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E-bikes likely to get energy star ratings

India plans to introduce standardized energy-efficiency labelling for electric two-wheelers (e2Ws) to help lower charging costs and enable consumers to make informed choices, according to four people aware of the development. The labelling is expected...

What a strong El Niño may have in store for India

Forecasters have confirmed the arrival of El Niño, the warming of the equatorial Pacific that is known to disrupt weather patterns worldwide. This year’s El Niño is expected to be among the strongest in decades and could persist into early 2027. Mint...

What US curbs on Anthropic’s AI mean for India

On Friday, the US asked Anthropic to deny access to foreign nationals to its powerful new AI models. Stakeholders in India are alarmed. Some believe India is missing the bus on foundational models, with others underlining the criticality of sovereign...

SATRAPI’S SWAY OVER INDIA

From chronicling revolution through a child’s eyes to reimagining the grammar of comics, Marjane Satrapi, who died last week, influenced a generation of comics creators and graphic novelists in India and the world.

Football for a cause

In India, interest rates followed a different path. The benchmark interest rate (repo rate) was 9% in July 2008 when the global financial crisis struck. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), like other central banks, cut the repo rate aggressively to 4.75%...

PSU financiers race to tap RBI's hedge window

Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) new hedging window that lowers the cost of dollar borrowings for the rest of the calendar year is set to spur a fresh wave of overseas fundraising by stateowned lenders. This signals a likely revival in a funding route...

Airtel, Vi eye ₹24k cr relief as HC nixes fee demand

In a relief for telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, the Bombay High Court on Monday quashed the government's demand notices seeking one time spectrum charges (OTSC) over the levy on spectrum held beyond 6.2 MHz from 2008 onwards. In the...

Solar energy shines

Annual solar energy capacity addition (in GW) 4 5.62 12.76 12.78 15.03 The new rule, Approved List of Models and Manufacturers-II (ALMM-II), lists the solar cell models and manufacturers eligible for grid-scale renewable energy projects, those under...

MEET THE NO-SHOPPERS

As no-buy challenges and mindful shopping catch on, a section of people is slowly but steadily reassessing not just what they purchase but why they buy in the first place. Their purchases are shaped less by trends and more by intentionality.

Art of the tariff spin

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed a 12.5% tariff on 54 countries, including India, for allegedly lacking mechanisms to stop the import of goods made with forced labour. Though it has invited public comments, that sounds like a...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Obesity is strongly linked to diabetes. Per the survey, the number of men with high blood sugar on diabetes medicine rose to 20.9% from 15.6%. For women, this was 17.8% from 13.5%. Heart and fatty liver disease are other risks. World Obesity Federation...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

India’s large gig economy and diverse real-world environments are making it a rich source of physical AI training data. It is already in the AI supply chain with data annotation and content moderation by firms such as iMerit and Sama. Startups such as...

Liberate pricing

In terms of value, personal care was big at $155 million. It included major deals like HUL’s acquisition of Oziva ($90 million). Other big deals include Marico’s buyouts in the premium health and wellness space—a 75% stake in Skinetiq ($29 million),...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The southwest monsoon typically reaches Kerala around 1 June. This year, it is likely to miss that date. In 2025 it made an early landfall on 24 May; in 2024 it arrived on 30 May. Both years saw abovenormal rain. In 2023, when rain was at 94% of LPA,...

WHERE DOES ISL GO FROM HERE?

ISL, won by East Bengal FC this year, showed that Indian football has the capacity to enthral, but can it find a way to sustain itself? The league is battling instability, an uncertain future for clubs, players and the broader Indian football ecosystem.

Right to know

Ferrari enters the electric space rather late, with the China threat looming over all European carmakers. While it was earlier believed the competition would be restricted to the mass market, Chinese carmakers such as BYD, Xiaomi and Jiangxi...

Can film workers’ union demand boycott of actors?

