Key Product Launches at Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai: Agentic AI, UPI Features, and Cross-Border Payments
Key Updates:
- Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 was held from September 8 to 11 at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- At GFF 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined four industry goals: expanding UPI's global reach, extending fintech into pensions and insurance, building a Fintech Consumer Protection Index, and recognising agentic AI, tokenisation, and quantum computing as the next frontier.
- Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary Sanjay Lohiya introduced open-source Android ATMs that can open accounts, process loan applications, accept cheque deposits, and instantly issue RuPay cards and merchant UPI QR codes, reducing onboarding time from weeks to minutes.
- Nine lenders, including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and Slice Small Finance Bank, are piloting the Android ATMs with manufacturers Hitachi Payment Services, Perto India, and Vortex Engineering.
- The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched AiNxt, an open-source agentic AI platform with components including AiNxt OS, Code, CLI, and Enterprise, and AtOM, an orchestration platform that creates signed, machine-readable audit trails for UPI integration and partner onboarding.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra launched two new UPI features at GFF 2026: MyUPI, built on NPCI's payments-focused small language model FiMI, and UPI Tap & Pay, which allows PIN-less transactions of up to Rs 5,000 via NFC-enabled smartphones without internet.
- Amazon Pay launched its Smart wallet, allowing AI agents to make UPI payments on behalf of users, currently live for flight ticket booking, alongside biometric authentication and offline tap-to-pay.
- PhonePe partnered with Visa to introduce three cardless payment features: Tap to Pay, Cross Border Scan to Pay covering 14 markets including Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea, and Smart Accept for small merchants.
- BharatPe launched an agentic AI assistant for merchants built on Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, operating across more than 60 internal systems, and introduced Credit Coach featuring a digital avatar of former cricketer Rohit Sharma.
- Razorpay introduced Vulcan, described as India's first transformer-based AI foundation model for payments, developed with Nvidia and Amazon Web Services and trained on 4 billion payments and 3 trillion data points, increasing payment success rates by 8-10% during beta testing.
- Jio Financial Services' payments division partnered with Citi to launch a cross-border payments service enabling Indian businesses to accept international payments.
- Pine Labs partnered with L&T Finance to introduce an agentic commerce feature in the PLANET app, initially enabling an AI agent to book flights within user-defined spending limits.
- Amazon Pay and Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a co-branded credit card for Amazon Business merchants offering cashback, an interest-free credit period, and AWS cloud credit benefits.
- Yubi launched Pye, a retail lending platform routing borrower applications to lending partners, and TopScore, a consumer credit-health app displaying credit scores in 10 languages.
- Yes Bank and fintech company Open launched i-Mandate, an AI-based system that detects potential failures in recurring payments before debits occur, using voice and WhatsApp-based AI agents supporting 22 languages.
- Mahindra Finance expanded its partnership with Indian AI company Sarvam to deploy voice-based AI agents supporting 12 Indian languages across sales, collections, and employee operations in rural and semi-urban markets.
- Navi partnered with IndusInd Bank to add a new UPI payment switch to its payments infrastructure.
- Bengaluru-based Gnani AI expanded its Artha AI platform for banks, financial services companies, and insurers, offering over 200 pre-built workflows including payment reconciliation, underwriting, loan processing, and risk management.
- PayU launched Fraud Liability Protect (FLP), an AI-powered tool for Indian merchants accepting international card payments, with merchants seeing a 4-5% increase in international card payment success rates.
- PayU, Paytm, Razorpay, Juspay, and Skydo received cross-border payment aggregator licenses from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
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The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched UPI Tap & Pay and My UPI, an AI-powered payments assistant, at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on September 10, 2026. UPI Tap & Pay lets users pay by bringing…
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The Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India (MSE) facilitated its first tokenised corporate bond under the Securities and Exchange Board of India's (SEBI) Demat 2.0 pilot. The bond was issued by IIFL Finance Ltd through…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Fintech Fest 2026 in Mumbai on September 8, 2026, marking his third consecutive appearance at the event. India recorded 7.8 per cent growth in the April-June quarter…
Key Updates:
- Forbes released its World’s Top Performing Banks 2026 list, in which India’s HDFC Bank secured the 3rd rank and is the only Indian bank in the global top 10.
- The top 10 ranking: 1. OCBC (Singapore), 2. DBS (Singapore), 3. HDFC Bank (India), 4. China Merchants Bank (China), 5. JPMorgan Chase (US), 6. Nordea Bank (Finland), 7. Wells Fargo (US), 8. UniCredit (Italy), 9. PNC Financial Services (US), 10. Rabobank (Netherlands).
- OCBC of Singapore ranked 1st with a reported value of $525 billion, DBS ranked 2nd with $698 billion, and HDFC Bank ranked 3rd with $518 billion.
- Forbes ranked banks on four parameters: Profitability (30%), Capital and Funding Resilience (25%), Asset Quality and Efficiency (25%), and Growth and Earnings Quality (20%); eligible banks were divided into six asset-size categories before final scoring.
- Forbes used objective financial data from providers such as the S&P Capital IQ platform, along with desk research and information submitted by banks to Forbes.com.
