'While salary increments are moderating compared to last year, not all functions are moving at the same pace.'
Companies are already diversifying sourcing, raising prices, and reworking operating models as the disruption drags on.
The Indian government is set to accelerate reforms, including measures to enhance foreign direct investment, speed up divestment, and boost asset monetisation, to maintain economic growth despite rising fuel and fertiliser import costs driven by the West Asia crisis.
While investments are typically reviewed annually, risk cover is often left unchanged for years.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that raising the FDI limit to 100 per cent in the insurance sector will help attract more capital, improve competition and increase insurance penetration by making policies more affordable.
Hospital stocks have emerged as a strong theme in 2026, outperforming benchmark indices due to robust earnings growth, improved occupancy, higher average revenue per occupied bed, and aggressive expansion plans by major chains.
Haryana is revamping its 2015 Sports Policy to focus on long-term talent development for future Olympians, moving beyond just prize money and jobs. Key initiatives include 'Mission Olympics-2036 Vijayee Bhavah' for young athletes and the 'Khelo Haryana App' for integrated athlete services. The state aims to strengthen athlete welfare, infrastructure, and institutional support.
With winter holidays approaching, some Indian travellers will venture abroad. Many will be underprepared for medical and other travel-related risks. Trip disruptions, missed connections, and steep medical costs in developed countries can leave travellers exposed if they underestimate the coverage they need.
"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.
'I own a few cars that I have had specified minutely to my taste, and it does feel nice to know that there are no other vehicles like them anywhere in the world.'
The committee formed under the Life Insurance Council to review the commission structure in the life insurance sector has recommended capping distributor commissions or deferring them to ease acquisition costs. The recommendations will be sent to the insurance regulator -- Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the West Bengal government's decision to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, highlighting the benefits for the state's residents.
The RBI will now charge banks different deposit insurance fees based on how risky they are, allowing safer banks to pay less premium.
Wedding insurance goes far beyond protecting against cancellations.
Tata Consultancy Services has partnered with French artificial intelligence firm Mistral to provide frontier grade AI solution, Mistral Forge, for enterprises across the world.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
A report indicates that mid-tier banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) entities in India are highly exposed to cyberattacks due to aggressive digitisation coupled with insufficient cybersecurity investments.
A senior citizen in Navi Mumbai was allegedly swindled of 64 lakh over four years by cyber fraudsters posing as insurance regulators and grievance officials.
The life insurance industry recorded nearly 40 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in new business premiums (NBP), aided by the rationalisation of goods and services tax (GST) on individual life insurance premiums, which has made policies more affordable for consumers.
The new labour Codes, notified by the central government in November 2025, have pushed up employee costs for private-sector banks and insurance companies, with these firms reporting higher operating expenses in the October-December quarter (Q3FY26) due to the statutory impact of the new labour Codes.
Compared with a year ago, the effective cost of studying abroad for Indian students has increased by roughly 10%-12% due to currency depreciation and rising living costs.
HDFC Life Insurance reported a 4 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs 495.6 crore for Q4FY26, while its parent, HDFC Bank, announced a Rs 1,000 crore preferential share issuance to raise its stake to 50.5 per cent.
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, a move that was welcomed by industry as it would help attract more capital and global expertise, while boosting insurance coverage in the country. A bill to amend the insurance law is likely to be tabled on Monday in Parliament, whose winter session is slated to conclude on December 19.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have been fiscally stressed for a considerable period of time, and there are no easy ways to mobilise revenues to meet the cost of the promised freebies, particularly in the prevailing difficult economic scenario, points out M Govinda Rao.
'Wipro's challenge is not lack of ideas. In fact, some of its recent structural moves are arguably bolder than peers.' 'The problem is proving it can operationalise these bets faster and more consistently.'
Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has launched two new mobile applications, MyLIC for policyholders and Super Sales Saathi for its sales intermediaries, aiming to enhance digital agility and cater to the younger generation's needs. The apps, part of LIC's DIVE digital transformation platform, offer features like policy management, premium payments, and personalised recommendations.
'Reviewing terms such as war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies or hostilities, which often appear in industry exclusion lists, can help avoid surprises at the time of claim.'
Bajaj Finserv on Thursday said it has completed the acquisition of Allianz SE's stake in Bajaj General Insurance and Bajaj Life Insurance, worth Rs 12,190 crore and Rs 9,200 crore, respectively. Bajaj Finserv, along with Bajaj Holdings & Investment and Jamnalal Sons, acquired the foreign insurer's 23 per cent stake in the businesses, marking the largest transaction in the Indian insurance sector.
Indian companies recorded their highest profit margins in 21 quarters during Q4FY26, reaching 11.3 per cent, primarily due to significant savings from lower employee costs and reduced interest payments, which offset rising raw material prices.
Male central government employees are entitled to 15 days under service rules and provisions in the private sector depends on the company's policy.
The Sri Lankan government attributes the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, citing increased costs for essential imports like gas, fertiliser, and oil.
The Indian government is reportedly considering increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the pension sector to 100 per cent, bringing it in line with the insurance sector. A Bill to amend the PFRDA Act, 2013, is expected in an upcoming Parliament session.
Following the notification allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, the Finance Ministry has revised norms to remove the requirement that a majority of directors and key management personnel in an insurance company with foreign investment be Indian residents.
'It has always been viewed as a hedge against inflation.'
India will continue to purchase Russian oil based on commercial viability and energy security needs, irrespective of US sanctions waivers, according to a senior petroleum ministry official.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is focusing on building AI infrastructure, including India's first AI-focused data centre, as AI becomes a core operating foundation for enterprises globally.
Both the life and non-life insurance segment posted over 20 per cent premium growth in November for the first time in this financial year (FY26), supported by the reduction in goods and services tax (GST) on premiums from 18 per cent to zero and a favourable base effect.
API Holdings, the parent company of online pharmacy PharmEasy, has significantly reduced its debt from 1,800 crore to 1,050 crore and refinanced it at lower interest rates under CEO Rahul Guha, shifting its focus from 'growth at any cost' to profitability and aiming for a debt-free balance sheet before a potential stock market listing.
BJP MLA Dhirendra Singh has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to formulate a comprehensive policy covering education, healthcare, housing and social security for labourers.
'We are staying away from making forward-looking statements on when we will reach 1 trillion, etc. But growth will be rapid; it's only a matter of time.'
