Category Policy Update

Namami Gange Programme: Assessing Progress as Phase II Nears Its 2026 Deadline

Policy Update, Center for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Public Policies, Programs and Schemes

According to Hindu mythology, the Ganga is revered as a goddess who descends on earth from the great heavens. She was brought down to earth for the penance of King Bhaghirata. Ganga’s civilisational importance sits uneasily alongside an assessment of the river's current material condition. The Ganga’s length is over 2,525 kilometres. More importantly, the river supports 43 per cent of India’s population (CAG, 2017). Unfortunately, decades of industrial, religious and agricultural waste have severely degraded its ecological health. This has prompted the Government of India to launch the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in June 2014. Under the Ministry of Jal Shakti's Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

IMPRI Desk
August 17, 2026

Major Port Authorities Act, 2021

Policy Update, Economy and Infrastructure, Governance and Law

Policy UpdateShivali Yadav Background For almost sixty years, India operated its Major Ports based on the Major Port Trusts Act of 1963. That system relied significantly on Boards of Trustees, while tariffs were mostly determined by another entity, the Tariff…

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

End of an Era: Why India Discontinued the Sovereign Gold Bond (2024)

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

The Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) scheme was conceived as part of a broader strategy to curb India's heavy reliance on physical gold imports, which were seen as a drag on the current account deficit and a source of unproductive household savings. The scheme was first announced in the Union Budget 2015-16 by then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, approved by the Union Cabinet on 9 September 2015, and formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 5 November 2015, alongside the Gold Monetisation Scheme and the Indian Gold Coin (PMO India, 2015).

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): Strengthening India’s Response to Cyber Fraud

Center for ICT for Development, Entrepreneurship, ICT and Innovation, Policy Update

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has created new opportunities for economic and social development, but it has also led to increasingly sophisticated forms of cybercrime. Recognising the need for a coordinated national response, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) as a scheme in 2018 to create a framework for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of cybercrime. I4C was subsequently established as an attached office of MHA with effect from 1 July 2024 (Ministry of Home Affairs, 2026).

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

GST Appellate Tribunal 2025: Resolving India’s Tax Disputes

Center for the Study for Finance and Economics, Governance and Law, Policy Update, Public Finances and Macroeconomics

The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 has brought the various central and state level indirect taxes under one unified indirect tax framework. However, the proliferation of the GST regime has also led to growing tax related disputes. Such disputes lead to ambiguity for the taxpayer, as well as cause additional burden on tax administration. Hence, a specialised appellate body was required for the successful implementation of GST

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

Australia–India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), 2026: Strengthening Strategic Resilience in the Indo-Pacific

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

The proliferation of digital technologies underscores the importance of cybersecurity, critical technologies, and supply chain resilience to Australia's and India's national security, economic growth, and innovation capacity. Advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, and digital infrastructure present significant opportunities, yet concurrently introduce risks, including cyber threats, technological disruptions, and supply chain vulnerabilities.

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026

The India–UAE Bilateral Investment Treaty (2024): Implications for Investment and Economic Diplomacy

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

A deep-rooted Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has replaced the old marine commercial link between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit in 2015—the first by an Indian premier in 34 years—diplomatic relations, which were initially established in 1972, gained fresh impetus. This visit changed the emphasis from a buyer-seller energy dynamic to a multifaceted combination of infrastructure, security, and high technology.

IMPRI Desk
August 16, 2026