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National Economic Forum is proud to announce that we are teaming up with The Center For Indian Classical Dances @CICDofficial to bring to you
Swarnika Samvaad, a forum dedicated to dialogue that can help identify practical directions for building a creative and cultural ecosystem commensurate with India‘s civilisational depth and future ambitions.
Lead by Dr. Sonal Mansingh @sonal_mansingh an internationally recognized Indian Classical Dancer , Bharat Natyam and Odissi dance guru.
We intend to not only preserve but shed a light on participation, livelihoods, enterprise and
development. This dialogue can help identify practical directions for building a creative and cultural ecosystem commensurate with India‘s
civilisational depth and future ambitions.
#India #NEF #CICD #CulturalHeritage
Turning Trade Agreements into Export Opportunities
NEF’s research brief, “Seven Doors, Eight Engines: Gujarat’s Handbook for Turning India’s Free Trade Agreements into Exports,” was released today at the FTA Conclave, Gandhinagar, by Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat; Smt. Mamta Verma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) and Smt. Stuti Charan, Joint CEO, GRIT, Gujarat Government’s apex think tank.
Prepared by Dr. Sagarika Chaudhary, it examines seven trade-agreement pathways across eight industrial sectors helping policymakers prioritise export support, industry identify growth opportunities, and exporters understand tariff benefits and compliance requirements.
Jagdip Rana, Executive Director, NEF; Dr. Sagarika Chaudhary; and Areeka Mir participated in the event. Organised by The Secretariat, the Conclave featured NEF and IIFT, GIFT City Campus, as Knowledge Partners.
Advancing competitive industry, exports and employment towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
@sanghaviharsh @Secretariat_in
#FTAConclave #GujaratTrade #TradePolicy #Exports #NEF
National Economic Forum(NEF) retweeted
Event Wrap | Highlights from The Secretariat FTA Conclave Gujarat 2026 at Gandhinagar, bringing together policymakers and industry leaders to deliberate on India's evolving trade landscape. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi delivered the keynote address.
Discussions centred on exports, regulatory compliance, non-tariff barriers, and positioning Gujarat's industrial ecosystem at the forefront of global commerce.
#FTAConclave #GujaratTrade #TradePolicy #Exports #TheSecretariat
National Economic Forum(NEF) retweeted
Attended The Secretariat FTA Conclave, Gujarat in Gandhinagar, engaging in meaningful discussions on Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), export opportunities, and strengthening Gujarat’s global trade presence.
A valuable platform to connect industry stakeholders and explore new avenues for trade, investment, and growth, with a special focus on empowering Gujarat’s industries and MSMEs.
The September 2026 edition of NEF Brew examines India’s BRICS Chairship, the New Delhi Declaration, and what it will take to turn a stronger Global South voice into real economic gains.
Read the issue 👇
nef.org.in/media/nef_project…
#BRICS2026 #GlobalSouth #NEFBrew
The National Economic Forum is pleased to be the Knowledge Partner for the FTA Conclave – Gujarat 2026.
We look forward to contributing to insightful discussions on accelerating exports and unlocking Gujarat’s global trade potential.
Join us for a focused conversation on strengthening India’s trade ambitions.
@Secretariat_in
📅 October 14, 2026 | 9:30 AM onwards 📷 The Leela, Gandhinagar Register now: forms.gle/KB3HqakarPE9sk #FTAConclave #Gujarat2026 #Exports #Trade
FTA Conclave – Gujarat 2026
A focused discussion on Accelerating Exports and Gujarat’s global trade potential.
Knowledge Partner: National Economic Forum
Join the Event: forms.gle/KB3HqakarPE9skyE6
October 14 | 📍 Hotel Leela, Gandhinagar
@NEFIndia
#FTAConclave #Gujarat2026 #Exports #Trade
National Economic Forum(NEF) retweeted
FTA Conclave Gujarat 2026
The Secretariat is bringing together experts to explore export opportunities and strengthen global trade.
🤝 Knowledge Partners: Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), GIFT City Campus, and @NEFIndia.
