Latest Indian Economy News

Amid tight liquidity condition, banks have issued a record quantum of bonds, with gross issuances hitting an all-time high of Rs 91,500 crore so far this fiscal, and are likely to close the financial year with around Rs 1.4 lakh crore. Gross bond issuances by banks is estimated to reach Rs 1.3-1.4 lakh crore this [...]

The shortage of healthcare workers globally could rise to 10 million by the end of the decade, affecting access to care, inequities and treatment of mental health, a new report said on Monday. Launched in the run-up to the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2023 in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos, the [...]

Edible oils industry body SEA on Monday urged the Centre to increase import duty on RBD palmolein from the current 12.5 per cent to 20 per cent to discourage cheaper imports and protect domestic refiners. In a memorandum submitted to Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra, Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) President Ajay Jhunjhunwala said the import [...]

The government on Monday authorised Mobile and Electronic Devices Export Promotion Council (MEDEPC) to issue registration-cum-membership certificate, a key document for exporters, for certain products related to the sector including smartphone, smart watch, monitors and parts of mobile phones. According to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is required for exporters in [...]

Economists at the country's largest lender SBI on Monday dismissed the 'K-shaped recovery' critique, saying the pandemic was a 'leveler' which helped in reducing inequalities. They said government transfers to the poor alone are adding up to Rs 75,000 per household per annum. It can be noted that in the months following the outbreak of [...]

The Monetary Authority of Singapore on Monday said integration of India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and equivalent network in Singapore, known as PayNow, will begin anytime soon, which in turn will reduce the remittance cost by 10 per cent. There will be interoperability of the two digital payment networks, allowing seamless remittances between the two [...]

The government on Monday said the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has come out with quality standards for three electronic devices -- digital television receivers, USB Type-C charger and Video Surveillance Systems(VSS). The first is Indian standard IS 18112:2022 specification for digital television receivers with built-in satellite tuners, the consumer affairs ministry said. "TVs manufactured [...]

Ahead of the Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet economists and sectoral experts at NITI Aayog on Friday to discuss the state of the economy and measures to accelerate growth which is estimated to drop to 7 per cent, a senior government official said. The official further said that the meeting will also [...]

Informal women workers in Indian construction and real estate sector earn 30-40 per cent less than male workers, according to a report that highlights about gender inequality in this sector. Consulting firm Primus Partners and World Trade Center on Monday released a report 'Pink Collar Skilling: Unleashing the Women's Power in the Real Estate Sector' [...]

Equity benchmarks ended over 1 per cent higher on Monday amid positive trends in global markets and buying in Reliance Industries and IT counters. The 30-share BSE Sensex zoomed 846.94 points or 1.41 per cent to settle at 60,747.31. During the day, it jumped 989.04 points or 1.65 per cent to 60,889.41. The broader NSE [...]

Switzerland is keen to accelerate bilateral ties with India by tapping more trade and investment opportunities, and both countries are also working to create an innovation platform, according to Swiss Ambassador to India Ralf Heckner. Emphasising that his "expectations are very high", he said innovation and a free trade agreement can take the bilateral relations [...]

State-owned CESL on Monday said it has invited bids to lease out 3,500 electric vehicles for a period of up to 5 years. The bids have been invited from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)/leasing agencies/NBFCs for leasing the 4-watt battery-based cars to various departments and autonomous bodies across 18 states and Union Territories for a tenure [...]

The demand for Indian generic drugs has shot up in China amid the massive COVID surge in the country, with Chinese experts cautioning that fake versions of these drugs are flooding the market. China’s National Health Security Administration said on Sunday that Pfizer's Paxlovid oral medication, which is used to treat Covid-19, could not be [...]

India's agri exports are growing at a healthy pace and there is a need to focus on the processed food sector as it holds huge potential to boost the country's outbound shipments, Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) said on Sunday. Keeping this in mind, the council's three-day IndusFood expo kickstarted on January 8 in [...]

Loans worth Rs 1,550 crore were given in a single day to street vendors, small scale entrepreneurs and cattle rearers at a credit outreach program here on Sunday. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla handed over the cheques to some beneficiaries. Officials said others will receive their loan amounts during [...]

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), saying repeated implementation of curbs under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan has delayed projects and affected labourers. The Centre's air quality panel had invoked restrictions under Stage III of GRAP including a ban on private [...]

The first 'Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion' meeting of the G20 will begin in Kolkata on Monday with Queen Máxima of the Netherlands addressing the inaugural session. The three-day meeting will focus on the principles of digital financial inclusion, remittance costs and SME finance availability, officials said. It will also feature symposiums, exhibitions and a [...]

Equity benchmarks rallied in initial trade on Monday amid positive trends in global markets and buying in IT counters. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 367.92 points to 60,268.29. The broader NSE Nifty advanced 119.4 points to 17,978.85. From the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Wipro, [...]

Gem and jewellery exporters on Sunday urged the government to announce support measures like the abolition of import duty on raw material for lab-grown diamonds and jewellery repair policy to promote the sector and boost shipments in the forthcoming Budget. The industry also suggested the introduction of presumptive taxation on diamond sales at special notified [...]

Negotiations for bilateral free trade agreements with several countries are "well on track" and India is also looking at some multilateral pacts that are fair and equitable for all the member countries, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. India has recently implemented a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UAE in May [...]