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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record ninth straight Union Budget, with markets closely tracking headline numbers ranging from the fiscal deficit and capital expenditure to borrowing and tax revenue projections, as India charts its course as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.The Budget will be presented in a paperless format, continuing the…
India’s gold and silver imports surged to record levels in 2025, ringing alarm bells in government and policy circles as soaring precious metal prices threaten to widen the trade deficit and add fresh pressure on the rupee. With limited policy tools available, officials and market participants told Reuters raising import duties is once again emerging…
Improving the ease of doing business has been a consistent focus of the government. Successive Budgets have announced initiatives towards policy and regulatory reforms, decriminalisation and easing compliances in various spheres including taxation. The current financial year witnessed significant measures like structural simplification through the new Income tax law, boosting consumption through tax reliefs for…
With the India–European Union free trade agreement — widely dubbed the “mother of all deals” — now concluded, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the pact would be “compassionate and loving”, ensuring gains for all 28 partners involved, while potentially doubling India’s exports to Europe within five years, PTI reported.Goyal said India…
India’s Union Budgets over the past eight decades have reflected the country’s evolving aspirations and economic journey. The upcoming Union Budget for 2026–27, to be presented on February 1, marks several firsts and milestones in that long tradition.With just a day to go, the country is gearing up for the financial statement that will be…
MUMBAI: IDFC First Bank reported a 48.1% jump in net profit to Rs 503 crore for the third quarter ended December, from Rs 339 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The increase was helped by higher core income, lower sequential provisions and an improvement in asset quality.The bank’s bottom line improved aided by stronger…
The Union Budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year will be presented on Sunday, February 1, with the government expected to prioritise job creation, agricultural development, inclusive manufacturing and digital transformation, according to experts.Osmania University Professor Satish Raikindi outlined a range of expectations from the upcoming budget, suggesting that the government is likely to place emphasis…
India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by a sharp $8.053 billion to touch a new all-time high of $709.413 billion in the week ended January 23, extending the recent rebound after months of pressure from rupee volatility, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.The latest rise follows a jump of $14.167 billion in…
Smokers will have to pay more for cigarettes from February 1, as the Centre rolls out a new excise duty regime based on cigarette length, along with a health cess on pan masala and tobacco products. The move marks the first major tax increase on cigarettes in nearly seven years and aligns India’s tobacco taxation…
Several banking and card-related changes will come into effect from February 2026, affecting everyday transactions, credit card benefits and compliance requirements for customers of State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Punjab National Bank, according to ET.Among the key changes, SBI will revise service charges on certain IMPS transactions from February 15, 2026….
