Inclusion Financial News

employment opportunities for women are currently concentrated in metropolitan and industrial hubs, with Maharashtra leading with 28.7 per cent, followed by Tamil Nadu (14.2 per cent) and Karnataka (14.1 per cent), staffing and workforce solutions provider TeamLease Services said in a report — 'No Women Left Behind 2.0'. States like Telangana (7.8 per cent), Gujarat (7.2 per cent), and Uttar Pradesh (6.6 per cent) also contribute significantly to contractual employment opportunities, especially for women, it added. Even as urban centres drive employment, the report noted that there is huge potential to expand opportunities in tier II and III cities for broader workforce inclusion.

Gustavo Medeiros, Global Head of Research, Ashmore Investment Management, says India still trades at a premium to emerging markets but is a much smaller premium than it was before the correction, about three-four months ago. Therefore, Ashmore has started to look into some of the companies that they like to find opportunities. In terms of structural stories, Medeiros says one should look into are overarching trends that have many years to play out. One of the top trends in India is inclusion of women in the labour market and the ability of India to absorb more manufacturing. These are two interesting structural trends and one should look into companies that will benefit from that from that perspective. Ashmore has always loved India, hasn’t it? Gustavo Medeiros: Absolutely, yes, the world loves India. It is the most exciting structural story in emerging markets. It has been for many years, but particularly over the last 10 years, since economic policies have been much more pro-market.

A key leader of NCP, which was floated last month with widely assumed blessings of Professor Muhammad Yunus, accused the military of «political interference» over a proposal for inclusiveness that would allow Awami League to participate in the next elections. «Those who are supposed to discharge their work inside cantonment, should stay there... in the 'post-revolution Bangladesh' no interference in the political landscape from the cantonment will be accepted,» said Hasnat Abdullah in a press briefing at the NCP office. Several hundred followers of Hasnat and NCP activists also chanted slogans at the rallies against Army chief General Waker Uz Zaman chanting «Waker or Hasnat; Hasnat, Hasnat» and demanded Hasina and her «cohorts» to be hanged after trial. The military, which is now entrusted with maintaining nationwide law and order with magistracy power, however, did not enter the campus but continued their intensified patrol, particularly in the capital.

investors with the opportunity to enter the real estate and infrastructure markets—sectors traditionally accessible only to those with significant capital. REITs primarily focus on commercial real estate assets such as office spaces, malls, and hotels, while InvITs invest in infrastructure projects, including highways, power transmission networks, and gas pipelines. These instruments are listed on Indian bourses akin to a normally listed stock and are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), enabling both retail and institutional investors to participate in large-scale, professionally managed ventures, while benefiting from liquidity and transparency. With over a decade of success, the Indian REITs & InvITs landscape is steadily evolving and poised for further growth. As of March 2025, India has 4 listed REITs and 26 SEBI-registered InvITs, 4 of which are publicly traded.

Tripura Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Friday presented Rs 32,423.44 crore budget for 2025-26, proposing a total of 13 new welfare schemes to help job seekers, mentally challenged persons, visitors to the state capital and others. No new tax was proposed in the budget with a deficit of Rs 429.56 crore. In the budget, emphasis was given to capital expenditure by allocating Rs 7,903 crore to boost economy and generate employment. Roy said the government will set up centres in Agartala, Udaipur and Ambassa to provide aspirants with quality coaching for various competitive examinations. Noting that the government focuses on inclusive growth, the minister said, «More focus was given on capital expenditure in the budget by allocating Rs 7,903 crore which is Rs 7,000 crore in the budget for 2024-25. The focus on capital expenditure will boost infrastructure building and generate employment for the youth,» he said. Roy said the government is set to establish a centre for computer-based examinations at Hapania International Fair ground in West Tripura so that the aspirants do not need to travel outside the state to appear in online examinations with a cost of Rs 15 crore.

Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta said Thursday it would launch its generative artificial intelligence assistant Meta AI in the European Union from «this week», more than a year after the service's US release. «It's taken longer than we would have liked to get our AI technology into the hands of people in Europe as we continue to navigate its complex regulatory system — but we're glad we're finally here,» the company said in a statement. «Starting this week, Meta AI will begin rolling out across 41 European countries.»

