India and the USA have signed a framework titled “Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths” to secure the supply, mining, processing, and recycling of critical minerals and rare earth elements.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in New Delhi. The US government is allocating over $30 billion through investments, loans, and public–private partnerships to strengthen critical mineral supply chains.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed a strategic partnership with the Japan-based Fourth Valley Concierge Corporation (FVCC) to enhance workforce mobility for Indian professionals seeking employment in Japan.
The partnership will utilize the NSDC Trust’s “Credibility Check” framework to establish a transparent verification system for these professionals.
PM Narendra Modi visited Italy at the invitation of Giorgia Meloni, the PM of Italy. During their bilateral meeting in Rome, the leaders reviewed the progress of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029.
The visit resulted in the adoption of a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) and a Defence Industrial Roadmap. Both nations also declared 2027 as the Year of Culture and Tourism and signed 10 MoUs across various sectors.
The Birla Institute of Technology Mesra (BIT Mesra) has signed an MoU with the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), which functions under the Department of Space (DoS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC).
The MoU is valid for 5 years and aims to strengthen cooperation in the fields of geospatial technologies, Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI), remote sensing, and higher education.
Vinod Saxena, the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Ladakh, has approved a 5-year extension of the MoU with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for the development of the first geothermal power project in India.
Under the agreement, the ONGC will construct a 1 MWe pilot geothermal power plant in the Puga Valley of eastern Ladakh, at an altitude of over 14,000 ft.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh visited Vietnam to operationalise the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (ECSP). During his visit, he held ministerial-level discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, General Phan Van Giang, and met with the President of Vietnam, To Lam.
He announced that India is committed to establishing an AI laboratory at the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang. Additionally, he visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi on the 136th birth anniversary of the leader.
PM Narendra Modi has visited Sweden at the invitation of the PM of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson. The visit transitioned the bilateral relations into a formal “Strategic Partnership” and adopted the “Joint Action Plan (2026-2030)”.
Building on a record $7.75 billion bilateral trade volume achieved in 2025, both nations agreed to double their trade over the next 5 years. During his address to the European Round Table for Industry (ERT) in Gothenburg, PM Modi highlighted that India has followed a “12-year trajectory of reforms, performance, and transformation”.
The “India-Sweden Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Start-up Platform” was initiated. The leaders also endorsed the “India-Sweden Technology and Artificial Intelligence Corridor (SITAC)”. Additionally, a virtual “India-Sweden Joint Science and Technology Centre (ISJSTC)” was launched to strengthen bilateral scientific cooperation.
In the field of space exploration, Sweden announced its participation in the Venus Orbiter Mission (“Shukrayaan”) of India, with the Swedish Institute of Space Physics supplying the advanced Venusian Neutrals Analyzer to fly aboard the spacecraft of the ISRO. Furthermore, both nations rolled out the “Tagore-Sweden” Lecture Series to deepen academic connections.
The Government of Odisha has signed an MoU with Intel Corporation and 3DGS Inc to establish an Advanced Packaging Glass Core Substrate Manufacturing Facility in the Bhubaneswar–Khurda region.
The project involves an estimated investment of $3.3 billion, making it one of the largest high-technology manufacturing investments in India.
Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has signed an MoU with EdCIL (India) Ltd, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Education, to promote inclusive education under the former's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The collaboration focuses on installing ‘Smart Digital Classrooms’ in schools located near the operational areas of SAIL.
PM Narendra Modi has paid an official visit to Norway at the invitation of the Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Store. During the visit, PM Modi participated in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit held in Oslo (the capital of Norway), held bilateral talks with his counterpart, and attended the India-Norway Business and Research Summit.
The key outcomes of the visit included the elevation of bilateral relations between India and Norway to a Green Strategic Partnership, the decision of Norway to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), the agreement of India to participate in Nor Shipping 2027, and the launch of the India-Norway Digital Development Partnership.
PM Modi was conferred with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit Grand Cross, one of the highest civilian awards of Norway, by King Harald V. This represents the 32nd global honour received by the PM. Both countries signed 12 agreements to strengthen cooperation across various sectors.
Tata Power Company Ltd (TPCL) has signed an MoU with the Bhutan-based state-owned utility, Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC), to establish a clean energy cooperation framework.
The partnership aims to develop 5,000 Megawatt (MW) of clean energy capacity in Bhutan.
The UK-based British International Investment (BII) has partnered with Denmark-based Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) to launch “North Star”, a $300 million Renewable Energy (RE) platform to support the clean energy transition of India.
Under the partnership, BII and CIP, through the Growth Markets Fund II (GMF II), will each invest up to $150 million in the platform to support solar, wind, hybrid, and storage RE projects in India. The platform is projected to generate over 4 million Megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy annually while preventing 4 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Union Minister S Jaishankar has co-chaired the 9th Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with the Foreign Minister of Suriname, Melvin Bouva. During the visit, he also met with the President of Suriname, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, and the National Assembly Chairman Ashwin Adhin.
During the trip, India handed over a passion fruit processing facility completed under Indian grant assistance and offered soft loans to Suriname for infrastructure and strategic sectors.
Additionally, During his visit to Trinidad & Tobago, Union Minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with the PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to discuss bilateral collaboration. A total of 8 MoUs were signed between India and T&T to strengthen cooperation across various sectors.
PM Narendra Modi has undertaken a two-day official visit to the Netherlands at the invitation of the Dutch PM Rob Jetten. During the visit, PM Modi met Dutch King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima at Palace Huis ten Bosch, and held a high-level meeting with PM Jetten at Catshuis, the official residence of the Dutch PM in The Hague.
Both nations signed a total of 17 agreements and adopted the “Roadmap of India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership” for a 5-year period spanning from 2026 to 2030. It is to be noted that the Leiden University Library of the Netherlands restituted the 11th-century Chola Copper Plates to india in the presence of both leaders.
PM Narendra Modi has visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and held a meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi. UAE has committed to invest $5 billion in India through various entities.
During the visit, the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) signed an MoU with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to enhance the energy security of India. Additionally, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) signed a strategic collaboration agreement with ADNOC for the long-term supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has signed an MoU with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) to leverage the expertise of the latter in geotechnical engineering and natural hazard mitigation.
The collaboration aims to strengthen engineering capabilities, particularly in geologically sensitive and challenging terrains.
The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), established by the SEBI, has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to advance Corporate Governance, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, and capital markets in India.
The collaboration will focus on knowledge exchange, research, policy support, and cooperation in financial and corporate regulation.
Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has signed an MoU with the Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, to collaborate on Executive Education Programmes. The partnership aims to develop future-ready leadership within SAIL by integrating academic knowledge with real-world applications.
India has assumed the chairmanship of the Common Criteria Development Board (CCDB) for a 2-year period, from April 2026 to April 2028. The leadership was confirmed during the 1st Quarter Meeting of the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) held in Tokyo, Japan.
Under the CCRA, member countries accept each other’s IT security certificates without re-certification, facilitating seamless global trade in secure IT products. It is to be noted that India has been a member of the CCRA since 2013.
