RBI orders, SEBI regulations, PLI schemes, and government policy news affecting businesses.
The Indian government is exploring revisions to Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000, which might weaken the legal immunity that social media companies now have for content created by users and amplified by their recommendation algorithms.
FSSAI has accused PepsiCo of deceiving consumers over the sale of 'energy drinks' Sting Energy and Adrenaline Rush which have high levels of caffeine. The agency justified limits on the word in an affidavit before the Delhi High Court, citing concerns over deceptive advertising and labelling.
The Union Cabinet has authorised a project of INR 2,814 cr to enhance India’s domestic capacity to manufacture lithium and nickel over 5 years from 2026-27 till 2030-31. The initiative will help four processing plants, two lithium and two nickel.
UPI transactions in India hit a record 25.47 billion in October 2026, up 5.8% month-on-month, while transaction value jumped 7.4% to INR 31.53 lakh crore, NPCI said. The average daily transaction value also topped INR 1 lakh crore for the first time.
Sagar Dash, founder of the Armstrong Exchange, was arrested by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in an alleged online betting and money laundering fraud. The probe includes suspected shell businesses, mule bank accounts and crypto currency transactions.
Flipkart is also piloting ‘Flipkart for Earth’, a curated portal for premium, healthier, toxin-free and sustainable products across categories. The move is a sign of growing demand for specialised products in India’s rapid commerce space.
The Union Cabinet approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) with a financial outlay of INR 10,000 cr to boost the container manufacturing industry in India up to FY 2039-40. The plan intends to increase the domestic production capacity to 7.5 lakh TEUs per annum.
PhysicsWallah School of Startups (PW SoS) joins hands with DPIIT & Startup India to bolster India’s startup environment, especially in Tier 2 and 3 cities & rural areas. The 2-year partnership will provide entrepreneurs with incubation, seed cash, access to investors etc.
The Supreme Court has asked the Center to reply to a plea filed by the DNPA against portions of the DPDP Act and Rules. The petition says that data protection rules could curtail press freedom, investigative journalism, source confidentiality and the right to information.
India has revised the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, to allow OEM built flex-fuel vehicles to operate on E85 and E100 ethanol. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on 23 October 2026 notified new testing, certification and emission criteria for high-ethanol automobiles.
India’s government intends to bring in SIM-binding laws for WhatsApp, Telegram and other phone-number-based messaging apps from Jan 1, 2027, to reduce cyber fraud and misuse of mobile numbers. The proposed framework requires that the user keeps the registered SIM or eSIM active to continue access.
Nestle India has responded to an FSSAI notice asking for scientific evidence to back the Lactogen Pro 1 label claim that its whey protein is “easy to digest”. The food regulator is tightening the scrutiny on health and nutrition claims especially in case of infant food products.
Bharti Airtel becomes the first telecom operator to comply with the new mandate by offering three voice-only prepaid recharge plans at INR 185, INR 203 and INR 206. The packs also come with unlimited local, STD and roaming calls, 300 SMS and free HelloTunes, but no bundled mobile data.
India may impose a transfer pricing audit for numerous financial years, with Truecaller potentially facing a tax demand of up to $90.85 million. The Swedish Tax Authority has already made its first formal decision for the 2022/23 fiscal year.
The food safety agency highlighted the necessity of upholding prescribed temperatures throughout the supply chain to prevent spoiling and hazardous microbiological growth. FBOs must employ clean covered vehicles, food-grade packaging, and maintain correct records and traceability.
Starting November 1, 2026, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will compel CNAP to display callers’ names in addition to phone numbers. The technology, which will be initially available on 4G and newer networks, would identify domestic callers with the use of telecom subscriber records.
India’s food safety regulator is stepping up its scrutiny of online grocery and quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Amazon Now. New restrictions could mean product listings will have to include batch numbers, production and expiry dates.
The RSPCB has cancelled operating consent for Carlsberg India & ordered the shutdown of its Alwar brewery for serious pollution violations. An investigation detected particulate matter emissions of 633 mg/Nm³, almost eight times the allowed level.
FSSAI has issued notices to Dr. Reddy’s, Nestlé Health Science, Amazon India, Flipkart India and other companies for allegedly making deceptive claims for Celevida GLP+. The FSSAI has asked the concerned food industry owners to show cause as to why action should not be taken against them.
