Aug2026_ Economic Affairs

The total number of indicators covered by the dashboard increased to 165 after the latest update, with 44 new indicators added to make monitoring more comprehensive.

Arunachal Pradesh recorded the highest registered SRB at 1,050, followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (984), Meghalaya (974), Mizoram (972), and Kerala (970).

Public administration and defence are excluded from the ISP, along with government-provided health/education services, gambling and betting, and central banking activities.

The index classified States and UTs into three peer groups — large states, hilly and northeastern states, and Union Territories/city states — to account for structural and geographic differences.

The VB-G RAM G Act came into force across rural India from July 1, 2026, and from the same date the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 stood repealed.

The report recommends that security systems must be capable of detecting attacks involving valid credentials and apparently legitimate activity, since traditional security controls often fail against such sophisticated intrusions.

MPMS will operate for five years, from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31, succeeding the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing (PLI-LSEM), which ended on 31 March 2026.

Social engineering, credential theft, supply-chain attacks and cloud exploitation are highlighted as common attack methods, often resembling legitimate sessions, payments, and user behaviour, making early detection difficult.

MPMS succeeds the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing (PLI-LSEM), which ended on 31 March 2026, continuing India’s push for mobile manufacturing.

India recorded an estimated 99.1% level of birth registration in 2024, a major improvement from 56.2% in 2000, 86.6% in 2014, and 92.7% in 2019.

The roadmap aims to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio to below 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal targets.

The report was released by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, on 1 July 2026, covering events registered between 1 January and 31 December 2024.

The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 is commonly called the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025.

India recorded an estimated 99.4% level of death registration in 2024, slightly overtaking the birth registration level of 99.1% for the first time, narrowing the historical gap to just 0.3 percentage points.

Institutional births accounted for 79.4% of registered births in 2024 (a figure that excludes Sikkim), reflecting continued growth in facility-based deliveries.

LaQshya, launched in 2017, aims to improve the quality of care in labour rooms and maternity operation theatres, complementing SUMAN Roadmap 2030’s broader maternal health goals.

For FY 2026-27, Rs 95,692.31 crore has been provided as the Central share under the programme — described as the largest allocation for a rural employment programme at the Budget Estimate stage to date.

The ISP is compiled using three major sources: administrative/secondary data, Goods and Services Tax (GST) data, and the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE).

Registered births increased from 2,52,07,070 in 2023 to 2,54,73,389 in 2024, an increase of 2,66,319 or about 1.1%.

Caesarean Optimisation’ is a key highlight of SUMAN Roadmap 2030 that promotes medically appropriate use of Caesarean sections, avoiding unnecessary procedures.

India’s energy-storage requirement is projected to increase from 87 GWh in 2027-28 to 888 GWh by 2035-36, driving growth in Pumped Storage Plants and Battery Energy Storage Systems.

India’s shipping fleet expanded to 1,592 vessels in 2025, registering annual growth of 3%, while the inland water vessel fleet reached 10,623 vessels in FY 2024-25.

The report highlights ‘AI Asymmetry’ — low-resource attackers can now use AI to automate sophisticated attacks at machine speed, with offensive AI capabilities advancing faster than defensive and regulatory systems.

Fifteen States and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh, were classified as Frontrunners with scores in the 45-50 range.

India’s MMR declined from 130 per lakh live births in 2014-16 to 87 per lakh live births in 2022-24, and the SUMAN Roadmap 2030 aims to close the remaining gap to below 70.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released India’s first Trial ISP for April 2026 on 14 July 2026.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) on 15 July 2026, with a budgetary outlay of Rs 62,500 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), launched in 2016, provides fixed-day, free and quality antenatal care on the 9th day of every month.

India’s electronics production increased from Rs 1.90 lakh crore in 2014-15 to an estimated Rs 13.11 lakh crore in 2025-26, representing nearly seven-fold growth.

The index will be published with a time lag of approximately 60 days, and data will normally be released on the 29th day of each month (or the next working day if the 29th is a holiday).

Goa emerged as the leading performer among city states and Union Territories with a score of 53.1, followed by Delhi (49.9) and Chandigarh (47.0).