- HDFC Bank has submitted its two preferences to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the MD and CEO position, with Kaizad Bharucha the top internal name, as current CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan’s term ends on 26 October 2026.
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Sashidhar Jagdishan will retire as Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Bank on October 26, 2026. He will not seek reappointment, and the bank's board will fast-track the process of selecting his successor.
S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) rose nine places to rank 26th globally and 2nd in India in the Financial Times Masters in Management (FT MiM) 2026 ranking, up from 35th globally and 3rd in India in…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the June 2026 Financial Stability Report (FSR) on June 30, 2026, stating the financial system is resilient and well capitalised. Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) of scheduled…
NPCI to Levy 0.4% MDR on UPI Merchant Payments Above Rs 2,000 From October 15
Key Updates:
- The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will introduce a 0.4 per cent merchant discount rate (MDR) on specified UPI person-to-merchant payments above Rs 2,000, effective October 15.
- For high-value merchant payments, the MDR will be capped at Rs 300 per transaction once the transaction value reaches Rs 75,000.
- UPI person-to-person payments and merchant payments up to Rs 2,000 will remain free, with around 96 per cent of P2M transactions expected to remain unaffected.
- Small merchants covered under the zero-MDR framework will continue to receive payments without MDR.
- The MDR is not a tax or government charge but a fee distributed among participants involved in processing and facilitating merchant payments.
- Banks have been advised to ensure that merchants do not pass the MDR charge on to customers.
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President Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026, and the Payment and Settlement Systems (Amendment) Act, 2007, on August 17, 2026. The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act…
The Central government has barred banks and payment system providers from levying charges on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions of up to Rs 2,000 and payments made through RuPay debit cards. On September 14…
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) issued a gazette notification on Monday under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, specifying that banks and payment system providers cannot impose charges on UPI transactions of up…
FOMO Pay and NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) announced a strategic partnership at Global Fintech Fest 2026 on September 9, 2026, to enable UPI QR code acceptance for merchants in Singapore. Resorts World…
US Federal Reserve Hikes Rates by 25 bps Under Chair Kevin Warsh; Impact on Indian Markets and FII Flows
Key Updates:
- The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, the first hike under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, with a unanimous vote and median dots projecting one more 25 bps hike this year.
- The hike was largely priced in, and the BSE Sensex traded nearly 0.40 per cent or 285 points higher at 74,620 levels around 12.30 PM after the decision.
- NSDL data shows FPIs sold shares worth ₹2.41 trillion so far this year, including ₹17,222 crore in September after two months of buying.
- The rupee crossed the 96 per dollar mark after a two-month gap, adding to foreign investor pain as dollar returns get dented.
- Yield on the two-year US note fell 2 basis points to 4.71 per cent after the Fed move, while 10-year and 30-year yields also dropped 2 basis points each.
- Analysts flagged risks including weak monsoon, rising bond yields and inflation, with a possible 2–3 per cent fall in the Nifty in the short term, though the situation is not expected to extend beyond 3–6 months due to lucrative valuations.
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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) injected ₹1,41,171 crore transient liquidity into the banking system through a seven-day variable rate repo (VRR) auction at a cut-off and weighted average rate of 5.26 per cent. The…
State Bank of India (SBI) Research revised India's FY27 real GDP growth forecast to 7.3% from 6.6%. India's real GDP grew 7.8% in Q1 FY27, compared with 6.9% in Q1 FY26.
India's economy is likely to have expanded by around 7% in the April-June quarter of FY27. SBI Research expects the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep policy rates unchanged in the near term.
Goldman Sachs (GS) has raised India's real GDP growth forecast for calendar year (CY) 2026 to 6.8% year-on-year, an increase of 0.3 percentage points. GS has lowered the headline inflation forecast to 4.4% year-on-year…
Union Cabinet Approves Hike in EPFO Monthly Wage Ceiling to ₹25,000
Key Updates:
- The Union Cabinet approved the Ministry of Labour & Employment's proposal to raise the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month.
- The move is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees under mandatory EPFO coverage.
- The EPFO wage ceiling was previously raised to ₹15,000 in September 2014 after remaining unchanged between 2004 and 2014.
- The higher ceiling widens access to provident fund savings, pension benefits under the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), and insurance protection under the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme.
- The proposal received the Expenditure Finance Committee's recommendation at its meeting on 16 June 2026 after inter-ministerial consultations.
- The government's estimated annual expenditure under the revised arrangement is about ₹11,339 crore, against existing annual budgetary support of about ₹10,250 crore, with five-year expenditure estimated at approximately ₹56,696 crore.
- EPFO data shows around 7.98 crore members contributing through about 7.68 lakh establishments, while EPS provides pensions to around 82 lakh pensioners.
- The official notification giving effect to the revised wage ceiling is still awaited.
