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| A file photo of Amrit Udyan during the inauguration of its Summer Annuals Edition 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday, August 14, 2025. (Photo: SHABD) |
India Pulse | February 2, 2026: Your Daily Digest of India's Governance, Progress, and Vision
The India Pulse Newsletter for February 2, 2026 covers Parliament to continue discussion on Motion of Thanks to President's Address, government notifying Baggage Rules 2026 and new Customs Baggage Declaration and Processing Regulations 2026, Jaishankar embarking on three-day US visit, Seychelles President Patrick Herminie scheduled to visit India, government refuting claims of FM promoting investment project with easy returns, Defence Ministry granting Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited, and Dr Jitendra Singh calling Budget futuristic roadmap for bio-pharma, nuclear energy and AI in agriculture.
NEWS IN DETAIL
Parliament To Continue Discussion On Motion Of Thanks To President’s Address
Both Houses of the Parliament will continue discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament, on the commencement of the Budget session.
The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on Monday took up discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.
A total of 16 hours have been allotted for the discussion in the Rajya Sabha. Moving the motion, Nominated Member C Sadanandan Master said, President Murmu in her address articulated a clear and confident vision of India’s journeys towards Viksit Bharat.
He said, Government is moving forward on the path of reform express and the country is witnessing unprecedented investment in modern infrastructure.
Supporting the motion, Dr. Medha Vishram Kulkarni of BJP said, the President’s address highlights India’s continued progress.
Digvijay Singh of Congress alleged that the government is anti-farmer and anti-labour. Sagarika Ghose of TMC alleged that digital systems are enabling cyber fraud and data scams. Sanjay Kumar Jha of JD(U), Tiruchi Siva of DMK, and Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party also participated in the discussion, among others.
The discussion remained inconclusive. Later, the Upper House took up Special Mentions, after which it was adjourned for the day to meet again on Tuesday.
In Lok Sabha, a total of 18 hours have been allotted for the discussion. Moving the motion in the Lower House, Union Minister and BJP MP Sarbananda Sonowal said, the President’s address reflected the government’s vision of social justice, inclusive growth and commitment towards building Viksit Bharat.
Mr Sonowal said, before 2014, during Congress led government, India faced policy paralysis, corruption-driven government and delay in execution of projects.
He highlighted that in 2014, when the Narendra Modi government came to power, India has embarked upon a journey of rapid growth and all round progress. Mr Sonowal said that 44 lakh crore rupees have been transferred directly into the account of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer. Tejasvi Surya of BJP said, in the last 12 years the Narendra Modi government has ensured delivery with dignity and no charge of corruption has been leveled against the government.
Govt Notifies Baggage Rules, 2026, Issues New Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026
The Government has notified the Baggage Rules, 2026 and issued the New Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026 and a Master Circular for people travelling to and from India, which will make airport procedures easier and faster.
The Ministry of Finance said the new rules aim to reduce paperwork, increase transparency, and speed up clearance at airports.
Passengers will now be able to declare their baggage electronically and even in advance, saving time at customs counters. These changes will allow enhanced general free allowance, transfer of residence benefits and special allowances for jewellery. The government has also allowed one laptop to be brought duty-free by passengers above 18 years of age.
New provisions have been added for temporary imports and re-imports, meaning items taken abroad and brought back will face fewer complications. Pets can also be brought in duty-free, following the prescribed rules. The Ministry said these measures reflect facilitative and revised provisions for international passengers, and in accordance with new economic conditions, rising travel volumes and passenger expectations.
Jaishankar Embarks On Three-Day US Visit
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Monday embarked on a three-day visit to the US to attend a Washington-led ministerial meeting on critical minerals supply chain.
Mr. Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials of the Trump administration.
The ministerial will focus on supply chain resilience, clean energy transitions, and strategic cooperation in critical minerals.
Seychelles President Patrick Herminie to Visit India
President of Seychelles Patrick Herminie will undertake a state visit to India from February 5, 2026 to February 10, 2026.
This will be President Herminie’s first visit to India since assuming office last October. The visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that during his visit to India, President Herminie will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest.
President Herminie will also visit Chennai and Mumbai where he would be attending business events.
Seychelles is a key maritime neighbour for India in the Indian Ocean region and holds a special place in India’s Vision MAHASAGAR and commitment to the Global South.
The visit of President Herminie to India is expected to lend further momentum to wide-ranging cooperation and robust people to people ties between the two countries.
Government Refutes Claims of FM Promoting Investment Project With Easy Returns
The Union Government has refuted a social media post claiming that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is promoting an investment project offering early and easy returns.
The Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) informed that the claim is fake. It added that the Finance Minister has not endorsed any such investment project or scheme.
The Government has urged the citizens to not fall for such schemes as they could be a phishing attempt. The PIB further asked the people to always verify information through official sources before believing or sharing them.
Defence Ministry Grants Miniratna Category-I Status to Yantra India Limited
Defence Ministry has approved the grant of Miniratna Category-I status to Yantra India Limited (YIL).
Congratulating the Defence Public Sector Undertaking, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said YIL has successfully transformed from a government organisation into a profit-making corporate entity within about four years.
He expressed satisfaction over the initiatives taken by YIL to increase turnover, maximise indigenisation and meet performance parameters. The Ministry of Defence highlighted that after its inception, YIL has recorded significant growth in sales, rising from over 956 crore rupees in the second half of FY 2021-22 to 3 crore rupees in FY 2024-25.
YIL manufactures key defence products including carbon fibre and glass composites, aluminium alloys, and assembly products for ammunition, armoured vehicles, artillery guns and main battle tanks. With Miniratna-I status, the YIL Board can now incur capital expenditure up to 500 crore rupees without government approval, enabling faster modernisation and growth.
Budget Futuristic Roadmap for Bio-Pharma, Nuclear Energy, AI in Agriculture: Dr. Jitendra Singh
Calling the Union Budget 2026-27 futuristic, Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the budget lays the roadmap for the next quarter of the century.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Monday, Dr Singh highlighted that the allocation of ten thousand crore rupees for Bio Pharma Shakti, will strengthen India’s position in the bio-manufacturing sector.
He said the Budget also focuses on providing relief to the middle class, including measures to improve affordability of treatment for diseases such as cancer.
The Minister said the extension of customs duty exemptions on the import of components for nuclear plants till 2035 will encourage investors and help ensure access to high-quality infrastructure in the nuclear energy sector. He said that the twenty thousand crore rupees allocation in Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage is a critical step towards industrial decarbonisation, circular economy, and environmental sustainability. Dr Singh also announced structured deployment of AI in agriculture, ensuring farmers benefit from technology while being safeguarded from its unintended effects.
The Minister underlined that the Budget ensures inclusivity, with measures that directly benefit the poorest sections, including women-led entrepreneurship programmes, and livelihood generation through science-based interventions.