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: Health insurance policyholders are again witnessing sporadic cases of suspension of cashless hospitalization as hospitals and insurers spar over the issue of tariff rates for medical treatments. In a fresh incident, the Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI), a body of over 15000 hospitals, threatened to suspend cashless services for Star Health Insurance policyholders from September 22. In turn, the General Insurance Council (the association of non-life insurers) has asked AHPI to return to the negotiating table and ensure uninterrupted care for patients. Last month, Niva Bupa Health Insurance suspended cashless treatment facility at Max Hospitals. Cashless treatment is also unavailable at Max Hospitals for policyholders of several other insurance companies. Ironically, these developments come at a time when the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is pushing for 100 per cent cashless treatment across India. So, what are the options available to policyholders if an insurer or hospital suspends cashless hospitalization to a hospital where he had planned to take treatment? 1.Choose Reimbursement---The first and most obvious option is to go for reimbursement mode. Here, you will need to pay out-of-pocket for the hospitalization and then file for reimbursement with your insurer. Insurers set up priority reimbursement process for customers who are currently undergoing or seeking treatment at a hospital where cashless treatment has been suspended. 2.Look at other network hospitals---Policyholders wanting to avail cashless treatment can opt for any other network hospital from the list of thousands of hospitals available on his insurer's website. However, your treating doctor may or may not be available at the network hospital. 3.Check if treatment can be done in daycare -- Says Nisha Sanghavi, director at Promore Fintech, "Check with your insurance company if the hospitalization can be converted to daycare treatment. For example, Varicose veins traditionally required hospitalization but insurers are now allowing the procedure for varicose veins to be done under daycare which saves policyholders from the hassle of hospitalization." 4.Beware of Blacklisted hospitals--- These are hospitals that indulge in inflated or fraudulent billing and have been blacklisted by insurers. The blacklisted hospital list is available on the insurance company's website. Insurers will not honor any claim be it cashless or reimbursement for treatment taken in a blacklisted hospital. 5.Don't consider porting--- Says Shilpa Arora, chief operating officer and co-founder of Insurance Samadhan, "There may be certain policyholders who may evaluate porting to some other insurer but it could result in loss of certain benefits besides fresh waiting periods for pre-existing diseases may also apply." 6.Check your bill---With cases of rampant overcharging of insured patients by hospitals and doctors, you need to be wary of the hospital bill handed to you. Check if the number of times you have been charged for doctor visits and the actual number of times a doctor actually visited your match. Look for multiple charging for the same items, tests, medicines or procedures.
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 >
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: 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.Conc ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) As Tesla announced its foray into the Indian market on Tuesday, Liberty General Insurance and ACKO said they have become insurance partners for the American electric carmaker in India. Liberty General Insurance said it has developed a suite of finely tuned protection plans that complement Tesla's engineering and performance excellence while anticipating the distinct needs of EV users. Also Read | Ganeshotsav 2025: MSRTC To Run 5,000 Special Buses to Konkan From August 23 to September 7, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik Announces; Group Bookings Start July 22. "At Li ...Read More >
CHIDAMBARAM: Chief Minister M K Stalin launched the 'Ungaludan Stalin' (With You, Stalin) scheme in Chidambaram, Cuddalore district, on Tuesday which aims to conduct 10,000 camps across the state by November 2025 to make the government's welfare schemes accessible to the public through door-to-door outreach. At the launch, the CM handed over a hearing aid to Sabareesh, a person with disability, a health insurance card under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme to Senthamizhselvi, and an order for name transfer in electricity connection to Perumal. He interacted with bene ...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 >
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 >
New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) Infosys has opened a new development centre at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, to develop solutions for global Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) clients. The facility, designed to accommodate over 1,000 employees working in a hybrid model, was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel. "It will function as a key TechFin hub, delivering advanced digital solutions for global BFSI clients. Its services will span critical domains including digital banking, regulatory affairs, trade finance, capital markets, c ...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 >
New Delhi: Financially weak people are not able to get treatment in a good hospital. Due to a lack of money, the patient may even die. Amidst the increasing expenditure on healthcare, the government also provides various health facilities, which people also benefit from. Now, a special scheme has been launched for low-income people. The scheme aims to benefit the economically weak people. SBI General Insurance, one of the big banks of the country, has launched a great scheme in association with Starfin India. It has been launched in the name of the Hospital Daily Cash Scheme. This scheme will ...Read More >
Jaipur: Police in Didwana have stepped up their probe into a cross-border smuggling case in which they arrested two arms and drug smugglers on June 27 for supplying Austrian Glock and Chinese Norinco pistols. It has emerged that the case has links to a massive Rs 300-crore heroin consignment seized by Punjab's Amritsar police near the India-Pakistan border in Barmer on June 30. Canada-based Joben Kaler was identified as the main overseas handler of the heroin consignment. Didwana-Kuchaman police had arrested Mohammad Ilyas from Khunkhuna and Amarjeet Singh Takhar, alias Prince, from Jalandhar ...Read More >