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The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) launched an official WhatsApp channel to give members and pensioners updates on provident fund developments, scheme alerts, and important announcements. The channel works…
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced a one-time honorarium of ₹6,000 each for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and BLO Supervisors. The honorarium is in recognition of the heavy workload during the Special…
The Chhattisgarh cabinet approved the Chief Minister Startup and NIPUN Mission with a budget of Rs 500 crore for the next five years. The mission will establish entrepreneurship development centres, 100 emerging…
The Karnataka Cabinet approved the Karnataka Aerospace Policy 2026-31, targeting investments of Rs 60,000 crore and creation of 60,000 jobs, covering aerospace, defence manufacturing, aviation, space technologies, drones…
Gujarat State Child Protection Policy 2026: Zero-Tolerance Framework Extends Safety to Digital Spaces and Workplaces
Key Updates:
- Gujarat government announced the Gujarat State Child Protection Policy-2026, effective from its publication in the Gazette, adopting a zero-tolerance approach towards violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and discrimination against children.
- The policy extends child protection to the online world, addressing risks from the internet, social media and digital technologies, and mandates equal protection irrespective of religion, caste, gender, disability or socio-economic status.
- Special attention is given to vulnerable children, including those who are orphaned, homeless, migrant, trafficked, in institutional care, or affected by disasters and chronic illnesses.
- The framework covers government agencies, local bodies, NGOs, industries, corporate houses, media organisations and religious institutions, with mandatory safety protocols for institutions employing professionals dealing directly with children.
- Training on child rights and laws such as POCSO and the Juvenile Justice Act, along with background and police verification of employees, contractual workers and volunteers, will be strengthened.
- Suspected cases of abuse, child marriage, child labour, trafficking or online abuse must be reported to Child Helpline 1098/112, police or the Child Welfare Committee, with complainant confidentiality protected.
- Hospitals cannot refuse treatment or discriminate against children; institutions with 50 or more employees must provide crèche or mobile crèche facilities, and child-friendly spaces will be promoted at public places.
- Every government department will prepare an annual implementation plan; the Gujarat State Child Protection Society will oversee implementation, the Chief Secretary will conduct an annual review, and the policy will be reviewed every three years.
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The Gujarat Assembly passed the Gujarat Ease of Doing Business Bill 2026 by a majority vote, introduced by Minister of State for Industries Dr Jayram Gamit, amending 12 provisions across five existing state laws.…
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the Mangrove GIS portal while reviewing Gujarat's mangrove conservation efforts at a workshop on Mangrove Conservation, Restoration and…
The Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy, 2024 was notified on March 5, 2024, with the Department of Additional Sources of Energy as the administrative department and the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development…
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved 180-day maternity leave twice for eligible women government employees during their service. The leave duration is 180 days per child and can be availed for a maximum of two living…
Ministry of Steel's Special Campaign 6.0 to Focus on E-Waste Management from October 2, 2026
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Steel and its government-run companies will launch Special Campaign 6.0 on October 2, 2026, focusing on effective collection, segregation and disposal of e-waste.
- The month-long campaign will run until October 31, 2026, with a preparation phase from September 15 to 30 and an implementation phase from October 2 to 31.
- The campaign covers four focus areas: e-waste management under the E-waste (Management) Rules, 2022, mechanised cleaning, clearing pending administrative work, and public awareness.
- During the previous campaign in October 2025, the ministry cleared old files, optimized office space and streamlined scrap disposal.
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Tata Steel has commissioned India's first coke oven gas (COG) injection project at its Meramandali steel plant in Odisha's Dhenkanal district, announced on September 10, 2026. The project uses cleaned COG, which contains…
Seva Sankalp Abhiyan 2026 is a nationwide month-long public outreach and public service campaign running from September 17 to October 17, 2026, marking 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public service. The…
Jindal Stainless signed a technical assistance agreement with Japan's JFE Steel Corporation to strengthen manufacturing capabilities for selected ferritic stainless steel grades, focusing on product quality…
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the month-long 'Service Sankalp' campaign to be organised across the state from September 17 to October 17, 2026, beginning on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's…
NSTFDC-HPCL MoU to Build Computer Labs and Smart Classrooms in 29 Rajasthan EMRSs at ₹16.01 Crore
Key Updates:
- NSTFDC and HPCL signed an MoU to establish integrated Computer Lab-cum-Smart Classroom facilities in 29 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across 11 districts of Rajasthan.
- The project has a total budget of ₹16.01 crore, approved by the HPCL Board, with completion planned within six months of the MoU signing.
- Each school will receive four smart classrooms with 86-inch interactive flat panels, a networked computer laboratory with UPS backup, and 10 tablets pre-loaded with competitive exam coaching material, along with one year of internet subscription.
- The initiative is expected to benefit over 10,000 Scheduled Tribe students annually, with the 29 schools able to accommodate up to 13,920 students from Classes VI to XII at full capacity.
- The 29 EMRSs are located in Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Karauli, Pratapgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Sirohi, Tonk and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan.
- The project is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the CPSE CSR theme of 'Innovative Livelihood Enhancement' for 2026–27 and 2027–28.
- NSTFDC will handle implementation and procurement, NESTS will undertake academic validation, and the State EMRS Society and school Principals will ensure site readiness and daily use.
- The MoU was signed in the presence of Ranjana Chopra, Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and T. Roumuan Paite, Joint Secretary, MoTA and CMD, NSTFDC.
