India Financial News

Indian rupee closed marginally higher on Wednesday following a choppy trading session, influenced by maturity of positions in the non-deliverable forwards market, exporter activity, and mild dollar sales from foreign banks. The rupee ended at 85.7050 against the U.S. dollar, slightly higher from its previous close at 85.7550. The local currency hovered between 85.89 and 85.6850 through the session.

EET Fuels — the trading name of Essar Oil (UK) Ltd — has signed agreements to supply jet fuel to two additional major UK airports, the firm said Wednesday. Essar Energy Transition (EET) is the entity leading Essar group's USD 3.6 billion low carbon projects in the UK and India. The group operates Stanlow oil refinery in the UK. «This expansion elevates EET Fuels' total network to nine airports across the UK, marking a significant milestone in its mission to bolster energy security and support the aviation industry's growth,» the company said in a statement. Deepak Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer at EET Fuels, said the pact underscores EET Fuels' commitment to strengthening the UK's aviation fuel network while advancing its energy transition strategy. «By expanding our supply footprint to nine key airports, we are not only enhancing fuel security and reliability for our airline partners but also reinforcing our role as a leader in the UK's journey towards a low-carbon future.»

Reliance Industries Ltd. has paused further purchases of Venezuelan crude after US President Donald Trump authorized a 25% tariff on countries buying the South American country’s oil. India’s largest privately owned refiner is expected to take delivery of a cargo of Merey crude that’s currently en route from Venezuela, but additional buying has been put on hold, according to people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified because the matter is sensitive. Reliance secured waivers from the US last year to resume importing crude from Venezuela, and Kpler estimates the refiner has taken 6.5 million barrels since the start of the year. Trump’s executive order on Monday, however, will target any nation taking Venezuelan oil with “secondary” tariffs, with effect from April 2.

PM Modi is set to inaugurate the new Pamban bridge, India’s first vertical sea bridge, in Tamil Nadu on April 6, coinciding with Ram Navami, a significant Hindu festival marking the birth of Lord Ram. The inauguration is expected soon after PM Modi returns from his two-day visit to Sri Lanka on April 4-5. Constructed at a cost of Rs 535 crore, this ambitious engineering project was executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Spanning just over two kilometres, the bridge replaces the old 1914-built bridge, which had become severely corroded after over a century of service and was closed in 2022. This new bridge is expected to enhance rail connectivity to Rameswaram, one of the most sacred sites in Hinduism, associated with the legend of Lord Ram's bridge to Lanka as told in the Ramayana.

Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the states and union territories to create a grievance redressal mechanism against misleading advertisements that «can cause great harm to society». A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said state governments should create such mechanisms for members of the public to lodge complaints about objectionable advertisements prohibited under Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954.

India, the world's second-biggest sugar producer, in January set an export allowance of 1 million metric tons through September 2025, as both the government and the industry believed there was a surplus for overseas markets. Since then, industry groups have lowered their output forecasts for the current year, raising concerns about potential supply shortages and export restrictions. However, India has more than enough stocks to meet domestic consumption and ethanol requirements, which is why the government has decided that mills would be allowed to export sugar, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. «There is no reason to consider any restrictions on exports. The numbers suggest that we will have more than enough stocks throughout this year, and next year's production will anyway exceed this year's production,» one of the sources said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Starting his day at 8.30am, chef Harsh Kedia, popularly known in the social media world as ‘A Diabetic Chef’, immediately checks his blood sugar before enjoying a healthy breakfast, usually comprising oats or eggs. “Managing my diabetes is about balance.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s policymakers should be drawing up strategies to deal with the new age of trade barriers. Instead, they seem to be looking forward to it with a certain confidence, even optimism.

Nifty, traded lower on Wednesday, halting a seven-day rally, as investors took a breather and awaited clarity on impending U.S. tariffs. Barring auto stocks, all sectoral indices were in the red. The BSE Sensex was down 551 points, or 0.71%, at 77,465.56, while the Nifty50 declined 131 points, or 0.55%, to 23,537 around 1:42 pm. In the last seven sessions, Sensex gained 4,189 points, while the Nifty added 1,271 points.

Bharti Airtel, one of India's leading telecommunications service providers, has launched its IPTV service in 2,000 cities across India. Customers can access an extensive library of on-demand content from 29 major streaming apps, including Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLiv, and Zee5. The service also includes 600 popular television channels and high-speed Wi-Fi, with plans beginning at Rs 699. As an introductory offer, all Airtel customers will receive up to 30 days of free service upon purchasing an IPTV plan, which can be activated via the Airtel Thanks App.

