Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) invests Rs 35,000 crore to build 10 lakh cars per year plant in Gujarat.
[Gujarat, Maruti Suzuki India Limited]
Key Updates:
- Maruti Suzuki India Limited will invest Rs 35,000 crore to develop a new plant in Khoraj, Gujarat.
- The new facility targets an annual production capacity of 10 lakh cars.
- The plant will provide employment to about 12,000 people.
- The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has provided 1,750 acres of land for the plant.
- Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi handed over the investment letter to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
- The project is expected to catalyse growth of ancillary units and MSMEs, creating a robust auto manufacturing cluster.
- Maruti Suzuki currently manufactures 17 models and over 650 variants across its facilities.
- In 2025, Maruti Suzuki produced over 22.55 lakh units, its highest-ever production in a calendar year.
Similar Coverage
- Tata Electronics has entered into a strategic partnership with Japan’s ROHM for automotive semiconductor assembly and testing in India for both Indian and global markets.
- Tata Electronics will assemble and test ROHM’s India-designed automotive-grade Nch 100V, 300A Si MOSFET in a TOLL package, targeting mass production shipments by next year.
- The Tata Group is currently building two semiconductor facilities in India, worth around $14 billion, including a fabrication plant in Gujarat and an assembly and testing plant in Assam.
- The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) conducted a stakeholder consultation for three upcoming PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model.
- "DPRs worth ₹5,567 crore have been finalised for the three PPP-mode parks" located in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Kalaburagi (Karnataka), and Navsari (Gujarat).
- The PM MITRA Parks are "inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign" to create fully integrated, end-to-end textile value chains.
- "Investor interest across the three states has crossed ₹20,054 crore, driven largely by the composite textile segment."
- Seven PM MITRA Parks have been announced across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
- The projected impact of the scheme includes "₹70,000 crore in industry investments" and "10 lakh employment opportunities per park."
- The Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility, located at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park - SEZ, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, was inaugurated.
- SAESI is Safran’s largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion (LEAP) engines, which power the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
- This MRO centre marks the first time a global engine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has set up an MRO operation in India.
- Developed with an initial investment of around ₹1,300 crore, the facility spans 45,000 sqm and is designed to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually, featuring advanced process equipment.
- Safran also announced two defense investments to support the Rafale program in India, including new MRO centers for M88 engines and a new joint venture with BEL.
- Vingroup commits $3 billion investment to establish a multi-sector ecosystem covering smart urban development, electric mobility, healthcare, education, tourism and renewable energy across approximately 2,500 hectares in Telangana.
- Telangana government will facilitate land allocation, fast-track approvals and coordinate planning for the project.
- The $3 billion plan surpasses Vingroup's $2 billion VinFast factory under construction in North Carolina, United States, making it the conglomerate's biggest potential investment outside Vietnam.
- VinFast, Vingroup's electric vehicle arm, already operates a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu and announced a $500 million expansion of the plant last week.
- Vingroup reported a net profit of 7.565 trillion dong ($287.42 million) for the first nine months of 2025, nearly double its earnings from the same period in 2024.
- Vingroup's total debt stood at $12.35 billion as of September 2025, with approximately half tied to bank loans and syndicated credit facilities.
- The Telangana projects will include a 1,080-hectare smart city, a 350-hectare theme park, and a 500 MW solar farm.
State Bank of India (SBI) Forecasts India's Transition to Upper-Middle-Income Status by 2030
[State Bank of India (SBI)]
Key Updates:
- State Bank of India (SBI) projects India to reach a per capita income of $4,000 by 2030, transitioning the nation into the upper-middle-income category alongside China and Indonesia.
- India moved from a low-income to a lower-middle-income economy in 2007, with per capita gross national income (GNI) rising from $90 in 1962 to $910 in 2007.
- The Indian economy reached $1 trillion six decades after independence, $2 trillion by 2014, $3 trillion by 2021, and is projected to reach $4 trillion by 2025.
- The economy is expected to cross the $5 trillion threshold in approximately two years.
- India’s per capita income reached $1,000 in 2009, doubled to $2,000 in 2019, and is projected to touch $3,000 by 2026.
- India’s percentile rank in the cross-country distribution of average real GDP growth has risen from the 92nd percentile to the 95th percentile.
- To reach the current high-income threshold of $13,936 by 2047, India’s per capita GNI must grow at a compound annual rate (CAGR) of 7.5%.
