rediffGURU Jinal Mehta answers readers' financial planning and health insurance queries
'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.'
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' acquisition of US-based Organon & Co. for $11.75 billion, the largest overseas acquisition by an Indian pharma company, has been met with mixed reactions from brokerages, who see strategic entry into women's health and biosimilars but also flag potential integration challenges and debt concerns.
Among the fastest-growing companies by revenue were Tata Electronics, which posted a staggering 3,173% CAGR, followed by Tata Passenger Electric Mobility at 904% and JSW One Platforms at 522%.
Amul, India's leading dairy brand, has achieved a historic turnover of Rs 1 trillion in FY26, marking an 11 per cent growth. This milestone is attributed to aggressive domestic distribution, product diversification, and strategic international expansion into markets like Europe, the US, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, has surpassed Mukesh Ambani to become Asia's richest person, with a net worth of USD 92.6 billion, placing him 19th globally according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
The Tecno Spark 50 5G is priced from 16,999 for the 4 GB RAM with 128GB storage version, whereas the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB variant costs 18,999. Sales kick off on 3April through both digital platforms and physical stores, with interest-free EMI plans available for up to eight months.
Analysts are increasingly optimistic about India's capital markets, with HDFC AMC, CAMS, and KFin Technologies identified as top investment picks. This optimism stems from a structural shift in household savings towards financial instruments and an expected multi-year earnings expansion for market infrastructure providers and asset management companies.
"Policy sales will be one of the focus areas for the company because looking at the large insurance gap, large number of people being uncovered. The only right way to go is to increase the number of policies," said Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance.
'First-time applicants may witness longer approval times or higher rejection rates and requests for more documentation.'
India's economy is projected to maintain growth above 7 per cent in 2026-27 (FY27), supported by strong domestic consumption and investment, even as global growth faces risks from geopolitical tensions, according to industry body Assocham.
Ajay Kela, CEO of Wadhwani Foundation, highlights India's significant opportunity to lead in the diffusion of technology, creating national-scale use cases that reach millions of end-users. He also discusses the role of deep-tech startups and SMEs in job creation and the importance of upskilling initiatives.
New demat account additions in India reached an 11-month low in March, with only 2.15 million new accounts opened, significantly below the 12-month average. This slowdown is attributed to a sharp decline in equity markets, escalating West Asia tensions, and increased crude oil prices impacting India's economic outlook.
Passenger vehicle sales in India reached a record high of 4.7 million units in FY26, boosted by strong performances from major automakers and the implementation of GST 2.0.
The government is likely to propose a penalty of up to Rs 500 crore for violating provisions of the Digital India Bill, according to sources. Under the proposed bill, the Centre may authorise any government agency to monitor and collect traffic data generated, transmitted, received or stored in any digital system to enhance cyber security. It also aims to identify, analyse and prevent intrusion or spread of malware or virus.
Tata Steel is strategically positioned for growth, leveraging India's robust steel demand, significant cost transformation programmes, and favourable protectionist policies in the EU and UK. The company is expanding its India capacity and optimising operations in its European units to enhance profitability and reduce debt.
The Supreme Court has appointed former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna as the sole mediator to resolve a dispute involving businessman Ashokbhai Haribhai Gajera and others in a case linked to textile market projects in Surat. The case involves allegations of siphoning off Rs 1,900 crore and forging documents.
Sanju Samson's century and Chennai Super Kings' dominant performance led to a significant victory over Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Samson's ability to adapt to the sluggish Wankhede pitch was key to his success.
The OnePlus 15T has been officially listed in OnePlus/OPPO's China store and is set to launch on March 24, 2026, marking its entry as a compact flagship focused on performance and battery life.
Top female executives are calling for corporate India to redesign workplace systems to support women's advancement into leadership roles in the technology sector, particularly in emerging fields like artificial intelligence.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with bank heads to discuss risks related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) following global concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model and its potential threat to financial systems' data security.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw chaired a meeting focusing on Artificial Intelligence, emerging technologies, and electronics hardware manufacturing, highlighting India's progress and future roadmap in these sectors.
Leading jewellery companies, Titan Company and Kalyan Jewellers India, have reported better-than-expected top-line growth in Q4 FY26, driven by robust same-store sales growth, higher average ticket sizes, and an improvement in buyer growth, signalling a strong recovery in demand.
Virat Kohli's casual Instagram 'like' on a travel vlogger's post unexpectedly went viral, sparking social media buzz and bringing back his 'algorithm interaction' explanation.
Jio Payments Bank introduces UPI-based cash withdrawals at business correspondent touchpoints, enhancing financial inclusion and simplifying access to cash for rural and semi-urban customers.
The CBI has arrested Ubaid Ullah, a key conspirator in a cyber crime network, from Guwahati. He is accused of illegally procuring over 10,000 SIM cards for use in cyber crimes.
Indian car buyers care more about affordability than technology, keeping ICE vehicles dominant while hybrids emerge as the preferred transition option and EVs struggle in the mass market.
SBI General Insurance aims to achieve a 10 per cent market share among private and standalone health insurers within approximately five years, up from its current 7.17 per cent, said Naveen Chandra Jha, managing director and chief executive officer, SBI General Insurance.
The Indian government has extended the deadline for implementing SIM-binding rules for mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram to December 31, following requests from the industry. The Department of Telecom has also relaxed the mandatory six-hour log-out rule for web versions of these apps.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar convened a meeting with bankers to address the misuse of bank accounts in cyber frauds and implement preventative measures, following 'Operation Octopus' which dismantled cyber fraud networks and led to arrests of complicit bank officials.
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved Rs 11,718 crore for conducting the Census of India, 2027, which would include the caste enumeration for the first time.
'This is a technology that will particularly benefit those who want to take agency over it'.
Mumbai police have arrested six individuals from Gujarat, dismantling an interstate cyber fraud gang involved in digital arrest scams, including one where a businessman was defrauded of Rs 58 crore.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed Rs 10,000 crore investment in the biopharma sector over the next five years, a move which would give a boost to the country's pharmaceuticals industry.
Aditi Ashok carded an even-par 72 in the opening round of the Ford Championship, placing her in a tie for 108th. Lydia Ko and Hyo Joo Kim lead with impressive under-par scores.
The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, has reassured the public that individual data collected during the upcoming census will remain confidential and cannot be used for any purpose other than statistical aggregation.
The Haryana Police have launched 'Abhedya', a mobile application designed to curb cybercrime, extortion, and threatening calls. This initiative makes Haryana the first state in India to introduce such a measure, aiming to protect citizens from various forms of digital harassment.
Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable due to their high savings, trust in authorities, and limited familiarity with online frauds.
Sri Lanka's response to the Easter attacks has been slow and politically contested, unlike India's swift institutional reforms after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, observes Colonel R Hariharan (retd).
'We want to become India's topmost integrated studio, working in different languages.'
