Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

This PIB backgrounder reviews the decade-long evolution and transformation of India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Since its pilot launch in 2016, UPI has grown into a core pillar of India's Digital Public Infrastructure, powering multi-bank, round-the-clock real-time transactions with two-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption. Key evolutionary milestones include BHIM, dynamic QR codes, UPI 2.0, UPI AutoPay, UPI 123PAY for feature phones, UPI Lite, credit line integration, and recent features like UPI Circle and Aadhaar-based face authentication. By FY 2025–26, annual transaction volumes surpassed 24,162 crore. Globally, UPI operates in 11 countries for acceptance and remittances, accounting for approximately 49% of global real-time payment transaction volume as noted in a June 2025 IMF report.

India's agriculture sector recorded a decadal growth rate of 4.45 percent during FY16-FY25. However, intensive cultivation, heavy chemical use, and erratic rainfall have degraded soil health, making regenerative agriculture an imperative for long-term productivity and climate resilience. Regenerative agriculture focuses on restoring soil vitality, enhancing biodiversity, and ensuring ecosystem resilience through practices such as natural farming, micro-irrigation, integrated farming systems, agroforestry, and scientific soil management. The government supports this transition through key initiatives including the National Mission on Natural Farming, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Per Drop More Crop, Rainfed Area Development Programme, the Agroforestry component under PM-RKVY, and the Soil Health Card Scheme.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced the unanimous adoption of the 'Chennai Declaration' and 'Chennai Consensus' during the closing session of the 14th BRICS Science Ministerial Meet chaired by India. The declaration reaffirms BRICS commitment to build an effective, resilient, and future-ready framework in science, technology, and innovation (STI), placing a people-centred, humanity-first approach at the heart of cooperation. The agenda emphasizes the Global South, young innovators, collaborative research, shared research infrastructure including the BRICS Global Research Advanced Infrastructure Network (BRICS GRAIN), the BRICS Science and Research Repository, and the BRICS Youth Startup Platform across various emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum technologies, and biotechnology.

The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), launched in September 2019, is a major Indian livestock health initiative designed to control and eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis through nationwide vaccination, sero-surveillance, and digital integration. Subsumed under the revised Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) for the financial year 2026–27 with a budget outlay of ₹2,010 crore, the programme features biannual mass FMD vaccination and one-time Brucellosis vaccination for bovine calves. Interventions are supported by the Bharat Pashudhan Portal for animal registration, 4,019 operational Mobile Veterinary Units for doorstep service delivery, ICAR research institutions, and the National One Health Mission. Measurable outcomes include a cumulative administration of 147.16 crore FMD vaccine doses, a decline in reported FMD outbreaks from 132 in 2019 to 40 by 2025, and Brucellosis outbreaks falling from 22 in 2019 to 15 in 2025.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah chaired a security review meeting regarding the Siliguri Corridor, attended by senior central and state officials, the Army, BSF, SSB, RPF, and the Chief Minister and DGP of West Bengal. The Multi Agency Centre's Standing Focus Group on Siliguri Corridor presented progress and recommendations. Discussions covered critical infrastructural projects, PIO activities, demographic changes, illegal immigration, and border affairs. The Home Minister stressed a quadrangular approach to border security, directed agencies to increase their footprints and secure vital installations, ordered the corridor kept free of encroachments, and suggested opening more Sainik schools, increasing senior NCC cadets, and strengthening civil defense and home guards in North Bengal.

