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.
NEW DELHI: The GST Council, which will meet shortly, is expected to comprehensively review the eight-year-old regime focused on reducing tax on several consumer-focused items in the 12% bracket as well as lowering the burden on items such as air conditioners, which are in the top bracket.Besides, with the compensation cess - money released to states to offset any revenue loss because of switch to GST - due to end in March, a plan on imposing a cess on some of the sin goods, such as tobacco, is also expected to be finalised to ensure that states don't have to bear a significant revenue hit.Concern that they will be losing out on revenue has been among the principal factors why states oppose tax cuts, including those which they consider to be desirable.The Centre is keen on a liberal view on pure term insurance plans, which currently attract 18% GST and put it in the nil bracket, although the life insurance companies have lobbied for 12%. Proposal to do away with 12% GST rate slab on table Any reduction in GST on insurance will mean big relief, with the Centre keen to protect the interests of middle-class buyers.A call on health insurance too, is yet to be taken, although relief is in the offing.A proposal to do away with the 12% slab is on the table although other options are also being explored while keeping track of the revenue consideration, sources told TOI. Some of the items in the bracket which are used by businesses may see some increase, the sources indicated.A final decision on the overhaul is expected before the start of the monsoon session and the Centre is not averse to some "revenue loss" with a section arguing that a pure mathematical exercise does not fully capture the revenue realisation. Increased consumption of some of the items with lower taxes may actually benefit, offsetting some of the expected revenue loss.This may also require some political maneuvering and working out a consensus, which will be taken up once the broad arrangement is worked out.While discussions have been going on for over a year now, a consensus has so far been elusive with the group of ministers on GST rationalisation and changes in insurance not throwing up solutions - suggesting tweaks instead of broad-based changes as is the intent. Sources suggested that the idea is to put in place a framework that does not require frequent tweaks and provides certainty to businesses and consumers.
CCI has also approved a 25.18 per cent equity stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Ltd (FGILICL) through a bid/resolution plan submitted by Central Bank of India | Image: Wikimedia Commons State-owned Central Bank of India on Thursday said it has acquired a 25.18 per cent stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited (FGILICL) for a cash consideration of Rs 57 crore as part of the insolvency process. With the acquisition of 65,43,80,439 shares on Wednesday (June ...Read More >
New Delhi: State-owned Central Bank of India on Thursday said it acquired a 25.18 per cent stake in Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited (FGILICL) for a cash consideration of Rs 57 crore as part of the insolvency process. With the acquisition of 65,43,80,439 shares on Wednesday (June 4), the bank has ventured into the insurance sector, Central Bank of India said in a regulatory filing. At present, Central Bank of India has 25.28 per cent stake in FGILICL, which had earned a gross written premium of Rs 1,810.53 crore in FY24. The CCI has also approved a 25.18 per cent equity s ...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 >
Mumbai: Even as mis-selling of insurance plans by banks has drawn scrutiny, the sector regulator doesn't want to manage distribution channels and seeks to focus on customer awareness to check the malpractice. "It's not necessary that every mis-selling is mis-selling, it's also about the customers' understanding of the product," said Swaminathan S Iyer, member (life), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday. "Once you drive home that your understanding is different from what the product is...then I think the absolute number on mis-selli ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 9: If you're a young professional in your 20s or early 30s, life is full of exciting firsts, your first salary, first investment, maybe even your first big purchase. Financial independence gives you the power to live on your terms. But it also brings new responsibilities, and that's where life insurance steps in. Also Read | Bihar Tragedy: Father-Son Duo Among 3 Asphyxiate to Death While Cleaning Septic Tank of Their House in Samastipur. Many people believe insurance is something to consider later in life. But the truth is, the best time to buy life insurance is right ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Government is all set to allow 100% foreign direct investment in insurance business, paving the way for large companies to enter the market on their own, while allowing individual insurance agents to hawk policies of multiple companies, lifting the cap on being associated with only one life and general insurer. The twin measures are part of the Insurance Amendment Bill that is proposed to be introduced during the winter session of Parliament that kicks off later this month. On August 19, TOI was the first to report about the proposed increase in the FDI ceiling, a suggestion which ...Read More >
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced several pre-election promises targeting auto drivers. These include a ₹10 lakh insurance policy, ₹1 lakh for daughters' marriages, a biannual ₹2,500 uniform allowance, free coaching for their children, and the relaunch of the 'PoochO' ride-booking app. Kejriwal and the AAP are campaigning to secure a third term in the upcoming February elections.Ahead of crucial Delhi assembly polls, Arvind Kejriwal promised several measures for auto dri ...Read More >