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On August 28, 2026, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) signed an MoU to facilitate demand aggregation and deploy smart domestic PNG meters across the city…
The Rajasthan Government has unveiled a three-year ₹12,500 crore roadmap for strengthening school infrastructure. The plan includes construction of 3,587 new school buildings at a cost of ₹2,487.7 crore.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) project Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet was declared the global winner at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)…
Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the smart warehousing system of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) that uses modern technologies like AI and IoT to monitor inventory and real-time operations in 216 grain…
Swachh Seva Aankalan Introduced as Digital Rural Sanitation Assessment under Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen
Key Updates:
- Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA), developed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen 2.0, provides an annual Gram Panchayat-level digital self-assessment of rural sanitation services.
- Under SSA, ODF Plus Model Gram Panchayats assess sustainability of their ODF status, visual cleanliness, and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) systems, including functioning and maintenance of sanitation assets.
- Self-assessment findings are validated by the Gram Sabha at the village level before review by district and State/UT authorities.
- The framework, aligned with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, gives Gram Panchayats and Gram Sabhas a greater role in reviewing sanitation performance and identifying gaps.
- The launch precedes Swachhata Hi Seva 2026, beginning September 17, and SSA outcomes will be discussed at Special Gram Sabhas on October 2, 2026, observed as Swachh Bharat Diwas.
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The 5th edition of Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar (SSSS) was launched by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh as a nationwide people's movement for ocean conservation. The initiative is spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth…
Seva Sankalp Abhiyan 2026 is a nationwide month-long public outreach and public service campaign running from September 17 to October 17, 2026, marking 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public service. The…
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the month-long 'Service Sankalp' campaign to be organised across the state from September 17 to October 17, 2026, beginning on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's…
India and United States Launch 22nd Edition of Joint Military Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026 in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan
Key Updates:
- India and the United States opened the 22nd edition of the joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas on September 15, 2026, at the Auli Foreign Training Node in Uttarakhand.
- Around 600 personnel from each side are participating, with drills running simultaneously at Auli and the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.
- The exercise focuses on interoperability, technology infusion, drones and autonomous systems, and coordinated operations in mountainous terrain, including employment of Integrated Battle Groups in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain.
- Major General Amaresh Gunjan, General Officer Commanding, 14 Infantry Division, and Colonel Benjamin Jackman, Commander, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, US Army, addressed the participating contingents.
- The 21st edition featured 450 personnel led by a battalion of the Madras Regiment training alongside US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, and Yudh Abhyas has been held since 2004.
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India and the United States are conducting the 22nd edition of Exercise Yudh Abhyas, featuring for the first time a two-theatre format with training across two different operational theatres in a single exercise. The…
Academic Freedom Index 2026 Places India Among Countries With Severely Restricted Academic Freedom
Key Updates:
- The 'Free to Think 2026' report by Scholars at Risk documented 382 attacks on higher education communities in 59 countries and territories from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
- According to the 2026 Academic Freedom Index (AFI), academic freedom declined significantly in 50 of the 179 countries analysed over the past decade, with only nine registering improvements.
- India is listed in the 'severely restricted' category of the 2026 AFI, alongside Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, the West Bank and Ukraine.
- The report's lowest category, 'completely restricted', includes Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Gaza.
- India's AFI score fell from 0.38 in 2022 to 0.14 in 2025.
- In the United States, institutional autonomy fell from 3.3 in 2019 to 1.7 in 2025.
- The report alleged that the BJP-led Central government deployed the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a 'primary vehicle for state influence' over higher education, including loosening vice-chancellor qualification requirements and removing the 10 per cent cap on contract faculty.
- The report cited the 2025 termination of South Asian University professor Snehashish Bhattacharya, who had signed a November 2022 letter raising concerns over the university's handling of student protests.
- It also cited the termination of Lora Santhakumar, an assistant professor at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Tamil Nadu, whose services were ended on December 9, 2025, after social media posts opposing war shared on May 7, 2025.
- On March 11, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 'life ban' barring three academics who collaborated with NCERT on a Class 8 social science textbook from receiving public funding for curriculum development.
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NSE Indices, a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), has launched the Nifty500 Ahimsa Index, India's first stock market index based on non-violence towards animals. The index was developed in collaboration…
India slipped to the 81st position in the Henley Passport Index, down from 75th earlier in 2026. Indian passport holders now have visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations.
The Union Ministry of Education (MoE) released the Performance Grading Index 2.0 for States and Union Territories (PGI-S) and the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) for the academic year 2025-26. The PGI-S…
India is ranked 13th globally in the QS World Future Skills Index 2027 with an overall score of 89.4 out of 100, improving from 25th position in the 2025 pilot edition. The United States of America (USA) topped the…
Delhi Secures Top Rank in NITI Aayog's India Electric Mobility Index 2025
Key Updates:
- Delhi topped the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025 released by NITI Aayog with a score of 84, followed by Maharashtra (78), Karnataka (73), Chandigarh (71) and Goa (65).
- IEMI 2025 is the second edition of the index, prepared by WRI India in collaboration with NITI Aayog, measuring states' and Union Territories' progress towards electric mobility transition based on data from January to December 2025.
- Among hilly and northeastern states, Manipur ranked highest with a score of 46.
- 29 of India's 36 states and UTs have notified EV policies; the highest score rose from 77 to 84 and the median from 36 to 40 compared with the first edition.
