India's economic engine is revving up, but navigating the global headwinds requires sharp strategy. The rupee's recent volatility against the dollar underscores the complexities facing Indian businesses, impacting everything from import-export trade to domestic inflation. This week alone, we've seen significant shifts in the IT sector, with major players announcing restructuring and a renewed focus on AI-driven solutions. Meanwhile, the burgeoning startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial funding, despite a cautious global investor sentiment. The government's recent policy announcements on infrastructure development and digitalization are poised to further shape the business landscape, creating both opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and established corporations alike. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for success in today's rapidly evolving Indian economy. Stay informed with Abtak.com for the latest insights and analysis on key sectors including finance, manufacturing, and technology – empowering your business decisions in a dynamic market. Explore the complete business news section now to stay ahead of the curve.
Mumbai: Prada could well partner with Indian artisans if it were to decide to produce and commercialise its Kolhapuri chappal-inspired line of men's sandals, the Italian luxury house said. A spokesperson for Prada Group said it "is already in the process of setting up next steps with the relevant parties and supply chain in the event the sandals were to be commercialised. In fact, the entire collection is currently at an early stage of design development and none of the pieces are confirmed to be produced." Lalit Gandhi, president of the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, said a team is being appointed by the global brand to interact with local artisans in India. "We're working toward an outcome where the brand commercialises the product with the involvement of these artisans," he said. "Now that they have acknowledged this is our craftsmanship, they've also stated they will discuss the next steps with us before proceeding with commercialisation." Prada has formally acknowledged that sandals featured at its recent Men's Spring-Summer 2026 fashion show were inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, as ET reported on Saturday. Group corporate social responsibility head Lorenzo Bertelli had written to Gandhi for this. "We are committed to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities, as we have done in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft," he wrote. "Prada strives to pay homage and recognise the value of such specialised craftspeople that represent an unrivalled standard of excellence and heritage." The letter was in response to Gandhi's midweek communication calling for acknowledgment and ethical collaboration over the use of traditional Kolhapuri slipper designs. ET has seen a copy of these letters. Prada had showcased leather sandals bearing a strong resemblance to the iconic Kolhapuris, sparking widespread backlash in India and reigniting conversations on cultural appropriation in global fashion. The Sant Rohidas Leather Industries & Charmakar Development Corporation (LIDCOM) jointly holds the geographical indication (GI) rights to Kolhapuri slippers with Karnataka's LIDKAR. Limited Protection LIDCOM is evaluating legal options following Prada's use. A senior LIDCOM official said that the development body has written to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, which is expected to take the issue to the ministry of commerce and industry. "Whoever used the Kolhapuri chappal should seek our permission. This is a reputational loss for us," the official observed. According to intellectual property rights lawyer Priyanka Khimani, Prada's acknowledgement of being inspired by "Indian handcrafted footwear," and its intent to collaborate with and pay homage to our craftsmen -- should it commercially exploit the sandals in the future -- was a positive development. While Indian GI laws protect the name and implied origin of registered products, they do not cover design mimicry. "Unless Prada markets or sells these sandals using the word 'Kolhapuri,' or suggests a link to Kolhapur's craftsmanship, there is no legal recourse," Khimani further said. Cross-border legal protection is currently not available for GI tags. Proprietors can increase protection by registering the name or logo as a trademark in other jurisdictions. The Kolhapuri chappal received GI status in 2018. Yet only 95 artisans have registered as authorised users, owing to low awareness of GI benefits among craftsmen.
