Niti Aayog

The first Investment Friendliness Index assesses 36 states and Union Territories across 84 indicators, with no state crossing the 60-mark despite five qualifying as top performers

Fragmented authority, weak municipal finances and limited devolution continue to hamper service delivery, prompting fresh calls to strengthen city governments across India

UDISE+ shows gains in enrolment and retention, but weak learning outcomes and the shift from government to private schools underline the need to prioritise education quality

As India pushes to recover critical minerals from waste, experts say recycling can strengthen supply security. But can it cut reliance on imports and overseas mining?

NITI Aayog member Gobardhan Das on Sunday backed the multiple-choice questions for entrance exams even for universities such as JNU, emphasising that the format is a fair test of their intelligence. The comments from Das, a renonwed academic, came amid criticism of Common University Entrance Test (CUET) since its rollout in 2022, with several teachers' groups contending that the MCQ-based test has reduced the emphasis on analytical and descriptive skills. "Multiple-choice questions format for entrance exams is not ill-suited for universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as universities need to test your intelligence, not (what you have mugged up)... if you cannot connect 2-3 things, you really cannot answer the questions." "MCQ is always preferred (in university entrance examination), as in less time you can assess many aspects (of candidates)," he told PTI, adding that the CUET is an innovative idea. Last month, a parliamentary committee flagged concerns over the CUET

A technical committee is examining royalty, incentives and commercial viability for extracting critical minerals from mining waste before submitting policy recommendations to the government

Policy think tank says regulatory hurdles, not demand, are holding back tourism; proposes easier visas, GST refunds for foreign tourists and seamless interstate travel

A ministry report recommends that state line departments present service delivery updates and scheme status at Gram Sabhas to improve participation, transparency and public trust

Think tank flags non-tariff barriers as a bigger hurdle than duties for $35.8 bn drug exports

Just 350,000 of India's estimated 12 million end-of-life vehicles were scrapped through authorised channels between August 2022 and July 2025, highlighting gaps in the scrappage ecosystem

The government needs to resuscitate privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs) as well as public sector banks (PSBs) as it is integral to India's economic reforms, former NITI Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya said on Monday. Panagariya also advocated creating an independent privatisation ministry to accelerate the government's disinvestment agenda, as the Department of Disinvestment has been unable to maintain the pace of privatisation. "I firmly believe that, regardless of fiscal pressures, the privatisation of PSUs and most public sector banks is integral to our economic reforms," he told PTI in an interview. Panagariya said aggressive PSU and bank privatisation should proceed regardless of the West Asia crisis and geopolitical uncertainties. "Modernisation of the economy as a part of our India@2047 movement, we need to resuscitate the PSU and PSB privatisation," he said. Under Panagariya, the then NITI Aayog vice chairman, the government think tank had pursued the

NITI Aayog's Himanshu Joshi said Indian agri- and water-tech startups should adopt technologies for new markets and move beyond basic problem-solving to tackle regulatory challenges

CM Mohan Charan Majhi said Odisha recorded 7.9 per cent growth in FY26 while maintaining fiscal discipline and accelerating investments in infrastructure, human development and industry

Chief ministers used the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting to seek support for infrastructure, semiconductor and development projects, while Andhra Pradesh flagged demographic sustainability

India continues to move forward on its growth trajectory with confidence and determination, amid global uncertainty and instability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. As India progresses towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat, the country's collective responsibility becomes even greater, Modi said while chairing the 11th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog. "The world is passing through a period of uncertainty and instability, yet India continues to move forward on its growth trajectory with confidence and determination," NITI Aayog said in a social media post on X, quoting Modi. The Prime Minister said India has signed free trade agreements with many countries to create new opportunities for growth and exports. "These agreements also present a significant opportunity for our MSMEs, enabling them to prepare for global markets by adhering to international standards and enhancing competitiveness," he added. Modi said India's demographic dividend is a .

Country must create efficient farm markets and replace subsidies with direct income transfers, the NITI Aayog vice chairman said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 11th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog on Thursday to deliberate on the approach to realise the government's vision of inclusive human development for Viksit Bharat @2047 and translate it into concrete, measurable outcomes for every citizen across the country. This year's Governing Council meeting will bring together chief ministers and lieutenant governors to discuss the 'Inclusive Human Development Framework', anchored around four core pillars--foundational human capital and future-ready skills; productive employment, entrepreneurship and decentralised growth; health, nutrition and wellbeing; and equity and dignity for all, according to an official statement. Measures to promote entrepreneurship, enhance skilling, and create sustainable employment opportunities across the country will also be discussed in the meeting, it added. The discussions will focus on collectively charting an implementation roadmap that leverages key enablers

Industry seeks access to updated vehicle-registration records, saying poor traceability and documentation issues could hamper compliance with end-of-life vehicle recycling norms

NITI Aayog projects that India's semiconductor demand will hit $206 billion by 2035 - a five-fold jump from the estimated $44 billion in FY26

The government has constituted six sector-specific working groups to identify as many as 100 products for promoting their domestic manufacturing and reducing import dependence, an official said. "The aim is to promote indigenisation of those products," the official said. The groups will discuss the list of items for the purpose, and the final list prepared by them will be submitted to the cabinet secretariat within three weeks. The six groups are on pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices; chemicals and petrochemicals, textiles and footwear; capital goods, automotive and electric vehicles, advanced capital goods; energy; construction equipment and infrastructure; and defence and aerospace (only for items with civilian applicability) and electronics. The members of these groups are from different ministries and departments, including commerce, DPIIT, Niti Aayog, pharmaceuticals, economic affairs, science and technology, chemicals, textiles, heavy industry, ports and shipping, .