India Financial News

ONGC PetroAdditions Ltd, a subsidiary of the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), has relinquished its 'only-for-export' unit status as it aims to tap into the booming local petrochemical market to drive a turnaround. In a stock exchange filing, ONGC said OPaL has received the final approval for its exit from the Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ). «Accordingly, OPaL shall operate as a Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) unit with effect from March 8, 2025,» ONGC said. «Further, this exit from SEZ will improve the competitiveness of OPaL for supplies to be made to the DTA». This essentially means primarily catering to the domestic Indian market instead of focusing on exports, which is the primary purpose of an SEZ unit. It will now not have to pay customs duty on products sold within India, helping improve margins.

Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has demanded imposition of safeguard duty on import of polysilicon, ingot and wafer to help protect the domestic solar manufacturing industry from dumping and boost local capabilities. Sunlight is converted into electricity through a process called photovoltaics (PV). This involves several key components working together to harness the energy from the sun. At the core are solar cells, which are made from silicon. These are grouped together and mounted on a solar panel or module which captures sunlight and converts it into direct current (DC) electricity. According to ISMA, India is already self-sufficient in module manufacturing, helped by duty protection measures. Also, significant cell capacities are under ramp-up and the country will be self-sufficient by FY27 in cell manufacturing. «Need of the hour is to shift focus towards capital and energy intensive upstream manufacturing which is currently dependent on China with heavy dumping and price manipulation,» ISMA said in a presentation to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

This 'mini-World Cup' clash pits two of the most consistent yet often unlucky teams in ICC tournaments. Both nations are desperate for success after recent near-misses in major ODI finals—India falling short in the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2023 World Cup, while New Zealand suffered heartbreaking defeats in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Adding some intrigue to the match is India's campaign, which has been slightly clouded by accusations of an “unfair advantage” due to all of their matches being scheduled at a single venue.

environmental regulations, particularly the carbon tax, deforestation rules, and supply chain due diligence laws are one of the biggest hurdles in the negotiations for a proposed trade pact with India, economic think tank GTRI said on Sunday. It said that these regulations could impose additional costs on Indian exports. Under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Indian exports of steel, aluminum, and cement to the EU could face tariffs of 20-35 per cent, even if an FTA is signed, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said in its report. This raises concerns that while EU goods would enter India duty-free, Indian exports would still face these indirect barriers in Europe, it added.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A bag of chips here, a jam roll there or a small bar of dark chocolate because you craved something sweet— isn’t that what break-time or at-desk snacks invariably consists of for most of us these days? According to a WHO-led 2023 study, retail sales of ultra-processed foods in India had declined from 12.65 per cent in 2019 to 5.5 per cent in 2020. However, in 2021, it increased by 11.79 per cent.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The success of European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to India must not be measured merely in terms of the progress made on free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. The new ground covered by our bilateral ties should also be considered.

Gujarat's Dholera Special Investment Region which is emerging as a semiconductor hub in the state, according to a developer. Recent months have seen a rise in investor visits and land inquiries, fueled by Dholera's vision to become India's semiconductor hub with four of the five semiconductor plants in India being built in Dholera, Aaiji Group Founder and Managing Director Lalit Parihar said. Among fresh proposals, NextGen has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat government at Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2025 for setting up a Rs 10,000-crore compound semiconductor fab and optoelectronics facility at Dholera. A tripartite agreement was inked between Tata Electronics, Taiwanese firms PSMC and Himax Technologies for an upcoming semiconductor chip manufacturing facility of the Indian company at Dholera, he said.

Annapurna Devi will lead India's delegation at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The session, which begins on Monday, will focus on global progress in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. According to a statement by the Women and Child Development Ministry, the minister will deliver India's national statement at the Commission which will highlight the government's initiatives for the holistic development of women and girls under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. She will also participate in discussions on resourcing and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it said.

But those who stay behind are left in the care of grandparents or older siblings, often facing emotional strain and the burden of household responsibilities. For both groups, the consequences are stark: disrupted education, limited access to healthcare, and exposure to child labour and early marriage.

PepsiCo aims to double its revenue in India over the next five years, viewing the country as a 'key anchor market' where it is making «aggressive» investments to expand its capacity, its India & South Asia CEO Jagrut Kotecha said. India will be the «engine of growth for PepsiCo» in driving its global revenue, as it ranks among the top three markets for the food, snack, and beverage multinational, where the company is experiencing double-digit growth, Kotecha shared in an exclusive interview with PTI. PepsiCo has invested in greenfield plants in Uttar Pradesh and Assam, focusing on staying ahead of the demand curve, Kotecha said, adding the company will not be «investment shy» in India and plans to open two more facilities, including one in the southern region. «We believe India will be the engine of growth for PepsiCo to drive the top line. Yes, it's not as big as North America because it is a lot more evolved category. Our per capita consumption in India is still very low, not only for us on beverage and food, but we would expect one of PepsiCo's fastest growing economies to do that,» Kotecha said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Designer label Shivan & Narresh has been growing in the holiday dressing space in India for 15 years. From swimwear and loungewear to demi couture, founders Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja have expanded their resort chic offerings, with a generous use of vibrant prints and colour.

