On the side lines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France, Prime Minister Modi spoke with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council.

The leaders praised the significant progress achieved in India-European Union bilateral relations since the historic 16th India-European Union (EU) Summit in India in January 2026, according to an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

According to the MEA in the statement, the leaders emphasized the recent conclusion of discussions for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement as a historic accomplishment and stressed its swift signing and implementation, which would open up significant opportunities for trade and investment and help diversify supply chains, especially in the current turbulent geopolitical environment.

Trust, common beliefs, and a shared vision for the future are the cornerstones of the connection between India and the EU, the two greatest democracies in the world with open market economies and pluralistic societies.

The leaders also expressed the opinion that the Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda, which they adopted in January 2026, would strengthen India-EU strategic collaboration and produce outcomes that are advantageous and transformative for both countries, according to the MEA statement.

According to the MEA statement, the leaders discussed regional and worldwide problems of shared interest and expressed satisfaction with the events in West Asia.

The three leaders reaffirmed their shared resolve to create a strong, multipolar world order that would advance sustainability, prosperity, peace, and stability.

PM Modi declared that their meeting with Leyen and Costa was fantastic and that they talked about improving economic ties. He pointed out that the current global environment would benefit greatly from the expanding collaboration between India and the EU in terms of fortifying peace, stability, and prosperity.

I met Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in Evian earlier today. At the start of the year, we were delighted to have them participate in our Republic Day celebration. Signing the Free Trade Agreement has been a significant milestone in relations between India and the EU. We looked into methods to improve future economic cooperation during our talks. Our expanding relationship may be essential to improving peace, stability, and prosperity in the current global climate, PM Modi stated on X.

Costa announced that India and the EU would ink the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) before the year was out. He stated that in order to enhance connection, the two sides would collaborate on the India Middle East Europe Corridor (IMEC).

Narendra Modi, hello once more so swiftly. Since the largest trade agreement in history was signed, we have been working quickly to keep our commitments. By the end of this year, we will sign the Free Trade Agreement and expedite talks for an investment pact. Furthermore, we will enhance our defense and security collaboration. The India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) should be promoted and attempts should be made to boost connectivity, Costa said on X.

The three leaders also addressed global and regional issues of shared concern during the meeting.

The leaders reflected on the historic 16th India-EU Summit that took place in India earlier this year and praised the tremendous advancement in bilateral relations, particularly with the signing of the India-EU FTA, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In France, the G7 meeting is now taking place under Evian. This year’s G7 summit will be India’s 13th, and PM Modi’s seventh in a row.

A significant Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was concluded during India’s trade negotiations with the EU earlier this year. The India-EU FTA talks concluded on January 27 at the 16th India-EU Summit in New Delhi.

Ursula von der Leyen, PM Modi, and others praised it as the mother of all agreements and a historical landmark. Additionally, Costa and Ursula von der Leyen attended this year’s 77th Republic Day celebrations in India as the Chief Guests.

India is becoming a leader in AI-driven payroll transformation, with 35 percent of businesses citing the adoption of artificial intelligence as the main catalyst for HR and payroll innovation, according to a report published on Tuesday.

Within the Asia-Pacific region, the percentage of Indian companies recognizing AI as a key driver of payroll innovation over the next two to three years is notably the highest, as stated in the ADP India report.

In addition, 68 percent of organizations reported utilizing AI to enhance workflows and lessen dependence on manual processes.

However, the report pointed out that merely 12 percent of Indian companies have payroll operations fully prepared for future requirements, indicating a readiness gap that needs to be addressed to maintain growth and resilience.

“The workforce in India is entering a critical stage of transformation as businesses adapt to various geographies, generational shifts, and employment models,” the report indicated.

Rahul Goyal, Managing Director of ADP India and Southeast Asia, stated that “skills are becoming the new currency, automation is changing how tasks are performed, and employees are seeking a work experience that fosters both productivity and personal well-being.”

The report highlighted key HR and payroll trends likely to shape workplace strategies by 2026, including automation as a key enabler, advancements in workforce management through biometric technologies, a redefined employee value proposition focusing on well-being, and digital, transparent pay systems.

Organizations are projected to increase investments in biometric systems, secure mobile attendance tools, and geolocation-enabled solutions to guarantee accurate records.

Conversely, integrated scheduling tools are anticipated to help eliminate roster discrepancies, reduce shift gaps, and enhance resource planning. Real-time dashboards are expected to provide leaders with insights into attendance patterns, overtime usage, and absenteeism, transforming operational data into strategic insights.

“Interactive payslips, digital pay wallets, and earned wage access solutions are predicted to gain popularity. Skills-based pay models are expected to see steady growth, especially in the technology sector, GICs, and other specialized service areas,” the report mentioned.

India is building solid groundwork to become a global center for hydrogen technology innovation, production, and deployment, according to Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik on Friday.

Speaking at the closing session of the first Green Hydrogen R&D Conference in the nation’s capital, he stated that India wants to lead the world in this crucial clean energy sector in addition to being a consumer through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched.

“Green hydrogen, a fuel that promises to decarbonize our hardest-to-abate sectors, open new trade frontiers, and create a cleaner and more secure future, lies at the heart of this journey,” he stated.

The Prime Minister’s National Green Hydrogen Mission is helping the government create the groundwork for India to become a global center for hydrogen technology research, production, and deployment, not merely a consumer, the MoS continued.

Green hydrogen is essential to India’s goal of reaching Net Zero by 2070, Naik emphasized.

