazaar and the lending platform Paisabazaar.
- Punjab National Bank (PNB) introduced the RuPay metal credit card named 'Luxura' aimed at premium customers.
- The card features a rewards programme offering welcome and milestone points linked to specific spending thresholds.
- Cardholders receive hotel- and dining-related benefits through partner networks.
- PNB appointed Indian women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur as its first female brand ambassador during the launch event in New Delhi.
- Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju stated the product adds depth to PNB’s offerings for customers seeking premium features.
- PNB Managing Director & CEO Ashok Chandra expects the partnership to support the bank’s ongoing brand-building initiatives.
- BSE (BSE) received the Asia Best Employer Brand Award 2026 at the Hong Kong Leadership Awards for excellence in workplace culture and employee engagement.
- Indian Bank redeemed ₹2,000 Crore Tier-2 bonds and paid ₹123.6 Crore in interest.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) appointed Takafumi Kadono as Country Director for Papua New Guinea and Aaron Batten as Country Director for Thailand.
- Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) formed an expert committee to develop a framework for assured payouts under the National Pension System (NPS).
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) invited emergency tenders for repair works at the ₹800MW North Chennai Power Project.
- NLC India Limited (NLC) revised the record date for its FY26 interim dividend to January 20.
- Axis Bank allotted 88,198 equity shares under the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), increasing its paid-up capital.
- THDC India Limited (THDC) secured a credit rating upgrade to “AA+”.
- Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) appointed Sunil Kumar Ranjan as Government Nominee Director.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi won the strategy case challenge organized by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ranchi and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
- Harmanpreet Kaur has been appointed as the first female brand ambassador of Punjab National Bank (PNB).
- The appointment was announced during the launch of PNB's new initiatives including the RuPay Metal Credit Card Luxura, PNB One 2.0, and Digi Surya Ghar.
- The partnership highlights PNB's focus on inclusivity and excellence in its brand transformation journey.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposes 6-year Kisan Credit Card (KCC) tenure and higher loan limits.
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed merging all existing KCC instructions into a single unified guideline for banks.
- The proposed KCC framework extends total facility validity to six years.
- Credit limits will be aligned with the officially approved Scale of Finance for each crop season.
- Expenses on technological interventions such as modern farm equipment and agri-tech tools may be formally included as eligible uses under KCC.
- Under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), farmers can access short-term crop loans at 7 per cent interest through KCC.
- The government provides 1.5 per cent interest subvention to lending institutions under MISS.
- Timely repayment gives farmers an additional 3 per cent prompt repayment incentive, reducing the effective interest rate to 4 per cent per year.
- The loan limit under MISS has been raised from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh in the latest Budget.
- For animal husbandry and fisheries, interest benefit is available on loans up to ₹2 lakh under MISS.
- By 31 December 2024, about 5.9 crore farmers had been mapped on the Kisan Rin Portal (KRP).
- Interest subvention claims worth over ₹1.08 trillion had been processed through KRP by 31 December 2024.
- As of March 2024, there were around 7.75 crore KCC accounts with outstanding credit of about ₹9.81 lakh crore.
Similar Coverage
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a cash reward of ₹7.5 crore for the Indian Under-19 cricket team following their 2026 Under-19 World Cup victory.
- India defeated England by 100 runs in the final at Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe, to secure their sixth International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup title.
- India posted a total of 411/9 in the final, featuring an innings of 175 runs off 80 balls by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
- Captains Ayush Mhatre and Abhigyan Kundu contributed to the total before the bowlers dismissed England for 311 in 40.2 overs.
- Caleb Falconer scored 115 runs off 67 balls for England in the final match.
- BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the reward includes the players, coaching staff, support staff, and the Junior Cricket Committee.
- BCCI President Mithun Manhas noted that India currently holds both the men’s and women’s Under-19 World Cup titles.
- Australia posted seven partnerships of 50 or more runs in their first innings at the SCG, a feat never before achieved in the 134-year history of the Ashes.
- The hosts closed Day 3 on 529 for 7, securing a 134-run first-innings lead after England were bowled out for 384.
- Steve Smith finished unbeaten on 129, while Travis Head had earlier struck a blistering 163.
- India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth T20I to secure a 3-1 victory in the series.
- The match was held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
- India posted a total of 231 for five in 20 overs, while South Africa scored 201 for eight in their response.
- Hardik Pandya set a record for the second-fastest T20I fifty for India, reaching the milestone in 15 balls.
- Tilak Varma top-scored for India with 73 runs off 42 balls, including 10 boundaries and one six.
- Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking four wickets for 53 runs in his four-over spell.
- With this win, India extended their unbeaten streak in bilateral T20I series to 19.
- Usman Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket, stating the upcoming New Year’s Ashes Test in Sydney will be his final one.
- In his career of 87 Tests, Khawaja scored 6206 runs at an average of 43.39 with 16 tons and 28 half-centuries to his name.
- In the Ashes 2025-26 tournament, Australia wins Sydney test by 5 wickets, seal series by 4-1.
- In the Hockey India League (HIL), Ranchi Royals come alive in a dead rubber to beat final-bound SG Pipers 5-2.
- PV Sindhu progressed at the Malaysia Open after defeating World No 9 Tomoka Miyazaki.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues draft directions for loan recovery framework effective July 1, 2026
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the draft RBI (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Second Amendment Directions, 2026, to tighten loan recovery rules.
- The new framework is scheduled to come into effect from July 1, 2026, following the Budget 2026 announcement by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Regulated entities and stakeholders are required to submit feedback on the draft directions on or before March 6, 2026.
- The draft directions apply to Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks (SFBs), Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs), and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
- Banks must implement a mandatory recovery policy, a code of conduct for recovery agents, and a formal grievance redressal mechanism.
- Recovery agents or bank employees are permitted to contact or visit borrowers only between 08:00 hours and 19:00 hours.
- The RBI has mandated that banks must record the content or text of all recovery-related calls and document the time and number of calls made to the borrower or guarantor.
- Recovery agents are strictly prohibited from contacting relatives, friends, or co-workers of the borrower and must interact only with the borrower or the guarantor.
- Banks are required to publish a list of all empanelled recovery agents on their branches, mobile applications, and websites.