The US government has banned Cognisant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and other leading companies from the PLC Program, which means they may no longer sponsor foreign workers to get green cards. These firms have exploited visa programs at the expense of American workers, say U.S. officials.
Meta intervened on 5.3 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content in India in H1 2026, over 97% of which was proactively discovered across Facebook and Instagram. The company has launched new AI technologies to identify dangerous adverts that link to illegal off-platform content.
Bike taxi aggregators like Rapido, Ola and Uber have been told by the Maharashtra state to switch to electric vehicles from petrol-powered motorcycles by July 2027. The state transport government has given platforms nine months to comply citing Maharashtra Bike Taxi Rules, 2025.
Reliance Industries has obtained interim relief from the Delhi High Court in its case against FSSAI over the usage of “energy drink” on Campa products. The court questioned the decision making process of the FSSAI and let Reliance Consumer Products to continue selling Campa as an energy drink.
A major legal challenge has been mounted against Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee as US district judges in California and Massachusetts have declared that the administration does not have the power to levy the price. Court rulings put fee enforcement on hold affording reprieve to Indian IT firms.
Reliance Industries filed a writ suit on October 1 challenging an FSSAI judgement that stopped it from marketing its Campa beverages as ‘energy drinks’. Reliance Consumer Products said the move has interrupted operations and it has also hampered brand's image.
SEBI has ended its proceedings against Gautam Adani, four Adani Group entities and 13 people for alleged violations of minimum public shareholding (MPS) requirements. The parties paid Rs 1.48 crore to resolve the proceedings without accepting or contesting the conclusions.
The Supreme Court has declined to issue an interim stay on the proposed 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for some UPI merchant transactions exceeding INR 2,000. While reviewing the legal ramifications of the judgement, a three-judge bench requested comments from the Center, RBI and NPCI.
Antony Road Transport Solutions has ordered 840 electric buses from Switch Mobility for deployment in Delhi under the PM E-Drive plan. It involves 420 nine-meter and 420 12-meter electric buses for the Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi Transport Dept.
Airbnb and India’s Ministry of Tourism have struck a two-year MoU to enhance the country’s homestay economy and promote growing tourism destinations. The relationship will cover digital onboarding, training, hospitality best practices, listing development, pricing and platform features.
Food businesses have petitioned India’s Supreme Court to review proposed red warning labels on packaged meals, saying customers could mistake them for the mandated red mark for non-vegetarian products. The AIFPA has also challenged recommended nutrient levels for sugar, fat and salt.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has praised the new Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that bring in a 30-day validity for voice and SMS-only prepaid Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs).
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has called on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to roll back the proposed UPI MDR on high-value merchant payments. From October 15, 2026, a 0.4% MDR will be levied on eligible person-to-merchant UPI transactions above INR 2,000 with a ceiling of INR 300.
FSSAI has suggested one-time introduction of FoPL norms for packaged foods that include more added sugar, fat or salt than is allowed. The suggested framework includes red hexagonal warning labels for nutrients of concern and a front-of-pack warning for non-caloric sweeteners.
SEBI has completed adjudication proceedings against five entities comprising four Adani Group companies and levied a total fine of INR 1.50 crore. The proceedings were preceded by the regulator’s examination of matters of corporate governance and claims in the Hindenburg report.
The FSSAI has taken action against Nestlé India for alleged non-compliance for three baby nutrition products – NAN Excella Pro Stage 1, Lactogen Pro 1 and another formula. The cases, which claimed violations of India’s baby nourishment rules, are still being adjudicated.
SEBI has prohibited Kore Digital Ltd and its MD Ravindra Doshi and key managers Chaitanya and Kashmira Doshi from the securities market for allegedly manipulating financial statements and falsification of revenues of INR 541.30 crore.
The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) has asked the government to maintain zero-MDR UPI transactions for merchants, saying the planned taxes could put pressure on low-margin FMCG businesses. The federation asked the Prime Minister for clarity on the INR 1 lakh barrier.
The government has rejected a request for a rollback of the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) structure for some transactions exceeding INR 2,000, stating that the decision was taken after comprehensive deliberations. Consumer-to-consumer UPI payments will remain free.
MeitY has given an in-principle approval for setting up an Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence (AI-CoE) at Bhubaneswar, Odisha to be executed by STPI. The industry partner will be Blue Cloud Softech Solutions, which is planning to invest INR 4 crore in the center.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has fined Rapido INR 10 lakh for adopting dark patterns that allegedly nudged users into paying higher rates. The authority found tactics such as “Confirm Shaming” and “Interface Interference” on Rapido’s ride-booking interface.