- Madhya Pradesh recorded the biggest improvement, climbing 16 positions from 23rd (score 31) to seventh (score 59); other gainers included Goa (up 10 to fifth), Puducherry (up 10 to 17th), Bihar (up 8 to 18th), Jammu & Kashmir (up 7 to 27th) and Assam (up 3 to 24th).
- Under Delhi's EV Policy 2.0, Delhi is the first state or UT to mandate 100% electrification of autorickshaws and light commercial vehicles from January 2027 and two-wheelers from January 2028.
- As of February 2026, Delhi operated 4,286 electric buses, the largest electric-bus fleet in India, and was the first state to provide subsidies for electric cycles.
- Launching the index, NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba said India imports nearly 89% of its crude oil requirements, while the automotive sector contributes around 7.1% of GDP and supports nearly 19 million jobs.
- India sold 21 million two-wheelers last year, of which 1.4 million were EV two-wheelers (around 7.65%); India ranks second only to China in EV two-wheelers, first in three-wheelers, and has the third largest EV car market in the world.
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India has crossed 2 million annual electric vehicle (EV) sales, with electric two-wheelers accounting for over 1.28 million units. The passenger vehicle EV segment recorded 89% growth over the past year, while electric…
NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba launched the Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport (PACT) and the Zero Emission Truck (ZET) Marketplace at the 5th E-Fast India Summit 2026 in New Delhi. Heavy trucks account for only…
The 2026 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) evaluates 177 nations across 47 metrics and 12 key issue categories related to climate change, ecosystem vitality, and environmental public health. Estonia topped the 2026…
NITI Aayog released a report titled 'Key Sectors to Position India as a Global Manufacturing Hub' on August 14, 2026. The report identified chemicals, textiles, telecom and network equipment, and solar photovoltaic…
New Zealand Parliament Approves Legislation to Implement Free Trade Agreement with India
Key Updates:
- New Zealand's parliament passed legislation to implement a free trade agreement with India, under which tariffs on about 95% of New Zealand exports to India will be eliminated or significantly reduced.
- The legislation passed by a vote of 93-29, with support from the opposition Labour Party.
- Under the deal, all Indian goods will receive duty-free access to New Zealand, and more than half of covered products become duty-free from the day it takes effect.
- New Zealand has agreed to invest $20 billion in India over the next 15 years.
- Both nations originally signed the trade agreement in April, and it will take effect after both complete ratification procedures.
- Two-way trade totalled NZ$3.99 billion ($2.29 billion) in the year to June 2026, with India ranking as New Zealand's ninth-largest goods and services export market.
- New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said the agreement is expected to enter into force this year.
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India and New Zealand have set a target to increase trade in goods and services to ₹35,000 crore (US$4 billion) by 2030. Bilateral trade was valued at US$2 billion in 2024, with Indian exports of goods and services…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian PM to visit New Zealand in 40 years during his two-day visit on July 10-11, 2026. India and New Zealand elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and…
The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into effect on July 16, 2026, after four years of negotiations. This is India's first comprehensive trade deal with a developed country.
India and the MERCOSUR bloc signed the First Additional Protocol to the India–MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in New Delhi on September 14, 2026, to facilitate acceptance of electronic Certificates of Origin…
Oman Invites Indian Investment in Sohar Port to Bypass Strait of Hormuz for Energy Access
Key Updates:
- On September 16, 2026, in New Delhi, Sohar Port and Freezone CEO Raid Al Rubaiey invited Indian investments, describing India as an important and growing part of Sohar's investment landscape.
- Sohar Port, located on Oman's Gulf of Oman coast away from the conflict-affected Strait of Hormuz, has received over $30 billion in investments and can handle 72 million tonnes of cargo annually.
- The two-day promotional event was organised by the Embassy of Oman, with Ambassador Issa Saleh Al Shibani introducing the port and Freezone to Indian businesses.
- Compared with Oman's earlier offers of Duqm and Salalah ports, Sohar is closer to vital energy pipelines of the UAE and eastern Saudi Arabia.
- Sohar Port and Freezone, developed by the ASYAD Group and the Port of Rotterdam, offer logistics, petrochemicals, metals services and the Gulf region's first agribulk terminal.
- Sohar Port's importance is expected to grow as the Oman-UAE rail connects the port to the UAE's network, and Saudi Arabia is offering more crude loadings via ship-to-ship transfer off Sohar after drone attacks damaged its Red Sea pipeline.
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Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday during the BRICS summit in India, marking the countries' highest-level meeting since the start of the…
Saudi Arabia and Oman signed a bilateral logistics and trade agreement to boost cross-border trade via the Saudi-Oman Highway. The pact was signed between Oman's Arkan Logistics and Saudi Arabia's Spark Logistics.
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) has become the first port in India to receive the ISO 50001:2018 certification for its Energy Management System. The certification was awarded by Indian Register Quality Systems…
Two New-to-Science Frog Species Discovered in Mizoram
Key Updates:
- Two new frog species, the toad Duttaphrynus phawngpui and the frog Ingerana aizawl, have been discovered in Mizoram and named after the state's highest peak Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) and its capital Aizawl respectively.
- Duttaphrynus phawngpui was found above 2,000 metres in Phawngpui National Park, grows up to 56 mm, and was confirmed as a new species using mitochondrial DNA analysis, statistical body measurements, and comparison with museum specimens.
