24Aug, 2026
    India’s Monsoon Improves, Eases Kharif Crop Risks

    India's Monsoon Improves, Eases Kharif Crop Risks

    India’s monsoon situation has improved significantly in recent months, easing concerns about widespread disruption to Kharif crops. However, rainfall distribution remains a key factor to watch, according to a report.

    Global brokerage Macquarie said the cumulative rainfall deficit narrowed sharply to 12.6 per cent as of August 19, from 35 per cent in June.

    “The situation is recovering, albeit not fully recovered,” it said. The improvement has also supported Kharif sowing, which has recovered considerably after a weak start to the season.

    As of August 14, total Kharif sowing stood 2 per cent below last year’s level, compared with a 21 per cent shortfall in late June, according to the brokerage.

    Rice acreage remained 3.7 per cent below last year’s level, while maize acreage declined 4 per cent.

    In contrast, farmers brought pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane and cotton acreage to within around 1 per cent of year-ago levels.

    Macquarie said the remaining sowing weakness remains concentrated in a few crops rather than across the broader Kharif season.

    Healthy reservoir levels are also providing a buffer against the rainfall deficit. Reservoirs in Maharashtra and Gujarat hold storage at or above their 10-year averages. Key agricultural states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, also maintain storage levels at around 80-100 per cent of their respective averages.

    However, Bihar and parts of southern India require close monitoring.

    The improving monsoon, limited shortfall in overall sowing and adequate irrigation reserves have collectively reduced downside risks to Kharif output, the report said.

    The development also offers a positive signal for inflation, as food-supply pressures and inflation risks have moderated from June levels.

    22Aug, 2026
    India Competitive on Battery Costs, But Must Scale Manufacturing

    India Competitive on Battery Costs, But Must Scale Manufacturing

    India’s battery manufacturing sector has a strong global cost position but remains structurally dependent on imports. The country must rapidly expand cell manufacturing capacity to meet rising demand, according to a Wood Mackenzie report released on Thursday.

    The report said India offers a 154 per cent cost advantage over Japan and a 9 per cent advantage over South Korea, making it the second-most competitive major manufacturing destination after China.

    However, Wood Mackenzie expects locally manufactured cells to cost 25–40 per cent more than imported cells in the near term. Limited production scale, higher financing costs and an underdeveloped supplier ecosystem are driving the cost gap.

    “Cell manufacturing is expected to develop progressively with imported inputs over the next two to five years, while full refining capabilities will take more than ten years to establish,” the report said.

    India currently produces less than 1 per cent of the approximately 260 GWh of cell demand projected from competitive tenders in 2026, the report added.

    This supply shortfall continues to leave India dependent on imports even as the government accelerates its battery manufacturing ambitions.

    Companies have announced more than 226 GWh of cell manufacturing capacity for construction through 2035. However, execution delays, financial viability challenges and continued dependence on Chinese and Korean technology licensors could keep India 10 to 15 years away from building a globally competitive and self-sufficient cell manufacturing industry.

    India had only 2 GWh of commissioned cell manufacturing capacity as of 2026, compared with China’s cumulative capacity of 2,695 GWh.

    China controls between 85 per cent and 98 per cent of global capacity across major battery supply chain components, including cathodes, anodes, separators and electrolytes. Wood Mackenzie said India must fundamentally restructure its manufacturing ecosystem to close this gap.

    “India’s battery storage ambitions are credible, but the gap between policy intent and operational capacity is wide,” said Ankita Chauhan, director at Wood Mackenzie.

    Chauhan added that India’s near-term opportunity lies in downstream components such as containers, EMS and battery packs, where localising production is both technically feasible and commercially attractive.

    22Aug, 2026
    Google Offers Free One-Year AI Plus Plan to Indian Students

    Google Offers Free One-Year AI Plus Plan to Indian Students

    US-based technology giant Google has announced a one-year free subscription to its ‘AI Plus‘ plan for eligible college students in India, giving them access to enhanced artificial intelligence tools and higher usage limits to support their learning.

    In its latest blog post, Google said eligible students will receive access to Gemini Omni, twice the usage limits available to non-AI subscribers, 400 GB of storage and other features at no cost for one year.

    Google is also offering students a discounted bundle that combines Google AI Pro and YouTube Premium, with savings of up to 70 per cent for those seeking ad-free music and video streaming.

