India has achieved near-universal banking access, with 99.92% of villages now located within a 5 km radius of a banking outlet as of March 6, 2026. The government tracks this coverage through a GIS-based platform, while banks continue expanding services in uncovered areas under Reserve Bank of India guidelines. Officials say connectivity gaps and infrastructure […]
A surge in digital payments has brought convenience to millions of Indian users. It has also increased the risk of fraud. The Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central banking authority, has proposed revised rules to limit customer liability in unauthorised electronic banking transactions. The draft framework, released for public consultation on March 6, 2026, […]
A brightly colored shirt, soft to the touch and designed for everyday wear, may carry more than dye. Preliminary tests conducted by researchers at Marian University, a private university in Indianapolis, found elevated levels of lead in children’s fast fashion clothing, exceeding federal safety limits. The findings were presented March 23 at the American Chemical […]
Union Minister of Coal & Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, alongside Minister of State for Coal & Mines, Satish Chandra Dubey, will launch the 7th Tranche of Auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks on March 23, 2026. The initiative underscores the growing strategic importance of critical minerals, which are vital to the country’s economic development […]
India’s “silver economy”, the ecosystem of goods and services catering to the elderly, is rapidly transitioning from a niche social welfare concern into a formidable economic driver, currently valued at approximately ₹73,000 crore ($8.8 billion) and poised for explosive growth in the coming decades. With the country’s senior population projected to surge from 153 million […]
Energy crises have repeatedly reshaped the global economy, and the latest geopolitical tensions in the Gulf have revived concerns about the fragility of oil supply chains. Nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with international markets. Any disruption to shipping through […]
Bengaluru’s housing market is closely tied to the fortunes of the technology industry. Nearly 60–70 percent of homebuyers in many new projects come from IT or tech-linked sectors, according to industry estimates. With the oil shock shaking the metropolitan cities in India, here are three scenarios emerging in 2026: IT Sector Hiring Slowdown Over the […]
The IEA is reacting to the effects of the conflict in the Middle East on the energy market. The Strait of Hormuz holds significant effects on the world economy and the energy security and affordability through the disruption of oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, and energy infrastructure in the region. The […]
Thursday night the Trump administration issued a temporary general license authorizing the delivery, sale and offloading of Russian crude and petroleum products loaded onto vessels on or before March 12, 2026, to stabilize global energy markets following the soaring of crude oil prices by the 13 years war between the U.S. and Israel, who war […]
The International Energy Agency’s 32 member countries have unanimously agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, the largest such action in the agency’s history, following the US-Israel war on Iran that resulted in the latter choking Strait of Hormuz shipment flows to less than 10% of pre-conflict levels. Under the IEA […]
Escalating tensions involving Iran have unsettled global financial markets, with Indian equities and the rupee facing pressure as investors react to rising crude oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia. Domestic benchmark indices slipped sharply in recent sessions as risk sentiment weakened. The BSE Sensex fell about 1,097 points, or 1.4 per cent, to […]
Over the past year, U.S. trade policy has swung sharply back toward broad-based tariffs, reviving uncertainty across global markets and supply chains. The shift began on Feb. 1, 2025, when the administration imposed new tariffs on Chinese imports, citing fentanyl-linked supply chains, unfair trade practices and trade imbalances. Days later, Washington announced plans for 25% […]
Britain reels from the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, once Prince Andrew, on his 66th birthday over Epstein ties, questions swirl around New Delhi’s corridors. Could this royal mess cast a shadow on the freshly inked UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), set to unlock £19 billion in UK exports to India? With the pact eyeing rollout […]
That was the central message of the Manama Declaration, issued at the close of the World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) held this week in Bahrain. The declaration places women at the heart of economic transformation, underscoring that empowering them within business and innovation ecosystems is essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth. It […]
Indian equity markets closed sharply higher on Tuesday, extending a powerful rally as investors welcomed the finalisation of the long-awaited India–US trade deal, which is expected to improve trade prospects and revive foreign investor interest. Benchmark indices posted broad-based gains through the session. The Sensex rose 2,072.67 points, or 2.54 per cent, to end at […]
Indian equity markets staged a powerful rally on Tuesday morning, surging nearly 3 per cent in early trade, as investors reacted enthusiastically to the announcement of the India–US trade deal that promises immediate tariff relief for Indian exports. By 9.25 a.m., the Sensex had jumped 2,421 points, or 2.97 per cent, to 84,088, while the […]
The announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Washington will cut its “reciprocal” tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18% has brought immediate relief to Indian exporters and signalled a thaw after nearly a year of strained ties. The rollback also includes the removal of a punitive 25% penalty […]
Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp sell-off on Budget Day, with benchmark indices sliding nearly 2 per cent after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a steep hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on futures and options, unsettling investor sentiment in a special Sunday trading session. The Sensex closed at 80,723, while the Nifty ended at […]
India has recalibrated its neighbourhood development assistance in the Union Budget 2026–27, increasing allocations for countries such as Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, while sharply reducing aid to Bangladesh, signalling a selective realignment of regional priorities. According to Budget documents, India’s development assistance to Bhutan has been raised to Rs 2,288.56 crore, reaffirming Thimphu’s […]
• NRI equity investment limit per company doubled to 10%, aggregate cap raised to 24%.• MAT exemption announced for non-residents under presumptive taxation.• TCS on foreign education and medical remittances cut to 2%.• Property sale compliance eased; buyers no longer need a separate TAN. The Union Budget 2026–27 has marked a notable shift in the […]