🔗 Join the Event: forms.gle/KB3HqakarPE9skyE6
📅 Oct 14 | 📍 Hotel Leela, Gandhinagar
#FTAConclave #Gujarat2026 #GlobalTrade
Thank you, South Asian University, for hosting such a meaningful and enriching edition of SAFAL-III. It was a privilege for the National Economic Forum to be associated with this wonderful celebration of arts, literature, ideas and cultural dialogue.
We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the organisers, speakers, authors, artists and the entire team in bringing together such diverse and inspiring voices from across South Asia.
We look forward to more such meaningful collaborations and shared initiatives in the future.
@dhananjayjnu @SouthAsianUni
#SAFAL2026 #SouthAsianUniversity #NationalEconomicForum #CulturalDialogue #LiteraryExchange #SouthAsia
South Asian University hosted the third edition of the South Asian Festival of Arts and Literature (SAFAL-III) on 28–29 September 2026, bringing together distinguished authors, scholars, journalists, diplomats and artists for two days of literary and intellectual engagement.
The festival was inaugurated on 28 September by @Profkkaggarwal, President, South Asian University. The inaugural session also featured Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director, SAFAL, and Dr. @dhananjayjnu, Co-Director, SAFAL, and Director, Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), SAU.
Organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), South Asian University, in association with Valley of Words (VoW), the festival featured literary conversations, keynote addresses and artistic performances. The event was supported by Sahitya Akademi, India’s World, the Austrian Cultural Forum, New Delhi, the National Economic Forum, and the South Asia Solidarity Foundation.
The festival featured eight distinguished authors and three keynote speakers, including senior journalist Satish Jha; Michael Pal, Director, Austrian Cultural Forum, New Delhi; and Dr. Kuladhar Saikia, author and retired IPS officer.
The programme also featured a special performance by the Mozart Choir of the Austrian Cultural Forum and SAU students, adding an artistic dimension to the festival.
SAFAL-III provided a vibrant platform for literary exchange, cultural dialogue and engagement with diverse perspectives on South Asia, further strengthening South Asian University’s commitment to interdisciplinary and cross-cultural intellectual engagement.
#SAFAL2026 #SouthAsianUniversity #SouthAsianLiterature #LiteraryFestival #ArtsAndLiterature #SouthAsia #CulturalDialogue #LiteraryExchange
The EU and China head into October 8 - 9 talks in Beijing with three major issues on the
table: China’s rising exports to Europe, access for European companies to the Chinese
market, and China’s controls on rare earths. The EU’s goods trade deficit with China reached
about €360 billion in 2025.
The bigger picture: Brussels wants a more balanced trade relationship without triggering a
wider trade conflict, while securing critical supplies such as rare earths remains vital for
Europe’s technology and manufacturing sectors.
#EU #China #Trade #GlobalEconomy #RareEarths #SupplyChains #Europe #Geopolitics
#Business #NEF
From Reserves to Readiness India’s Critical Minerals Intelligence Challenge
Building an integrated system for resources, processing, secondary recovery and supply risk.
National Economic Forum: Plocy Brief
nef.org.in/articles/from-res…
National Economic Forum(NEF) retweeted
It was a wonderful performance by these young talents on the day 1 of South Asian Festival of Arts and Literature.
A Choir by Austrian Cultural Forum - New Delhi.
@vowlitfest
@AustriainIndia
@IndiasWorld_mag
@NEFIndia
@Sahityaakademi
National Economic Forum(NEF) retweeted
With students, volunteers, and Department Colleagues, during the South Asian Festival of Arts and Literature (SAFAL) - IIIrd Edition.
DELHI ANNOUNCES TOUGHER MEASURES TO TACKLE WINTER POLLUTION
Delhi has announced a comprehensive strategy ahead of the winter pollution season, targeting several major sources of air pollution. Measures include stricter action against construction and demolition activities, waste burning and vehicle pollution, along with stronger enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Authorities also plan an AI-enabled command-and-control centre and additional air-quality monitoring stations.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Delhi is moving towards a more technology-driven and year-round approach to pollution control, rather than relying only on emergency measures when air quality becomes severe.
#DelhiPollution #AirPollution #CleanAir #Environment #PollutionControl #Sustainability #Delhi #ClimateAction
UPI changed how India pays. Now, its economics are changing too.
