The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has facilitated the first export consignment of 12 metric tonnes of Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) from Chhattisgarh to Costa Rica.
This initiative aligns with the visionary programme of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, “Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” (Malnutrition-Free India), being implemented under the Poshan Abhiyan, through which the Food Corporation of India (FCI) is distributing fortified rice across the country.
The export of Fortified Rice Kernel marks a significant step in integrating India’s domestic nutrition mission with global outreach.
The State of Chhattisgarh has made continuous efforts to promote the export of rice and fortified rice products, enabling the State’s farmers, millers, and exporters to gain recognition in international markets.
Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, which markets dairy products under Amul brand, has been ranked as the number one co-operative in the world based on GDP per capita performance.The ranking has been done by International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) World Cooperative Monitor 2025. The list was announced at the ICA CM50 Conference in Doha, Qatar.
The recognition underscores Amul's contribution to empowering millions of dairy farmers through its cooperative model -- fostering inclusive growth, social equity, and sustainable rural development across India, GCMMF said in a statement.
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), headquartered in Brussels, represents cooperatives worldwide and promotes their sustainable business model.
Each year, the World Cooperative Monitor, developed in partnership with EURICSE (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises), analyses the economic and social impact of the world's largest cooperatives across sectors.
The 17th meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Israeli Ministry of Defence Maj Gen (Res) Amir Baram, took place in Tel Aviv on November 04, 2025.
An MoU on Defence Cooperation was signed during the meeting to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen the already strong defence cooperation between the two countries.
A wide range of areas for cooperation have been identified in the MoU that will benefit both countries.
Important fields include strategic dialogues of mutual interest, training, defence industrial cooperation, and capabilities including Science & Technology, Research & Development and Technological Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security cooperation. The MoU will enable the sharing of advanced technology and would promote co-development and co-production.
A notable series of ABS release initiatives aimed at promoting the sustainable use of India’s biological resources, the National Biodiversity Authority has disbursed Rs. 3.00 crore to 199 beneficiaries, covering 198 farmers from Andhra Pradesh and cultivators of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), along with one academic institution, University of Andhra.
The disbursement, facilitated through the Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board, is part of the Access and Benefit-Sharing mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act.
This initiative builds on a series of benefit-sharing measures undertaken by the NBA to promote inclusive biodiversity conservation.
Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy launched the third round of PLI scheme for Specialty Steel. Steel Ministry’s PLI scheme has so far attracted a commitment in investment of Rs. 43,874 crores, direct employment of 30,760 people and estimated production of 14.3 million tonnes of 'Specialty Steel' identified in the scheme.
As of September 2025, participating companies in the first two rounds have invested ₹22,973 crore and generated 13,284 in employment.
The PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel, approved by the Cabinet in July 2021, is a key initiative under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision to make India a global hub for steel production.
The third round (PLI 1.2) aims to attract new investments in emerging and advanced steel products, such as super alloys, CRGO, stainless steel long and flat products, titanium alloys, and coated steels. This is expected to generate significant employment, expand high-end steel capacity, and position India as preferred supplier in the global value chain for specialty steels.
Product Coverage: The third round of PLI Scheme covers 22 product sub-categories across five broad target segments including strategic steel grades, commercial grades (Categories 1 and 2), and coated/wire products.
Incentive Rates: Incentives will range from 4% to 15% of incremental sales, depending on the product sub-category and year of production.
Incentive Period: Benefits will be available for a maximum of five years starting from FY 2025–26, with incentive disbursal commencing in FY 2026–27.
Other changes: Base Year for prices have been revised from 2019-20 to 2024-25 to reflect current trends.
Twenty out of 36 states and Union Territories (UTs) in India saw their goods and services tax (GST) collections contract in October, marking the weakest monthly performance so far in the financial year 2026 (FY26) as businesses adjusted to the implementation of the GST 2.0 rate structure.
State GST collections grew just 2 per cent in October while gross GST rose 4.6 per cent, lowest in FY26. The subdued collection came after a strong momentum in the first half of the financial year, with growth peaking at above 13 per cent in May.
Major states and UTs which saw their GST collections slip into negative territory in October include,
Himachal Pradesh (-17 per cent), Jharkhand (-15 per cent), Uttarakhand (-13 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (-9 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (-5 per cent), Rajasthan (-3 per cent) and Delhi (-1 per cent) pointing to a broad-based slowdown across consumption and industrial centres.
Even large contributors such as Haryana (0 per cent), Maharashtra (3 per cent), Tamil Nadu (4 per cent) and Gujarat (6 per cent) saw muted performance, significantly lower than their earlier double, digit growth in April and May. However, Karnataka and Telangana, which had seen subdued numbers in September, posted 10 per cent growth in October.
