State Bank of India (SBI) has been chosen by Global Finance magazine as the “World’s Best Consumer Bank 2026”, the second year in a row it has received this honour. The magazine cited the bank’s work in digital innovation, the quality of its customer service and its contribution to financial inclusion while selecting it for the global recognition.
Under the IndiaAI Mission, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released the World Bank Group's World Development Report (WDR) 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence. The report notes that ChatGPT drew half its traffic from middle-income countries within six months, showing AI is spreading quicker than electricity or the internet did.
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand took effect on 20 October 2026, becoming India's 17th operational FTA. New Zealand has scrapped tariffs on all Indian goods, while India has started offering tariff concessions on chosen New Zealand imports.
Between April and August 2026, ASEAN was the regional market where India's exports grew fastest, rising 56%, largely on the back of petroleum products. Petroleum product shipments to the bloc grew 2.4 times to more than US$6.1 billion, with Singapore taking almost three-fourths.
India's largest integrated plant for producing phenol and acetone was inaugurated at Haldia in West Bengal. The facility has been developed by Adperma Private Limited. It also holds the distinction of being the very first phenol manufacturing unit to be set up anywhere on India's eastern coast, making it a significant addition to the country's chemical manufacturing capacity in the…
A new Silver Refinery Scheme has been rolled out by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to certify silver bullion and coins and stamp them with a hallmark. Under the scheme, silver can be graded at any of three fineness levels: 999.9, 999.5 or 999.0 parts per thousand.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), lifted its 2026 global growth projection by 0.1 percentage point to 3.1%, compared with 3.5% growth in 2025. The 2027 forecast stays at 3.4%, and global inflation is expected to hit 4.7% in 2026.
The National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. Developed by the Department of Commerce together with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), it is a central platform for trade intelligence and data analytics, enabling real-time monitoring, evidence-based policymaking, greater transparency and faster clearances.
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