Chennai: Chief minister M K Stalin has set a target of enrolling 2.5 crore members in DMK and has instructed party district secretaries to step up membership drive under 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' campaign.In a virtual meeting with DMK district secretaries on Thursday, Stalin said they only had 30 more days to achieve the target. He had earlier set a target of enrolling at least 30% voters in every polling booth. Now, after the positive response for the 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu' campaign, Stalin has revis ...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 >
Medak: Telangana State BJP President N. Ramchander Rao on Friday appealed to the people to give the committed party an opportunity to meet the aspirations of the poor and downtrodden. Addressing a large gathering of party workers in Medak, the BJP chief remarked that citizens have experienced the rule of the BRS and the Congress party and have had bitter experiences with the deceitful practices of both. He urged people to support the BJP wholeheartedly in the upcoming local body elections as a way to teach the ruling Congress party a lesson for its unfulfilled promises. Rao emphasized that t ...Read More >
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], December 12: Navanc, a pioneering FinTech startup building India's first AI-powered property score and stack for secured lending and insurance practices, has successfully raised USD 1 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Prarambh Ventures, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Brigade REAP FirstPort Capital, and marquee angel investors Also Read | US: Joe Biden Commutes Roughly 1,500 Sentences and Pardons 39 People in Biggest Single-Day Act of Clemency. The funds will be directed toward expanding operations across India, with a ...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, 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 >
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 >
Patna, Aug 1 (PTI) Healthcare services were affected at AIIMS-Patna on Friday as resident doctors went on an "indefinite strike" in protest against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand. According to a press statement issued by the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS-Patna, on Friday, "The RDA expresses deep disappointment and anguish over the lack of action by the administration following the violent and traumatic incident that occurred on Wednesday, when MLA Chetan Anand, his wife and their armed guards breached hospital security, physically assaulted staff, and thr ...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 >
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 >
NewsVoir Gurugram (Haryana) [India], December 12: Navanc, a pioneering FinTech startup building India's first AI-powered property score and stack for secured lending and insurance practices, has successfully raised USD 1 million in a seed funding round. The round was led by Prarambh Ventures, with participation from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Brigade REAP FirstPort Capital, and marquee angel investors The funds will be directed toward expanding operations across India, with a focus on strengthening Navanc's presence in urban and semi-urban areas. Additionally, the startup will bolster ...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 >
Chidambaram , Jul 15 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin launched here on Tuesday, the outreach programme 'Ungaludan Stalin,' (Stalin with you) to take government services to the people and redress grievances by organising special camps in their neighbourhoods. Stalin, in a camp here, gave away a hearing device to a differently-abled man who requested it, medical insurance under the CM's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme to a woman beneficiary, and an order effecting electricity connection 'name change' to a resident. The beneficiaries received the services they sought within an h ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of Jammu and Kashmir Police is conducting searches at ten locations across four districts in the Valley. An official told news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a terror-crime case linked to a terrorist sleeper cell and recruitment module handled by Jaish commander Abdullah Ghazi from across the border. The searches are underway at one location in Pulwama, six in Ganderbal, one in Srinagar, and two in Budgam district -- (KNO) ...Read More >
India's BFSI sector is rapidly evolving with digital transformation, creating new opportunities for the youth to merge financial knowledge with tech skills. As automation, AI, blockchain, and big data reshape the industry, India’s young workforce must be equipped with specialized skills to stay competitive. Roles in data analysis, AI, and cybersecurity are growing, and companies that invest in technology and upskilling will lead the market. While government programs aim to bridge the skills gap, a collaborative approach with educational institutions and financial organizations is key to ensuri ...Read More >
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 6: Bajaj Markets simplifies access to personal loans from multiple financial partners, and facilitates the funding for diverse needs, including travel, wedding expenditures, and medical emergencies. Users can easily compare vital loan specifics like interest rates, available loan amounts, and repayment tenures, and select those that align with their specific requirements and preferences. Also Read | Arietids Meteor Shower 2025 Peaks on June 7: Why Is It Known As the Most Active Daytime Meteor Shower? How To Watch the Shooting Stars and Other Important Details ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 02: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced a comprehensive overhaul of cab and bike aggregator operations in India through the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025. These new rules apply to companies like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, and are aimed at improving transparency in pricing, enhancing passenger safety, protecting driver rights, and introducing accountability measures for both riders and service providers. One of the most significant changes is that the government has allowed the use of private motorcycles for passenger rides, subject to approva ...Read More >