The directive comes amid concerns over steep mark-ups on medicines and medical consumables sold at hospital pharmacies.
'Mixing fiction with history is a crime.'
The Income Tax Department has initiated a nationwide verification drive targeting suspicious foreign remittances made by entities with minimal business activity, including those in border districts, and is scrutinising the chartered accountants who issued the mandatory tax determination certificates.
Sustained selling by foreign investors is weighing on domestic equities, with the benchmark Sensex and Nifty 50 down 15.60 per cent and 14.4 per cent, respectively, this year.
Mid and smallcap mutual fund schemes in India have quadrupled their assets under management (AUM) to 10 trillion in five years, driven by strong investor inflows and market gains, with experts anticipating continued growth despite mixed valuations.
Bollywood actor Imran Khan has launched a legal challenge in the Bombay high court against a police notice ordering him to leave India by October 28, following his participation in a political protest and a concurrent review of his OCI status.
Leading mutual fund executives advise investors to prioritise valuations, long-term earnings potential, and asset allocation over chasing recent market winners, as global uncertainty reshapes investment opportunities. They caution against decisions based solely on recent returns and advocate for portfolios built on fundamentals.
A fire in a relay room at Kanjurmarg and a foreign wire on the overhead equipment between Mulund and Thane caused significant disruptions to Mumbai's Central Railway suburban services on Monday morning. Commuters faced long delays, with trains stalled for over an hour, leading to overcrowding and passengers walking on tracks. Alternative arrangements were implemented to manage train movements, and services were eventually restored.
A working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) reveals a continuous decline in the rate at which foreign-owned firms invest in fixed assets in India since the FY20 peak, contrasting with a steady increase from Indian business groups.
The Reserve Bank of India's recent measures, including a dedicated dollar window for state-run oil marketing companies and tightened foreign exchange derivative rules, are expected to provide near-term relief to the rupee's depreciation, but market participants believe global factors and balance of payment dynamics will continue to exert pressure in the medium term.
'They allow people to enter and exit. And there is transparency. There is market infrastructure. There is technology. There is cyber security. And then there are enough enablers.'
India has issued a fresh advisory for its nationals, particularly Umrah pilgrims, in Saudi Arabia due to ongoing flight cancellations and regional tensions. The Indian Consulate in Jeddah is providing assistance, coordinating with Saudi authorities, and helping facilitate the early return of affected individuals amidst disruptions caused by drone and missile attacks.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, ended sharply lower, with the Sensex tumbling 876.37 points and the Nifty dropping below 22,900, primarily due to a decline in private bank stocks like HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, alongside weak global market trends.
As Israel prepares for parliamentary elections on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a critical test of his leadership amidst the fallout from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the ongoing Gaza war, and significant domestic challenges.
Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) became net sellers in September, withdrawing Rs 35,860 crore from Indian equities due to global uncertainties, high US interest rates, and elevated crude oil prices, with outflows continuing into October.
The controversy surrounding actor Imran Khan's participation in a Mumbai protest, and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's demand for his deportation, raises critical questions about the legal rights of Overseas Citizen of India cardholders to engage in political dissent and the grounds for their expulsion from India.
The death toll in a high-speed train collision in Spain's central province of Toledo on Wednesday (local time) has risen to at least 30, with several others injured. Authorities fear that the number of fatalities could increase further.
'The Indian market has struggled over the past two years.' 'It peaked in September 2024, and although it has moved up and down since then, investors have not really made money.'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Mumbai on October 20 for talks aimed at strengthening the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Discussions will cover energy, trade, defence, and critical technologies. The visit also includes celebrations for the 250th anniversary of US Independence. This meeting follows earlier confusion regarding Rubio's visit and will also touch upon the India-US bilateral trade agreement, which both sides are close to concluding. The MEA clarified that hosting foreign dignitaries outside Delhi is a common practice.
The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has urged the Indian government to deny permission to Elon Musk's Starlink for commercial satellite broadband services, citing national security concerns. The RSS-affiliated organisation highlighted issues with data bypassing Indian gateways and the potential for misuse by hostile actors, advocating for indigenous solutions.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed lower for the fourth consecutive session, driven by a surge in crude oil prices above USD 114 per barrel due to escalating tensions in West Asia, coupled with broad-based selling and FII outflows.
Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline in early trade, primarily due to a sell-off in power and metal stocks, mirroring a broader downturn across Asian markets. Elevated crude oil prices and firm US bond yields further dampened investor sentiment, while an expert warned of an impending correction in overvalued mid and small-cap segments. Track Sensex, Nifty on October 22.
The Chhattisgarh Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) has filed its 10th supplementary charge sheet in the alleged liquor scam, accusing 20 individuals, including former state Congress treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal, and 22 firms. The 27,000-page document details illegal liquor production, hawala transactions, and investment of illicit proceeds. The scam, estimated by the ED to be between 2019 and 2022, involved a complex network of illegal liquor sales, duplicate holograms, and routing of funds.
The number of Indians travelling abroad for education fell from 908,364 in 2023 to 770,127 in 2024 and 626,606 in 2025.
France football captain Kylian Mbappe has issued an apology after Chinese brands severed ties with him over a comment referring to late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, highlighting the swift repercussions international celebrities face in the crucial Chinese market.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a three-day visit to India to discuss bilateral ties in energy, trade, investment, defence, and critical technologies, as well as the West Asia crisis. His visit aims to strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership amidst existing friction, with a focus on finalising a proposed bilateral trade deal.
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Pravin Shinde and Brijesh Moradiya in a money laundering investigation connected to international drug trafficker Salim Ismail Dola's syndicate. The probe revealed a highly organised network involved in manufacturing and trafficking mephedrone, using hawala channels to layer proceeds of crime and acquire assets.
Leading private banks in India, including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, experienced a decline in net interest margins (NIMs) during the second quarter of the financial year due to significant deposit mobilisation under the Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank), or FCNR (B), scheme. However, banks anticipate a recovery in margins in the coming quarters as these funds are deployed and the interest-rate cycle supports lending yields.
South Korea's national football association has issued a deep apology following a media report alleging it provided 'sexual services' to foreign referees during international matches over a decade ago, specifically in 2011 and 2012.
Equity mutual fund schemes recorded a net inflow of Rs 38,306 crore in September, a 31 per cent increase from the previous month, driven by strong investor interest in mid-cap and small-cap funds despite stock market volatility and foreign portfolio investor (FPI) sell-offs.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio kick-started a three-day visit to India on Tuesday to advance bilateral ties in energy, trade and investment, defence, critical technologies, and exchange views on the West Asia crisis.
Israel is set to hold parliamentary elections on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vying to retain power. The election is a critical test of his leadership, influenced by the government's handling of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, subsequent wars, and ongoing legal challenges. Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett, are challenging his right-wing coalition, but opinion polls suggest a fragmented outcome with no clear majority. Key issues include security, accountability for the October 7 attack, military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, and judicial reforms.
The conversations on July 22 and 23, 1962, meetings in Geneva between V K Krishna Menon, India's defence minister at the time, and Chinese vice premier Chen Yi are important because, had they been followed up, the subsequent border war may perhaps have been avoided, notes former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Analysts predict that the Reserve Bank of India's interest rate decision, crude oil prices, and global bond yields will be the primary factors influencing the Indian stock market this week, alongside macroeconomic data and foreign investor activity.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, rallied significantly, with Sensex jumping over 1,500 points and Nifty reaching a nearly three-week high, driven by strong buying in banking, IT, and Reliance Industries stocks, alongside easing crude oil prices.
The US Department of Justice has initiated its largest denaturalisation effort in modern history, targeting 40 individuals for various serious offences, including fraud and espionage. Among those facing citizenship revocation is Balwinder Singh of California, accused of using a fraudulent identity, and Jinchao Wei, a former US Navy sailor convicted of espionage for China.
Over Rs 180 crore was incurred on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to 23 countries including the US, the UK, France, China and Japan in 2025, according to data shared by the government.
India's anti-terror agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has registered a case to investigate a mid-air attack on Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, inside the cockpit of an Israel-bound flydubai flight, citing an "apparent attempt to hijack or cause it to crash."
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is being considered for a significant role within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the board plans a major overhaul of its cricket think tank following a dismal tour of England.
Bangladesh's Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will skip the first-ever BIMSTEC home ministers' meeting in New Delhi, with a senior bureaucrat leading the delegation. This absence underscores strained India-Bangladesh ties, particularly following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024 and Dhaka's request for her extradition from India.
