India and the United States are committed to finalising an interim trade agreement, despite recent challenges including the US imposing a blanket 10 per cent surcharge and India's decision to wait for a new global tariff architecture. The US Trade Representative's annual report highlights India's maintained high import tariffs and various non-tariff barriers across several sectors.
Indian equities trading activity saw a moderation in FY26, with cash market turnover declining and derivatives growth remaining subdued due to regulatory tightening and weak market performance. Further impacts are expected from new RBI norms and a hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT).
Piyush Goyal on Friday rejected reports suggesting that India is planning to hold off trade deal with the United States for several months.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is exploring ways for Russian trade counterparts to use accumulated Indian rupees (INR) for imports or capital investments in India, aiming to boost INR-Rouble transactions and reduce reliance on the US dollar.
'The contours of the trade deal need to be reworked now.'
The Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a member of an interstate gang involved in the illegal smuggling of oxytocin injections in Lucknow and seized a large quantity of the drug.
Indian officials will visit the US to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement, expected to be signed in March, focusing on duty concessions and reciprocal tariffs.
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Monday, with the 30-share BSE Sensex falling 1,613.09 points and the 50-share NSE Nifty plunging 495 points, as the failure of US-Iran negotiations heightened concerns of a prolonged conflict driving crude oil prices sharply higher. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for April 13, 2026.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that an interim trade agreement between India and the US is likely to be signed in March and operationalised in April, with chief negotiators meeting in Washington to finalize the details.
With the Iran war escalating sharply and crisis deepening in the global energy market, India on Monday unveiled a coordinated plan to support exporters and shippers caught in the fallout.
'The day that the market realises that they've overspent (on AI) and there's a sudden collapse in the capex, then India can start outperforming again.'
The Excise and Taxation Department, with the assistance of local police, dismantled an illegal liquor racket operating in the Pratapnagar area, recovering 170 boxes of alcohol.
India's market landscape is undergoing significant shifts, with bank-backed brokerages potentially regaining dominance over discount platforms due to regulatory changes and increased taxes, while the IPO pipeline faces a slowdown amid heightened global volatility.
Amidst global energy market volatility driven by the West Asia crisis, Russia has proposed increasing its crude oil and natural gas supplies to India, strengthening bilateral energy ties and aiming for USD 100 billion in annual trade by 2030.
Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with Indian leaders to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in key sectors amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia.
The Indian commodity market has experienced significant growth over the past decade, allowing Indian traders to capitalise on price fluctuations in commodities such as gold, crude oil, and natural gas. Earlier, commodity trading required substantial capital as these contracts were only available in bulk quantities. But to make the commodity market more accessible, exchanges such as the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) have launched smaller and more flexible commodities contracts, including mini and micro contracts. These changes in the commodity lot size have changed the way small traders trade in commodity markets.
The turning point came with the appointment of Sergio Gor as the US ambassador to India.
The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar due to geopolitical tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and ahead of the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy review.
The Indian government informed Parliament that India and the US are engaged in negotiations for a mutually beneficial multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement. The two countries also cooperate on strategic, economic, and defense matters, managing divergences through high-level dialogues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the West Asia crisis and the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure. They also reviewed progress in bilateral ties and anticipated upcoming deals in the energy sector.
India has clarified its position on the proposed interim trade agreement with the US, stating that the joint statement remains the basis for mutual understanding. Amendments to a White House fact sheet reflect shared understandings, with both sides working towards finalizing the agreement.
Delhi Police have dismantled an interstate cyber fraud network, arresting three individuals involved in digital arrest and investment scams that defrauded victims of over Rs 80 lakh.
Delhi Police have dismantled a fake auto parts racket operating in Karol Bagh, arresting two individuals and seizing counterfeit spare parts valued at Rs 25-30 lakh.
For India, much is at stake: Crucial energy supplies traversing the Strait of Hormuz, the fate of its 10 million citizens living and working in West Asia -- who send generous remittances home -- and its major trade links with the region.
Indian markets on Dalal Street rallied sharply as easing tensions in the US-Iran conflict and stable oil prices boosted sentiment. Track Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex performance and key global triggers.
The Congress party has criticized the Indo-US trade agreement, calling it a 'surrender' of India's self-esteem and interests, and a betrayal of Indian farmers and MSMEs.
The Indian rupee saw a significant appreciation against the US dollar following President Trump's suspension of military strikes against Iran and the Reserve Bank of India's decision to maintain its key interest rate. Market sentiment was further buoyed by positive comments from the RBI regarding the health of the banking sector.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue of the Indo-US trade deal soon after the zero hour ended and alleged that the information about the deal was being received from Washington instead.
India's new manufacturing project announcements more than halved in the fourth quarter of FY26, falling 60 per cent sequentially and 78 per cent year-on-year to approximately 1.7 trillion, driven by global uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts in West Asia, and existing unutilised manufacturing capacity.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has indicated that further Iran-US negotiations are anticipated soon, following talks in Pakistan. Despite initial optimism, the previous round of negotiations did not result in a lasting peace agreement.
US and India will promptly implement this framework and work towards finalising the interim agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement.
'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 country's exports rose marginally by 0.61 per cent to $36.56 billion in January, while trade deficit widened to a three-month high of $34.68 billion, government data showed on Monday.
Both countries commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis
Kumar Sangakkara explains the decision to appoint Riyan Parag as captain of the Rajasthan Royals, highlighting his maturity and vision for the team.
David Perdue said in a post on X that the US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation in diverse areas, including defence, energy and through Quad engagement.
The US and Iranian delegations left Pakistan after failing to reach an agreement in historic talks aimed at resolving the West Asia conflict and stabilising global energy markets.
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 ongoing conflict in West Asia is severely disrupting Bikaner's food exports, causing delays, rising costs, and impacting the supply of popular snacks like bhujia and papad to Gulf and European markets.
Stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty surged in early trading session on Tuesday after India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent.
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