A think tank, GTRI, has urged India to resist US pressure regarding its UPI policies, advocating for competition, policy autonomy, and a sustainable payments ecosystem. This comes as the Lok Sabha passed a bill allowing charges on UPI, and the US has criticised India's digital payment systems, raising concerns about the future of India's digital payment landscape.
A think tank, GTRI, has urged India to resist US pressure regarding its UPI policies, advocating for the defence of competition, policy autonomy, and the long-term sustainability of its payments ecosystem. This comes as the Lok Sabha passed a bill allowing charges on UPI transactions, a move GTRI suggests should not be influenced by foreign trade complaints.
Premature surrender and withdrawal of life insurance policies in India have surpassed maturity payouts over the past five years, indicating a growing trend of policyholders exiting long-term policies before their full tenure, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha.
India's government is working to resolve tax and regulatory hurdles to bring Formula One back to the Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi in 2028, more than a decade after the race was dropped.
The challenge thrown by the youth movement creates the opportunity for a more consequential debate on India's economic trajectory because it must remain centered on India's youth as its driving impulse, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
The article details instances where the Narendra Modi government has yielded to public and political pressure since 2014, leading to policy reversals and ministerial resignations. It highlights the recent resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak, alongside past events like the withdrawal of land acquisition amendments, M.J. Akbar's resignation, the repeal of farm laws, and other policy retreats.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asserted that his government would adopt a 'zero tolerance' policy against vandalism carried out under the guise of religious slogans.
An intensified DVAC probe into a multi-crore liquor scam, allegedly involving former DMK Minister V Senthil Balaji, has led to a suggestion to privatise retail liquor sales in Tamil Nadu. The investigation targets alleged collusion in TASMAC bar licences, transport tenders, and procurement, with the Madras High Court dismissing Balaji's anticipatory bail plea. The FIR details systemic corruption, significant revenue loss, and illicit fund generation, prompting political reactions.
The Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, staged a protest in New Delhi against the government's E20 petrol policy, attempting to march to the Prime Minister's residence with over 2.30 lakh petitions from vehicle owners concerned about the ethanol-blended fuel.
Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato has called for the formulation of a more effective and stringent policy to curb cybercrimes, fraud, and digital scams. He highlighted the dual nature of artificial intelligence, which simplifies life but also presents serious challenges through misuse. Various experts and MLAs at a workshop emphasised the importance of cybersecurity education, personal digital responsibility, and empowering legislators to strengthen institutional resilience against cyber threats.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA leaders reviewed India's progress in international sports and significant growth in youth employment opportunities at their weekly parliamentary meeting.
One of the most important provisions this year is that qualifying NEET-PG does not automatically guarantee participation in counselling.
The Congress party has accused the Modi government of creating a "deep crisis" in India's job market due to its "flawed" economic and employment policies. Citing a media report on a 27% decline in new jobs at major companies, the opposition party stated that the government is engaged in "headline management" and "politics of distraction" instead of addressing the youth employment crisis.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has criticised the state government's crop procurement policies, alleging that new conditions are being imposed on farmers instead of procuring crops at MSP. Hooda plans to tour mandis to assess the problems faced by farmers.
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the 'creamy layer' principle, which excludes affluent individuals from reservation benefits, does not apply to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). This stance opposes Public Interest Litigations (PILs) seeking to implement such a principle for SC/ST reservations and to direct the government to formulate policies for more equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
Former DGP R Sreelekha has questioned the Kerala government's proposal to grant menstrual leave for schoolgirls, raising concerns about privacy and whether it empowers or weakens girls.
The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on a plea by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court verdict. The High Court had ruled that individuals converting to Islam are not automatically entitled to reservation benefits under the Backward Class (Muslim) category solely based on their conversion.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
Why the industry's public position changed is difficult to say. What the developments did establish, though, is that ethanol-blended petrol has become one of the country's most politically and commercially sensitive policy issues.
Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar announced that the TVK regime, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will take steps to ensure fair financial devolution from the Centre, including pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court. The government also plans to conduct a 'Social Justice Survey' and address the state's severe financial deterioration.
BMW India CFO Carsten Lammers has expressed surprise at the extensive scale and prolonged duration of tax and Customs litigation in India, advocating for faster dispute resolution and simpler procedures to ensure business stability.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has maintained its benchmark policy rate at 5.25 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting, prioritising clarity on inflation trends, particularly concerning energy costs and geopolitical developments.
