Economics
Trade, fiscal policy, banking, agriculture and economic indicators
India, UK FTA may come into force in next 30 to 45 days, says Piyush Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed on July 24, 2025, is likely to come into...
UPI growth stays relentless with 22.64 billion March transactions, says Department of Financial Services
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded 22.64 billion transactions in March 2026 — its highest-ever monthly volume since launch in April 2016, according to...
Centre pushes states on fertiliser black-marketing, MSP procurement; 9.25 crore farmer IDs created
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired a virtual meeting with state agriculture ministers ahead of the Kharif season, directing states to c...
West Asia crisis: Govt exempts import duty on key petrochemical products till June
The Ministry of Finance, effective April 2, 2026, granted a full customs duty exemption (Basic Customs Duty reduced to zero) on 40 critical petrochemical fee...
Rupee jumps to 93.53 vs dollar after RBI steps to curb speculative trades
The Indian rupee appreciated sharply — gaining up to 1.8% to trade at 93.14 per US dollar on April 2, 2026 — its biggest single-day gain since September 2013...
India defence exports hit Rs 38,424 Crore in FY26, Rajnath lauds 62% surge
India's defence exports in FY 2025-26 reached a record Rs 38,424 crore (approximately USD 4.6 billion), a 62.7% surge over the previous fiscal year's Rs 23,6...
War in West Asia: Why it has drawn comparisons with the 1973 oil price crisis
The ongoing West Asia conflict, which has led to a partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz and sent Brent crude prices above $100/barrel, has drawn widesprea...
Trump speech: Five takeaways, and what India must prepare for
Analysts have identified five key takeaways from the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that have direct and significant implications for Indi...
India’s manufacturing PMI dips to 45-month low of 53.9 in March
India's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.9 in March 2026 — the lowest in 45 months (since June 2022) — from 56.9 in February. The tw...
India, Russia step up high-level engagement as Deputy PM Manturov visits amid West Asia tensions
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov undertook a two-day visit to New Delhi (around April 2-3, 2026), his second high-profile visit in recent ...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s address on Iran-Israel war: Key quotes
US President Donald Trump delivered a primetime national address on the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, signalling that operations would c...
India’s defence exports rocket to Rs 38,424 cr in FY26, up by 63%. US remains top destination
India's defence exports for FY2025-26 reached Rs 38,424 crore — a 62.66% increase over FY25's Rs 23,622 crore — setting a new all-time record. The United Sta...
India’s manufacturing registers weakest growth in nearly four years: PMI survey shows
India's manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.9 in March 2026, down from 56.9 in February — the weakest reading since June 2022, represen...
Rajya Sabha clears Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendments
The Rajya Sabha passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, completing the bill's parliamentary journey after the Lok Sabha passed it o...
CBDT refines GAAR exemption clause for pre-2017 investments
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) amended the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR) on March 31, 2026, clarifying that GAAR will not apply to income — i...
Venezuelan oil exports hit 6-year high as India fills China gap
Venezuelan crude oil exports touched 890,000 barrels per day in March 2026, the highest level since December 2019, as Indian refiners emerged as the country'...
RBI trading ban rocks $149 billion-a-day offshore rupee market
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rolled out some of its toughest currency market measures in over a decade, targeting speculative trading in the offshore rupe...
CBIC waives full customs duty on critical petrochemical products
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) waived full customs duty on a comprehensive list of critical petrochemical products, effective April 2...
Why is India pushing piped gas now? | Explained
The Central Government has issued the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, mandating a time-bound transition for households in areas ...
Govt removes import duty on 41 items effective today - Check full list of items here
The Ministry of Finance, through CBIC, announced full customs duty exemption on 41 critical petrochemical products effective April 2, 2026, valid until June ...