Dhanashree Verma, who recently ended her marriage with Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, took to Instagram on International Women’s Day to share a thought-provoking message. In her post, she quoted, “God is within her; she will not fall." She also penned a heartfelt caption that read, «To all the women out there, being fearless, truthful, strong, patient, and doing everything for their people, let’s celebrate us. Things will get better for us soon.» Her cryptic message quickly caught the attention of her followers, leading many to speculate that she was alluding to her recent separation from Yuzvendra Chahal.

Rapido is in the midst of a 500-city expansion this year in India, a market where «vastness and depth» of mobility opportunity offers a high-growth upside, according to cofounder Pavan Guntupalli. On whether the company is eyeing an IPO in the near term, Guntupalli told PTI that Rapido is clocking healthy growth, is well capitalised and «will take a call depending on situation». The focus, for now, is on growth, he asserts. The commute app, which offers about 33 lakh rides every single day on its auto, bike taxi, and cab services expects to grow «sustainably».

Growth capital firm Playbook Partners intends to invest USD 20 million (around Rs 175 crore) each in about 12-15 companies over the next two years, a top company official said. The firm's investment portfolio includes companies like Myntra, PolicyBazaar, InMobi, Nazara Technologies, Rapido, and Renee, among others. While primarily investing in India, it has also backed global companies like SpaceX and Stripe. «With planned investments up to USD 20 million each in 12-15 companies, we are targeting high-potential ventures across SaaS, E-commerce, Healthtech, ClimateTech, B2B & B2C,» Playbook Partners Founder and Managing Partner Vikas Choudhury said. «Our focus is on companies that have crossed Rs 100 crores in turnover, where our capital and expertise can accelerate their journey to the next level of growth,» Choudhury told PTI.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. About 20 years ago, the five-day week was not common in India. Some people in an office in Mumbai approached their boss to demand it.

Shah Rukh Khan secured a major win as the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled in his favor, overturning the reassessment proceedings and order initiated by the tax authorities for the 2011-12 financial year. Against an income of Rs 83.42 crore declared by the actor in his income-tax (I-T) return, the tax officer denied his claims for foreign tax credit (for taxes paid in the UK) and reassessed the income as Rs 84.17 crore. Such reassessment was done beyond four years from the end of the relevant assessment year (2012-13). The ITAT bench held that reassessment of the case by the income-tax department was not legally justified, marking a crucial win for the actor in his prolonged battle over foreign tax credit claims.

Reliance Industries and Tata Consultancy Services emerging as the biggest gainers. Last week, the BSE Sensex climbed 1,134.48 points or 1.55 per cent, and the NSE Nifty rose 427.8 points or 1.93 per cent. The market capitalisation (mcap) of Reliance Industries surged by Rs 66,985.25 crore to Rs 16,90,328.70 crore.

Sunil Subramaniam attributed the recent uptick to domestic fund managers selectively deploying their cash reserves despite sustained selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs). «This week, the reason for the slight uptick is that domestic fund managers, who are still sitting on a lot of cash, have engaged in some selective buying. FIIs have continued their selling,» he stated.

Ranjana Chaudhary, a 28-year-old ASHA worker in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar visits six to seven houses in Madhubeniya village every day with the aim to eradicate the stigma behind Tuberculosis and encourage villagers to get screened for the disease. Social stigma is still a major impediment due to which people do not readily come forward for testing for the deadly contagious air-borne disease. Displaying the characteristic reluctance, 70-year-old Vimala Devi (name changed) who had come to a health camp for various ailments immediately gets defensive when asked if she had come for a TB check-up. «No no, why should I have TB?» she said irritatingly.

secondary market. This slowdown in IPO activity is reflected in the numbers, as only five companies went public in January and four in February, compared to 16 listings in December 2024. Quality Power Electrical Equipment Ltd was the recent IPO which opened for three-day bidding on February 14. However, the trend of slower activity is evident as at least three companies — Advanced Sys-tek, SFC Environmental Technologies, and Viney Corporation — withdrew IPO plans by pulling their draft papers in January and February.

Climate change is growing stronger and more robust, and the cooling, counter effects of La Nina may not be effective in a warmer future, climate scientists said, assessing current heat trends seen in large parts of the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an early summer this year, with above normal temperatures and intense, long heatwave spells. The country experienced its warmest February since 1901, with the fifth lowest rainfall since 2001, it said. While human-caused climate change is increasingly driving a 'new normal' marked by a warmer winter and shorter spring, scientists also draw attention to the yearly changes in weather patterns, termed 'year-to-year variability'.