The Rajasthan High Court has expressed serious concern over rampant construction on Udaipur's ecologically sensitive hills, questioning the state's hill policies and demanding records of commercial project permissions. The court's observations stem from a petition challenging a hotel project and an interim report highlighting extensive hill cutting and inadequate policy formulation, potentially leading to a suo motu Public Interest Litigation.
NITI Aayog's inaugural Investment Friendliness Index, scoring 36 states and Union Territories on 84 indicators across eight pillars, revealed that no state or UT reached a score of 60 out of 100, indicating significant room for improvement in attracting investment.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has mandated a uniform policy for all sports grounds in the state, focusing on modern sanitation, separate changing rooms, and CCTV surveillance to ensure the safety and enhance the performance of women athletes. This directive aims to strengthen the sports ecosystem and encourage greater participation from women.
The government is questioning the visiting Meta team on whether the company is adhering to the law of the land, following summons to the social media giant over temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post recently, sources said on Thursday.
"Our endeavour is to bring headline inflation in line with the target over the medium term," said RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, addressing concerns about the central bank's policy stance and economic outlook.
Haryana is set to host a grand felicitation ceremony on August 7 for its athletes who excelled at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will present cash awards totalling Rs 13.47 crore to 10 medal winners and 13 participating athletes, reinforcing the state's commitment to sports development and recognising international achievements.
'We have to pull 80 million workers out of agriculture and go back to where we were in 2014. That itself is going to be a huge task.' 'We have already lost time, and that is a catastrophe impending.''
A constable in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district, Sher Singh, has been dismissed from service for participating in a political demonstration in New Delhi and violating service rules. A departmental inquiry found him guilty of gross misconduct. Singh had previously gone viral for alleging corruption in state recruitment exams and was already suspended for unauthorised absence, besides being named in a land-grabbing FIR.
The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has launched an indefinite statewide strike, protesting the government's decision to allow homoeopaths to register under the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) and prescribe allopathic medicines after a six-month course.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated it is "premature" to discuss the implementation of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for digital payments, advising a "wait-and-watch" approach. He emphasised that investment in public payment infrastructure is necessary and someone must bear the cost, whether through taxes or MDR. The government is currently working on amendments to relevant statutes, and the RBI is focused on strengthening this infrastructure.
Maharashtra plans new policy to make domicile certificate mandatory for driving licence from August 2026, alongside efforts to regulate bike taxi services for revenue and job creation.
The Reserve Bank of India has marginally increased its GDP forecast for the current fiscal to 6.7 per cent while slightly lowering the inflation projection to 5 per cent. The central bank noted that while domestic economic activity shows resilience, global turbulence, particularly re-escalating conflicts and volatile oil prices, continues to pose risks to the inflation outlook.
The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench has set aside a government order providing jobs to relatives of those who died in a stampede at Karur last year, citing violations of constitutional rights and existing compassionate appointment rules. The court highlighted that such appointments overlook others on waiting lists and could open "floodgates" for similar demands.
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing rising prices and hardships caused by demonetisation and lockdown measures during an election rally in West Bengal.
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has urged the industry to invest in skilling, capability development, and innovation to counter the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, particularly for Global Capability Centres (GCCs). He noted that while the government has supported GCCs through Budget measures like simplifying transfer pricing and promoting expansion into tier-II/III cities, industry must move beyond low-cost execution to thrive in an an AI-driven landscape. Nageswaran emphasised that AI displaces routine tasks, necessitating a focus on higher-value work and continuous skill enhancement to maintain India's competitive edge.
A retired Air Force officer has approached the Supreme Court, seeking urgent action against the organisers of the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march, alleging incitement to violence and continued inflammatory statements.
Indian fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar were on Friday appointed as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) by the Bihar government under its 'Medal Lao, Naukri Pao' policy, with Akash calling it a "big responsibility" and urging students to maintain peace amid the ongoing protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is leading a march to the Prime Minister's residence to submit a petition with two lakh signatures against E20 petrol. He is demanding consumer choice, lower E20 prices, and transparency regarding studies supporting the fuel. The government defends the E20 programme, citing energy security and no evidence of vehicle harm.
