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: The National Payments Corporation (NPCI) has launched a biometric authentication for UPI payments instead of the present PIN-based system. The biometric authentication will be performed on-device and can be used in place of the PIN that has been in use since the popular digital payments system was launched in April 2016. The new tool was rolled out by M Nagaraju, financial services secretary, at the global fintech summit here Tuesday. A biometric authentication is a more seamless, secure and user-friendly alternative to PIN-based UPI authentication and can be used for setting or resetting the PIN apart from using it for cash withdrawal at ATMs using UPI. The facility will be made available to customers who choose to opt in, giving them control over their preferred mode of authentication, the NPCI said. "Each transaction is independently verified by the issuing bank using robust cryptographic checks, ensuring the highest level of safety while keeping the experience simple and seamless," the NPCI release said. The introduction of biometrics for UPI payments could also make onboarding easier for senior citizens and first-time users.
New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has achieved 15,547 crore transactions worth Rs 223 lakh crore from January to November this year, 'showcasing its transformative impact on financial transactions' in India, the Finance Ministry said on Saturday. The Finance Ministry also said that UPI is now accepted in seven countries including France, UAE, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Bhutan and Nepal. The UPI system provides a cheaper and quicker alternative to the available channels of cross-border remittances. UPI has succeeded in increasing financial inclusion and promot ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Aadhaar number holders carried out over 211 crores authentication transactions, pushing the total number of such transactions since Aadhaar's inception to more than 15,223 crores (152.23 billion), according to a release by the Ministry of Electronics & IT. The ministry reported that the transaction in May 2025 saw more transactions, as compared to the same month last year, when 201.76 Cr such transactions were carried out. This growth in number is a reflection of how Aadhaar-based authentication has been playing a facilitating role in effective welfare delive ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Fintech companies should go beyond urban markets and play a role in driving financial inclusion across the country by developing offline payment systems, voice-authorised tools, improving connectivity as well as cross-border payment capabilities, enhancing cybersecurity and integrating AI and better app safety for user convenience, a top official said on Monday."Fintech will drive financial inclusion, which in turn is a key driver of growth and poverty alleviation," M Nagaraju, secretary of department of financial services, told a fintech summit. He highlighted role of India's Digit ...Read More >
Bengaluru : India's digital commerce landscape is undergoing a seismic transformation, driven by deep rural internet penetration, explosive growth in Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands, and the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the retail sector. According to the Made for Bharat, Powered by AI: The New Age of Commerce Report by Shiprocket and KPMG, with 886 million active internet users 55% from rural India and UPI accounting for 84% of all retail digital payments, Bharat is not just catching up; it's driving the change. The report was launched today at Shiprocket's flagship comme ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 18 (MExN): Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Coal India Ltd (CIL) has partnered for improving the quality of education given to the tribal students in the state of Chhattisgarh. CIL will support 68 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Chhattisgarh under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which will be benefiting more than 28000 tribal students, stated a PIB update. Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India establishes EMRS to impart quality education to ST children thereby enabling them to avail of opportunities in higher and professional educational c ...Read More >
The Enforcement Directorate conducted multi-state searches across 15 locations, including Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, as part of a money laundering investigation. This probe targets the Parimatch betting app, accused of defrauding users of approximately Rs 2,000 crore. The funds were allegedly laundered through mule accounts, payment aggregators, crypto wallets, and ATM withdrawals. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted multi-state searches as part of a money laundering investigation i ...Read More >