- Ingerana aizawl, a 22-26 mm frog long mistaken for the widespread Ingerana borealis on the Mizoram University campus for over two decades, differs genetically by up to 6.6% from its nearest relatives and calls at night with a rhythmic series of 12 short notes.
- The studies were authored by Jayaditya Purkayastha, Hmar Tlawmte Lalremdanga, Malsawm Dawngliana, and Mara Dausa Hlychho and published in the journals Taprobanica and Zootaxa.
- The toad is so far known from a single mountaintop location, supporting the 'sky islands' theory of isolated peaks and raising conservation concerns under climate change.
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Researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) discovered two new species of microscopic snails in the limestone caves of Meghalaya. The discovery, published in the European Journal…
Scientists discovered three new cascade frog species in Tripura, Nagaland, and West Bengal after over 15 years of field research. The findings were published in the Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, a…
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientists discovered two new spider species: Simonia lawbah from Meghalaya and Hamataliwa papikonda from Andhra Pradesh. Simonia lawbah, found in the Krem Lawbah cave, measures less than…
The Meghalaya State Zoo recorded the first-ever birth of a stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). The breeding pair was brought from the Aizawl Zoological Park in Mizoram through an animal exchange programme.
Project Cheetah Turns Four as India's Cheetah Population Reaches 52
Key Updates:
- Project Cheetah, launched at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, completed four years on September 17, 2026, with India's cheetah population standing at 52, including 32 born in the country.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi released eight wild cheetahs from Namibia into special enclosures at Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022.
- Of the 52 cheetahs, 49 are in Kuno National Park and three are in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, both in Madhya Pradesh.
- Three of the eight Namibian cheetahs are alive, and with 22 cubs born in India, the surviving Namibian-origin population totals 25; of 12 cheetahs imported from South Africa on February 18, 2023, eight survive, and with ten cubs their population stands at 18 (15 in Kuno, three in Gandhi Sagar).
- Nine cheetahs were brought to India from Botswana in February 2026, strengthening the international base for cheetah restoration.
- Of the 49 cheetahs in Kuno, 17 are in open forest (10 males, seven females) and 32 are in soft-release enclosures, including five males, eight females, and 19 cubs under one year of age.
- The next phase of the programme involves expanding suitable cheetah habitats and establishing a long-term cheetah meta-population in India.
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The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) inaugurated the National Workshop on “Tiger Re-introduction: Opportunities & Challenges” in Alwar, Rajasthan, organised by the National Tiger Conservation…
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has completed India's first national catalog of butterflies and moths, a 12-year project. The catalog documents 13,703 species, accounting for 8.25% of all known butterfly and moth…
The full title of the book is ‘Bringing the Cheetah Back to India: How Diplomacy Made Conservation’s Big Mission Possible’. The book is authored by Prashant Agrawal, India’s former High Commissioner to Namibia.
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched on 15 August 2019, has increased Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) coverage from 16.72% (3.23 crore households) at launch to 82.24% (15.91 crore households) currently. A total…
Brendan Taylor Surpasses Sachin Tendulkar to Set Record for Longest ODI Career in Men's Cricket
Key Updates:
- Zimbabwe wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor became the men's cricketer with the longest ODI career span, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record, when he played the first ODI against Australia at Harare Sports Club on September 15, 2026.
- Taylor's ODI career now spans 22 years and four months since his debut against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo on April 20, 2004, exceeding Tendulkar's span of 22 years and three months (December 18, 1989 to March 18, 2012).
- The 40-year-old, born February 6, 1986, had temporarily retired in 2021, served a three-and-a-half-year ban imposed in 2022 for ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping breaches, and returned to international cricket in 2025.
- Ahead of the match, Taylor held Zimbabwe's national record of 11 ODI centuries in 207 matches.
- Sachin Tendulkar still holds the records for most ODI runs (18,426), most ODI appearances (463), and 49 ODI centuries.
- In the historic match, Australia won the toss and chose to bat first against Zimbabwe, captained by Sikandar Raza in the absence of the injured Richard Ngarava, with Mitchell Marsh leading Australia in the first of a three-match ODI series in Harare.
- Zimbabwe will co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia.
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Rohit Sharma scored 138 runs off 110 balls in the third ODI against England on July 19, 2026. He became the oldest Indian to score an ODI century at 39 years and 80 days, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record.
UEFA Awards 2028 and 2029 Champions League Finals to Munich and Barcelona
Key Updates:
- UEFA's Executive Committee, meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, announced that Munich's Allianz Arena will host the 2028 Champions League final and Barcelona's renovated Camp Nou will host the 2029 final, with Camp Nou beating Wembley in the bidding for 2029.
- Munich was the only bidder for the 2028 final, and the Allianz Arena (called the Munich Football Arena by UEFA) will host the final for the third time after 2012 and 2025.
- Camp Nou last staged the Champions League final in 1999, when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 2-1, and the renovated stadium is expected to hold around 105,000 spectators.
- Wembley has hosted the Champions League final three times this century, most recently in 2024 when Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund.
- Atlético Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium will host the 2027 final before Munich in 2028 and Barcelona in 2029.
