The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 aims to simplify the tax exemption system. It builds on the Finance Act, 2026 that established exemptions for foreign firms using services from data centers in India. The industry welcomed the bill.

The Bill acknowledges data center facilities that owners or lessees operate. It also eliminates the requirement for case-specific notifications for both foreign firms and data centers.

Nasscom stated in a statement that the proposed improvements are a positive step for the industry. The Bill is presently before Parliament. ”

The upgraded idea would aid foreign cloud service companies. Additionally, it would support other international businesses active in India, including those with GCC operations.

Their models could include organizations, foreign resellers, Indian reseller agreements, and cross-border customer service. The foreign business notification removal lowers the risk that tax certainty relies on the entity name in an approval. It strengthens the overall process. The statutory criteria are met, and that is a better test.

The industry chamber stated it staunchly pushes for the framework as a tax-certainty enabler, not an approval-heavy scheme.

Nasscom stated that “it also benefits Indian data center companies since eliminating data center notice decreases the facility’s avoidable approval burden while making Indian-operated infrastructure simpler for global clients to utilize,” adding that moving from an approval-based process to a condition-based regime would be a positive step.

The Bill aims to modify the Payment and Settlement Systems Act of 2007, the Finance Act of 2026, and the Income Tax Act of 2025.

By lowering compliance standards while maintaining key protections, one of the main ideas is to make the tax structure that applies to qualified offshore investment funds and qualified fund managers easier to understand.

In addition, the Bill suggests additional tax breaks for foreign investors who purchase government bonds.

Some users say their accounts are being reviewed for as long as 24 hours. This prevents access to key features of the program. Meta-backed WhatsApp has suspended several accounts.

Account in review, according to the messaging app’s notification. Request date: August 3, 2026. We are checking your account activity and device information to ensure it adheres to our Terms of Service. Usually within 24 hours, we’ll inform you of the outcome.

There is also a Learn about account issues option in the notification that offers guidance on using Whats App responsibly, information on compromised accounts, and information on stolen phones.

Many users stated they couldn’t use WhatsApp without any notice from the company, and they reported the disturbance on Monday evening.

Many users are reporting the problem on the social platform X.

Whats App suspended my account without any justification. The review team usually reviews appeals within 24 hours. On social media, a user pleaded, “Help me immediately. ”

Saloni, another user, wrote on X: Without warning, my Whats App account was instantly deactivated. Because my career relies on Whats App, I only use the official app. I need your assistance. This was really unnecessary.

After the uproar over Whats App’s suggested username feature, reports from the beginning of July indicated that the government was thinking about implementing consistent standards for messaging services used in India.

According to reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is looking into a single regulatory framework that would apply to all messaging services rather than using platform-specific solutions.

After the government objected to WhatsApp’s planned username tool, which would let users converse without disclosing their phone numbers, the debate will continue.

India’s Geographical Indication (GI) ecosystem links tradition with opportunity, positioning the country to strengthen its heritage economy and expand the global presence of its distinctive regional goods, aiming for 10,000 GI registrations by 2030.

Since 2014, authorities issued 607 GIs, and India has recorded more than 800 GI goods. From 365 to 29,000 (as of January 2025), the number of authorized users for GI tags has increased over the past decade.

The 2025 change decreased the cost of filing GI applications and other procedures by 80%. Administration reduced the tag renewal cost from Rs 3,000 to Rs 500.

By expanding market access for distinctive local items, free trade agreements (FTAs) increase the worth of GIs. GI tags verify authenticity and provenance, and FTAs lower trade barriers to boost export prospects. According to the statement, GIs have become a major topic in India’s trade negotiations, demonstrating their increasing relevance.

GI tags maintain traditional knowledge, prevent abuse, and increase consumer confidence by connecting products to their place of origin. They assist producer groups, farmers, weavers, and craftspeople in gaining access to premium markets and achieving greater market acknowledgment.

The factsheet indicates that India’s GI environment has grown dramatically over the years, due to a solid legal framework and rising public awareness.

Through financial aid, export promotion, tourism integration, and specialized marketing platforms, government initiatives are strengthening this ecosystem even more. In combination, these activities are turning GI goods into engines of rural development, cultural preservation, and export-driven expansion.

“A GI tag acts as an authenticity seal for artisanal goods, protecting them against imitation, exploitation, and unapproved commercialization. Its importance, however, goes much beyond legal defense,” the statement read.

The government awarded GI status to the Channapatna toys in 2006.

Only wooden toys produced in Karnataka’s Channapatna region are covered by this identification. The distinctive lacquer-ware art of the area should be used to make the toys. The tag may seem like a simple accreditation, but it has the potential to offer extensive benefits, according to the announcement.

Beyond a simple label, a GI tag signifies more. According to the Ministry of Textiles, it has the potential to increase rural crafts-men’s income by between 20% and 30%. GI tags increase buyers’ confidence in a product and improve its marketability by confirming its uniqueness and origin.

Artisans are able to increase their visibility, get access to elite markets, increase their negotiation power, and seize a larger share of the value created by their labor as a result of the rising demand for GI-tagged items.