India’s tele-density improved to 93.26% in FY 2025-26, reflecting wider digital connectivity, alongside growth in telephone subscribers to 133.06 crore.

Gujarat topped the overall Investment Friendliness Index with a score of 56.6, ranking first among large states, followed by Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3).

India had 165 aerodromes as of the latest PAIMANA update, representing an increase of 81 aerodromes since 2014.

The Investment Friendliness Index uses a maximum data score of 65 and a maximum survey score of 35, combining to form the overall 100-point scale.

For a person born on or after 1 October 2023, the birth certificate is to be used as the single document to prove date and place of birth for admission to educational institutions, driving licences, passports, Aadhaar, and other notified purposes.

Infrastructure carries the highest weight at 25% with 24 indicators, followed by Business climate (20%) and Resources (15%) in the IFI’s eight-pillar framework.

A total of 1,850 investors were surveyed, generating 2,503 total responses because some investors had experience in more than one state.

Nagaland recorded the lowest registered SRB at 806, followed by Lakshadweep (865) and Jharkhand (890).

The first installment, called the Mother Sanction, of over Rs 25,000 crore was released to States to ensure adequate funds so that wages can be paid within 15 days.

The PAIMANA Performance Monitoring Dashboard was originally launched on 16 April 2026 to strengthen infrastructure monitoring and evidence-based policymaking in India.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology released the second edition of the Digital Threat Report 2025-26 on 13 July 2026.

The report focuses specifically on cybersecurity threats affecting India’s Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector and the broader payments ecosystem.

The PAIMANA Dashboard assesses infrastructure performance through five standardized dimensions: Access, Quality, Fiscal Cost and Revenue, Utilization, and Affordability.

The aviation sector carried 98,920.10 tonnes of cargo in April 2026, recording an annual growth of 11.8%, alongside passenger traffic of 7.1 crore during FY 2026-27 up to May 2026.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash (J.P.) Nadda launched the SUMAN Roadmap 2030 on 29 June 2026 during the 16th Conference of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW).

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) provides a maternity benefit of Rs 5,000 for the first child, with Rs 6,000 for the second child if a girl, under Mission Shakti/PMMVY 2.0.

These five States were classified as ‘Top Performers’ with scores above 50, the highest of the four performance categories in the Investment Friendliness Index.

The ISP is India’s first high-frequency macroeconomic indicator designed specifically to measure the output of the services sector, filling a statistical gap since IIP only covers industrial activity.

According to the World Bank, India would need average real GDP growth of about 7.8% over the coming two decades to attain high-income status by 2047, exceeding its historical average.

Accommodation and food services recorded the highest year-on-year growth of 37.2% in April 2026, followed by retail trade (30.8%) and administrative and support services (28.7%).

Urban areas accounted for 84.2% of registered infant deaths in 2024, while rural areas accounted for only 15.8% — a figure the report cautions may reflect under-registration and referral patterns rather than actual mortality distribution.

The JANANI portal is used for monitoring under SUMAN Roadmap 2030, alongside a centralised SUMAN Call Centre and AI-enabled labour rooms as part of the digital measures.

An additional incentive of up to 1.5% will be provided for domestic sourcing of key components and sub-assemblies, encouraging deeper domestic value addition.

The base year of the ISP is 2024-25, selected to align with other revised economic indicators and broadly aligned with the new Consumer Price Index series using 2024 as its reference year.

The report states that traditional controls may fail when attacks appear legitimate, and periodic assessments must be replaced by continuous monitoring, threat intelligence, and coordinated response.

A total of 9,360 kilometres of National Highways were constructed during FY 2025-26, contributing to improved road connectivity across the country.

Under the 2023 amendment, every medical institution, irrespective of ownership, must provide the Registrar with a cause-of-death certificate including illness history where available, with a free copy to the nearest relative.

Electronic goods became India’s third-largest export category, reaching USD 47.96 billion in FY 2025-26, reflecting the sector’s rapid growth trajectory.

Manufacturers will receive incentives ranging from 2.25% to 5% on eligible sales of mobile phones manufactured in India, with additional incentives for domestic component sourcing and R&D.

The Investment Friendliness Index covers all 28 States and eight Union Territories of India, using a 100-point scale to assess investment attractiveness.