- If the high-income threshold increases to $18,000 by 2047, the required annual growth rate for per capita GNI would rise to 8.9%.
- Achieving the Viksit Bharat 2047 targets would imply a nominal GDP growth in dollar terms of approximately 11.5% over the next two decades.
- The number of high-income countries globally has more than doubled to 87 in 2024, while low-income countries have decreased to 26.
Similar Coverage
- The State Bank of India (SBI) projects India’s real GDP growth for FY26 could reach 7.5% following the revision of the base year to 2022-23.
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) first advance estimates place real GDP growth at 7.4% for FY26, an increase from the 6.5% recorded in FY25.
- The NSO projects Gross Value Added (GVA) growth at 7.3% and nominal GDP growth at 8% for the FY26 period.
- Per capita national income is projected to increase by ₹16,025 annually to reach ₹2,47,487 in FY26.
- The services sector is expected to expand by 9.1% in FY26, compared to the 7.2% growth recorded in the previous year.
- Industrial growth is estimated at 6.0% for FY26, supported by a manufacturing output growth of 7.0%.
- Agriculture and allied activities are projected to grow by 3.1% in FY26, down from 4.6% in FY25.
- Mining output is expected to decline by 0.7% in FY26, compared with a growth of 2.7% in FY25.
- The historical gap between GDP growth estimates from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the NSO has remained within a range of 20–30 basis points.
- The NSO is scheduled to release the second advance estimates, incorporating additional data and revisions, on February 27, 2026.
- India’s real GDP grew 8.2 per cent in Q2 FY2025-26, up from 7.8 per cent in the previous quarter and 7.4 per cent in Q4 of 2024-25.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2025-26 upwards to 7.3 per cent from the earlier estimate of 6.8 per cent.
- With GDP valued at $4.18 trillion, India has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy.
- India is poised to displace Germany from the third rank in the next 2.5 to 3 years with a projected GDP of $7.3 trillion by 2030.
- India’s richest 1 per cent expanded their wealth by 62 per cent between 2000 and 2023, according to a report commissioned by the South African Presidency of the G20.
- The study, led by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, described inequality as having reached “emergency” levels that now threaten democracy, economic stability and climate progress.
- The top 1 per cent globally captured 41 per cent of all new wealth created between 2000 and 2024, while the bottom half of humanity received only 1 per cent.
- In China, the top 1% have grown their share of wealth by 54% over the period of 2000–2023.
- The G20 Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Inequality proposed establishing an International Panel on Inequality (IPI), modelled on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to monitor inequality trends and guide global policymaking.
- Global poverty reduction has stalled since 2020, with 2.3 billion people now facing food insecurity and 1.3 billion impoverished by health costs.
- The World Inequality Report 2026 (WIR) situates India as one of the world’s most unequal large economies.
- In India, the top 10% earners capture 58% of national income.
- In India, the bottom 50% receives only 15% of national income.
- The top 10% in India holds about 65% of national wealth.
- The top 1% in India holds about 40% of national wealth.
- India's average annual income per capita (PPP) is 6,200 Euros.
- India's average wealth per capita (PPP) is 28,000 Euros.
- India's female labour participation rate is 15.7%, showing no improvement over the past decade.
- In 1980, a larger share of India’s population was in the “middle-40%” globally, but now almost all are in the bottom 50% globally.
- Globally, the top 10% of the population earn 53% of global income, while the bottom 50% receive only 8%.
- Globally, the top 10% own 75% of all global wealth, while the bottom 50% own only 2%.
- The global top 0.001% (fewer than 60,000 people) hold three times more wealth than the poorest 50% of humanity combined.
- Since the 1990s, the wealth of billionaires has grown at approximately 8% annually, nearly twice the rate of growth experienced by the bottom half of the population.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgrades 2026 global growth forecast to 3.3%
[International Monetary Fund (IMF)]
Key Updates:
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2026 global growth projection by 0.2 percentage points to 3.3%.
- The IMF now assumes an effective U.S. tariff rate of 18.5 per cent, down from around 25 per cent in earlier estimates.
- The IMF upgraded its U.S. growth forecast for 2026 to 2.4 per cent and trimmed the 2027 outlook to 2.0 per cent.
- Spain’s 2026 forecast was raised to 2.3 per cent, while Britain’s projection remained unchanged at 1.3 per cent.
