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, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Publicis has sued India's antitrust watchdog for denying access to case files in a high-profile price-fixing investigation of ad agencies, after the French group failed to get the probe stalled until it could review the documents, court filings show. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) shook India's near-$30 billion media and entertainment sector in March with dawn raids at WPP's (WPP.L), opens new tab GroupM, Dentsu (4324.T), opens new tab, Publicis (PUBP.PA), opens new tab, Omnicom (OMC.N), opens new tab and many other agencies over suspected collusion over publicity rates and discounts. Details of cartel cases are kept confidential in India, but Reuters has reported that the CCI's initial assessment found the firms used a WhatsApp group to coordinate and agree on pricing, entered into secret pacts, and colluded with broadcasters to deny business to agencies that didn't comply. Concerned the CCI has not responded to its requests in recent months to provide access to case files, Publicis approached the Delhi High Court on August 11 asking judges to order the watchdog to accede to its requests, according to its non-public filing reviewed by Reuters on Thursday. Publicis and its employees in India are "unable to understand the allegations against them and prepare a defence in the absence of the case records", it said in the filing. The CCI did not respond to Reuters queries, and the court is likely to hear Publicis' case next week. The filing was made by TLG India, which its court papers said "is the legal entity that houses majority of the advertising business of the Publicis group in India". The antitrust investigation was triggered by Dentsu disclosing alleged industry malpractices to the CCI in February 2024 under the regulator's leniency program, which allows lesser penalties for firms that share evidence of malpractice. Publicis is the first company to file a lawsuit related to the high-profile CCI investigation in court. Filings showed the company urged the CCI in July that "further investigation remain in abeyance till" it is granted inspection of case records. CCI investigations typically take several months. The regulator has powers to impose financial penalties on the media agencies of up to three times their profit or 10% of an Indian entity's global turnover, whichever is higher, for each year of wrongdoing. Publicis' court filing also showed the CCI in July asked for a brief note from the company about its business model, and how operations are coordinated with the parent entity. On August 4, the CCI issued summons to Publicis' South Asia chief Anupriya Acharya to appear before investigators, and provide documents such as copies of key contracts involving Publicis and its Indian entities, including on revenue sharing. Acharya did not respond to Reuters queries, and Publicis has asked the court to quash the summon. Reporting by Aditya Kalra; editing by Giles Elgood Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Boards, Policy & Regulation * Regulatory Oversight * Corporate Structure * Lawsuits Aditya Kalra Thomson Reuters Aditya Kalra is the Company News Editor for Reuters in India, overseeing business coverage and reporting stories on some of the world's biggest companies. He joined Reuters in 2008 and has in recent years written stories on challenges and strategies of a wide array of companies -- from Amazon, Google and Walmart to Xiaomi, Starbucks and Reliance. He also extensively works on deeply-reported and investigative business stories.
In a historic move, U.S. Justice Department antitrust regulators are pushing for a court order that would force Google to sell its Chrome browser. This request follows a ruling in August, which determined that Google had unlawfully monopolized the search market. Additionally, the department aims to impose restrictions on Google's artificial intelligence practices and its Android operating system. This unprecedented legal action targets one of the world’s largest tech companies, marking a significant escalation in the U.S. government's efforts to curb monopolistic practices in the digital indus ...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 >
Former Manipur CM N. Biren Singh stated that efforts are underway to establish a popular government in the state, currently under President's rule. He expressed optimism about forming a new government soon, emphasizing the BJP and its allies' desire for restoration of popular governance.Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said efforts are underway for setting up of a popular government in the state which is now under President's rule. Speaking at the sidelines of a programme at BJP state headquarters, Singh expressed hope that a new government will be formed in Manipur soo ...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 >
Meet Venkata Datta, Hyderabad techie, who is set to marry badminton star PV Sindhu The KYC Bubble: How digital ID's could trigger a global collapse 5 reasons why Allu Arjun will become biggest pan-India star with Pushpa 2: The Rule This is world's weirdest hotel where guests stay to get insulted, pay Rs 20000 room rent, it is located in... Vikrant Massey breaks silence on his 'retirement' announcement, says his post was misread: 'I'm not...' After breakup with Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora does 'Nain Matakka' with another actor, netizens react Naga Chaitanya-Sobhita Dhulipala wedding: Allu ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) JSW Paints, part of USD 23 billion JSW Group, on Friday said it will acquire majority controlling stake in Akzo Nobel India Ltd (ANIL), the maker of Dulux paints, for Rs 8,986 crore. It will acquire 74.76 per cent stake from its Dutch promoters/holding entities -- namely Imperial Chemical Industries and Akzo Nobel Coatings International BV -- for a consideration of Rs 8,986 crore, according to a statement from the JSW Group firm. "JSW Paints today (Friday) entered into definitive agreements to acquire up to 74.76 per cent stake in Akzo Nobel India from Akzo Nobel NV a ...Read More >
Mumbai: JSW Paints has agreed to acquire Akzo Nobel's India business, valuing the company at Rs 12,000 crore (approximately $1.1 billion). This will make the paint-maker the fourth-largest in the now highly competitive domestic paints market. Ending months of negotiations, JSW has agreed to pick up 74.76% stake in the Akzo Nobel India for Rs 8,986 crore, an over 17% discount to Thursday's price. ET in its May 26th edition was the first to report that JSW had agreed for the billion dollar acquisition - its largest so far and had entered in "exclusive negotiations." "Akzo Nobel India is home t ...Read More >
