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 - Top India executives of FedEx, UPS, Aramex and DHL are set to be cross-examined in coming weeks by a book publishers' group which accused them of price collusion, a new twist in an antitrust probe that cleared the courier companies of wrongdoing last year, a document shows. Allowing a complainant to interrogate companies is not common in Indian antitrust cases. It means the final findings of the antitrust investigation could change and create new challenges for the courier majors, and the case will be prolonged by several months, antitrust lawyers and government sources said. Many foreign and domestic companies are bullish about the Indian courier and parcel delivery market, which is expected to grow 11 percent a year to $14.3 billion by 2030, bolstered by a boom in online shopping, research firm Mordor Intelligence says. ALSO READ: China to review anti-dumping measures on single-mode optical fibers from India In December, Reuters reported the Competition Commission of India (CCI) found "no evidence" of courier firms sharing commercial information amongst themselves. The 2022 cartel case, whose details remain confidential in line with rules, was triggered when the Federation of Indian Publishers alleged collusion on prices and discounts by delivery firms. The CCI has now found merit in a complaint by the publishers' group which argued it must be allowed to cross-examine the delivery company executives as investigators only relied on oral submissions to give the companies a clean chit. The federation "has demonstrated sufficient cause establishing necessity and expediency of conducting such cross-examination," the CCI noted in a May 28 internal order that was reviewed by Reuters. READ MORE: Modi, Putin hold phone talks amid rising US pressure on India-Russia oil trade The order said the executives to be questioned were Subhasish Chakraborty, Managing Director of India's DTDC Express; R.S. Subramanian, Managing Director of DHL Express India; Suvendu Choudhury, a vice president of FedEx in India; Percy Avari, general manager of Aramex in India, and Abbas Panju, India managing director of UPS Express. None of the executives responded to requests for comment. DHL said in a statement it operates in full compliance with all laws and is "cooperating fully with the CCI", but could not comment on specifics. The CCI, as well as other companies - DTDC, US-based FedEx and UPS and Dubai's Aramex did not respond to Reuters queries. The Federation of Indian Publishers also did not respond. It represents many Indian publishers like S. Chand and Rupa Publications, as well as some foreign groups like Pan Macmillan. 'Rare' cross-examination Sending the case back to the CCI investigators could become an irritant for the logistics industry, which has faced scrutiny since 2015, when France levied a $735 million fine on 20 companies, including FedEx and DHL, for secretly colluding to increase prices. READ MORE: India hits back at punitive US tariff warning In India, cross-examination of companies by the complainant "is rare," said Gautam Shahi, a competition law partner at Indian law firm Dua Associates. "Such cross-examination may reveal new facts and the conclusions of the earlier investigation report may come into question. It may change the direction of the case," he said. The CCI investigations unit will now oversee the cross-examination proceedings in coming weeks and submit a report to top antitrust officials for a review, four sources familiar with the matter said. The Federation of Indian Publishers had alleged that courier companies acted together to determine charges, and also did not reduce the fuel surcharge they charged when jet fuel prices dropped. The 202-page investigation report shared with the companies privately last year, and seen by Reuters this week, notes that 36 notices were sent to 15 courier firms during 2023-24 to gather details of their businesses, with UPS submitting the most responses - 13. The CCI report concludes no email correspondence surfaced that showed "any collusive/concerted activities" among rivals. The Federation of Indian Publishers has also successfully argued it wants to point out several anomalies in the earlier recorded statements of company executives, which were ignored by investigators, noted the CCI order that allowed the cross-examination.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (VOICE) Aadit Palicha, Co-founder and CEO of Zepto, on Wednesday said he is not against work-life balance and even recommends it to his competitors. Palicha's statement comes even as a viral post, on the American social media platform Reddit, accused the quick e-commerce platform of toxic work culture. "I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors :)," said the 22-year-old CEO, in a post on social media platform X. The Reddit post, by an anonymous user, alleged that Zepto's working environment was "toxic", with employees working ex ...Read More >
SOLAPUR, India (Reuters) - India is likely to produce a record amount of sugar in the next marketing year from October after millions of farmers expanded cane cultivation, encouraged by ample water supplies and declining prices of competing crops, farmers and industry officials told Reuters. The rebound in production would allow the world's second-largest sugar producer to resume exports in 2025/26, they said, after a lack of rain cut cane yields and led to two years of restrictions. Indian exports could cap global sugar prices, traders said, by increasing supplies in the world market at a t ...Read More >
MUMBAI (Reuters) -Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Group and U.S.-based BlackRock have received approval from India's markets regulator to start operations for their mutual fund business, the Indian company said on Tuesday. Jio Financial Services, a part of the Reliance Group, had in July 2023 announced the formation of a 50:50 joint venture with the world's largest asset manager to launch asset management services in India. The JV, Jio BlackRock Asset Management, plans to launch a range of investment products in the coming months based on a "digital first" approach for retail and inst ...Read More >
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has fined WhatsApp $25.4 million for antitrust violations linked to its controversial 2021 privacy policy. It ruled that WhatsApp's mandatory data-sharing with Meta for advertising purposes abused its dominant market position, forcing users to accept expanded data collection without opt-out options. The CCI also prohibited WhatsApp from sharing user data with Meta units for non-service-related purposes for five years. This mandatory data-sharing, the CCI noted, created barriers for competitors and harmed the display advertising market. With over 450 mi ...Read More >
