The United States aims to raise bilateral trade with India to more than 500 billion within three years. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor announced the target in Mumbai on October 20–21, 2026. The current record in bilateral trade between the two countries is more than 240 billion. US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the US–India partnership.
Essar Ports Limited received a Letter of Award from the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) on 21 October 2026 to develop a multipurpose cargo terminal at Tuna Tekra in Kandla, Gujarat. The project has an estimated cost of ₹2,276.06 crore and a planned annual capacity of 18.33 million tonnes, excluding liquid and container cargo.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) introduced Form 173A on 19 October 2026 for claims of income-tax exemptions on interest and capital gains from government securities. The form was prescribed under the Income-tax (Seventh Amendment) Rules, 2026, which came into force upon publication in the Official Gazette on the same date.
As of 19 October 2026, 96 of India’s 191 coal-fired power plants had critically low coal stocks, defined as less than three days of fuel supply. The number of plants in this category rose from 60 in mid-September 2026.
A.P. Moller – Maersk plans to drydock its Singapore-flagged container vessel Maersk Chattogram at Larsen & Toubro’s Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai in October 2026. The vessel is expected to arrive on 20 October, subject to operational and weather conditions. This will be Maersk’s first planned drydocking in India.
The India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force on October 20, 2026. New Zealand eliminated tariffs on all Indian goods from that date, while India began implementing tariff concessions on selected imports from New Zealand. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced the pact’s implementation on October 19, 2026.
On 17 October 2026, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) announced Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs. The NPPA operates under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. The revised prices are scheduled to take effect on 9 November 2026, with maximum retail price (MRP) reductions of up to 70%, depending on existing prices.
Essar Oil & Gas Ltd. secured five Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks in India on 15 October 2026. The Government of India awarded the blocks under the Special CBM (SCBM) Bid Rounds of 2025 and 2026, and contracts were signed at a ceremony chaired by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri.
On 15 October 2026, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the flag-off of a 1.755-metric-tonne maiden export consignment of organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder from Gobichettipalayam in Tamil Nadu to Varna, Bulgaria. The product, also known as Palmyra Blossom Nectar, carried certification under India’s National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and the European Union’s organic standards.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to REC Limited on 15 October 2026 for its proposed merger into Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC). The proposed scheme places REC as the transferor company and PFC as the transferee company, with a combined loan book exceeding ₹11 lakh crore.
CapitaLand India Trust (CLINT) unveiled CapitaLand Data Centre Chennai 01 in Ambattur, Tamil Nadu, on 15 October 2026. The project, jointly held by CLINT and CapitaLand India Data Centre Fund, has a planned investment of approximately ₹1,940 crore. It is expected to be tenant-ready by the end of 2026.
On 14 October 2026, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) fully subscribed to a ₹4 crore Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) issue by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) on the National Stock Exchange’s Social Stock Exchange (SSE). The project aims to support overseas employment for 600 rural youth from Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Madhya Pradesh.
