Category Policy Update

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India Innovation Centre for Graphene: Kerala’s 2022 Push Toward a Knowledge Economy

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

Graphene is an extremely thin material made from carbon, just one atom thick, yet around a hundred times stronger than steel. It is also flexible, transparent, and an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. Because of these properties, scientists often call it a “wonder material,” expected to shape future electronics, batteries, medical devices, and smart sensors. Countries that build graphene research and manufacturing capacity early are likely to gain an advantage as these technologies mature over the next decade.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

Community Health: A Responsive Action for Koylanchal Initiative (CHARAK)

Policy Update, Center for Human Dignity and Development, Center for Work and Welfare, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

The CHARAK initiative is a targeted corporate social responsibility intervention designed to address specialised healthcare challenges in India’s coal-mining regions. Unlike national health schemes such as Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY which identify beneficiaries primarily through socio-economic deprivation criteria CHARAK covers households with an annual income of up to ₹8 lakh, protecting the vulnerable "missing middle" who often fall outside standard welfare safety nets. Additionally, rather than operating purely as an insurance payout, CHARAK serves as an institutional bridge by using Northern Coalfields Limited’s (NCL) Nehru Shatabdi Chikitsalaya (NSC) to coordinate direct referrals to empanelled super-speciality hospitals nationwide.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

Bihar Department Wise Schemes & Budget Update 2026

Policy Update, Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Economy and Infrastructure, Public Finances and Macroeconomics

Bihar’s 2026 Budget reflects a development approach that combines long-standing welfare programmes with newer priorities such as employment, women’s economic participation, infrastructure, tourism and water management. The state has provided for total expenditure of ₹3,47,589.76 crore in 2026 , including scheme expenditure of ₹1,22,155.42 crore.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

India–Qatar Strategic Partnership: Jaishankar’s 2026 Visit and the Expansion of Energy and Investment Cooperation

Policy Update, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, International Relations and Strategic Studies

India and Qatar have been sharing a close and mutually beneficial relationship with each other especially in the field of energy security, trade and people-to-people ties. However, this partnership has evolved significantly from the buyer-seller relationship in LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) to encompass cooperation in investment, infrastructure, technology, defence and regional security. Due to this partnership, Qatar still remains as India’s most important partner in the Gulf region, whereas India has been able to maintain its position as Qatar’s largest trading partner and a trusted source of skilled human resources.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

India–EU Trade and Technology Council: Deepening Strategic Technology and Trade Cooperation after the Second Ministerial Meeting (2026)

Policy Update, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, International Relations and Strategic Studies

The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was established in 2022, to deepen cooperation between India and the European Union in the domains of trade, technology and geopolitics. The Council was designed in order to address emerging challenges such as supply chain vulnerabilities, digital transformation, critical technologies and green disruptions. The first TTC meeting was held in Brussels in 2023 and the second meeting was held in New Delhi in February 2025.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

India–Australia Critical Minerals Partnership: Building Resilient Supply Chains through Strategic Cooperation (2025-2026)

Policy Update, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, International Relations and Strategic Studies

Critical Minerals such as Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite and rare earth minerals have become indispensable for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, semiconductors, defence manufacturing and advanced digital industries. Securing access to these minerals has emerged as one of the strategic priorities of many countries, as global supply chains have become vulnerable to geopolitical tensions. India and Australia have consequently deepened their cooperation, recognising that Australia's abundant mineral reserves complement India's expanding manufacturing sector and ambitious energy transition goals.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026

India and Oman Strategic Partnership 2026: Jaishankar’s 2026 Visit and Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean

Policy Update, Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies, International Relations and Strategic Studies

India and Oman share one of India's oldest and most strategically significant relationships in the Gulf and Indian Ocean region. Their historical connections go back centuries, while formal diplomatic relations were established in 1955. Bilateral relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2008, reflecting the growing importance of defence, maritime security, trade and regional cooperation. Oman occupies a particularly important position in India's West Asia policy because of its location at the entrance to the Gulf and close to major Indian Ocean sea lanes.

IMPRI Desk
August 29, 2026