Business Standard
‘We realised after 1991 that we have to innovate, not wait in Delhi’
From the challenging pre-1991 business environment that meant waiting patiently for approvals in New Delhi corridors, to the changes that swept the IT sector after liberalisation, Infosys cofounder NR Narayana Murthy has seen it all. In an interview...
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Lotuses bloom in muddy waters
The reforms of 1991 are seen by many as having been India’s economic launch pad. In his Budget speech of July 24, 1991 — 35 years ago, today — Manmohan Singh quoted Victor Hugo to say “No power on earth can stop an idea whose time has come”, and added:...
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‘Foreign investors return shows renewed confidence’
The recovery in foreign investment, spanning both portfolio and direct investment, in recent months signals a revival of confidence in the Indian economy, which remains among the fastest-growing major economies globally and has sustained momentum in...
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RBI moots easier FDI compliance regime
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday proposed a principle-based regulatory framework by rationalising provisions, harmonising definitions and simplifying the regulatory architecture to improve clarity and reduce the compliance burden for foreign...
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Soon, tap & pay offline via UPI
India is developing a new Unified Payments Interface (UPI) capability to enable payments without needing an internet connection on either the customer’s device or the merchant’s pointof-sale (POS) terminal, three people familiar with the matter said....
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Banks align on Vi’s projections, seek promoter promise
Vodafone Idea’s (Vi’s) lenders have broadly agreed on the telecom company’s financial projections, including its revenue outlook, after scaling back its own assumptions. However, they await more comfort from Vi’s promoters before signing off on a fresh...
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RIL beats expectations in an all-round Q1 show
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), India’s most valuable company, reported better-than-expected earnings for the April-june quarter (Q1FY27), driven by stronger revenue and margins in its oil-to-chemicals (O2C) and digital services businesses. Revenue,...
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Carmakers switch lanes to bring more software engineers on board
As cars evolve into computers, generating and processing enormous amounts of data every second, the automotive industry is witnessing a fundamental shift in its recruitment strategy. Apart from mechanical engineers and manufacturing specialists,...
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Chhoti SIPS gain scale, but face high exit rush
The low-ticket systematic investment plan (SIP) segment, or the ~250 investment options known as ‘Chhoti SIP’, is expanding rapidly but continues to face elevated discontinuation rates, reflecting the challenges first-time investors face in sustaining...
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RBI directs bank boards to sharpen strategic focus
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday issued amended directions to rationalise the matters placed before bank boards, with the aim of enabling more effective use of board time and fostering deeper, focused engagement on strategy and risk...
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Strong funding demand lifts bank, CP borrowings
Companies, including non-banking financial companies (NBFCS), tapped both banks and the commercial paper (CP) market in the first quarter of FY27, reflecting sustained demand for funding across the economy. CP issuances totalled ~5.37 trillion during...
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Active equity NFO collection at 6-yr low in H1
Money raised through active equity mutual fund (MF) launches plunged to a six-year low in the first half of calendar year 2026 (H1CY26), as volatile markets dampened investor interest and tighter regulations weighed on the ability of fund houses to...
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Coming soon: KYC from home for NRIS, foreign nationals
The Finance Ministry and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) are working towards simplifying the onboarding process for non-resident Indians (NRIS) and foreign nationals looking to invest in the Indian market, and could scrap the mandate...
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Sebi eyes a fresh wave of reforms for SMES
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is mulling a second wave of reforms for small and medium enterprises (SMES), including measures to reduce the cost of raising capital, a framework for delisting, and wider outreach to SMES across the...
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India may allow agentic Ai-led UPI transactions
India is building the digital infrastructure for allowing next generation artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make financial transactions with minimal human involvement through devices such as smart phones, relying on the country’s Unified Payments...
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SBI joins global banks to fund Sun’s Organon buy
The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), and 10 other global banks, have combined forces to finance one of the biggest recent acquisitions by an Indian entity — Sun Pharmaceutical’s $11.75 billion buyout of Us-based Organon & Co...
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FPIS return to Dalal Street
Marking the first turn in the tide since the Us-iran conflict broke out this February, foreign portfolio investors (FPIS) have become net buyers of Indian equities since the latter half of June, reviving momentum in sectors like financial services,...
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Tata Digital appoints three new C-suite leaders amid shift in business strategy
After a prolonged restructuring that saw hundreds of layoffs and several senior executives’ exit, Tata Digital has begun rebuilding its leadership team with a series of key appointments Over the last two months, Tata Digital has on boarded three...