The share of services in gross value added (GVA) in 2023-24 was the highest in Chandigarh (88.8 per cent), followed by Delhi (84.1 per cent), said a NITI Aayog report released last week. This indicates that a state or union territory (UT), while having high per capita income, is also more services oriented.
The report only used 22 major states/UTs for the analysis. At the all -India level, the share of services in GVA stood at 54.5 per cent in 2023-24.
The transaction through the popular Unified Payments Interface (UPI) touched a record high of Rs 27.28 lakh crore and 20.7 billion in value and volume terms, respectively, in October, according to data released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
In terms of value, the last highest recorded was Rs 25.14 lakh crore in May, while in terms of volume, the last high was 19.47 billion in July.
NPCI said the value of transactions was at Rs 27.28 lakh crore in October against Rs 23.49 lakh crore in the same month a year ago, registering a 16 per cent growth on an annual basis.
On a month-on-month basis, the growth was 9.5 per cent in terms of value. The UPI transaction in value terms was Rs 24.90 lakh crore, while volume was 19.63 billion.
The average daily transaction in October was 668 million with an average value of Rs 87,993 crore during the festival month.
Today, UPI accounts for 85 per cent of all digital transactions in India. Its impact goes beyond national borders, powering nearly 50 per cent of global real-time digital payments.
UPI is already live in seven countries, including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, and Mauritius.
Its entry into France is a milestone because it is UPI's first step in Europe. This allows Indians travelling or living there to pay seamlessly without the usual hassles of foreign transactions.
NPCI, an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks' Association, is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
India's central bank increased its short dollar forward positions by $6 billion in September, marking the first rise in six months, data released on showed, as it intensified efforts to curb pressure on the rupee.
The Reserve Bank of India's net short position in FX forwards and futures stood at $59.4 billion as of September-end signaling continued sales of dollars in the forward market. The data is released with a one-month lag.
The FX forward book reflects positions in both non-deliverable forwards (NDF) and the onshore forward markets, which had peaked in February.
The rupee weakened for a fifth consecutive month in September, hitting a record low of 88.80 against the dollar.
The decline was attributed to dollar outflows linked to gold imports by jewelry firms, foreign portfolio withdrawals, and concerns over steep US tariffs on Indian goods.
While the central bank actively defended the 88.80 level early in the month, efforts to push it towards 87.60 proved short-lived. By Friday, the rupee had declined to 88.7650, within touching distance of its record low.
he Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has proposed revised airfare refund norms requiring airlines to issue a full refund or credit note if a passenger cancels a flight due to a medical emergency, among several other changes.
The proposals are part of the draft regulations on “Refund of Airline Tickets to Passengers of Public Transport Undertakings,” for which the regulator has invited stakeholder comments until November 30, 2025.
The draft states that “the airline may refund the tickets or provide credit shell in case of ticket cancellations by passenger arising due to medical emergency.”
It also proposes that “in case of purchase of ticket through travel agent/portal, onus of refund shall lie with the airline as agents are their appointed representatives.” The airline must ensure that the refund process is completed within 21 working days, it adds.
Credilio has partnered with DCB Bank Ltd. to launch Novio, a new UPI-powered secured credit card aimed at expanding credit access in India. This collaboration targets the country’s large segment of approximately 300 million individuals from middle to upper-middle-income groups and new-to-credit populations,
who currently face constraints under traditional credit underwriting methods.
With only around 40 million unique credit card holders in India, Novio seeks to democratise credit by offering a secured credit card backed by a fixed deposit. Users can easily apply through the Novio app and complete fixed deposit booking via UPI without needing to open a savings account.
The card features an instant issuance process with auto-linking to UPI, enabling immediate transactions while earning interest on the fixed deposit.
This partnership is poised to redefine credit access in India, combining fintech innovation with banking strength to empower millions of new credit users across urban and rural India.
Asirvad Microfinance Ltd, a subsidiary of Manappuram Finance Limited, has announced the appointment of Gerard David Manoj Pasangha as its Co-Chief Executive Officer. Based in Valapad, Kerala, Pasangha will steer the company’s expansion strategy, drive operational excellence, and foster innovation in Asirvad’s product and service delivery.
Recognised for three decades of leadership in financial services, Pasangha’s professional journey spans roles including President and Deputy CEO at IIFL Samasta, Executive Vice President at ING Life India, and Chief Operating Officer at Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd, where he played a pivotal role in digital transformation and scaling inclusive finance initiatives.
In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day, calling on countries, international bodies and civil society to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.
World Tsunami Awareness Day 2025 shines a spotlight on building resilient communities through the Tsunami Ready Programme—a global effort to turn awareness into action. This year’s campaign champions proactive preparedness, uniting governments, scientists, local leaders, and the public to reduce tsunami risks together.
Aligned with the themes of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction and the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development – “Financing Our Future”, the campaign calls for smart investments in resilience and shared responsibility for safer shores.
