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, Jul 14 (PTI) The negotiations between India and the US for a proposed trade agreement are going at a fast pace, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday. The Indian team has reached Washington for the next round of talks on the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement. "Negotiations are going on at a very fast pace and in the spirit of mutual cooperation so that we can come out with a win-win trade complementing agreement with the United States," Goyal told reporters here. Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal at a separate event said that negotiations for proposed trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and the US are going on. He said that the free trade agreements (FTAs) that India is doing are one of the key enablers to promote global capability centres (GCCs) in the country. "So if you look at the free trade agreements today, which we are doing with the UK, which we have just announced, with European Union (EU), which is going on, with the US again discussions are on with several other countries in the world," Barthwal said here at CII GCC Business Summit here. India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement (BTA). They are targeting to conclude the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) of this year. Similarly, India and the EU are also negotiating an FTA. In June 2022, India and the 27-nation EU bloc resumed negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement, an investment protection agreement and a pact on geographical indications (GIs) after a gap of over eight years. The talks stalled in 2013 due to differences over the level of opening up of the markets. India and the EU are targeting to conclude the free trade deal by the end of this year. Further, the secretary said that today's agreements are different from the traditional FTAs, which were confined to traditional trade, tariffs and manufacturing. The new pacts are a more complex set of agreements which include services, a regulatory system in services, including the FDI (foreign direct investment). "Those are being looked at (in the new pacts)," he said, adding that now there is also an institutional mechanism in these pacts to look at issues like harmonising regulations and standards. And these are important facets of GCCs, he said, adding that modern FTAs will lead to the innovation corridor, which will facilitate GCCs in India. "We are looking at the IPR (intellectual property rights) chapters. We are looking at what the coordination mechanism will be in case disputes arise. That is another area which we look at in FTAs," the secretary said. Besides, the new age pacts focus on principles of digital trade, which the partner countries have to adopt. "If there is a data localisation or data privacy laws, then how will they be looked at. That is another angle, which we define in these FTAs," he said. The new trade agreements, Barthwal said, are addressing a whole gamut of issues. "And therefore, it is taking a lot of time when we do these FTAs. There are detailed discussions, detailed deliberations, and detailed stakeholder consultation," he said. He added that in the FTA with the UK, there is a chapter on innovation, which was not the case earlier. There is also a mechanism to set up innovation working groups under that deal, which was announced on May 6, but has not yet been signed. "The ultimate point of these FTAs is that once these are signed...they (businesses) will get certainty about those regulations, because those regulations are not going to change unless and until you have agreed differently. And it gives certainty," Barthwal said. PTI RR MR MR
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 >
India's foreign direct investment (FDI) reached $81.04 billion in FY 2024-25, marking a 14% growth over the previous year, as investors lauded the country's liberalized policy regime and proactive economic reforms at an Investor Roundtable held in New Delhi. The event, hosted on June 5 at Vanijya Bhawan, brought together over 90 representatives from industrial parks, multinational firms, and business associations, with more than 50 industrial parks from states including Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu participating in discussions. Union Minist ...Read More >
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Pakistan will play its share of matches in next year's inaugural blind women's T20 World Cup in either Nepal or Sri Lanka after a hybrid model for the event was finalised at the World Blind Cricket Council's (WBCC) Annual General Meeting in Multan. New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Pakistan will play its share of matches in next year's inaugural blind women's T20 World Cup in either Nepal or Sri Lanka after a hybrid model for the event was finalised at the World Blind Cricket Council's (WBCC) Annual General Meeting in Multan. The development comes ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India has seen limited success so far in capturing the 'China Plus One strategy', while Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia have become bigger beneficiaries, according to a report of government think tank Niti Aayog. It said that factors such as cheaper labour, simplified tax laws, lower tariffs and pro-activeness in signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have played a critical role in helping these countries expand their export shares. The US has implemented stricter export controls and higher tariffs on Chinese goods to limit China's growth and expenditure towards technologi ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jan 31 (PTI) Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) and NIFT, Srinagar has developed 36 box prototypes for unique packaging of Kashmiri handicrafts with the aim of boosting sales. Director IICT Zubair Ahmad said the packaging is an inseparable part of the famed Kashmir handicrafts, which facilitates its foray into international markets in a big way. "Time has come for artistic packaging to create a unique unboxing experience of the famed arts of Kashmir and boost its market value," Ahmad said. He called upon business stakeholders associated with Kashmir Arts to carry out fir ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Top bankers on Friday hailed the Reserve Bank's decision to reduce repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.50 per cent and cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 100 basis points in four tranches, saying the policy move is expected to provide the necessary drive for credit expansion in priority sectors which will enhance the financial inclusion. Besides this, the revision in CPI inflation to 3.7 per cent for FY26 also shows the RBI's confidence in inflation being aligned with its 4 per cent target. "The decision in CRR cut, which is expected to release Rs 2.5 lakh crore in ...