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Dark cloud looms over hotel revenues amid drying reservoirs, rising costs
Looming water shortages and a spike in input costs due to rising fuel prices may create operational headwinds for domestic as well as global hotel chains operating in India, possibly impacting revenue, industry executives and watchers said. Longer...
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Banks bet on Gulf, S’pore, HK to drive FCNR (B) flows
Banks are betting on inflows from the Gulf countries, Singapore and Hong Kong to drive a significant chunk of their receipts under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’S) special Foreign Currency Non-resident (Bank) or FCNR (B) deposit...
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5 firms in race to build new Customs system
L&T Technology Services (LTTS), Wipro, IBM India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Infosys are in the race for a contract to build the country’s new digital backbone for crossborder trade, which will combine multiple existing systems into a single...
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Purvanchal steps up on development journey
Coming out of its image of being the badlands of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Purvanchal (the eastern region) is emerging as the state’s growth hub on the back of a massive infrastructure push, improved law and order, and ease of doing business, top ministers...
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40-day oil buffer plan enters action phase
India is moving ahead with a major expansion of its strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) network, with five projects planned across Chandikhol in Odisha, Bina in Madhya Pradesh, Bikaner in Rajasthan, and Mangaluru and Padur in Karnataka, according to...
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HDFC Bank may pick new chairman before deciding on CEO extn
HDFC Bank, having secured a clean chit from an external legal review of allegations made by its former part-time chairman Atanu Chakraborty while resigning this March, is prioritising the appointment of a regular chairman before its board can take up...
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Now, Siam objects to battery recycling rules
The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) has warned that battery-recycling targets mandated under the government’s rules could raise electric vehicle (EV) prices by 3-5 per cent and hurt sales in the country. Raising the matter with the...
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Banks wait & watch as $-bond investors seek richer returns
Banks may choose to wait for attractive pricing rather than tap overseas markets at levels they are not comfortable with, as investor demand for higher returns has pushed up borrowing costs after the first wave of dollar bond issuances following the...
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Pvt life insurers rekindle agency networks amid scrutiny over bancassurance
Private life insurers are stepping up investments in their agency networks as they seek to diversify distribution, reduce dependence on bancassurance and expand their customer reach. The renewed focus on the agency channel comes amid growing concerns...
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El Niño concerns trigger earnings risk for India Inc
Worries about a possible strong El Niño effect on monsoon showers this year is making boardrooms grow uneasy with industry executives and economists warning that weaker rural incomes and discretionary spending in coming months could depress corporate...
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Fed wizard who couldn’t stop the ’08 storm
Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman proclaimed a wizard for guiding a then-record economic expansion in the United States, only to see his luster dimmed by the financial crisis that erupted less than two years after he stepped down, has died....
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Hyderabad firm builds over ₹400 cr pharma biz, without a factory
Pharmaceutical hub Hyderabad is quietly witnessing a business innovation that could tackle excess production capacity in the sector. As parts of India’s upstream bulk drug industry grapple with underutilised capacity despite years of investment,...
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Jio Platforms targets ~37.7K cr IPO
Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL), the Reliance Industries-controlled company that houses India’s largest telecom operator and a growing portfolio of digital businesses, filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) on Friday for what could become India’s...
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RBI steps up $ buys to boost FX reserves
The rupee’s trajectory indicates a reversal amid a decline in crude oil prices with the United States (US) and Iran having reached an initial agreement to end the war, before finalising a peace deal in 60 days. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) seems to...
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Water-supply curbs threaten Mumbai’s burgeoning realty pipeline
Water-supply restrictions imposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), amid shrinking reservoir levels and a delayed monsoon, have raised concerns across Mumbai’s real-estate sector. Industry players warn that if the curbs persist, they...
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IFSCA chief: We expect solid growth once global tumult settles
K Rajaraman, chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City, Gujarat, said the focus of the authority is to position itself as a natural destination for international capital and financial activity. GIFT IFSC...
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US, Iran sign peace MOU; Hormuz hopes set sail
The United States (US) and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to settle a 108-day war, senior US officials said on Monday, adding that a signing ceremony would take place on Friday and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz would...
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Sebi eyes five-day FPI onboarding timeline
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is exploring measures to reduce the onboarding time for foreign portfolio investors (FPIS) to as little as five days, from the current timeline of nearly a month. According to sources, the regulator...
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Year on, AAIB says crash report only after full probe
A year after the London-bound Air India Flight 171 went down seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, grieving families and friends of the victims gathered at the crash site on Friday. The remembrance service was held near BJ Medical...