- The draft explicitly bans harsh practices including the use of abusive language, sending inappropriate social media messages, making anonymous calls, and physical or verbal intimidation.
- For microfinance loans, recovery must occur at a mutually decided designated place, though field staff may visit residences if the borrower fails to appear on two or more successive occasions.
- Banks are prohibited from initiating legal action as a first resort and must provide a written notice before taking possession of security or initiating legal measures.
- Where a grievance is lodged by a borrower, the bank cannot forward the recovery case to an agent until the grievance is finally disposed of, unless the complaint is found to be frivolous.
Similar Coverage
- The Forest Department of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) recorded the first direct photographic evidence of the Eurasian Otter in Sindh Nalla, Ganderbal, in nearly 50 years.
- Range Officer Faizan Anwar Mir captured an image of a sub-adult otter in Gutlibagh, suggesting the existence of a breeding group in the area.
- The Kishenganga river acts as a natural corridor for the species to move across the Line of Control (LoC) between Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and North Kashmir.
- Evidence indicates that the otters swim freely between PoK and villages in North Kashmir, crossing the frontier at Keran and Teetwal.
- Earlier camera-trap records had confirmed the presence of the species in the Kishenganga and Rambiara Nalla regions before the recent direct sighting.
- The high-altitude, cold-water streams along the LoC provide a vital sanctuary for the species due to minimal civilian industrialisation.
- Environmental experts noted that pollution and encroachment in Wular Lake and Jhelum waters remain major obstacles to the species' full ecological recovery.
- Ministry of Home Affairs relaxed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland.
- The relaxation aims to promote tourism, improve ease of movement and strengthen integration with the rest of the country during the Hornbill Festival.
- Nagaland government requested lifting of the PAP regime.
- Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to relax the PAP regime.
- DNA analysis and morphometric study proved that this a new species not only for J&K but the whole India
- The animal was found to match with Brandt’s Hedgehog which presently has been reported from the countries of Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen but has not been reported in India until now
- The discovery shows that the species has expanded its distribution
- The confirmation of the presence of Brandt’s Hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas) is a noteworthy addition to the biodiversity of UT of Jammu and Kashmir
- The study suggests a potential range expansion for the species, which could be attributed to various ecological factors such as climate change, habitat connectivity, and food availability
- The discovery of Brandt’s Hedgehog highlights the need for targeted conservation efforts to be initiated with clear objectives and conservation strategies
- To ensure the habitat availability and the extent of sites with suitable habitat, a detailed habitat analysis is to be done
- Further studies are recommended to monitor the population dynamics of hedgehog species in the area
- Researchers from Nagaland University (NU) have discovered a new plant species named Hoya nagaensis in the Phek district of Nagaland.
- The species was identified in the Kavünhou Community Reserved Forest, a high-altitude community-protected area in the Eastern Himalaya.
- The research team was led by Principal Investigator Gyati Yam from the Department of Forestry at NU, alongside researchers Vieneite-o Koza and Joynath Pegu.
- The findings regarding the new species were published in the Kew Bulletin, a peer-reviewed international journal for plant and fungal taxonomy.
- Hoya nagaensis has been provisionally assessed as critically endangered due to its restricted distribution and threats from shifting cultivation and forest disturbance.
- The discovery highlights the effectiveness of traditional forest stewardship practiced by local Naga communities in conserving biodiversity.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Digital Payments Index rises to 516.76 in September 2025.
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) for September 2025 stands at 516.76.
- The RBI-DPI was 465.33 in September 2024 and 493.22 in March 2025.
- The index captures digitisation of payments across the country with March 2018 as the base year.
Similar Coverage
- Over 2,000 candidates contested 300 parliamentary seats in Bangladesh’s first election since Sheikh Hasina was ousted by student-led protests.
- The Awami League, Hasina’s party, was banned from contesting the polls.
- The main contest is between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a coalition led by Jamaat-e-Islami.
- Results are expected on Friday, with 49% turnout reported by 14:00 local time.
- Nearly 120 million people were eligible to vote, with about 40% under the age of 37.
- Nearly a million police and soldiers were deployed for security during the election.
- Sheikh Hasina, currently in exile in India, was convicted and sentenced to death in absentia for ordering the crackdown that killed up to 1,400 protesters.
- Voters also cast ballots on a referendum for constitutional change proposed by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
- Anutin Charnvirakul and the Bhumjaithai Party secured a victory in the Thailand general election held on 8 February 2026.
- The Bhumjaithai Party won approximately 192 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, according to preliminary results from the Election Commission (EC).
- Anutin Charnvirakul assumed the role of Prime Minister following the ousting of Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai party over a border crisis with Cambodia.
- The People's Party, led by Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut, secured 117 seats and announced it would serve as the opposition.
- A survey conducted by the National Institute for Development Administration (NIDA) correctly projected the Bhumjaithai Party as the winner of the election.
- Voters also approved a referendum to replace the 2017 military-backed constitution by a margin of nearly two to one.
- The Bhumjaithai Party campaign included pledges to implement a consumer subsidy programme and cancel a maritime claims agreement with Cambodia.
- Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed direct air connectivity on 29 January 2026 after a 14-year suspension.
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated the inaugural flight, BG341, from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
- Direct flights between the two countries had been suspended since 2012, previously requiring travel via Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Doha.
- The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) welcomed the inaugural aircraft with a traditional water cannon salute at Karachi.
- The resumption follows diplomatic discussions between Bangladesh interim leader Muhammad Yunus and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate the Dhaka–Karachi route twice-weekly to promote trade, tourism, and cultural ties.
- The two nations are geographically separated by approximately 1,500 km of Indian territory.
- Bilateral cooperation also included the resumption of cargo shipping between Karachi and Chittagong in November 2024.
- The Dhaka Special Judge's Court sentenced 79-year-old deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in absentia across two corruption cases.
- The sentencing involves alleged irregularities in the allocation of residential plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
- The court sentenced Hasina's nieces, Tulip Siddiq (United Kingdom (UK) Labour Member of Parliament (MP) and former British minister) and Azaman Siddiq, and her nephew, Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in absentia.