The 22-member UPI & Services Steering Committee under NPCI is anticipated to take a decision on MDR charges for some UPI transactions exceeding INR 2,000. The suggested fees are aimed at helping UPI remain financially sustainable and invest in its infrastructure, cybersecurity and fraud prevention.
Accenture is paying $25 million to settle US government charges over its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) recruiting and promotion practices. The settlement with the US Department of Justice includes civil penalties and interest but does not imply an admission of wrongdoing.
Meta will submit suspected cases of child sexual abuse to law authorities, as India escalates its assault on social media sites over kid safety online. The corporation will also raise concerns through the I4C and will work with authorities to tackle harmful content.
The RBI has recommended a 60-day restriction on temporary bank account holds in relation to cyber-enabled financial theft in its draft KYC Amendment Directions, 2026. Banks would have to say to clients look at what they say and pass on suspicions of money mule activity to the authorities.
Supreme Court seeks Centre’s reply within 10 days on deadline for food warning labels on packaged products The proposed labels would highlight items rich in added sugar, salt and saturated fat as concerns about food safety and public health mount.
Amazon tightened its internal food safety measures after officials in Karnataka detected food goods with expired and improper labels at two units in Bengaluru. Medicines reportedly held without a valid licence were also seized by officials.
The CCI has completed its antitrust probe into Google’s rules for real money gaming applications, stating that regulatory reforms had changed the market drastically. The examination follows a complaint by WinZO Games in 2022 that stated Google exploited its leading position.
Singapore has maintained its support for Singapore Airlines’ investment in Air India, notwithstanding the increasing public scrutiny of the carrier’s financial woes. Temasek owns 25.1% of Air India via Singapore Airlines.
NCPCR has summoned Meta India’s Managing Director and Head on charges that Instagram is running adverts promoting Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM). Child rights body opens official investigation after BBC Eye report and Meta’s response.
The US Department of Labour has temporarily put a hold on Cognizant’s PERM green-card filings amid the Trump administration's crackdown on alleged fraud involving H-1B and permanent labour certifications. That suspension bars Cognisant from filing fresh PERM applications.
TCS has bagged a Rs 122.6 crore contract to construct an AI-enabled governance platform for the Odisha government, called OSWAS 3.0. TCS DigiBOLT will include workflow automation, analytics, security and digital services as part of the six-year project.
IRDAI has levied a penalty of Rs 1 crore on ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company for violation of outsourcing practices and corporate governance requirements. The penalty comes after an examination by IRDAI and show-cause notices in 2024.
The FSSAI has suspended the licenses of Kailash Formulation and Sanecure Water Project based in West Bengal after inspections uncovered major food safety, hygiene and sanitation violations. Concerns raised over the Sanecure Water Project included bug infestations, poor sanitation and more.
India’s top medicines regulator has cancelled three import registrations of Korean cosmetics importer Skintl Enterprises for labelling and warehousing irregularities. The company was found to be utilising wrong registration numbers, keeping products without necessary license etc.
Bengaluru-based British LifeSciences faces FSSAI action for sale of expired, mislabeled infant food goods The food safety regulator said it ordered the destruction of 3.7 metric tonnes of expired infant food and the seizure of wrongly labelled products during an examination.
Mumbai police have busted an alleged multi-crore food fraud involving tampering of manufacturing and expiry dates on packaged items of names like Lay’s, Kurkure, Maggi, Knorr, Hellmann’s, Thums Up and Limca.
Ola Electric has received INR 95.8 crore in PLI incentives from the Ministry of Heavy Industries under the Production Linked Incentive scheme for vehicles and auto components. The recent permission comes on top of INR 367 crore in FY25 and INR 73.74 crore in FY24.
Bournvita producer Mondelez India, Amway and several other food companies have dropped or modified health and nutrition claims after action by India’s food safety regulator FSSAI. Mondelez pulled Bournvita claims and ads listed as misleading.
Karnataka government has banned food licences of Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket after deadly datura fruits and seeds were identified for sale on their platforms, authorities said. Some of the products had FSSAI licence numbers and were stored as food items.
