Mint Kolkata

The undesirable climate cost of your AI queries

India has positioned itself as a global hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure. As the country accelerates the expansion of AI-focussed data centres, policymakers and utilities face a key question: Will this strain electricity...

Khamenei dead in US-Israel assault; Iran vows revengeu

Iran launched strikes across the Gulf on Sunday after vowing to avenge slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, defying a threat from President Donald Trump to strike with unprecedented force. As crowds gathered in Tehran, with some grieving and...

GOING SLOW IN MYSURU

NFRA to widen yearly reviews to strengthen audits

India’s National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) will review financial statements of more companies as part of its annual inspection of audit practices this fiscal, according to two persons aware of the matter. The authority will cover financials...

The AI onslaught is on. Are India’s IT giants ready?

On Tuesday, Nasscom projected flat growth for India’s IT sector, a day after Jefferies cut target prices for the country’s Big Four IT firms, reflecting concerns over how the sector is preparing to navigate the onslaught of artificial intelligence. Is...

Govt spending cuts hit GDP in Q3: Poll

India's economy likely grew at 7.4% during October-December, moderating from a six-quarter high of 8.2% in the previous three-month period, due to government spending cuts and weak exports, accordingtoa Mint poll of 18 economists. Festive demand and...

RBI deal protects Clearing Corp from EU interference

India draws up Plan B for oil as Gulf tensions spike

India is exploring contingency plans for crude oil imports as rising tensions in West Asia push global oil prices higher and raise fears of supply disruptions. Oil prices have surged about 7% in the past three sessions following a large US military...

DESI RAP RISING

War clouds slam stocks, Nifty dips most since budget

The military build-up in the Persian Gulf and a muddied US interest rate outlook dealt the biggest blow to Indian markets since the Union budget, with investors losing nearly ₹6.8 trillion on Thursday. The benchmark Nifty plunged 1.4% to close at...

How India’s EV adoption is a tale of multiple hues

More than a decade after India’s National Electric Mobility Mission, segment-wise adoption data reveals uneven progress in electric mobility, as per a recent CII-Kearney report on green mobility. Mint explains what this divergence means for green...

Investment pledges light up India AI Summit on Day 2

Aflurry of investment announcements reframed the India AI Impact Summit 2026 as a high-stakes capital story on Tuesday, a day after a glitchy start to the landmark event. Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Indian private startups are projecting...

Banks’ insurance boost faces RBI reality check

The regulator’s proposed rules to curb mis-selling of third-party products by banks will likely dent their earnings from insurance policy sales, a ₹22,000-25,000 crorea-year business for lenders. On 11 February, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)...

What’s fuelling the hype around India AI summit?

India’s push for global prominence in artificial intelligence begins today. The AI Impact Summit has driven hotel prices higher in New Delhi, and attendance rates for global heads of state match those seen during the 2023 G20 summit. Why such hype?...

NEW THREADS FROM LADAKH

An ongoing exhibition in Delhi spotlights Ladakh’s design evolution, where resident designers are tapping into their roots to re-interpret traditional textiles and embroideries as contemporary wearable art.

2 Is this a novel approach?

This is not the first time that a country has sought to regulate AI content, or deepfakes. In the EU, the EU AI Act as well as the Digital Services Act have mandated how social media intermediaries will need to proactively monitor their platforms, and...

Will the latest round of US-Iran talks succeed?

Iran and the US are sitting down to talk again over Tehran’s nuclear programme. What makes these talks different? Iran is on a much weaker footing than in the past. US President Donald Trump, in contrast, is riding high after the successful Venezuela...

In vroom mode

Vehicle sales in January should put smiles on many faces. Overall retail sales, according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations on Tuesday, grew about 18% from a year earlier to 2.72 million. Not only is the number...

Vinci nears $2 bn Macquarie deal in India return

Vinci SA of France is nearing a $2 billion deal to acquire the Indian road assets of Australia’s Macquarie Group, two people aware of the matter said, as the Paris-based concessions and construction company prepares to return to the country after 11...