- Other accused individuals, including a former junior minister for housing, a former secretary of the ministry, and a former Rajuk Chairman, were sentenced to five years of imprisonment.
- Khurshid Alam, a senior official of Rajuk, was the only individual among the 16 accused who was tried in person and present during the verdict.
- Sheikh Hasina was previously sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment on 27 November following a complaint by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
- Her children, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, were each handed five-year prison sentences in a separate case involving Rajuk plots.
- A special tribunal earlier sentenced the former Prime Minister, currently in exile in India, to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising on 5 August 2024.
State Bank of India (SBI) pegs zero-tariff share of India’s farm exports to US at 75%
[State Bank of India (SBI), United States]
Key Updates:
- 75% of India’s agricultural exports to the United States will now attract zero tariff, according to a State Bank of India (SBI) report.
- USD 1.36 billion worth of Indian agricultural commodities will receive zero additional US duty access.
- India holds a USD 1.3 billion agricultural trade surplus with the United States.
- Key products set to benefit include rice, spices, oilseeds, tea, coffee and fisheries.
- India commands a 24.7% share in US global rice imports, valued at USD 341 million out of USD 1.378 billion total US rice imports.
- India’s share in US coffee, tea, mate and spices imports is 2.8%, worth USD 396 million out of USD 14.026 billion total US imports in the category.
- India holds a 9.6% share in US fish and aquatic invertebrate imports, supplying USD 1.817 billion out of USD 18.848 billion total US imports.
- India’s share in US edible fruit and nuts imports is only USD 39 million out of USD 21.522 billion total US imports.
- India’s share in US edible vegetables and certain roots imports is USD 109 million out of USD 12.402 billion total US imports.
- India’s share in US prepared vegetables, fruit and nuts imports is USD 192 million out of USD 13.774 billion total US imports.
- Across selected categories, India’s agricultural exports to the US total USD 2.894 billion, representing a 3.5% share of overall US imports of USD 81.950 billion.
Similar Coverage
- India secured 18% tariff on nearly $900 billion worth of US global imports and zero-duty access on $150 billion.
- Indian exports to the US stood at $86.35 billion in 2024.
- Tariffs on $30.94 billion of Indian goods slashed from up to 50% to 18%.
- $10.03 billion of Indian exports now enjoy zero-duty access to the US.
- Silk products secured zero-duty access to a $113-billion US market.
- Textiles and apparel tariffs reduced from peaks of 50% to 18%.
- Machinery and engineering exports tariffs cut to 18% in a $477-billion market.
- India’s current machinery exports to the US are $2.35 billion.
- $1.36 billion worth of Indian farm exports enter the US with zero additional duties.
- Products valued at $1.035 billion assured zero reciprocal tariffs including spices, tea, coffee, fruits, nuts, and processed foods.
- Dairy, meat, poultry, cereals, millets, and oilseeds remain fully protected under exemption.
- Gems and jewellery tariffs reduced from 50% to 18% for a $61-billion market.
- Diamonds and platinum secured 0% duty access covering a $29-billion segment.
- Home décor tariffs dropped to 18% for a $52-billion market; 0% duty for $13-billion segment including chandeliers and seats.
- Toy sector tariffs cut from 50% to 18% for an $18-billion market.
- Leather and footwear industry gains 18% tariff cap in a $42-billion market.
- India is the 5th largest exporter of digitally delivered services with exports of $0.28 trillion in 2024, up 10.3% year-on-year.
- Zero additional duty access secured for industrial exports valued at $38 billion covering aircraft parts, generic drugs, and elementary auto parts.
- India and the United States (US) have announced a framework for the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement to reduce import duties on various goods.
- The legal agreement is expected to be signed by mid-March, with duty concessions taking effect on the day of implementation.
- India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on US industrial goods and agricultural products including dried distillers' grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, soybean oil, wine, and spirits.
- Specific US goods such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, lentils, high-end cars, and motorcycles will enjoy duty concessions in India.
- Duty benefits will be extended to American medical devices including pacemakers, X-ray valves, diagnostic reagents, hearing aids, and artificial joints.
- American aircraft, semiconductor chips, and high-quality machinery will be allowed into India under the pact.
- India has fixed minimum import prices on products like apples to protect the interests of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and farmers.
- Indian exports including spices, tea, coffee, cashew, mango, pineapple, and cocoa products will attract zero reciprocal tariffs in the US market.
- The agreement aims to address non-tariff barriers affecting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods and medical devices.
- India and the United States announced a framework for the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement on Saturday.
- The framework will be converted into a legal agreement expected to be signed by mid-March.
- India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products including dried distillers' grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits.
- India will grant duty concessions on US goods such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, some lentils, high-end cars and motorcycles.
- India agreed to address long-standing barriers to trade in US medical devices and eliminate restrictive import licensing procedures for US Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods.
- Minimum import prices have been fixed on certain products like apples to protect interests of MSMEs and farmers.
- India will eliminate import duties on certain US goods on the day the agreement comes into force, while duties on other items may be phased out over time.
- India will extend duty benefits on certain American medicines for neuro, heart and diabetes, cosmetics, medical devices, X-ray valves, diagnostic reagents, pacemakers, imaging apparatus, hearing aid, and artificial joints.
- India will allow American aircraft, semiconductor chips, and high quality machinery into its market.
- India's exports to the US including spices, tea, coffee, copra, coconut oil, areca nut, cashew, Brazil nut, chestnut, avocado, banana, guava, mango, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, shiitake mushroom, vegetable planting material and saplings, roots and tubers such as taro, barley, canary seeds, bakery goods, cocoa and cocoa products, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and fruit jams and pastes will attract zero reciprocal tariffs in the American market.
- APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) launched BHARATI—Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement—to empower agri sector start-ups.
- Top 10 startups under BHARATI will get the opportunity to showcase their products at international platforms.
- APEDA-promoted agri exports grew 7% during April-November 2025-26 to USD 18.6 billion and are expected to cross USD 30 billion this fiscal.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposes draft regulatory framework for bank lending to REITs and InvITs
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released draft norms permitting banks to lend to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
- To be eligible for bank financing, a REIT must be listed, have a minimum three-year operational track record, and have reported positive net distributable cash flows in the preceding two financial years.