The Center has given in-principle clearance for leasing 11 AAI airports through five bundled public-private partnership concessions. The proposed 50-year leases will include airport operations, administration and development.
The FSSAI has stepped up its enforcement of food safety, sending over 150 notifications to big corporations like Nestle India, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola India, Mondelez, Red Bull and Ferrero for misleading claims, deceptive advertising and labelling violations.
India has ordered Google to erase hundreds of accounts and links hosted on Firebase that are suspected to be engaged in cyber frauds and financial crime. Law enforcement discovered fraudsters posing as banks who spread malware and stole sensitive financial information through dangerous connections.
Australia has passed a new law that requires large technology firms to pay for local news or pay hefty taxes. Meta, Alphabet, Microsoft and TikTok can dodge the fines if they make deals with at least eight publishers throughout their reporting period.
PhonePe has tied up with MeitY to connect its PulsePro business intelligence platform with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan portal. Using anonymised, aggregated transactional data, PulsePro delivers hyperlocal insights into market activity.
India probes Oppo for alleged screen flaws in Reno 5 series phones after some consumers complained lines on the display. The DCA is investigating if the problems are a sign of a manufacturing fault and whether they could lead to repairs or reimbursement outside of warranty periods.
India’s commercial satellite internet rollout is still delayed, with permissions for Jio, Starlink and OneWeb held up over security concerns. The government is also looking at hazards arising out of foreign satellite networks bypassing Indian gateways.
Gujarat has permitted 12-hour work shifts at Micron’s semiconductor plant in Sanand, but statutory limit of 48 hours work per week will continue to apply. The measure comes with a view to assist semiconductor manufacturing and attract strategic investments to Gujarat.
India’s MoRTH has proposed to extend the operational life of electric, hydrogen and CNG vehicles by five years by revisions to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The move might help save ownership costs, boost car residuals and encourage cleaner mobility.
The government has approved 31 projects for INR 7,877 crore under the fifth tranche of the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) supporting companies such as Kaynes Technology, Wipro, Motherson and Micromax. The projects are estimated to create manufacturing worth INR 82,243 crore.
The Maharashtra FDA has suspended Parle Agro's licence after expired Frooti, Appy and Apple Fizz worth almost INR 99,970 were found at its Chembur warehouse. The measure is part of a wider assault on food safety in restaurants, warehouses and quick-commerce platforms across the state.
Concerns over fresh food safety have been raised after a rat was allegedly discovered inside an ice cream freezer at a Blinkit store in Thane, prompting calls for regulatory action. The incident follows inspections by the Maharashtra FDA that had identified hygienic issues at many Qcomm stores.
FSSAI said six food enterprises corrected false statements, trademarks and product labels after regulatory notices. Livyor Ventures eliminated the "vegan & healthy" term from its roasted edamame beans, and other companies changed trademarks and more.
India has told public and private refineries to boost output of LPG as problems related to the Strait of Hormuz issue, thru which over 90% of the country's LPG imports pass, have hit supplies. Domestic refiners have already increased output from 36,000 tonnes a day to 54,000 tonnes a day.
MakeMyTrip has worked with the Ministry of Tourism to promote guided tours across India delivering about 350 experiences in more than 60 locations. The trips, which will feature local guides and experts, will be available for booking on MakeMyTrip from Independence Day.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises has won interim relief from SAT to go ahead with its proposed fundraise of INR 3,143 crore, even as it faces a prohibition on market access from SEBI. The remission is subject to Zee depositing the entire penalty assessed by SEBI within a week.
The Supreme Court has questioned the Center and FSSAI on their reluctance on front-of-pack warning labels on goods high on sugar, salt and saturated fat. A bench said that public health, particularly children’s health, had to take precedence above industry concerns.
The Center has asked Uber, Rapido and other ride-hailing platforms to eliminate the advance tipping choices and said tips should be voluntary and only after a journey. The Road Transport Ministry said pre-ride tip prompts may breach consumer protection standards and aggregator policies.
President Donald Trump has been sued over Truth Social’s controversial Truth API service, which gives paying customers early access to posts that could move markets. The Intercept and the Freedom of the Press Foundation filed the complaint in federal court in Manhattan.
SEBI has issued a show cause notice to Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma and CFO Madhur Deora on the timing of the company’s disclosure in 2023 on reducing small personal loans in the wake of RBI’s consumer lending curbs. Executives have 14 days to respond.