On Monday, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) urged Hindi film producers not to work with actor Ranveer Singh. The move followed a failed mediation between the actor and Excel Entertainment. Why has this union stepped into the...

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Not really. India does not have any large technology firms focused on building foundational models. For the most part, India’s information technology (IT) ministry and tech companies have said that chasing cost-intensive AI models may not be India’s...

Let prices adjust

Net neutrality requires internet service providers not to block, discriminate against, or prioritise lawful internet traffic. The debate intensified in 2015 as Airtel Zero and Meta Platforms-backed Free Basics allowed selected apps and services to be...

Why is India stepping up Ebola screening?

Ebola, an often fatal viral infection, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. India, yet to report a case, has stepped up airport surveillance, issued travel advisories and postponed the India-Africa Forum Summit in...

THE MASTER IN COLOUR

Nemai Ghosh’s vivid colour portraits of Satyajit Ray at a Delhi exhibition reveal the filmmaker at work and in repose. These rare photos turn a new lens to Ray’s creative life and cinematic legacy.

Fed rate hike next?

India’s $1.2-billion AI Mission, in its 26 months of existence, approved funding in the form of compute infrastructure and additional cash for 12 startups. Three notable ones are Peak XV and Lightspeedbacked startup Sarvam, listed firm Fractal...

Tantrum lesson How has India reacted in the past?

An analysis published on 19 May by Venugopal Garre and Nikhil Arela of Bernstein, a global brokerage, said that the price increases by OMCs so far are the second-lowest among the previous hike cycles. During the 2022 energy crisis, sparked by the...

AI brings fresh challenges for the banking industry

Top banks are stepping up cyber defences, hiring, and insurance coverage as concerns grow that advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems could make cyberattacks faster and harder to contain. The pressure has risen after finance ministry officials...

Rural rebound runs into cost, rain risks

Rural-linked companies reported their strongest volume-led recovery in years in the March quarter (Q4FY26), driven by low inflation, healthy farm incomes and rising non-farm employment from infrastructure spending. Aggressive government welfare...

Adani to outsource chunks of business to vendor network

Billionaire Gautam Adani is looking to outsource vast swathes of the group's operations to its vendors while conserving management bandwidth for strategy, research and finance, following the global playbook of multinationals such as Apple and Hyundai,...

THE NEXT CLAY CHAMPIONS

With Novak Djokovic fading, new stars rising and claycourt rivalries intensifying, this year’s French Open could become a defining fortnight for an ambitious and unpredictable next generation.

Why India ordered an abrupt ban on exports of sugar

India has banned exports of raw, white and refined sugar till 30 September, in a sharp shift from the earlier “restricted” export regime to a “prohibited” category. The immediate trigger is the worry over domestic availability and inflation. Mint...

Why the PM wants households to use less cooking oil

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Indians to reduce the use of imported oils, both crude and edible, to help conserve foreign exchange amid a widening current account deficit and a weakening rupee. But what does the West Asia war have to do with...

Why ride-hailing platforms are facing GST review

Ride-hailing app firms following the subscription model—where drivers pay a fixed fee instead of the app charging a commission on each ride— do not pay GST and are pushing for the status quo to continue. The GST Council is set to review the GST law....

Will Atlas shrug?

Yes. While it is pegged as a measure to protect China’s supply chain security, experts opine that it is the second-largest economy’s strategic response to global supply chain decoupling measures underway today. It is a fact that global manufacturing is...

Trump-Xi Beijing summit: what is on the table?

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a two-day summit in Beijing on 14-15 May. The meeting comes at a time when the world is riven by wars and trade disruptions. Mint looks at the possible outcomes and implications for...

HOLIDAYS FOR THRILL SEEKERS

From paragliding solo in Bali to shredding waves in Sri Lanka, the “active holiday” is set to be 2026’s biggest travel trend. Discover some of Asia’s best destinations to recharge with movement and get the adrenaline pumping.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Yes. On 13 February, startup Agnikul Cosmos announced a tie-up with local cloud services startup NeevCloud to deploy data centres in space as early as the end of FY27. On 4 May, a similar twoparty partnership was announced between Sarvam, India’s...