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, Jun 6 (PTI) PhonePe on Friday said it has acquired the IP of GSPay -- a proprietary technology stack from conversational engagement platform Gupshup -- to enable UPI-based payments on new feature phones. The company in a statement said it plans to customise the stack and launch its own UPI payment app for new feature phones in India in the next few quarters. Also Read | How To Activate Your UAN Online? Step-by-Step Guide As EPFO Extends Activation Deadline to June 30, 2025. The new app will offer essential UPI features such as peer-to-peer transfers, offline QR payments, and rece ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Trade talks between Indian and U.S. officials have been extended into next week as both sides seek consensus on tariff cuts in the farming and auto sectors, aiming to finalise an interim deal before a July 9 deadline, Indian government sources said. A U.S. delegation led by senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held two days of discussions in New Delhi with Indian trade officials headed by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, the sources said. "The two countries are actively engaged in focused discussions to facilitate greater mark ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Terming the 5.4 per cent GDP growth in the second quarter as a "temporary phenomena", FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal on Thursday said the industry body expects India to achieve 6.5-7 per cent economic growth in the current financial year, while projecting a pick up in private investment. In an interview to PTI, Agarwal, who is also the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Emami Ltd, said the RBI needs to manoeuvre a "tight-rope balancing act" between inflation and economic growth, as he opined that the central bank has been doing a prudent job. Notably, the FI ...Read More >
Chennai: The capacity utilisation of the domestic steel industry is set to drop to 78 per cent for the first time in four years. In order to check unprecedented imports, the government is considering imposing a 25 per cent duty on steel imports. Cheaper imports from China and countries under Free Trade Agreement along with ongoing capacity addition can lead to capacity utilisation of domestic steel mills dropping from 85 per cent in FY2024 to an estimated 78 per cent in the current fiscal, the lowest we have seen in the last four years. The domestic steel industry witnessed an all-time high ...Read More >
'Of course, if I get an opportunity to lead RCB, that is what I am there for, and I will be happy.' IMAGE: Rajat Patidar's name is doing rounds within RCB circles as their prospective captain for IPL 2025. Photograph: BCCI Rajat Patidar's international career did not take off as he would have liked, but the Madhya Pradesh batter is confident of 're-creating' the opportunity through domestic matches and make a comeback to the Indian team. Patidar's six innings against England earlier this year ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Stakeholders from the electric vehicle (EV) sector will hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here on January 3 on issues, including infrastructure related to charging and battery swapping, sources said. They said that officials from the Department of Heavy Industries are expected to attend the meeting. Also Read | SOF NSO Results 2024-25 Out at sofworld.org: National Science Olympiad Exam Result Released, Get Direct Link and Know Steps To Download. Representatives from Tata, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz India, Hero MotoCorp, and other companies h ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Global automobile makers including Mercedes Benz, Skoda-Volkswagen, Hyundai and Kia have shown interest in manufacturing electric cars in India, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Monday. The said companies have expressed interest during the stakeholder discussions between the government and the industry regarding the 'Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India', the detailed guidelines for which were unveiled by the minister. While the scheme was notified on March 15 last year, its guidelines were issued on Monday. Offici ...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 >
MUMBAI, India -- India's central bank cut interest rates more than expected on Friday. For this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cited muted inflation and a need to kickstart economic growth. This happened as the impact of US tariffs weighed on the country's outlook. The RBI lowered the benchmark repo rate, the level at which it lends to commercial banks. This went down by 50 basis points to 5.5 percent. A majority of analysts had expected a 25-basis-point reduction. The cut was RBI's third in a row. This comes a week after government data showed India's economy expanded at its slowest pace ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) The reduction in import duty on edible oils, including palm, soya and Sunflower, is going to help FMCG companies improve their margins and stabilise their input costs, according to experts. Palm Oil, which the FMCG companies use as a key ingredient for the manufacturing of soaps and even food products, will also help cool down consumer monthly inflation, experts said. The move will not only benefit the food companies, for which palm oil is almost 25-30 per cent of their raw material costs but also lower PFAD prices (Palm Fatty Acid Distillate), a byproduct used by soap ...Read More >