US tariff cuts set to double exports in 4–5 years

With US tariffs sharply reduced and policy uncertainty easing, Indian exporters are gearing up to resume exports at the revised duty rates. Industry executives say the move could double India’s exports to the US over the next four to five...

What did the Budget say about artificial intelligence?

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned artificial intelligence in her Budget speech 11 times in total, which was decidedly more than before. Artificial intelligence again was mentioned in connection with the offering of public services,...

End of the inspector raj at our ports

Amid an unravelling of global trade, the Union budget has proposed some welcome steps to ease the pain. As one-off relief for eligible export-oriented manufacturers in special economic zones, for example, it proposes a pathway to let them sell some of...

KUTCH BUILDS ON THE ‘BUNGA’

Twenty-five years after the 2001 earthquake, Kutch has transformed tragedy into a blueprint for resilience, blending the knowledge of ‘bhunga’ mud huts with modern engineering to redefine community led rehabilitation.

How can India fix its soil health?

India is a top global producer of several crops like rice, wheat and fruit and vegetables. But yields widely lag global averages. This is true for crops like cotton, oilseeds as well. One way to raise productivity is by improving soil health. Indian...

Will yields soften?

It’s not typical of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to abruptly change its schedule of open market operations. So when it did so this week, it raised eyebrows. Instead of bond purchases of ₹50,000 crore each on 5 and 12 February, those two bouts of...

What’s India’s position on the BoP?

4 India hasn’t publicly expressed any reservations. But it is wary of the charter that says BoP would look at all conflict regions. Pak presence on the BoP will mean it will try to get global focus on Kashmir. India turned down Trump’s offer of...

Reflective republic

This Republic Day, we should reflect on India’s embrace of the world. Amid all the convulsions of globalization, we have cause for optimism over India’s trade prospects. A deal with the EU looks imminent, while the US has signalled it may not just...

MUSICIANS AMP UP THEIR STYLE

From stage to street, Indian musicians are turning up the volume on style. As concert culture booms, fashion is no longer an afterthought—it is a crucial part of an artist’s identity, persona and performance.

How Trump put Nato on the brink over Greenland

US President Donald Trump’s speech at Davos was meant to be a bellwether for the trans-Atlantic relationship, particularly Nato, with his handling of Greenland closely watched. After the speech, it appears Nato has survived, but barely. Mint examines...

Sebi, Amfi discuss cutting fixed fees

An association of mutual funds has approached the stock market regulator to make a case for lower fixed costs, stating that a structural mismatch in fees erodes profitability, three people aware of the discussions said. The funds are also separately...

Glide path for new job scheme likely

Even as a two-decade-old welfare employment scheme is set to be replaced by a new one, the upcoming Union Budget may carve out separate allocations for both schemes to ensure there are no gaps in jobs during the transition period, according to the...

What about other key operational metrics?

According to data from the power ministry, the aggregate technical & commercial (AT&C) losses have fallen over the years to 15.04% in FY25 from 17.6% in FY24. AT&C losses are the total gap between electricity supplied by a utility and the revenue...

Budget will unveil blueprint to insulate India from chaos

Atop brokers’ association has urged the capital markets regulator to harmonize market-making rules across equity and commodity derivatives, a proposal that holds the potential to challenge the near-monopoly of the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) in...

Why smartphone firms want to guard their source codes

As India moves to tighten mobile phone security, reports that it may seek forcible access to smartphone makers’ source code for official scrutiny have stirred unease, even as the government has denied proposing any such mandate. Mint decodifies the...

Google blasts past $4 tn: How is it beating rivals?

On Monday, Alphabet became the fourth company to reach a $4 tn market cap after a deal with Apple to power Siri. Last week, Google’s parent also overtook Apple as the world’s second-largest firm. Its surge comes despite warnings of an AI crash. Mint...

Why are connectivity agreements stuck?

Telcos say they have been quoted “exorbitantly” charges and argue that as licensed spectrum holders they are legally entitled to offer services under right of way rules of the Telecom Act. They have objected to airport and metro authorities appointing...

