Travel Demand for Dubai Should Normalise in Six Months, IHCL Puneet Chhatwal
Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) managing director Puneet Chhatwal said travel demand to Dubai should return to normal within five to six months, targeting September‑October. The Taj brand’s three Dubai hotels have seen occupancy plunge from 80% to 20‑30% after the West Asia conflict erupted in February. While demand may recover by early fall, room rates are expected to lag, extending the revenue dip through the summer. Domestic business remains robust, but higher airline fuel surcharges are dampening long‑haul travel demand.
Shipping Far From Normalcy After Hormuz Truce
The conditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump’s cease‑fire announcement has eased market panic, but shipping remains far from normal. Roughly 800 vessels with more than 20,000 crew members are still stranded in the Persian Gulf....
Indian Ocean Dipole May Hold Key to El Nino’s Impact on This Year’s Monsoon
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) could be the decisive factor in how this year’s strong El Niño shapes India’s June‑September monsoon. Sea‑surface temperatures in the Pacific are already 2‑3 °C above average, giving an 80 % chance of a ‘super’ El Niño by August....
West Asia Conflict May Trigger Layered Stress on Margins, Liquidity in India's Financial Sector: EY
EY warns that the West Asia conflict will cascade through India’s financial services sector, creating layered stress on margins, liquidity, and asset quality. Early signs include longer supply chains, higher freight and insurance costs, and tighter working‑capital cycles. Second‑order effects...
Titagarh Naval Systems Gets In-Principle Approval for ₹610 Crore Shipyard Expansion in West Bengal
Titagarh Naval Systems Ltd has secured in‑principle approval from India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for a brownfield expansion of its Falta shipyard in West Bengal. The project involves a total investment of about ₹610 crore (approximately $74 million), with the...
India Delays Mandatory Energy Efficiency Rules for Induction Hobs Amid LPG Concerns
India has pushed back the mandatory star‑labelling and energy‑efficiency standards for countertop induction hobs to January 1 2027, a six‑month delay from the original July 2026 deadline. The Ministry of Power issued a notification replacing the earlier date, citing the need to boost...
India’s Coffee Exports Hit a Record High of $2.13 Billion in 2025-26 Fiscal
India’s coffee exports surged to a record $2.13 billion in FY 2025‑26, a 17% increase over the prior year. Export volumes rose 4.65% to 4.07 lakh tonnes, while the average price per tonne jumped 17% to roughly $5,600. The growth was driven by...
Oil Palm Price Breaches ₹23,000-Mark in Telangana
Telangana’s fresh fruit bunch (FFB) price rose to ₹23,005 per tonne, surpassing the ₹23,000 mark after the state government added ₹1,459 per tonne (about $18). The increase is intended to encourage farmers to expand oil‑palm cultivation. Simultaneously, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy...
PMI Services Slips to 14-Month Low of 57.5 in March
India's services PMI fell to 57.5 in March, a 14‑month low, reflecting war impact. Input‑price inflation hit a 45‑month high, while job creation rose for a third month, strongest since mid‑2025. The slowdown mirrors manufacturing PMI dropping to 53.9. Export...
West Asia Conflict Hits Surat Textile Hub Hard as Input Costs Rise; Operational Days Cut Down
The ongoing West Asia conflict has driven raw material and coal prices up 30‑35%, forcing Surat’s man‑made fabric sector to slash output and limit operations to five days a week. Industry leaders report daily losses of roughly Rs 100 crore (≈ $12 million), with...
Srinagar Airport Curbs Hours Amid Upgrade, Tourism Stakeholders Flag Concerns
Srinagar International Airport will operate only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. between April 6 and July 31 as the Indian Air Force upgrades its runway. The curtailment compresses the usual 60 daily flight movements into a nine‑hour window, forcing airlines to reshuffle schedules....
Domestic Airfares Jump 44% Despite Govt Relief Measures
Domestic airline tickets in India jumped 44% year‑on‑year to about ₹8,450 (≈$102) in April 2026, up from ₹5,850 (≈$71) a year earlier, according to Cleartrip data. International fares rose a similar 43%, reaching ₹74,500 (≈$898). The surge persisted despite the...