Mobile phone exports rose from Rs 1,566 crore to Rs 2.60 lakh crore between 2014-15 and 2025-26, recording a 165-fold increase — a dramatic transformation in India’s export profile.

CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) is India’s national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents, one of the key participating organisations in the report.

Cumulative mobile phone production is expected to reach approximately Rs 39 lakh crore during the MPMS scheme period, alongside significant projected growth in exports.

18 States/UTs reported a 100% level of birth registration in 2024, while 21 States/UTs reported a 100% level of death registration.

For this report, ‘major States’ are defined as the 19 States with populations exceeding one crore according to Census 2011, used as a basis for tracking registration progress.

The Act promotes the idea of ‘Rozgar Bhi, Samman Bhi,’ meaning employment with dignity, reflecting the shift from a welfare-oriented to a broader development model.

The report was prepared through collaboration among CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), CSIRT-Fin (sectoral CSIRT for finance), and SISA, a cybersecurity company specialising in the global payments ecosystem.

MPMS is projected to generate around 60,000 direct jobs, strengthening India’s participation in global electronics value chains.

The report proposes an 18-Month Roadmap that progresses from foundational controls to continuous monitoring and adaptive security, helping financial institutions strengthen operational resilience.

Wage rates under VB-G RAM G have been increased by around 10 percent on average, ensuring no State has a wage rate below Rs 300 per day.

Mobile phones moved from India’s 153rd-largest export item in FY 2014-15 to its largest export product in FY 2025-26, surpassing diesel fuel and cut diamonds as India’s top exported category in 2025.

The SUMAN Roadmap introduces targeted interventions in 130 districts across 13 States, including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The 19 sub-sectors covered in the trial ISP together represent approximately 60% of India’s services sector, with plans to expand coverage before releasing a final overall ISP.

The four-layer ‘Anatomy of Cyber Failure Framework’ shows that major breaches result from multiple connected weaknesses, helping institutions identify systemic risks and prioritise cybersecurity investment.

Women constitute around 70% of the direct workforce in mobile phone manufacturing in India, highlighting the sector’s role in women’s economic empowerment.

ASHAs make bi-weekly home visits during the eighth and ninth months of pregnancy, for screening, nutrition counselling, and birth preparedness, under the ASHA Support component of SUMAN.

Six of the report’s seven previous predictions have become realities, highlighting the rapid evolution of cyber threats that are now exploited within weeks or months.

CRISIL prepared the Investment Friendliness Index report under NITI Aayog’s Research Scheme and served as the knowledge partner for the index.

The Maharashtra Employment Guarantee Act, 1977 first introduced the statutory right to work, laying the foundation for the nationwide MGNREGA, 2005.

The report emphasizes that India’s interconnected BFSI ecosystem makes cyber risk a shared responsibility — a breach in one institution can affect customers, partners, and financial markets, requiring public-private cooperation for digital trust.

Registered deaths increased from 86,59,679 in 2023 to 89,38,301 in 2024, an increase of 2,78,622 or approximately 3.2%.

Including the estimated State share, the total programme outlay under VB-G RAM G is expected to exceed Rs 1.51 lakh crore.

The average number of railway passengers carried per day reached 19.98 million (approximately 2 crore) in 2024-25, registering annual growth of 5.8%.

Janani Suraksha Yojana was launched in 2005 to promote institutional delivery and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, especially among women from weaker socio-economic groups.

Around 99.2% of mobile phones used in India are manufactured domestically, reflecting India’s position as the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer by volume.

Union Minister of Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the first installment, called the ‘Mother Sanction,’ of over Rs 25,000 crore to States under the VB-G RAM G Act.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the quarterly update of the PAIMANA dashboard on 16 July 2026, which was originally launched on 16 April 2026.

India’s real GDP grew at an average annual rate of 6.1% between fiscal years 1992 and 2025, with investment accounting for more than half of this growth.

Accommodation and food services recorded annual growth of 35.6% during 2025-26, the highest among sub-sectors, followed by retail trade (30.5%) and repair services (25.1%).

The Act introduces a national minimum wage floor of Rs 300 per day (as per notification issued for 2026-27), ensuring no State wage under the programme falls below this level.

