Shiva Rajora, Business Standard

Stories by Shiva Rajora, Business Standard

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2026

The deployment of the army in all sectors along the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border between India and China, is 'robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency'.

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2026

The largest tranche came in July, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with the DAC according acceptance of necessity -- or initial approval -- for 10 capital acquisition proposals amounting to approximately 1.05 trillion through indigenous sourcing.

'Labour Codes Will Reduce Take-Home Salary Is Wrong'

'Labour Codes Will Reduce Take-Home Salary Is Wrong'

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2025

'It will increase the contribution to gratuity, which is something the employer has to give.'

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2025

App-based communication services providers and Indian telcos are at loggerheads over the SIM-binding directions issued by the department of telecom, which are to be complied with by the end of February 2026.

Unemployment rate at 8-mth low of 4.7%

Unemployment rate at 8-mth low of 4.7%

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2025

Buoyed by the robustness in rural job market on account of rabi sowing, India's monthly unemployment rate fell to an eight-month low of 4.7 per cent in November, the latest periodic labour force survey (PLFS) monthly bulletin released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Monday showed.

Goa Fire Exposes EPFO Oversight Gaps

Goa Fire Exposes EPFO Oversight Gaps

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2025

'The tragedy underscored 'serious and widespread' weaknesses in the EPFO's monitoring system and its ability to detect and act against defaulting establishments.'

Richest 10% Hold 65% of India's Wealth

Richest 10% Hold 65% of India's Wealth

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2025

A larger part of India's population was in the middle 40 per cent of the national income share in 1980. Today almost all are in the bottom 50 per cent.

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2025

A national rollout will take place after the pilot test in which SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank are participating.

Labour Codes: Trade Unions Raise Red Flags Over Layoffs

Labour Codes: Trade Unions Raise Red Flags Over Layoffs

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2025

'Raising the retrenchment, layoff and closure threshold to 300 workers for prior government permission enables hire-and-fire in more than 90 per cent of the Indian workplaces. More than 12,00,000 disputes are now pending for adjudication with an average disposal period ranging from 3 to five years for more than 75 per cent of the disputes.'

Jobs in unincorporated sector rose marginally in Q2: NSO data

Jobs in unincorporated sector rose marginally in Q2: NSO data

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2025

Around 128.6 million people were employed in the unincorporated sector during July-September of FY26, showed the latest quarterly bulletin of unincorporated sector enterprises released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Tuesday. This is slightly higher than the 128.57 million in the previous quarter.

Sebi Eases IPO Lock-In Rules

Sebi Eases IPO Lock-In Rules

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2025

Sebi has proposed allowing depositories to mark such pledged shares as 'non-transferable' for the duration of the lock-in period, based on instructions from the issuer.

Joblessness slowed to 5.2% in Q2: PLFS data

Joblessness slowed to 5.2% in Q2: PLFS data

Rediff.com   11 Nov 2025

India's labour market in the second quarter (July-September/Q2) of 2025-26 (FY26) showed resilience, with the jobless rate easing even as more people entered the workforce. However, a rise in youth unemployment and a fall in the share of salaried workers remain areas of concern.

'Don't Consider Gold, Silver As Asset Classes'

'Don't Consider Gold, Silver As Asset Classes'

Rediff.com   11 Nov 2025

'An asset must generate income. Equities yield dividends, bonds pay coupons, deposits give interest, and real estate earns rent.' 'Gold, silver, and even Bitcoin produce no income, they merely store value. So, they should not be compared to productive assets.'

Chandigarh, Delhi have highest share of services in GVA: NITI

Chandigarh, Delhi have highest share of services in GVA: NITI

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2025

The share of services in gross value added (GVA) in 2023-24 was the highest in Chandigarh (88.8 per cent), followed by Delhi (84.1 per cent), said a NITI Aayog report released recently.

'Banks Need To Reinvent Themselves'

'Banks Need To Reinvent Themselves'

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2025

'Reinvention is not a hugely difficult task. With technology as available today, you can reinvent yourself pretty quickly.'

UPI Goes Global, Fintech Hits A Wall

UPI Goes Global, Fintech Hits A Wall

Rediff.com   1 Nov 2025

'When you think of cross-border payments, the first things that come to mind are risk, compliance, taxation, speed, and cost.'

Low-Wage Trap Looms Over India's Services Sector, Warns Niti Report

Low-Wage Trap Looms Over India's Services Sector, Warns Niti Report

Rediff.com   30 Oct 2025

The services sector employs 188 million people but remains highly informal, trapping most workers in low-wage jobs without social protection.

JLR Cyberattack Triggers $2.55 Billion Shockwave

JLR Cyberattack Triggers $2.55 Billion Shockwave

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2025

At an estimated 1.9 billion in losses and over 5,000 UK organisations affected, the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack has been labelled the most economically damaging cyber incident in UK history, exposing the deep vulnerability of interconnected supply chains.

Will Indians' reluctance to talk money derail NSO survey?

Will Indians' reluctance to talk money derail NSO survey?

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2025

The NSO previously tried to collect household income data in its ninth (1955), 15th (1959), 19th (1964), and 24th (1969) rounds (July 1969-June 1970), but these efforts were not completed, partly due to non-responsiveness by respondents.

RBI outlines steps to improve EPFO's investment management

RBI outlines steps to improve EPFO's investment management

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2025

The RBI advisory follows a labour ministry request earlier this year seeking the central bank's expertise to identify gaps in EPFO's investment strategy and fund management practices, including accounting, risk management, and internal governance.