Sagarmala Boost: Govt Clears Key Connectivity Project at Deendayal Port
The Indian government has approved a Rs 132.51 crore (approximately $16 million) Road Over Bridge at Deendayal Port, a key node in the Sagarmala programme. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal highlighted that the bridge will remove rail‑crossing bottlenecks and speed up cargo movement. Construction will...
Mappls App to Show Authorised Aadhaar Centres Across India
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has signed an agreement with MapmyIndia to embed a verified map of authorised Aadhaar centres into the Mappls navigation app. The feature, slated for rollout in the next few months, will let users...
Govt Employees Must Complete iGOT Training Annually for Performance Review
The Indian central government has mandated that all civil servants complete competency‑linked courses on the iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) portal each year, with results feeding directly into their annual performance appraisal reports. Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra...
India to Replace 10% Conventional Fertilisers with Nano Products in 3-4 Yrs, Says IFFCO MD Patel
Indian fertilizer giant IFFCO reported an 8% rise in profit before tax for FY 26, with earnings reaching roughly ₹4,106 crore (about $495 million), surpassing its FY 22‑23 record. The cooperative announced a plan to replace 10% of India’s conventional urea and DAP consumption...
India’s Punjab Exporters Propose Barter Deal Between Basmati Rice and Iran’s Crude Oil to Offset War Losses
India’s Punjab Rice Millers Exporters Association has asked the government to negotiate a barter deal with Iran, swapping premium basmati rice for Iranian crude oil with payments in rupees. The proposal follows steep financial losses for exporters after the US‑Israel‑Iran...
PE-VC Exits Down 40 per Cent in FY26
Private equity and venture capital exits in India slumped 40% year‑over‑year, falling to $18.8 billion across 223 deals in FY26. Total PE‑VC funding also dipped 10% to $33.9 billion, with mega deals above $100 million shrinking in both count and value. AI attracted...
Russia Offers Fertiliser Supplies to Global South Amid Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Russia announced it is prepared to supply fertilizers and other agricultural products to countries in the Global South and East, citing the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The blockage has halted roughly 50% of global fertilizer exports and...
India Signs Record 219 Advance Pricing Agreements in FY26
The Central Board of Direct Taxes announced a record 219 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) for FY 2025‑26, the highest annual total since the scheme began in 2012, bringing the cumulative count to 1,034. Of these, 84 were bilateral APAs (BAPAs) with...
Inverted Duty Structure Posing Challenging for MSME Sector: Empower India
Empower India warns that India’s GST framework now suffers an inverted duty structure, where input tax rates exceed output rates across key sectors. This mismatch leaves many MSMEs with unutilised input tax credits, choking working capital and raising operating costs....
Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions and Trade Restrictions, AI Emerges as Key Driver of Global Trade Growth: McKinsey
Artificial intelligence is reshaping global commerce, with AI‑related hardware shipments surging nearly 40% in 2025 and accounting for roughly a third of worldwide trade growth. The United States emerged as the dominant demand hub, adding about half of all new...
Centre Approves Pulses, Oilseed Procurement in UP, Haryana and Karnataka
India's central government has approved minimum support price (MSP) procurement for safflower in Karnataka and large‑scale purchases of pulses and oilseeds in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for the 2025‑26 and 2026 Rabi seasons. Karnataka will buy 6,923 tonnes of safflower...
Piyush Goyal Discusses Early Implementation of India-EU FTA with European Parliament Delegation
Union Minister Piyush Goyal met a European Parliament delegation in New Delhi to discuss accelerating the India‑EU Free Trade Agreement, which was concluded in January 2026 and is expected to be ratified by early 2027. The FTA targets $300 billion in...
Centre Approves NMPA’s Proposal to Redevelop Berth No. 9
India’s Union government has approved the New Mangalore Port Authority’s plan to redevelop berth 9 on a PPP DBFOT basis, with an estimated cost of ₹438.29 crore (≈ $53 million). The upgrade will raise the berth draft from 10.5 m to 14 m, with provisions for...
