In a move aimed at curbing the mis-selling of financial products, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed banning incentives paid to bank staffers by third parties such as insurance companies and mutual fund houses for selling their products and services. It has also proposed that banks must ensure their user interfaces do not deploy "dark patterns" to lure customers.
Three additional vehicle makers and five more auto component makers will begin availing financial incentives under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector from 2026-27 (FY27) onwards, Hanif Qureshi, additional secretary at the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), said on Wednesday.
The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector has created market distortions, excluded innovation-led electric two-wheeler (e2w) makers, and failed to convert cost advantages into export competitiveness, with 77 per cent of export volumes driven by non-PLI models, said a report released by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) on Friday.
This would imply a 29 per cent year-on-year rise, significantly lower than growth rates seen in recent years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting India as a global hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, highlighting the government's incentives for data center investments and inviting the world's data to reside in India.
Fifteen Naxalites, including a veteran ultra with a significant bounty, surrendered in Chhattisgarh, effectively dismantling the Maoist movement in the Raipur-Sambalpur region.
The Ministry of Steel on Monday signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 55 companies for 85 projects under the third round of the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for specialty steel.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasized the importance of ethical AI usage, intellectual property protection, and fair compensation in the AVGC-XR sector, advocating for AI to enhance human creativity rather than replace artists.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairperson of the Al Falah group, on money laundering charges. The ED alleges that Siddiqui generated Rs 415 crore dishonestly from students of educational institutions run by his Trust.
The RBI will now charge banks different deposit insurance fees based on how risky they are, allowing safer banks to pay less premium.
Budget 2026 is an intentional and ambitious one - From manufacturing growth to services supremacy, from technology consumption to AI-powered transformation. This is the blueprint for a $7 trillion economy built on intelligence, not just scale.
The Maharashtra State Women's Commission is investigating a major illegal human egg extraction racket in Thane district, where vulnerable women were exploited for multiple donation cycles using forged documents. The investigation revealed unauthorized IVF clinic operations and unqualified individuals administering medical procedures.
Share of IPOs opening above issue price drops to 64.6%, median gains shrink sharply amid market volatility.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi champions India as a leader in the artificial intelligence revolution, emphasising the nation's ambition and responsibility at the India AI Impact Expo 2026.
Police in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested five individuals, including a woman and her lover, in connection with the murder of her husband. The accused confessed to the crime, which was motivated by an affair and financial incentives.
India's electric two-wheeler (e2W) manufacturers have urged the government to extend subsidies under the PM E-Drive (Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) scheme beyond March 2026, cautioning that a withdrawal could slow near-term demand even as confidence in long-term electric mobility adoption remains intact.
The United States has announced a preliminary countervailing duty of 125.87 per cent on imports of certain Indian solar goods, alleging unfair subsidisation. This move could impact India's renewable energy sector and its efforts to boost domestic solar manufacturing.
'Uncertainty level A in the morning, uncertainty level B in the afternoon. If I answer about tariff rates now, I'll be outdated by the evening.'
The Budget emerges as a measured, credible and forward-looking policy document that reinforces India's commitment to remaining a stable, reform-oriented economy amid an increasingly fragmented global landscape, says A Balasubramanian.
What items did Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman make cheaper?
India is already a heavyweight in global farm trade in pockets such as rice exports, but experts are urging a pivot from a subsidy- and procurement-driven mindset to a productivity and nutrition strategy that still shields farmers from volatility.
Government schemes such as the PM E-Drive initiative, with allocations of around Rs 2,000 crore for charging points deployment, are helping accelerate rollout
Investors and startup executives are calling for extending the period for an entity to be recognised as a startup from 10 to 15 years for deep-tech companies.
Bharat Electronics, Power Grid, NTPC and HDFC Bank were among the other major gainers. However, Infosys, Tata Steel, Eternal and Tech Mahindra were among the laggards.
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'Despite acting in some 100 films and television plays, people still remember the daadi of Hum Log.'
After three consecutive months of heavy selling, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) turned net buyers in the first week of February, infusing more than Rs 8,100 crore in Indian equities, aided by improving risk sentiment, along with a trade deal with the US.
As India's biggest Unified Payments Interface (UPI) app PhonePe prepares to list, the updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) shows the impact of regulations on the business, and concentration of payments-linked revenue even as UPI lacks MDR (merchant discount rate).
Capex, infrastructure development, and prudent fiscal management are the key focus areas in the Budget, says Nilesh Shah.
Ecommerce (ecom) and quick commerce (qcom) platforms are expected to lead gig worker hiring in calendar year 2026 (CY26), adding nearly 1 million workers on the back of sustained demand for last-mile deliveries, higher order volumes, and continued expansion of dark stores into non-metropolitan cities, industry experts have said.
This single amendment, unfortunately, overshadows much of the Budget's promise, explains Harsh Roongta.
'This leading filmmaker told me: "Don't let the industry cake you up with makeup and wigs. You are a breath of fresh air".'
'Large firms and their interests can dominate the narrative, even as smaller stakeholders and retail investors struggle to be heard.' 'Regulators therefore require deep subject-matter expertise to assess representations, recognise underlying incentives, incorporate the perspectives of less-visible stakeholders, and guard against bias or capture,' notes Ananth Narayan.
Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, shuns populist measures despite five key state elections coming up, but ends up rattling stock markets with a higher transaction tax on derivatives trading.
Six months after its India debut, the Vietnamese automaker has overtaken established players such as Hyundai Motor, BMW, Kia, and Chinese EV major BYD.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
Addressing an event after launching the service, Shah said the rival ride-hailing platforms have reduced commission and are offering many other incentives, including free rides to customers, seeing the success of Bharat Taxi during the pilot operation.
Of the Rs 31,820.80 crore allocated to central sector schemes and projects, only Rs 11,868.05 crore was utilised, according to the revised estimates.
'Credit growth in India remains in double digits, even though corporate borrowing is subdued.' 'Corporate credit is weak because companies are cash-rich and cautious amid global uncertainty.'
The idea of back-loading the target of fiscal consolidation is perhaps guided by the government's desire to be prepared for any adverse developments in the coming year, points out A K Bhattacharya.
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