Recent 6 months news in Agreements

The Asian Development Bank and Standard Chartered Bank have signed agreements to enhance supply chain finance in India. This collaboration establishes risk-sharing arrangements for transactions in both the United States Dollar (USD) and the Indian Rupee (INR).

The India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into force in June 2026, in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

Following the operationalisation, the first consignments availing preferential tariff benefits, including agricultural products, gems, and jewellery, were flagged off from Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

The CEPA provides duty-free export access on 99.38% of tariff lines, covering 98.08% of India’s exports. Under the previous Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime, only 15.33% of India’s exports entered Oman duty-free.

India and the UK have launched the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) in New Delhi. The platform was jointly inaugurated by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The initiative is a result of a partnership between the IIT (Indian School of Mines) (IIT-ISM) Dhanbad, TEXMiN, and the University of Cambridge.

The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) has signed an MoU with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure & Artificial Intelligence (DPI-AI) at Kathmandu University, Nepal.

The partnership aims to advance Language AI, multilingual digital public infrastructure, and inclusive digital ecosystems in both India and Nepal.

The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has signed three MoUs to modernise Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) through digital innovation and structural enhancements.

Under the first agreement, the EdTech firm CoGrad will provide 499 EMRSs with two years of free access to its “Medha AI” platform. NESTS has also renewed its corporate philanthropy partnership with the Learning Links Foundation (Amazon) for another two years. Additionally, a governance MoU signed with the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission has standardised EMRS funding at ₹1.47 lakh per student.

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has signed a tripartite MoU to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).

With this, the state becomes the 33rd legislature in India to join the platform. The initiative aims to transition the state legislature towards a paperless and a fully digital ecosystem.

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) has partnered with Galgotias University in Uttar Pradesh to enhance professional learning in sectors like securities markets, financial services, derivatives, fintech, and risk management.

Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) Ltd has signed an MoU with Credit Rating Information Services of India Ltd (CRISIL) to jointly develop data-driven infrastructure consultancy solutions across multiple sectors in India and overseas.

The Tamil Nadu government has signed an MoU with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for investments worth ₹18,600 crore.

The agreement covers 3 projects: a Hyperscale and Edge AI Data Centre in Kancheepuram (₹15,000 crore), an Electronics and Electrical Systems Manufacturing Hub in Coimbatore (₹2,500 crore), and an Offshore Wind Infrastructure and Shipyard Expansion in Kattupalli, Tiruvallur (₹1,100 crore).

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has signed reform-linked MoUs under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 with Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, and the UT of Puducherry.

The core objective of the JJM 2.0 is to establish a decentralized governance framework, specifically a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based model of rural water supply.

The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) has signed an MoU with the Steel Users Federation of India (SUFI) to develop the steel and commodity derivatives ecosystem.

It is to be noted that the crude steel production of India increased by nearly 11% year-on-year to 168.4 million tonnes (MT) in the FY26 and is projected to reach 300 MT by 2030.

Saudi Arabia has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), becoming the 26th member nation to ratify the treaty-based global alliance. With this accession, the IBCA now comprises 26 member countries and 5 observer nations.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal visited Canada to facilitate an economic reset and accelerate free trade negotiations. He led the largest-ever Indian business delegation to the country to fast-track the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Both nations aim to finalize a balanced CEPA by the end of 2026. India and Canada have set a target to scale bilateral trade from $8.5 billion to $50 billion by 2030. During his visit, he held bilateral engagements in Ottawa, including a meeting with Canadian PM Mark Carney.

India has signed a bilateral accession protocol with Ethiopia in Geneva, Switzerland, to facilitate the latter’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

It is to be noted that India supports the accession of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and developing nations to the WTO to promote inclusive growth and South-South cooperation. The agreement was fast-tracked under the guidance of Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

The Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL) has signed an MoU with the Spices Board of India to strengthen the traditional wellness and natural products sector in India.

The partnership focuses on export promotion, quality assurance, innovation, branding, and international market development for Ayush, medicinal spice, nutraceutical, and Ayurvedic products.

The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) has signed an MoU with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to launch the “BHASHINI Seva/Sanchalan - A BHASHINI Sahayogi Program”.

The initiative aims to enhance multilingual digital capabilities across the industry and internal trade ecosystem in India by leveraging the BHASHINI platform, which serves as the National Language Digital Public Infrastructure of the country.

The Gujarat government has signed an MoU with Meta Platforms Inc to launch a WhatsApp chatbot under the ‘Sugam Digital’ initiative.

The 2-year collaboration aims to enhance e-governance in the state by implementing AI driven public services, accessibility projects, and digital skilling programmes. Through this chatbot, citizens can access around 20 public services from 5 departments in both Gujarati and English.

Nikos Christodoulides, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, visited India at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi. He held bilateral discussions with PM Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

During his visit to Mumbai, President Christodoulides participated in the traditional bell-ringing ceremony at the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) and attended the Cyprus-India Business Forum. Both countries signed 6 MoUs across various sectors and made 8 major announcements to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India and the USA have signed a framework titled “Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths” to secure the supply, mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi. The US government is allocating over $30 billion through investments, loans, and public–private partnerships to strengthen critical mineral supply chains.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed a strategic partnership with the Japan-based Fourth Valley Concierge Corporation (FVCC) to enhance workforce mobility for Indian professionals seeking employment in Japan.

The partnership will utilize the NSDC Trust’s “Credibility Check” framework to establish a transparent verification system for these professionals.