Do AI-led flows rule?

These moves illustrate how regional strengths can be scaled through strategic partnerships. They help unlock value by streamlining rights and royalty systems, expanding digital distribution, and bringing underleveraged catalogues into the mainstream...

Fast lane cruising

Data released on Tuesday by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations in India shows that automobile retail sales rose 13% from a year earlier to over 2.6 million units in April, the best-ever performance for this month. The growth was...

What the ethanol push means for carmakers, buyers

The Centre has moved to formally include higher ethanol blends— E85 and E100—under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules through a draft amendment, open to public comments till 28 May. The move signals a renewed push to increase ethanol blending in the fuel...

Why India rolled out emergency alerts on phones

On Saturday, millions of phones across India simultaneously blared a loud alert. India was testing a multilingual broadcast system developed by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for emergency warnings. Why is India rolling out this system?...

‘BENNE DOSA’ RISING

From a small-town staple to a social media sensation, benne dosa is drawing the crowds— the buttery dosa with crisp edges is made for the camera. What began as a trend in Mumbai is now playing out across cities.

Musk vs Altman: what it means for OpenAI’s future

A public feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman is playing out in court. Musk calls OpenAI a “stolen charity”, challenging its shift from a non-profit research lab to a commercial AI firm. The case may reshape how OpenAI is funded and operates. Mint...

India eyes reserves for critical minerals

India is planning to build a sixmonth strategic reserve of critical minerals to shield its green energy and manufacturing sectors from supply shocks and price swings, two people aware of the matter said. The Union ministries of mines and heavy...

Industrial resilience

With West Asia embroiled in conflict, global growth is set to take a hit as supply disruptions impact economies around the world. India can’t escape, given our heavy reliance on crude oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz that is currently under...

How does India’s policy panel on AI affect startups?

The government has set up an inter-ministerial advisory body, the AI Governance and Economic Group, to act as a central node for shaping and coordinating policy on artificial intelligence. Mint breaks down how this new body will change things for...

SEXY BACK

How long will the momentum in steel prices last?

After steel prices hit multi-year lows in November 2025, India’s steel makers are set to post a strong March quarter, thanks to firm demand and higher prices. Will this momentum continue in the coming months? Mint breaks down why the rally could slip...

What you should know about RBI’s e-mandate rules

1 What are e-mandates and how do they work? An e-mandate is a one-time authorization that allows a bank to automatically process recurring payments on a customer’s behalf. These are used for subscriptions such as OTT services, mutual fund investments,...

Apple CEO shift: A hardware bet in the age of AI

Apple has named John Ternus as its next CEO, succeeding Tim Cook. The timing of the transition and choice of a hardware leader comes as AI reshapes Big Tech. The move signals Apple’s bet that tightly integrated devices will remain central to its...

How sub-normal rains may affect reservoir levels

Low rainfall may hit India’s water reservoir replenishment, raising concerns among farmers and policymakers. Water reservoir levels stand at 44.7% of total capacity as of 9 April, better than last year, but experts warn that weak rainfall could hurt...

India plans flex-fuel push as oil risks rise

The Centre is planning a nationwide policy push to enable the adoption of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) that can run on ethanol blends of up to E85 (85% ethanol and 15% petrol), as the West Asia conflict prompts India to explore ways to cut oil import...

SPACES WHERE ART IS BORN

A new book, Portrait of an Artist, takes readers into the studios of 68 artists, including Akbar Padamsee and Tyeb Mehta, and shows the messy, meditative, creative and emotional spaces in which their ideas take shape.

