The Centre on Wednesday scrapped the mandatory human safety tests for electric vehicle (EV) batteries required to qualify for incentives under various government schemes. The ministry of heavy industries, in its fresh guidelines, has made compliance with the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH's) prevailing EV battery testing standards the only requirement to get incentives under the Centre's various incentive schemes.
The Union home ministry has extended the deployment of 273 Central Armed Police Forces companies in Delhi until October 31, anticipating potential "flash protests" from political and other groups across the national capital.
The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has launched comprehensive conformity assessment and certification services for drone manufacturers, aiming to streamline the type approval process for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in India. This initiative supports the rapidly expanding drone sector by ensuring design, quality, and performance meet evolving safety and airworthiness standards.
Electric commercial vehicle manufacturers in India are struggling to meet localisation requirements under the PM eDRIVE scheme, set to begin on Tuesday. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) has requested a seven-month extension until April 1, 2027, citing disruptions in the supply of rare earth magnets due to China's export restrictions and geopolitical tensions. The government is yet to decide on the request, which aims to prevent production disruptions and allow time for local supply chain development.
The proposal caught auto makers by surprise.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) anticipates disbursing approximately 4,700 crore in incentives under the automotive PLI scheme in FY27, more than double the previous two years, while also exploring financing mechanisms for electric buses and trucks and promoting domestic manufacturing of critical EV components.
The Central government has approved an additional Rs 1,000 crore for electric two-wheelers (e2w) under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, extending incentives for the segment until March 2028.
India is set to launch Bharat Vecto, its first certification tool for assessing the fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions of medium and heavy commercial vehicles, by December, with a full launch targeted for the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in February 2027.
'India should not trade away its energy security for temporary tariff relief. Neither signing a trade agreement nor stopping Russian oil purchases can protect it from future US action.'
Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his three-day visit to the US, stating that his discussions with President Donald Trump had injected "new substance" into the China-US relationship. Both leaders expressed optimism for future cooperation, with agreements reached on certain trade goods and discussions held on AI capabilities.
While charger deployment is yet to begin, the scheme has supported the sale of 2.65 million EVs as of July 22.
Built as an expendable, short-duration turbojet engine for single-mission applications, it can power tactical cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and long-range loitering munitions.
E-Eye, which cost about Rs 3,500 to develop, can test a sample for around Rs 2, making it particularly suitable for field-level water quality monitoring in areas where access to sophisticated laboratories is limited.
Devastating flash floods near the Tibet-Nepal border have led to the evacuation of over 1,000 people, including tourists, from Gyirong County. The floods caused casualties in both Tibet and Nepal, disrupted infrastructure, and prompted a Level-IV alert due to a rapidly forming barrier lake with a high risk of breaching and causing further downstream flooding.
Automobile manufacturers are increasingly vocal about the mounting paperwork and delays associated with India's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the automotive sector, arguing that compliance requirements are becoming as challenging as meeting technical eligibility conditions. They are pushing for a simpler, faster, and more predictable certification and compliance framework.
Hyderabad-based Midwest Ltd has become the first Indian private company to secure overseas critical mineral mines, sealing a deal with Indonesia's state-run PT Perusahaan Mineral Nasional (PERMINAS) to ensure a long-term supply of rare earths.
Despite decades of efforts towards energy transition, oil will remain the critical energy source for all nations for some decades. We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
Under FAME-II, automakers provided subsidies to electric vehicle (EV) customers at the time of purchase, with the understanding that the government would reimburse the firms later.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
India's home-grown EV startups say the government's auto PLI scheme is helping big players while shutting out innovators building electric two- and three-wheelers from scratch.
The Ministry of Steel on Monday signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 55 companies for 85 projects under the third round of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for specialty steel.
India's procurement of Venezuelan crude oil has picked up momentum since April and the South American nation has already emerged as the third largest oil supplier to the country.
The Indian government has issued an updated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for processing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) applications, aiming to clear all proposals within 12 weeks, a two-week extension from the previous 10-week target, to ensure a fully paperless and transparent process.
India has refuted claims of payment issues hindering crude oil imports from Iran, clarifying that refiners have the flexibility to source oil from various global suppliers. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas addressed reports of a tanker rerouting to China, emphasising standard industry practices and secured oil requirements.
China has confirmed providing on-site technical support to Pakistan during last year's conflict with India, according to official media reports.
After the Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars Gas Field on Wednesday night, in retaliation, Iran struck Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country's Ministry of Defence.
A major fire near the main unit of the newly built Rajasthan refinery of HPCL has postponed the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fire, which broke out near the crude distillation unit, was doused in about two hours with no reported casualties.
The Indian government has increased measures to secure fuel and gas supplies following the Strait of Hormuz closure, urging citizens to avoid panic buying. Refineries are operating at high capacity, and sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are available nationwide.
The ministry of petroleum and natural gas on Friday reiterated that India has sufficient stock of crude oil, petrol and diesel, while ensuring an uninterrupted supply of LNG and LPG despite disruptions caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Siam argues that a 2040 ban could destabilise ongoing and future investments and threaten millions of jobs in the automotive value chain.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched indigenous robotic technologies, Project Vimana and Project Operion, designed to perform life-saving surgeries on the battlefield, potentially revolutionising emergency care for injured security personnel.
The Centre has notified the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) with an outlay of Rs 7,280 crore. The initiative is targeting to reduce dependence on China for critical inputs and secure supply chains for EVs, electronics, aerospace and green energy.
The Indian government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to mitigate the impact of rising global crude prices, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This move aims to provide relief to consumers and oil companies amidst volatile international oil markets.
Three additional vehicle makers and five more auto component makers will begin availing financial incentives under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector from 2026-27 (FY27) onwards, Hanif Qureshi, additional secretary at the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), said on Wednesday.
Northern states in India are experiencing severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 46.6 degrees Celsius. The heatwave has impacted daily life, leading to a decline in tourism and increased power demand. Authorities have issued advisories and implemented measures to mitigate the effects of the extreme heat.
'The government is actively engaging with EU to ensure that concerns of Indian companies and hard-to-abate sectors are adequately addressed under CBAM'
Kerala has overtaken more industrialised states in personal electric vehicle adoption, driven by strong middle-class uptake, policy support, and charging infrastructure.
India's defence sector is on the cusp of a 'super cycle' of growth, driven by escalating geopolitical conflicts and a strong policy push towards indigenous manufacturing, with major players like BEL, HAL, and BDL poised for significant order inflows and technological advancements.
Ola Electric Mobility Ltd on Friday said ministries of heavy industries, and road transport and highways have sought information from the company over gap in vehicle registrations as per the Vahan portal and sales as per the firm's regulatory filing. Besides, the ministries have also sought clarification on reports "regarding non-compliance to the requirement of trade certificates", Ola Electric Mobility said in a regulatory filing.
The Indian Army achieved a significant logistics milestone on December 16, 2025, by transporting tanks, artillery guns and dozers into the Kashmir Valley using a special military train.
