ModiWatch: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a gaushala (protective shelter for stray cows) with a bio-CNG plant in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. PM Modi also announced ₹685 crore ($82.4 million) for development projects in the state.

PM Modi will participate in the Kautilya Economic Conclave today in New Delhi. The conclave will focus on themes such as financing green transition, geo-economic fragmentation and the implications for growth.

Meetings with business leaders and investors

Commerce minister interacts with business leaders in New York: In an attempt to boost investments in India, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, interacted with business leaders and investors in New York. He emphasised the government’s commitment to improving ease of doing business, infrastructure development, IPR reforms, and prioritising manufacturing sectors through appropriate incentive schemes.

India-US CEO forum:  The India-US CEO Forum, chaired jointly by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo was held yesterday in Washington DC. The Forum is a platform for private sector members to develop and provide recommendations to the Indian and US governments.

Projects by government

Home Minister inaugurates projects in Gujarat: Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth ₹919 crore ($110.5 million) in Gujarat including the development of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).

Cabinet approves national mission on edible oils: The Union Cabinet has approved the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds), a landmark initiative aimed at boosting domestic oilseed production with a financial outlay of ₹10,103 ($1.21 billion) crore.

Cabinet approves PM-RKVY and Krishonnati Yojana: The Union Cabinet has approved the schemes, PM Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) to promote sustainable agriculture and Krishonnati Yojana (KY) to achieve food security for self-sufficiency, worth ₹1,01,321.61 crore ($12.16 billion).

Cabinet signs letter of intent to join International Energy Efficiency Hub: The Union Cabinet has signed a letter of intent enabling India to join the International Energy Efficiency Hub, a global platform dedicated to fostering collaboration and promoting energy efficiency worldwide.

Growing tensions in the Middle East

Israel Embassy in New Delhi on high alert: Amidst the growing unrest in the Middle East, Delhi Police increased security at the Israel Embassy in New Delhi. 

Building global ties

Maldives President to start India visit on Sunday: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu is likely to visit India from October 6 to 10. He is expected to meet PM Modi on Monday to hold bilateral talks.

Indian delegation meets the new president of Sri Lanka: The Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Santosh Jha held a second meeting with the new president, Aruna Kumara Dissanayake. He expressed New Delhi’s willingness to assist Colombo in implementing digitisation initiatives to combat corruption. 

India becomes affiliate member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum: India has become an affiliate member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF). The IMDRF, founded in 2011, is a global alliance of medical device regulators working to promote global regulatory harmonisation and convergence.

Business deals and trade

Reliance-Druk deal in Bhutan: Reliance Group signed a partnership with Bhutan’s Druk Holding and Investments Ltd. to boost investments in the renewable energy sector. Marking the largest Foreign Direct Investment by an Indian company in Bhutan’s green energy space, the plan is to develop 1,270 MW of clean energy. 

Adani merges subsidiaries: Adani group has merged two step-down subsidiaries, Adani Infrastructure Private Ltd. and Mundra Solar Technology,  with Adani New Industries Ltd, a green hydrogen and wind turbine firm.

Trade volumes decline: The average daily trading volume in the equity segment of both, the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange, combined dropped 21% in September to ₹1.30 lakh crore ($15.6 billion), compared to June's turnover of ₹1.65 lakh crore ($19.8 billion) per day. Further decline is speculated after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) increased the minimum contract size in index derivatives to ₹15 lahks from the current ₹5 lahks, making trading costlier.

Adani deal with Google: Adani Group announced it will supply clean energy to power Google's cloud services and operations in India. The company will provide energy from a new solar-wind hybrid project centred at its 30 gigawatt (GW) Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat.

Coal production grows

Coal production and dispatch from captive/commercial coal mines grows: Coal production has risen by 32% YOY, increasing from 60.52 Million Tonnes (MT) in  FY 24 to 79.72 MT in the first half of FY 25. Likewise, dispatch has grown by 34% YOY, from 65.37 MT to 87.86 MT in the first half of FY 25.

US-India diplomatic tensions over religious freedom report

India rejects USCIRF report: The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal government commission, has flagged the alleged worsening of religious freedom in India and called for it to be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern.” The Ministry of External Affairs has rejected the report, tagging it as “malicious,” and termed the organisation “biased with a political agenda.”

Rajya Sabha: In a notification issued by the Rajya Sabha secretariat, Jaya Bachchan has been shifted to the Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development from Communications and Information Technology. Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale replaced Bachchan in the Communications and Information Technology committee.

Lok Sabha: Not in session.

Delhi Today: Warm with sunny spells. 

Air quality likely to deteriorate: According to data from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, air quality in Delhi will deteriorate into the ‘moderate’ to ‘poor’ category over the next three days.

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