The government has appointed Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who shall also function as the secretary to the government of India, department of military affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders.
The Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) has denied an RTI request for data on oil imports from Russia, citing its 'commercial and confidential' nature and exemptions under the RTI Act. The Central Information Commission supported this decision, referencing strategic and economic interests.
Weighing 190 kg, Mission Drishti is India's heaviest privately developed Earth observation satellite.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The Plan panel is against an NHAI proposal to increase the cost allocation of building each four-lane highway by 33 per cent.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The U.S. Department of Justice has permanently dropped all criminal charges against Indian tycoon Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, bringing a high-profile securities and wire fraud case in New York to a close after prosecutors concluded they could not sustain the allegations.
India's leading passenger vehicle manufacturers are significantly increasing investments and factory capacities, alongside planning major product launches for FY27, driven by strong confidence in sustained domestic demand growth despite global geopolitical tensions and supply chain risks.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
The US Department of Justice has permanently dropped all criminal charges against Indian tycoon Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, concluding a high-profile securities and wire fraud case in New York after prosecutors determined they could not sustain the allegations.
A Delhi court recently acquitted five accused, including an army personnel and a Border Security Force personnel, in an espionage case. While acquitting the accused persons, the court flagged serious lapses in the investigation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun a six-day tour of the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to strengthen bilateral relations amid geopolitical challenges. The trip will focus on energy security, trade, and technological cooperation.
"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.
There are justifiable concerns that, if all financial allocation powers are now shifted to the finance ministry, then the end of the Commission might be counter-productive -- states' needs could, in fact, be addressed less.
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to deepen India's bilateral ties amid geopolitical changes.
TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in protest alleging irregular activities inside a strongroom housing EVMs in West Bengal, following concerns raised by Mamata Banerjee regarding EVM security.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla group company, has become the world's largest cement producer outside China, surpassing 200 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of installed capacity in India. The company plans to invest Rs 16,000 crore to reach a target capacity of 240 mtpa by the financial year 2027-28.
The Prime Minister said there is a need to have a relook at the structure of the Planning Commission and give it a new shape.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of using the proposed amendment to the women's quota law as a front for the Delimitation Bill, which she claims will divide the country. She asserted that her party will fight this move at every step.
The Indian government is actively developing a policy for flex-fuel vehicle adoption and aiming for 100 per cent ethanol blending in petrol to enhance energy self-reliance, particularly in light of supply disruptions from the West Asia conflict.
Take the Rediff Business Quiz and find out how much you know about India's Planning Commission.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth Rs 1.06 crore in connection with the 'Global Media App' fraud, an online earning platform that allegedly generated over Rs 45 crore through illicit means.
Making a brief intervention during Question Hour in Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said government was planning to involve knowledgeable people and those who can provide new ideas to redefine and restructure the Planning Commission.
In many ways, this is only the beginning -- of a new chapter in India's nuclear story, and of a future where its vast thorium reserves could finally power its ambitions.
The 64-year-old Planning Commission, a vestige of the socialist era, will soon become history.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's purchase of 'jhalmuri' during a campaign stop, alleging it was a staged event for cameras. She also accused the BJP of aiding Independents from the minority community and criticised the Election Commission over voter roll revisions.
The RusBeam 2800 is now India's largest electron-beam wire deposition 3D printer operating under vacuum. The machine was custom-built for India and is operated with software developed by Rosatom.
Reliance Industries' digital arm, Jio Platforms, may see its initial public offering (IPO) delayed to the second half of fiscal 2027, according to CreditSights. The delay is primarily attributed to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which could impact market conditions and investor sentiment.
The Indian Parliament is expected to extend its budget session to introduce a bill increasing Lok Sabha seats to 816, reserving 273 for women, and amending the women's reservation law.
Cooperation Minister Amit Shah addressed Parliament regarding the challenges faced by Bharat Taxi, a government-backed cooperative ride-hailing platform, including competition from established private aggregators and resistance to digital adoption among drivers.
At Border Pillar 609 at Babliyan near Jaisalmer, the one thing that dominates the landscape is something entirely different, something central to our identity -- the Tiranga -- flying boldly above the blazing desert.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Election Commission for allegedly failing to protect judicial officers involved in electoral roll revisions in Malda district. She accused the EC of lacking control over law and order and enabling the BJP's alleged attempts to disrupt the election process.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised one lakh jobs for youths each year based on merit if the BJP won the West Bengal election, and also pledged to make the state free of infiltrators.
The scholarships are expected to support both merit- and need-based categories, including students from non-metro regions and those enrolling in high-demand disciplines such as AI and other STEM fields.
Caught in the middle of a maelstrom of controversies, the Planning Commission has been accused of being disconnected from ground realities. Its 12th Plan hopes to fix that.