Mumbai: Good news for Mumbaikars and daily commuters on Central line. Central Railway will soon get an updated AC local train. The new rake which will undergo extensive testing, will be pressed into service just before the onset of the summer season, providing some relief to commuters. What will be different from the existing AC local train, is that some of its machinery will be located under the coach, known as the under-slung system. What is a slung system? A slung system train local is a train with electrical equipment located below the rake or under the train. This design aims to increa ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has chosen to frontload its rate cuts, turning to support growth amid benign inflation prospects, according to a Crisil report, which expects one more repo rate cut this fiscal (FY26), and a pause after that. The global ratings agency also expects India's GDP at 6.5 per cent this fiscal, with risks on the downside due to US tariff hikes. Crisol listed some factors which are expected to help domestic growth hold up against global tariff risks. "Positive outlook on rains and crude oil prices and healthy external accounts -- lo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to France, the European Union (EU), and Belgium from June 8 to 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release on Sunday. The visit marks a significant step in further strengthening India's strategic partnerships with Europe. The EAM will first travel to Paris and Marseille, France, where he will hold bilateral discussions with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean Noel Barrot. Also Read | Indian Citizen Dies in UAE: Civil Engineer Issac Paul ...Read More >
Amritsar: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey from Jharkhand has claimed that Britain assisted India in executing the 1984 Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, stoking a new controversy.In a post on X on Monday, Dubey alleged that then PM Indira Gandhi "launched an attack on the Golden Temple in collaboration with Britain", with British Army officers present in Amritsar.He uploaded a classified British document, "Sikh Community", claiming that on Feb 23, 1984, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office mentioned in a letter that the Indian govt had sought British advice over a plan to remove Si ...Read More >
VMPL New Delhi [India], July 9: If you're a young professional in your 20s or early 30s, life is full of exciting firsts, your first salary, first investment, maybe even your first big purchase. Financial independence gives you the power to live on your terms. But it also brings new responsibilities, and that's where life insurance steps in. Many people believe insurance is something to consider later in life. But the truth is, the best time to buy life insurance is right now, when you're young, healthy, and just starting to build your future. Let's explore why life insurance is one of the ...Read More >
ess than 24 hours after he asserted in Nigeria's Abuja that stepping out of the comfort zone, innovating and creating new paths has now become the very essence of today's India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told the gathering of world's most influential leaders converged in Rio de Janeiro for the G20 Summit that the main reason for India's success lies in his government's 'back to basics' and 'march to the future' approach. Addressing the G20 session on 'Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty' at the bayside museum of modern art during the two-day 19th G20 Summit, ...Read More >
Chennai, Dec 10 (PTI) Standalone health insurance company Star Health Insurance has targeted doubling its business in Tamil Nadu over the next four years, a top official said. As part of its growth strategy, the company plans to add 12,000 new agents across Tamil Nadu and expand its footprint with 25 new offices in both rural and urban areas in FY2025. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News: Narendra Modi Government Likely To Hike DA for Employees by 3% in January 2025, Check Details. Star ...Read More >
PRNewswire Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 13: Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited, the first standalone health insurance company in India, today announced the launch of its revolutionary retail health insurance product, 'SUPER STAR'. This innovative policy offers a long-term policy for the retail health segment, combining advanced features and highly customisable covers to address the growing complexities of modern lifestyles, rising medical expenses, and unforeseen emergencies. * Offers a long-term policy and unparalleled, highly customisable solutions for evolving heal ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 27 (UNI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released its manifesto for the next month Assembly election with 15 guarantees, including employment and the women's dignity scheme. While releasing the manifesto on Monday, AAP's national convener and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Kejriwal's guarantees are solid," emphasising that free electricity for 24 hours, free water, free education, free pilgrimage for senior citizens, free bus travel for women, and free medical treatment in hospitals and Mohalla Clinics will continue in Delhi. He alleged, "BJP leaders and spokespersons ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Govt looking to provide life and accident benefits to gig workers Platform or gig workers will likely get life and accident insurance covers in addition to health insurance if the government goes ahead with its plans for the social security corpus. "We are mulling a proposal to extend life and accident insurance benefits from the fund that aggregators would contribute to. A portion of the fund would be utilised for these benefits, while the remainder would be secured for future social safety ne ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, Jun 30 (PTI) The Gujarat government has decided to waive 80 per cent of the payable stamp duty for property transfers that are done by allotment letters or share certificates by housing societies, associations and non-trading corporations, a move it said will help middle-income families. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday took the decision to grant the relief which has been given under Section 9(a) of the Gujarat Stamp Act, 1958. The decision has been taken "to provide substantial relief in payable duty amounts for housing transfers concerning the state's lower and middle-in ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has come under fire from the Congress for what the party called an "insensitive" response during her visit to flood-affected areas in her Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh. The backlash was sparked by a video shared by the Congress in which Ranaut, while commenting on disaster relief, said, "Whether it's disaster relief or the disaster itself -- I don't have any official cabinet. I have my two brothers who are always with me. That's my cabinet. So, it's just these two."The Congress criticised Ranaut for allegedly treating the situation lightly. "In Mandi, ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) The GST Council is likely to meet soon to discuss rate simplification and rationalisation and the future of compensation cess, according to a source. "There are three or four different aspects relating to making GST simpler. We will take up the issue of compensation cess, rate rationalisation and simplification," the source said. The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister and comprising state counterparts, in its meeting in December last year, did not take up the GoM reports on rate rationalisation and rate reduction in health and life insurance. The two GoMs ...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 >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
Bengaluru : Bajaj Allianz Life, one of India's leading private life insurers, has announced the launch of its New Fund Offer (NFO) - Bajaj Allianz Life Nifty 500 Multifactor 50 Index Fund. Offered under the Company's ULIP products, this fund is designed to track the Nifty 500 Multifactor MQVLv 50 Index, providing investors with exposure to a multifactor based equity index while also offering life cover. Bajaj Allianz Life ULIP products with underlying Bajaj Allianz Life Nifty 500 Multifactor 50 Index Fund, enables policyholders to achieve their life goals, powered by the security of a life co ...Read More >
Kargil , Jul 2: Pursuant to putting in place a comprehensive legal framework to ensure fair, inclusive, and transparent recruitment to public services, the Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has initiated a large-scale recruitment drive for 359 Gazetted posts through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). This marks the first-ever recruitment of Gazetted posts through UPSC since the formation of the Union Territory, officials said. This follows the establishment of a unique and dedicated legal framework specifically designed for Ladakh. The framework ensures maximum local re ...Read More >
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 4 (ANI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday came down heavily on the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over its pitch to reconsider the words 'secular and socialist' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution while saying that it was 'all talk'. He dared and challenged RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and top leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the centre to remove the words 'secular and socialist' from the Preamble. 'Days before, I heard that some RSS person said that we should remove Secular and Socialist words from ...Read More >
Shimla, July 5: The cumulative death toll in Himachal Pradesh's ongoing monsoon season has climbed to 75, combining 45 rain-related fatalities and 30 accidental deaths, including those from road mishaps, electrocution, and a gas explosion, according to official data released by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC). The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) released data covering the period from June 20 to July 4, 2025, which showed large-scale destruction across the hill state. The seasonal damage report, covering the period from June 20 to July 4, 2025, paints a grim picture of de ...Read More >
Mumbai: Net profit of Nifty 50 companies at the aggregate level is expected to increase 4.6% year-on-year while revenue may increase 4.5% for the June 2025 quarter. Net profit is likely to show single-digit year-on-year growth for the first time in at least nine quarters amid an anticipated poor performance by select companies, including Tata Motors, IndusInd Bank and Coal India. The sample's revenue is expected to grow in single digit for the fourth consecutive quarter reflecting persistent muted demand scenario. Select companies from metals, pharmaceuticals, cement, banking and finance and ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned educational institutions that cases would be booked against them if drugs were found in their premises. The CM announced that the state's Anti-Narcotics Bureau would henceforth be known as Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and was tasked with curbing the menace of narcotics in the state. Speaking at an event marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025 at Shilpakala Vedika here, Reddy placed an onus on educational institutions to ensure their campuses were free of drugs. "It is the ...Read More >