Center has introduced a new bill in the #Parliament on (04.08.2026)

10. The Taxation and Others Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026: It removes the strict "zero-fee" mandate on digital payments to allow a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select business transactions.

The legislation amends Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 giving the government the legal authority to structure merchant fees in the future.

For people who aren't bothered to read -

Govt is planning to levy charges on every UPI payment in the future 🙂

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the Merchant Discount Rate on digital transactions applies to merchants, not customers, and will fund bank and fintech infrastructure and security investments.
source

"The FM's clarification that MDR applies only to merchants is reassuring for now. But given the amendment removes the existing statutory bar on charging UPI transactions, a written safeguard in the law itself — not just an assurance — would settle the matter more durably."

#Opinion

🇾🇪⚔️🇸🇦 In the past 36 hours Houthis have attacked:

• Struck a Saudi tanker in the Red Sea & Forced a second tanker to reverse course in the Gulf of Aden.

• Attacked three Military bases in Yemen's Hadhramaut Governorate, killing 45 personnel (Pro Saudi Backed PLC Govt)

• Struck Saudi Arabia's Najran International Airport, injuring 11 people and destroying the facility's main Radar system.

• Targeted Seiyun International Airport in the Hadhramaut region, eastern Yemen. (Pro Saudi Backed PLC Govt)

• Struck two military bases in central Yemen's Ma'rib Governorate.

#InternationalNews

CBI has concluded that the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak was the result of a well-coordinated, multi-state criminal conspiracy in which confidential question papers were leaked by National Testing Agency (NTA) subject experts and circulated through a network of middlemen to candidates in return for large sums of money. #Education

According to me, why don’t you shut this down? It shouldn’t be inside Delhi : Delhi HC Judge #Judiciary

Astrobase unveils EVEREST — India’s first full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) rocket engine.

80-tonne class. Fully integrated. Designed and manufactured in Bengaluru, India. #aatmarnirbharbharat #Space #Startups

For the beginners who don't have any idea , here is the summary for you:

This is the absolute pinnacle of engineering. A Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) engine is one of the most advanced liquid rocket engine cycles ever developed. In this design, 100% of both the fuel and oxidizer pass through separate preburners before entering the main combustion chamber.

> Extremely high efficiency
> Extremely complex design and control systems
> Requires advanced metallurgy

As of now, there is only ONE country who has operational FFSC engine. That is SpaceX Raptor 🇺🇸

🇨🇳China is the 2nd country to build FFSC and did hot test. But they have no operational rocket yet.

🇮🇳 India is now the 3rd one to build FFSC. This engine will now undergo multiple hot test on ground for the next few months.

#tech #space

RITES Ltd is developing a 1,435 mm standard-gauge locomotive for an Australian customer, building on its Cape gauge success in South Africa; with Indian Railways’ surplus fleet of over 15,000 locomotives, including 5,000 diesel units with 10–15 years of service life, the initiative aims to expand exports across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Australia to meet global demand for diesel locomotives. #Railways #Exports

ZOLT UAS, developed by ideaForge Labs, has demonstrated an experimental autonomous aerial system designed for precision tactical payload deployment.

Building on earlier Air-Launched Effects trials, the system combines long-range reach with accurate final-phase delivery, highlighting how multiple autonomous platforms can extend mission capabilities when operating together.

#Drones #Defence

POV: Indian Private Space and drone start ups these days

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on questions regarding US comments pertaining to India's FCRA amendments!!

We have seen those comments. Legislative matters concerning India are our internal affairs!!

He also pointed out that many countries including the United States of America regulate foreign funding!!

#foreignaffairs #reforms #policy #MHA

🇹🇷🇸🇦🇵🇰 BREAKING: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have just signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca which establishes that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three, marking a new mutual defence commitment. #InternationalNews #Geopolitics

An investigation by The Indian Express has found that of the 22 recipients of public money, 15 have investment ties to 7 members of the selection committee, raising questions of conflict of interest and propriety. These together got over Rs 1,377 crore.

Nine of the firms are linked to the chairman of the selection panel, the founder of an angel investing network who also has a personal stake in at least one of the companies selected.

The members did disclose their interests and recused themselves!!

#Corruption

Basically it means more Turkish Drone Operator will be Barbequed in Pakistan, maybe this time they can at least accept them with honour 👍

But on a serious note our Government isn't serious on ordering new Indigenous Defense Platform even after Op Sindoor. #Opinion