    Alongside the student plans, Google is introducing new and enhanced learning tools across Gemini and Google Search.

    The company said students will also get access to a dedicated student hub that will help them organise their studies and get started with Gemini’s learning tools.

    In addition, Google is introducing a new study notebook feature that provides personalised learning support through diagnostic quizzes. The quizzes identify students’ strengths and knowledge gaps before generating bite-sized study plans tailored to their individual learning goals.

    Google is also expanding Gemini Live, allowing students to request and discuss Deep Research reports through voice-based conversations while on the move.

    Google Search will also offer new features that allow students to generate interactive visuals to understand complex concepts, take practice quizzes across subjects, including standardised tests, and learn concepts step-by-step using Google Lens.

    Additionally, students can organise academic projects using notebooks and create custom files to streamline their studies.

    Google said it designed its education tools across Search, Gemini and YouTube with safety in mind. The company also said the tools draw on learning science to support personalised learning while keeping teachers in the lead.

    The student offer is available in more than 140 markets where Google AI Plus operates, subject to certain exclusions. Eligible students in India can redeem the offer until December 31, 2026, subject to verification and applicable terms.

    21Aug, 2026
    Govt Empowers Farmers, Food Makers for Global Growth

    Govt Empowers Farmers, Food Makers for Global Growth

    Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that new avenues are being created for Indian farmers and processed food manufacturers to expand presence in the Singapore market and further to the whole ASEAN region and Australian market.

    Goyal met Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry, Singapore, and other dignitaries at the APEDA-FairPrice roadshow-cum-instore promotion being organised for expansion of exports of diverse range of India’s agricultural & processed food products.

    “Organic products, fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cashew, rice, millet-based products, and products sourced from different regions of India are being promoted through this engagement,” the minister posted on X.

    He also held a meeting with Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO, Global Finance and Technology Network, a global advisory and investment firm based in Singapore.

    They discussed opportunities to deepen India-Singapore cooperation in financial innovation, technology, and emerging areas of the digital economy.

    “We also exchanged views on how India’s dynamic financial ecosystem and Singapore’s global financial and technology network offer significant opportunities for greater collaboration,” said Goyal.

    The minister also met Cindy Lim, CEO of Keppel Infrastructure, in Singapore.

    “We discussed opportunities for greater collaboration in infrastructure and sustainable development, building on the strong economic partnership between India and Singapore. India remains committed to enabling investments and partnerships that support resilient infrastructure and sustainable growth,” Goyal highlighted.

    Goyal earlier joined Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, in engaging “with our Singaporean counterparts at the 4th India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable”.

    “We discussed deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) across advanced manufacturing, fintech, digitalisation, healthcare, and sustainability,” the Commerce Minister informed.

    21Aug, 2026
    NSE’s Own Shares: Can They Trade on Its Platform?

    NSE's Own Shares: Can They Trade on Its Platform?

    Can the National Stock Exchange (NSE) allow trading in its own shares on its platform?

    The question has gained prominence after a report suggested that NSE is exploring the ‘Permitted to Trade’ (PTT) route to allow investors to trade its shares on NSE while keeping the exchange formally listed on the BSE.

    NDTV Profit, citing sources, reported that the National Stock Exchange (NSE) is looking to trade its shares on its own platform while remaining formally listed only on the BSE.

    The existing regulatory framework does not permit stock exchanges to list themselves, the report said.

    Therefore, the exchange would need approval from the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), to admit its shares for trading on its own platform.

    However, the PTT framework allows NSE to admit securities for trading without formally listing them on the exchange. Companies using this mechanism continue to remain listed on their primary stock exchange.

    Earlier in May, NSE issued FAQs and clarified the framework for securities admitted under the PTT category on its mainboard segment. Under this framework, companies do not need to sign a separate listing agreement with NSE, while the exchange considers disclosures made to the primary exchange sufficient.

    However, NSE continues to subject PTT securities to its surveillance and regulatory mechanisms.

    Companies can subsequently seek full listing for securities admitted under PTT, provided they meet the applicable eligibility conditions. The exchange also retains the authority to suspend or prohibit trading in such securities.

    If SEBI approves the arrangement for NSE, the exchange would remain formally listed on the BSE while allowing investors to trade its shares on NSE as well, giving them an additional trading venue.

