Sansa Law Desk

India's commitment to international commercial arbitration depends on predictable enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. Yet the threshold for refusing enforcement based on public policy has long remained uncertain, creating risk for award-creditors and ambiguity for courts. In March 2026, the Supreme Court clarified this critical issue: a foreign arbitral award cannot be challenged on public policy grounds in India if the seat court has already decisively ruled on that issu

India's semiconductor ambition has matured from policy aspiration to concrete legal framework. The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), established as an independent statutory body, drives a comprehensive strategy to build indigenous semiconductor design, manufacturing, and packaging capabilities. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, and Semiconductor Fab Support Scheme form the legal and fiscal backbone of this initiative. In Marc

India's Supreme Court has raised pointed questions about whether the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) is functioning as intended. On February 12, 2026, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made strong observations about RERA implementation, noting that the framework appears to benefit defaulting builders rather than protect homebuyers. These observations mark a critical moment in India's real estate dispute resolution landsca

The rapid rise of synthetic media and artificial intelligence has prompted Indian regulators to act decisively. In February 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified the second amendment to the Information Technology Rules 2021 (IT Rules), introducing comprehensive obligations for handling synthetically generated information (SGI). These rules, effective February 20, 2026, fundamentally reshape how digital platforms, intermediaries, and content cre

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure has moved from a voluntary practice to a regulatory mandate in India. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) Core framework to standardize and strengthen ESG reporting by India's largest listed companies. This framework represents a significant shift in corporate accountability, requiring top-tier listed companies to respond to 140 struc

India generates approximately 377 million tonnes of municipal waste annually, yet only 30-40% receives scientific processing. In March 2026, the Supreme Court issued comprehensive directions to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to enforce the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 with accountability and measurable timelines. The ruling marks a significant escalation in judicial oversight of environmen

The Supreme Court of India has scheduled the commencement of hearings before a nine-judge Constitution Bench on April 7, 2026, with a timetable that targets conclusion by April 22, 2026. The Bench will address the constitutional questions that emerged from the review petitions filed after the Supreme Court's landmark 2018 judgment in Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala, which permitted women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. The 2026 hearings involve

The Reserve Bank of India's Commercial Banks Credit Facilities Amendment Directions, 2026, effective April 1, 2026, introduce a dedicated regulatory framework governing bank lending to capital market intermediaries. The category of capital market intermediaries covered includes stock brokers, clearing members, custodians, and market makers. Until now, bank lending to these entities was governed by general credit exposure norms without a specific framework tailored to the natu

The Securities and Exchange Board of India issued a circular on March 4, 2026 introducing a revised regulatory reporting framework for Alternative Investment Funds registered under the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. The revised framework changes what AIFs must report, when they must report it, and in what format. The first Annual Activity Report under the new framework must be submitted by May 31, 2026, covering the financial year 2025 to 2026. Fund ma

The Reserve Bank of India's Non-Banking Financial Companies Amendment Directions, 2026, effective April 1, 2026, introduce a new classification called the Unregistered Type I NBFC. This category is designed to carve out a class of financial entities that have historically been required to register with the RBI under the NBFC framework but whose activities are sufficiently limited in risk profile to justify an exemption from registration requirements. The amendment is part of

In Mohammad Kaleem v. State of Uttar Pradesh, decided in March 2026 and reported as 2026 INSC 251, the Supreme Court of India clarified the legal standard applicable when a trial court is asked to summon additional accused during the course of a criminal trial under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The judgment confirms that the correct standard is one of strong and cogent evidence, which sits above a prima facie case but well below proof beyond reasonable

In Charul Shukla v. State of U.P., decided on March 25, 2026 and reported as 2026 INSC 297, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan quashed an FIR, chargesheet, and criminal case filed against a woman's sister-in-law and parents-in-law under Sections 498A and related provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Dowry Prohibition Act. The judgment reinforces significant and developing limits on the use of criminal proceedings

In late March 2026, the Reserve Bank of India directed all banks operating in India to ensure that their net open position in the onshore deliverable foreign exchange market does not exceed $100 million at the end of each business day, with a compliance deadline of April 10, 2026. The direction marks the first time since 2011 that the RBI has explicitly set a hard ceiling on how much currency risk a bank can carry in the onshore market. The move has triggered significant mark

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, 2026. The Bill proposes significant changes to the framework governing how non-governmental organisations, trusts, societies, and other non-profit entities in India receive, hold, and utilise foreign contributions. The amendments affect registration, sub-granting, asset management, personal liability of key functionaries, and penalties. For any organisation that receives or

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2026 by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada. The Bill proposes amendments to 784 provisions across 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries. Of these, 717 provisions are to be decriminalised, replacing imprisonment and criminal penalties with civil and administrative enforcement mechanisms. The remaining 67 amendments target improvements to citizen