Walmart-owned e-commerce major Flipkart is leaning heavily into social video and livestreaming to attract young shoppers who are glued to their smartphones. The move reflects a broader strategy of the company to seek long-term customer loyalty by making online shopping more immersive and interactive. Online shopping with live commerce Using videos to display and promote products has become one of the company's key new strategies, Neha Agrahari, a director at Flipkart told Bloomberg News. "Users ...Read More >
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, is facing legal trouble after a Mumbai court issued a notice due to YouTube's failure to comply with a previous order. The issue revolves around an offensive video about Dhyan Foundation’s founder, Yogi Ashwini, which was supposed to be removed globally but remains accessible outside India. The court is questioning Pichai on why he shouldn't face consequences for not following the order. Meanwhile, satellite internet services are set to launch in India, with Jio, Airtel, Starlink, and Amazon Kuiper competing for market dominance. The government is preparing to all ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): The GSEC in Hyderabad will be the first of its kind in the APAC region after Tokyo and only the fifth globally, with similar facilities in Dublin, Munich, and Malaga, according to a statement. This GSEC is a specialised international cybersecurity hub designed to play a crucial role in developing advanced security and online safety products tailored for the Indian context. The centre will focus on cutting-edge research, AI-driven security solutions, and creating a collaborative platform for leading experts and researchers in cybersecurity. It also aims to ...Read More >
The books for class 9-12 will be available from 2026-27. New Delhi: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has reduced the prices of books for classes 9 to 12 by 20 per cent. The decision was announced by NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani during an event held in the national capital on Monday. The reduction in the prices of books will be effective from the upcoming academic year. News agency PTI quoted the minister as saying that while the textbooks for classes 9- ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 2 (Reuters) - India's key iron ore producer NMDC (NMDC.NS), opens new tab is testing a new pricing formula for its output to shield its profits from the volatilities reflected in global benchmarks, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. State-run NMDC, which sells its output locally, currently releases monthly iron ore prices linked to inventories, international prices and domestic market dynamics. The company plans to launch the new formula after initial trials, the source said, declining to be identified as the plan is not public yet. "We are taking bab ...Read More >
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched the Quantum Embark advisory program to help businesses prepare for the emerging quantum computing era. The program comes as quantum stocks, like IonQ, see significant growth, driven by innovations in drug discovery, cryptography, and materials science. Companies like D-Wave and Rigetti are advancing quantum technologies, with D-Wave focusing on optimization problems and Rigetti on scalable quantum systems. Despite early financial losses, these companies are gaining traction with government contracts and commercial clients. As quantum computing evolves, in ...Read More >
The Chinese yuan was also facing its own challenges from the growing threat of more U.S. tariffs on China, pushing it down to a 13-month trough. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei jumped 1.6% as of 0200 GMT, and South Korea's KOSPI advanced 1.7%. Taiwanese shares gained 1.1%. Australia's stocks benchmark rose 0.7% and reached a fresh all-time high. However, Chinese stocks were under pressure, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng edging slightly lower and mainland blue chips falling 0.3%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares added 0.7%. Both S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were flat after the cash indexes ...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 >
New Delhi [India], February 3: SarkarSEO, a leading SEO agency, is introducing a new approach to digital rankings with its Search Everywhere Optimization strategy. As AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bing AI change how people find information, SarkarSEO is helping businesses rank across all platforms, not just Google. Also Read | US Shocker: Woman Allegedly Beats 14-Year-Old Son to Death With Extension Cord Over Unfinished Chores, Waits 5 Minutes Before Calling 911; Arrested. Search Everywhere Optimisation takes advantage of the fractured nature of the search, optimisi ...Read More >
Imphal, June 7 (UNI) Three militants were nabbed in separate incidents during the last 24 hours in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Manipur Police arrested a militant from Moidangpok Awang Leikai from Khumbong Bazar under Imphal West District, they said. Security forces arrested a militant from the Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area under Kakching district. Security forces apprehended a militant from Wangoo Samushang in Bishnupur district and elected members from Kumbi area. In an operation, one M16 rifle, one bolt-action rifle, three pull-mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars, and fiv ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
The Punjab Cabinet approved amendments to the state's conversion policy, facilitating industrial plot conversions into various uses. This move addresses industrialists' concerns, aims to streamline estate management, and enhance business ease. Additional policies target micro and small enterprise operations and restructure state financial directorates for efficiency. The Punjab Cabinet has given the green light to amendments in the conversion policy, offering opportunities for industrial plots t ...Read More >
