Oil-marketing companies (OMCs) are set to significantly expand the sale of flex fuel (E85) across India, with plans to reach 5,000 outlets in major cities by the end of next year, according to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. This move aims to boost ethanol demand, reduce crude oil imports, and cut carbon emissions, coinciding with the launch of India's first flex-fuel vehicles by Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
Explore the resilient daily life in Tehran, where residents navigate geopolitical tensions and economic challenges with routine activities, showcasing a striking contrast between normalcy and underlying uncertainty.
Insights from behavioural economics suggest that an ambitious nudge can be effective if three conditions are met, points out Ram Singh Insights from behavioural economics suggest that an ambitious nudge can be effective if three conditions are met, points out Ram Singh, director, Delhi School of Economics.
Bollywood has announced plenty of high-profile sequels with fanfare, only for a few of them to vanish into endless delays, casting chaos and development hell.
13 films from the 2026 Cannes film festival, highlighting award-winning international cinema, unexpected gems, and restored classics that truly celebrated the art of filmmaking.
'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
'Unfortunately, today most ministers are busy with either election duty or praising duty. They are not interested in serving duty.' 'Ministers have become relaxed like retired people still holding onto jobs.' 'Look at how the NEET paper leaked. But there is no accountability.' 'After 12 years, they have become saturated. They are short of ideas.'
"The world might face a food crisis if the war continued till the end of April, as it could have a dramatic impact on planting in Europe and North America," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash.
Maruti Suzuki India reported a significant 147 per cent year-on-year increase in mini-car sales (Alto and S-Presso) during April-May 2026, reaching 32,341 units, driven by eased production constraints and a surge in demand for CNG vehicles amidst rising fuel prices.
Over the past two decades, India has witnessed several major petrol price hikes, driven by global crude oil fluctuations, economic crises, currency depreciation and geopolitical conflicts. How did we get from Rs 34 to over Rs 100 today
The Indian rupee depreciated 16 paise to settle at a fresh lifetime low of 96.86 against the US dollar, marking its ninth consecutive session of decline, driven by elevated global crude prices and a strong dollar.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is implementing a comprehensive, multi-layered strategy to fortify its supply chains against geopolitical volatility, logistical challenges, and regulatory risks, drawing lessons from recent global disruptions.
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
India's manufacturing sector experienced a mild recovery in April, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising to 54.7 from 53.9 in March. However, inflationary pressures intensified, with input costs increasing at the fastest pace since August 2022, largely attributed to the Middle East conflict.
The Israeli Finance Ministry has warned that the ongoing war with Iran could cost Israel an estimated NIS 9.4 billion (USD 3 billion approximately) per week under current restrictions on economic activities.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have been fiscally stressed for a considerable period of time, and there are no easy ways to mobilise revenues to meet the cost of the promised freebies, particularly in the prevailing difficult economic scenario, points out M Govinda Rao.
State-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) plans a significant capital expenditure of 25,000 crore for the financial year 2026-27, primarily for ongoing expansion projects. The company also stated that the recent 4-per-litre price hike in petrol and diesel has provided some financial relief amidst volatile crude oil prices and mounting losses.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised India's concerns with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding changes to US visa and immigration policies, emphasising that legal mobility should not be negatively affected. Rubio acknowledged potential 'bumps' during the transition as the US aims to improve its immigration system.
We cannot simply have a 60-65 per cent import dependency in LPG, the bulk of which comes from just one volatile region -- West Asia, points out R Jagannathan.
US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to discuss trade, technology, Taiwan, and the Iran war. Xi Jinping said that 2026 will be a 'historic, landmark year' for China-US relations.
Petrol and diesel prices in India have seen their fourth increase in less than two weeks, pushing cumulative hikes to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre since May 15, reaching their highest levels since May 2022. This surge, driven by global crude oil costs and the Iran conflict, is expected to exacerbate inflationary pressures and raise transportation costs across the economy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Donald Trump that mishandling the Taiwan issue could trigger conflicts between the two countries during wide-ranging talks on trade, Iran, and energy security.
Barclays Global Service Centre India MD & CEO Praveen Kumar has urged Indian banks to modernise their technology architecture and build AI-based defence systems to counter emerging cyber threats posed by AI tools.
'If 5% of the total revenue was spent on LPG (pre-war), it is now expected to double. The overall food cost in restaurants is expected to rise by 4-6%.'
'The situation globally is quite challenging, but we have the confidence and courage of conviction that we will come out winners even in this challenging time.'
India's services sector growth reached a five-month high in April, with the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index rising to 58.8, primarily driven by robust domestic demand and a shift from international to local suppliers amidst the West Asia crisis.
It seems odd to criticise a country for delivering growth rates in standards of living and consumption that have been perhaps the fastest, longest, and most broad-based (affecting hundreds of millions of people) in history, points out Arvind Subramanian.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) faced a challenging fourth quarter, with its energy business experiencing significant headwinds, leading to overall muted results and prompting analysts to adjust their outlook, even as consumer segments like Jio and retail demonstrated robust growth.
'Every year we import approximately $70 billion worth of gold -- closer to $72 billion in 2025-2026, an all-time record.' 'There is no parallel for this anywhere in the world. And this love for gold will not disappear overnight.'
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that a US team is expected to visit India next month for trade talks, following an earlier Indian delegation's visit to Washington, DC, in April to finalise an interim pact and advance negotiations for a broader bilateral trade agreement.
Amidst a sharp run-up in gold and silver prices, investors are advised to rebalance their portfolios by booking partial profits in precious metals and reallocating to domestic equities and debt, according to financial experts.
'You set up your SIPs and you do not touch them. Not during COVID, not during a war scare, not when your neighbour tells you the market is finished. You let the noise pass over you.' 'The beauty of this approach is that it does not require courage or conviction in the moment. It just requires inertia -- keep the SIP running and do not look at your portfolio too often.'
Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday said that Iran has prepared a "professional mechanism" to regulate maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz through a designated route, which will be unveiled soon.
If the oil infrastructure is attacked by the United States, the whole area could be flooded with oil, spilling into the Persian Gulf.
'We are targeting a 2.5x to 3x increase in valuation by FY31.'
Tata Motors' MD and CEO, Girish Wagh, has identified rising diesel prices as the most significant threat to India's commercial vehicle (CV) industry recovery, despite the sector recently surpassing its pre-FY19 wholesale peak. Diesel costs account for 25-50% of a truck operator's total cost of ownership, making any increase a critical concern for fleet economics.
India possesses two months of fuel stockpiles and faces no supply concerns despite global energy disruptions, according to Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. However, state-run fuel retailers are incurring losses of up to Rs 1 lakh crore in a single quarter due to elevated crude prices and unchanged retail fuel prices, raising questions about the sustainability of these losses.
US President Donald Trump concluded his Beijing summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing it as 'incredible' and highlighting 'fantastic trade deals' and a 'very strong' relationship between the two leaders.
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