- China’s 2026 growth forecast was lifted to 4.5 per cent, below its stronger-than-expected 5 per cent performance in 2025.
- The euro zone 2026 projection was lifted to 1.3 per cent, driven by higher public spending in Germany and better performance in Spain and Ireland.
- Brazil’s 2026 forecast was cut to 1.6 per cent as tighter monetary policy weighs on growth.
- Global inflation is expected to ease from 4.1 per cent in 2025 to 3.8 per cent in 2026 and 3.4 per cent in 2027.
Similar Coverage
- The World Bank (WB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2%, up from the 6.3% projected in June 2025.
- India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is estimated to moderate to 6.5% in FY27 and edge up to 6.6% in FY28.
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimated India's FY26 growth at 7.4% on January 7.
- South Asia’s growth is expected to rise to 7.1% in 2025 and slow to 6.2% in 2026.
- Global growth is projected to moderate to 2.6% in 2026 from 2.7% in 2025.
- The United States economy is estimated to rise to 2.2% from 2.1%, while China's economic growth is forecast to slow to 4.4% from 4.9%.
- The WB projections assume that 50% tariffs by the United States remain in place throughout the forecast horizon.
- The World Bank (WB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2%, an increase from the 6.3% projected in June 2025.
- India’s growth is estimated to moderate to 6.5% in FY27, assuming 50% tariffs by the United States remain in place throughout the forecast horizon.
- The WB projects India’s growth to edge up to 6.6% in FY28, supported by resilient services activity, a recovery in exports, and a pickup in investment.
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimated India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth for FY26 at 7.4% on January 7.
- Growth for South Asia is expected to rise to 7.1% in 2025 and slow to 6.2% in 2026, reflecting the impact of higher US tariffs on India’s exports.
- Global economic growth is expected to moderate to 2.6% in 2026 from 2.7% in 2025.
- The United States economy is estimated to rise to 2.2% in 2026, while China’s economic growth is projected to slow to 4.4% from 4.9%.
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) keeps India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast unchanged at 6.7%.
- India’s Q2FY26 GDP growth hit a six-quarter high of 8.2%.
- OECD projects India’s growth at 6.2% for FY27 and 6.4% the following fiscal year.
- Higher US tariffs—50% including a 25% penalty on Russian oil imports—are expected to cut FY26 export growth by 0.4 percentage points and FY27 by 0.3 percentage points.
- GST reform launch in September 2025 could add 0.1 percentage point to growth.
- Retail inflation dropped to a record-low 0.25% in October.
- OECD sees scope for RBI policy rate to decline toward 5% by FY2026–27 if inflation stays within target.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects India’s real GDP to grow at 6.6% in FY2025/26 before moderating to 6.2% in FY2026/27.
- India’s real GDP expanded by 7.8% in the first quarter of FY2025/26.
- GST reform and the resulting reduction in the effective rate are expected to help cushion the adverse impact of the prolonged 50% US tariffs.
- Headline inflation has declined markedly, driven by subdued food prices and the one-off effect of the GST reform.
- IMF Executive Directors called for continued fiscal consolidation and recommended replenishing fiscal buffers through domestic revenue mobilisation.
- The IMF noted that India’s financial and corporate sectors remain resilient, supported by adequate capital buffers and multi-year low non-performing assets.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) revises India’s FY 2025-26 growth forecast to 7.3%
[International Monetary Fund (IMF)]
Key Updates:
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised India’s 2025 growth projection by 0.7 percentage point to 7.3% from 6.6% in October 2025.
- IMF lifted India’s 2026 growth estimate to 6.4% from 6.2%.
- World Bank pegs India’s FY2026 growth at 7.2%, an upward revision of 0.9 percentage points.
- Government estimates India’s GDP growth at 7.4% for FY 2025-26, up from 6.5% last FY.
- IMF projects global growth at 3.3% for 2026 and 3.2% for 2027.
- IMF forecasts US growth at 2.4% in 2026, Euro area at 1.3% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027, China at 4.5% in 2026 and 4.0% in 2027.
- Global headline inflation seen easing to 3.8% in 2026 and 3.4% in 2027 from 4.1% in 2025.
Similar Coverage
- The World Bank (WB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2%, up from the 6.3% projected in June 2025.
- India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is estimated to moderate to 6.5% in FY27 and edge up to 6.6% in FY28.
