Economics
Trade, fiscal policy, banking, agriculture and economic indicators
Gulf within: on the UAE leaving OPEC
The United Arab Emirates formally announced its departure from OPEC and the broader OPEC+ grouping, with the exit effective May 1, 2026, in a major blow to t...
India’s sprint beyond the dairy red line to the Pacific
The India–New Zealand FTA represents a calibrated shift in India's trade posture, marking the first time India has offered any form of preferential market ac...
Fertiliser output steady despite West Asia crisis; government secures 37 lakh ton urea imports for kharif
Total domestic fertiliser production stood at 62.37 lakh tonnes during March–April 2026, while imports were at 15.39 lakh tonnes — together adding approximat...
SEZs must diversify beyond U.S. market and IT services: CEA
India's Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) highlighted that approximately half of all Special Economic Zone (SEZ) exports flow to just two destinations — the Unite...
On May Day, a workforce in India without a floor
India's four Labour Codes — the Code on Wages 2019, the Industrial Relations Code 2020, the Code on Social Security 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health...
India plans ₹51,000 crore ship acquisition to secure energy supply chain
India announced a roadmap to acquire 62 vessels in FY 2026–27, backed by an investment of ₹51,383 crore, creating an additional 2.85 million Gross Tonnage (G...
India’s first green methanol plant to turn Kutch’s most invasive weed into marine fuel
India's first green methanol plant is being set up to convert Prosopis juliflora — an invasive weed that has devastated the Banni grasslands of Kutch, Gujara...
SVAMITVA maps 3.3L villages, unlocks Rs 135L cr in rural land value: Study showcased at WB meet
An IIM Ahmedabad impact evaluation study supported by the World Bank found that the SVAMITVA scheme has digitally mapped approximately 3.30 lakh (330,000) vi...
DEA notice awaited on easing FDI rules for foreign cos with up to 10% in China firms
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) is finalising a formal notification under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to operationalise a March 2026 ...
West Asia crisis poses supply shock risk, if recovery delayed inflation may spread across economy: Finance Ministry
The Finance Ministry's April 2026 Monthly Economic Review warns that the West Asia conflict has already created a visible supply shock in India's economy, wi...
India's GDP forecast of 7-7.4% for FY27 clouded by West Asia war: Finance Ministry
The Finance Ministry's Monthly Economic Review for April 2026 states that India enters FY2026-27 with strong domestic fundamentals — robust consumption, sust...
States with revenue deficits and high debt burdens will find current crisis more challenging, Centre warns
A new analysis by the Ministry of Finance warns that Indian states already carrying revenue deficits and elevated debt burdens will face a compounded challen...
Railways Minister flags off first Jammu-Srinagar direct train service on ‘historic day’
The first direct Jammu–Srinagar Vande Bharat Express service was flagged off on April 30, 2026, extending the existing Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat to Jammu T...
From surplus to strain: World rice supply threatened by Iran war, El Nino
Global rice production is expected to decline in 2026 as farmers across major exporting nations — Thailand, Vietnam — reduce planted acreage and cut fertiliz...
FDI inflows set to top $90 billion in FY26, says DPIIT Secretary Bhatia
India's gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows for the financial year 2025–26 are projected to exceed $90 billion, as confirmed by senior DPIIT offici...
India eases FDI norms; firms with minor Chinese stake to get automatic route access
India has amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy by modifying Press Note 3 of 2020, enabling foreign companies in which Chinese entities hold up ...
India plans ₹51,000 crore push to procure 62 ships amid West Asia crisis
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced plans to procure 62 new vessels at a cost of ₹51,383 crore, significantly scaling up India's commerci...
Draft rules on 100% Ethanol: Not all vehicle makers are gung-ho about it
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a draft notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, formally proposing the introduction ...
Government to roll out Panchayat Advancement Index 3.0 to boost data-driven grassroots planning, assess progress
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to introduce the Panchayat Advancement Index 3.0 (PAI 3.0) in May 2026, an upgraded performance measurement framework f...
Why the UAE is leaving OPEC
The United Arab Emirates formally announced its withdrawal from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), ending a membership that began ...