    The development comes ahead of NSE’s proposed initial public offering. The exchange filed its draft red herring prospectus with SEBI in June for an IPO comprising an offer for sale of 14.89 crore equity shares.

    NSE first initiated its listing plans in 2016 but delayed them amid regulatory scrutiny related to the co-location controversy.

    Separately, NSE reported an 8.2 per cent sequential decline in consolidated revenue from operations to Rs 4,560 crore for the quarter ended June 30. However, its net profit rose 8.7 per cent to Rs 3,120 crore.

    20Aug, 2026
    5 Old Village Foods That Were Naturally Rich in Protein

    5 Old Village Foods That Were Naturally Rich in Protein

    Long before protein became a headline on nutrition labels, protein-rich foods were already part of everyday village cooking.

    In many Indian communities, people relied on inexpensive pulses, seeds, grains, greens and locally available ingredients that could be grown, gathered or stored with little technology.

    These foods were not marketed as “high-protein” superfoods. They were simply practical staples that helped make modest meals filling and nourishing.

    Some of these traditional foods have gradually disappeared from regular household menus. Changing agricultural practices, the popularity of polished grains, urban lifestyles and the convenience of packaged foods have all contributed to the decline of many regional ingredients.

    Yet a closer look at traditional village diets reveals an interesting lesson: protein did not always come from expensive or fashionable ingredients.

    Here are five lesser-remembered traditional foods that were naturally good sources of protein and played important roles in rural food cultures.

    1. Kulith, or Horse Gram: The Humble Pulse Built for Hard Times

    Kulith, or Horse Gram: The Humble Pulse Built for Hard Times

    Horse gram, commonly known as kulith in several parts of India, is one of the most overlooked traditional pulses. It has historically been grown in dry, hilly and semi-arid regions because the crop is remarkably hardy. It can tolerate relatively poor soils and limited rainfall, making it particularly valuable to farming communities where more demanding crops were difficult to cultivate.

    For generations, kulith was turned into soups, dals, chutneys, curries and steamed preparations. In some regions, the cooking liquid left after preparing horse gram was also used as a base for traditional dishes. Its earthy flavour and dense texture made it particularly satisfying during physically demanding agricultural work.

    Nutritionally, horse gram stands out because it contains a substantial amount of plant protein for a pulse. Like other legumes, it also supplies complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, making it considerably more filling than many refined grain-based foods.

    One reason it may have faded from urban diets is its rustic reputation. Unlike polished lentils that cook quickly and have a relatively mild flavour, horse gram generally needs soaking and longer cooking. Its strong, earthy character can also require more seasoning.

    But those qualities were hardly disadvantages in a village kitchen. Traditional cooking was often designed around ingredients that could be stored for long periods and transformed into hearty meals. A pot of horse gram dal, for example, could turn a simple serving of rice or millet into a more substantial meal.

    Today, kulith deserves renewed attention not because it is a trendy “superfood,” but because it demonstrates how traditional agriculture and nutrition often worked together. A crop that survived difficult growing conditions also provided families with an economical source of nourishment.

    2. Sattu: The Village Protein Food That Needed Almost No Cooking

    Sattu: The Village Protein Food That Needed Almost No Cooking

    Sattu is another traditional food whose simplicity is easy to underestimate. It is generally made by roasting and grinding grains or pulses, with roasted Bengal gram being one of the best-known versions. Depending on the region, the exact preparation and ingredients vary.

    For rural workers and travellers, sattu was particularly useful because it was portable, shelf-stable and quick to prepare. Instead of requiring a complicated cooking process, the flour could be mixed with water and seasonings to make a cooling drink or a thicker savoury preparation. It could also be used in stuffed flatbreads and other dishes.

    Roasted gram-based sattu is naturally rich in plant protein compared with many common cereal foods. It also provides fibre and carbohydrates, making it an efficient ingredient for a simple meal or snack.

    Its popularity historically made practical sense. Village households did not necessarily have the time, fuel or equipment to prepare elaborate protein-rich dishes several times a day. A dry roasted pulse flour solved several problems at once: it was easy to store, easy to transport and required minimal preparation.