Relief for Stranded Seafarers, Directorate General of Shipping Extends Validity of Crew Certificates by Three Months
The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has granted a three‑month extension to the validity of crew certificates, including safety and firefighting training, for Indian seafarers stranded in the Western Persian Gulf. The move directly benefits 485 Indian officers and engineers...
Sustained Rise in Crude Oil Prices May Hit Remittances, Stoke Inflation: Finmin Report
The Finance Ministry’s latest Monthly Economic Review warns that sustained crude‑oil price hikes could dampen India’s remittance inflows, which rose to $36.9 billion in Q3 FY26. Gulf Cooperation Council nations, accounting for about 38% of total remittances, face fiscal strain from...
South India Will Lead the March to a $5-10 Trillion Economy: CII Chairman
South India is positioned to drive India’s march toward a $5‑10 trillion economy, according to CII Southern Region chairman P Ravichandran at the Kochi convention. The six southern states generate roughly 38‑40% of the nation’s merchandise exports, about $124 billion, and have been...
PM Modi Inaugurates Phase I of Noida International Airport in Jewar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase I of the Noida International Airport in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, marking the launch of a major greenfield project for the National Capital Region. The first phase, built under a public‑private partnership, involved an investment of...
WTO MC14: Farmers’ Group Pushes for Permanent Moratorium on TRIPS Non-Violation Complaint
At the WTO’s 14th ministerial conference in Yaoundé, India’s Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh urged members to make the TRIPS non‑violation complaint moratorium permanent. The group argues that ending the moratorium would raise prices for agro‑chemicals and veterinary medicines, threatening small‑holder livelihoods...
APSEZ Operationalises India’s First Port of Refuge at Dighi and Gopalpur
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has launched India’s first Port of Refuge (PoR) at Dighi on the west coast and Gopalpur on the east coast. The PoR framework, defined by the International Maritime Organization, provides safe harbor...
Trump’s Iran War Pushes India to Rekindle Old Friendship with Russia
India is moving to revive its energy partnership with Russia, negotiating a direct LNG supply deal despite the risk of violating Western sanctions. The talks follow a recent surge in Russian crude purchases, which could rise to 40% of India’s...
Air China to Restart Beijing Delhi Service From April 21
Air China will restart direct Beijing‑Delhi flights on April 21, operating a thrice‑weekly Airbus A330 service that includes onward connections to the United States and Canada. The carrier becomes the fourth airline to launch routes after India‑China passenger flights resumed in November. Over...
British Airways Adds Extra Flights to Delhi, Mumbai
British Airways announced additional capacity on its London‑Delhi and London‑Mumbai routes through the end of May. Starting April 7, a third daily flight will operate on the Delhi‑Heathrow sector, and a third daily service to Mumbai begins May 15. The airline will...
Pusa Institute Makes Its Debut in QS World Rankings, Showcasing India’s Agricultural Research Excellence
The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), known as Pusa Institute, has entered the QS World University Rankings for the first time in the Agriculture & Forestry category, landing in the 151‑200 band alongside BHU, IIT‑Kharagpur and Delhi University. IARI earned...
India's Health Insurance Premiums Cross ₹1.2 Lakh Crore in 2024-25: Finance Ministry
India's health‑insurance premiums surged past ₹1.2 lakh crore (≈ $14.5 billion) in FY 2024‑25, marking a 9% year‑on‑year increase. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) introduced tighter cashless claim timelines—one hour for pre‑authorisation and three hours for final approval—to speed...
Cochin Shipyard Sign JV to Develop Electric Mobility, Energy Storage Technologies
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) and HBL Engineering Ltd have signed a joint‑venture to create electric‑propulsion and energy‑storage solutions for the maritime sector. The partnership will develop advanced marine batteries, battery‑management systems, electric motors, power electronics and charging infrastructure for both...
