India

Times of India | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for renewed efforts to strengthen the development trajectory in Manipur, a state affected by ethnic strife. He assured the state administration of the Centre’s full and steadfast support, recalling his visit to Manipur in September 2025 as part of efforts to defuse ethnic tensions between the Meiteis and Kukis and restore normalcy.

In his letter to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Modi praised the people of Manipur for their courage and faith in peace and progress. He highlighted the government’s commitment since 2014 under the ‘Act East, Act Fast’ resolve to empower the region, unlock opportunities, and fulfill local aspirations.

Modi also wrote to the chief ministers of Tripura and Meghalaya on their statehood days, acknowledging past feelings of alienation from the national mainstream in the Northeast. He pointed to the 2024 peace accord in Tripura with insurgent groups NLFT and ATTF as a turning point, marking a new era of hope. For Meghalaya, he noted that development had stagnated before the NDA government took office in 2014 and has since worked extensively to transform the region.

Trilegal | English | AcademicThink | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedLegal Exposure

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) directed three liquor vendor associations in Maharashtra to cease cartelisation activities including price fixing, control over market entry, and collectively setting retail terms. Despite finding evidence of cartel conduct, CCI refrained from monetary penalties due to mitigating factors such as first-time offence and limited financial capacity.

CCI dismissed a complaint against Google Play Store by Liberty Infospace, ruling that Google’s conduct in terminating developer accounts was justifiable to protect platform integrity and did not constitute abuse of dominance. The decision underscored the need to assess dominant position abuse in market context rather than in isolation.

In a significant enforcement action, the CCI imposed the maximum penalty based on the global turnover of six companies involved in bid rigging in solid waste management tenders for Pune Municipal Corporation. This marked the first use of the 2024 Penalty Guidelines allowing penalty calculation on global turnover when relevant turnover is infeasible. The CCI rejected mitigating factors due to the severity of the collusive conduct.

The National Competition Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) largely upheld CCI’s finding that Meta and WhatsApp abused dominance by imposing unfair data-sharing terms in WhatsApp’s 2021 policy update. It upheld a penalty of INR 213.14 crore (~USD 23.6 million) but set aside a five-year ban on data sharing for advertising purposes, allowing other user consent remedies instead. Meta and WhatsApp have appealed to the Supreme Court.

NCLAT ruled that the CCI lacks jurisdiction over patent-related disputes, affirming its dismissal of a complaint against Vifor International regarding licensing and pricing of a patented pharmaceutical ingredient. The CCI has challenged this decision in the Supreme Court.

The Kerala High Court affirmed the CCI’s jurisdiction to adjudicate abuse of dominance claims in regulated sectors such as broadcasting. The court held that the Competition Act and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act operate concurrently, with CCI’s jurisdiction applicable for competition issues distinct from sectoral regulatory matters.

Hindu Business Line | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedBizdev-Partnering

Indian space-tech start-ups are increasingly securing international customers, marking a shift from a domestic-focused ecosystem to one driven by global demand. Enhanced credibility through ISRO, improved cost competitiveness, and established flight heritage are helping these companies expand into markets such as the US, Europe, Japan, Singapore, and Australia. Manastu Space now earns about 40% of its revenue from overseas, targeting government defence orders via direct and potential OEM partnerships.

Dhruva Space, although currently dependent mostly on the domestic market, anticipates rapid international growth, with customers in France, Austria, Australia, and the Middle East. Its exports, including space-grade solar panels and ground station services, may rise to 40% of its order backlog in the near future. These export opportunities not only boost sales but also diversify risk and improve the quality of order books. Investors note that firms serving both domestic and international clients, such as Pixxel, enjoy higher valuation premiums due to market and technical risk reduction.

Digantara Industries is gaining international recognition as a credible global supplier, especially in defence and intelligence sectors requiring sovereign technologies. The company is expanding its global footprint with a US presence and plans for a European entity by 2026 to support both classified and commercial programs, while maintaining core engineering in India. PierSight is experiencing growing overseas demand driven by its unique SAR+AIS-based ocean surveillance solutions, with the fastest growth in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The firm expects exports to surpass domestic revenue as global demand for persistent maritime monitoring increases.