Over Rs 7.5 lakh crore will be invested in 2.86 lakh Panchayats over the next five years under the VB-G RAM G Act, to accelerate the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology released the second edition of the Digital Threat Report 2025-26 on 13 July 2026, focused on cybersecurity threats in India’s BFSI sector.

The average carrying capacity of Broad-Gauge wagons reached a record 64 tonnes per wagon in 2024-25, up from 60.8 tonnes per wagon in 2015-16.

Registered stillbirths fell from 1,00,577 in 2023 to 81,117 in 2024, a decline of 19,460 or approximately 19.3%.

SUMAN Panchayats promote zero maternal and infant deaths, universal antenatal care, institutional delivery, and full immunisation, complemented by ‘Mothers’ Picnic’ events to spread health awareness.

SUMAN Roadmap 2030 strengthens Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) and Maternal Near Miss reviews to systematically investigate causes of maternal deaths.

SISA is a cybersecurity company specialising in the global payments ecosystem, contributing technical expertise to the Digital Threat Report 2025-26.

CSIRT-Fin is the sectoral computer-security incident response team for India’s financial sector, one of the organisations collaborating on the Digital Threat Report.

Uttarakhand emerged as the leading performer among hilly and northeastern states with a score of 47.5, followed by Assam (47.3) and Himachal Pradesh (46.1).

The final IFI framework consists of 84 indicators (62 secondary-data indicators and 22 perception-based indicators), narrowed down from an initial longlist of 953 indicators.

Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram is integrated under SUMAN Roadmap 2030 to provide home-based childcare from birth to 36 months.

Women account for nearly 30% of the workforce created in India’s electronics manufacturing sector over the last decade, and around 70% of the direct workforce in mobile phone manufacturing specifically.

The first trial ISP covered 19 services sub-sectors for April 2026, together representing approximately 60% of India’s services sector.

A total of 44 new indicators were added to the PAIMANA dashboard, bringing the total number of indicators to 165, to make infrastructure performance monitoring more comprehensive.

PAIMANA stands for ‘Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring and Analytics for Nation-building,’ a dashboard launched to strengthen infrastructure monitoring and evidence-based policymaking.

The SUMAN Roadmap operates under the RMNCHA+N framework (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition), led by the Maternal Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Ports, Shipping and Waterways has the highest number of indicators at 62, followed by Railways (37) and Civil Aviation (31). Roads has the lowest at 8.

The Sex Ratio at Birth stood at 933 females per 1,000 males for India (excluding Sikkim), calculated from registered events with a delay of less than one year.

The reference period of the first Trial ISP release was April 2026, released on 14 July 2026 (later updated on 24 July 2026).

Indian brands will receive an additional 3% incentive on eligible sales for product design and research and development, promoting technological sovereignty and domestic innovation.

The OECD Compilation Manual for Index of Services Production, 2007 is one of the main international guidelines used, alongside guidance from Eurostat.

The funding ratio for Northeastern and Himalayan States and UTs with legislatures (including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and J&K) is 90:10 (Centre:State), compared to 60:40 for normal States.

The four priority areas under VB-G RAM G Act are Water Security, Rural Infrastructure, Livelihood Infrastructure, and Climate Resilience — Urban Housing Development is not among them, as the Act focuses on rural employment and assets.

During NITI Aayog’s Ninth Governing Council meeting in July 2024, the Prime Minister called for an ‘Investment-Friendly Charter’ covering policies, programmes and processes needed to attract investment.

MoSPI constituted a Technical Advisory Committee in May 2025 to develop the conceptual and methodological framework of the ISP, including experts from academia, industry, and government.

The Act enhances the statutory employment guarantee from 100 days to 125 days in every financial year for rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.

South Korea publishes a monthly Service Industry Activity Index, while the United Kingdom compiles a comprehensive Monthly Index of Services, both cited as international precedents for the ISP.

Fourteen of the 19 sub-sectors recorded double-digit year-on-year growth in April 2026 compared with April 2025, indicating broad-based services sector expansion.

If wages are delayed beyond the stipulated period, workers are entitled to delay compensation of 0.05% of unpaid wages for every day of delay beyond the sixteenth day after closure of the muster roll.