PRNewswire New Delhi [India], January 21: SWITCH Mobility Ltd, a part of the Hinduja Group, has unveiled the SWITCH IeV8, a revolutionary electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV) in the 7.2T category catering to mid-mile logistics. Designed with sustainability and operational efficiency at its core, the SWITCH IeV8 is set to transform the logistics sector in India. * H. D. Kumaraswamy, Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, unveils the SWITCH IeV8, an electric light commercial vehicle (eLCV) designed for mid-mile logistics, at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2025 The SWITCH IeV8, a robust additio ...Read More >
Kanpur (UP), May 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth about Rs 20,900 crore here on Friday to boost the region's infrastructure and connectivity, an official statement issued here said. He will launch Chunniganj Metro Station to Kanpur Central Metro Station section of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project worth more than Rs 2,120 crore. It will include 14 planned stations with five new underground stations integrating key city landmarks and commercial hubs into the metro network. Besides, he will also inaugurate road-w ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...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 >
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Import tariffs expected to be implemented by the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could lower economic growth and inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro, European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said on Tuesday. Most economists agree that the possible tariffs would impact growth, though views diverge on the effect on consumer prices. Some argue the U.S. trade barriers will push up the value of the dollar, making imports of key commodities more expensive, while likely retaliation from Europe will also raise costs. Cipollone, speaking i ...Read More >
Trial conducted over a 118 km Boston metro route with 10 network hops and nine ROADMs. US wireless carrier Verizon has successfully tested the transportation of 1.6 terabits per second of data across a single wavelength on its live metro fiber network. Utilising Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optical solution, the trial, conducted in Boston, demonstrated data travelling farther and faster across Verizon's fiber network. This upgrade enhances the network's ability to handle the workloads generated by artificial intelligence (AI) applications, particularly Generative AI, according ...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 >
New Delhi: In a major strategic step, the Noel Tata-led Tata CLiQ has decided to rebrand the brand as Tata CLiQ Fashion. The move is seen as the company's idea to align with its "fashion-forward approach." Tata CLiQ is the e-commerce arm of the Tata Group. The rebranding marks the company's shift from being a horizontal marketplace to a specialized vertical platform focusing on fashion and lifestyle. The Tata CLiQ Fashion has unveiled a complete visual redesign, featuring a fresh logo, revamped packaging, and updated user experiences on both its app and website. According to a Hindu Businessl ...Read More >
Sample of Earth Minerals. (Representative) Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. India is negotiating with companies to create long-term rare earth magnet stockpiles. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on China, which controls 90% of magnet processing globally. The government is considering fiscal incentives to boost domestic production of rare earth magnets. New Delhi: India is holding talks with companies to establish long-term stockpiles of rare earth magnets by offering fiscal incentives for domestic production, people familiar with the matter said. Building ...Read More >
Still, the ongoing U.N. climate talks have thrown a spotlight on their efforts to tackle global warming. While the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is tasked with agreeing a goal to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars for climate, leaders of the Group of 20 major economies half a world away in Rio are holding the purse strings. G20 countries account for 85% of the world's economy and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping to steer climate finance. "The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," U.N. Secretary Ge ...Read More >
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 2 December 2024 - Long recognised as a land of luxury, Hong Kong has levelled up its luxury hub appeal following the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024. Organised by Robb Report Hong Kong, the summit brought together luxury industry titans to discuss pivotal topics that "Redefine Luxury Through a Global Lens" at Regent Hong Kong on November 26-28, 2024. According to the latest "2024 Billionaire Census" report from Altrata, the city is currently world's no. 2 with the highest number of billionaires. The city is expected to have 22.4% more ultra-high-net-wor ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jan 8 (PTI) Long-jump great Anju Bobby George was on Wednesday named chairperson of the Athletics Federation of India's nine-strong athletes commission that features six women with javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra being its most prominent male member. The other women in the new panel are runner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, discus thrower Krishna Poonia, hurdler MD Valsamma, steeplechaser Sudha Singh and runner Sunita Rani. George, a 2003 world championships bronze-winner, is also a senior vice president in the AFI. Also Read | FC Goa vs Hyderabad FC, ISL 2024-25 Live Streaming Online on J ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Tuesday received investment intent worth Rs 4.5 lakh crore on the first day of Utkarsh Odisha-Make in Odisha Conclave 2025, and given the massive response the event has generated, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi feels they could see proposals worth four times than the target of Rs 5 lakh crore that had been set in the run-up to the business summit. "The investment proposals are likely to take a big leap as the investors are highly encouraged by the PM's assurances," Majhi said on a day his govt received over 100 investment intents and signed 54 MoUs in various ...Read More >
Palo Alto Networks, released its 2025 cybersecurity predictions for the Asia Pacific region, outlining five key trends that cyber practitioners can expect to unfold in the coming twelve months and position their organisations for a more secure future. Organisations across the APAC region have emphasised embedding AI into business processes in 2024. This includes cybersecurity processes, where organisations and their adversaries are engaged in an AI arms race. But alarmingly, according to a recent PwC report, more than 40% of leaders say they do not understand the cyber risks posed by emerging ...Read More >