Maharashtra FDA suspends licences of four Domino’s Pizza locations, three in Mumbai, for food safety, hygiene issues The affected places are Vile Parle West, Borivali West, R-City Mall Ghatkopar and Malkapur in Karad district.
Ola Electric has bagged a two-year extension under the government’s Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) PLI scheme, unlocking up to ₹7,240 crore incentives thru 2031 for its 20 GWh battery cell allocation. The new timeframe provides for quarterly incentive payments as Ola scales up manufacturing capacity.
The Parliament has cleared the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the UPI transactions will continue to be free for consumers. The legislation does not levy any UPI transaction.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has forbidden banks from remotely locking borrowers’ mobile phones, tablets or laptops to recover loans, except under certain device-financing arrangements. Restrictions must only take effect after 30 days of default and be phased in over 60 days under new standards.
The Lok Sabha has passed modifications to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, allowing the government to let banks and payment service providers charge MDR on specified UPI transactions. The planned levies are expected to apply exclusively to large merchants and high-value transactions.
France will restrict unsolicited telemarketing calls from 11 August as part of a major consumer protection measure backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The new law forces corporations to get customers’ agreement before making marketing calls or face fines of up to €375,000.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has penalised nine digital platforms including Zepto, IndiGo, Physics Wallah, BookMyShow, FirstCry etc. for utilising deceptive ‘dark patterns’. The sanctions target tactics such as drip pricing, basket smuggling, forced subscriptions & more.
Dabur India has been asked by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to stop marketing food goods with false ‘100 per cent’ claims such honey, ghee, apple cider vinegar, coconut water and edible oils.
The Centre is working on important reforms that might allow charging of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on large UPI transactions, but maintain UPI free for consumers. The reforms also seek to prolong tax incentives to foreign companies supplying machinery to contract manufacturers till 2041.
FSSAI has suspended the sale of some spirits brands of Diageo (United Spirits) and Inbrew Beverages after it was found that they were using artificial or nature-identical flavourings in whiskies and rums. Such activities may mislead customers and contravene labelling requirements, the agency warned.
The Union Cabinet has given its approval to the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, ‘Samudra Manthan’, at an estimated cost of INR 84,084 crore to enhance India’s energy security and increase domestic oil and gas output by FY2030-31.
IRDAI has brought about far reaching reforms to modernise India’s insurance business, enhance security of policyholders and accelerate insurance penetration under the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha Act, 2025. The improvements include liberalised investment norms, enhanced governance and more.
NPCI has asked UPI apps and partner banks to hide cellphone numbers and other personal details to strengthen user privacy starting September 4. The action is in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and strives to minimise risks of privacy and identity theft.
The Delhi High Court has ordered the winding up of Paytm Payments Bank in proceedings started by the RBI, marking the final stage of its liquidation following extended regulatory action. The court has designated former SBI executive Girikumar M Nair as the official liquidator.
The Indian government has authorised RBI’s plan to begin field trials of one billion polymer INR 10 and INR 20 banknotes, which will lead to their regular issue if the trials are successful. Polymer notes are projected to be more durable and resistant to weather.
The FSSAI does not recognise the phrase ‘energy drink’ as a permitted category. India has ordered Pepsi, Red Bull, Monster, Reliance and Hell Energy to remove the term ‘energy drink’ from product labels within 90 days.
The new CBDT standards under the Income Tax Act have boosted crypto tax compliance in India, moving the country closer to the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). The laws do not introduce new taxes, but rather increase tax reporting obligations.
A CAG audit has detected a loss of INR 12.86 crore to West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) on account of allotment of land to Flipkart’s logistics subsidiary, Instakart Services, at Haringhata Industrial Park. Audit discovered that WBIDC miscalculated land price.
Smaller UPI apps have approached the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to reconsider its planned UPI Meta architecture, cautioning that it could lead to increased dominance of PhonePe and Google Pay and stifle competition.
The Indian government has reduced FDI regulations to allow inventory based e-commerce for exports, enabling foreign backed enterprises to sell Indian created products directly in global marketplaces. The policy intends to enhance exports, provide more chances for the manufacturers in India.
The Government of India is in the process of formulating a strategy for introduction of ethanol based cooking fuel as a cleaner alternative for households, restaurants and commercial kitchens. The drive, led by the Ministry, intends to extend ethanol use beyond E20 petrol