- The aggregate credit exposure of all banks to a REIT, its underlying Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and holding companies is capped at 49% of the asset value as of March 31 of the preceding financial year.
- Banks are permitted to extend loans only for operational or completed assets, while financing for land acquisition is strictly prohibited.
- The draft framework mandates amortised repayment schedules for loans and explicitly disallows bullet or balloon repayment structures.
- Lending must be fully secured through the mortgage of identified assets and a charge over receivables or escrow arrangements to prevent cash-flow diversion.
- Overseas branches of Indian banks are permitted to lend to overseas REITs provided the jurisdiction has an effective statutory insolvency or bankruptcy framework.
- The proposed directions are scheduled to come into force from July 1, 2026.
Similar Coverage
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued operational guidance for the implementation of the Government of India’s Interest Subvention Scheme for pre- and post-shipment export credit.
- The scheme is introduced on a pilot basis under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – Niryat Prothsahan.
- The RBI directed all scheduled commercial banks (excluding regional rural banks), primary urban co-operative banks, state co-operative banks, and all-India financial institutions to extend the interest subvention.
- Lending institutions must adhere to operational instructions issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) through Trade Notices dated January 2, 2026, and January 16, 2026.
- The scheme aims to support exporters by reducing the interest burden on eligible export credit.
- The RBI circular, dated January 19, 2026, emphasizes that claims must be submitted according to prescribed procedures and existing regulatory instructions.
- Loans to high-quality infrastructure projects where at least 2% of sanctioned project debt has been repaid will carry a 75% risk weight.
- Loans where at least 5% of sanctioned project debt has been repaid will attract a lower 50% risk weight.
- Exposures initially classified as high-quality that later fail to meet prescribed conditions will revert to higher risk weights under the existing infrastructure lending framework.
- Projects must have completed at least one year of operations after achieving commercial operations without breaching material lender covenants, and the exposure must be classified as 'standard' in the lender's books.
- Project revenues must depend on concession or contractual rights granted by the Centre, state governments, public sector entities, or statutory bodies, with protections throughout the concession period.
- Lenders must have strong contractual safeguards including escrow or trust and retention account mechanisms, pari-passu charge over project assets, and risk-mitigation features such as step-in rights or minimum termination payments.
- India Inc’s M&A deal value in H1 2025 stood at USD 50.5 billion, according to EY data cited in the article.
- Under the draft RBI norms, Indian banks can extend acquisition-finance ECBs only up to 10% of their Tier-1 capital; lenders are asking for this ceiling to be raised to 20%-40% of net worth.
- At the current 10% limit, domestic banks have less than USD 30 billion (about Rs 2.5 lakh crore) available for acquisition financing.
- RBI will buy Rs 2 lakh crore of government bonds through open market operations in four tranches of Rs 50,000 crore each.
- RBI will conduct a $10-billion buy/sell swap auction on Jan. 13 to ease dollar liquidity.
- System liquidity turned negative mid-December, driving the weighted average call rate to 5.46%, above the 5.25% repo rate.
- Between December 11 and 18, RBI had infused Rs 1.45 lakh crore through OMOs and a $5-billion swap.
- Power Finance Corp scrapped a Rs 6,000-crore bond sale after bids came in at higher-than-expected coupons.
- The 10-year benchmark yield has risen 20 basis points since Dec. 5 despite a quarter percentage point policy rate cut.
- State governments collectively raised Rs 33,720 crore through bond sales on Tuesday at cutoff yields higher than expected.
- Bank of India raised Rs 10,000 crore long term infrastructure bonds at 7.23%.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants EximPe PA-CB licence for cross-border UPI collections.
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
- Mumbai-based fintech EximPe received final PA-CB authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- The licence enables global merchants and payment platforms to collect payments from India via UPI and other local payment methods.
- Before the authorisation EximPe facilitated over USD 500 million in bank-led cross-border trade payments across key Asia corridors.
- EximPe targets USD 1 billion in annualised UPI payments within the next 24 months.
- EximPe raised USD 5 million in a 2022 seed round led by Leo Capital.
Similar Coverage
- Transcorp International Limited received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to participate in Centralized Payment Systems (CPS).
- The approval enables the company to build and operate its payment ecosystem with RTGS and NEFT capabilities.
- Transcorp will hold and operate a bank account at RBI and be allotted its own IFSC Code.
- The Board of Directors reviewed the development at its meeting held on 04 February 2026.
- The company recorded 49% growth in profitability during the quarter ended 31 December 2025 compared to the previous quarter.
- Profitability for the nine-month period ended 31 December 2025 grew 67% over the corresponding period of the previous year.
- Transcorp fully repaid all public Fixed Deposits under its Public Fixed Deposit scheme and has NIL outstanding public Fixed Deposits.
- The company operates with the lowest average debt utilisation, resulting in reduced finance costs.
- Digital payments and Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) business achieved record high payment volumes monthly.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted a Payment Aggregator licence to PB Pay Private Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of PB Fintech.
- The Certificate of Authorisation was issued by the RBI on 6th February and became effective immediately.
- The final approval follows an in-principle nod granted by the central bank to the subsidiary in early 2024.
- PB Fintech is the parent organisation of the online insurance marketplace Policybazaar and the lending platform Paisabazaar.
- Chennai-based fintech Paysharp received RBI Payment Aggregator-Physical (PA-P) licence on 21 January 2026.
- Paysharp had earlier obtained RBI Payment Aggregator-Online (PA-O) licence in August 2024.
- The company follows a flat-pricing model for merchants across government, B2B enterprises, NBFCs and e-commerce sectors.
- Paysharp has raised ₹23.5 crore across two funding rounds for product development, regulatory compliance and payments infrastructure expansion.
- Fintech firm Easebuzz has secured authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a full-service Payment Aggregator.
- The authorisation covers online, offline, and cross-border transactions.
- Easebuzz is now among only three Indian payment fintechs to hold all three key licenses.
- This approval enables Easebuzz to provide merchants with end-to-end payment capabilities, including online payment acceptance, in-person payments through POS devices and UPI soundboxes, and cross-border inward and outward transactions.