The Ken–Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the first priority project under the National Perspective Plan for Interlinking of Rivers to enter the implementation stage. Designed to address water scarcity in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the project involves transferring water from the Ken basin to the Betwa basin through the 96.7-metre-high Daudhan Dam, a 216.465-km link canal, and other associated works such as the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage, and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project. Scheduled for completion in 2030 with a total cost of ₹44,605 crore, KBLP aims to provide irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares, supply drinking water to about 62 lakh people, and generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is the Government’s flagship price-support framework launched in September 2018 to ensure remunerative prices for farmers, reduce distress sales, and maintain consumer price stability. The framework comprises four key components: Price Support Scheme (PSS), Price Stabilization Fund (PSF), Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS), and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS). For 2026–27, the budget allocation for PM-AASHA stands at ₹7,200 crore. Procurement is undertaken through central nodal agencies like NAFED and NCCF alongside state governments. Recent initiatives involve digital reforms such as Aadhaar-enabled authentication and e-NAM, alongside infrastructure support through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to improve transparency, efficiency, and farm-to-market connectivity.

The Ministry of Rural Development has launched the 'National Campaign on Entrepreneurship - II' under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) for a three-month period from 21 August to 21 November 2026. Aligned with World Entrepreneurs Day, the campaign aims to accelerate rural women entrepreneurship across farm and non-farm sectors, support marketing of Self-Help Group (SHG) products, and contribute to the vision of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis. Additionally, the first edition of the monthly Rural Enterprise Tech Bulletin, 'Sankalp Shakti', was released. The initiative focuses on enterprise handholding, formalisation, e-commerce integration, producer institution strengthening, and recognising community resource persons as 'Udyam Sakhis'.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups in diverse fields such as rockets, reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, satellites, AI-powered hyperlocal weather intelligence, and space debris removal. During the interaction, industry leaders highlighted indigenous technological advancements and expressed gratitude for the government's decision to open the space sector to private participation, noting that it has created new opportunities. The Prime Minister encouraged broader application of space technology in sectors like agriculture and environmental management to improve public life, suggested collaboration with Atal Tinkering Labs to nurture young talent, and stated that India's space sector can attract global talent, companies, and investment.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with a budgetary outlay of Rs 62,500 crore to enhance global competitiveness, deepen domestic value addition, and support indigenous mobile brands. The 5-year scheme, running from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, features two target segments: TS1 for incentivizing mobile manufacturing and TS2 for supporting Indian mobile phone brands with incentives and non-fiscal support. It offers differentiated incentives, additional support for domestic component sourcing and Indian design and R&D, and anticipates cumulative production of around Rs 39 lakh crore and the generation of approximately 60,000 direct jobs.

The 29th meeting of the Full Commission of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas approved several measures to combat air pollution. Key approvals include Direction No. 102 for a phased transition towards cleaner Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) registrations in Delhi-NCR, and Direction No. 103 to strengthen fugitive dust emission controls at Stone Crushing Units by incorporating CPCB guidelines into CTO conditions. The meeting also addressed financial assistance for R&D projects covering road dust and rice residue burning, a revised procedure for resuming operations after CAQM closure directions, implementation timelines for industrial emission standards, status of environmental compensation on thermal power plants for non-compliance with biomass co-firing targets, and ongoing greening targets.

Makhana (Euryale ferox), an aquatic crop, has transformed from a traditional food in Bihar into a globally consumed health superfood. India is the world's largest producer of makhana, with Bihar accounting for nearly three-fourths of national production and 80–85% of global supply. To modernize and strengthen the makhana value chain, the government launched the National Makhana Board and approved a Central Sector Scheme for Makhana development with an outlay of ₹476.03 crore for 2025–26 to 2030–31. The sector exhibits strong domestic consumption and export potential, backed by specialized institutions such as the National Research Centre for Makhana (NRCM) and a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Mithila Makhana.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Mr Shinjiro Koizumi are scheduled to hold bilateral talks in New Delhi to deepen defence cooperation, strategic trust, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Discussions will focus on maritime security cooperation and defence equipment and technology collaboration under the 'Make-in-India' framework, following Japan's revision of its Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology. During his maiden visit, the Japanese Defence Minister visited the Western Naval Command in Mumbai, interacted with the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, inspected the indigenous ship INS Chennai, and followed up on agreements made during the recent Annual Summit between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Ms Sanae Takaichi.