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Ganges Grandmasters defeated defending champions Alpine APL Pipers 7-5 in the two-leg final to win their maiden Global Chess League (GCL) title in Bengaluru. The Global Chess League, a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra…
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has moved the 2027 ICC Women’s Champions Trophy out of Sri Lanka to another country. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka from February 14 to 28.
Spain won the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final. The final match was played in New Jersey.
India will host the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy from February 14 to 28, 2027. The tournament will be played at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium.
Vishwakarma Puja 2026 Observed on September 17 with Kanya Sankranti: Significance and Traditions
Key Updates:
- Vishwakarma Puja 2026 was celebrated on Thursday, September 17, coinciding with Kanya Sankranti, which marks the final day of the Hindu month of Bhadra.
- According to Drik Panchang, the Kanya Sankranti or Vishwakarma Puja Sankranti moment occurred at 04:28 am IST, with calculations performed according to Bisuddhasidhanta.
- Lord Vishwakarma is revered as the architect of the universe and is praised in the Rigveda as the God of creativity who helped Lord Brahma create the universe.
- Vishwakarma is credited with building Dwarka for Lord Krishna, Indraprastha for the Pandavas, Lanka for King Ravana, Swargaloka for the Devas, and the golden city of Sudamapuri for Sudama.
- He also forged divine weapons including Lord Vishnu's Sudarshan Chakra, Lord Shiva's Trishula, and Lord Kartikeya's spear.
- On Vishwakarma Puja, artisans and engineers worship tools, machinery, vehicles, and technology with flowers, tilak, and kalava threads, and factories halt manufacturing for communal prayers and prasad distribution.
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Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Chaturthi) falls on Monday, September 14, 2026, beginning the ten-day festival that concludes with Anant Chaturdashi and idol immersion on September 25, 2026. According to Drikpanchang, the…
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, launched in September 2023 by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, has registered 30 lakh artisans across 18 identified trades in its first three years of operation. 24.50 lakh…
Digvijay Diwas is observed annually on September 11; in 2026 it falls on Friday, September 11, 2026. The day commemorates Swami Vivekananda's historic speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, United…
The Branch MSME Development and Facilitation Office (MSME-DFO), Mangaluru, under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, organised a one-day awareness programme on branding and marketing for PM Vishwakarma…
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders To Invest ₹27,000 Crore In Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster At Dighi, Maharashtra
Key Updates:
- Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) will invest around ₹27,000 crore to set up a greenfield shipbuilding cluster at Dighi in Maharashtra's Raigad district, a project expected to create around 90,000 jobs.
- MDL signed a memorandum of understanding with National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Maharashtra Ltd (NSHIPML) in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as announced by the Maharashtra government on September 15, 2026.
- Under the agreement, MDL plans to build at least 2 million gross tonnes of ships each year at Dighi, including large commercial vessels.
- The cluster is being developed jointly by the Maharashtra Maritime Board and the Mumbai Port Authority through NSHIPML, a special-purpose company, under the Centre's Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster Development Plan.
- The project is expected to support the objectives of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and increase India's domestic shipbuilding capacity.
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The Gujarat Government launched the Gujarat Shipbuilding and Repair Policy 2026 on July 28, 2026. The policy aims to attract investments worth over Rs 27,000 crore.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has granted in-principle approval to NSHIPOL under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) for a Rs 24,700 crore shipbuilding cluster in Odisha. The cluster will be…
INS Mahendragiri is a 6,670-ton indigenous stealth frigate capable of carrying BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. The frigate was commissioned into the Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh…
The National Steering Committee under the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) has approved Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹735.70 crore for three ITI clusters in…
NITI Aayog Approves ₹2,200-Crore Master Plan for Coimbatore International Airport Expansion
Key Updates:
- The ₹2,200-crore master plan for expanding Coimbatore International Airport has been approved by NITI Aayog and awaits clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Expenditure, Airport Director Mohammad Arif said on September 16, 2026.
- The expansion requires 627 acres in addition to the airport's existing 420 acres, taking the total area to over 1,047 acres; 621 acres have been handed over to the Airports Authority of India, with the remaining six acres expected soon.
- The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority issued Terms of Reference to the AAI in late July 2026, and the AAI is preparing the Environment Impact Assessment report; the project has achieved 75%-80% of technical clearances.
- Once begun, the expansion can be completed in about three years, adding a new terminal of about 75,000 sq. m. with a capacity of 12 million passengers per annum and peak-hour capacity rising from 1,770 to 4,200 passengers.
- The existing 18,000 sq. m. terminal handles about 3.5 million passengers annually against a design capacity of 3.63 million; interim expansion adding 1,000 sq. m. will be completed by December 2026.
- The Ministry of Civil Aviation's Yatri Sewa Abhiyan campaign will be observed at the airport from September 17 to October 10, 2026.
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The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal released the Delhi Master Plan 2047 on August 20, 2026. The plan targets construction of 30-40 lakh housing units to accommodate Delhi's projected population of…
The Bhogapuram International Airport is located in Andhra Pradesh. The airport is officially named Visakhapatnam Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport.
On August 12, 2026, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) approved the Master Plan for Delhi 2047. The approval ended a five-year delay in finalising Delhi's Master Plan.