In an exclusive interview with FinTech Magazine at Money20/20, Matthew Van Buskirk, Co-founder and CEO of Hummingbird Regtech, discusses how the company is enabling data to be labelled at ease through the use of artificial intelligence. Hummingbird positions itself as an AI enablement company, addressing a critical challenge in the financial sector: the lack of well-labelled, clean training data. "From the day we launched, we saw that deploying effective machine learning or AI capabilities in this industry is incredibly difficult because we don't have clean training data. Instead, we have th ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted searches at 10 locations in Delhi and surrounding areas in connection with an on-going investigation of a transnational cyber enabled fraud case involving large-scale financial scams. CBI registered the said case under Sections 403 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, based on a written complaint received from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The complaint alleged that unknown ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in the presence of leaders of Central Asian countries, touched upon various business opportunities and complementarities between these respective economies on Thursday. Jaishankar suggested a few areas where India and Central Asian countries should collaborate to improve their economies. Jaishankar noted that India's trade and economic ties with Central Asia have actually shown a very strong positive trend over the last decade. However, he has also said that the trade figures do not reflect the full potential. Given th ...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 >
New Delhi, July 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Fintech companies should leverage their strengths and innovation by not only extending financial services to the masses but also to develop robust solutions against fraud, hacking, and other cyber threats -- making greater use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), a top government official said on Monday. With the country's digital payments ecosystem rapidly maturing, its influence has begun to extend beyond national borders, reaching Global South, said Nagaraju Maddirala, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS). Addressing t ...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. The new app will offer essential UPI features such as peer-to-peer transfers, offline QR payments, and receiving money via mobile numbers or self-QR codes. Industry research indicates that there were over 24 crore feature pho ...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 >
M Nagaraju asked fintechs to prioritize offline payment options. This push aims to boost financial inclusion across India. He spoke at the CII Summit on Financial Inclusion and FinTech. Nagaraju highlighted financial inclusion's role in economic growth. He noted India's progress since 2014 with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. The scheme significantly increased bank account access for adults. DFS Secretary M Nagaraju on Monday urged fintechs to focus on driving offline payment solutions to en ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 17: In a major move that could bring relief to over 7 crore Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) members, the Centre is reportedly considering a proposal to allow full or partial withdrawal of EPF savings after 10 years of service. According to a Moneycontrol report, the retirement fund body has floated this idea to address the needs of those who wish to exit the formal workforce earlier than the official retirement age of 58. Currently, EPF members can withdraw their full balance only upon retirement or after remaining unemployed for over two months. However, many in ...Read More >
Bank holidays in India vary from one region to another. They differ from one state to the next and are often influenced by local festivities, religious events, and regional festivals. Many people in India are unsure about bank holidays. Reserve Bank of India states banks are closed on the second and fourth SaturdaysWith a busy work schedule, many individuals push their bank related work to Saturday to visit the branch and finish transactions. However, it is always confusing to know if this Saturd ...Read More >
What began as a simple idea to make digital payments easier for Indian businesses has now become a story of global recognition. Razorpay, the Indian fintech unicorn, has been featured in the 2025 list of the World's Top Fintech Companies by CNBC and Statista, a feat that places it in the league of global fintech innovators. It's a prestigious nod, considering the final list was curated after evaluating thousands of fintech companies across the world on over 40 performance indicators. These inclu ...Read More >
With the deadline for free Aadhaar updates approaching on December 14, 2024, the UIDAI is urging those who received their cards over 10 years ago to update their details. However, updating is recommended, it is not mandatory. To prevent fake identities, Aadhaar assigns a unique number to each person, linked to their biometric data, making duplication impossible. Although updating is optional, it helps improve services, ensures accurate authentication and simplifies daily life. Aadhaar is a vital identification document for every Indian citizen due to its reliability, legal compliance, and ea ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aadhaar number holders executed over 211 crore authentication transactions in May this year taking the cumulative number of such transactions to more than 15,223 crore since inception, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Electronics & IT on Thursday. The May authentication transactions are more than the previous month, as well as of May 2024 when 201.76 Cr such transactions were carried out. The growing number shows, how Aadhaar-based authentication has been playing a facilitating role in effective welfare delivery, and voluntarily availing v ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ministry of Power has announced the launch of a task force to conceive the India Energy Stack, a pioneering initiative aimed at creating a unified, secure, and interoperable digital infrastructure for the country's energy sector. The India Energy Stack will play a vital role in integrating renewable energy, enhancing DISCOM efficiency, and delivering transparent, reliable, and future-ready power services, the official statement said. As India charts its path to becoming a $5 trillion economy and advances towards its Net Zero commitments, the power sect ...Read More >