    The traditional pairing of sattu with water, salt, spices and sometimes lemon or other local ingredients also illustrates an important feature of older food systems. Foods were often valued for convenience without being highly processed in the modern sense.

    Sattu has survived in some parts of India, but outside its traditional regions it is still surprisingly unfamiliar. Modern consumers may associate protein with packaged powders, bars and fortified drinks, while a traditional roasted-pulse flour can seem almost too ordinary to notice.

    Yet that ordinary quality is precisely what makes sattu interesting. It shows that a useful protein source does not have to come in sophisticated packaging. A roasted legume, ground into flour and kept ready for use, can be remarkably practical.

    3. Amaranth Seeds: The Tiny Grain Once Common in Village Kitchens

    Amaranth Seeds: The Tiny Grain Once Common in Village Kitchens

    Amaranth is often presented today as an ancient “new” grain, particularly in health-food circles. In reality, amaranth has a long history of cultivation and consumption across different parts of India and other regions of the world.

    Known by regional names such as ramdana and rajgira, amaranth has been used in porridges, flatbreads, sweets and popped preparations. Its seeds are small, but they are nutritionally interesting, particularly because they contain more protein than many conventional cereal grains.

    This distinction matters. Most traditional grain-based diets are heavily dependent on cereals, which provide energy but are not especially protein-dense compared with legumes and certain seeds. Amaranth can contribute both energy and protein, making it a useful addition to a mixed traditional diet.

    The plant itself is also valuable from an agricultural perspective. Certain amaranth varieties can grow under challenging conditions, and both the seeds and leaves have culinary uses. The leaves, eaten as greens in many regions, provide additional nutrients and variety.

    Traditional village diets were rarely built around one “perfect” food. Instead, households combined cereals, pulses, vegetables, seeds and fermented foods. Amaranth fitted naturally into this pattern. It could complement other staples and help diversify the nutritional profile of a meal.

    Its recent revival illustrates an interesting contradiction. Some foods become forgotten locally and then return through the global health-food market with new packaging and unfamiliar terminology. The ingredient may be described as exotic, even though earlier generations knew it as a practical village crop.

    Amaranth is therefore a useful reminder that traditional food knowledge can disappear without the food itself disappearing completely. Sometimes an ingredient survives in regional kitchens while being overlooked by mainstream food culture. Later, it is rediscovered and presented as something new.

    4. Cowpeas, or Lobia: The Affordable Pulse of Dryland Farming

    Cowpeas, or Lobia: The Affordable Pulse of Dryland Farming

    Cowpeas, commonly known as lobia, have been grown and eaten across many parts of India. They are particularly suited to warm climates and can be valuable in regions where water availability limits agricultural choices.

    The beans can be cooked as curries, dals and stews or incorporated into other regional dishes. Like other legumes, cowpeas are naturally rich in plant protein and fibre, making them useful in diets where animal foods may have been limited or eaten only occasionally.

    Traditional pulses such as lobia played a bigger role in rural food security than their modern popularity might suggest. A dried pulse can be stored for months, transported relatively easily and cooked into a meal when fresh vegetables are unavailable.

    This storage advantage was particularly important before modern refrigeration and highly developed food-distribution systems. A household pantry containing several kinds of pulses effectively provided a dependable nutritional reserve.

    Cowpeas also fit well into mixed farming systems. Farmers could grow crops for both household consumption and agricultural resilience rather than focusing exclusively on a single commercial crop. In traditional settings, the value of a food was therefore measured in several ways: how easily it grew, how well it stored, how much it yielded and how nourishing it was.

    Today, lobia is still eaten widely in parts of India, but it can be overshadowed by more familiar dals. That is unfortunate because dietary variety matters. Different pulses provide different combinations of protein, fibre, minerals and other nutrients, and rotating them can make a plant-based diet more diverse.

    The story of lobia also highlights an important principle of traditional nutrition: protein-rich foods did not have to be expensive. Dried beans were among the most economical ways for farming families to add substantial plant protein to meals.

    5. Mahua Flowers and Seeds: A Traditional Food Beyond the Familiar Uses

    Mahua Flowers and Seeds: A Traditional Food Beyond the Familiar Uses

    Mahua occupies a special place in the food traditions of several tribal and rural communities in central and eastern India. The tree has long been valued for multiple purposes, and its flowers have traditionally been collected, dried and stored.

