Policy UpdateAakash Agrawal 1. Introduction Ethanol blending mixing ethanol with petrol to reduce fossil fuel consumption is not a new idea in India; the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme was first launched in 2003. What changed after 2018 was the scale…
The industrial trajectory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has been shaped by its unique geography, political volatility and state-led economic model. The region adopted a state-led industrialisation strategy after the signing of the Instrument of Accession in 1947 to generate employment and strengthen industrial development. However, persistent political instability, climatic challenges and geographical remoteness constrained industrial development, resulting in a gradual shift towards individual-led entrepreneurship. J&K implemented successive industrial policies in 1995, 1998, 2004 and 2016 to promote industrial investment.
Gujarat has emerged as one of India's leading industrial states because of its diversified manufacturing base, well-developed infrastructure and business-friendly policy environment. Over the past two decades, the state's economy has expanded significantly and currently contributes approximately 8.2% to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Building on this industrial foundation, the Government of Gujarat launched the Viksit Gujarat Industrial Policy 2026 on 15 June 2026. The policy came into effect on 1 June 2026 and will remain in force for five years. It is aligned with the vision of "Viksit Gujarat se Viksit Bharat @2047". The policy seeks to support Gujarat's transition towards a US$3.5 trillion economy by the centenary of India's independence.
When a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 6 February 2023, killing over 50,000 people and flattening entire cities, India was among the first countries on the ground. Within 12 hours, the Indian Army had assembled rescue teams and relief materials. Within 24 hours, Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft were landing at Adana with National Disaster Response Force personnel, dog squads, and a mobile hospital. India named this mission Operation Dost, "friend" in Turkish, Urdu, and several regional languages, a name that carried deliberate diplomatic meaning.
The vision of MAHASAGAR stands for “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions”, and it was established in March 2025 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Saha, 2026). The vision focuses on the ideas of trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, mutual security for a shared future, and expanding cooperation in technology through sharing, giving concessional loans, and grants (Saha, 2026).
The North Eastern Region (NER) lies at the heart of India's growth story. Endowed with abundant natural resources, rich biodiversity and a strategic location. Sharing over 5,484 km of international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Nepal. It is also central to India's Act East Policy. Recognising its immense potential, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referred to the eight North Eastern states as “Ashtalakshmi, symbolising prosperity and abundance.
Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) form the backbone of India's welfare and infrastructure delivery, jointly funded by the Centre and states but implemented through state-level agencies. For years, the fund flow architecture behind these schemes suffered from a structural inefficiency: money was released in advance rather than as spending actually occurred, leaving large sums idle across thousands of implementing-agency bank accounts.