Abhijit Lele And Arindam Majumder

Stories by Abhijit Lele And Arindam Majumder

Indian firms, banks cautious as Sri Lanka battles financial crisis

Indian firms, banks cautious as Sri Lanka battles financial crisis

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2022

Banks and companies in India are taking a cautious approach towards Sri Lanka, which, reeling from a financial crisis, has sought a $1-billion loan from the country to import essential commodities. A senior State Bank of India (SBI) executive said the bank was committed (to Sri Lanka) for the long term. "As far as exposures (are concerned), the bank will be cautious on its dollar exposure to Sri Lankan entities till the situation improves," he said.

'Everybody wants to travel on an airline where they feel respected'

'Everybody wants to travel on an airline where they feel respected'

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2022

'Our focus is not going to be metro to metro routes.' 'We will begin by focusing on metro to non-metro (routes).' 'Metro to tier-2 cities or tier-3 cities is where there is a lot of space for affordable, efficient carriers.'

Problems continue to plague Jet Airways ahead of planned 2022 takeoff

Problems continue to plague Jet Airways ahead of planned 2022 takeoff

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2022

Jet Airways is seeing a churn in its senior management ahead of its planned take-off this year. Sudhir Gaur, accountable manager and acting chief executive officer, is the latest to quit the company. Finance head M Shivakumar and head of management information system (MIS) Farazad Patrawalla moved out a few weeks earlier. Gaur had been part of the initial team selected by the Kalrock-Jalan consortium, which secured approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) last June to revive the airline.

2022 will see carmakers fight it out for top SUV slot

2022 will see carmakers fight it out for top SUV slot

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2022

Market leader Maruti Suzuki is putting finishing touches to its plan of finding its feet in what is being hailed as a battle of epic proportions in India's fastest-growing passenger vehicle segment, reports Arindam Majumder.

Airlines forced to cancel flights as omicron hits demand and frontline crew

Airlines forced to cancel flights as omicron hits demand and frontline crew

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2022

India's largest carrier IndiGo will cut 20 per cent of its flights due to lower demand as a rapidly spreading coronavirus upends the recovery of air travel. The airline was operating around 1,200 flights as on Saturday. Other airlines are being forced to cancel flights as states tighten restrictions to combat the spread of the virus, and people are dropping last-minute travel plans. Airlines carried 2,518 passengers on 260,251 flights on Saturday, compared to 2,794 passengers on 358,856 flights the day before.

RBI may not tinker with rates in FY22

RBI may not tinker with rates in FY22

Rediff.com   6 Jan 2022

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will stay away from changing key rates - including the reverse repo rate - this fiscal in the backdrop of Omicron. However, it will continue to shape the rate movements through liquidity market operations. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic advisor, State Bank of India, said whether Omicron surge or not, there is not going to be any hike this year. However, the central bank may continue to shape rates through market operations.

Electric vehicles set to get costlier as battery prices rise

Electric vehicles set to get costlier as battery prices rise

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2022

The soaring prices of metals like lithium, nickel and cobalt, which are the primary constituents of the cell, as well as supply chain bottlenecks, are also pushing up the cost of batteries

Canada court orders seizure of Air India, AAI assets over dues

Canada court orders seizure of Air India, AAI assets over dues

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2022

A court in Canada has ordered the seizure of amounts collected by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on behalf of Air India and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Separate orders were passed on November 24 and December 21 on pleas by shareholders of Devas Multimedia Private Limited who have filed multiple petitions to enforce arbitration awards against the Indian government. According to a Devas spokesperson, more than $30 million has been seized to date under the IATA action.

Asset quality of NBFCs worsens in H1 amid pandemic

Asset quality of NBFCs worsens in H1 amid pandemic

Rediff.com   29 Dec 2021

The asset quality of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) deteriorated in April-September 2021 (H1FY22) owing to the second wave of the pandemic. Their gross non-performing assets (NPAs) rose to 6.8 per cent in September 2021 from 6 per cent in March 2021. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) annual Trend and Progress report (FY21) said the sector might have to grapple with higher delinquencies as and when policy measures unwound. The pandemic posed significant challenges to NBFCs during the first wave (2020) also.

RBL's chief tries to allay concerns on bank's health

RBL's chief tries to allay concerns on bank's health

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2021

RBL Bank's interim chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) Rajeev Ahuja on Sunday tried to allay concerns around the health of the bank. He said events during the weekend are not linked to RBL's asset quality. The bank said Vishwavir Ahuja, its managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO), had on Saturday proceeded on leave with immediate effect on medical grounds.

