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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged higher adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and reduced fossil fuel use amid the ongoing West Asia war, the ministry of heavy industries approved ₹503.86 crore to set up 4,874 public EV chargers.The approval falls under the Centre’s ₹10,900 crore PM E-Drive electric mobility scheme. It marks the first sanction for charging infrastructure under the scheme, which has earmarked ₹2,000 crore for EV chargers and targets 72,300 units nationwide.The move comes as EV penetration rises — about 60% of three-wheelers, 4.8% of cars and 6% of two-wheelers sold in India are now electric — but charging gaps persist.Mint explains the subsidy mechanism and why public charging is critical to India’s electric mobility transition.The PM E-Drive scheme allocates ₹2,000 crore specifically to support EV charging infrastructure.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd’s FY26 earnings showed that the domestic business is firing on all cylinders, but Jaguar Land Rover’s troubles continue to overshadow the gains.The domestic business benefited from the post-GST 2.0 demand recovery, particularly in SUVs, EVs and CNG vehicles. Nexon and Punch continued to see strong traction, while recent launches such as Sierra and the refreshed Punch.ev added momentum.The result: Tata Motors clocked an industry-beating 15% year-on-year (YoY) growth in sales volumes to more than 640,000 units in FY26, making it the second-largest passenger vehicle (PV) player in H2FY26.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Although retail prices stayed largely cool, inflation at the wholesale level ran hot last month in a sign that supply shortages caused by the war in West Asia have started to feed price pressures. The wholesale inflation rate for April more than doubled to 8.3% from a year earlier, compared to 3.9% in March, according to government data issued on Thursday. April’s reading was the highest in three-and-a-half years.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector has strong long-term potential, especially if crude oil prices remain elevated. Since India imports most of its crude oil, higher fuel prices translate to increased petrol and diesel costs, making EVs more economical for retail customers and commercial fleet operators.EV adoption is already accelerating in two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, and urban delivery fleets due to their lower running and maintenance costs.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Consumer goods makers are raising prices and bracing for weaker demand as commodity inflation spreads across fuel, packaging and food inputs.Large listed fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, including Hindustan Unilever, Britannia Industries, and Dabur India, have started hiking prices across parts of their portfolios and warned in recent earnings calls that inflationary pressures are likely to persist.The conflict in West Asia has pushed up crude-linked input and freight costs while also driving a rise in global edible oil prices, increasing pressure on FMCG companies that rely on imported commodities.The cost pressures are now spreading beyond fuel and packaging into food commodities.On Wednesday, milk cooperative brands, Amul and Mother Dairy, raised milk prices by ₹2 a litre. Smaller regional cooperatives, including Indore-based Sanchi Milk and Kerala-based Milma, have either raised prices or are planning hikes, according to media reports.Industry executives said higher prices of milk, wheat and edible oils are squeezing margins, forcing FMCG companies to pass on costs through price hikes and lower grammage packs, a move that could weigh on demand recovery.India’s wholesale price index rose 8.3% year-on-year in April, driven largely by higher prices of mineral oil, crude, natural gas and metals, according to government data.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: India’s cement makers are bracing for a prolonged margin squeeze as rising fuel, freight and packaging costs, triggered by the West Asia conflict, test pricing power amid signs of demand softness.Companies are responding with fuel substitution, long-term sourcing contracts and efficiency measures, but analysts say these steps are unlikely to fully offset near-term cost pressures as construction activity slows.A Mint analysis of the top five cement companies shows three reported a year-on-year decline in fourth-quarter profits (Q4FY26) as higher input costs weighed on earnings.At the same time, executives and analysts say the sector’s ability to protect margins will depend on how far price hikes and operational efficiencies can offset structurally higher fuel and logistics costs.India’s largest cement maker, UltraTech Cement, said scale and procurement strategy are helping cushion the impact.“There are several measures…diversifying our sources of procurement, identifying newer opportunities to deal with the situation, and entering into long-term fuel contracts, which are now turning beneficial for us,” chief financial officer Atul Daga said during a post-earnings interaction on 27 April, after the company reported March-quarter earnings that beat expectations on stronger volumes and tighter cost control.The strong performance came despite escalating costs. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) climbed 21% to ₹5,600.3 crore, surpassing analyst estimates of ₹5,277.2 crore.Energy expenses, which account for more than a quarter of total costs for cement makers, have risen as the West Asia conflict pushes up crude oil and related fuel prices.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s largest information technology (IT) services companies including Infosys Ltd and Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp are getting more work contracts based on fixed prices and outcomes as the use of AI-driven automation tools increases.This marks a shift from the traditional ‘time and material’ (T&M) billing model where IT services companies bill clients for the number of hours spent on work like coding, software development and maintenance. The change in pricing contracts follows the rise of automation tools that allow fewer people to handle IT projects.With fixed pricing, IT services companies and their clients determine prices for the work done regardless of the time spent or the outcome achieved.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Shiladitya was at the top of his game. A star in sales and marketing at a leading FMCG company, he was known as a maverick. He launched products using unconventional strategies that others dismissed — but they worked.While his persona was legendary and he was earning quite well, his wealth creation did not reflect the swagger he brought to everything else!We see many “Shiladityas” in our practice.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Air India on Wednesday announced that it would suspend or reduce flights on more than two dozen international routes between June and August, citing airspace restrictions and record-high jet fuel prices. Notably, the government recently increased jet fuel prices for international services while keeping them unchanged for domestic flights. The idea was to keep the bulk of India’s air traffic shielded from the rise in crude oil prices.