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 [India], April 5 (ANI): Former Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Sanjay Sudhir, lauded "proactive government measures" as India navigates "disproportionate" LPG hit as the conflict in West Asia enters its second month. Speaking with ANI, he sounded a clarion call regarding India's energy security and described the current geopolitical climate as one of total "uncertainty," warning that the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has placed one-sixth of humanity at a critical economic crossroads. "I think if I were to use one word, that's uncertainty. And I think uncertainty prevails even now as much as it did in the first week of this war, which started on the 28th of February," he said. While the entire hydrocarbon spectrum is reeling, Sudhir highlighted that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is facing the most severe crisis. LPG fuels over 340 million Indian households, making it a matter of national survival rather than just industrial necessity. India relies on imports for 62% of its LPG needs. Crucially, 90% of those imports originate from the Gulf countries currently embroiled in or affected by the war. "Well, I think that while our entire spectrum of hydrocarbons has been impacted, LPG has taken a disproportionate hit. And LPG is a very important fuel for the simple reason that LPG is actually fuel for more than 340 million households. And that makes it so critical in terms of its importance. Also, we have to keep in mind the fact that we are reliant on imports to the extent of 62% for LPG, and out of these 62%, 90% comes from Gulf countries," he said. Despite the grim outlook, Sudhir noted that "proactive government measures" are currently keeping a total collapse at bay, highlighting the Centre's efforts to prioritise domestic cooking gas over industrial use and maximising refining. Domestic refineries have been ordered to push LPG production to absolute capacity. "And due to the crisis which we all see in West Asia and also the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, this has been impacted very, very seriously. But the good thing is that because of the proactive government measures--like you'll recall the LPG Control Act and invoking it, and also asking our refineries to produce as much of LPG as they can, proactive diplomacy on our part to procure as much of LPG as is possible, also prioritizing LPG for domestic consumption as compared to, say, industrial consumption--I think this has had a good impact to just mitigate the situation," he said. Sudhir said that India's situation becomes critically important because it has to sustain one-sixth of humanity. "Well, to answer the first part of your question first, it's not just India, I think the entire world is quite dependent on the Gulf for its energy needs. India, in particular because of our geography, our proximity to the Gulf, and the fact that India is the world's third-largest energy consumer and also the third-largest energy importer. And that's also very obvious because, after all, we are the fourth-largest economy in the world. We have to take care of one-sixth of humanity. And that makes our dependence perhaps much more on the Gulf as compared to others," he said. He further told ANI that India is 89% import-reliant and of this, 45% comes from the Gulf. "If I give you some figures: as far as crude is concerned, we are 89% import-reliant; out of this 89%, 45% comes from the Gulf. LPG, I already mentioned, 62% import-reliance, 90% comes from the Gulf. Things are, of course, a little better in terms of LNG overall because it's only 50% import-reliance, but of this 50%, over 60% comes from the Gulf, particularly from Qatar. And that makes us quite dependent on Qatar. So, we are impacted in two ways. One is the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the fact that the Ras Laffan LNG facility of Qatar has been badly damaged," he said. The former diplomat further added that India is looking toward Mozambique and new long-term contracts with the UAE (expected by late 2026) to decouple from current hotspots. "And Qatar has itself claimed that about 17% of the facility has been damaged, which will take more than five years to build back again, and they have declared force majeure. So, that creates a problem for us. But overall, as far as LNG is concerned, there is likely to be a glut by 2030; it is a different matter that this issue is happening in early 2026. And we are in the process of actually diversifying our LNG resources. We should get LNG from Mozambique--we have made huge investments there. We have also signed four long-term LNG contracts with the UAE. But then the LNG under these contracts will start coming maybe by the end of this year," he said. Parallel to Sudhir's warning, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a public advisory on Friday. While acknowledging the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry assured citizens that "necessary measures" are in place to maintain an uninterrupted supply. Citizens were urged to avoid panic purchasing of petrol and diesel and to refrain from "unnecessary" advance bookings of LPG cylinders to prevent artificial shortages. (ANI)
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state B ...Read More >
Mark Carney declined to answer if he believed Indian PM had a role in murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar Canada's prime minister Mark Carney has defended his decision to invite India's prime minister Narendra Modi to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, despite Canada's federal police's conclusion that the murder of a prominent Sikh activist in British Columbia was orchestrated by the "highest levels" of the Indian government. Carney declined to answer reporters' questions over whether ...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 >
New Delhi: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries is deliberating on closing a deal with the Russian oil giant PJSC Rosneft Oil Company, the talks for which are in an early stage. The talks are about sale of Rosneft's 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy, which operates a 20-million tonnes-a-year oil refinery and 6,750 petrol pumps in India, sources said. Reliance has held preliminary talks for the acquisition of Nayara. If it happens then it will help it overtake state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to become India's No.1 oil refiner. Since the discussions are in initial stage, there is no ...Read More >
