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₹10,300 crore ($1.15 billion) for supplying subsidized chips to startups or research centres for developing AI platforms that exclude the Western biases of existing models.This puny outlay, compared with other sovereign budgets (such as France’s $117 billion), is predicated on the hope of private capital pitching in.That might be slightly problematic, given India Inc’s reluctance to invest; a survey by EY India and Confederation of Indian Industry shows that over 95% of enterprises have earmarked less than 20% of their infotech budgets for AI.But the government’s year-end guidelines reveal an indulgent attitude towards the private sector in the name of innovation that may tempt many Indian companies to use artificial intelligence for shirking their after-sales service responsibilities. Many banks and consumer-facing companies have already replaced a human voice with under-developed, inefficient and untrained AI bots.

Hindi language films stood at 33 in 2023, 34 in 2024 and 39 in 2025.Experts say sentiments around high-risk titles have remained soft, and in many cases, filmmakers have struggled to convince top stars to forego unreasonably high fees.“Everyone is worried and cautious at the moment. Over-the-top (OTT) content platforms are no longer buying films as they used to and linking rights to the box office, which remains unpredictable.

Investor money has swung decisively towards flexi-cap funds in recent months. From May to November 2025, flexi-cap schemes accounted for 28.7% of total net inflows into diversified equity mutual fund categories.The timing of this surge is telling.

$100 and 120 million at a $500-550 million valuation. The latter, which first raised $2 million in May, is in talks to raise another round of funding, according to news website Moneycontrol.com.While more of these companies are likely to appear in 2026 and secure funding, they remain largely similar, with investors focused primarily on the size and disruptive potential of the market.In a business burdened by high customer acquisition costs, the core challenge lies in cracking unit economics.

Mint.The deal size is expected to be $50-60 million ( ₹449-538 crore) and would likely provide a full exit to the promoters, one of the people said, adding that the transaction is likely to close in the coming weeks.The acquisition is part of Pulsar’s broader strategy to build a food platform through the consolidation of multiple assets, the second person said.Both spoke on the condition of anonymity.The mid-market private equity firm has a strong footprint across India, West Asia and other emerging markets. Led by former TPG executive Vish Narain, Pulsar has backed several consumer-facing companies, including Biryani by Kilo and Blue Tokai, and earlier this year partnered with PJP Investments to bring Papa John’s Pizza to India.Pulsar and Nandhana did not immediately respond to Mint’s requests for comment.Founded in 2004 by Ravichandar Ramaswamy, Nandhana Palace is among the more prominent Andhra-style restaurant chains, with multiple outlets across Bengaluru and Chennai.

For India’s affluent, convenience never sat in apps or bookings but in the privilege of things done for them—access to anything, anywhere with no friction or complexity and satisfaction guaranteed. That was traditionally delivered by humans: house managers, executive assistants, and trusted fixers who served the everyday world to the wealthy.Now, a new set of startups is attempting to sculpt that quiet operating system into a product.Over the past year, personal concierge services have drawn renewed attention from founders and large consumer platforms alike.

processing, packaging, food-safety systems, branding and value-addition across all categories.Organized processors and brands are increasingly investing in modern facilities that meet food safety, traceability and quality standards, in line with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.“Nowadays consumers are far more conscious about quality, hygiene, origin and nutritional information. This is pushing the demand and companies to adopt better processing practices and introduce new products,” said Yash Gawdi, founder & CEO, Candor Foods Pvt Ltd.According to doctors, the rising consumption of dry fruits and nuts reflects a broader shift.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Dear reader, as 2025, a year of global tumult and volatility, rolls by, Mint's reporters and columnists look around the corner on what is coming in 2026—to help you know what to expect and prepare for it. Tell us what you think at [email protected].

Mint unpacks how the store functions, whether Swiggy Instamart stands to gain meaningfully, and what this could mean for quick commerce.Swiggy Instamart did not respond to queries shared by Mint.Located in the upscale neighbourhood of M3M 65th Avenue of Gurugram, the store stands in the midst of a host of residential and commercial properties, including large housing complexes.At the outset, the store appears to be like any other department store—stocked with everyday products ranging from essentials such as pulses, fresh produce and grains to even nicotine products. Noice, Swiggy’s private label selling breads, paneer and snacks among other food items, also sits comfortably on the shelves.The store is run by PYD Retail Pvt Ltd, a seller that operates on Swiggy Instamart’s online app as well.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Earlier this year, financial advisors across the country opened emails from the CIO at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Written in a professional tone and bearing the regulator’s official seal, the electronic missives asked advisors to confirm their “best email address" for secure communications going forward.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s advertising market has undergone a decisive shift over the past year, with digital platforms emerging as the dominant growth engine while television advertising is losing momentum. Latest data from TAM AdEx shows a 149% surge in digital ad impressions from January to September 2025 compared to the same period last year.

In 2026, artificial intelligence (AI) won’t just be something companies talk about in press releases. It will become part of how everyday work gets done. Instead of being tested in small pilot projects or used in flashy demos, AI will be built into the core of how businesses operate.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s focus on defence has sharpened steadily over the past few years. Operation Sindoor in May brought renewed attention to the country’s defence capabilities and strengthened the outlook for domestic defence manufacturers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Mumbai: In early December, fast-food chain McDonald’s released a Christmas Special advertisement, just like many brands do during this time of the year. While most brands seek to evoke warm, festive cheer among their target customers, the Big Mac maker made an unconventional choice.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : New Delhi: Inox Clean Energy Ltd has signed an agreement to acquire Macquarie Group’s renewable energy platform Vibrant Energy, in a transaction valued at an enterprise value of $600 million and an equity value of $200 million, according to two people aware of the development. The deal was announced by Inox Clean, a part of the INOXGFL Group, on Sunday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. As a hectic year of deal-making in banking and financial services rolls to a close, experts are predicting that the mergers and acquisitions in 2026 will see mid-sized lenders and foreign capital taking centre-stage. Friday saw the biggest deal of the year – Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group pouring nearly ₹40,000 crore into Shriram Finance, India's second largest non-banking finance company, for a 20% stake – in the sector highlighting how India has emerged as a magnet for global capital chasing lenders.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem is entering a decisive phase. Rising defence spending, a sharper focus on indigenization and growing export ambition are creating a longer runway for domestic suppliers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India's only agri derivatives exchange National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) is evaluating technical proposals from reputed global vendors—including its existing vendor LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), US-based Nasdaq, London-headquartered Aquis and India's largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS)—for its equity and equity derivatives platform slated for launch in the next fiscal year, according to a person aware of the development.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Shares of Zydus Wellness Ltd were trading near ₹403 when the company announced the acquisition of UK-based Comfort Click Ltd for about ₹2,380 crore on 29 August. The market initially welcomed the deal, pushing the stock to an all-time high of ₹530.90 on 19 September.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. First there was Truth Social. Then a streaming platform.

It’s a reasonable hope that no single platform comes to dominate India’s adoption of AI chatbots. Social media saw free services join forces with network effects to place all major formats under the control of X and Meta’s three popular platforms. November data from a report by Bank of America Securities suggests that we might escape that fate in the AI chatbot space.