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimated India's FY26 growth at 7.4% on January 7.
- South Asia’s growth is expected to rise to 7.1% in 2025 and slow to 6.2% in 2026.
- Global growth is projected to moderate to 2.6% in 2026 from 2.7% in 2025.
- The United States economy is estimated to rise to 2.2% from 2.1%, while China's economic growth is forecast to slow to 4.4% from 4.9%.
- The WB projections assume that 50% tariffs by the United States remain in place throughout the forecast horizon.
- The World Bank (WB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2%, an increase from the 6.3% projected in June 2025.
- India’s growth is estimated to moderate to 6.5% in FY27, assuming 50% tariffs by the United States remain in place throughout the forecast horizon.
- The WB projects India’s growth to edge up to 6.6% in FY28, supported by resilient services activity, a recovery in exports, and a pickup in investment.
- The National Statistical Office (NSO) estimated India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth for FY26 at 7.4% on January 7.
- Growth for South Asia is expected to rise to 7.1% in 2025 and slow to 6.2% in 2026, reflecting the impact of higher US tariffs on India’s exports.
- Global economic growth is expected to moderate to 2.6% in 2026 from 2.7% in 2025.
- The United States economy is estimated to rise to 2.2% in 2026, while China’s economic growth is projected to slow to 4.4% from 4.9%.
- Fitch Ratings raised India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast to 7.4% from 6.9%.
- GDP growth is expected to slow to 6.4% in FY27.
- India’s GDP growth hit a six-quarter high of 8.2% in Q2FY26.
- Fitch projects the Indian rupee to strengthen to 87 per dollar by end-2026 from 88.5 projected for end-2025.
- Retail inflation fell to a record low of 0.25% in October.
- Fitch expects the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to cut the policy rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% in December.
- The RBI has already cut rates by 100 basis points in 2025 so far.
- Fitch sees the RBI holding the policy rate at 5.25% over the next two years.
- India faces an effective tariff rate of around 35% on exports to the US.
- GST reforms effective September 22 shifted to a two-rate structure of 5% and 18%, lowering tax rates on about 375 items.
- Private investment is projected to pick up in the second half of 2026-27 as financial conditions loosen.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised India’s growth forecast for FY26 to 7.2 per cent from 6.5 per cent.
- The upgrade for India is 0.7 percentage points.
- ADB forecasts Asia to grow at 5.1 per cent in 2025, higher than its earlier projection of 4.8 per cent.
- The 2025 growth estimate for India has been revised to 7.2 per cent.
- India recorded GDP growth of 8.2 per cent in the second quarter ending September.
- India's GDP growth was 7.8 per cent in the first quarter, taking the growth rate for the first half of the financial year to 8 per cent.
- ADB kept its FY27 forecast unchanged at 6.5 per cent.
- ADB revised the inflation forecast for FY2026 down to 2.6 per cent from 3.1 per cent in September.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased its GDP growth estimate for the ongoing financial year to 7.3 per cent from 6.8 per cent.
- RBI places real GDP growth for the full year at 7.3 per cent.
- RBI projects Q3 growth at 7 per cent and Q4 at 6.5 per cent.
Rabi Sowing Area Expansion Supported by Surplus Monsoon
[Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW)]
Key Updates:
- India’s rabi sowing for 2025-26 rose 2.8% to 64.42 million hectares, exceeding the seasonal average of 63.78 million hectares.
- The increase was driven by higher acreage under wheat, rice, pulses, and oilseeds, with wheat coverage up by 613,000 hectares.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare released the data, attributing the rise to adequate soil moisture from an above-normal monsoon.
Similar Coverage
- Scheme Name: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY); Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India
- Objective: Provide affordable crop insurance against non-preventable natural risks; new add-on covers aim to protect farmers from sudden, localised and severe crop damage due to wild animal attacks and paddy inundation
- Key Feature 1: Crop loss due to wild animal attack recognised as fifth add-on cover under localised risk category; states to notify list of wild animals and vulnerable districts based on historical data
- Key Feature 2: Farmers must report wild animal damage within 72 hours via crop insurance app by uploading geotagged photographs
- Key Feature 3: Paddy inundation reintroduced as localised calamity cover after its exclusion in 2018, benefiting flood-prone and coastal states
- Coverage Start: Kharif season 2026; modalities approved by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan based on expert committee recommendations
- Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has released the first advanced estimates of production of main Kharif crops.
