India is top choice for MNCs to expand trade, investment: StanChart report (Business Standard)
A new Standard Chartered report shows India has become the top destination for multinational firms looking to expand trade and manufacturing, with more than 40% of global corporates planning to boost their activities in the country thanks to its vast market, fast growth, and pro-investment reforms. Despite recent US tariffs that may weigh on exports, India is strengthening its role in global supply chains through trade agreements and by moving up the value chain, as seen in the rise of over 1,700 Global Capability Centres that now handle advanced R&D, analytics, and design for global companies. Alongside India’s momentum, Asia more broadly is expected to remain the engine of global trade growth in the next few years, even as the US and China continue to dominate the supply chain landscape.
Global economy to weaken in 2026; headwinds for India from US tariffs: WEF (Business Standard)
The World Economic Forum’s latest outlook warns that the global economy is entering an era of weak growth and constant disruption, with advanced economies slowing while emerging markets like South Asia, MENA, and East Asia are expected to drive much of the momentum. India stands out as the fastest-growing major economy with 6.5% growth projected for 2025, though its manufacturing push faces pressure from steep new US tariffs, highlighting both the country’s strength and the risks weighing on the region. Overall, chief economists see diverging growth paths ahead, with the US and Europe expected to struggle, China facing deflationary challenges, and India maintaining relative resilience thanks to easing inflation, stable policies, and ongoing fiscal reforms.
Govt to roll out e-NAM 2.0 to push inter-state trade (Financial Express)
The government is preparing to launch e-NAM 2.0, a stronger digital marketplace for farm produce that will include features like automated bidding, demand-supply data, QR-based lot tracking, and services such as logistics, assaying, and fintech support, all aimed at making inter-state and inter-mandi trade faster, more transparent, and more farmer-friendly. Despite e-NAM’s existence since 2016, most sales have remained confined within local mandis, and inter-state trade is still negligible, so the upgraded version is meant to close logistical gaps, reduce food waste, and help farmers secure better prices by cutting down on middlemen. With more than 17 million farmers and over 1,500 mandis already on the platform, the success of e-NAM 2.0 will depend on whether it can finally shift large-scale trade beyond state borders and turn the platform into a true national marketplace.