Wipro profit cools, floats big buyback

Wipro Ltd on Thursday announced its largest-ever share buyback of ₹15,000 crore, even as India’s fourth-largest information technology (IT) services company capped a third straight year of revenue decline, and flagged a weak start to fiscal year 2027...

What is the monsoon forecast?

India is expected to receive below-normal rainfall in 2026. 91 110 109 99 106 The June-September season is critical for two reasons: India receives about 70% of its annual rainfall during these months, and nearly 45% of its farmland depends on these...

Price stabilization fund for auto fuel, LPG likely

India is considering creating a financial buffer for petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to manage supply disruptions and global price volatility, according to two people aware of the development. The buffer...

Climate pledges rise at India Inc, execution falters

Though more Indian firms are setting climate goals, the progress is uneven. A report by IiAS Sustainability Solutions (IiAS Sustain) shows while target-setting is increasing, many firms fall short on execution, timelines and credibility. Mint takes a...

Why the frenzy around SpaceX’s mega IPO plan

SpaceX, among the world’s most valuable private firms, may finally be listing. Reports say the Elon Musk-led company could raise about $75 billion at a $2 trillion valuation–the largest IPO ever. It’s a mix of ambition and investor pull across hot...

SCHIAPARELLI’S LASTING FLAIR

Lounge speaks to Sonnet Stanfill, the curator of a sweeping exhibition at London’s V&A that explores Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy, tracing her bold designs and enduring influence on fashion through innovation.

What makes Project Glasswing relevant?

Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei said Anthropic created the cybersecurity coalition on noting how capable its new ‘frontier’ AI model, Claude Mythos, is. The firm tested it to find thousands of critical software flaws, technically called ‘zero-day...

Why does India’s nuclear reactor milestone matter?

India moved closer to nuclear fuel self-reliance as its prototype fast breeder reactor in Tamil Nadu achieved criticality on 6 April, the stage of sustained nuclear reaction. This could help India achieve its target of 100GW nuclear capacity by 2047....

Now, a new covid strain. Should that worry us?

The covid-19 virus continues to mutate. A new strain, BA.3.2, has now surfaced in many countries. Early reports show high spike-protein mutations that could help it enter human cells. Global experts urge for caution but no panic. Should you be...

Oppo to Samsung raise prices by up to 40% on chip deficit

The West Asia war and a memory chip scarcity have finally spilled over into smartphone prices, with leading smartphone makers raising prices by as much as 40%. India’s top three smartphone brands Vivo, Oppo and Samsung, and their smaller rivals...

JAMES BOND GOES BROWN

The search for the next Bond is good fodder for comedy and in Bait, Riz Ahmed plays an actor auditioning for the role. Highlighting biases, the show asks if 007 is even relevant in a post-Cold War world.

Push for oil storage, piped gas transition

Sivasubramanian Ramann Chairperson PFRDA Pradeep Kumar Kheruka Executive Chairman Borosil Renewables Ltd Laxit Awla ED & CEO SAEL Neelkanth Mishra Chief Economist, Axis Bank and Head of Global Research Axis Capital Gopal Agarwal CEO Anupam...

What are the new rules?

Sebi has introduced a tighter disclosure and recusal framework. The chairman, whole-time members and employees must make initial, annual and event-based disclosures of assets, liabilities, trading activity and relationships, and disclose any...

Why India stares at an LNG squeeze, and what it can do

India imports 50% of its liquefied natural gas needs from West Asia, mostly from Qatar. With the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Ras Laffan industrial city, much of India’s imports are halted. Mint takes a look at the impact on the...

Vedanta moves NCLAT over Jaiprakash takeover

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd has moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the approval of Adani Enterprises Ltd’s ₹14,543 crore bid for bankrupt Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL). Vedanta has appealed against the Allahabad bench...

WAR THROUGH WOMEN’S EYES

Nalini Malani’s transforms a warehouse in Venice into an immersive animation chamber, layering myth, memory, and feminist critique through drawings, soundscapes and shifting projections on violence and history.