BUSINESS
UPI push turns cigarette shops into unlikely winners of India’s digital payments boom
Tobacco kiosks see fastest rise in transaction volumes as UPI embeds itself in low-value spending
BUSINESS
New GDP series may see debt and investment situation update in FY28
Government to examine incorporating results of Debt and Investment Survey once fresh post-pandemic data becomes available
BUSINESS
NZ–India FTA to open new visa window as Indian mobility slows across key categories
Specialised work visas come at a time when Indian approvals for work, study and residence in New Zealand have moderated
BUSINESS
Australia, UAE FTAs deliver gains for Indian exporters, but competition bites in many segments
India gains import share in a majority of traded value under both deals, but erosion in hundreds of product lines shows tariff cuts alone aren’t enough
BUSINESS
Trump tariffs on China, India, Cambodia to drive up US Christmas costs
Three Asian suppliers account for over 90% of America’s festive merchandise imports, exposing Christmas shopping to trade shocks
BUSINESS
New Zealand can absorb $3.3 billion of India’s US tariff-hit exports
Trade data shows strong overlap between India’s US-bound shipments and New Zealand’s unmet import demand
BUSINESS
We don’t follow questionable methodologies used by some economies: CEA Nageswaran
Criticism of GDP methods surfaces only when growth surprises on the upside, says the chief economic adviser
BUSINESS
GDP numbers unlikely to change with new series: MoSPI secretary Saurabh Garg
MoSPI to use GSTN and other digital datasets for better GSDP estimation; new GDP series is due February
BUSINESS
Uttar Pradesh ramps up capex push, outpaces large states on infrastructure spend
Supplementary allocation lifts planned capital outlay to Rs 1.71 lakh crore, taking capex intensity to among the highest in India
ECONOMY
Core sector growth rises to 1.8% in November
Infrastructure industries record a growth after falling to a 14-month low in October.
BUSINESS
India-New Zealand FTA to unlock $6-billion market for Indian exporters
Zero-duty access can open up nearly half of New Zealand’s import basket where Indian presence has remained negligible
INDIA
Winter fog disrupts flights again; data shows it’s a familiar seasonal pattern
Weather drives bulk of cancellations every December-January, with fog accounting for over 70% of disruptions in recent winters
BUSINESS
New rural jobs scheme to strain Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand under 60:40 cost split
Shift away from demand-driven MGNREGA raises fiscal pressure on weaker states, with deficits set to rise by up to 0.3 percentage points
BUSINESS
Food delivery platforms double economic footprint in two years, outpacing GDP growth
Sector’s output touched Rs 1.2 trillion in FY24, with jobs and spillover effects rising sharply, NCAER study shows
BUSINESS
India–Oman FTA could unlock nearly $1 billion trade opportunity, pressure rivals
Tariff cuts could tilt market share toward India across food, chemicals and light manufacturing, squeezing Asian competitors
BUSINESS
Ayushman Bharat outlay likely to cross Rs 10,000 crore as budget trend points to steady scale-up
Consistent convergence between estimates and actuals signals further expansion of the flagship health insurance scheme
INDIA
IPL auctions show top 10% earn over half of the pool
The widening inequality is unfolding even as typical salaries show signs of cooling. The median auction price fell to Rs 1 crore in 2026, from Rs 1.5 crore in 2025, reversing the steady post-pandemic climb
BUSINESS
New GDP series to lean on digital data, move away from commodity-flow method
MoSPI plans wider use of administrative datasets and surveys; back series to be released within a year of February 2026 launch
BUSINESS
Budget 2026: Govt getting better at budgeting as actuals converge with estimates
Gap between Budget Estimates and outcomes narrows sharply in FY20–25, signalling improved forecasting and expenditure control.
BUSINESS
India’s trade ties with Jordan, Ethiopia dipped after post-pandemic surge
Post-pandemic surge in bilateral trade has faded, exposing heavy reliance on energy exports and narrow product baskets
BUSINESS
A decade on, Smart Cities Mission struggles to cross the finish line
Repeated deadline extensions expose execution gaps, with several cities lagging and high-value projects still unfinished
BUSINESS
Business activity cools to 10-month low in December
HSBC Flash India Composite PMI slipped to 58.9 in December from 59.7 in November. Manufacturing and services lose momentum even as export orders pick up and inflation pressures remain muted
BUSINESS
Demand slows under urban housing scheme as fund utilisation tapers across states
PMAY-Urban spending has fallen sharply since the pandemic peak, exposing widening gaps between allocations and on-ground execution
BUSINESS
Unemployment falls to eight-month low of 4.7% in November
Rural job gains and rising female participation drive broad-based improvement in labour market conditions