- Total food grain production estimated to increase by 3.87 million tonnes to 173.33 million tonnes.
- Kharif rice production is estimated at 124.504 million tonnes, which is 1.732 million tonnes more than last year.
- Kharif maize production is estimated at 28.303 million tonnes, 3.495 million tonnes more than the previous year.
- Total Kharif coarse cereals production projected at 41.414 million tonnes and pulses at 7.413 million tonnes.
- Total Kharif oilseed production estimated at 27.563 million tonnes, with soybean at 14.266 million tonnes and peanut at 11.093 million tonnes.
- Sugarcane production estimated at 475.614 million tonnes, an increase of 21.003 million tonnes over last year.
- Cotton production estimated at 29.215 million bales (170 kg each); Patson and Mesta at 8.345 million bales.
- ICAR denied bias allegations in evaluation of gene-edited rice lines Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 Kamala under AICRPR multi-location trials.
- Name: ‘Re-imagining Agriculture: A Roadmap for Frontier Technology-led Transformation’ prepared by NITI Frontier Tech Hub, NITI Aayog
- Launch: formally launched by Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel
- Objective: serve as a blueprint to prepare the country’s agriculture sector for the future by integrating data, connectivity and intelligence directly into the agricultural management system
- Key features: promotes digital agriculture through National e-Governance Plan for Agriculture, Digital Crop Survey, Farmer Registry; envisages AI & IoT-based soil productivity, crop-disease and nutrient-level information; supports next-generation seeds, equipment and inputs to cut costs and curb environmental damage
- Gujarat alignment: State has established Gujarat State Institution of Transformation (GRIT) as its own think-tank and is developing the Surat Economic Region as one of four national growth hubs under NITI Aayog guidance
- Human-induced land degradation lowers crop yields by ~10% in areas where 1.7 billion people live (FAO SOFA report).
- Key indicators compared: soil organic carbon, soil erosion, and soil water, measured against native/natural baselines via a machine-learning model.
- Asian countries are the most affected due to accumulated degradation and high population densities.
- Reversing 10% of degradation on existing croplands could feed an additional 154 million people annually.
- Sustainable practices such as crop rotations and integrated land-use management are highlighted as actionable solutions.
West Bengal Health System Reform Program Operation approved with USD 286 million loan
[World Bank, West Bengal]
Key Updates:
- The World Bank (WB) approved the 'West Bengal Health System Reform Program Operation' with a USD 286 million loan to improve quality of life and life expectancy through equitable healthcare access.
- The program will 'support the delivery of personalised healthcare services across the state for people aged 30 and above through digital tracking of non-communicable diseases ( NCDs ) such as hypertension and diabetes.'
- The 'USD 286 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 16.5 years, including a three-year grace period.'
- Target beneficiaries include 'boys, married adolescents, and healthcare providers' through the strengthening of gender-based violence (GBV) services.
- In the five districts of 'Purulia, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Maldah and Uttar Dinajpur, the Program will improve access to quality healthcare services and reduce inequities in maternal and adolescent health.'
- The initiative aims to 'bring a patient-centric care approach to the state's health systems, improve health outcome measurement, and enhance healthcare facilities' resilience to extreme weather events.'
Similar Coverage
- The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) hosted the first "national Capacity Building Programme for Tribal Healers" on 16-01-2026 to formally recognize them as collaborative partners in India’s public health ecosystem.
- The MoTA has set a target to formally recognise and enable one lakh tribal healers as partners in strengthening tribal health services.
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between MoTA and ICMR–Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, for the establishment of India’s first National Tribal Health Observatory —the Bharat Tribal Health Observatory (B-THO) —under Project DRISTI.
- The initiative will institutionalise tribe-disaggregated health surveillance and focus on the elimination of malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, and Sickle Cell Disease elimination, aligned with the national goal of elimination by 2047.
- The programme positions tribal healers to play a transformative role in preventive care, early identification of illness, and timely referrals to strengthen last-mile health outreach.
- The World Bank has green-lighted a financial assistance package worth USD 305 million for the Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development (HCAPSD).
- The project has a total budget of Rs 3,646 crore, with Haryana contributing Rs 1,065 crore and an additional Rs 83 crore as a grant.
- Key interventions include deploying 500 electric buses and setting up 200 EV charging stations in major cities, transitioning industry to cleaner energy, and enhancing soil management processes.