    Mahua is often discussed primarily in connection with beverages and cultural practices, but its broader role in traditional food systems deserves attention. The flowers contain carbohydrates and are naturally sweet, which made them useful as an energy-rich seasonal food. The seeds, meanwhile, contain significant amounts of oil and have been used traditionally in some communities.

    Mahua is somewhat different from the other foods on this list because it is not primarily a protein-rich pulse. It is better understood as an example of how traditional food systems used an entire locally available plant rather than relying on a narrow list of commercially important crops.

    That distinction is important when discussing “high-protein” village foods. Not every traditional food that contributed to nourishment was exceptionally high in protein by modern nutritional standards. Rural diets worked through combinations: pulses supplied protein, grains supplied energy, vegetables supplied micronutrients, and seeds and other foods added fats and additional nutrients.

    Mahua trees also illustrate the resilience of food systems based on wild or semi-domesticated resources. A mature tree could provide useful food products without requiring the same annual cultivation cycle as a field crop. For communities living close to forests, such resources could be an important part of seasonal food security.

    Because mahua has strong cultural associations, it should not be reduced to a single nutritional label. Its significance lies in the wider relationship between people, forests and traditional diets. Modern food systems tend to separate “food crops,” “forest products” and “cultural foods” into different categories. Village food traditions were often much less rigid.

    What These Forgotten Foods Teach Us About Traditional Protein

    Looking at these five foods together reveals a pattern that is easy to miss when nutrition is discussed only through modern packaged products.

    Traditional diets often achieved nutritional balance through combination rather than concentration.

    A bowl of millet with a pulse curry, for example, could provide a different nutritional profile from either food alone. A roasted pulse flour could turn into a quick meal. Seeds could supplement cereals. Seasonal greens could add micronutrients. Fermented foods could alter digestibility and flavour.

    This approach was also closely connected to agriculture. Hardy crops such as horse gram and cowpeas could perform well under conditions where water-intensive crops struggled. Seeds such as amaranth offered another source of nutrients. Dried pulses could be stored and used throughout the year.

    In other words, traditional village food was often designed around resilience.

    Modern diets sometimes separate nutrition from agriculture. We ask which food contains the most protein per serving without asking whether it grows easily, stores well, requires large amounts of water or fits the local climate. Earlier food cultures often had no such separation. A food that was nutritious but impossible to grow reliably was less useful than one that could survive a difficult season.

    There is also an important lesson in the way these foods were prepared. Soaking, sprouting, roasting, grinding and fermenting were common traditional techniques. These methods could improve flavour, texture and culinary versatility and, depending on the food and method, can also influence digestibility and nutrient availability.

    That does not mean every traditional food preparation was nutritionally superior to modern cooking, nor should “traditional” automatically be treated as synonymous with “healthy.” Traditional diets also varied enormously between communities, seasons and economic circumstances.

    Still, the diversity of these foods offers something worth preserving.

    Bringing Village Protein Foods Back to the Table

    The revival of traditional foods does not require abandoning modern nutrition or returning completely to an older way of eating. Instead, it can mean giving overlooked ingredients another place in contemporary kitchens.

    Horse gram can become a hearty soup or dal. Sattu can be used as a quick savoury drink or filling. Amaranth can be cooked like a grain or popped for use in traditional-style snacks. Lobia can replace more familiar beans in curries and salads.

    The key is variety.

    Rather than searching for one magical protein source, traditional food wisdom suggests building meals from several complementary ingredients. Pulses, grains, seeds, vegetables and other local foods can each contribute something different.

    It is also worth remembering that protein content can vary according to the exact variety, preparation and serving size. Calling a food “naturally high in protein” should not imply that eating it alone produces a complete or perfectly balanced diet. Overall dietary pattern matters far more than any single ingredient.

    The larger story, however, is compelling. Many village foods that once seemed ordinary were shaped by generations of practical experience. They were inexpensive, adaptable, locally available and often nutritionally useful.

    Today, the search for better protein sources has created a huge market for powders, bars and highly engineered foods. There is certainly a place for convenient modern products, but they are not the only answer.

    Sometimes the more interesting answer is already sitting in an old grain sack, a village pantry or a recipe passed down through generations.

