Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a 30-minute address, reaffirmed the government's commitment to women's political reservation despite what he characterized as a setback, directing pointed criticism at Opposition parties including the Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party. The statement signals that the reservation agenda remains a live political priority for the ruling alliance heading into the electoral cycle. Women's reservation in India refers to proposals to set aside a fixed share of legislative seats for women, a policy that has faced repeated legislative and political obstacles across successive governments. Modi's framing of Opposition parties as barriers to the policy is a calculated move to consolidate women voters and differentiate the BJP-led government on a high-visibility social equity issue. The specific nature of the cited setback, the legislative timeline, and any concrete procedural steps were not detailed in available reporting. Observers should watch whether the government tables fresh legislation or uses the issue as campaign positioning ahead of upcoming state or national elections.
India's government plans to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act to restore UPI merchant discount rates, ending the zero-MDR regime in place since January 2020.
India's government has introduced the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing changes to payments regulation, income tax, and the Finance Act to attract FDI and support Make in India. The Bill's final shape will depend on parliamentary debate and committee review.
The government's Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes to replace the blanket UPI MDR ban with a system allowing the Centre to notify which payment modes stay fee-free.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rs 5,000 crore Bhogapuram greenfield airport in Andhra Pradesh, built under a public-private partnership model. He also laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 18,000 crore in the state, signalling a broad investment push for the region.