- Rohit Prasad, MD & CEO of Easebuzz, stated that the move stresses the RBI’s “progressive approach” in enabling innovation across integrated payment ecosystems.
- Easebuzz currently serves more than 2.5 lakh merchants.
- It processes around 3 million transactions per day.
- Its annualised Gross Transaction Value stands at over $50 billion.
- For FY2024-25, the company reported revenue of ₹656 crore and a net profit of ₹19 crore.
- Easebuzz continues to focus on sector-specific SaaS integrations as part of its long-term strategy.
- Its verticalised solutions cater to sectors such as education, insurance, NBFCs, travel, e-commerce, retail, government and real estate, embedding payment capabilities via SaaS APIs to digitise and streamline financial workflows.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) permits ICICI Bank to acquire up to 9.95% stake in eight lenders
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI), ICICI Bank]
Key Updates:
- The RBI has approved the application for ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited (ICICI Prudential AMC), along with group entities of ICICI Bank, to acquire an aggregate holding of up to 9.95% in eight banks.
- The lenders covered under the approval are Bandhan Bank Limited, City Union Bank Limited, Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited, Federal Bank Limited, IDFC First Bank Limited, HDFC Bank Limited, The Karur Vysya Bank Limited, and RBL Bank Limited.
- ICICI Bank, the second-largest private sector lender in India, must complete the acquisition of paid-up equity capital or voting rights within one year from the date of the RBI letter.
- The permissions were granted under the consolidated Master Direction on acquisition and holding of shares or voting rights in banking companies.
Similar Coverage
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved Blackstone’s acquisition of up to 9.99 per cent stake in Federal Bank.
- Competition Commission of India (CCI) had cleared the proposal in December 2025.
- Federal Bank will issue up to 272.97 million warrants convertible into equity shares of face value ₹2 at ₹227 per share.
- Blackstone will invest ₹6,196.51 crore through its affiliate Asia II Topco XIII Pte Ltd.
- Post-transaction, Blackstone can nominate a director if its shareholding remains at or above 5 per cent.
- Upon full conversion, Blackstone will become the single largest shareholder in Federal Bank.
- Federal Bank reported a 9 per cent YoY rise in Q3 FY26 net profit to ₹1,041 crore.
- Gross NPAs declined to 1.72 per cent and net NPAs to 0.42 per cent in Q3 FY26.
- Net interest income rose 9 per cent YoY to ₹2,653 crore; net interest margin improved to 3.18 per cent.
- ICICI Bank executed a share purchase agreement with Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd to purchase an additional 2% shareholding in ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Ltd.
- The purchase price is fixed at ₹2,140 crore for the 2% stake.
- Reserve Bank of India accorded approval for the bank to purchase up to 2% additional shareholding through its letter dated September 12, 2025.
- ICICI AMC had total assets of ₹4,827 crore as of September 30, 2025.
- ICICI AMC reported turnover of ₹2,949 crore and profit after tax of ₹1,618 crore for H1FY26.
- ICICI Bank currently holds 51.0% and Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd holds 49.0% in ICICI AMC.
- The board of ICICI Bank approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a two-year term from October 4, 2026 to October 3, 2028.
- The reappointment is subject to approvals from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the bank’s shareholders and other statutory authorities.
- Bakhshi took over as MD & CEO in October 2018 and has been credited with steering the bank through tighter risk controls, improved asset quality and steady growth across retail and corporate banking.
- The board noted the reappointment aligns with RBI’s Commercial Banks: Governance Directions, 2025.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the acquisition of a shareholding between 51% and 74% in RBL Bank Limited (RBL) by Emirates NBD Bank P.J.S.C. (ENBD) on 20 January 2026.
- The transaction includes a mandatory open offer under SEBI regulations representing up to 26% of the expanded voting capital of RBL.
- The deal involves a preferential allotment of equity shares amounting to up to 60% of the total paid-up equity share capital of RBL.
- The proposal includes the amalgamation of ENBD’s Indian banking operations, which operate through a network of 3 branches, into RBL on a going concern basis.
Indian Navy assumes command of Combined Task Force 154 under Combined Maritime Forces
[Combined Maritime Forces]
Key Updates:
- Indian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154), a multinational training task force under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), on 11 February at CMF headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.
- Commodore Milind M Mokashi of the Indian Navy, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, took over as Commander of CTF 154 from the outgoing Italian Navy commander.
- CTF 154, established in May 2023, focuses on training and capacity-building across five pillars: maritime domain awareness, law of the sea, maritime interdiction operations, maritime rescue and assistance, and leadership development.
- The task force conducts maritime security enhancement training events, exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, and outreach to counter threats like illegal trafficking, piracy, and irregular migration.
- CTF 154 operates alongside CMF task forces CTF 150 (maritime security), CTF 151 (counter-piracy), CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf maritime security), and CTF 153 (Red Sea maritime security).
Similar Coverage
- The Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur (IIMU) successfully hosted the third edition of the D'Future: India Digital Conclave at the T-Hub in Hyderabad.
- The conclave focused on technology-led growth, resilient systems, and building an inclusive nation through digital technologies.
- Shri Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary of the Government of Telangana, highlighted the state's commitment to digitising governance, including providing optical fibre connectivity to households.
- Prof. Ramayya Krishnan from Carnegie Mellon University discussed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare applications and the importance of AI governance.
- Kamlesh Gosai, Executive Director at the Ministry of Railways, shared insights into the GatiShakti programme and the Tech Vision 2035 roadmap for integrated infrastructure planning.
- The event featured student-led innovations from the IIMU 1-Year MBA (GSCM) programme, including AI-powered inventory management and demand forecasting tools.
- Start-up companies presented pitches in advanced fields such as quantum computing, high-speed devices, low-cost sustained energy systems, and rocket launching.
- Viren Rasquinha, CEO of Olympic Gold Quest, discussed the increasing role of data analytics and wearable devices in enhancing sports performance.
- The Black Swan Summit India, a two-day conference on AI, FinTech, and InsurTech, commenced.
- President Droupadi Murmu and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi are expected to participate.
- The summit is organised by the Odisha government and GFTN.
- Visha Dev, additional chief secretary of the electronics and information technology department, stated Odisha aims to establish Bhubaneswar as a key centre for AI-driven financial technologies.
