The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, through the MSME Development & Facilitation Office, Chennai, organised a National Seminar on “From Local to Global: Enabling Export-Ready MSMEs through Digital Commerce” at IIT Madras, Chennai, , in collaboration with Entrepreneurship cell of IIT Madras.
The inaugural session featured a special address by Shri Praveen Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.Special address by, Prof Manu Santhanam, Dean, IC&SR of IIT Madras highlighted the critical role of innovation, academia-industry collaboration in enabling MSMEs to develop new products and technologies.
The technical sessions featured experts and officials from DGFT, EXIM Bank, ECGC IIT Madras, export and e-commerce consulting domains, who provided practical insights on export procedures, trade finance, export risk mitigation, market identification, international payments, compliance, digital onboarding and opportunities for MSMEs to leverage
e-commerce for global market access.
The Procurement & Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME includes National Workshops/Seminars as a dedicated component under its capacity-building interventions, aimed at creating awareness and educating MSMEs on market access, packaging, import-export procedures, e-commerce platforms and
other developments relevant to expanding their markets.The initiative reflects the Ministry of MSME’s continuing commitment to strengthening market access, digital adoption, export preparedness and handholding support for MSMEs, thereby contributing to the vision of taking Indian enterprises "From Local to Global".
For millions of forest-dwelling tribal families, Minor Forest Produce (MFP)—such as honey, tendu leaves, mahua flowers, tamarind, lac, bamboo and wild herbs—is not merely a forest resource. It is a primary source of livelihood. About 20% to 40% of their annual income is from selling MFP. Yet, despite directly procuring and selling MFP,
tribals receive only a fraction of its market value. This is because they often sell MFP to intermediaries at low prices.
The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) seeks to change this equation. Launched in 2021-22, the Mission provides a systematic way for them to improve MFP’s value by skilling the tribals in newer technology and practices.
The scheme links the communities to the larger national and digital markets to help them get more exposure and sell more products. It also guarantees Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to tribals by directly procuring the produce from them.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has concluded his two day visit to Armenia. During the visit, he held bilateral meetings with Deputy Defence Minister of Armenia, Karen Brutyan, and First Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of General Staff of Armenia, Edward Asryan.
During the visit, the Defence Secretary called on Minister of Hi-tech Industry of Armenia, Davit Tradevosyan, and exchanged views on proposals relating to defence research and development.
The Ministry informed that Mr Singh also called on Minister of Defence of Armenia Suren Papikyan. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen India-Armenia defence cooperation and discussed new avenues for enhancing cooperation in military technical cooperation.
The Ministry informed that Mr Singh also called on Minister of Defence of Armenia Suren Papikyan. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen India-Armenia defence cooperation and discussed new avenues for enhancing cooperation in military technical cooperation.
The Defence Secretary had a fruitful meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, Mnatsakan Safaryan, in Yerevan.The Ministry also said that as Armenia seeks to diversify its defence procurement, India has emerged as a major partner in military technical cooperation. It added that the visit demonstrated the increasing congruence of views between
India and Armenia on bilateral, regional and global issues.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved five railway and highway projects worth ₹13,041 crore. These projects aim to increase infrastructure capacity in West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.
Railway projects dominate the approved list, with an estimated cost of around ₹9,450 crore. These projects include construction of a 173 kilometre (km) between Kharagpur in West Bengal and Bhadrak (Ranital) in Odisha, 75 km between Bhadrak and Haridaspur in Odisha, 90 km third and fourth lines between Gummidipundi in Andhra Pradesh and
Gudur in Tamil Nadu, and 72 km third and fourth lines between Cuttack and Paradeep (Badabandha) in Odisha.The cabinet also approved the upgradation of the Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi-Sonbarsa Section of National Highway (NH)-22 in Bihar to four lanes. The 82-km project will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of ₹3590.73 crore.
Under HAM, the government will pay 40 per cent of the project cost to the developer upfront, while the remaining two-thirds will be paid over a concession period (typically 15-20 years) in annuities with interest.
The four rail multi-tracking projects will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 410 km.
The NH-22 augmentation is expected to improve the feeder corridor for the India-Nepal border at Sonbarsa with economic centres like Muzaffarpur at NH-27 (East–West corridor).
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) barred Copthall Mauritius Investment and Mansi Share & Stock Broking from accessing the securities market for alleged manipulative trades during the closing auction session (CAS). The matter pertains to such trades during CAS on Sensex expiry at BSE on August 13.
The regulator has also directed the impounding of wrongful gains of ₹3.67 crore by the two entities — ₹2.96 crore from Copthall Mauritius Investment and ₹71.64 lakh from Mansi Share & Stock Broking.
The entry of Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) as the largest shareholder has fundamentally strengthened Yes Bank’s institutional positioning.
SMBC, part of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and a Global Systemically Important Bank, holds a 24.9 per cent stake in Yes Bank. The partnership brings not only capital but also strategic value through enhanced capabilities in corporate banking, governance practices and risk management, besides providing access to cross-border business opportunities.
