LIC is the only brand in the Brand Finance India 100 2026 report that has a top five rank in both brand value and brand strength.
India has secured the second position, contributing 36 per cent of the total brand value, a significant achievement fuelled by a 14 per cent increase in brand value, according to Brand Finance 2025 ranking. India follows the US, which maintains its dominant position in IT services brand value, holding 40 per cent of the total brand value.
Shares of fintech firms, particularly Paytm, saw significant movement after the Indian government introduced a 0.4 per cent fee on UPI transfers exceeding Rs 2,000 made to merchants, effective October 15.
Non-resident Indians are increasingly investing in luxury homes in India, driven by geopolitical uncertainties, particularly the Iran war. This trend is observed across major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and the National Capital Region, with developers noting a significant rise in NRI pre-sales. While some see it as a temporary shift, others believe India is becoming a stable, long-term investment destination for NRIs, especially those from West Asia.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% fee on UPI transfers above Rs 2,000 made to merchants, effective October 15, ending nearly six years of free merchant payments. This move led to initial rallies in fintech stocks like Paytm and Mobikwik, though some later pared gains. Person-to-person transactions and small payments remain free for customers, with the fee being a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR).
CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has strongly criticised the newly introduced Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select UPI transactions, labelling it a "UPI tax" and demanding its immediate rollback. He drew parallels with demonetisation, arguing that the new framework would negatively impact small shopkeepers, MSMEs, and ordinary citizens by increasing prices.
Urban Indian millennials are caught in an algorithmically amplified consumption spiral where social media normalises spending patterns that systematically undermine retirement security.
'We have a very demanding electorate which expects us to do something. So we will have to do something which is a bit out of the ordinary while at the same time keeping in mind the risk factors.'
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The Congress party has criticised the government's new 0.4% charge on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 for merchants, terming it a "Modi tax". Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, allege that this move will ultimately burden consumers through price hikes and accuse the government of succumbing to American pressure to dilute India's zero-MDR policy. The government states the charge will support banks and fintechs.
'Improved law and order and transparent governance have helped change UP's investment image.'
The Indian Premier League's overall brand value declined by 20 per cent to $9.6 billion in 2025 due to lost momentum in the league caused by tensions between India and Pakistan, and teams adjusting to their squad composition post the auction.
VinFast has gone from an unknown brand to India's fifth-largest EV carmaker in just seven months, but its toughest battle is only beginning.
Indian names that figure on the list, but lower down the pecking order include Tatat (101). Airtel (rank: 252), Infosys (287), Life Insurance Corporation of India (292), State Bank of India (334), HCL (390), Indian Oil (427), Reliance (445) and Larsen & Toubro (464).
Moroccan-French model-turned-actress Soundous Moufakir is set to bring her fierce competitive spirit and strategic mind to The Traitors Season 2.
"With the leverage available, I believe the scheme remains reasonably attractive," said P D Singh, India and South Asia Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, regarding the Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) or FCNR (B) deposits.
'... that work is done. The task is to reallocate what has been built, with the courage of a founder and the discipline of an owner.'
Indian companies' overseas expansion plans are holding strong despite geopolitical tensions in West Asia, driven by structural factors like supply-chain diversification, free trade agreements, and market expansion, according to Ajay Sharma, managing director and head of banking at HSBC India.
Foreign universities are unlikely to gain major ground in India's higher education market in the near term, as students and families continue to prioritise return on investment over brand value in a highly price-sensitive sector.
A Congress spokesperson, quoted in media reports, summed up the party's thinking by saying, 'Whenever BJP is in trouble on the ground, a new 'apolitical' or 'alternative' party appears with the same ideology and the same backers.'
Fintech platform CRED announced a significant funding round of Rs 8,550 crore led by Meta, coinciding with founder Kunal Shah's departure as CEO to take on the global leadership role for WhatsApp.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
DBS Bank India has launched a direct tax payment facility after authorisation from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Utkarsh Small Finance Bank partners with Mumbai Indians as banking partner for T20 League 2026.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien highlights the Tata Group's presence and expansion in West Bengal, countering BJP claims about bringing Tata back to the state. Investments and expansions span IT, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail sectors.
Discover the inspiring journey of Komal Prabhu, called the Queen of GSB Cuisine, that saw her switch professions -- a Bharata Natyam dancer became a celebrated chef devoted to preserving traditional Gaud Saraswat Brahmin food traditions.
Though the oldest Alphas are just turning 15 in 2025, they're already more digitally fluent than any generation before, points out Sandeep Goyal.
Tech giant Apple has recorded its highest-ever value share of 28 per cent in the Indian smartphone market, driven by a surging "premiumisation" trend where consumers are increasingly opting for high-end devices, according to a report by Counterpoint Research.
Thane police have arrested CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal in connection with an alleged fraud of Rs 71.6 lakh. The company claims the FIR is false and a conspiracy against them.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being 'anti-women' and obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha. He criticised the TMC's opposition to the bill and defended the BJP's commitment to increasing women's representation in politics.
Three disappointing experiences with Tata companies made me question whether the group's historic values of customer focus and accountability are slowly fading, notes Dr N Ravichandran.
Tata Capital Ltd, set to launch its IPO next week, has identified green financing and digital innovation as its core growth pillars, backed by the merger of its IFC-backed subsidiary Tata Cleantech Capital in 2024. By FY25, the cleantech and infrastructure finance book reached Rs 18,000 crore, growing at a 31.8 per cent CAGR over the last two years, the NBFC said on Friday.
Tata remains India's powerful brand with its value ring over $15 billion for the first time.
Two of the three strikes are related to the gig economy, a centrepiece of the new labour Codes.
The total value of India's top 100 brands has increased by 2 per cent, from $162.1 billion in 2020 to $164.9 billion in 2021, according to the latest Brand Finance India 100 2021 report. This uplift in brand value over the course of the first year of the pandemic is an impressive feat given the global economic crisis following the implementation of national lockdowns in March 2020, when business activity was brought to a halt, affecting both production and consumption. Among the brands that came on the top of the list include Tata Group, Reliance Industries, and Mahindra Group.
The complainant in a Rs 71.6 lakh cheating case involving CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal has withdrawn his grievance after recovering his invested amount. The arrests were made following an FIR registered on March 16 at Mumbra police station against Gupta, Khandelwal and four others on charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust and fraud.
The IPL brand value, according to the international brand valuation firm, touched $8.4 billion in 2022 versus $4.7 billion reported in 2021.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Union Budget, calling it 'lacklustre' and 'disappointing,' claiming it fails to address the needs of farmers, unemployed youth, and other key sectors.
'The real story of 2025 is that India officially stopped being a 'market of the future' and started acting as the world's primary economic engine.'
SBI comes second and Bharti Airtel is third
After a record-breaking year, India's automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
