Why Trump's Pharma Tariffs Could Adversely Impact American Users; NITI Aayog Looking To Improve India's Innovation Ranking; And More

"We Expect to Sign It in October": HAL Chief On $1 Billion GE Engine Deal

India appears poised to finalise a significant $1 billion agreement with US aerospace giant General Electric for 113 F404-IN20 fighter jet engines.

HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr DK Sunil confirmed the contract timeline to a news agency, stating "We expect to sign it in October. The contract will be worth more than 1 billion. The contract negotiations are done, and the price is finalised."

The engines will power India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A, supporting the Ministry of Defence's Rs 62,370 crore contract for 97 aircraft signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The order includes 68 single-seat fighters and 29 twin-seat trainers, with deliveries starting in 2027-28 and completing over six years.

The Tejas Mk1A features 70 per cent indigenous content, including advanced UTTAM AESA Radar systems.

Additionally, HAL is negotiating an 80 per cent technology transfer for GE's F414 engines, intended for future projects including the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.

Trump Announces 100 Per Cent Tariffs on Pharmaceutical Imports, India's Sector at Risk

US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs of up to 100 per cent on branded and patented pharmaceutical imports starting October 1, 2025, potentially impacting India's pharmaceutical sector significantly. The tariffs will apply unless companies are "breaking ground" or have manufacturing plants "under construction" in America.

India's pharmaceutical industry faces substantial exposure, with the US representing its largest export market. In FY24, India exported $8.7 billion worth of pharmaceutical products to America—31 per cent of its total $27.9 billion pharma exports. An additional $3.7 billion was exported in the first half of 2025.

India supplies over 45 per cent of generic drugs and 15 per cent of biosimilars used in the US. Major Indian firms including Dr Reddy's, Aurobindo Pharma, Zydus Lifesciences, Sun Pharma, and Gland Pharma derive 30-50 per cent of their revenues from the American market.

While the tariffs primarily target branded and patented drugs dominated by multinational companies, uncertainty remains over whether complex generics and specialty medicines from India could be affected. The move could lead to higher drug prices and shortages for American consumers who depend on affordable Indian generics.

Other developments

Trump Meets Pakistani Leaders In Oval Office But Only After Keeping Them Waiting

US President Donald Trump held an 80-minute meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for 4:30 PM local time, began half an hour late.

Before the encounter, Trump told reporters he was meeting "a great leader...the prime minister of Pakistan and the field marshal," but notably failed to mention or remember their names. "Field Marshal is a very great guy and so is the prime minister," Trump said, adding they might already be waiting in the Oval Office.

The White House released no official statements or readouts from the meeting. Pakistani government photos showed the leaders seated in the Oval Office, later posing with a grinning Trump displaying his characteristic thumbs-up gesture. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present.

Even so, this represents a reversal from Trump's earlier stance, when he criticized Pakistan for harbouring Osama bin Laden and cut billions in aid, tweeting in 2018 that Pakistan would "take our money and do nothing for us."

Ukraine President Zelenskyy: India 'Mostly On Our Side'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed back against suggestions that India is contributing to the Ukraine conflict, stating that India is "mostly on our side."

Speaking to a popular US news network, Zelenskyy acknowledged existing challenges regarding energy cooperation but emphasized these issues "can be managed" by US President Trump.

The Ukrainian leader stressed the importance of European-Indian relations, urging "Europe must build strong relations with India" and warned against withdrawal from diplomatic engagement with New Delhi.

Zelenskyy's comments appear to counter criticism of India's stance and continued energy trade with Russia.

Niti Aayog Reviews Global Innovation Index to Boost India's Rankings

Niti Aayog is evaluating indicators under the Global Innovation Index to accelerate India's ranking improvement through targeted interventions with stakeholder ministries. While India has risen from 81st position in 2015 to 38th in 2025, progress has slowed with only marginal annual gains since 2020.

The statistics ministry identified key areas needing strengthening: GDP per unit of energy (dropped from 71st to 76th), domestic industry diversification (fell from 10th to 19th), and females employed with advanced degrees (remains low at 101st among 139 countries). Despite showing improvement in eight indicators, India worsened on two parameters.

The World Intellectual Property Organization's index shows India's year-on-year rise has been modest, prompting government evaluation of corrective measures for significant improvement.

Government Launches Logistics Plan in Eight Cities

The Union government has partnered with the Asian Development Bank to initiate an Integrated State and City Logistics Plan across eight cities in different states.

The initiative aims to assess existing logistics infrastructure, identify gaps, and create roadmaps for improving efficiency while reducing costs.

Phase one covers Ludhiana, Shimla, Patna, Indore, Jaipur, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, and Visakhapatnam. Planning will take six to eight months, according to DPIIT Joint Secretary.

The plans will strengthen local logistics ecosystems and be replicated nationwide after approval.

From the states

BJP Names Dharmendra Pradhan as Bihar Election In-Charge

The BJP has appointed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as its in-charge for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and Uttar Pradesh minister Keshav Prasad Maurya as co-in-charges. The Election Commission is expected to announce poll dates next month for all 243 assembly seats.

Additionally, BJP named Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav as West Bengal in-charge and Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda for Tamil Nadu, ahead of early 2026 elections in these states. Former Tripura CM Biplab Deb has been made the co-in-charge for West Bengal.

Karnataka: Azim Premji Declines Karnataka CM's Request to Open Wipro Campus for Public Traffic

Wipro founder Azim Premji has declined Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's request to open the company's Sarjapur campus for public vehicular movement to ease Bengaluru's traffic congestion. In his response, Premji cited legal and statutory challenges, explaining that the campus is classified as a Special Economic Zone with stringent access control requirements for global clients.

"Our Sarjapur campus is a SEZ providing services to global customers, our contractual conditions mandate stringent, non-negotiable access control norms," Premji stated. He emphasized that public movement through private property wouldn't provide sustainable long-term solutions.

Instead, Premji recommended commissioning a comprehensive scientific study led by urban transport experts for Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road. Wipro offered to underwrite significant costs for this expert analysis to develop holistic short, medium, and long-term solutions for the city's traffic crisis.