University of Pennsylvania over its inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s college sports. The University of Pennsylvania’s campus, nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, is known for its academic excellence but now it is embroiled in a political showdown with the White House. On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced the suspension of $175 million in federal funding to the university over its policies regarding transgender athletes. ALSO READ: Why Trump did not meet Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore after they returned to Earth

French Embassy in Dhaka has strongly denied allegations that it supported the Bangladesh interim government's criticism of former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. The embassy called the claims «ridiculous, baseless and intellectually weak.» Reacting to a post on social media, the French Embassy in Dhaka stated, «How ridiculous, baseless and intellectually weak statement @kawsarc @mainul_haque @carmel_trish.» The post has been deleted after it went viral.

Sanjay Malhotra has told heads of urban cooperative banks to work on improving depositors' trust and maintain high standards of customer service. He also advised USBs to ensure that they remain operationally resilient including against IT and cyber-related risks. The RBI Governor along with his deputies held a meeting with the heads of select UCBs across all tiers operating in different parts of the country.

Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday amid noisy protests by opposition members seeking to ask questions on the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Maha Kumbh. The proceedings were earlier adjourned till 1 pm, shortly after Modi made his statement and the opposition members rose in their seats in protest, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi apparently urging Speaker Om Birla to allow the opposition members to speak. They also demanded the inclusion of the stampede deaths in the statement. Members of the Congress, TMC and other opposition parties then stormed the Well, raising slogans, while Samajwadi Party members staged a walkout in protest. Parliamentary sources said the opposition parties demanded a discussion on the Maha Kumbh so that their members could share their views on the subject. They had demanded a discussion on the Maha Kumbh at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House. As many as 30 pilgrims were killed and 60 injured in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh on January 29.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : India is one of the youngest countries in the world, with 27.3% of its population aged 15–29 years, which is considered the “youth". The young population is viewed as the key to unlocking a country’s identity, social inclusion and rights, and political activism.

Nimesh Chandan, CIO of Bajaj Finserv AMC, identifies two key behavioral biases — fear and loss aversion — driving investor decisions in the current market downturn. As portfolios decline 30-40% from their peaks, many investors panic, close their SIPs, or hesitate to deploy fresh capital despite attractive long-term opportunities. Chandan explains how these emotions lead to irrational decision-making and what investors can do to navigate volatility with a disciplined approach. Edited excerpts from a chat: The year 2025 is clearly turning out to be nightmarish for retail investors, particularly those heavily invested in smaller stocks. As high PE stocks have moderated quite a bit, do you see more pain ahead or gradual recovery as we step into FY26? In the history of financial markets, one learns that though events may be unique, behavioural patterns are the same. Up to September last year, investors were experiencing a strong rally leading to quick gains in the equity markets. Especially, the mid cap and the small cap categories were seeing a strong up move. In many stocks of these categories, valuations were at or near all-time highs. Typically, such moves also set the ground for a correction. When there is even a small downgrade or disappointment, stocks fall sharply. Now, in many sectors, the valuations are back to reasonable levels. However, even in the current market, risk-reward is more favorable in large caps. Selective areas of mid cap and small cap stocks are now looking attractive.

Slovenia’s possible participation in IMEEC represents an opportunity to position itself as an important route between India and the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. Slovenian Port Koper could represent a strategic gateway for logistic hub for goods distributions to these markets.

Global South is being hindered by China’s growing economic and strategic clout, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Sunday. Delivering the fourth General Bipin Rawat Memorial Lecture in Delhi, he highlighted the increasing complexity China’s rise brings to global geopolitics. “The rise of China as a dominant economic and strategic force adds complexity, creates competition, and hampers India's effort to be the natural leader for the Global South,” General Dwivedi stated. He urged India to look towards Africa as a future power centre, recognising its potential role in the shifting global order. Despite its demographic and geographic advantages, India remains at a relatively lower global standing, he observed. “With the democratic shift and resource control race, we need to look at possibilities of Africa as a future power centre… India’s position will remain pivotal due to its geography, demography, democracy, prosperity, soft power, and inclusive approach,” he said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Union Budget for 2024-25 rightly focused on promoting inclusive growth and enabling employment-led development in India. With a goal of assisting the poor and vulnerable groups, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a scheme for the socioeconomic upliftment of Indian workers as the government tries to help them raise their incomes and attain sustainable livelihoods for a better quality of life.