Blue-Collar Salaries Outpace White-Collar Entry-Level Jobs: Report
A WorkIndia report shows India’s blue‑collar minimum wages jumped 8.6% year‑on‑year to roughly $185, outpacing entry‑level white‑collar salaries that rose only 6.75% to about $190. Operational roles such as delivery and driver jobs saw the steepest gains, up 16% (≈$260),...
CBIC Introduces Payment Aggregator for Duty Payout
India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs has added a payment‑aggregator option to its ICEGATE e‑payment platform, allowing customs duty payments via credit/debit cards and UPI. The new mode expands internet‑banking access from 23 to 41 banks and initially...
EFT Partners with BSPL to Produce E610P Agriculture Drone
EFT has teamed with Bharat Skytech Pvt Ltd (BSPL) to launch the EFT BHARAT brand, localising production of its E610P agricultural drone in India. The partnership includes the transfer of production moulds for key components, enabling ‘Make in India’ manufacturing, distribution,...
CCPA Warns of Action Against Restaurant, Hotels Levying Additional Fuel-Related Charges
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a warning that restaurants and hotels charging extra fees such as "LPG charges" or "gas surcharge" constitute an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The advisory mandates that menu...
Maharashtra Plans Multi-Department Panel to Tackle Recurring Onion Crisis
Maharashtra announced a high‑level, multi‑department panel to address the state’s chronic onion price glut and farmer distress. The committee, led by senior officials from Agriculture, Finance and Marketing, will propose immediate relief measures and a two‑to‑three‑month roadmap for long‑term sector...
Internal Buyers, Blenders Push Tea Sales in Coonoor Auctions
The Coonoor tea auction recorded strong sales, with internal buyers and blenders purchasing 78% of the 964,835 kg leaf offering and 87% of the 286,009 kg dust offering in Sale 12. Prices slipped across categories, typical declines ranging from ₹3‑₹10 (≈$0.04‑$0.12) per kilogram,...
Govt Plans to Redirect 90 Lakh Tonne FCI Broken Rice to Ethanol Industry From Next Year: Food Sec
The Indian government will propose cutting the share of broken rice in the public distribution system from 25% to 10%, freeing about 9 million tonnes of broken rice each year for the ethanol industry. The move follows a 40% surge in...
Nitin Gadkari Launches NHAI-Backed Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the NHAI‑backed Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) on the Bombay Stock Exchange, where the inaugural public issue was oversubscribed about 14 times. The trust aims to monetize roughly 1,500 kilometres of national highways over the...
India, Russia Reaffirm $100 Billion Trade Goal as West Asia Simmers
India and Russia reaffirmed their ambition to lift bilateral trade from $68.7 billion to $100 billion by 2030, emphasizing a balanced and sustainable approach. Both ministers highlighted that 96 percent of current trade is settled in national currencies, bypassing Western payment systems. Ongoing...
Global Economy Faces Major Threat Amid Worsening Energy Crisis: IEA Chief
International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that the world is heading toward a severe energy crisis as at least 40 oil and gas assets in West Asia have been severely damaged. He described the situation as a combination of two...
Facing a ‘Crisis’, EU Millers Seek Safeguard Duties on Rice
The European Union is weighing safeguard duties on rice imports after the Federation of Rice Millers pressed for a review of existing trade agreements. EU rice imports have reached roughly 1.7 million tonnes, a large share arriving under zero‑tariff arrangements. A...
Law to Align India with Global Pay Norms by Enabling RSUs, SARs Alongside ESOPs
The Indian government has introduced a Companies Act amendment to permit restricted stock units (RSUs) and stock appreciation rights (SARs) alongside existing employee stock option plans (ESOPs) as approved executive compensation. The bill also authorises hybrid annual and extraordinary general...
India to Focus on Core Priorities Amid WTO Reform Push at MC14 This Week
The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaounde will focus on institutional reforms aimed at reviving a stalled dispute‑settlement system and accelerating negotiations. India is warning that any changes must preserve consensus‑based rule‑making, MFN treatment and Special & Differential Treatment for...