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved the Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-Based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project.
- The project involves a $77 million loan and an additional $1 million technical assistance grant from ADB.
- It aims to generate economic opportunities for more than 8,000 local people, including women and Indigenous communities, in Meghalaya.
- The approval for the project was made on 27 November 2025.
- The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank signed agreements for five loans totaling over $2.2 billion.
- Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded Industrial Training Institutes Programme receives $846 million.
- Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Programme Subprogramme 1 receives $650 million.
- Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project ASTHA receives $398.8 million.
- Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project Tranche 2 receives $240 million.
- Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project receives $77 million.
India fields largest-ever CEO delegation at World Economic Forum 2026 Davos summit
[World Economic Forum (WEF)]
Key Updates:
- More than 80 Indian CEOs are slated to attend the World Economic Forum's 56th annual conference in Davos from January 19 to 23.
- Senior Union ministers and delegations from a record nine states will spotlight efforts to engage global investors.
- Expected Indian corporate attendees include N Chandrasekaran of Tata Sons, Sunil Mittal of Bharti Group, Sajjan Jindal of JSW Group, Anish Shah of Mahindra Group, and Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani.
- States sending delegations include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Kerala, some led by chief ministers such as Devendra Fadnavis and N Chandrababu Naidu.
- The WEF 2026 will feature six leaders of the G7, 65 heads of state and government, 850 top CEOs and chairpersons and around 100 leading unicorns and technology leaders.
Similar Coverage
- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit India on Monday, January 19, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated the visit will allow both leaders to “chart new frontiers” for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- This marks Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s third official visit since assuming office as United Arab Emirates (UAE) president and his fifth in the past decade.
- Bilateral trade between the two nations touched an all-time high of $100.06 billion in FY 2024–25.
- The UAE is currently India’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest export destination, with exports crossing $36.63 billion in FY 2024-25.
- Relations are bolstered by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the Local Currency Settlement (SCS) system, and the Bilateral Investment Treaty.
- Defence cooperation between the nations now spans joint exercises and maritime dialogues, following a recent visit by India’s army chief to the UAE.
- India is set to take over the BRICS presidency in 2026, a grouping the UAE joined in its recent expansion phase.
- Indians constitute the largest expatriate group in the UAE, numbering about 4.3 million people, or roughly 35% of the population.
- The visit coincides with the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, scheduled for January 19-23.
- The Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD-2) will be held in Doha, Qatar.
- The summit is scheduled from 4–6 November 2025.
- Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, will lead the Indian delegation.
- World leaders will adopt the Doha Political Declaration during the summit.
- A side event hosted by NITI Aayog on “Pathways Out of Poverty: India’s Experience in Empowering the Last Mile” is scheduled for 5 November 2025.
- The NITI Aayog side event will feature interventions from international partners, including Brazil, Maldives, and the ILO.
- The Union Minister will participate in the ILO-sponsored Ministerial Event on the Global Coalition for Social Justice.
- Bilateral meetings are planned with Ministers from Qatar, Romania, Mauritius, and the European Union, as well as with the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and senior UN officials.
- The Minister will attend an event on the National Career Service (NCS) Portal, jointly organised by the Ministry of Labour & Employment and the Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC).
- Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary flagged off the Indian contingent for the WorldSkills Asia Competition 2025.
- The team comprises 23 competitors and 21 experts selected through the India Skills Competition 2024.
- They will compete in 21 skill categories in Chinese Taipei.
- 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.
Indian Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard conduct joint HNS response drill onboard ICGS Samudra Prahari in Mumbai
[Japan, Indian Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard]
Key Updates:
- The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) conducted a joint Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) response drill in Mumbai.
- Japan Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Yoshio Seguchi led a high-level delegation visiting the Indian Coast Guard Regional Headquarters West.
- Inspector General Bhisham Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard Region West, held a courtesy meeting with Admiral Seguchi.
- The joint training exercise was conducted onboard the Indian Coast Guard’s pollution response vessel ICGS Samudra Prahari.
- The ICG Pollution Response Strike Team and the JCG National Strike Team (NST) participated in the drills.
- Prior to the sea exercise, planning sessions, rehearsals, and classroom interactions were held in Mumbai focusing on response protocols for hazardous chemical spills at sea.
- A joint demonstration of HNS response procedures was reviewed by the JCG Commandant and the ICG Regional Commander onboard Samudra Prahari.