Amante Capital, KKR's dedicated European hospitality platform, will serve as managing partner to the joint venture LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading investment firms KKR and The Baupost Group today announced a joint venture to purchase a portfolio of 33 Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) hotels across the UK from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). Amante Capital, KKR's vertically integrated European hospitality platform, will serve as managing partner for the joint venture and the properties will continue as premium Marriott branded hotels. The portfolio ...Read More >
DP World has announced an extension of its Carbon Inset Programme after successfully registering more than 150,000 import containers since its inception in January. The programme, which commenced on 1 January 2025, is claimed to be the first initiative of its kind globally, providing cargo owners with 50kg CO2e of carbon credits for each loaded import container processed through DP World's UK terminals. This initiative aims to assist companies in addressing Scope 3 emissions within their supply ...Read More >
Wind Creek Hospitality, under the ownership of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has agreed to purchase the Birmingham Racecourse from the McGregor family, known for their stakes in both the Birmingham and Victoryland Casinos. The acquisition, set to conclude by early 2025, marks a significant expansion for Wind Creek in the Southeast. "For over 30 years, we have worked to provide the best possible experience for our customers and employees, while generating significant tax revenue for the state of Alabama and local charities," said Lewis Benefield, President of the Birmingham Racecourse and ...Read More >
Mumbai: Indian stock markets on Wednesday opened near the flatline on a cautious note, tracking the subdued sentiment in Asian markets. At the opening of the trade, Nifty at National Stock Exchange (NSE) started at 24,204.80, up 10.30 points and Sensex at 80,121.03, up by about 122 points. In the opening trade, the stocks of Coal India, Adani Enterprises, Mahindra and Mahindra, Adani Ports, and Kotak Banks were the top gainers. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, Cipla, Tata Consumer Products, Bharti Airtel, and UltraTech Cement were the major losers on the NSE. Among the sectoral indices, Aut ...Read More >
(The views expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Asia's imports of crude oil ticked up slightly in November, led by a recovery by top importer China, but arrivals are still on track to be weaker this year than in 2023. The top crude-buying region is forecast to import 26.42 million barrels per day (bpd) in November, up marginally from October's 26.11 million bpd and 26.24 million bpd in September, according to data compiled by LSEG Oil Research. The ongoing run of soft monthly imports in Asia is likely t ...Read More >
Cloud-based testing platform LambdaTest has secured $38 million in a funding round led by Avataar Ventures, with Qualcomm Ventures also participating. The fresh funding comes after a gap of more than 30 months for the Noida and San Francisco-based startup. This latest round brings the company's total funding to $108 million, including a $45 million round in March 2022. Its early backers include Premji Invest, Peak XV, Telstra Ventures, Blume Ventures, and Leo Capital. LambdaTest was part of the ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) India's maritime sector is poised to play a transformative role in the country's vision of becoming world's third-largest economy, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said Wednesday. Today, India stands as an emerging maritime powerhouse, strategically leveraging its geographical location and advanced infrastructure to spearhead global maritime initiatives, the Vice President said. "With the global blue economy projected to reach USD 6 trillion by 2030, India's maritime sector stands poised to play a transformative role in our emergence as the world's third-largest econom ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): The clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption has received wide support as people from different walks of life, including actor Akshay Kumar, sportspersons and people from medical fraternity lauded the message to follow healthy routine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave a clarion call to fight obesity and reduce oil consumption. This has received wide support from doctors, sportspersons as well as people from different walks of life. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th National G ...Read More >
MUMBAI: India's stock markets on Monday were trading lower as weak global cues and a decline in Asian markets weighed on investor sentiment. The benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, struggled throughout the day, with most sectors witnessing losses. At the closing bell, the BSE Sensex had dropped 319.22 points, or 0.41 per cent, to settle at 77, 186.74, while the Nifty was down 121.10 points, or 0.52 per cent, to close the trading session at 23, 361.05. The decline in the Indian share market is due to US President Donald Trump's decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada ...Read More >
Mumbai: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded nearly 2 per cent on Tuesday in line with a recovery in Asian peers after US President Donald Trump delayed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a month. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,397.07 points or 1.81 per cent to settle at a month's high of 78,583.81. During the day, it surged 1,471.85 points or 1.90 per cent to 78,658.59. The NSE Nifty soared 378.20 points or 1.62 per cent to 23,739.25, a level not seen since January 3. From the 30-share blue-chip pack, Larsen & Toubro rallied nearly 5 per cent. Adani Ports, IndusInd Bank, Tata ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], February 5 (ANI): Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, called on the Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar at Parliament House on Wednesday. They discussed about diverse facets of the multi-dimensional bilateral relationship between India and Russia. In a post on X, the VP said, "H.E. Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, called on the Hon'ble Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, at Parliament House today. Discussions touched upon d ...Read More >