India Financial News

F-35, a fifth-generation fighter, was developed in partnership with eight countries, making it a model of international cooperation. When President Donald Trump introduced its successor, the F-47, he praised its strengths — and said the version sold to allies would be deliberately downgraded. That made sense, Trump said last week, «because someday, maybe they're not our allies.» For many countries wedded to the United States, his remark confirmed a related conclusion: that America can no longer be trusted. Even nations not yet directly affected can see where things are heading, as Trump threatens allies' economies, their defense partnerships and even their sovereignty. For now, they are negotiating to minimize the pain from blow after blow, including a broad round of tariffs expected in April. But at the same time, they are pulling back. Preparing for intimidation to be a lasting feature of U.S. relations, they are trying to go their own way. A few examples:

Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day.” In India, which keeps getting pilloried by the US president as an exemplar of bad behavior in trade, the reciprocal tariff announcement of April 2 has acquired a fervent overtone. In preparation, New Delhi is offering one sacrifice after another, hoping that the angry god of the White House will let it go with nothing more serious than a slap on the wrist. The latest peace offering is the decision to do away with a 6% tax on ads that local businesses place with foreign search engines, social media and e-commerce firms. This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s way of telling Trump, “Look, we aren’t China. Not only do we allow Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. to hog our digital-advertising pie, if you want us to make it cheaper for them to operate, that’s fine, too.” Also Read: India open to clearing import duty hurdle for US auto parts The sacrifice is a win for Trump, though it isn’t much of a loss for Modi. Known colloquially as the “Google Tax,” the levy was a bad idea when it was introduced in India’s 2016 budget. Since then, domestic advertisers have had to withhold 6 cents on the dollar when they get their bills from places like Ireland, where online platforms typically book their revenue. Just like Trump’s tariffs will be mostly paid by American consumers, the burden of the so-called Indian equalization levy had to be absorbed not by the tech platforms, but by the advertisers. It pushed up costs for local businesses. Where would they advertise, if not on Google or Facebook?

Nifty, has ended positive seven times in the last 10 years. Nifty’s highest return in April was 14.7% in 2020, during the Covid-induced nationwide lockdown. The next best years were 2018 and 2023, when the 50-stock benchmark gained 6.2% and 4%, respectively.

Anand Mahindra can’t stop gushing about this enterprising IAS officer. D. Krishna Bhaskar, who was posted as district collector in the Rajanna-Sircilla region of Telangana, created history in 2020 when he managed to increase groundwater levels by six metres in less than four years. Taking to X on Monday, the billionaire praised the IAS officer for coming up with an innovative solution to India’s water woes. The tycoon stated that in a country whose economy is dependent on farming, depleting water resources is a major concern.

Rajasthan Royals leg-break spinner Wanindu Hasaranga's love for South Indian movies was the underlying factor behind his 'Pushpa' style celebration against Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The Sri Lankan ball tweaker's four-wicket haul inspired the Royals to their first win in the 18th edition of the cash-rich league on an action-packed Sunday. Out of his four scalps, Hasaranga punched the return ticket of the Super Kings batters, a ball after conceding a maximum on three occasions. Hasaranga added a filmy touch to celebrate his moment of success. He pulled off the trademark move of Allu Arjun's blockbuster 'Pushpa' to add entertainment and spice to the gripping affair. «I love to watch Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil films, and I got that from the Pushpa film,» Hasaranga said after the match.

Indian bonds surged to the highest in nearly a decade this financial year, mitigating the impact of sustained equity outflows barring the last ten days of March, as the country's inclusion in major international sovereign debt indices and North Block's robust fiscal discipline help expand the global market for local debt. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have pumped ₹1.43 lakh crore into Indian debt in FY25 — the highest ever recorded since FY15, showed data compiled by IndiaBonds.

Indian markets, especially after their strong recovery in March. While experts suggest the impact may be transient, here’s a look at the sectors and stocks most at risk. Additionally, we will explore whether any stocks are immune to this shock.

Byju Raveendran is “broke, but not broken.” The disgraced entrepreneur, whose brainchild, the edtech giant Byju’s, had been in one controversy after another due to disputes with investors and dwindling finances, took to X on Sunday and vowed to rebuild his $22 billion empire from scratch. His tweet, which read, “Broke. Not broken. We will rise again” has gone viral on the microblogging app, gaining more than 600K views and 8K likes.

