India's largest public policy think tank, Niti Aayog, will be releasing the Investment Friendliness Index in July 2025 in association with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Finance Ministry.
National Maritime Day is observed annually on April 5th in India to commemorate the historic voyage of SS Loyalty in 1919, marking the country's entry into international shipping. This momentous event laid the foundation for India’s self-reliance in maritime trade, challenging colonial dominance over sea routes. Established in 1964, the day recognizes the contributions of the maritime sector to India’s economy, raises awareness about emerging challenges, and highlights growth opportunities.
In the Union Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced India's Asset Monetization Plan 2025-30, a strategic approach to leverage the existing public infrastructure assets and create non-tax revenue to reinvest in new infrastructure projects. This new initiative is based on the earlier National Monetization Pipeline (NMP) 2021-25, which plans to generate ₹10 lakh crore through monetizing these functioning brownfield assets across sectors, including Highways, Railways, Power, Telecom, and Aviation. This is also consistent with the government’s broader goal of fiscal discipline and sustainable infrastructure development.
Rapid urbanization in India creates simultaneous developmental advantages and various complications for national growth. The Government of India introduced the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2005 as its principal urban development program to manage increasing urban demands.
The concept of Purvodaya was first introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 during the inauguration of an Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Paradip, Odisha. The initiative stepped up in Union Budget 2024-25 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman allocating significant funds for infrastructure, industrial and skill development programs in the region. This policy aims to position India as a global economic powerhouse by leveraging the potential of all regions under the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Government of India launched the Maritime Development Fund (MDF), a strategic initiative to support the country's maritime sector, with a special emphasis on the shipbuilding and repair sectors. The MDF, unveiled during the Union Budget 2025–26, plans to raise 25,000 crore, or roughly $3 billion, to offer long-term, affordable financial support for domestic shipbuilding and other infrastructure projects.
Cash transfer schemes fall under both the State List and Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, depending on their implementation structure. While these schemes have gained popularity in recent years, they are not a new phenomenon. They have existed since market liberalization, reflecting a shift from a welfare state to a corporate welfare state, where targeted financial support replaces broad-based subsidies.