The PIB backgrounder details the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, through a series of frequently asked questions. It addresses revenue collection by state governments from mines, sharing of mining revenue between the Centre and States, and historical reforms since 2015 such as competitive e-auctions, growth in mineral production, the National Critical Mineral Mission, recycling incentives, and exploration ecosystems. The backgrounder clarifies that the 2026 Amendment Act aims to establish a stable and rational tax structure to attract investment, boost critical mineral production, reduce import dependency, prevent cascading tax effects on manufacturing, and provide long-term fiscal certainty without reducing state revenues or altering regulations concerning minor minerals.

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026 amends the MMDR Act, 1957 to establish a uniform and balanced fiscal framework for the mining sector. The Act introduces Section 9D, restricting State Governments from levying fresh taxes, cesses, or charges on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands unless prescribed by the Central Government. It declares any unpaid or uncollected past levies invalid while protecting amounts already deposited. Furthermore, the Act empowers the Central Government under Section 13 to frame rules governing such levies, aiming to eliminate fragmented State taxation, remove cumulative burdens on strategic and critical minerals, and foster long-term investment, energy security, and national market uniformity without disturbing the revenue share of States.

India’s trade agreement strategy is transitioning from expanding its network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to achieving fuller utilization of market access. In FY 2025-26, combined merchandise and services exports reached US$ 863.1 billion, with merchandise exports at US$ 441.8 billion, continuing with an estimated US$ 232.73 billion during April-June 2026. Key agreements such as the India-UAE CEPA and India-Australia ECTA illustrate early successes in bilateral trade volumes and export growth. The utilization of these pacts is supported by government initiatives like the e-CoO 2.0 digital platform, simplified origin rules, self-declarations, and the Trade Connect platform. Furthermore, recent FTAs expand market access for both merchandise goods across labour-intensive sectors and services professionals through provisions like mobility pathways, Mutual Recognition Agreements, and safeguards for domestic priorities.

The Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, has notified the sixth Positive Indigenisation List containing 405 strategically important items, including line replaceable units, sub-systems, sub-assemblies, spares, components, and raw materials, with an estimated business potential of Rs 3,070 crore. The list covers items for air platforms, armoured platforms, warships, missile systems, defence electronics, and ammunition for Defence Public Sector Undertakings and the Indian Coast Guard. The indigenisation will be pursued through routes such as the 'Make' procedure and in-house development involving domestic industry and MSMEs. The detailed items with indicative timelines are hosted on the SRIJAN Portal.

India hosted the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi under its BRICS Chairship 2026. Union Environment Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav delivered the keynote address, calling for people-centric, implementation-oriented environmental action to address global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and disaster risks. India's Chairship focuses on the vision of placing the Global South at the forefront under the theme 'Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability'. The meeting concluded with the consensual adoption of a Joint Ministerial Statement comprising four outcome documents, alongside the launch of four knowledge compendiums and discussions on sustainable lifestyles, afforestation, circular economy, and adaptation.

At the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held under India’s BRICS 2026 Chairship, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with other heads of delegations unveiled four knowledge compendiums prepared by the BRICS Environment Working Group. These publications cover sustainable lifestyles (including India's Mission LiFE, Environment Education Programme, and SAMBHAV Campaign), integrated wildfire management, integrated landscape-based greening approaches to address land degradation and biodiversity loss, and extended producer responsibility frameworks alongside circular economy practices.

India's coconut sector supports roughly 30 million people, including 10 million farmers, and ranks first globally in production, accounting for 31.24 percent of the world's total. Keralam leads in cultivation area, Tamil Nadu in production, and Andhra Pradesh in productivity. Governed primarily through the Coconut Development Board (CDB) established in 1981, the sector has transitioned from traditional exports to value-added goods like virgin coconut oil, coconut milk, and activated carbon. Government support mechanisms include Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for milling and ball copra, the Coconut Promotion Scheme introduced in Union Budget 2026-27, area expansion programs, productivity improvement via multi-tier cropping, and targeted skill development initiatives such as Cocomitra and Kera Kaushal Kendra.