Pakistan has increased its defence budget by 17.6 per cent to PKRs 3,000 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, as announced by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The federal budget, estimated at PKRs 18,771 billion, targets 4 per cent GDP growth, with significant allocations for debt service and pensions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted economic stability and ongoing discussions with the IMF, while the opposition protested Imran Khan's incarceration during the budget session.
'The share of the private sector is at its all-time high of around Rs 42,000 crore in FY26, reflecting its expanding role in the defence ecosystem.'
Employees of Mumbai's BEST undertaking have launched an indefinite strike, severely impacting public transport and electricity services. The strike, called by a joint action committee, demands budget merger with BMC, settlement of dues, and implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission, among other issues. Despite court orders and MESMA invocation, the strike continues, causing widespread inconvenience to millions of commuters and electricity consumers.
The conflict may disrupt Budget 2026-2027 projections, squeezing revenues and raising subsidies, prompting fiscal adjustments and potential reforms, echoing lessons from the Covid-era shock, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, concluding a Budget session marked by the passage of key legislations and the defeat of a Constitution amendment bill on women's reservation. The session saw frequent opposition protests and discussions on various issues, including the West Asia conflict.
India's Central government is likely to see its fertiliser subsidy bill double to a record 3.4 trillion in FY27, up from the Budget estimate of 1.7 trillion, due to surging global fertiliser prices exacerbated by the West Asia war. This significant increase, coupled with revenue losses from excise duty cuts for oil-marketing companies, is straining the government's fiscal space, though capital expenditure plans remain unchanged.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is grappling with a severe internal crisis, evident as rival factions occupied separate sections of the opposition benches during the West Bengal assembly's budget session. This public display of disunity follows the party's defeat in the 2026 assembly elections and ongoing legal challenges over leadership.
Trinamool Congress MP Deepak Adhikari, also known as Dev, has urged West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to expedite the long-pending Ghatal Master Plan, a crucial flood-management project for his constituency. Dev received assurances that the project, aimed at mitigating annual floods in the low-lying Ghatal area, would be taken forward, with hopes for budget allocation by the BJP government.
Amidst a disappointing box office weekend for several new Hindi releases, Vikram Bhatt's Haunted 3D: Ghosts Of The Past has emerged as a surprising success.
A new white paper released by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government reveals that Tamil Nadu's direct debt has nearly doubled to an alarming 10 trillion in the past five years, exposing significant fiscal strain and a substantial debt burden on every citizen.
The Indian government is set to accelerate reforms, including measures to enhance foreign direct investment, speed up divestment, and boost asset monetisation, to maintain economic growth despite rising fuel and fertiliser import costs driven by the West Asia crisis.
'I obsessively close the apps on my phone all the time.'
rediffGURU Ulhas Joshi answers your mutual fund queries.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has instructed officials to ensure the transparent and timely implementation of welfare schemes announced in the budget. She also appealed to the public to take precautions during the ongoing heatwave.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has directed officials to ensure the transparent and timely implementation of welfare schemes announced in the budget, warning of potential fund reductions for departments failing to utilise allocated budgets effectively.
The Assam cabinet has decided to restrict the issuance of Aadhaar cards to individuals over 18 years of age, a move aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from acquiring the document. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that exceptions would require district commissioner proposals and state government approval, with a complete ban for all communities over 18 set for April 1, 2027.
A parliamentary committee has voiced concerns over ongoing examination irregularities despite government measures, recommending the Ministry of Education publish a time-bound roadmap for reforms. The panel also urged a nationwide blacklist of firms involved in exam processes and suggested utilising the National Testing Agency's financial surplus to enhance its capabilities.
'There's been a sense of FOMO, fear mongering and that has led to token consumption without linkages to ROI and without linkages to outcomes.'
Eighteen of India's 28 states exceeded the fiscal deficit ceiling of 3 per cent of GSDP in FY25, a deterioration comparable to the Covid year of 2020-21, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report also noted a decline in states reporting a revenue surplus, with Bihar, Mizoram, and Telangana moving into deficit.
With features usually seen in more expensive cars and segment-first paddle shifters, the Tiago offers excellent value for money, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
Nearly 150 Indian Super League players, including national team members, face an uncertain future as their contracts expire amid ongoing disputes between the AIFF and clubs over the league's structure.
Heer Sara needed a lot more fizz, humour, and maybe even some stranger danger, suggests Deepa Gahlot.
The Gujarat assembly complex received a bomb threat via email, leading to the evacuation of staff and MLAs and a search operation by local police.
'We won not (only) because we were able to carry out long-range precision strikes.' 'That is, of course, one of the reasons but we had better situational awareness about what's happening than Pakistan.'
Dinesh Trivedi's experience as a businessperson and his fluency in Bengali are expected to be crucial in strengthening India-Bangladesh relations, particularly in attracting Indian investments to Dhaka.
The Indian central government has reduced its total expenditure by approximately 60,000 crore in FY26, below its revised estimate, to successfully achieve the fiscal deficit target of 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the latest data from the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
The Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai was evacuated following a bomb threat received via email during the budget session, prompting security checks and a search operation.
The NDA government has gradually nuanced its position on the issue of demographic challenge.
The Delhi Legislative Assembly received a bomb threat via email hours before the scheduled budget presentation, prompting heightened security measures and an investigation.
The Odisha Gymnastics Association is under investigation for allegedly using the name of its deceased president to secure funds from the state government. A complaint questions the association's governance and financial practices, including the sanctioning of funds from multiple agencies for the same event.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said there are some parties that have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons.
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.
From psychological mind-benders to folklore nightmares and zombie comedies, these 10 Hindi horror films prove Bollywood has produced far more than just things that go bump in the night.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has mandated a uniform policy for all sports grounds in the state, focusing on modern sanitation, separate changing rooms, and CCTV surveillance to ensure the safety and enhance the performance of women athletes. This directive aims to strengthen the sports ecosystem and encourage greater participation from women.
With hot weather due and memories fresh of the scorching 2025 Club World Cup, FIFA has for the first time mandated three-minute hydration breaks in each half for all 104 matches of the World Cup starting this week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
'There is a relationship between the audience and the film, and money should not come in between them.'
An Indore court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Congress councilor Fauzia Sheikh Alim, who is accused of refusing to sing 'Vande Mataram' during a municipal corporation meeting, citing a prima facie case under BNS section 196(1).
A report indicates that mid-tier banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) entities in India are highly exposed to cyberattacks due to aggressive digitisation coupled with insufficient cybersecurity investments.
The scheme, called 'Suhana Safar', targeted customers who aspire to own a car but were hesitant because of concerns around arranging the down payment or managing future EMI obligations.
Moody's Ratings has highlighted that Indian banks are among the most exposed in the Asia-Pacific region to the West Asia crisis, primarily due to India's high dependence on energy imports, which could lead to increased inflation, higher interest rates, and strained borrower cash flows.