DHARMAPURI: For the third time in the past two months, a wild leopard wandered into a private farmland near Valaithottam village near Palacode and hunted chicken raised by a local farmer. Locals are increasingly distressed and urged the forest department to take steps to relocate the leopard. Over the past few months, there have been several reports of leopard sightings in forest areas near Palacode, particularly in Valaithottam village, near the forest's fringe. There have been two instances when the leopard attacked farmlands, taking away a domestic dog and a chicken. On Saturday, the leop ...Read More >
Bengaluru : Kinara Capital, a leading fintech driving MSME financial inclusion, today released its fourth edition of MSME Insights, signaling strong optimism and increased formalization in the MSME sector. MSME entrepreneurs are confident about their near-term business growth prospects. According to the latest MSME Insights, 81% of the surveyed MSMEs expect their business revenue to increase within the next 1-2 years. Of these, 34% anticipate a revenue growth of more than 15% in their businesses. Additionally, MSMEs are embracing formalization, with 51.7% of the surveyed reporting that they ar ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) A latest note titled 'Growing Retail Digital Payments: The Value of Interoperability' presented by International Monetary Fund (IMF) highlighted India as a global leader in making fastest payments which is due to the adoption of UPIs or Unified Payment Interface by a wide number of masses. This report is authored by Alexandar Copestake, Divya Kirti, and Maria Soledad Martinez Peria. The global economic watchdog also stressed the transition from cash to card-based transactions to UPI or Unified Payments Interface since its launch in 2016. Unified Payments Interface is ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jul 15 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Assam on Wednesday during which they will interact with party functionaries of the state. State Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi said the district, block and mandal presidents of the party will be able to present their views before its top leadership during Kharge and Gandhi's visit. Also Read | Did Lucknow Court Judge Take Selfie With Rahul Gandhi During Hearing of Indian Army 'Defamation' Case? BJP's Amit Malviya Found Fake in Fact Check. "I look forward to welcoming Shri ...Read More >
New Delhi: The death sentence of Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya, who was sentenced to death in Yemen, has been postponed for the time being. She was to be executed by shooting today, July 16. According to media reports, activist groups and influential religious leaders intervened in the matter, after which the death sentence of Nimisha Priya was postponed. Earlier, many efforts were also made at the diplomatic level to save Nimisha from the death penalty. There is also news that the victim's family has not yet agreed to clemency or blood money. As a last-ditch effort to save her, Kanthapuram A. ...Read More >
Chennai: Despite a 90 per cent mobile money account ownership rate, due to its large population India has the largest number of adults without accounts in the world, according to the World Bank. A large-population economy can have a high rate of account ownership and still be home to many people without accounts. For instance, both China and India have account ownership rates of nearly 90 percent, yet they are also home to the largest number of adults without accounts, the report said. The five countries with the largest number of adults without mobile money accounts have remained the same s ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) India Post Payments Bank has started nationwide rollout of Aadhaar-based face authentication facility for customer transactions that is expected to make digital banking more secure and convenient especially for the elderly and differently abled people, according to a statement on Friday. The face authentication feature, developed under the framework of UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), will enable customers to perform banking transactions using facial recognition, eliminating the need for physical biometric inputs like fingerprints or OTPs. "At IPPB, we ...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 >
Mumbai, Aug 21 (PTI) Rapidly expanding global capability centres of banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector has led to an acute shortage of talent, widening skill gap and higher workforce expense for enterprises, a report said on Thursday. India's BFSI GCC sector was valued at USD 40-41 billion in 2023 and is projected to touch USD 125-135 billion by 2032, which reflects a CAGR of 12-13 per cent, according to 'BFSI GCC Talent Report 2025' by staffing and workforce solutions provider Quess Corp. However, the acute shortage of AI and data talent is evident with a 42 per cent sk ...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 >