Rediff explains why the system, not the Budget, is the problem.
India has managed high government debt-to-GDP, a slowing domestic revenue engine, lower household savings and a more hostile geopolitical environment separately in the past. But together, they threaten to undo the growth narrative on which today's optimism rests, warns Debashis Basu.
The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash, will be held with full state honors in Baramati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral.
'Based on the joint statement, a formal agreement will be drafted, which may take a month or month-and-a-half to finalise. We aim to sign the formal agreement by mid-March.'
The Kremlin has stated that India is free to purchase oil from any country, dismissing claims that India agreed to reduce Russian oil imports. Russia maintains that energy trade with India benefits both nations and contributes to international energy market stability.
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.
The reduction in goods & services tax (GST) on individual life and health insurance premiums has been called a "landmark step" for making insurance affordable and inclusive. In a panel discussion at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025, Anup Bagchi, managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance; Mahesh Balasubramanian, MD & CEO of Kotak Life Insurance; Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO of Bajaj Life Insurance; and Ratnakar Patnaik, MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), listed what else the industry needs to reach more people.
IMAGES from the ICC 2026 T20 World Cup match played between England and Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday
Mandhana, Voll power RCB to second WPL title as DC suffer another heartbreak
'She understands her body, comfort level and personal style and no longer dresses to impress others.'
The India Under-17 women's national team suffered a 0-2 defeat against Bangladesh in the SAFF Under-19 Women's Football Championship 2026.
'In the last one year, we have added more than Rs 1.7 trillion, and we are on track.'
Sanjay Mishra and Neena Gupta bring their A-game to roles that naturally suit their age, and this lived-in quality makes Vadh 2 even more convincing, notes Mayur Sanap.
'Economic activity appears to have peaked in the second quarter of FY26, with industrial output, exports, and business confidence all softening from October 2025.'
This is the first Budget in my memory of Budgets over the last half a century which has embraced upfront, enthusiastically and emphatically, technology, modernity and fiscal sobriety, notes Shreekant Sambrani.
Saim Ayub produced a brilliant all-round display to power Pakistan to a 22-run victory against a largely second-string Australia in the first Twenty20 international between the teams in Lahore on Thursday.
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
As many as 17 cancer drugs, along with medicines and food for special medical needs for seven rare diseases, components for microwave ovens are some of the items that are set to become cheaper with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing cuts in customs duty in the Union Budget 2026-27.
With the Union Budget 2026, India's 74th, fast approaching, all eyes are once again on New Delhi's North Block as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is preparing to table it on February 1, 2026, marking her ninth Budget presentation in a row.
India begins their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA, aiming to leverage their strong team composition and recent form to secure a victory.
In the wake of the FTA between India and the European Union, the United States has described the Europeans as 'very disappointing', saying they were unwilling to join Washington, DC in putting tariffs on New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil because of this trade deal.
The European Union's (EU's) offer to slash tariffs on 97.5 per cent of Indian chemical exports to zero is set to give India's pharmaceutical and medical device firms preferential access to the European markets.
'If you go by the capital expenditure, this is a good defence budget. But we will have to see if the government can keep defence spending at 2 per cent or higher in 2027-2028.'
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could face massive financial losses if the ICC's all-powerful governing board decides to penalise them for refusing to play the T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo.
Mbappe fires Real Madrid to the summit, Bayern lose at home and Dortmund stay in the title hunt.
The proposals outlined in Budget 2026-27 represent a carefully crafted, multi-year strategy designed to strengthen India's big bets on the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, says Sameer Gupta.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld an order directing NBCC to complete 16 delayed housing projects of Supertech Limited, providing relief to thousands of homebuyers who have been waiting for nearly two decades.
The Supreme Court of India has upheld an order directing NBCC to complete 16 delayed housing projects of Supertech Limited, providing relief to thousands of homebuyers who have been waiting for nearly two decades.
Supreet Singh, filmmaker and co-founder of Red Dot Foundation, explains how the 4km long Infinite Saree is a larger campaign against all forms of sexual abuse, including marital rape.
'This Budget has a one-year agenda, which you can call the sprint, and the marathon is towards Viksit Bharat.'
Wholesale price inflation (WPI) fell to (-) 1 .21 per cent in October, driven by a decline in prices of food articles like pulses and vegetables, as well as lower fuel and manufactured items' prices, government data showed on Friday.
Abhimanyu Easwaran stepped out of his crease for what seemed like a routine drinks break. He was unaware that the ball was still live and paid the price for a rare lapse in concentration against Services.
Colleen and Hugh Gantzer were the GOATs of travel writers.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Bharat Electronics surged nearly 9 per cent post its December quarter earnings. Eternal, Bajaj Finance, Power Grid, Trent, Mahindra & Mahindra and UltraTech Cement were the other major gainers. Maruti, Sun Pharma, Infosys and Bharti Airtel were among the other laggards.
Two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.
Nothing uplifts a winter evening like soup.
Any reduction on purifiers would need consensus among state finance ministers.
After two years of strong gains, smallcap stocks fell sharply in 2025, but the correction may be setting up opportunities for long-term investors.
The flights have been cut across sectors, particularly on high-demand, high-frequency routes, according to a DGCA statement.
The IOC has expressed concern for the welfare of Iranian athletes amid escalating unrest, mass arrests and reports of deaths, saying it remains in contact with Iran's Olympic community.
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