According to him, the fuel could decarbonize hard industries like steel, cement, fertilizer, shipping, and mobility in addition to generating jobs, lowering reliance on imports, and boosting the competitiveness of Indian companies internationally.

He went on to say that India’s leadership in hydrogen will guarantee that its businesses stay prepared for the future as nations implement carbon limits.

Over 200 R&D initiatives in fuel cells, hydrogen, renewable energy, and storage technologies have already received government backing, the minister said, and Indian researchers and entrepreneurs are turning ideas into innovations with the aid of specialized funding, testing facilities, and incubation programs.

He urged young researchers to create revolutionary solutions rather than gradual change, saying, “This conference is a testament to our resolve to turn laboratories into launchpads and startups into global champions.”

1,347 people registered for the two-day event, which was organized by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission. It included eight roundtable meetings, five panel discussions, and seventeen technical presentations.

Advanced hydrogen technologies created in India were also on display at a startup event.

The RBI stated in a statement: “The 2,000 denomination banknote was created in November 2016 largely to fulfil the economy’s immediate need for currency following the withdrawal of legal tender status for all 500 and 1,000 banknotes then in circulation.

Additionally, it said that up until September 30, 2023, all banks must offer deposit and/or exchange services for 2,000 banknotes. Once banknotes in different denominations were widely available, the goal of introducing 2,000 banknotes was achieved. As a result, the printing of 2,000 banknotes was discontinued in 2018–19, according to the RBI.

According to the RBI, 89% of the 2,000-denomination banknotes were printed before March 2017 and are nearing the end of their 4-5 year expected lifespan.

“The total value of these banknotes in circulation has declined from Rs 6.73 lakh crore at its peak as on March 31, 2018 (37.3 percent of notes in circulation) to Rs 3.62 lakh crore constituting only 10.8 percent of Notes in Circulation on March 31, 2023,” it stated.

The RBI further noted that the stock of banknotes in other denominations continues to be sufficient to meet the public’s need for money and that this denomination is not frequently used for transactions.

The Reserve Bank of India said that it had decided to stop printing banknotes in the denomination of 2,000 in light of the foregoing and in accordance with its “Clean Note Policy,” adding that these notes would still be accepted as legal money.

The public will have access to the facility for depositing and/or exchanging Rs. 2,000 bills until September 30.

Additionally, the institutions must abide by any applicable regulations for reporting suspicious and cash transactions, respectively.

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During its Team ’24 Europe conference, Atlassian, a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software, announced the general availability of Rovo, an AI-powered tool that enables teams to unlock organizational knowledge at scale, less than six months after its introduction.

It was announced alongside a host of new AI capabilities across its product suite, empowering teams to unlock greater levels of productivity and collaboration. Atlassian also unveiled new features and a new look for its flagship product Jira that make it easier, more flexible, and powerful for all types of work.

Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO and co-founder, Atlassian said, “Rovo is one of the most ambitious and important products we’ve ever built. I’m thrilled we can get it into our customers’ hands just five months after we first announced it in Las Vegas.

“Whether you’re a dev team building the next big thing, a marketing team creating your next big campaign, or a service agent helping your customers solve a really big problem, AI is going to transform the way your work gets done. It’s a huge opportunity for us, and most importantly, for our customers.”

Rovo: Unlocking organizational knowledge at scale

Powered by generative AI and the teamwork graph, Rovo seamlessly integrates into the Atlassian platform, and helps speed up work by making it easier to access the information teams need. Teams are already saving 1-2 hours of time per week on average, with 75% of beta users saying Rovo helps them get work done faster and 80% say Rovo helps them find the right information at the right time.

With the newly announced Rovo Search Connectors, Rovo Data Center Connectors, and the Rovo Browser Extension, these teamwork graphs become even richer as they get access to more sources. The search connectors also provide more knowledge to Rovo Chat, helping teams get the answers they need without switching tabs. Teams globally are pulling Rovo Agents into workflows to get better outcomes, while simultaneously saving hours or even days.

AI-powered innovation across the Atlassian suite

To improve collaboration and empower teams, Atlassian infused AI into all its products under the Atlassian Intelligence umbrella. The newest in-product AI features help customers reduce friction for developers, promote better collaboration across all teams, and accelerate service delivery and incident management. The key highlights include:

• Jira: The new AI capabilities automatically break down work items, generate tickets, and streamline project management.
• Jira Service Management: The AI-powered agents now assist with incident management, resource allocation, and post-incident reviews.
• Development Tools: AI assists developers with code generation, analysis, and pull request reviews, boosting velocity and code quality.

A refreshed Jira for all teams

Earlier this year, Atlassian announced the next evolution of Jira – a shared place for every team to align on goals and priorities, track and collaborate on work, and get the insights they need to build something incredible, together.

Today at Team 24 Europe, Atlassian shared a refreshed and improved Jira experience to empower all teams to collaborate effectively and achieve ambitious goals. Now, Jira is bringing more flexibility to support any team’s work style, through a new customizable sidebar that simplifies navigation and brings AI-powered search front and center. There are also new background colors, images, and card covers to take personalization even further.

To better reflect Jira’s expanded user base to all teams, issues will no longer be the default name in Jira and teams can choose what to call their work (whether it’s “task” or “launch” or “issue”). Teams can also create custom project templates with pre-configured workflows, automations, permissions, and more, to scale their ways of working while remaining consistent.