- The summit aligns with the state's commitment to contribute to 'Viksit Bharat' through technology-led governance and digital infrastructure.
- Over 1,700 delegates from 24 countries and nearly 100 speakers across five continents are attending the summit.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the inaugural India International Conference on Democracy and Election Management (IICDEM) 2026 from January 21 to 23, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
- The theme for the conference is ‘Democracy for an inclusive, peaceful, resilient, and sustainable world’.
- The 3-day international conference is being organised by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) under the aegis of the ECI.
- Almost three dozen member states of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) will participate, including the United States (US), Mauritius, Brazil, and South Africa.
- The event will feature 42 Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from across the world and more than 90 international delegates.
- The summit will include 36 thematic groups covering 11 modern international electoral standards and 25 best practices, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in elections.
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, will hold over 40 bilateral meetings with international delegates.
- Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) organises SOAR – Skilling for AI Readiness programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
- President Droupadi Murmu will confer Artificial Intelligence certificates on learners including students and Members of Parliament.
- President will launch the national awareness campaign #SkillTheNation Challenge to boost youth participation in future-ready skilling.
WHO prequalifies Biological E. Limited’s novel oral polio vaccine type 2 to boost outbreak response
[World Health Organization (WHO), Biological E. Limited]
Key Updates:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) on 13 February 2026.
- Biological E. Limited manufactures the vaccine using bulk material transferred from PT Bio Farma.
- UNICEF and other UN agencies can now procure the vaccine for outbreak response programmes.
- nOPV2 is more genetically stable than traditional oral polio vaccine, lowering the risk of seeding new outbreaks.
- WHO noted that expanding nOPV2 manufacturers improves supply reliability for countries facing circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2, especially in under-immunised communities.
- WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported a significant decline in wild polio cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Similar Coverage
- Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also termed monkey fever, is endemic to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra.
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated next-generation vaccine development on request of Government of Karnataka.
- The project partners are Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) and ICMR–National Institute of Virology (NIV).
- The vaccine is a fully indigenous, adjuvanted, inactivated two-dose regimen given 28 days apart.
- Preclinical milestones completed include animal challenge studies, toxicity studies, and manufacture of GLP-grade material.
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved Phase I human clinical trial now underway.
- The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine price will fall to $2.99 per dose within a year.
- The price cut is expected to save up to $90 million and allow more than 30 million extra doses over the next five years.
- The agreement was enabled by an advance payment through the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm).
- More than 40 million malaria vaccine doses have already been delivered through Gavi-supported programmes.
- Both WHO-approved malaria vaccines, R21/Matrix-M and RTS,S, reduce malaria cases by more than half in the first year after vaccination.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Indonesia's polio outbreak over.
- Indonesia was previously declared polio-free in 2014.
- The last confirmed polio case in Indonesia was in South Papua province in June 2024.
- WHO is the abbreviation for World Health Organization.
- The Union Cabinet has renewed the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) Engagement Strategy with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
- The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), had partnered with CEPI in October 2019, to advance vaccine development for diseases of epidemic potential.
- The partnership recorded progress in early-stage development of vaccine candidates for Chikungunya, Coronavirus and Monkey pox.
- Under the strategy, BIRAC’s bioassay laboratory and experimental animal facility supported the development of several Indian and global vaccine candidates at different stages, from pre-clinical to phase-3 efficacy trials.
- Training programmes on vaccine development and clinical trials have been organized, contributing to capacity building in the domain.
- The latest renewal further broadens the strategy scope to the development of allied technologies, particularly monoclonal antibodies.
- Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are lab-made proteins that mimic the body's natural immune response to target specific cells or antigens.
- CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic and civil organisations which supports the development of vaccines and associated technologies against emerging infectious diseases.
- Several national governments, the European Commission, and philanthropic organisations, such as Gates Foundation and Welcome Trust, are involved with CEPI.
JNCASR-led team discovers wave-like phonon heat transport in Tl2AgI3 enabling ultra-efficient thermal insulators
[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR)]
Key Updates:
- Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology (DST), demonstrated a particle-to-wave-like crossover in phonon transport in the zero-dimensional inorganic metal halide Tl2AgI3.
- The material exhibits an exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity of about 0.18 W/m·K and becomes nearly temperature independent above around 125 K, signalling a breakdown of the conventional phonon gas model.
- The study, led by Prof. Kanishka Biswas from the New Chemistry Unit (NCU), JNCASR, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS).
- State-of-the-art synchrotron X-ray pair distribution function measurements, low-temperature thermal transport experiments, Raman spectroscopy, and first-principles theoretical calculations were combined to reveal coherence-driven wave-like transport overtaking particle-based transport around 175 K.
- The experimental work was led by first author Dr. Riddhimoy Pathak, Ph.D student of Prof. Biswas, with joint first author Mr. Sayan Paul from the Theoretical Sciences Unit (TSU), JNCASR, providing theoretical insight.
- The research benefitted from national supercomputing resources and international synchrotron facilities under the India@DESY programme.
Similar Coverage
- Ultracold atoms sit at the heart of the quantum-technology revolution.
- India has built a strong and steadily growing presence in cold and ultracold-atom research.
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai was the first laboratory in India to create a Bose–Einstein condensate.
- Bose–Einstein Condensate is a state where billions of atoms act like a single “super-atom” with quantum effects visible on a macroscopic scale.
- Laser cooling, awarded the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics, uses light’s momentum to slow atoms to a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero.
- Today’s best atomic clocks based on cold atoms would not lose even one second over the age of the universe.
- Cold-atom gravity sensors can detect underground structures, monitor volcanoes, and test Einstein’s theory of gravity.
- Ultracold atoms arranged by laser light form quantum simulators that mimic exotic solids, superconductors, or black-hole-like systems.
- Cold atoms are being developed as building blocks for quantum computers to solve problems like molecular design and cryptography faster than classical machines.
- Tashi Namgyal was a Kargil War hero from Ladakh.
- He was conferred the State Award posthumously by the Ladakh administration.
- His vigilance marked the opening chapter of Operation Vijay.