Nifty ended March on a strong note, gaining 6% during the month, led by banking and financial stocks. When markets resume trading on Tuesday, several important domestic and global events lined up for the week are likely to impact them. Indian stock markets will remain closed on Monday due to Eid-Ul-Fitr.

borrowing roadmap for the first half of FY26, announcing plans to raise Rs 8 lakh crore through bond issuances between April and September, lower than the earlier estimate of Rs 8.4 lakh crore. As part of its evolving debt strategy, the Centre will also tap into the sustainable finance market, proposing to issue Rs 10,000 crore worth of green bonds during this period.

After fasting from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days, Eid is a joyous occasion to come together with loved ones, give thanks, and celebrate the blessings of Allah. This year, the crescent moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, March 30, marking Eid there, while in India, the celebrations will begin on Monday, March 31, 2025, following the moon sighting in Lucknow.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The word “work" has become loaded with meanings, is weighed down by multiple connotations and teems with social divisions. But what is work? Some view it as a four-letter word signifying a quotidian preoccupation, the root of a humdrum existence but an unavoidable necessity.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. With Myanmar devastated by an earthquake that has claimed more than 1,600 lives, India has initiated efforts to assist it in relief and rescue missions. Under Operation Brahma, two naval ships with relief supplies were despatched.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Do you have demat accounts with multiple brokers? Not only are you paying higher annual maintenance charges (AMCs), but these charges add up for every such account. But there is a way to lower this payout: open a basic services demat account (BDSA).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A late entrant in India’s ₹70,000-crore decorative paints market, Birla Opus has spent the past year taking on entrenched competitors with a mix of product innovation, aggressive distribution, and emotional storytelling. With 69% aided brand recall in urban markets already, the Aditya Birla Group company is betting on a lifestyle-driven proposition, 'Duniya Ko Rang Do', and a tech-first approach to gain ground.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: The government is preparing to decriminalize more than 100 offences under various laws by the end of this year to improve investor confidence and unlock potential for faster economic growth, three persons familiar with the development said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Dear reader, Last week, I wrote about the possibility of higher volatility due to the expiry of the March derivatives series. I also put forth my hypothesis that institutional players would be a dominant reason for markets to witness stability and/or upthrust.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. If hard proof were needed of the digital dominance of Indian eyeballs, then the latest Ficci-EY report on media and entertainment supplied it. In 2024, it says, digital media finally displaced TV as the top revenue-generator of this industry, notching up ₹80,200 crore, almost a third of its overall pie.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In an industry known for controlling narratives, Indian advertising is now grappling with one it can’t spin. Just days before the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off—India’s single biggest ad moment of the year—the Competition Commission of India (CCI) launched a sweeping investigation into the heart of the media-buying ecosystem.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Ajay Piramal, head of the eponymous $10-billion pharma-to-financial services conglomerate, said for a succession plan to succeed, the control of businesses should be passed on to the children only if they are passionate about it. Piramal, 69, chairman of the Piramal group, was discussing the group’s business succession plan with his daughter Nandini Piramal, chairman, Piramal Pharma Ltd, in the Mint India Investment Summit in Mumbai on Friday.

Liberation Day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the reciprocal tariffs he plans to unveil this week will apply to all nations, not just a select group of 10 to 15 countries with the largest trade imbalances. Trump has pledged to introduce a sweeping tariff plan on Wednesday, a move he has dubbed «Liberation Day.» He has already imposed tariffs on aluminum, steel, and automobiles, alongside heightened duties on all imports from China. «You'd start with all countries,» Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. «Essentially all of the countries that we're talking about.» White House economics adviser Kevin Hassett recently told Fox Business that the administration’s tariff focus would be on 10 to 15 nations with the most significant trade imbalances, though he did not specify which ones. Meanwhile, India is considering reducing or even eliminating customs duties on auto parts imported from the US, a government official told ET. The move comes as part of efforts to strengthen trade ties, with officials believing it would not significantly impact the domestic industry. Trump views tariffs as a means of shielding the domestic economy from unfair global competition and as leverage for negotiating better trade terms for the U.S.