- The Japanese delegation also visited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited to gain insight into India’s shipbuilding capabilities.
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- This was 22nd such high-level meeting between the two forces.
- Deliberations focused on enhancing collaboration in Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Marine Pollution Response (MPR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) and capacity building.
- Discussions also covered cooperation in emerging areas, including the use of technology, information sharing, training initiatives, and personnel exchanges.
- A Japan Coast Guard National Strike Team (NST) is also visiting Mumbai and will conduct a joint exercise with the ICG pollution response team, focusing on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) spill response.
- Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron embarks on a long-range deployment to Southeast Asia, combining officer training with port calls, joint exercises and maritime diplomacy under India’s Act East Policy.
- Three naval ships and an ICG vessel of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron will be part of the long range training deployment to South East Asia.
- The ships of the First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy — INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Sarathi — will be proceeding on an LRTD to South East Asia as part of a training curriculum of the 110th Integrated Officers’ Training Course (IOTC).
- The squadron is scheduled to undertake port calls at Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.
- The 110th Integrated Officers’ Training Course includes six international officer trainees.
- Personnel from the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have also embarked for the deployment.
- A joint Military Civil Fusion (MCF) exercise, Sanjha Shakti was successfully conducted on January 8 and 9, at the Dighi Range, Khadki Military Station, under the aegis of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area of Southern Command.
- The exercise witnessed active participation from the Indian Army and 16 key civilian agencies like Maharashtra Police, Force One and Fire Fighting Departments.
- The exercise focused on enhancing interoperability, rapid response, and coordinated action in evolving emergency and security scenarios.
- Exercise name: Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JAIMEX-25); participants: Indian Navy's INS Sahyadri and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships Asahi, Oumi, and Submarine Jinryu
- Sea phase location: west of Kyushu; harbour phase location: Yokosuka Port, Japan
- Key activities: advanced anti-submarine warfare and missile defence drills, flying operations, underway replenishment, professional and cultural exchanges, joint operational planning, yoga session
India Meteorological Department (IMD) to deploy 200 Automatic Weather Stations across Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune
[India Meteorological Department (IMD)]
Key Updates:
- 200 Automatic Weather Stations will be installed—50 each in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Pune—to enable hyper-local, real-time weather monitoring.
- The dense network will generate high-resolution spatial data for accurate prediction of sudden downpours, thunderstorms, heatwaves and rapid pressure changes.
- IMD’s forecast accuracy has improved by 40–50 per cent over past decades, with cyclone track prediction accuracy up by 35–40 per cent.
- Weather radar coverage has expanded to about 87 per cent of India’s geographical area, and forecasts now reach lead times as precise as three hours.
- India shares weather data and satellite-based support with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, reinforcing regional disaster preparedness.
- IMMD headquarters runs fully on solar power, feeding surplus electricity back into the national grid.
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- Indian scientists led by IITM Pune are deploying 3D-printed Automatic Weather Stations in Delhi under Mission Mausam to strengthen India’s weather observation network.
- The first batch of these next-generation stations is set to be installed in the national capital from February.
- Manufacturing via 3D printing reduces costs, allows flexible design of geometric structures and is well-suited for large-scale production.
- All indigenously developed meteorological instruments are certified by IMD’s Surface Laboratory, which the Bureau of Indian Standards recognises.
- An AI-based pilot used an open-source blended model combining Google’s NeuralGCM, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ ECMWF Artificial Intelligence Forecasting System (AIFS), and 125 years of India Meteorological Department (IMD) rainfall data to generate probabilistic forecasts of local monsoon onset.
- The Development Innovation Lab-India collaborated on the pilot that covered agriculturally relevant areas across parts of 13 states for Kharif 2025.
- Probabilistic forecasts of local monsoon onset were sent via SMS through the M-Kisan portal to 3,88,45,214 farmers in five regional languages—Hindi, Odia, Marathi, Bangla, and Punjabi.
- Telephonic farmer feedback surveys conducted through Kisan Call Centres in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar revealed that 31–52% of farmers adjusted planting decisions, primarily altering land preparation and sowing timing, including crop and input choice.
