11 Sep 2025

India faces steep tariffs of up to 50 per cent from the US, including a 25 per cent penalty on crude oil imports from Russia, which could affect GDP growth by around 0.2-0.3 per cent this financial year. Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said that the recent GST reforms would help offset these impacts by boosting domestic demand. The reforms include a move to a two-slab system of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, along with a 40 per cent rate on luxury and sin goods, making nearly 400 products cheaper. Key sectors like textiles, gems, leather, and machinery are most affected, while pharma, energy, and electronics remain largely exempt.Read more

10 Sep 2025

Fitch Ratings has upgraded India's GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal year to 6.9%, citing robust growth in the April-June quarter and strong domestic consumption. This is the first upward revision by a global agency after earlier downgrades due to trade uncertainties. While trade tensions with the US and higher tariffs pose challenges, government reforms in the Goods and Services Tax are expected to support consumer spending. Growth is projected to moderate in the second half of the fiscal year, with future fiscal years seeing slower, yet steady expansion.Read more

09 Sep 2025

Bond prices climbed recently after the Finance Minister reaffirmed that the borrowing strategy will stay unchanged and the fiscal deficit target of 4.4% of GDP remains within reach. The 10-year benchmark yield eased slightly from its previous week's close. Market players anticipate a smoother supply plan, with hopes that long-dated borrowing may ease in the second half. Swap rates edged lower as fiscal concerns abated, while attention turns to upcoming inflation data both domestically and in the U.S. Supportive global cues and central bank measures also helped ease market tension.Read more

08 Sep 2025

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) on biogas plants and devices has been reduced from 12 percent to 5 percent, a step that is expected to make projects more viable and attract fresh investments. The GST Council, in its recent meeting, also decided to restructure the overall tax system by cutting rates on 375 items and reducing slabs from four to two. The Indian Biogas Association said the reduction in GST will bring down costs, encourage wider adoption, and could result in USD 4-5 billion of private investment in the compressed biogas sector by 2030.Read more

08 Sep 2025

The Odisha government has decided to distribute work orders for 50,000 houses under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, marking the latest step in its effort to provide permanent housing to the poorest households in the state. The scheme, launched by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi earlier this year in Kalahandi, focuses on families living in extreme poverty, persons with disabilities, individuals affected by leprosy, and those without proper shelter in rural areas. Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik stated that the programme was designed to reach groups that often fall outside the coverage of other housing schemes.Read more

06 Sep 2025

The Indian rupee traded almost unchanged as investors awaited key U.S. labour market data. Treasury yields fell to four-month lows, reflecting expectations of a Fed rate cut later this month. Analysts suggest that weak U.S. employment figures may ease pressure on the rupee, but meaningful gains are unlikely without higher equity inflows or tariff relief. With current U.S. tariffs on Indian exports at 50%, the rupee could weaken further, potentially reaching 89 against the dollar by early 2026 if trade barriers remain.Read more

02 Sep 2025

India's economy grew at 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, exceeding expectations despite global uncertainties and challenges arising from economic self-interest. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi highlighted that growth was visible across all major sectors, including manufacturing, services, agriculture, and construction, reflecting increased energy and activity in industries and among citizens. India has remained the fastest-growing major economy, outpacing China, while the US economy grew by 3.3 per cent. The Prime Minister also hinted at a new phase of next-generation reforms, including possible cuts in the goods and services tax on widely used products.Read more

25 Aug 2025

Wipro has announced the acquisition of HARMAN's Digital Transformation Solutions (DTS) business unit for up to USD 375 million. The all-cash transaction will see more than 5,600 DTS employees from 14 countries, including key leadership, transition to Wipro. The acquisition is designed to enhance Wipro's AI-powered digital engineering capabilities and will be followed by a multi-year strategic agreement with HARMAN and Samsung, opening new avenues for joint innovation and growth. This deal, one of Wipro's largest in the ER&D space, is expected to close by December 31, 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.Read more

23 Aug 2025

India's eight core infrastructure sectors witnessed a sharp slowdown in growth, expanding only 2% in July 2025, compared to 6.3% in the same month a year ago. The latest government data showed that production was weighed down by declines in key segments such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, and refinery products. In June 2025, the sectors had reported a 2.2% growth rate. For the April-July period of the current fiscal year, the combined growth stood at 1.6%, a significant fall from 6.3% recorded during the same time last year.Read more

22 Aug 2025

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers moderated in July, dropping to 0.77 per cent for agricultural labourers and 1.01 per cent for rural labourers, down from higher figures in June. The All-India Consumer Price Index rose slightly for both groups, while food inflation contracted to -1.56 per cent and -1.13 per cent, making essential commodities more affordable. Based on data from 787 sample villages across 34 States and Union Territories, the figures reflect easing price pressures on rural households. Analysts view the moderation as a sign of relative stability in the rural economy after earlier fluctuations.Read more