From October 15, 2026, a new framework introduces Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on eligible UPI person-to-merchant transactions above ₹2,000.
But what does that actually mean?
In this ECON 90 explainer, we break down the ₹2,000 threshold, who bears the MDR, why most everyday UPI payments remain outside the framework, and the larger question of how India can sustainably finance the infrastructure behind its digital payments ecosystem.
Because UPI is no longer just a payment method.
It is economic infrastructure.
Watch the full ECON 90 to understand the shift.
National Economic Forum | ECON 90
Making Economics Understandable.
#ECON90 #UPI #DigitalPayments #India #IndianEconomy FinTech DigitalIndia EconomicPolicy DigitalInfrastructure FinancialInclusion Payments NationalEconomicForum NEF
The #TrumpXi summit wrapped up Friday with limited deliverables.
The two sides did agree to discuss AI risks formally in coming weeks.
The U.S. and Chinese presidents are expected to meet two more times this year.
For #India, This is very interesting
1. Rare earths:
China retaining leverage over critical-mineral supply means India's push for domestic mine-to-magnet capacity remains strategically important.
2. Trade diversion:
If US-China tariffs remain lower for selected products, India needs to watch whether this changes the competitive position of Indian exporters. The two-month extension also means uncertainty hasn't disappeared.
3. Russia + energy:
The summit did not eliminate the broader pressure around US–India trade and Russian oil, and Indian analysts have specifically flagged this as an area to watch.
We’re delighted to be part of the South Asian Festival of Arts & Literature (SAFAL-III)! 📚🎨
Join us for two days of books, arts, culture and meaningful conversations. Come by, say hello, and engage with us!
Read. Listen. Discover. Engage.
@sahityaakademi @IndiasWorld_mag @AustriainIndia @vowlitfest
#SAFALIII #SouthAsianFestival #ArtsAndLiterature #Books #Culture #NEF
Join us for two days of books, arts, culture, and meaningful engagement.
Read. Listen. Discover. Engage.
@sahityaakademi @IndiasWorld_mag @AustriainIndia @NEFIndia @vowlitfest
OPENAI AI AGENT BREACHED AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HEALTH PORTAL
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent bypassed security blocks and gained unauthorised access to a Medicare statistics portal in June. The portal contained aggregated healthcare data, and officials said there is currently no evidence that patient records or personal information were accessed. Investigations are continuing.
The bigger picture: The incident raises new questions about how autonomous AI agents should be monitored and contained when they can interact directly with external systems.
#OpenAI #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CyberSecurity#Australia #AIagents #Technology #DigitalSecurity #NEF
STARBUCKS CHOOSES CHENNAI FOR ITS FIRST INDIA TECH HUB
Starbucks is setting up its first Global Capability Centre in India in Chennai, creating high-value technology jobs in the first phase. The centre will support Starbucks’ global operations, technology and business teams, with recruitment expected to begin in Q1 2027.
The bigger picture: Chennai is strengthening its position as a major global hub for technology, talent and high-value business services.
#Starbucks #TamilNadu #Chennai #GCC #Technology #Jobs #Investment #India #Business
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The planet’s water savings account is running down.That’s the core warning in WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025.
2025 was one of the driest years for river discharge in 35 years. The last 7 years have had the fewest “normal” river flows since 1991. Slow reserves — groundwater, glaciers, land water storage — are being spent faster than they refill.
@WMO @UN_Water
#WMO #StateOfWater2025 #WaterSecurity #ClimateAndWater
9/10
Adaptation is not only about a warmer climate. It is about planning for a water cycle that no longer matches the “normal” managers still use.If the savings account keeps falling, a single dry year or flood season lands harder on food, cities, energy, and the poorest first.
10/10
Read the original: WMO State of Global Water Resources 2025 and the launch remarks.
Useful framing also in NEF’s piece on the same report: the planet’s water account is being drawn down.Water security is now a systems problem — observation, cooperation, and management — not a slogan. The science is clearer than it was five years ago. The test is whether policy catches up.
@UNDRR @unescoWATER @UNICEF
#WaterCrisis #EarlyWarning #Adaptation #WMO