xternal Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar, on Monday, met with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and discussed the conflict with Russia at the sidelines of the MED Mediterranean Dialogues Conference in Rome, Italy. Apart from Ukraine, EAM Jaishankar met with his counterparts from France, Lebanon, and Croatia as well. On his meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the EAM reiterated India's support for "dialogue and diplomacy" to end the long-running conflict. "Good to meet FM of Ukraine @andrii_sybihain Rome today. Useful exchange on advancing our bilateral cooperation. ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Starting Tuesday, the Delhi government is planning to stop the sale of petrol and diesel to end-of-life (EoL) or over-age vehicles - a move aimed at fighting vehicular emission-linked air pollution in the Capital, an official said. Petrol pump owners on Monday confirmed that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and other devices linked to the transport ministry's data bank have been installed at their outlets to identify EoL vehicles. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued a direction that all EoL vehicles identified throu ...Read More >
Listening to the sounds of nature such as birdsong reduces stress levels - but the sound of traffic increases them, new research shows. The research lends support for anyone who is a firm believer in the curative powers of a walk in the countryside or through a forest. In a study, 68 volunteers listened to three three-minute soundscapes: a nature soundscape recorded at sunrise in West Sussex, the same soundscape combined with 20 mile per hour road traffic sounds, and the same soundscape with 40 mile per hour traffic sounds. General mood and anxiety were assessed before and after the soundsc ...Read More >
New Delhi: The BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicle ban has been lifted in Delhi after the Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the moderate category. The Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions due to the improvement in the national capital's air pollution situation. Delhi had been facing high pollution levels, which led CAQM to enforce Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The court has now asked the commission to apply GRAP Stage 2. ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major move to combat air pollution, the Delhi government has enforced a strict fuel ban on 'end-of-life' (EoL) vehicles -- petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years -- from being refuelled at petrol pumps across the national capital. Authorities confirmed that two motorcycles have already been identified and seized under the new enforcement, and the vehicles will be scrapped in accordance with the official policy. The crackdown follows the alarming findings by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), whose Novembe ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth rate for October 2024 registered a modest increase to 3.5 per cent, up from 3.1 per cent in September 2024, according to the Quick Estimates released on December 12. According to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, sectoral analysis reveals mixed performances. Mining, Manufacturing, and Electricity sectors reported growth rates of 0.9 per cent, 4.1 per cent, and 2.0 per cent, respectively. The manufacturing sector demonstrated resilience, with 18 out of 23 industry groups at the 2-digit N ...Read More >
New Delhi: ONGC's production trend is beginning to turn after eight straight years of fall as a key new field in KG Basin ramps up and the old Mumbai High asset arrests decline. ONGC's crude production rose 3% year-on-year in November to 53,804 tonnes per day (tpd) and the output growth so far in December has accelerated to 4.2% to 54,535 tpd, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The output was marginally higher in three of the first seven months this fiscal year but there is a cle ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The invitation to Prime Minister Narendra attend the G7 summit in Canada was due and 'had to come' with India being a big geopolitical power, Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev said on Saturday. 'Invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G7 Summit was due, it had to come. India is too big a power now, geopolitically, economically, and with our common sense in this world which is in the middle of a conflict. India had to be a participant at the table there,' Sachdev told ANI here. Talking about the 'gossip' about Canada not inviting India to the ...Read More >
India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi about the Iran-Israel conflict post 12-day hostilities. India praised Iran's help in evacuating Indians. Following a US-mediated ceasefire, India is closely monitoring radiation at Iranian nuclear sites and urges diplomatic dialogue for peace. India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, addressing the recent hostility between Iran and Israel. Jaishankar expressed gratitude for Iran's assistance in the evacuation of Indian nationals amid ...Read More >
New Delhi | July 1, 2025 -- In a welcome move for commercial establishments, oil marketing companies have slashed the price of 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders by ₹58.50, effective July 1. This brings the price in Delhi down to ₹1,665, compared to ₹1,723.50 in June. Also Read: Delhi Scraps Police Licensing for Hotels, Pools, and Discotheques in Major Business Reform However, the 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder price remains unchanged, leaving household budgets under continued pressure despite repeated calls for relief. This marks the fourth price cut since March 2025, when commercial LPG saw a ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Oil marketing companies revised the prices of commercial LPG gas cylinders on Tuesday, reducing the cost of a 19 kg commercial cylinder by Rs 58.50. The new rates came into effect from July 1, bringing relief to commercial users such as hotels, restaurants, and businesses. While in Delhi, with the latest revision, the retail sale price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder was set at Rs 1665, down from the previous rate. There was, however, no change in the price of 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinders, which are widely used in households. Also Read | Bhopal Shocker: ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Reacting to Delhi's fuel ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from today, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that this step was impractical and the BJP did not know how to run the government. Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Didn't they have any other way of stopping old vehicles? Now that the Monsoon has hit Delhi, will they conduct a pilot project for artificial rain? You've (BJP) filled in small potholes but left the larger ones as they are. Owners of Petrol Pump Associations say that this step is impractical. Will the petrol pump operator fi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The invitation to Prime Minister Narendra attend the G7 summit in Canada was due and 'had to come' with India being a big geopolitical power, Foreign Affairs Expert Robinder Sachdev said on Saturday. 'Invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G7 Summit was due, it had to come. India is too big a power now, geopolitically, economically, and with our common sense in this world which is in the middle of a conflict. India had to be a participant at the table there,' Sachdev told ANI here. Talking about the 'gossip' about Canada not inviting India to the ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: In a major move aimed at reducing pollution and improving urban transport in Hyderabad, the Telangana government has approved the introduction of 65,000 new eco-friendly auto rickshaws within the city limits and the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The decision, driven by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and aligned with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's vision, is expected to contribute to environmental sustainability and employment generation. The state issued GO No. 263 relaxing the long-standing cap on new auto rickshaw permits within Greater Hyderabad. For over two decades, restriction ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is set to deploy joint enforcement teams from the transport department, traffic police, and MCD at fuel stations to implement the ban on refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) from July 1. These teams will monitor compliance on the ground and impound any vehicles found violating the directive. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," said Ajay Chaudhary, Special Commissioner (Traffic), Delhi Police. End-of-lif ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): The world paused on June 13 when Israel targeted major military and nuclear facilities, and crucial personalities in Iran as it launched a series of attacks to disempower the West Asian country. Also Read | Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa Dead: IDF Eliminates Hamas Mastermind Behind October 2023 Attack in Israel. The involvement of the Houthis of Yemen and the US in this high-tension conflict stopped short of a nuclear apocalypse--but this was not entirely unexpected. Some saw this coming. Supporting Israel, the US went ahead and struck three key nuclear sites ...Read More >
New Delhi: Starting July 2025, goods and services tax or GST compliance will undergo a shift with two key changes -- locking of GSTR-3B forms and a three-year deadline for filing returns. These changes, introduced by the GST Council, aim to improve accuracy and transparency in return filing, while reducing mismatches and fraudulent claims. The move is aimed at ensuring consistency between GSTR-1 (which records outward supplies) and GSTR-3B (used to pay tax), reducing revenue leakages due to mismatches. As per the GST rule, from the July 2025 return period, the GSTR-3B form will become non-edi ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Ravada A Chandrasekhar took charge as the new State Police Chief on Tuesday. He succeeds Shaik Darvesh Saheb, who retired on June 30. His tenure will run until July 1, 2027. A 1991-batch IPS officer currently serving as Special Director with the Intelligence Bureau, Chandrasekhar is on central deputation. He was selected over Nitin Agarwal, who topped the official list of probables. The appointment order, issued by Kerala Chief Secretary Dr A Jayathilak on behalf of the Governor, was released soon after a cabinet meeting held on Monday. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh's Godav ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 1 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Tuesday after falling in the previous trading session, amid a rally in global markets. Moreover, buying in blue-chip stocks -- Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank -- also added to the markets optimism during the initial trade. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 177.79 points to 83,784.25 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty went up by 51.2 points to 25,568.25. From the Sensex firms, Asian Paints, Bharat Electronics, UltraTech Cement, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and HCL Tech were among the gainers. How ...Read More >
Beijing: China has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States following recent threats by former President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods. The statement comes amid growing tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices, technology policies, and geopolitical issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that China was open to "constructive dialogue" with the U.S., emphasizing the importance of cooperation to ensure global economic stability. "China believes that both countries should seek common ground and manag ...Read More >
"India's gateway into Europe" - that's how Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described Athens' relationship with New Delhi during his visit to India in 2024, a phrase frequently used by Greek officials whenever they discuss the ties between the two countries. The same phrase was echoed by Greece's foreign minister during an interview with Indian newspaper The Hindu ahead of his two-day visit to New Delhi on Thursday and Friday. But how does India view its relationship with Greece? To understand India's perspective, Kathimerini English Edition spoke with The Hindu's diplomatic editor Su ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The government announced on Saturday that it would grant permits for 65,000 green autorickshaws to ply within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits. Permission has been granted for operating 20,000 electric autorickshaws, 10,000 fuelled by CNG, 10,000 by LPG and 25,000 retro-fitted electric three-wheelers. No permissions shall be given to petrol or diesel autorickshaws. Earlier, no new autorickshaws were delivered or sold to people unless they submitted a certificate issued by the transport department that they had scrapped their old vehicles. Government's special chief secretary Vikas ...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 >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Gold prices plunged Rs 930 to Rs 97,670 per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday as traders rushed to selling amid easing off Middle East tensions and favourable reports about a trade deal between the US and China. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 98,600 per 10 grams on Thursday. On Friday, gold of 99.5 per cent purity declined by Rs 850 to Rs 97,200 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). It had settled at Rs 98,050 per 10 grams in the previous market session. "Gold prices continue to cor ...Read More >