India's manufacturing sector activity reached a three-month high in May, with the HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising to 55.0, driven by robust domestic demand, infrastructure projects, and new business gains despite ongoing inflationary pressures.
Gautam Adani emphasised the importance of energy security and digital infrastructure in shaping geopolitical power, urging India to develop sovereign capabilities across the AI value chain.
Despite aggressive expansion, India's solar power sector faces significant hurdles from rising regional disparities in installed capacity and a looming manufacturing glut due to overcapacity in domestic solar equipment production, potentially leading to consolidation and pricing pressures.
Nissan Motor India aims to achieve a fourfold increase in domestic sales, targeting 100,000 units annually, and export another 100,000 vehicles from its Chennai plant by financial year 2027-28 (FY28), marking a significant revival of its presence in the Indian passenger vehicle market.
Fitch Ratings forecasts a 9 per cent aggregate revenue increase for rated Indian corporates in the current fiscal year (FY27), a stronger outlook compared to the 5 per cent estimated for FY26, which is expected to keep credit metrics stable despite potential global and domestic challenges.
India's government has implemented stringent new regulations under the Telecommunications Act 2023, mandating that all communication infrastructure providers, including those utilising cloud-based networks, must store telecommunication data exclusively within the country, a move expected to significantly impact domestic data centre demand.
Production growth in India's eight core infrastructure sectors slowed to a three-month low of 2.3 per cent in February, impacted by contractions in crude oil, natural gas, and refinery products output.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) plans to create over 3,800 jobs and expand its annual two-wheeler production capacity to 80 lakh units by 2028, reinforcing India's role as a global manufacturing and export hub for Honda.
High-performance computing server maker Netweb Technologies reported a more than twofold increase in net profit to Rs 85.32 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2026. This significant growth was primarily driven by its AI Systems segment, which contributed over 62% of the revenue. The company also saw its revenue from operations more than double to Rs 819.6 crore, reflecting strong demand and disciplined execution, with a robust order book of Rs 2,507 crore.
Drone technology company ideaForge Technology has successfully raised Rs 500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The funding, which saw strong interest from domestic and international institutional investors, will be used to accelerate innovation, expand its product portfolio into combat drones and autonomous systems, and strengthen its working capital to meet growing demand in defence, homeland security, and civil sectors.
Drone technology company ideaForge Technology has successfully raised Rs 500 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The funding, which saw strong interest from domestic and international institutional investors, will be used to accelerate innovation, expand its product portfolio into combat drones and autonomous systems, and strengthen its working capital to meet growing demand in defence, homeland security, and civil sectors.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to alter hiring patterns in South Asia, with multinational companies (MNCs) and firms integrated into global value chains (GVCs) reducing recruitment more sharply than domestic firms, signalling the technology's early impact on the region's export-oriented services sector, according to the World Bank's World Development Report 2026.
Dell Technologies is significantly expanding its domestic manufacturing in India, with a majority of its servers now produced locally, driven by data sovereignty and AI adoption. The company also launched new AI infrastructure solutions, including PowerStore Elite, designed for secure on-premises data management and AI workflows, while asserting that AI creates more jobs.
'Healthy double-digit returns are still possible, though a sharp rally is unlikely.'
Lodha Developers plans to generate approximately 10,000 crore in sales over the next three to four years by monetising about 150 acres of land at its data centre park in Palava, part of the Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR). This strategy is a planned recurring pillar of their business, funding the build-out of 1 gigawatt of powered shell capacity and aiming for over 2,000 crore in annual rental income by FY32.
Despite decades of efforts towards energy transition, oil will remain the critical energy source for all nations for some decades. We can hope for peace opening the Strait of Hormuz, but must prepare for war closing it, points out former foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai.
Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Rohit Jain has stated that India cannot rely solely on bank balance sheets to fund the extensive investment required for its 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India) goal by 2047, emphasising the critical need for deeper corporate bond, foreign exchange, and derivatives markets.
Trade deals ease risks for Indian equities, but weak demand and stretched valuations raise questions over whether optimism -- especially in smallcaps -- can turn into a sustained bull run, points out Debashis Basu.
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 investors have largely been exiting one part of the market while domestic investors have been enthusiastically accumulating another, points out Debashis Basu.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acknowledged the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, a move that could significantly alter the sport's economics and logistics, despite opposition from major confederations like UEFA and AFC.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran stated that India's economy is projected to return to a 7 per cent-plus growth trajectory by 2027-28 (FY28), or sooner if external conditions improve, despite near-term challenges from the West Asia crisis.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for global collaboration in artificial intelligence development, emphasising a "symphony of global collaboration" over a "solo performance" by any single nation. Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi highlighted the need for ethical AI governance, shared prosperity, and addressing challenges like the widening digital divide. He also announced China's commitment to support developing countries with 5,000 AI research projects and training programmes. The event also saw 29 countries sign an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai.
'I don't see fear becoming a dominant factor for retail investors.'
'With this deal, we may see even 50 launches a year within the next few years.'
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a war threat against India, citing water security as a national concern. This comes as Pakistan grapples with a severe internal water crisis, attributed by experts to mismanagement, and India maintains its suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following a terror attack. Asif accused India of "weaponising water" but admitted to lacking current data on the situation.
The report notes that equities had faced pressure from elevated valuation premiums, subdued nominal gross domestic product (GDP) and earnings growth, sustained foreign portfolio investor (FPI) selling, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure euphoria, and external shocks including US tariffs and a spike in crude oil prices due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia. However, several of these factors are now reversing.
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has expressed caution regarding 'extreme volatility' risks stemming from the West Asian conflict, which could impact global oil demand and the company's margins, while also noting that near-term retail consumption demand may remain sensitive to macro conditions. Chairman Mukesh Ambani, in the annual report, remained silent on the timeline for Jio Platforms' anticipated public listing, stating the group will 'continue to evaluate strategic pathways'.
Semiconductor startup C2i Semiconductors announced it has taped out a smart power stage chip designed for artificial intelligence infrastructure, marking a significant milestone for India's ambitions in domestic semiconductor production.
Monthly gold imports have declined to 25-30 tonnes from 70-80 tonnes while recycling of old jewellery has increased following the recent hike in import duties.
While recovery efforts are ongoing, the likelihood of recovery currently appears low.
We have built an economy that can deliver everything -- from iPhones to biryani -- to a doorstep in 10 minutes, but it cannot deliver a fire engine through a lane in 20, points out Amit Kapoor.
State Bank of India Chairman C S Setty has expressed support for a 'pause' in policy rates by the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy committee, believing it will help stabilise conditions and support economic growth. He also urged investors to look beyond short-term equity market movements and focus on India's structural transformation, driven by reforms and digital infrastructure.
Fintech platform Decentro has received final approval for a Payment Service Provider (PSP) licence from the IFSCA at GIFT City, enhancing its cross-border payment capabilities.
As the rupee weakens, wealthy families are accelerating investments in global assets.
90 per cent of institutions recorded no improvement in international student metrics, despite government initiatives such as the Study in India programme, UGC regulations on internationalisation, and efforts to attract foreign students.
Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar announced that the TVK regime, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, will take steps to ensure fair financial devolution from the Centre, including pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court. The government also plans to conduct a 'Social Justice Survey' and address the state's severe financial deterioration.
Krutrim, India's first AI unicorn, has successfully repositioned itself as a focused domestic AI Cloud Services provider, reporting its first annual net profit in FY26.
India's EV ecosystem is growing, but remains too underdeveloped to cushion a major oil supply shock.
