Category Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies

BRICS Tourism Cooperation under India’s 2026 Chairship: Priorities and the Jaipur Declaration, August 2026

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Economy and Infrastructure, Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Policy Update

The BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting under India’s 2026 Chairship concluded on 21 August 2026 with the adoption of the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Communiqué 2026, known as the Jaipur Declaration, following Tourism Working Group meetings in May and August. Nine BRICS member states participated in the ministerial meeting, with four represented at the ministerial level and four by the Heads of Delegation, alongside India. The Declaration’s 15 clauses combine more specific areas of cooperation on travel facilitation, connectivity and digital technologies with broader commitments on artificial intelligence, sustainability, skilling, qualifications recognition and tourism exchanges (BRICS Tourism Ministers, 2026). The central challenge is implementation. Tourism is delivered largely through businesses, local communities and workers, while the Declaration relies substantially on voluntary cooperation, national priorities and available resources. The key task for India is therefore to convert the more concrete commitments into working arrangements while giving its broader priorities enough institutional structure to survive the transition to China's chairship in 2027.

IMPRI Desk
October 1, 2026

Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Development Initiatives and Quick Impact Projects (2023–24): Elevating India–Pacific Partnerships

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Economy and Infrastructure, Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Policy Update, South Asia Studies Center

The Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) was established in November 2014 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Fiji, marking a transformative shift in India's diplomatic and economic engagement with the South Pacific. Comprising India and 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs): Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, FIPIC was created to address the unique development priorities of these island nations through structured, action-oriented plurilateral cooperation.

IMPRI Desk
September 30, 2026

Initiative to strengthen school environment : Assessing the vidyanjali scheme (2021)

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Policy Update, Social Sector

School education in India has long relied on public investment alone to meet the twin challenges of infrastructure gaps and learning-resource shortages, particularly in government schools. Recognising that community and private-sector participation could supplement rather than replace government effort, the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, introduced Vidyanjali, a school volunteer programme designed to connect government and government-aided schools with volunteers, resources, and institutional support.

IMPRI Desk
September 28, 2026

Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS), 2026

Insights, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, Economy and Infrastructure, International Relations and Strategic Studies, Policy Update, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

Shipping containers are an essential part of modern trade because they allow goods to move smoothly between ships, trains and trucks without being repeatedly unloaded and repacked. As India’s manufacturing and international trade have expanded, its requirement for these containers has also increased. However, India remains significantly dependent on imported empty containers, with nearly two million units being imported annually (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, 2026). This dependence can create problems when global shipping routes are disrupted or freight costs rise, making a stronger domestic container manufacturing industry increasingly important.

IMPRI Desk
September 28, 2026

Goa Budget 2026–27: A Department-Wise Review

Insights, Agriculture, Food, Nutrition Security and Rural Development, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Work and Welfare, Economy and Infrastructure, Governance and Law, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Policy Update, Public Finances and Macroeconomics

Goa is India's smallest state by area, spread across roughly 3,700 sq. km along the western coast and divided into North Goa and South Goa districts (with a third district, Kushavati, recently notified in South Goa). Its economy has historically leaned heavily on tourism, mining and remittances, alongside a growing services and IT base, a structure that also leaves it exposed to global shocks, from oil-price swings to shifts in outbound travel demand.

IMPRI Desk
September 27, 2026

City Finance Rankings Challenge (2021): Strengthening Municipal Financial Management in India

Policy Update, Center for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Insights, Livelihoods, Employment and Well-being, Public Finances and Macroeconomics

Policy UpdateDivya Natarajan Background The City Finance Rankings is a Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) initiative that evaluates, recognises, and rewards India’s Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) on the quality of their financial health and their improvement in financial…

IMPRI Desk
September 24, 2026

Andhra Pradesh Department-Wise Schemes Update 2026

Policy Update, Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

Following state bifurcation in 2014, Andhra Pradesh stands as India’s seventh-largest state, encompassing 162,975 sq. km with a 2011 Census population of 4.95 crore

IMPRI Desk
September 22, 2026