Aathira Varier &Amp;Amp; Ajinkya Kawale

Stories by Aathira Varier &Amp;Amp; Ajinkya Kawale

Gujarat Floods: Insurers anticipate Rs 5,000 crore in claims, primarily for property damage

Gujarat Floods: Insurers anticipate Rs 5,000 crore in claims, primarily for property damage

Rediff.com   1 days ago

Insurers are bracing for claims worth nearly 5,000 crore from the recent floods in Gujarat, predominantly for property losses, though they do not foresee an increase in premiums within the competitive property insurance market.

India Inc's foreign borrowing intent surges to $6 billion in June

India Inc's foreign borrowing intent surges to $6 billion in June

Rediff.com   4 days ago

Indian companies, including NBFCs, filed proposals with the RBI to raise $6.08 billion through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) in June, marking a significant increase from the previous month.

Why AI Agents Can't Go Fully Autonomous Yet

Why AI Agents Can't Go Fully Autonomous Yet

Rediff.com   3 Aug 2026

The biggest challenge to widespread deployment is no longer AI. It is the financial and commerce infrastructure that was built decades ago for deterministic software and human interactions -- not autonomous AI agents.

Indian Crypto Firms Applaud CBDT's New Reporting Framework

Indian Crypto Firms Applaud CBDT's New Reporting Framework

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2026

Indian crypto exchanges and companies have expressed strong support for the Central Board of Direct Taxes' (CBDT) new Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which mandates reporting and due-diligence obligations for crypto service providers on all transactions starting 2026.

West Asia Tensions Drive Marine War-Risk Premiums Up 200%

West Asia Tensions Drive Marine War-Risk Premiums Up 200%

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2026

Marine war-risk premiums for West Asian shipping routes, particularly the Red Sea corridor, have surged by as much as 200 per cent due to renewed geopolitical tensions, with some high-risk transits seeing increases of over 1,000 per cent, according to industry brokers.

HDFC Life, ICICI Pru report strong Q1 profit growth, driven by premiums

HDFC Life, ICICI Pru report strong Q1 profit growth, driven by premiums

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2026

HDFC Life Insurance and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance have reported double-digit growth in profitability for the first quarter of FY27, buoyed by healthy premium collections and increased investment income, with HDFC Life's net profit rising 11.9% and ICICI Pru's by 27.8%.

Gold loans, commercial realty fuel NBFC credit surge in May

Gold loans, commercial realty fuel NBFC credit surge in May

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2026

Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) in India saw their overall credit growth accelerate to 14.2 per cent year-on-year in May, primarily driven by significant increases in loans against gold jewellery and commercial real estate, according to recent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data.

Gulf NRIs opt for Indian term life insurance amid Iran conflict

Gulf NRIs opt for Indian term life insurance amid Iran conflict

Rediff.com   25 Jun 2026

Non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the Gulf region are increasingly purchasing term life insurance policies from India, driven by geopolitical uncertainties in West Asia and the significant cost advantages offered by Indian products, with the GCC region now contributing over half of the total NRI demand.

Outward LRS slips 7.85% Y-o-Y to $2.28 bn in April

Outward LRS slips 7.85% Y-o-Y to $2.28 bn in April

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2026

Outward remittances under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) saw a 7.85 per cent year-on-year contraction in April 2026, primarily driven by reduced international travel spending due to global uncertainty stemming from the US-Iran conflict.

India's Remittances Stay Strong Amidst West Asia Conflict

India's Remittances Stay Strong Amidst West Asia Conflict

Rediff.com   18 Jun 2026

India's remittance inflows have remained robust despite the West Asia conflict, driven by precautionary transfers and diversification of remittance sources, with bankers expecting continued stability for the year.

Assess Mythos Threat By June 30: RBI To Banks

Assess Mythos Threat By June 30: RBI To Banks

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2026

'...A new challenge has emerged in the form of Mythos.'

Would You Like Polymer Currency Notes?

Would You Like Polymer Currency Notes?

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2026

The primary objective of introduction of polymer notes was to increase its life and not to combat counterfeiting.

Fintechs Seek Safe Harbour Shield

Fintechs Seek Safe Harbour Shield

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2026

'There has to be a safe harbour for licensed entities, which have followed all the norms prescribed by the RBI.'

Protection products fuel double-digit VNB growth for major life insurers

Protection products fuel double-digit VNB growth for major life insurers

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2026

Major life insurers in India reported close to double-digit growth in the value of new business (VNB) last financial year, primarily driven by increased sales of high-margin protection and non-participating (non-par) products.

ICICI Bank Demands Rs 100 Crore from Fintechs for Alleged Merchant Misclassification

ICICI Bank Demands Rs 100 Crore from Fintechs for Alleged Merchant Misclassification

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2026

ICICI Bank is seeking recoveries of at least 100 crore from fintech firms, alleging merchant misclassification of their business, a practice that has eroded the bank's interchange income. The dispute, lodged with global card network Visa, highlights growing discomfort among banks and intensified scrutiny from the Reserve Bank of India.

States increase reliance on market borrowings, face higher yields

States increase reliance on market borrowings, face higher yields

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2026

Indian states significantly increased their reliance on market borrowings to finance gross fiscal deficits in 2025-26, with the share of market borrowings rising to 76.3 per cent, even as the weighted average cut-off yield on State Government Securities (SGS) and spreads over central government securities also increased.

Credit card adoption rises in Tier-II, -III cities

Credit card adoption rises in Tier-II, -III cities

Rediff.com   20 May 2026

Credit card adoption is rapidly expanding beyond India's major metropolitan areas into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, driven by increasing incomes, digital awareness, and the integration of RuPay credit cards with UPI, according to a new report by SBI Card.

Prudential to acquire 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance for Rs 3,500 crore

Prudential to acquire 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance for Rs 3,500 crore

Rediff.com   18 May 2026

Prudential plc has announced its acquisition of a 75 per cent stake in Bharti Life Insurance for approximately 3,500 crore, a strategic move to secure majority ownership in the Indian life insurance market. This acquisition necessitates Prudential reducing its holding in ICICI Prudential Life Insurance to below 10 per cent.

Increasing the number of policy sales will be a key focus area for SBI Life

Increasing the number of policy sales will be a key focus area for SBI Life

Rediff.com   6 May 2026

"Policy sales will be one of the focus areas for the company because looking at the large insurance gap, large number of people being uncovered. The only right way to go is to increase the number of policies," said Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance.

'We are targeting a combined ratio of around 107% in FY27,': SBI General CEO

'We are targeting a combined ratio of around 107% in FY27,': SBI General CEO

Rediff.com   4 May 2026

SBI General Insurance aims to achieve a 10 per cent market share among private and standalone health insurers within approximately five years, up from its current 7.17 per cent, said Naveen Chandra Jha, managing director and chief executive officer, SBI General Insurance.