State Bank of India (SBI), which was earlier the largest shareholder, continues to hold a 10.8 per cent stake in the bank.International rating agency Moody’s upgraded Yes Bank’s long-term issuer rating to Ba1 with a stable outlook, while S&P Global Ratings assigned the bank an inaugural international issuer credit rating of BB+,
also with a stable outlook.On the domestic front, all rating agencies now rate the bank AA or higher. CARE Ratings, India Ratings and CRISIL have assigned Yes Bank an AA+ rating with a stable outlook, while ICRA has rated it AA with a stable outlook.
Every year on August 20, India observes Sadbhavana Diwas, also known as Harmony Day. The occasion marks the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and is dedicated to promoting national integration, communal harmony and goodwill among citizens. Observed since 1992, a year after Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, the day serves as a reminder
of the importance of unity, peace and mutual respect in India's diverse society. The term Sadbhavana translates to goodwill or harmony and reflects the spirit of peaceful coexistence among people of different religions, languages, regions, castes and communities.
Rajiv Gandhi served as India's Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989. During his tenure, he championed technological modernisation, telecommunications expansion and administrative reforms. His efforts towards computerisation and the growth of India's telecom sector are often credited with helping lay the groundwork for the country's technological
transformation.
World Photography Day is observed on August 19 each year to celebrate photographers who capture the defining moments of our time. From tragedy and joy to reunions and farewells, and from major political events to everyday life, their images preserve fleeting moments and turn them into lasting memories.
The Department of Visual Communication of The American College conducted a photography competition, ‘KLIKO 2026’as part of the World Photography Day celebration.
World Photography Day 2026 features the official theme “HOME”. The global initiative invites creators to capture personal connections, cultural roots, and safe havens rather than focus purely on technical polish.
Rating agency ICRA estimated India's GDP growth at a four-quarter low of 7 per cent in the April-June quarter of the current fiscal, sliding from 7.8 per cent in the March quarter of FY26, on a slower pace of expansion in the services sector.It projected the industrial sector to grow at 7.7 per cent, agriculture at 4 per cent,
and the services sector to grow at 7.9 per cent in the June quarter.
For the full 2026-27 fiscal, ICRA projects GDP growth to moderate to 6.7 per cent, from 7.7 per cent in the June quarter.ICRA projects the real GDP expansion to have eased to 7 per cent in Q1 2026-27 from 7.8 per cent in Q4 2025-26, in line with the Monetary Policy Committee's growth
forecast for the quarter.
ICRA said the 7 per cent growth in the June quarter would be a four-quarter low.Business sentiments of services companies weakened materially in the June quarter of FY27, with the pace of optimism dipping to the lowest level in five years, amid headwinds owing to the West Asia crisis as well as persistent wage cost pressures.
The Indian Army contingent has departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th edition of the India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026).
The aim of Exercise MAITREE is to foster Military Cooperation between India and
Thailand. The Exercise will enhance combined capabilities in executing Joint Counter Insurgency/ Terrorist Operations in Jungle and semi-urban environments under Chapter 7 of United Nations Charter. The training will include field exercises, combat discussions, lectures, demonstrations and a culminating validation exercise.
The contingents will also exchange operational experience and showcase contemporary equipment and technologies employed during joint operations. The exercise will involve company-level joint training focused on operations in jungle and semi-urban terrain. The Last edition of the same exercise was conducted at Foreign Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today flagged off the All India Girls High Altitude Long Trek ‘Aparajita – Parang La 2026’, a flagship adventure activity of the National Cadet Corps, in New Delhi.
The trek will traverse the 250-kilometre-long Parang La Pass, connecting the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh with the Changthang region of Ladakh over a
period of 30 days. The trek is regarded as one of the country’s most challenging high-altitude trekking routes. A team of 28 Girl Cadets will be led by three women officers representing the three services.
Mr Singh termed the participation of young girls in the high-altitude expedition as a powerful testament to the courage, determination and growing
capabilities of the women of the country.
The Government has approved an Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections, aimed at bringing clean, safe and affordable piped cooking gas to households across the country.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said that the scheme is designed to fast-track the expansion of active PNG connections, ensuring that more families
can start using piped natural gas in their kitchens at the earliest.Currently, there are 1.74 crore Domestic PNG connections across the country. The Ministry added that the new Scheme directly incentivises the City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies to actively convert unbilled connections into working gas connections and expand the PNG network to new area
The Scheme will be implemented over two Tranches spanning six months. The additional gas allocation will substitute the costlier Liquefied Natural Gas that CGD entities currently procure for their Compressed Natural Gas (Transport) segment, which will lower their overall gas-sourcing costs.
Under the Scheme, eligible CGD entities will be allocated an additional 200 Standard Cubic Meters of domestically-produced, lower-priced gas for every incremental billed Domestic PNG connection achieved during the performance period.