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Jio, NSE prep for mkt liftoff next week amid US IPO hype
The excitement surrounding blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) candidates on Wall Street may soon find an echo in the domestic markets. People familiar with the matter said Reliance Industries-backed Jio Platforms and the National Stock Exchange...
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Stamp of modernity: India Post aims to go from logistics to hangout hub
Your swanky coworking space, in the not too distant future, could well be the neighbourhood post office — the one you thought was good for only selling stamps. That’s just one of the revenuegenerating plans on the drawing board of India Posts, the...
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₹ gives up inflow-boost move gains
The rupee on Monday gave up most of its gains following Friday’s measures to attract foreign inflows, as international crude oil prices spiked after an escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel. A selloff in domestic equities also weighed on...
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Big Bond Bang reignites Indian Gsec hopes in global portfolios
The decision to exempt foreign portfolio investors (FPI) from income tax on interest and capital gains earned from government securities (Gsecs) has brightened the prospects for the inclusion of Indian sovereign papers in Bloomberg Index Services’...
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RBI, govt charm offensive may draw up to $50 bn global flows
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the central government unveiled a package of measures on Friday aimed at attracting foreign capital amid the West Asia crisis, with economists estimating the steps could generate up to $50 billion in inflows —...
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ATMS running out of cash, IBA alerted
ATM services in the country may be hobbled because of a shortage in cash, which could also leave an impact on rural and semiurban areas, the Confederation of ATM Industry (CATMI) has told the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA). ATMS are a cash-out point...
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Demand for forward deployed engineers surges as firms adopt AI
Forward deployed engineers (FDES), dubbed the hottest job in tech today, are seeing surging demand in India as enterprises race to embed artificial intelligence (AI) more seamlessly into client workflows. A term made popular by US data analytics...
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India’s aesthetic injectables industry faces regulatory jab
India’s ~700 crore aesthetic injectables segment is bracing for a shakeup, with organised dermatology and skin clinic chains expecting tighter regulatory scrutiny of botox, hyaluronic acid fillers, and skin boosters to quicken consumer migration...
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Now, over a third of term deposits ~5 cr+ accounts
India’s banking system is becoming increasingly dependent on large-ticket fixed deposits, with deposits of ~5 crore and above now accounting for more than one-third of such deposits, according to the new data released by the Reserve Bank of India...
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Automakers see red as PLI scheme paperwork multiplies
A mountain of paperwork threatens to bury automobile companies that plan to export under the auto production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme just when the government is trying to push deregulation and ease of doing business across industries. Auto...
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Worsening side effects of life in fast lane: Obesity, diabetes up sharply
The National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) has confirmed what pharmaceutical companies offering treatment for weight management and high blood sugar levels have known for a while now: That India’s obesity and diabetes burden is growing at a rapid...
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Vodafone Idea pitches for ‘equitable, inclusive access’ to all customers
India’s No 3 carrier Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Thursday called for creation of an equitable internet keeping consumer interest in focus, while flagging preferential services for a set of users, alluding to the priority postpaid plans based on 5G slicing...
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SC upholds 28% retrospective tax on e-gaming firms
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday upheld the Centre’s decision to retrospectively levy 28 per cent goods and services tax (GST) on the full face value of bets placed through real money gaming (RMG) platforms. In a separate but similar judgment,...
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Tata Sons board takes close look at new-age biz
A daylong marathon board meeting at Bombay House on Tuesday may have resembled a roadshow filled with slides of Tata companies’ top line, bottom line, EPS (earnings per share), and more, but the review session was seen as a key step in engaging with...
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Sitharaman flags 3 Fs: Fuel, fertiliser, foreign exchange
India’s economy remains resilient, but the West Asia crisis is exerting pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves due to high crude oil, fertiliser and gold prices, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday, pointing to three...
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India’s extreme heat spell giving parametric insurance a longer season
Rising temperatures and climate change are driving demand for parametric insurance cover, as heatwaves and erratic weather increasingly affect livelihoods, productivity and health, according to insurance industry experts. Forecasts by weather agencies...
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RBI surplus transfer to govt hits a new high of ~2.87 trn
The Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday decided to transfer a surplus of ~2.87 trillion for 2025-26 (FY26) — surpassing FY25’S record — to the Centre as income rose and balance sheet expanded. The central bank,...
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Sebi moots new price-discovery mechanism
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed changes to the price-discovery mechanism for initial public offerings (IPOS) and relisted stocks during the preopen call auction session. Under the proposed revised framework for...