The statement claims that the acknowledgment opens up viable means of subsistence. They also play an important role in preserving and promoting India’s indigenous craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage for future generations.

There are several categories of items in India with GI tags, including manufactured goods, food products, agricultural products, natural products, and handicraft products.

India loses an estimated 4. 3% of its GDP each year—or around Rs 14. 1 trillion—due to corrosion, and implementing improved corrosion management practices may raise GDP by roughly 1. 5%, or Rs 5 trillion.

According to the Nomura Research Institute (NRI), the risks of corrosion have increased due to rapid infrastructure development, urbanization, and industrial growth.

It has increased maintenance expenses and decreased the lifespan of assets in every industry, with infrastructure, transportation, electricity, and telecommunications being the most impacted.

The business said that corrosion caused an average loss of 3. 4% of GDP worldwide.

The corporation suggested shifting the focus of public infrastructure tender bids to life cycle cost analysis rather than focusing solely on upfront construction costs.

It advocated strengthening Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations to comply with international durability standards and include exposure-based durability criteria.

It proposed implementing modern testing methods, upgrading maintenance and inspection procedures for assets with extended lifespans, and incorporating corrosion-resistant materials in sectors that are vulnerable to severe environmental factors, such as infrastructure for renewable energy.

Another important proposal was to mandate increased corrosion protection for steel-intensive industries like transportation, telecommunications, and public infrastructure.

India should prioritise asset endurance as it increases spending in roads, railroads, housing, and renewable energy, the report said, adding that corrosion is a policy and economic problem, not just an engineering one.

The power generation and transmission industry was identified as having the greatest corrosion intensity, with estimated losses of 10. 1% of sectoral GDP.

The report recommended long-term protection systems in addition to periodic repainting, and yearly corrosion-related losses in railways were estimated at $3 billion.

The telecom industry experiences significant corrosion intensity due to its over 8. 13 lakh telecom towers that support 2. 948 million base transceiver stations in India.

Additionally, the study stated that engineering standards and maintenance procedures must advance in tandem with India’s growing infrastructure base.

Google, a US-based technology giant, named 20 AI-powered firms from a variety of industries, including education, healthcare, gaming, agriculture, finance, e-commerce, productivity, lifestyle, and entertainment, as members of its 2026 Play Accelerator India cohort.

The three-month, equity-free program will provide participating startups with hands-on support in AI integration, app quality, security, growth, and monetization.

According to the technology giant, the project helps Indian app developers create reliable, scalable, and globally relevant products by integrating Google Play’s product expertise with the larger Google technology ecosystem.

It further stated that the selected startups are leveraging AI to tackle a variety of issues, such as expanding access to healthcare, aiding farmers, tailoring exam preparation, elevating sports coaching, assisting small businesses in getting paid quicker, and developing fresh gaming and entertainment experiences.

With artificial intelligence at its core, India’s next generation of app innovation is being created. Aditya Swamy, Managing Director of Google Play Partnerships, stated, “We want to help entrepreneurs through Google Play Accelerator India during the whole journey, from product quality and AI integration to growth, security, monetization, and worldwide scale. ”

The program aims to give app and game firms with high potential practical support at a crucial point in their growth, according to Paul Ravindranath, Google’s Regional Lead for Developer and Startup Programs.

He stated that we would collaborate closely with these founders over the next three months on product quality, responsible AI integration, security, growth, and monetisation, assisting them in enhancing their apps for users in India and worldwide markets.

Twenty-six startups have been selected for the 2026 cohort: Zave AI, Urban Pro, Swipe, Regain, Plutus Labs, MrMed, MindYourLogic Studios, MetaShot, Machaxi, LUZO, Lingopanda, Kisanwala, HeyDoc AI, Grape, GAPE Labs, Frontier Markets, Dalvoy, Chennai Games, Chaupal and Zet.

The initiative aims to aid businesses in enhancing product quality, reinforcing security protocols, broadening user reach, and exploring international markets by harnessing AI-driven innovation, according to Google.

Google Play Accelerator India aims to assist deserving Indian gaming and app companies through coaching and instruction in monetization, growth tactics, product creation, and AI integration.

President Droupadi Murmu praised the Indian team on Monday for their superb performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, especially women athletes, noting that women won eight of the 13 gold medals.

India placed fourth in the medal standings and concluded their run at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a total of 39 medals, consisting of 13 gold, 17 silver, and nine bronze.

I am pleased that Indian athletes performed admirably at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The President wrote that he is particularly pleased to state that India’s 13 gold medals include eight brought by women.

President Murmu also offered her congratulations to all 39 medalists and every member of the squad who helped the nation succeed on the international stage.

I extend my sincerest congratulations to each of the 39 medallists and to every member of the delegation who gave their all throughout the Games. “I am certain that India’s athletes will bring even more renown to the nation in forthcoming international competitions,” she said.

India took over as hosts for the centenary edition of the Games, which will be held in Ahmedabad in 2030, marking the official conclusion of the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Sunday.

India’s road to hosting the centennial edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030 officially started with the ceremonial transfer of the Games flag to Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

India will become just the second country after Australia to host the Commonwealth Games twice, making the 2030 version historically important since it will mark the 100th anniversary of the event.