ARCHIVING FASHION

Filled with chikankari swatches and archival anarkalis, Tarun Tahiliani’s meticulously catalogued archive is a fashion bank powering the past, present and future of his brand, while recording process, change and continuity.

Why Indian firms often challenge drug patents

Natco’s revocation patent suit against Novo Nordisk intensifies the battle between domestic generic giants and global innovators over affordability. As we look ahead at another year of high-stakes battles, Mint unpacks the legal landscape and who wins...

Can gig workers form traditional unions in India?

Gig workers’ unions organised a strike on New Years’ Eve demanding better working conditions. Zomato’s founder Deepinder Goyal said that the strike failed because gig work was valuable. But how do Indian labour laws treat gig workers and their unions?...

2 What has X been directed to do?

Meity has given 72 hours to X to remove all Grok AI-generated sexually explicit content. The platform has also been asked to submit an ATR outlining the steps taken to prevent recurrence. The ministry said provisions under the IT Act 2000, and IT Rules...

ART BEYOND SOUTH MUMBAI

Mumbai Gallery Weekend 2026, which opens on 8 January, is stepping out of South Mumbai and discovering new locations, giving audiences across the city a chance to be part of the conversation on contemporary art.

What lies ahead for the real estate sector in 2026

Healthy growth in key real estate asset classes—housing, office and logistics—is expected to continue in 2026, with non-residential segments likely to outperform. While the residential sector slowed in 2025, office and logistics offer greater scope for...

Risks loom, but India has buffers, says RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is aware of nearterm risks to the Indian economy from external spillovers and will continue building strong guardrails to act as a buffer against global shocks, governor Sanjay Malhotra said. “The Indian economy and the...

Budget may pitch ₹25,000 cr infra risk guarantee fund

The Centre is working on a ₹25,000-crore safety net for infrastructure projects to ease financing bottlenecks and revive stalled projects, two people familiar with the plans said. The fund, proposed on the lines of credit guarantee schemes for small...

Why are countries offering visas to digital nomads?

Last week, Bulgaria joined a growing list of nations offering digital nomad residence permits, underscoring how remote work is being integrated into immigration policy. The pandemic-era experiment has gone mainstream. Mint breaks down how it works: 1...

MOMENTS IN CINEMA 2025

A tumultuous year for Indian cinema saw the return of Bollywood romance, a fresh, feminist take on the superhero film, and several uncompromising visions, both indie and blockbuster, that revealed the state of the nation. These are our favourite...

What airline NOCs signal for Indian aviation

Civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu tweeted that three proposed airlines—Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress— have received no-objection certificates (NOCs). Mint explains what the government’s NOC actually signifies. 1 Is this the...

RBI model for US Fed

Will America’s monetary policy become more like India’s as AI begins to crunch jobs? The US Fed, mandated to maximize employment and keep prices stable, has cut its policy rate by three-quarters of a percentage point since mid-September in response to...

Decoding asset tokenization and why it matters

Asset tokenization has come under policy spotlight after lawmaker Raghav Chadha last week called for a dedicated law to govern it. As global markets experiment with putting assets such as stocks, gold and real estate on blockchains, Mint explains how...

Kotak not listing subsidiaries as rivals go ahead

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd sees little value in listing its subsidiaries and selling a stake to “foreigners” at present and would rather focus on building an enduring institution, said chief executive officer Ashok Vaswani, even as peers have taken their...

THE SPORTING HIGHS OF 2025

The year in sports has been full of ups and downs. Football and hockey have been underwhelming, but it’s been excitement all the way in archery, badminton, tennis and of course, women’s cricket.

India’s landmark Oman trade deal deepens Gulf push

India on Thursday signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (Cepa) with Oman that seeks to strengthen the country’s economic and strategic engagement with the Gulf and deepen its footprint in the region. The pact—India’s second deep trade...

How India aims to rewrite rules for higher education

The Centre is preparing a sweeping reset of India’s higher education regulatory structure through the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which aims to replace the current regulator-centric model. As a parliamentary panel vets the bill, Mint...

Will water, power trip data centre growth in India?