- Technology/Event: Cloud-seeding trials using a Cessna aircraft dispersing eight 0.5-kg flares of silver-iodide mix per sortie
- Implementing Agency: IIT Kanpur executing the project under a MoU with Delhi environment department
- Key Finding: Seeded cloud humidity only 10–20 %, below optimal levels, producing no measurable rainfall over Delhi; neighbouring Noida/Greater Noida registered 0.1–0.2 mm
- Objective: Intended precipitation to mitigate urban air pollution; PM2.5 at Mayur Vihar, Karol Bagh and Burari fell marginally (≈10–25 µg/m³) post-seeding though no rain occurred
- Budget & Trials: Rs 1.9 crore spent on three sorties so far; overall budget Rs 3.21 crore covers up to nine trials
- The MoU was exchanged during the Uttar Pradesh AI and Health Innovation Conference between Anurag Yadav, Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics Department, Uttar Pradesh, and Abhishek Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the IndiaAI Mission.
- UPDESCO will act as the state nodal agency for implementation.
- A total of 65 Data and AI Labs are proposed to be set up across the state under the IndiaAI Mission.
- At present, two such labs are operational at National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, while another has been established in Pilibhit with industry support.
- The state government has already approved the establishment of 49 additional Data and AI Labs, with implementation currently underway.
- The labs will be equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced technical resources to support hands-on AI training.
Viasat and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to modernise Indian Navy’s satcom infra with Ka-band systems
[Viasat, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)]
Key Updates:
- Viasat and BSNL will deploy Ka-band satellite systems for the Indian Navy as part of a satellite communications equipment upgrade programme.
- The programme will enable the Indian Navy to transition toward a multi-band, multi-constellation satcom strategy, leveraging BSNL’s gateway earth station and Viasat’s global satellite network.
- The upgrade combines the resilience of L-band with the power of high-throughput Ka-band, providing enhanced connectivity for mission-critical operations.
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- Maharashtra government signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt Ltd to provide satellite-based internet services.
- Target regions include remote and underserved areas such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim and Dharashiv.
- Services will cover government institutions, rural communities and critical public infrastructure.
- The collaboration supports Maharashtra’s Digital Maharashtra mission and integrates with EV, coastal development and disaster resilience programmes.
- Maharashtra becomes the first Indian state to formally partner with Starlink for satellite-enabled digital infrastructure.
- Private companies entering work of building navigation systems for spacecraft and defence supports Viksit Bharat 2047.
- Navigation systems are highly complex and critical which ISRO alone could not develop.
- Ananth Technologies has entered navigation field in Thiruvananthapuram.
- Ananth Technologies works closely with ISRO, DRDO, and BrahMos.
- Centre of Excellence in Navigation aims to achieve full strategic autonomy for India in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies.
- India has been heavily reliant on imported navigation technology for space missions and missile and defence systems.
- Gaganyaan mission has completed 8,000 tests including propulsion hot tests, simulations, structural tests, and acoustic tests.
- Gaganyaan in final stages of software development and simulation with 2027 target and three unmanned missions before manned.
- ISRO to launch first private PSLV-N1 in this financial year.
- ISRO preparing for BlueBird mission.
- Two Hyderabad start-ups — TakeMe2Space and EON Space Labs — completed testing and integration of the 14-kilogram Earth observation satellite MOI-1 at Azista BST Aerospace in Ahmedabad.
- MOI-1 will ride as a co-passenger on ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission slated for early January 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
- The satellite carries MIRA, a miniaturised space telescope and imaging hardware developed by EON Space Labs to NASA-equivalent thermal-vacuum standards.
- Once in 500-km low Earth orbit, MOI-1 will deliver multispectral imagery with 9.2-metre resolution and 18.7-kilometre swath across nine spectral bands for agriculture, urban mapping, ship detection and construction monitoring.
- An on-board Nvidia GPU enables in-orbit AI processing, sending processed actionable data instead of raw images to cut downlink costs and serve commercial and defence users.
- MoU signed between Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) and IIT Bombay for joint studies and technical contributions in telecom technologies and global standardisation.
- Focus areas include 6G architecture research, AI-driven telecom applications, core network studies, satellite communication systems, and signalling protocols.
- Partnership aims to develop India-specific standards and test frameworks and enhance India’s participation in ITU-T and 3GPP forums.
- Collaboration targets indigenous design of low-cost satellite communication terminals for remote sensing and rural connectivity.
- MoU signed on 7 November 2025 by Shri Amit Kumar Srivastava, DDG (Mobile Technologies), TEC and Prof. Sachin Patwardhan, Dean (R&D), IIT Bombay.