    Horse gram, sattu, amaranth, cowpeas and the broader food traditions surrounding mahua demonstrate that rural communities had their own sophisticated approaches to nourishment. These foods may not have carried modern nutritional buzzwords, but they were closely connected to the realities of farming, climate, storage and daily labour.

    Perhaps that is why they are worth remembering.

    The forgotten foods of village India are not merely culinary curiosities from the past. They represent a form of food knowledge built around affordability, adaptability and diversity.

    Bringing them back into conversation can help us appreciate an important truth about nutrition: sometimes the foods we overlook because they seem ordinary are precisely the foods that have been quietly doing the job for generations.

    20Aug, 2026
    Govt Tells Telcos: Don’t Exceed 9 SIMs Per Customer

    Govt Tells Telcos: Don't Exceed 9 SIMs Per Customer

    The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom companies to strictly enforce the limit on mobile connections, barring operators from issuing new SIM cards to subscribers who already hold nine connections, according to an official statement released on Thursday.

    From August 24, 2026, telecom service providers (TSPs) must implement technical and organisational measures to identify subscribers seeking connections beyond the permitted limit. Operators must inform such customers that they have already reached the maximum number of mobile connections allowed and cannot receive another connection, according to the DoT circular.

    The directions also require customers to declare in the Customer Application Form (CAF) the mobile connections registered in their names across different telecom operators and licensed service areas. The respective Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) will handle issues arising from the implementation of these instructions.

    The DoT said telecom companies can access details of subscribers who already exceed or have reached the prescribed limit through its Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP).

    To help operators identify such subscribers, the DoT will make a representative image of each subscriber who has reached the permitted limit available on the DIP from August 23. The platform uses subscriber information submitted by telecom companies to help operators identify customers who already hold nine SIM cards.

    Until operators implement these measures on a post-facto basis, they must immediately suspend any mobile connection activated beyond the prescribed limit for that day, in accordance with the terms of the CAF.

    Operators must keep the connection suspended until they resolve the issue related to exceeding the permitted limit.

    Under the existing instructions issued on August 9, 2012, individuals can hold a maximum of nine mobile connections across all telecom operators and licensed service areas in India.

    However, the government has set a lower limit of six connections for subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-East. The DoT now seeks to ensure that telecom companies strictly enforce these limits.

    20Aug, 2026
    Government Launches Mission Karmayogi Conference to Boost Capacity Building

    Government Launches Mission Karmayogi Conference to Boost Capacity Building

    The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday began a two-day National Conference on Mission Karmayogi for Mission Karmayogi Development Officers (MDOs) to strengthen institutional capacity-building mechanisms and improve their effectiveness across the health sector.

    The conference seeks to equip MDOs with the skills to plan, implement and sustain capacity-building initiatives under Mission Karmayogi, the MoHFW said.

    The event brought together MDOs and other capacity-building stakeholders to foster institutional collaboration, peer learning and knowledge exchange.

    The MoHFW organised the conference in collaboration with the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), Capacity Building Commission (CBC) and Karmayogi Bharat (KB). On the first day, participants focused on aligning learning interventions with organisational needs, advancing competency-based professional development and sharing implementation best practices.

    Rakesh Kumar, Director (Training), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said Mission Karmayogi marks a significant shift from the traditional rule-based approach to a role-based, competency-driven model focused on capacity building and civil service development.

    He said MDOs play a critical role in turning this vision into measurable institutional outcomes. They must identify capacity-building requirements, facilitate relevant learning interventions and promote a culture of continuous professional development within their organisations.

    Highlighting the Mission’s progress, Rakesh Kumar said the Ministry had recorded 21,927 course enrolments and 17,660 course completions, reflecting the growing adoption of structured and technology-enabled learning.

    He stressed that capacity building should go beyond course completion and focus on strengthening competencies, improving workplace performance and delivering tangible improvements in institutional functioning and public services.

    He urged MDOs to ensure that officials apply the knowledge and skills gained through Mission Karmayogi to improve performance and outcomes across the health system.

    Rakesh Verma, Chief Operating Officer, Karmayogi Bharat, highlighted the growth of the iGOT Karmayogi platform into the world’s largest capacity-building platform. He said the platform provides government officials with a technology-driven ecosystem for continuous learning and professional development.