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: Relief may be in sight for those weary of steep doctor fees and billing discrepancies at private hospitals. India is looking to regulate fees for consultation and common medical procedures at private healthcare facilities with range-bound limits, said two government officials in the know.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Buying a home is the largest financial commitment most Indians will make. Choosing the right lender matters as much as choosing the right property. Today, that choice sits between banks and housing finance companies (HFCs), a specialised category of NBFC, and each serves a genuine purpose for different kinds of borrowers.As of May 2026, banks offer floating-rate home loans starting from 7% for eligible borrowers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Berger Paints India Ltd’s shares soared over 6% on Wednesday as volume growth bounced back to double-digits at 11.8% for the three months ended March (Q4FY26) after a gap of six quarters. The decorative paints segment saw traction in premium emulsion paints and new launches of Kolor Plus and Kolor Plus Glow. Volume growth was driven by both secondary sales and pre-buying by dealers ahead of price hikes, the management said.Starting March, Berger has taken staggered price hikes of 11-12% to protect margins in the backdrop of rising cost inflation due to the West Asia war.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.When President Trump arrives in Beijing this week for a summit with Xi Jinping, the Iran file will likely be on the agenda—whether or not either leader wants it there.Just last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made his first trip to Beijing since the war began, a visit timed to land days before Trump’s plane touches down. The choreography was hardly subtle. Tehran wanted to remind Washington that Iran still has a friend in the world’s second-largest economy.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: India’s smaller airlines are bearing the brunt of the West Asia conflict, with Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet reducing international departures by nearly 60% in April and so far in May, even as larger carriers IndiGo and Air India cut overseas departures by about 21% during the same period.SpiceJet’s international departures fell 59% to 305 during April and May, while Akasa Air’s dropped 57% to 136 and Air India Express recorded a 56% decline to 1,818 departures, according to data compiled by UK-based aviation analytics firm OAG and reviewed by Mint.In contrast, IndiGo and Air India saw comparatively smaller reductions of 21%, with departures falling to 6,574 and 4,059, respectively.Taken together, international departures from India’s five largest airlines are down 30% in April and May to 12,892, with seat counts also down an identical 30% to 2.6 million, OAG data showed.The sharpest reductions have been on West Asia routes — among the most lucrative overseas markets for Indian low-cost carriers. Air India Express had the highest exposure to the region in terms of daily departures from India, followed by SpiceJet and Akasa Air.“Smaller airlines operate narrow-body planes on short-haul international routes, with Middle East (West Asia) destinations being the most lucrative.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Some consolidation efforts are underway in the streaming content space as smaller platforms struggle with rising costs and programming clutter in what has so far largely been a fragmented industry.Shemaroo Entertainment has acquired the library of regional platform OHO Gujarati, while Vibhu Agarwal-owned Atrangii OTT has tied up with Amazon MX Player for distribution. Saregama India acquired a majority stake in digital entertainment company Pocket Aces Pictures in 2023.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The global situation in the oil market has been steadily worsening. This is putting a huge stress on India. India's petroleum consumption depends on 85% of imported crude oil.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s inflation in April climbed to a 13-month high of 3.5% from a year earlier, driven by food prices. Though this was only marginally higher than March’s 3.4% reading and undershot economists’ expectation of a 3.8% print, there isn’t much relief to draw, given the rising trajectory of price levels. Commodity and freight costs have risen in the wake of supply disruptions caused by the war in West Asia, making food costlier.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Ltd wants to position itself as an influencer, using wellness incentives to boost customer engagement, cost efficiencies and claims ratios.“Our thesis is very clear that we are building a long-term relationship with our consumers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: In a bid to tame recurring onion price shocks and improve farmer incomes, the Centre is working on a plan to help states locally procure and scientifically store the politically-sensitive crop in the producing regions, two people aware of the matter said. The strategy aims to cut wastage, reduce transport dependence on key producing states such as Maharashtra and create buffer stocks closer to demand centres to avert price spikes that stoke food inflation.Under the proposed framework for the world's second-largest onion producer, states would be encouraged to procure onions directly from local farmers and maintain buffer stocks through state warehousing corporations and other storage agencies, the people said.According to them, the government believes that improving storage infrastructure closer to cultivation clusters could help reduce wastage and stabilize supplies during tight availability periods.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: Syrma SGS Technology Ltd. expects revenue to grow 30% in the ongoing fiscal, driven by strong demand in automotive and healthcare electronics, even as weakness in consumer electronics and geopolitical uncertainty weigh on the wider electronics manufacturing sector,“We’re expecting our automotive and med-tech verticals to do very well this fiscal, just like what we saw last fiscal,” Managing Director Jasbir Singh Gujral told Mint in an interview on Tuesday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Investors are beginning to finance commercial lawsuits in India in exchange for a share of future settlements or court awards, as litigation funding— a niche alternative asset class long established in some global markets—starts to take shape locally.At least three entities, including alternative investment fund (AIF) Five Rivers, New Delhi-based LegalPay, a litigation funder, and Singapore-based ELF Partners, a litigation finance consultancy, are active in the space, marking early institutional entry into what is also known as third-party funding (TPF).Five Rivers, a Mumbai-based AIF, is in talks with investors to close its first fund of $25-50 million,according to Irfan Mughal, the managing director of Five Rivers. It positions itself as the first dedicated fund of its kind in India, offering investors exposure to returns linked to outcomes in commercial disputes.