The Union Cabinet approved the construction of a third and fourth railway line on the Ballari-Guntakal section under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. The project has an estimated cost of ₹1,264 crore and will add…
Government Reconstitutes 18-Member CBFC Panel Headed by Shashi Shekhar Vempati
Key Updates:
- The Centre reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on September 16, 2026, with an 18-member panel headed by chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati, effective immediately for three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
- The new board includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty and Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan, and Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej.
- Other members include film critic Vinod Anupam, actor Manoj Joshi, filmmaker Abhishek Jain, singer and former parliamentarian Hans Raj Hans, producer Supriya Yarlagadda, poet Yatindra Mishra and actor Roopali Ganguly.
- Theatre director Waman Kendre and writer Ramesh Patange are the only two members retained from the previous board.
- The CBFC was last reconstituted in August 2017 for a three-year term, and its members continued beyond 2020 until successors were appointed.
- The outgoing board included Vidya Balan, Vivek Agnihotri, Mihir Bhutia, Gautami Tadimalla, Vani Tripathi Tikoo, Jeevitha Rajasekhar, T S Nagabharana and Naresh Chandra Lal, besides Kendre and Patange.
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Kashmir hosted its first-ever four-day international film festival, beginning September 7, 2026, in Srinagar. The festival opened with the screening of the Lebanese film 'Dead Dog', directed by Sarah Francis, at the Inox…
Malayalam filmmaker R Sarath died at the age of 65 at a private hospital in Trivandrum while undergoing treatment for health-related ailments. His best-known film Sayahnam (2000) won the Indira Gandhi Award and received…
Somanath Sreedhara Panicker was appointed as a part-time non-official director on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of four years, effective August 20, 2026. Anand Gopal Mahindra was…
The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) and Intel India organised a National Leadership Dialogue on 'Preparing the Future Workforce for the Agentic AI Era' at the India Habitat Centre in…
N Chandrasekaran Gets 5-Year Reappointment as Tata Sons Chairman
Key Updates:
- N Chandrasekaran was reappointed as Chairman of Tata Sons for a period of 5 years.
- The reappointment came almost a month after Chandrasekaran announced in August that he was not up for a third term at the conglomerate.
- Following the reappointment vote, the chairman-selection process initiated by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust would be paused or discontinued.
- Tata Sons' board approved a public listing, reasoning that leadership continuity would reassure prospective investors ahead of any listing process.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had rejected Tata Sons' application to surrender its registration as a non-banking financial company (NBFC), reviving the prospect of a stock listing.
- A 1% stake sale has been estimated at ₹15,000-20,000 crore, implying an overall valuation near ₹20 lakh crore (around $230 billion) for Tata Sons.
- In September 2022, the RBI classified Tata Sons as an 'upper layer' NBFC, a designation requiring listing within 3 years.
- Tata Trusts owns around 66% of Tata Sons, while the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group holds an 18.4% stake.
- Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, had reportedly sought a commitment that Tata Sons would not list on the bourses.
- Candidates earlier reported as potential successors included Tata Steel chief executive TV Narendran, Tata Sons group chief financial officer Saurabh Agrawal, and National Stock Exchange chief executive Ashish Chauhan.
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N Chandrasekaran decided to quit as chairman of Tata Sons, the principal shareholder of the Tata Group. He will continue in the role till February 2027, the end of his current tenure.
Nobel Laureate Michael Kremer Appointed World Bank Chief Economist
Key Updates:
- The World Bank named Nobel laureate and University of Chicago professor Michael Kremer as its next chief economist, succeeding Indermit Gill, who retired last month; he will take charge on October 1.
- Kremer, 61, won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019 jointly with Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.
- He is the first economist to join the World Bank as chief economist with a Nobel Prize already in hand; former chief economists Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Romer received the Nobel after their tenures.
- Born on November 12, 1964, in New York, Kremer earned his doctorate in economics from Harvard University in 1992, worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, became a Harvard professor in 1999, and currently directs the Development Innovation Lab at the University of Chicago.
- Kremer helped design an Advance Market Commitment for a pneumococcal vaccine, resulting in three approved vaccines rolled out across 60 countries with an estimated 700,000 lives saved.
- His deworming research informed large-scale programmes, with governments in Africa and South Asia providing about 2 billion treatments since 2014, according to the World Bank.
- Kremer co-founded the Development Innovation Ventures fund administered by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2010; the fund was later shut down after Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025.
- World Bank President Ajay Banga announced the appointment, saying Kremer had spent his career identifying what works in development and proving it at scale.
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DBS became the first bank in Southeast Asia to be named 'World's Best Corporate Bank' by Global Finance since the category was introduced in 2005. DBS also won 'Asia's Best Bank' and 'Singapore's Best Bank' in the same…
Carol Kripanayana Furtado was appointed as Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB), effective from September 1, 2026. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved her appointment for a…
Yuko Keicho was appointed as the Vice President and Auditor General of the World Bank Group. She is a Japanese national.
ICRA estimated India's GDP growth at 7% in the April–June quarter of FY27, a four-quarter low, down from 7.8% in the March quarter of FY26. ICRA projected the industrial sector to grow at 7.7%, agriculture at 4%, and…