Berhampur (Odisha), Jun 6 (PTI) Environmental activist Medha Patkar on Saturday appealed to the people of Odisha for protection of Rushikulya river. The government planned to construct a dam in the river Pipalapnaka under Sorada block in the district. While participating in the Save Rushikulya river movement in Ganjam district, she said, "Rivers may be small or big, but they are our mother. We have to protect the rivers from attacks." She attended a meeting were organised by the Rushikulya Banchao Kriyaanusthan Committee (RBKC) and the Centre for Climate Justice, spearheading the agitation a ...Read More >
Sonia Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, was admitted to Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital in Shimla on Saturday due to complaints of high blood pressure. The 78-year-old, who was on a personal visit with her daughter Priyanka Gandhi, underwent routine tests at the hospital. After the checkup, she returned to Priyanka's residence in Chharabra, near Shimla.Following complaints of high blood pressure, Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was on Saturday taken to Indira Gandhi Medical College Hos ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Mysuru Dasara is set to run for 11 days this year -- a rare extension driven by celestial alignment and cultural planning -- with the inaugural ceremony on Sept 22 and the grand Jamboo Savari taking place on Oct 2, coinciding with Vijayadashami and Gandhi Jayanti.Chairing a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha Friday, chief minister Siddaramaiah said, "Mysuru Dasara in 2025 will be celebrated for 11 days, due to a unique astronomical occurrence -- the Panchami tithi (fifth lunar day) will appear on two consecutive days, Sept 26 and 27, a rare alignment that hasn't occurred in nearly ...Read More >
Delhi Elections 2025: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has once again targeted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, ridiculing his 2019 promise to transform Delhi into a city as beautiful as Paris or London. Gandhi shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), showing himself walking alongside a garbage-filled canal in Delhi, captioning it, "This is Kejriwal's 'shining' Delhi-Delhi like Paris." In the video, Gandhi commented, "The situation is the same everywhere," alluding to the state of public spaces in the national capital. During the 2019 Lok Sabha ele ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
Itanagar, Jun 7 (PTI) The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh improved on Saturday with water levels of most rivers receding, even as 33,000 people in 24 districts remained affected, officials said. Twelve people lost their lives and one person went missing in rain-related incidents, including landslides, after the monsoon set in, they said. In its daily report, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said 33,200 people in 215 villages remained affected due to floods and landslides in the state. The water levels of most major rivers and their tributaries were showing a receding trend o ...Read More >
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Canada on Monday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two G20 members, three years after negotiations began. The agreement will take effect in 2026 and was signed in Jakarta by trade ministers of both countries. Indonesia's trade minister, Budi Santoso, said Indonesia appreciated Canada's support for its plan to prioritise its critical minerals sector, which was vital for its sustainable growth. "Together, we advance sustainable critical mineral management, supporting Indonesia's net ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
AP EAMCET Result 2025: APSCHE has declared the results for AP EAPCET today, June 8, 2025. AP EAMCET Result 2025: The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has declared the results for Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture, and Pharmacy Common Entrance Test (AP EAPCET) 2025 today, June 8, 2025. Candidates who appeared for the examination can login and check their results on the official website, cets.apsche.ap.gov.in. AP EAMCET is now called as AP EAPCET. AP EAMCET Result 2025: How To Download Your Result? Visit the official website, cets.apsche.ap.gov.in.Click on "AP E ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI) Following the backlash after featuring footwear strongly resembling Kolhapuri chappals, Italian fashion house Prada has acknowledged that it was inspired by the Indian handcrafted footwear. "We acknowledge that the sandals featured in the recent Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage. "We deeply recognize the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship," said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, in a letter to Lalit Gandhi, president of Maharashtra Chamb ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Thursday said India has continuously aspired to become a hub of international arbitration by building a progressive legislative framework, a pro-enforcement judiciary and robust institutional support. In his keynote address on "Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes" as part of the London International Disputes Week, the CJI said India and the United Kingdom shared a rich history, bound by a common legal heritage rooted in the principles of common law. He referred to the July 2018 memorandum of understanding signed between India and ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Saturday, congratulated the University of Kashmir for getting an A++ grade in the NAAC inspection. The Lt Governor extended his heartiest congratulations to the Vice Chancellor, faculty, staff, and students of the University of Kashmir for attaining the prestigious A++ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), and securing an outstanding Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.68 on a seven-point scale. Calling it a proud moment for J&K UT, the Lt Governor said, "The A++ Grade places the Un ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, June 27: Union Home Minister Amit Shah began his Gujarat visit on a spiritual note early Friday morning by participating in the Mangala Aarti at the historic Shri Jagannathji Temple in Jamalpur, Ahmedabad. The visit coincides with