With the Union Budget three months away, major industry chambers have submitted to the government proposals on common taxes, seeking simpler compliance and a quicker resolution of tax disputes.
The quarterly manufacturing index by the industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (Ficci) rose to an all-time high in the third quarter of financial year 2025-26 (Q3FY26), with 91 per cent of respondents reporting either higher or same production levels, against 87 per cent in the previous quarter.
With the music industry pushing for growth in the paid subscription segment, Universal Music India anticipates that the Indian market will mature, potentially becoming a highly impactful paid market for music over the next five years.
Adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India's 64 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) alone could unlock over $500 billion in economic value, but the country must pivot from an "adopt-first" to an "invent-first" mindset to realise this potential, according to a new report.
Retirement fund body EPFO has extended the deadline for filing EPF return or ECR (electronic challan-cum-return) by one week for the wage month of September till October 22, 2025. The employers are mandated to file the ECR by the 15th of every month.
The Centre is regularly holding consultations with stakeholders to streamline foreign direct investments (FDIs) and foreign institutional investments (FIIs) related processes to enable faster and more efficient investment flows into the country, said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, adding one such meeting with stakeholders was held on Tuesday.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has sought urgent steps to clear the huge backlog of income-tax appeals, simplify tax deducted at source (TDS) compliance, and ensure tax neutrality for fast-track demergers, during its consultation with Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27.
However, these are understood to be exploratory talks, with an agreement unlikely to be formalised during the current visit.
Former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes said that Team India does not need to prepare turning wickets as they can bowl out their opponents with their pace line-up and having another spin-friendly wicket for the second Test against South Africa will be a "big test of their ability".
Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) members on Monday to discuss opportunities in his country, especially in the mining sector. The Taliban, who now control Afghanistan, is seeking to repair its ties with New Delhi, and is hopeful of Indian public and private sectors increasing investments in the mining and power sector, and greater trade and commerce.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit focused on strengthening ties with India, including defense cooperation and trade, amidst a changing geopolitical landscape.
Mint Road's proposals on banks' M&A funding are cautious even as entrants root for more elbow room, and weigh business models.
India Inc, which is sitting on cash balances of 13.5 trillion, is using the funds to meet capital expenditure as well as brownfield expansion, resulting in 'anaemic' demand for bank loans, State Bank of India (SBI) chairman CS Setty said at an event on Monday. He added that a slowdown in corporate credit is mainly due to lack of demand.
Businesses are testing new markets, tapping into domestic demand, and pushing the government for relief.
India's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) - which contribute over 45 per cent to outbound shipments - are facing a major disruption following the United States (US) decision to impose 50 per cent additional tariffs on the country's exports. MSME industry bodies have raised an alarm over the deep impact, seeking immediate government intervention.
Reforms in the Indian economy have brought about a change in the nature, role and functioning of industry chambers and their membership, both in terms of composition and numbers.
Last fortnight, State Bank of India Chairman C S Setty lifted the veil on a subject long spoken of in corporate corridors: Why can't our banks finance mergers and acquisitions (M&As)? Change is in the air: Indian Banks' Association (of which Setty is the chairman) is to "make a formal request" to Mint Road to make way for it. Thus far the exclusive turf of foreign banks even though its funding remains offshore - as in, it's not on these entities rupee-book (and a few select shadow banks) - a most lucrative segment in the investment banking suite, M&As, will be homeward-bound.
CII president K V Kamath, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Rajeev handrasekhar and Assocham President Sajjan Jindal held discussions with Chidambaram immediately after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had interacted with a larger industry group. The government as also the Reserve Bank of India have taken a number of steps since beginning of October to ward off the Indian banking system from the global financial contagion.
Restoration of communication and transport links between India and Pakistan and liberalising visa norms for the businessmen are among the suggestions made by the India-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Zubair Ahmed Malik also said that the negative list should also be pruned to boost bilateral trade with India.
Afghanistan is ripe and ready for more investments from India and offers a lot of opportunities.
Three industry bodies suggested changes in India's tax regime in their pre-Budget discussions with Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra in New Delhi on Tuesday. The bodies - Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) - held separate meetings with Malhotra during the day and put across their suggestions for the upcoming Budget.
Alongside the mini-ministerial meeting beginning in Geneva from Monday, the World Trade Organisation is convening on July 24, a 'Singalling Conference' where countries would give indications of the kind of market they are willing to concede in services. It demanded that the conference should be held in serious negotiation mode. The domestic regulations acting as barriers to the supply of services by Indian professionals in the developed markets should be removed, it said.
India Inc on Tuesday expressed deep reservations over the supplier liability provision -- the contentious Clause 17(b) -- in the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill, 2010, saying it would seriously hinder nuclear commerce.
Indian film industry lost Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) on gross revenues of Rs 3, 900 crore (Rs 39 billion) during 2002, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
Union minister Chirag Paswan on Monday said his Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas wants to fight the assembly election in Jharkhand and a final decision will be taken soon on whether it would contest under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) or alone.
Affirmative action here refers to direct efforts to ameliorate the educational and employment situation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
Wants all services included in tax, with a negative list.
Eying benefits from digital banking, lenders are now looking at building Unified Recovery Interface (URI) for enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and getting good prices for properties of defaulters. This would be managed by PSB Alliance Ltd, a company set up by all public sector banks in the country. M V Rao, chairman, Indian Banks' Association (IBA), said: "Till now we had Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a product developed by National Payments Corporation Ltd (NPCI).
Government has proposed to make bribery in private sector a criminal offence.
This is despite a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry survey showing more players were optimistic on a recovery in manufacturing in the last quarter of 2011-12.
The RBI is scheduled to announce the annual credit policy for 2011-12 on May 3. Industry representatives are expected to press the RBI to lower interest rates so that credit becomes cheaper for them in the customary pre-policy meeting.
Captains of the industry, particulary the outgoing chairman of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce of Industry Harsh Pati Singhania, who is also the managing director of JK Paper Mill, hailed the Union Budget.
Ficci: Rationalise tax structure; CII: Space for fiscal incentives is limited.
I'...additional concessions, such as opening government procurement, reducing agricultural subsidies, weakening patent protections, and allowing unrestricted data flows -- demands India has resisted for decades.'
'Inflation is not good for industry. Nor for the economy as a whole.'