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Higher user fee puts Navi Mumbai airport on a costlier flight path
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Aera) has set the user development fee (UDF) for Navi Mumbai airport in the range of ~620-738 for each departing domestic passenger, about 3.5x higher than the UDF charged at Mumbai airport. Aera...
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SHANTI Act sets off new reaction in US nuclear commerce
The US nuclear power industry will closely follow the implementation of the SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Act in India as part of a broader, long-term effort to build a serious commercial...
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Vi closing ₹35K cr Sbi-led funding ‘very fast’: CEO
The top management of Vodafone Idea (Vi) is confident of closing the ongoing talks with a consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) following the promoters’ decision to infuse equity into the company. The board of India’s No. 3 carrier...
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Real-time risk scores on cards for digi payments
Bank deposits made digitally will soon be assigned ‘scores’ on a real time basis, K Satyanarayana Raju, MD & CEO of Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) said, in a move to check so-called mule accounts. Mule accounts are existing...
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Ai-hacking threat pushes $130 billion crypto sector to the brink
The crypto hacks came a little over two weeks apart in April, netting the attackers almost $600 million in total while triggering an investor exodus from one major platform and causing another to fail. But for all the damage the two exploits wrought,...
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Indian-flagged vessel sinks off Oman coast after attack
India on Thursday condemned an attack on one of its vessels in the Gulf of Oman that left it ablaze before it sank, calling the incident “unacceptable”. The incident took place even as New Delhi hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi for...
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MPC to look through West Asia shock if it’s transitory: RBI Guv
The Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the central bank will consider incoming data for policy actions and will be ready to look through the spike in oil prices. However, he warned that policy action will be needed if the shock from...
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IT firms paid record ₹1.3 trn to shareholders in FY26 despite AI headwinds
India’s top 16 information-technology (IT) services companies in FY26 paid its shareholders a record high amount of around ~1.3 trillion in dividend and share buyback even as the industry faced a threat to its traditional business configurations from...
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100 years on, Bajaj Group begins to build anew for India
Few Indian business families have remained as cohesive across generations as the Bajaj family, where continuity has been managed through a combination of governance structures and cultural discipline. The group that Bachhraj Bajaj founded in Wardha...
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CIL lines up ~1 trillion capex push over 5 yrs
State-owned miner Coal India Ltd (CIL) plans to spend ~1 trillion over five years through 2030-31 (FY31) as part of an ambitious capital expenditure-led overhaul of its mining and diversification strategy, Chairman-cum-managing Director B Sairam told...
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‘Claire has what it takes to lead Biocon forward’
Kiran Mazumdar-shaw has spent more than four decades building Biocon, taking it from a rented garage in Bengaluru to one of the world’s largest biosimilars companies. Now, at 73, the celebrated biotech entrepreneur is thinking about what comes next,...
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Top 3 airlines may get up to ~1.5K cr each: DFS secy
India’s three major airlines could each avail of up to ~1,500 crore under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 announced recently to help businesses hit by the West Asia conflict, Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary M...
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As global campuses land, a churn may sweep India’s academic talent pool
India’s higher education sector is likely to see heightened competition for faculty as foreign universities establish campuses in the country, a shift expected to place upward pressure on salaries, even as the system continues to face a structural...
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MSMES, airlines get ~2.55 trillion credit lifeline amid West Asia crisis
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the fifth edition of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS 5.0), with an outlay of ~18,100 crore, to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES),...
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A vote for change, and continuity
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) breached the West Bengal fortress of the Trinamool Congress on Monday, securing a decisive and long-elusive victory, while retaining Assam for another term. In Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay’s...
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Govt looks to tap deepwater oil amid Hormuz squeeze
“Adequate data is the first step in oil and gas exploration. Many of these blocks were earlier designated as ‘no-go’ areas, resulting in limited data availability. That gap is now being addressed,” said another person familiar with the matter. The...
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India Inc’s big foreign buys yield no more than tepid returns
Big-ticket acquisition by India Inc in the past two decades has not translated into good returns to shareholders. In eight of 10 occasions, the share prices of firms that spent billions buying marquee assets have underperformed the broader market...
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Alphabet, Amazon outpace Meta in AI during earnings bonanza
A frenzied day of earnings reports offered a glimpse at how some of the world’s biggest tech companies are doing in artificial intelligence. The upshot: Alphabet Google is seeing a clear payoff from its AI spending, while Meta Platforms Inc is lagging...
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