India must ensure any trade deal with the U.S. is fair, not politically driven, and protects its farmers, digital ecosystem, and regulatory sovereignty, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said on Friday. With India's chief negotiator in Washington and a July 9 deadline approaching (marking the end of U.S. President Donald Trump's 90-day tariff suspension), a limited mini-deal appears likely.Any trade agreement with the US must not be politically driven or one-sided and India should protect its farmers, digital ecosystem, and policy space, economic think tank GTRI said on Friday. With ...Read More >
Dec 3 (Reuters) - India's top renewable energy agency said on Tuesday it withdrew its ban prohibiting Reliance Power (RPOL.NS), opens new tab from participating in tenders for clean energy projects after a court directive. Last month, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) had barred Reliance Power from bidding for its tenders for three years and was weighing criminal proceedings against the company after a bank guarantee turned out to be a fake endorsement. The High Court of Delhi had granted a stay last week on the notice of debarment after the Anil Ambani-owned company challenged th ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Dec 13 (Reuters) - India should do more to tax its super-rich given its high levels of inequality, French economist and author Thomas Piketty said on Friday. The writer of the best-selling book "Capital in the 21st Century" called on India to follow through on a July pledge by finance ministers from the Group of 20 major economies to cooperate on effectively taxing the world's largest fortunes. "India should be active in taxing the rich," Piketty said at an event organised by Delhi-b ...Read More >
MUMBAI (Reuters): The Indian rupee weakened to its lifetime low on Tuesday, hurt by concerns about a widening trade deficit and likely outflows from local equities, although intervention by the central bank capped losses. The rupee hit a low of 84.93 against the US dollar, before closing at 84.8950, down 0.04% on the day. Benchmark Indian equity indexes BSE Sensex and Nifty 50, closed lower by over 1% each, dragged by weakness in financial stocks and Reliance Industries. Investor sentiment was also dampened after data on Monday showed that India's merchandise trade deficit rose to a record h ...Read More >
BENGALURU (Reuters) - India's CESC, a power generation and distribution company, reported a fall in third-quarter profit on Friday, due to higher tax expenses and lower regulatory income. The company's consolidated profit fell 5.7% year-on-year to 2.65 billion rupees ($30.8 million) for the three months ended Dec. 31. Total tax expenses rose 27% to 800 million rupees. Regulatory income, which includes adjustments related to fuel cost, purchase of power and other fixed costs, fell to 3 billion rupees from 5.6 billion rupees a year ago. The profit before regulatory income and tax was at 620 ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Samsung has officially launched the Samsung Galaxy M36 5G smartphone in India, expanding the M-series lineup. The new handset features a 120Hz Super AMOLED display, an Exynos 1380 chipset, 6GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a 50MP triple rear camera setup. It packs a 5,000mAh battery with 25W wired fast charging. The device runs on OneUI 7 based on Android 15. Notably, it is the successor of the Samsung Galaxy M35 5G, launched in India last July. Samsung Galaxy M36 5G: Price, availability The Samsung Galaxy M36 5G is priced at Rs 22,999 for its sole 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. It is ...Read More >
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump abruptly froze trade talks with Canada this week because Ottawa plans to begin collecting a digital tax from big technology companies, including American giants like Google, Amazon, Meta and Uber. Trump did not hold back. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he called the tax a "direct and blatant attack on our country". He said the United States would respond within days with fresh tariffs on Canadian goods. The move did not come out of nowhere. Quietly passed in June 2024, the Canadian law charges a 3% levy on digital services revenue earned from Can ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has issued a notice in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the alleged unlawful construction of Urban Extension Road II through the village pond land in Goyla Khurd, located in the Southwest District of Delhi. The construction, which took place between 2018 and 2024, is visible in Google satellite images and raises concerns about the loss of natural resources crucial for environmental sustainability, especially as the city grapples with pollution, heatwaves, groundwater depletion, and climate change, plea stated ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, Dec 12 (Reuters) - India's steel ministry on Thursday announced a formula for defining 'green steel,' classifying it under three categories based on the quantity of carbon emissions per metric tonne of the alloy produced. Steel produced with carbon dioxide emissions of less than 2.2 tonne per tonne of finished steel would be defined as "green steel," a ministry presentation released in New Delhi showed. Steel produced with emissions below 1.6 tonnes per tonne of alloy would be classified as "five-star green-rated steel," the cleanest of the three. Meanwhile, steel produced with e ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, May 23 (Reuters) - India will push the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global financial crime watchdog, to add arch-rival Pakistan to its "grey list", a top government source in New Delhi said on Friday. Pakistan was taken off the FATF grey list in 2022, boosting its reputation among lenders - which is essential for the crisis-hit economy. India will also oppose upcoming World Bank funding for Pakistan, amid renewed tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the government source said. Reporting by Aftab Ahmed, writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Aidan Lewis ...Read More >
June 5 (Reuters) - The founding firms of India's Bajaj Finserv (BJFS.NS), opens new tab will sell at least a 1.58% stake they own in the financial services company in a deal worth 47.5 billion rupees ($554 million), news channel ET NOW reported on Thursday, citing sources. The firms, which include Jamnalal Sons and Bajaj Holdings and Investment (BJAT.NS), opens new tab, will sell the 25.3 million shares they own in the secondary market at a floor price of 1,880 rupees per share, the report said. The reported floor price is at a discount to Bajaj's closing price of 1,944 rupees on Thursday. ...Read More >