In India, electric vehicles are set to get costlier from 2022

In India, electric vehicles are set to get costlier from 2022

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2021

While traditional automakers in India are reeling under a global shortage of semiconductors, the country's electric vehicle (EV) makers, too, are now facing a shortage of lithium-ion batteries, a key raw material. The soaring prices of metals like lithium, nickel and cobalt, which are the primary constituents of the cell, as well as supply chain bottlenecks, are also pushing up the cost of batteries. Battery manufacturers say that prices have been increasing every quarter since the beginning of 2021.

Kia to stay away from sedans and hatchbacks

Kia to stay away from sedans and hatchbacks

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2021

South Korean automaker Kia Motors says it will look to be a premium only brand and stay away from the entry level segment like sedans and hatchbacks. Hardeep Singh Brar, the company's India Vice-President and Head (Sales and Marketing), said that customers have accepted Kia as a premium brand. In the mass market Kia is considered to be the most premium brand. "Customers like the features and they are willing to pay for them. So, we have consciously decided that if customers like us a premium brand, let's stick to that. It is a conscious decision to stay premium and operate in that segment of the mass market," Brar said.

Rules on banks' investment portfolios to be revamped first time in 21 years

Rules on banks' investment portfolios to be revamped first time in 21 years

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2021

For the first time in 21 years, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will revise norms for investment portfolios of commercial banks to reflect changes in global standards on valuation and measurement, and progress in the domestic market. This could pave the way for banks to transition to the new accounting standards (Ind-AS). The outstanding investment portfolio of commercial banks was at Rs 45.84 trillion as of November 19 this year.

Another Anil Ambani firm in big trouble

Another Anil Ambani firm in big trouble

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2021

Reliance Power (RPower) has defaulted on payment of interest worth Rs 1.17 crore to DBS Bank India and Rs 44 lakh to IDBI Bank. It failed to pay up interest on October 30, 2021. The firm, part of the Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance group, in filing with BSE, said it has term loans and working capital arrangements with three lenders - YES Bank, IDBI Bank and DBS. Its stock closed 1.41 per cent lower at Rs 12.6 per share on the BSE on December 1. About exposure of YES Bank, there is a 'standstill' applicable till December 26, 2021.

What IndiGo Learnt From The Pandemic

What IndiGo Learnt From The Pandemic

Rediff.com   1 Dec 2021

'Everyone says never waste a crisis.' 'When we went into Covid and we were in total lockdown, we were at work.' 'The planes were not flying and we wondered what to do.' 'We looked at each of our performance metrics -- what are customers complaining about, how do employees feel, how do investors feel?'

Bad-loan market may soon see flurry of activities

Bad-loan market may soon see flurry of activities

Rediff.com   29 Nov 2021

Banks are set to sell dud-loans worth Rs 90,000 crore of 22 firms in the first tranche to the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL). It's reason for cheer given that such sales to asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) have been poor in recent times. In fiscal 2020, their assets under management (AUM) contracted by 4 per cent; and in fiscal 2021, it fell by another 100 basis points to Rs 1.07 trillion. So, why are we where we are?

'Definite improvement in economic activity in October'

'Definite improvement in economic activity in October'

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2021

'I hope the trend is sustainable and that economic activity accelerates going forward.'

8 banks recast exposures worth Rs 27,000 cr in OTR 2.0

8 banks recast exposures worth Rs 27,000 cr in OTR 2.0

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2021

Personal loans have about 80 per cent share in exposures restructured under regulatory package 2.0 by eight banks who have declared results for the second quarter. The remaining 20 per cent are loans to individuals used for business and credit to MSMEs. The total recast exposure of these banks under One Time Restructuring (OTR 2.0) was Rs 27,708 crore.

How Delhi airport will gain commercially from Tata-owned Air India

How Delhi airport will gain commercially from Tata-owned Air India

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2021

With better utilisation of slots, foreign flying rights, and greater international connections, the operator of India's largest airport feels a privatised Air India will bring commercial benefit to Delhi airport and help it revive quicker from the pandemic shock. Delhi is the largest hub for Air India, with most of its long-haul flights to the US and Europe being operated from here. The airport plans to give its most modern terminal 3 (T3) exclusively to the Tata Group.

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Dish TV vs Yes Bank: Another corporate battle looms

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2021

Even as the corporate battle over Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) has reached the Bombay high court, another Essel Group firm - Dish TV India - is gearing up for a legal battle with YES Bank by planning to move the National Company Law Tribunal to appoint six of its nominees on the board of the loss-making company. While Dish TV said YES Bank has acquired 26 per cent stake by invoking the pledged shares of Essel Group promoter, it also said YES Bank must make an open offer to shareholders of the company, according to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) takeover code. This, as YES Bank is seeking to take control of the company, said Dish TV.