Ashok Leyland Limited on Wednesday refuted recent media reports claiming that the company was in advanced negotiations to acquire the promoter's stake in SML Isuzu from Japan's Sumitomo Corporation. In an exchange filing, the company denied the news as «factually incorrect». The reports, which had circulated within media outlets, suggested that Ashok Leyland was nearing a deal to take over the stake of the promoter, Sumitomo Corporation, in SML Isuzu. However, Ashok Leyland clarified that there was no truth to these claims. «The Company would like to outrightly deny this news as factually incorrect. Kindly take the above on record and disregard any misleading information that may have been circulated in the media,» the auto maker said in its statement.

Taking to his Instagram account, he shared that a source has revealed that a key point of contention arose when Dhanashree insisted that Chahal relocate from his hometown in Haryana to Mumbai, the financial capital of India. According to him, the couple, known for their presence in both cricket and entertainment circles, struggled to find common ground due to their starkly different personalities. While they had initially settled in Haryana with Chahal’s parents, they would visit Mumbai only when necessary. However, tensions escalated when Dhanashree firmly demanded a permanent move to Mumbai, a request that reportedly took Chahal by surprise. He added that the leg-spinner, deeply rooted in his family home and environment, found the demand unreasonable. Despite discussions and attempts to reach a middle ground, the disagreement led to heated arguments and an eventual rift. He stated that Chahal remained firm in his decision, unwilling to uproot himself from his parents’ home and the life he had built in Haryana. As per him, ultimately, this ongoing dispute over relocating is said to have played a significant role in the couple’s separation, marking the end of a relationship that had long been in the public eye.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Amrut Distilleries Pvt Ltd, best known for its namesake single malt whisky, is making a bold bet on rum with the recent launch of what it calls the world’s first single-jaggery rum. The 75-year-old company has been expanding its domestic footprint steadily, with its whiskies now being sold over 20 states.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The growing consumption of ultra-processed food and aggressive marketing techniques by brands, such as pushing them to shelves labelled as healthy, have caught the government's eye. The Economic Survey 2024-25 highlighted the issue and suggested several corrective steps from awareness campaigns and stricter labelling to a ‘health tax’ to curb the excessive consumption of ultra-processed food.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Despite the growing wave of nationalistic cinema in India, overseas audiences remain largely unmoved by its fervour. While films like Chhaava, Sky Force, and The Kashmir Files have struck a chord domestically, their overseas performance tells a different story.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In a recent talk at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, economist Sanjay Reddy noted a startling fact about India’s growth process. According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2024, India ranked 142nd out of approximately 190 countries, with a nominal per capita GDP of around $2,700.

Upcoming cars in India)While a few companies, such as Honda, Toyota, and Jeep are yet to make their entry, the majority have already launched their electric vehicles. In upcoming months, more electric cars are set to debut in India, including models from the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer Maruti Suzuki. Here's a list of electric vehicles that are debuting in India soon:Maruti Suzuki's e Vitara will be the brand's first electric car, having been unveiled in its production-ready form during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025.

Noida and are planning a liquor run, now might be the perfect time. Liquor shops across the NCR are offering discounts and deals to clear out their stock before the new excise policy in Uttar Pradesh comes into effect on April 1. This year, UP introduced an e-lottery system for liquor shop licenses instead of renewing licenses as done in the past six years. This change allows new players to enter the market. Additionally, the government has introduced “composite shops” that will sell both beer and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) together. Because of this, many separate beer and IMFL shops will be merged. Shop owners are now rushing to sell off their stocks by March 31 since any unsold liquor will be seized by excise officials. To avoid losses, vendors are offering various discounts and deals like buy-one-get-one-free offers and price reductions. Offers on beers and whiskeys in Noida For example, a liquor store in Noida's Sector 18 is offering a buy-one-get-one deal on whiskey, while a Sector 93 shop is focusing on beer promotions. Some shopkeepers prefer reducing prices instead.

SBI Card, the second-largest credit card issuer in the country, has announced several revisions to its rewards program for credit cards, which will take effect from April 1, 2025. The upcoming changes will impact some of its popular credit cards, such as Club Vistara SBI Credit Cards, Club Vistara SBI PRIME Credit Cards, SimplyCLICK SBI Card, Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card, and Air India SBI Signature Credit Card.

Drone stole the show The Varmala ceremony is a cherished Indian wedding tradition in which the bride and groom exchange garlands. To make it extra special, the couple decided to use a drone to deliver the garland. Interesting, isn’t it? But just as the groom prepared to receive it, the drone had other plans. Instead of landing smoothly, the drone spun out of control and crashed right in front of the groom. The unexpected mishap left everyone laughing. The groom’s reaction? A mix of shock and amusement as he glanced at the drone and then the operator, clearly wondering what just happened. Social media has a field day The hilarious moment was shared on Instagram by @ravi_arya_88. It quickly went viral, gathering millions of views and comments. People couldn’t get enough of the scene, turning it into a source of endless jokes.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Last month, buyers eagerly awaiting their Ola Electric scooters began noticing an unexpected delay. Instead of the usual one-week turnaround, deliveries stretched to nearly a month.