The U.S. dollar continued its strong run on Monday, bolstered by soaring Treasury yields and expectations of limited Federal Reserve rate cuts. Meanwhile, the yen steadied ahead of a key speech by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, where he may hint at a possible rate hike in December, with markets pricing a 55% chance of such a move. Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato's warning on yen intervention caused a temporary pullback, while the dollar index touched a one-year high of 107.07. Analysts forecast further dollar gains as U.S. economic policies and performance outshine global peers. K ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Tuesday said the government has taken measures to lower fiscal deficit and delivered a non-inflationary Budget, and hoped that the RBI's monetary policy will work in tandem with fiscal policy to support growth. He also said that although rupee depreciation increases inflation on imported inputs, it also adds to export competitiveness. Pandey said that the government has bettered its fiscal deficit projections for the current fiscal as well as the next. The fiscal deficit for FY'25 has been pegged lower at 4.8 per cent of GDP, low ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 26 (PTI) Alcoholic beverage maker's body CIABC has urged the government to adopt a phased reduction in import duties on liquor products under the proposed India-EU free trade agreement (FTA), while calling for strong safeguards to prevent misuse of trade concessions under the pact. In a submission to the commerce ministry, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has proposed slashing the effective customs (or import) duty on bottled products like wines and spirits from the current 150 per cent to 100 per cent immediately and then down to a resting customs d ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): After a federal court of the United States struck down a reciprocal tariff announced by US President Donald Trump, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that India should proceed cautiously in its ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the US. A Manhattan-based federal court on May 28 struck down Trump's move to impose reciprocal tariffs on the trading partners of the US and ruled that he can't use emergency power to impose tariffs on foreign countries; it has to come from Congress. The order of the court determined that the tariffs, ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: In a major push to position India as a global hub for traditional medicine and holistic wellness, the Government of India has launched 'Ayush Nivesh Saarthi', a dedicated investor facilitation portal for the Ayush sector. The digital platform was unveiled on May 29, 2025, during the Ayush Stakeholder and Industry Interaction Meet at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. The portal was jointly launched by Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav, in the presence of senior government officials and global industry leaders including Ayush Secretary Vaidya Raje ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India is receiving FDI inflows from 112 countries compared to 89 in 2013-14, underscoring the country's rising global appeal. Speaking virtually in an FDI roundtable here, he said the government is committed to making India the world's most preferred investment destination. The roundtable was chaired by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia. Bhatia invited views and suggestions from investors to enhance reinvestment within the country, improve industria ...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 >
Chandigarh, Jan 2 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday claimed that the Centre was trying to"bring back" the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the newly announced draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. The AAP-led Punjab government has termed the newly announced draft policy as an attempt to reintroduce the three central agricultural laws passed in 2020 "through backdoor." After a yearlong protest by farmers, the Centre had repealed the laws. Speaking to reporters here, Mann also stated that the demands of the protesting farmers pertain to the c ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) India and Belgium have agreed to establish mechanisms to resolve trade issues in areas such as pharma and agri products to boost bilateral trade, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The issues were discussed during the meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Bernard Quintin, in Brussels. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for January 21, 2025 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. "Regulatory barriers, pa ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) India and Belgium have agreed to establish mechanisms to resolve trade issues in areas such as pharma and agri products to boost bilateral trade, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The issues were discussed during the meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Bernard Quintin, in Brussels. "Regulatory barriers, particularly in the approval processes for pharmaceuticals and agri-products, were also discussed, with both sides agreeing to tackle these challenges through continuo ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) In a move to position India as the global epicentre of traditional medicine and wellness, the government of India has launched the Ayush Nivesh Saarthi portal. The portal was launched on May 29 during the Ayush Stakeholder/Industry Interaction meet held at Vanijya Bhawan here, an Ayush Ministry statement said. The portal was jointly unveiled by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav. The event brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, and global stakeholders ...Read More >
Lucknow: The state's first Ayush university, coming up in Gorakhpur, is all set for its inauguration on June 30. If all goes as planned, President Droupadi Murmu will conduct the ceremony. She is also expected to attend the convocation ceremony of the first undergraduate (MBBS) batch at Gorakhpur AIIMS.Sharing this on Tuesday, an official spokesperson said, "The Ayush university will be Gorakhpur's fourth university and the first one where both the foundation stone laying and inauguration will be ...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 >