January 2026

The ministry of road transport and highways has proposed assigning an Aadhaar-like unique identification number to electric vehicle (EV) batteries to ensure end-to-end traceability and improve recycling efficiency, according to draft guidelines issued by the ministry.Under the proposed framework, battery producers or importers will be required to assign a 21-character Battery Pack Aadhaar Number (BPAN)…

The Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) has called on the Union government to announce focused fiscal and policy measures in the Union Budget 2026 to strengthen India’s rice export ecosystem, covering both basmati and non-basmati varieties.In a representation to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the federation underlined the importance of rice exports for the economy, rural…

The US commerce department is preparing to ease the steep tariffs planned on Italian pasta imports, reducing the duties proposed earlier this year. Italian pasta had been facing one of the highest tariff burdens among European food products entering the United States. While most European Union goods are already subject to duties of at least…

Cigarettes are set to become cost more from next month! The jump in cigarette prices comes after government’s decision to impose an additional excise duty under a revised tax structure, pushing up the tax burden across all categories. The finance ministry notified amendments to the Central Excise Act, introducing an additional excise duty ranging from…

The Sindhudurg Airport in the Konkan region of Maharashtra has received aviation safety regulator DGCA’s approval for round-the-clock operations, including during low visibility and adverse weather conditions, a statement by IRB Infrastructure Developers said. The airport, operated by IRB Infrastructure, started commercial operations in October 2021. “The approval for 24×7 all-weather operations significantly enhances the…