Enforcement Directorate Gets 60% Manpower Boost, Strength to 3,256, PMLA Raids Doubled to 2,892 in FY26

ED Registers 1,080 PMLA Cases in FY 2025-26, Conviction Rate at 0.93% Over 5 Years

ED registered 1,080 PMLA cases in FY 2025-26 — a four-year high — but conviction rate remains abysmally low at 0.93% (43 cases in 5 years). Income Tax Department also filed 2,127 prosecution cases with high acquittal rates. This data, tabled in Parliament, highlights enforcement effectiveness vs. judicial outcomes — a key UPSC/Banking exam topic.

UPSC Key: 14 Internal EC Dissents, Tarang Shakti-26 Multinational Exercise, and AI-Driven Semiconductor Supercycle

This Indian Express 'UPSC Key' compilation covers six critical topics: unprecedented internal dissent within the Election Commission (14 objections in 10 months), the second edition of India's largest multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti-26, the Supreme Court's reaffirmation of the Bijoe Emmanuel precedent on Vande Mataram, a new Centre scheme for lithium and nickel processing, the evolution of Yemen's Houthis from a local revivalist movement to a Red Sea power, and the global semiconductor 'supercycle' driven by AI demand. Each story is mapped to UPSC syllabus with previous year questions.

ECI Delists 334 RUPPs; ₹11,813 Cr Tax Exemption Lost on Political Donations – Need for CAG Audit

Political parties in India enjoy unprecedented tax exemptions and opacity in donations. A recent BBC investigation and ADR report reveal that Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) received huge donations without contesting elections. The exchequer lost ₹11,813 crore in taxes over a decade. The Election Commission lacks power to deregister shell parties, and the author calls for mandatory CAG audit, expenditure limits, and a digital portal for financial transparency.

Defence Production Hits ₹1.78 Lakh Cr, Exports Surge 5,500% Under Aatmanirbhar Bharat

India's defence production has surged nearly four-fold to ₹1.78 lakh crore, and exports have skyrocketed by over 5,500% to ₹38,424 crore in 2025-26. This marks a major milestone in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission, with the government targeting ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029. For UPSC/SSC/Banking aspirants, this is a high-yield topic covering defence indigenisation, budget trends, and export performance.

Anti-Dumping Duty on Chinese TiO2: DGTR Final Findings (Aug 3, 2026) - Centre Assures KMML, TTPL

The Centre has assured Kerala of imposing anti-dumping duty on Chinese titanium dioxide following DGTR's final findings. This protects PSUs like KMML and TTPL from low-cost imports. Key for Prelims: DGTR process, anti-dumping mechanism, and dates.

CBDT's SAKSHAM NUDGE Campaign: ₹9,493 Cr Additional Tax from 1.25 Cr Updated ITRs

The CBDT's NUDGE campaign (now SAKSHAM NUDGE) has yielded ₹9,493 crore in additional tax from 1.25 crore updated ITRs in FY 2024-25 and 2025-26. This data-driven, non-intrusive compliance approach is a major shift from post-facto enforcement to preventive tax collection, a key theme for UPSC GS3 (Tax Reforms) and Banking exams.

FAST-DS 2026: Income Tax Dept Nudges Taxpayers to Disclose Foreign Assets by Dec 31

The Income Tax Department has begun emailing taxpayers who may hold undisclosed foreign assets, urging them to use the FAST-DS 2026 disclosure window (open till Dec 31, 2026). This one-time compliance scheme is crucial for small taxpayers like students, NRIs, and tech employees holding ESOPs or overseas accounts, with penalties up to ₹1 lakh or 30% tax plus additional tax.

ED Files PMLA Complaints Against RInfra, RCom; ₹40,185.55 Cr Proceeds of Crime

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed prosecution complaints against Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Communications for alleged money laundering, involving siphoning of ₹187 crore from NHAI toll projects and diversion of ₹40,185.55 crore in bank loans. This case highlights PMLA enforcement against corporate fraud and shell companies.