Updates on 8 July 2026
All of July 2026 →India Emerges as World's Largest Retail and FMCG Global Capability Centre Hub
As of July 2026, India has become the leading global hub for retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) Global Capability Centres (GCCs), hosting 180 centres employing over 272,000 professionals. The retail GCC workforce in India surpasses by 34% the combined total in Poland, the Philippines, Mexico, Germany, and Egypt. Major Indian hubs include Bengaluru (84,000 professionals), Delhi NCR (66,000), and Hyderabad (45,000). The sector is witnessing rapid AI adoption with workforce penetration expected to reach 7.2% by 2026, and hiring demand nearly doubling between 2024 and 2025, creating over 52,000 jobs in 2025. Key companies operating retail and FMCG GCCs in India include Lowe’s, Tesco, H&M, Walmart Global Tech, Target, L’Oréal, and AB InBev.
India’s Energy Storage Requirement to Reach 888 GWh by 2035-36
India's energy storage capacity is projected to surge to 888 GWh by 2035-36, a significant increase from the current installed base of about 1 GWh. This projection aligns with the Central Electricity Authority's (CEA) estimates, anticipating 174 GW of energy storage capacity composed of 80 GW from Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and 94 GW from Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs). The expansion is crucial to support renewable energy integration and grid stability. By 2026, BESS capacity is expected to cross 10 GWh, with lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity scaling up to 110 GWh by 2030, strengthening India’s position in clean energy storage solutions.
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2024-25 Recognises Haveli Sangeet Scholar Acharya Shri Ranchhodlalji Goswami
The Sangeet Natak Akademi, under the Ministry of Culture, awarded Acharya Shri Ranchhodlalji Goswami from Ahmedabad the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024-25 in recognition of his contributions to Haveli Sangeet, a devotional music tradition linked with the Pushtimarg sect. This award honours outstanding young performers under 40 in Indian performing arts and carries a cash prize, plaque, and angavastram. Additionally, three other artists from Gujarat—Garba artist Tvisha Vyas, Rudra Veena maker Kishorbhai Somabhai Mistry, and theatre director Kapildev Shukla—received the award for 2024 and 2025, highlighting Gujarat's rich cultural heritage.
Hampi, Mysuru and Lakkundi Selected for Global Destination Development Project by Karnataka Government
On 7 July 2026, the Karnataka government recommended Hampi, Mysuru and Lakkundi for the Global Destination Development project to the Union Tourism Ministry. This initiative aims to develop world-class tourism centres through cooperation between state governments and private sector. The selected destinations are proposed to receive ₹800 crore in central assistance across two phases to support infrastructure enhancement, connectivity, heritage conservation, and tourist facilities. Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site linked to the Vijayanagara Empire, along with Mysuru—a significant cultural centre—and Lakkundi—known for its heritage temples—will benefit from monument digital preservation, heritage railway station redevelopment, and new tourism infrastructure proposals.
Natural History Museum in Aizawl Designated as India's 21st Biodiversity Repository
On 19 June 2026, the Natural History Museum at Mizoram University, Aizawl, was designated as a repository under the Biological Diversity Act. Announced by the Union Environment Ministry on 7 July 2026 following the National Biodiversity Authority's recommendation, this makes it India's 21st designated repository. The museum conserves voucher specimens of flora and fauna from Mizoram and the North-Eastern region, playing a crucial role in biodiversity preservation within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
Launch of TribeX Digital Platform to Preserve Tribal Knowledge
On 7 July 2026, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram launched the TribeX digital learning platform in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, aimed at preserving and promoting India's tribal arts, languages, culture, and traditional knowledge. The platform offers 20 free certificate courses and University Grants Commission-recognised postgraduate diploma programmes, developed in collaboration with Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. TribeX hosts a growing heritage archive of multimedia resources and connects learners with tribal artisans and knowledge holders nationwide.
PM-SETU Scheme Receives Nationwide Rollout for Upgrading ITIs
On 7 July 2026, the Indian government approved the nationwide rollout of the PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) scheme. The initiative aims to upgrade 1,000 Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across 200 identified clusters with a total budget of ₹60,000 crore spread over five years. Funding is shared among the Centre (₹30,000 crore), States (₹20,000 crore), and industry stakeholders (₹10,000 crore). The scheme establishes five National Centres of Excellence following a hub-and-spoke model to enhance vocational training quality and employability. Strategic investment plans worth ₹1,237.58 crore were approved for clusters in Odisha, Gujarat, and Telangana, leveraging partnerships with key private industry players. The programme is implemented under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek Develops Custom AI Chip to Reduce Foreign Dependence
DeepSeek, a Hangzhou-based Chinese AI startup, is developing a custom AI chip optimized for inference workloads to reduce reliance on foreign semiconductor technologies. The project began around July 2025 and remained in early stages through 2026, with collaborations involving major industry players like Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) and aiming for compatibility with Huawei’s Ascend AI processors. The initiative is shaped by export controls from the United States and the Netherlands, which restrict China's access to advanced AI chips and semiconductor manufacturing technology. DeepSeek has also been linked to a significant funding round aiming to raise about 7 billion Chinese yuan, with an estimated company valuation between 52 and 59 billion yuan.
India-Rwanda Expand Bilateral Defence Partnership
In July 2026, India and Rwanda held the second Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting in New Delhi, agreeing to enhance collaboration in military training, exercises, medical cooperation, and defence industries. This builds on the original Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2018 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Rwanda. The Rwandan delegation also visited India's military medical facilities and paid respects at the National War Memorial.
Tripura Makes Full Versions of Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana Mandatory in Schools
On 7 July 2026, Tripura mandated that all schools—government, government-aided, private, and recognised madrassas—begin their daily routine with the full versions of the National Song 'Vande Mataram' followed by the National Anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'. This directive requires all students, teachers, and school employees to stand at attention during the singing or playing of these national symbols. The policy was approved by the Tripura Council of Ministers on 25 June 2026 and took effect from 3 July 2026, aligning with the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines issued on 28 January 2026 regarding respect, protocol, and rendition of the National Song.
FDA Approves Vepdegestrant for Advanced ESR1-Mutated Breast Cancer
On May 1, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vepdegestrant, marketed as Veppanu, for treatment of adults with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-), ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Developed by Arvinas Operations, Inc. and Pfizer Inc., it is the first FDA-approved Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) drug. Vepdegestrant is an oral therapy for patients whose disease progressed after at least one line of endocrine therapy and is approved alongside the Guardant360 CDx companion diagnostic test to identify patients harboring ESR1 mutations. The approval was based on data from the Phase 3 VERITAC-2 trial (NCT05654623), showing improved median progression-free survival and objective response rate compared to fulvestrant.
PM Modi Visits Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, Strengthening Cultural Ties
On 8 July 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the historic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, during a three-day state visit. The temple, dating back to the 9th century, is Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to the Trimurti: Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma. India and Indonesia have agreed to collaborate on the conservation and restoration of this culturally significant site, with the Archaeological Survey of India working alongside Indonesian authorities. This visit underscores deepening bilateral cooperation and highlights the designation of 2026-2027 as the Tagore-Dewantara Year for cultural cooperation.
Navi Mumbai Airport Designated as Authorized Port for Drug Imports
On 8 July 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare formally notified Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra as an authorized port for the import of drugs and pharmaceuticals by amending Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945. This increased the total number of authorized drug import ports in India to 42, enhancing pharmaceutical trade and logistics capabilities. The decision followed consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, the apex technical advisory body under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, ensuring regulatory compliance.