In 2025, up to $70 billion has been pledged to develop 6 gigawatts (GW) of data centre capacity in India. While this could power India’s AI ambitions, experts warn that limited freshwater supplies and the need for uninterrupted energy may hurt the...

GST cuts, festive rush fail to trigger small car rally

[email protected] NEW DELHI Hopes that a landmark cut in federal taxes would provide a lifeline to struggling small cars like Maruti Alto, Spresso and Renault Kwid have been dashed, with latest sales data showing buyers continuing to favour...

ON A LUCKNOW FOOD TRAIL

Think food and Lucknow, and most will say biryani and kebabs, but there’s more to savour in this historic city. From puri-aloo to everyday veggies, chaats, kachoris, and malai paan,there’s a range of foods to taste.

Dirty air trick: How farmers outsmart vigil

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana are burning paddy stubble late in the day after monitoring satellites pass over, says a study by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iForest), released on 8 December. Mint brings the...

Govt asks IndiGo to slash flights by 10%

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has cleared two fund managers and is close to shortlisting two more for the Centre’s ₹1 trillion research, development and innovation (RDI) incentivization scheme, three senior officials in the know said.

Capex to get more IPO cash, but firms keep powder dry

Behind the blockbuster exits by early investors and promoters this year, a quiet trend is emerging in initial public offerings: Nearly 20% of the money raised from fresh issuances in 2025 was earmarked for new projects, plant, and machinery, up...

AT HOME WITH MONSTERS

From his earliest films to the new version of ‘Frankenstein’, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro’s work has featured memorable screen monsters. They are often far more humanised than del Toro’s human villains

IndiGo cancellations spark airport chaos

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI Unruly, chaotic scenes unravelled at airports nationwide on Thursday, following IndiGo’s cancellation of close to 200 flights and delays in several others. The country’s largest carrier struggled to manage irate travellers across...

Sanchar Saathi: The flip-flop over a tracking app

India’s communications ministry on Wednesday rolled back its move to make Sanchar Saathi, a lost phone tracking app, mandatory for all mobile devices. The move came after pushback over concerns of surveillance even as the government said it will curb...

PSU banks flag deposit rate woes on policy eve

[email protected] MUMBAI State-owned lenders have alerted the banking regulator that their inability to cut deposit rates as fast as loan rates is taking a toll on interest margins, three people familiar with the development said. Since...

Govt’s smartphone app push may trigger pushback

[email protected] NEW DELHI Apush by the Centre to curb phone-based scams by mandating a government app on every smartphone in circulation is likely to be opposed by the world’s largest handset makers—including Apple, Google, Samsung—and even...

Is Big Tech’s AGI fixation inflating the AI bubble?

Big Tech is pouring billions into artificial intelligence (AI) in the belief that some form of artificial general intelligence (AGI) or artificial superintelligence (ASI) could emerge by the end of the decade. But critics warn this may be further...

THE DHARAMS WE LOVE

There are so many Dharmendras to love and value, both on and off screen. He had an immense aura but wore it casually, donned many roles and inhabited them all with authenticity. Our tribute to the versatile actor.

Why computers are selling like hot cakes again

Sales of laptops, desktops and tablets had a bad time in India after a pandemic boom. But, since 2024 they are doing brisk business again. Personal computer shipments reached a record high of 4.9 million units in Q2, IDC said. What caused the...

What was the Sandesara fraud?

The Sandesara brothers built the Sterling Group into a ₹40,000crore business. They went to Nigeria, where their companies, Seepco and Sterling Global Oil Resources, grew into the country’s largest independent crude producers. Indian investigative...

Diwali is past but shopping season is roaring ahead

[email protected] MUMBAI India’s consumption engine appears to be humming well past the Diwali rush, with digital payments showing none of the usual post-festival fatigue. Daily spends through Unified Payments Interface (UPI), cards and wallets in...

How new labour codes impact your gratuity, PF

The new labour codes have overhauled how wages, gratuity, provident fund (PF), pension and other social security benefits are calculated. These changes impact employees and employers alike. Mint explains who benefits and what happens to take-home...