India’s skilling ecosystem is set to receive a major boost through enhanced global collaboration, as the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ITE Education Services (ITEES), Singapore.

The partnership aims to co-develop advanced, future-ready training systems aligned with global standards, with a strong focus on improving employability and institutional capacity across sectors.

Under this collaboration, both organisations will work towards building scalable skill development programmes in manufacturing and services, while also enabling the training of up to 10,000 trainers through structured capacity-building initiatives.

Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited have announced the launch of India’s first Official F1 Sim Racing Championship. Held under an agreement that grants Mumbai Falcons the rights to host an official Formula 1-sanctioned sim racing competition, the F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026 will establish a national competitive platform for emerging talent across the country.The Championship is designed to create a structured pathway from virtual competition to professional motorsport, offering young drivers a credible first step into the wider racing ecosystem. This also marks the first time Formula 1 has introduced a programme of this nature, exclusively for India, according to a release.

The announcement comes at the perfect time, as conversations around bringing Formula 1 back to India gain momentum and fan interest in the sport continues to surge.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched Mission SAKSHAM for capacity building of the Urban Co-operative Banking sector. It aims to enhance managerial and operational capabilities, improve compliance culture, and strengthen institutional resilience across UCBs. Mission SAKSHAM is a mission-mode, sector-wide and all-India capacity-building training initiative for UCBs, under which the RBI will conduct a large number of training programmes, both in-person and through e-learning courses, covering about 1 crore 40 lakh participants.

These programmes will target groups including board members, senior management, heads of risk, among others, and will also include content delivery in regional languages wherever feasible. Mission SAKSHAM aims to establish a sustainable, self-reinforcing ecosystem for systemic stability and the healthy growth and development of the UCB sector.

Sigma Advanced Systems has signed a seven-year long-term agreement with Rolls-Royce valued at ₹3,800 crore to supply a wide portfolio of high-precision-engineered, safety-critical components and assemblies for Rolls-Royce’s aerospace programs.

The agreement is a program-level partnership delivered through the company’s manufacturing network across India and the UK, reflecting how the company is increasingly operating as an integrated global platform rather than a location-specific supplier.

“This partnership with Rolls-Royce reflects how our strategy is taking shape. It validates the investments we have made in building a connected India–UK platform and our focus on quality, reliability, and long-term partnerships,” Sunil Kumar Kalidindi, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Sigma Advanced Systems, said in a release on Monday.

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) has announced the formation of an Integrated Petrochemicals Marketing & Trading Joint Venture Company in partnership with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and ONGC Petro additions Limited (OPaL).

The Board of Directors of ONGC has approved the creation of the new Joint Venture Company (JVC), with shareholding structured at 50:25:25 between ONGC, MRPL and OPaL respectively. MRPL will contribute ₹12.5 crore towards the equity share capital of the proposed company, subject to approval from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Ministry of Finance.

MobiKwik Group has received an approval from the Reserve Bank of India for a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence, One MobiKwik Systems said on April 27 following which the shares of the company rose up to 15%.

The RBI approval, MobiKwik said, marks "a significant milestone in the Group’s journey to deepen its financial services offerings".

At 1:35 pm on April 27, MobiKwik shares were trading 14.7% higher at Rs 231.7 apiece.

India and Kenya on Monday strengthened their economic partnership with the signing of a key customs cooperation agreement on the sidelines of the 10th India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting, which was held after a gap of seven years at the Commerce Secretary level.

According to a statement issued by the High Commission of India in Nairobi, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the exchange of pre-arrival information for goods was signed between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

The agreement was signed by CBIC Member Yogendra Garg and KRA Commissioner General Lilian Nyawanda in the presence of Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Kenya's Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Akoth Ombam.

UNESCO has added 12 new sites to its Global Geoparks network. The expansion marks another significant milestone in the agency's global effort to preserve Earth's geological heritage while promoting sustainable development. The designated geoparks are located in China, France, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Russia, Tunisia and Uruguay. The total number of UNESCO Global Geopark sites is now 241, spanning across 51 countries, covering an area of over 882,000 sq km. 

In a significant step toward strengthening international cooperation on sustainability and resilience, Jordan has formally confirmed its membership in three major global initiatives spearheaded by India — the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA).

The Ambassador of Jordan to India, Yousef Abdelghani, formally handed over the membership documents to Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South), during an official ceremony.

The move signals Jordan’s commitment to expanding collaboration in renewable energy, climate resilience, and sustainable fuels.

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has released a Niti Aayog report titled Moving Towards Effective City Government – A Framework for Million-plus Cities in New Delhi. The report outlines a focused roadmap for million-plus cities to address key urban governance challenges. In a social media post, NITI Aayog said that the report calls for a shift towards empowered city governments through better alignment of functions, finances, and responsibilities. The key recommendations of the report include directly elected Mayors with fixed tenure and stronger executive authority, and integration of core urban services under city governments. On the Occasion, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, Urban Development Ministers from over 10 States and NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba, along with other senior officials, were also present.