- RDSNS combines spin noise spectroscopy with coherent Raman laser beams that amplify the signal without heating or disturbing the atoms.
- The Raman beams boost the detectable signal by nearly one million times, enabling precise density measurements from a probing volume as small as 0.01 mm³.
- Using RDSNS, the RRI team studied potassium atoms trapped in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and uncovered insights invisible to conventional methods.
- The probe is far-detuned and operates at very low power, making the technique effectively non-invasive, achieving density measurements with only a few percent uncertainty on microsecond timescales.
- Fast, precise, and non-destructive density measurements are essential for technologies such as quantum gravimeters, magnetometers, atomic clocks, and neutral-atom quantum computers.
- Indian scientists have developed the first supercomputer-powered simulation to capture the long-existing paradox of hot water freezing faster than cold water.
- Researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research have used supercomputers to develop the first simulation of ice formation, proving the Mpemba effect of water.
- The simulation also demonstrates that the effect can appear during fluid-to-solid transitions in systems other than water.
- This research has been published in the Journal of Communication Physics.
Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and CSIR-NIScPR sign MoU to advance evidence-based science policy and communication.
[Indian National Science Academy (INSA), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)]
Key Updates:
- Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed an MoU on 10 February 2026 at INSA, New Delhi.
- The MoU targets long-term collaborative activities in science communication and evidence-driven science policy research to support informed policymaking and sustainable STI development in India.
- Dr. Brajesh Pandey, Executive Director of INSA, delivered welcome remarks highlighting the need for partnerships bridging scientific research with communication and policy engagement.
- Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Former Senior Advisor at the Department of Science and Technology (DST), emphasised that sustained collaboration between scientific institutions is essential for advancing evidence-based STI policy research.
- Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam, Director of CSIR-NIScPR, noted the partnership will harness respective strengths in science communication, policy research and academic engagement to create actionable STI policy frameworks.
- Prof. Anurag Agrawal, Vice President (Policy) at INSA, stressed that evidence-driven approaches are crucial for aligning national scientific progress with long-term developmental goals.
- Prof. Shekhar C. Mande, President of INSA, described strong policy foundations as essential for advancing science and technology and ensuring societal well-being.
- Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Hon’ble Member of NITI Aayog, highlighted the need for policy frameworks supporting responsible, ethical and human-centric adoption of disruptive technologies.
- The MoU covers joint policy research studies, co-authored publications, pilot projects for policy innovation, capacity-building programmes and outreach activities.
- The collaboration will engage government institutions, international organisations, think tanks, researchers and young scholars to strengthen India’s STI policy ecosystem.
Similar Coverage
- OPSA and ORF partner to create a dedicated global platform on science, technology, and geopolitics at Raisina Dialogue.
- The inaugural Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI) 2026 will be held alongside the Raisina Dialogue from 5–7 March 2026 in New Delhi.
- SDI 2026 will focus on science and technology diplomacy in an era of strategic autonomy, governance of disruptive technologies, and evolving models of scientific partnerships in a multipolar world.
- The initiative will engage emerging scientific leaders, researchers, and deep-tech innovators with global policymakers and diplomats to foster cross-border collaboration and innovation partnerships.
- Insights from SDI 2026 are expected to add fresh perspectives from India and the Global South to global debates on governance of science and technology.
- Department of Space secretary and ISRO chairman Dr. V. Narayanan inaugurated the Isro-Academia Day at ISRO Headquarters in Bengaluru.
- ISRO released the RESPOND Basket 2025, outlining research statements aligned with Isro’s current and future mission needs.
- Premier universities and recognised academic and R&D institutions can submit research proposals through the I-GRASP portal by January 31, 2026.
- CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR), Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and Panjab University organised Vigyanika as part of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025.
- Session ‘Vigyan Se Samruddhi – For Atmanirbhar Bharat’ focused on ‘traditional knowledge communication and its role in advancing national self-reliance’.
- Dr. Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, Head, CSIR-TKDL, emphasized ‘the importance of documenting, disseminating and implementing policy for traditional knowledge’.
- NITI Aayog convened a two-day national workshop titled "Sustaining Innovation: Embedding R&D in State Institutions" at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore.
- The workshop was organised in collaboration with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology.
- Tamil Nadu is currently at the forefront of patent filings in India, with nearly 5,000 to 6,000 applications filed annually.
- Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed an MoU to facilitate collaboration on research and science-and-technology-related initiatives.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) join to develop indigenous sensor tech for Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) high-altitude operations.
[Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)]
Key Updates:
- Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) under DRDO and Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) under CSIR will jointly develop wearable sensors for real-time physiological monitoring of defence personnel in varied environmental and service conditions.
- Joint research will assess how extreme temperatures, high altitude and hypoxia affect soldiers’ cognitive performance and decision-making abilities.
- Studies will also examine impact of high-altitude air operations on pilots’ judgment, reaction time and overall mission effectiveness.
- After the 2020 stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), sustained military deployment in extreme high-altitude areas became the new normal, giving unprecedented impetus to R&D for supporting troops.
- Post-2020, India inducted over 68,000 soldiers, around 90 tanks, 330 BMP infantry combat vehicles, radar systems, artillery guns and other equipment; Indian Air Force deployed fighters, attack helicopters and surveillance aircraft to bolster defence capabilities.
- CSIO, a constituent laboratory of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), focuses on research, design and development of scientific and industrial instruments and has worked on armed-force projects involving sensors and electro-optics.
- DIPAS undertakes physiological and biomedical research to improve performance and well-being of soldiers in harsh desert and high-altitude conditions, covering military physiology, life support systems, ergonomics, clinical and cellular biochemistry, anthropometric data compilation, nutrition, man-machine interface and occupational health.
Similar Coverage
- BEML Limited, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID) signed a Tripartite Master Research Agreement (MRA) at IISc campus.
- The collaboration targets blue-sky, applied and translational research in aerospace and defence, rail and metro systems, mining and construction equipment, maritime technologies, next-generation mobility, green technologies and advanced manufacturing.
- The partnership will be anchored through BEML’s newly established Central Research Facility (CRF) for joint knowledge creation, simulation, prototyping, technology validation and intellectual property generation.
- BEML has committed significant R&D investments to sustain the collaborative programmes aligned with national priorities of indigenisation and self-reliance.
- Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) Thursday signed a technical agreement to deepen bilateral collaboration in the field of research and development.
- The agreement, signed by DRDO chief Samir V. Kamat and France’s armaments director Gael Diaz de Tuesta, is an overarching pact enabling joint R&D, not tied to any one project.
- This strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions for future defence challenges, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.
- The agreement provides a formal framework for joint research and training programmes, testing activities, exchange of information, organisation of workshops, seminars etc. to enhance the skill and knowledge in defence R&D.
- Under the agreement, the transfer of equipment, know-how and technologies will be available to both countries.
- Key areas of cooperation outlined in this agreement include aeronautical platforms, unmanned vehicles, advanced materials for defence applications, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space, navigation, advanced propulsion, advanced sensors, quantum technologies, underwater technologies and other areas of mutual interest, the statement said.
- Both countries are looking at declaring 2026 as the ‘India-France year of innovation’ which will not be limited to just pure defence.
- France was India’s first strategic partner and an agreement to this effect was signed on 26 January 1998.
- Samir V Kamat delivered the main address at DRDO Bhawan on the organisation’s 68th Foundation Day.
- He highlighted that 22 Acceptances of Necessity were approved by the Defence Acquisition Council and the Services Procurement Board during 2025.
- He urged DRDO scientists to intensify research in cyber security, space technologies, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare.
- DRDO has handed over seven cutting-edge technologies developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to the three Services.
- Technologies include an indigenous high-voltage power supply for airborne self-protection jammers, a tide-efficient gangway for naval jetties, advanced very low frequency–high frequency switching matrix systems, VLF loop aerials for underwater platforms, an indigenous waterjet propulsion system for fast interceptor craft, a novel process for recovery of lithium precursors from used lithium-ion batteries, and a long-life seawater battery system for sustained underwater sensing and surveillance applications.
- The handover took place at the meeting of the Empowered Committee of DRDO, held at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat.
- The Committee approved 12 new projects spanning strategic, aerospace, naval and electronic warfare technologies.
IN-SPACe selects Astrome, Azista, Dhruva Space to build satellite bus platforms under SBaaS initiative
[Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), Astrome, Azista, Dhruva Space]
Key Updates:
- Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), announced selection of Astrome Technologies, Azista Industries, and Dhruva Space to build indigenous small satellite platforms under its “Satellite Bus as a Service” (SBaaS) initiative.
- Selection followed multi-stage evaluation of 15 proposals after initiative announcement in April 2025.
- SBaaS model aims to provide cost-effective, standardised flight-ready satellite platforms for domestic and global demand.
- Grant disbursement will be milestone-linked and IN-SPACe will facilitate access to ISRO and Department of Space infrastructure, testing facilities, and technical expertise.
- IN-SPACe plans later phases to enable hosted payload missions on these platforms, expanding public-private partnership programmes from platform development to operational missions.
Similar Coverage
- Akashlabdhi, incubated at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), completed key habitat tests in Switzerland with partners including European Space Agency (ESA).
- The July mission will launch a 70 cubic metre scaled version of AntarikshHAB aboard a vehicle supplied by Spanish firm PLD Space.
- The inflatable module will be deployed in orbit, then de-orbited for atmospheric re-entry and post-flight material inspection.
- Underground validation tests at Versuchsstollen Hagerbach (VSH) run by Amberg Group covered pressure, leak-before-burst, thermal cycling, accelerated ageing, and micrometeoroid impact simulations.
- Indian academic contributors are IISc, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee) and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi); Swiss partners include ETH Zurich, EMPA and Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
- The programme is grant-supported by ESA and its partners and aims to advance the habitat to Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6).
- Pixxel-led consortium signed MoU with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) in Bengaluru to build India's first indigenous commercial earth observation satellite constellation.
- Consortium includes PierSight, SatSure Analytics India and Dhruva Space to build and deploy 12-satellite constellation.
- First four satellites planned for orbit by first quarter of 2027, with remaining constellation rolling out in phases over following years.
- 12 satellites will deliver very high-resolution optical, multispectral, SAR and hyperspectral imaging for Indian government users coordinated through IN-SPACe.
- Consortium won government contract in August last year with zero bid, forgoing Rs 350 crore government support for design, build and operate constellation.
- Project valued at over Rs 1,200 crore validates India's private space ecosystem ability to deliver infrastructure at global scale.
- Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to establish and upgrade four major astronomy facilities.
- The projects include the National Large Solar Telescope (NLST), the National Large Optical-Infrared Telescope (NLOT), an upgrade to the Himalayan Chandra Telescope, and the Cosmos-2 planetarium.
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) director Prof Annapurni Subramaniam confirmed that IIA will implement all projects from its Bengaluru headquarters.
- The NLST will be located near Pangong Lake in Ladakh and will study the Sun’s magnetic fields and solar flares.
- The NLOT will be a 10-12 metre optical and infrared telescope planned for the Hanle region of Ladakh.
- The Himalayan Chandra Telescope, operational since 2000 in Hanle, will receive an upgrade under the Budget proposal.
- Cosmos-2, a planetarium and education centre, will be built in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, with digital projection and interactive exhibits.
- IIA has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government for implementing Cosmos-2.
- IIA is completing Cosmos-1, an 8K resolution LED dome planetarium and research training centre in Mysuru, Karnataka.
- Azista Space has become the first Indian aerospace firm to demonstrate in-orbit snooping by capturing images of the International Space Station (ISS) from another satellite.
- The demonstration was conducted using the ABA First Runner (AFR), an 80-kg indigenous earth-observation satellite.
- The AFR satellite was launched into space on 13 June 2023, by the Falcon-9 rocket of SpaceX as part of the Transporter-8 mission.
- The company successfully tracked the ISS at ranges of approximately 250 km and 300 km, capturing 15 distinct frames with 2.2m sampling.
- Azista Space operates a satellite and payload manufacturing facility in Sanand, Gujarat, which is capable of producing 50 satellites annually.
- This achievement is a significant step towards strengthening India's Space Situational Awareness (SSA), which involves monitoring and tracking man-made satellites and space debris.
- Personnel from the firm have been involved in over 12 missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).