    Verma also pointed to growing international interest in the platform. He said India has signed an MoU with Mauritius and is engaging with several Latin American and SAARC countries to share its experience and explore collaboration in capacity building.

    19Aug, 2026
    India’s GCC Industry Hits $98.4 Billion Revenue in FY26

    India's GCC Industry Hits $98.4 Billion Revenue in FY26

    India hosts 2,117 global capability centres (GCCs) that operate 3,728 units across the country. The industry generated an estimated $98.4 billion in revenue in FY26, according to a report released on Wednesday.

    Awfis Space Solutions and Zinnov jointly released the report, which found that India’s GCC count has grown nearly 32 per cent since FY21. These centres now employ more than 2.36 million professionals.

    The report also noted that 506 Global 2000 companies operate centres in India. GCC adoption now extends beyond large multinational corporations to private equity-backed firms, mid-market enterprises and digital-native companies.

    Commenting on the findings, Awfis Chairman and Managing Director Amit Ramani said India’s GCCs increasingly take ownership of products, platforms and AI-led mandates. This shift has created greater demand for workspace solutions that can scale quickly and offer operational flexibility.

    Zinnov CMO and Managing Partner Nitika Goel said the rapid industrialisation of AI is reshaping workforce requirements. Organisations increasingly seek professionals who combine technical expertise, domain knowledge and business context.

    The report highlighted the growing complexity of GCC operations. Complex problem-solving activities now account for 38.1 per cent of GCC work portfolios, while cutting-edge R&D activity has doubled between 2015 and 2026.

    Nearly half of India’s GCCs now undertake an equal or greater share of frontier work than their global headquarters. Companies that develop AI products allocate twice as much cutting-edge R&D work to India as organisations that primarily adopt third-party AI solutions.

    Talent demand has also increased alongside this shift. India’s GCC AI and machine learning talent pool could nearly double to 250,000 by 2026.

    The report also highlighted the growing importance of workplace strategy in GCC expansion. India recorded a record 20.7 million sq ft of office leasing in the first quarter of 2026, with GCCs accounting for 44 per cent, or 9.1 million sq ft.

    GCCs currently account for 40-45 per cent of enterprise flexible-seat adoption. Meanwhile, 67 per cent of GCCs plan to expand flexible office space so that it represents more than 10 per cent of their overall real estate portfolio.

    19Aug, 2026
    India Must Balance Tax Protection With Global Investor Certainty

    India Must Balance Tax Protection With Global Investor Certainty

    India’s international tax framework stands at a critical juncture, and the country needs to balance tax-base protection with policy stability, predictability and certainty for global investors, Monica Bhatia, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (International Tax), said on Wednesday.

    Addressing the 23rd International Tax Conference organised by ASSOCHAM, Bhatia said the Supreme Court’s Tiger Global judgment, the new Income-tax Act, evolving dispute-resolution mechanisms and rapid technological advances are reshaping India’s international tax landscape.

    “Policy stability is foundational to investor confidence,” Bhatia said. She also highlighted government measures following the Tiger Global judgment that aim to provide greater certainty for bona fide legacy investments.

    Bhatia also highlighted India’s progress in advance pricing agreements (APAs). She said the country has crossed the 1,000-agreement mark, including more than 220 bilateral agreements.

    Looking ahead, the senior Income Tax official said artificial intelligence is changing business models as well as tax administration. This transformation raises new questions about permanent establishment, profit attribution and the location of value creation.

    She stressed that international cooperation and consensus-based global rule-making will become increasingly important as technology advances faster than existing tax rules.

    Rakesh Nangia, Chairman of ASSOCHAM’s Task Force on International Taxes, said international taxation has moved from rapid evolution to a period of fundamental transition. He identified the Tiger Global judgment, new tax legislation, global minimum tax developments and AI as key forces shaping the next phase.

    Sandeep Chaufla, Chairman of ASSOCHAM’s National Council on Direct Taxes, said governments seek to protect their tax bases while taxpayers demand certainty and predictability.

    “Balance in terms of legislation and its implementation is the need of the hour,” he said, while highlighting AI’s growing role in tax administration.

    The event also examined the post-Tiger Global tax landscape, AI and international tax policy, BEPS 2.0, treaty evolution, the new Income-tax Act, APAs, safe harbours and cross-border dispute resolution.

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