the auspicious occasion of the annual Shri Jagannath Rath Yatra, a major religious event that draws thousands of devotees every year. Arriving at the temple at 3:15 a.m., HM Shah joined in the sacred rituals and offered prayers to Mahaprabhu Jagannath. Sharing his experience on social media platform X, he posted, "On the sacred occasion of Rath Yatra, par ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) After facing severe backlash, Italian fashion house Prada has officially admitted that the Kolhapuri Chappals, featured in the recent Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show, is inspired by India's handcrafted footwear traditions. In a letter to Lalit Gandhi, president of Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, Prada noted that it is "open for meaningful exchange with artisans". "We acknowledge that the sandals featured in the recent Prada Men's 2026 Fashion Show are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old herita ...Read More >
Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's hunger strike enters its 17th day. His health is critical. The Supreme Court urges dialogue between the government and Dallewal. Dallewal demands MSP guarantee and other farmer-centric issues. He has written an open letter to the Prime Minister. Farmers' organizations continue their protests at the Punjab-Haryana border.The Supreme Court on Friday expressed serious concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet, under the chairmanship of chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Friday approved a comprehensive five-year biotechnology development scheme with an outlay of Rs 1,113.50 crore. The programme will be implemented from 2025-26 to 2029-30.The 'Development of Biotechnology' initiative, comprising 17 sub-schemes, aims to transform Odisha into a knowledge-driven bio-economy by leveraging the state's rich biodiversity and existing research infrastructure."This scheme will create a robust ecosystem for innovation, incubation and investment in the biotechnology sector," a ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
Hyderabad: With the early onset of pre-monsoon showers, farmers across Telangana have started their agricultural activities ahead of schedule. However, the agriculture department is facing strong criticism for failing to provide adequate fertilizers and seeds necessary for the current season. According to officials, there is a significant shortfall in the availability of essential inputs like urea and cotton seeds, which may negatively impact crop planning and productivity across the state. Also Read: Madhuri Dixit Recalls 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun' Magic with Salman Khan as Monsoon Arrives For ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 5 (Reuters) - Indian and U.S. are holding high-level talks this week, aiming to finalise tariff cuts in sectors such as farm and automobiles as part of an interim deal, two government sources said, with an announcement likely later this month. A U.S. delegation led by senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) began closed-door, two-day discussions in New Delhi on Thursday with Indian trade officials headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
Gurgaon: A chemist and a lab operator have been arrested for allegedly selling medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits illegally. Two separate FIRs were lodged against the accused at Sector 10 and Sector 9A police stations, police said on Friday.The pharmacy was sealed and medical officials have initiated proceedings to cancel its licence. District drugs control officer Suresh Verma said the department received information about illegal sales of MTP kits - also called abortion kits - from Juneja Chemist, located near Civil Hospital. A pregnant woman, who was deployed as a decoy customer, v ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Mahindra & Mahindra on Tuesday said it is in discussions with InterGlobe Aviation, which owns IndiGo airlines, to find an amicable solution regarding a trademark issue over the use of "6e" in its all-new electric model. The automaker, which introduced two electric brands -- BE 6e and XEV 9e -- earlier this month, said its trademark 'BE 6e' differs from IndiGo's '6E', eliminating any risk of confusion. IndiGo uses 6E as the airline designator code. "We have taken on board the concerns that InterGlobe Aviation Ltd have to infringement of their goodwill, which was not ou ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Modi government over its economic policies and asserted that real development is when everyone progresses, there is a fair environment for business, a fair tax system and the income of workers increases. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The truth of Modi Ji's developed India: Your hard work, whose profit? The wheel of the country's economy is turning with your sweat and blood, but are you getting your fair share in it? Just think." The share of the manufacturing sector in the economy has gone down to the lowe ...Read More >
West Bengal [India], February 5 (ANI): At the 8th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit 2025, Bhutanese Minister Younten Phuntsho emphasised the importance of the summit as a platform for strengthening the collaboration between India and Bhutan. Addressing the audience, he said, "For Bhutan, this summit is an opportunity to further deepen our (India-Bhutan) collaboration and identify strategic areas where our shared aspirations align. There are several key areas where we can forge even stronger partnership - first is tourism, we invite investors to explore opportunities in wellness tou ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR: Emphasising the importance of cleaner and greener environment for a healthy society, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday announced the government's plan of planting 7.5 crore trees across the state within the next one year. Addressing a state-level function held at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) to celebrate World Environment Day, the chief minister said the state has achieved a net increase of approximately 560 sq km in forest and tree cover, which is the fourth-highest among all states. The common people and institutions have planted nearly ...Read More >