Chief Election Commissioner and an election commissioner last month, needless questions are being raised on whether they were the right individuals for these offices because the Chief Justice of India was not on the selection committee. Argument being that the CJI's exclusion has rendered the selection one-sided as the Leader of Opposition is in the obvious minority. This logic is spurious. Article 324 (2) of the Constitution that outlines the composition and appointment of the CEC and ECs reads as follows: «The Election Commission shall consist of the chief election commissioner and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix and the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall, subject to the provisions of any law made in that behalf by Parliament, be made by the President.» The President has been appointing the CEC and ECs on the advice of the executive, that is the government of the day. Parliament has not enacted any law to amend this process. The LoP's inclusion in the selection committee for the appointment of any regulatory position started with the Right to Information Act, 2005. Under this law, the President appoints central information commissioners on the recommendation of not the executive but a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, a minister nominated by him and the LoP in the Lok Sabha. In state information commissions, the governor makes the appointment on the recommendation of a committee comprising the chief minister, a minister and the LoP of the state assembly.

Telecom operators are resisting the Department of Telecommunications' (DoT) decision to migrate to an authorisation regime, asking for the current practice of entering into contractual agreements with licensed entities to be kept in place. They said the current approach is vital in maintaining regulatory certainty, protecting existing investments and ensuring sustained investment growth in the sector. The telecom operators, through a letter from the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) to the telecom secretary Neeraj Mittal, cited examples of the ministries of coal and petroleum and natural gas which grants licenses to successful bidders in their respective fields that are contractual in nature.

Syria kept a central role for Islamic law in a constitutional declaration issued on Thursday which guarantees women's rights and freedom of expression during a five-year transitional period, according to a summary read on TV. The declaration is designed to serve as the foundation for the interim period being led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a Sunni Islamist who spearheaded a lightning offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad from power in December. Islamic jurisprudence will be «the main source» of legislation, according to the summary read out during the signing ceremony. That seemed to differ from the previous constitution which called it «a main source» of legislation. «We have kept Islamic jurisprudence as the primary source of legislation among sources of legislation,» said the summary, read out by a member of the committee which drafted the declaration. Sharaa had appointed the panel less than two weeks ago. Sharaa, who has promised to run Syria in an inclusive way, has been grappling with the biggest test of his leadership in the wake of a wave of sectarian killing in the coastal region, blamed on fighters aligned with his government.

JioHotstar has set new records in India’s live sports streaming with the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, drawing 540+ crore views and nearly 11,000 crore minutes of watch time, cementing its dominance in digital sports. The India vs. New Zealand final captivated audiences nationwide, drawing 124.2 crore views and reaching a peak concurrency of 6.12 crores. Hindi-speaking regions contributed over 38% of total viewership, with Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Goa, Punjab, and Haryana leading consumption. Large-screen viewing also saw a surge, with JioHotstar achieving over 80% penetration in WiFi-enabled CTV households, and Maharashtra recording the highest viewership. Kiran Mani, CEO – Digital, JioStar, highlighted the platform’s scale and accessibility: «The overwhelming response to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 marks a leap toward the billion-screen opportunity, where seamless access and immersive engagement are now the expectation, not the exception. The tournament also saw the highest-ever single-day subscriptions since launch, during the India vs Australia match, further underscoring the scale at which audiences are embracing digital streaming. This moment is a testament to our commitment to making high-quality experiences accessible to all and transforming digital consumption in India, as we continue to deliver unparalleled, seamless, and inclusive experiences built for the future.»

SIA-India) on Wednesday welcomed the strategic partnerships of Elon Musk-led SpaceX with Airtel and Reliance Jio. «These collaborations will accelerate broadband expansion and play a crucial role in enhancing connectivity across industries such as ports, rural enterprises, mining, oilfields, villages, and India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZs), where satellite technology can deliver substantial value,» Anil Prakash, director general, SIA-india, said. He said by complementing existing terrestrial networks, these partnerships will drive socio-economic growth, foster digital inclusion, and unlock new business opportunities across sectors like education, healthcare, e-governance, and agriculture.

The pair had both consulted in parallel with industry on proposed rules and expectations that sought to improve D&I at firms that fall under their remits.  The FCA said: «In light of the broad range of feedback received, expected legislative developments and to avoid additional burdens on firms at this time, the FCA and PRA have no plans to take the work further.» FCA drops plan to name and shame firms under investigation Imogen Makin, counsel at the international law firm WilmerHale, said the regulator's recognition that the existing rules cause a burden on firms is «welcome».  ...