Free trade pact with India by year-end: EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be inked by the end of 2026 and assured that the 'mother of all deals' will be operationalised at record speed. Speaking at the European Round Table for Industry in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Sunday alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson, she said that the agreement heralds a transformative new era for global commerce. 'We are committed to signing the agreement by the end of the year and making it fully operational at record speed,' von der Leyen said at a joint press briefing.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
PM Modi woos Swedish cos to invest in India, says 'reform express' going at full speed.
Asserting that India's 'reform express' is going at full speed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked Swedish companies to enhance their presence in manufacturing, green hydrogen mission, clean energy and other sectors. Wooing European companies, Modi highlighted the potential in five broad areas, including telecom and digital infrastructure, and said they can help in making India a global research and development hub.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
'Track imports, manufacture in India': Piyush Goyal pushes swadeshi production.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday asked Indian businesses to closely track the country’s import trends and identify products that can be manufactured locally instead of relying on foreign markets, as the government sharpened its push for a more self-reliant economy. Speaking at a national conclave of trade leaders organised by the Confederation of All India Traders at Bharat Mandapam, Goyal said India still remains dependent on imports in several sectors, including capital goods, and urged industrial clusters across the country to step in.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
FCI to raise Rs.50,000 crore short-term loan for foodgrain operations.
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is set to raise short-term debt of Rs. 50,000 crore from scheduled banks for a three-month tenure, with a green shoe option to mop up an additional Rs. 25,000 crore, a senior government official said on Monday. The funds are being raised to bridge cash flow mismatches arising from procurement and distribution of foodgrains.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Global rice prices poised to gain on deficit, geopolitical crisis and weather concerns.
Rice prices in the global market will likely rise due to the balance swinging to a deficit after over a decade and increasing concerns over weather and fertilizer availability due to geopolitical crisis, analysts have said. '...we expect rice prices to maintain upward momentum over the coming quarters, with the 2026 annual average falling within a $11.7-12.5/cwt (45.36 kg) range, underpinned by rising concerns over weather risks and fertiliser affordability amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict,' said research agency BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
Shivraj wants an overhaul of ICAR’s 113 research institutes.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a comprehensive review of the functioning of the ICAR after expressing dissatisfaction at the functioning of Pune-based National Research Centre for Grapes where he went on a surprise visit, signalling the government’s growing impatience with the pace and effectiveness of India’s farm research ecosystem. Chouhan has directed the M L Jat, director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to submit a detailed report on what needs to be done to revamp the organisation, indicating that the government will be looking at structural and accountability changes in the country’s apex agricultural research network.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
All 649 customs ports digitally integrated to facilitate import of agricultural commodities: Union Agriculture Minister.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on Monday reviewed a series of major reform measures aimed at simplifying processes for farmers, traders and agri-sector stakeholders, as Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the ministry would accelerate changes under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s ‘Reform Express’ to make agricultural governance more transparent, technology-driven and efficient. During the meeting, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Atish Chandra, briefed the Union Agriculture Minister in detail about various reforms being implemented by the ministry and upcoming reform measures.
Source: pib.gov.in
Progress of Area Coverage under Summer Crops as on 15.05.2026.
Progress of Area Coverage under Summer Crops as on 15.05.2026.
Source: pib.gov.in
Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan took major decisions today to give administrative shape to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s appeal for frugality, resource conservation, and self-reliance.
Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan took major decisions today to give administrative shape to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s appeal for frugality, resource conservation, and self-reliance. In a review meeting with officials, measures were set for savings, fuel conservation, power control, virtual working, and reducing government expenditure. On the other hand, the officials also took a collective pledge not to buy gold for a year, except in special family circumstances.
Source: pib.gov.in
Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference to be held in Bhubaneswar on May 19 under the initiative of Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, will organise the Eastern Regional Agriculture Conference in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on May 19, 2026. This key conference will be chaired by Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The conference will be attended by Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, along with agriculture ministers from various states, senior officials, scientists, farmer representatives, agricultural experts, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), startups, banks and other stakeholders.
Source: pib.gov.in