India needs to move beyond ease and cost of doing business and focus on the "speed of doing business" as the next leg of reforms to sustain economic growth and private investment, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) President R Mukundan said.
The Confederation of Indian Industry-Indian Women Network (CII-IWN) organised a hands-on Artificial Intelligence (AI) workshop in Chandigarh for women entrepreneurs and professionals. The session focused on practical applications of AI, including generative AI and LLMs, to address business challenges and enhance productivity across various functions like marketing, content creation, and data analysis.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced significant opportunities for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within India's rapidly expanding aviation sector. With Indian airlines ordering over 1,600 aircraft and the aerospace market projected to double by 2035, there's a massive scope for Indian suppliers to integrate into global aerospace supply chains, moving beyond assembly to design and manufacturing.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has urged the Indian government to gradually restore the Rs 10-per-litre cut in special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel over six to nine months. This move aims to relieve pressure on government finances as crude oil prices stabilise, without significantly impacting consumer sentiment.
Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts, has presented a proposal for the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) group to sell its 18.37 per cent stake in Tata Sons for approximately 25,000 crore, aiming to address the SP group's liquidity needs without a public listing of Tata Sons.
'My suggestion to Nandan Nilekani is that it would be worthwhile for him to take a holistic review in a manner in which examination is just one critical component.'
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, highlighted the evolving US-India space partnership, moving from cooperation to "co-creation" at the Bengaluru Space Expo. He emphasised joint design, funding, and co-authoring the future of human discovery, citing the NISAR satellite and India's participation in the Artemis Accords as key examples of this growing synergy.
IICT and Netflix are offering scholarships to 100 students and working professionals, with up to 80 per cent financial support for courses in animation, VFX, gaming and creative technologies.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed a 20-point policy agenda to the finance ministry, including a conflict-linked emergency credit line guarantee scheme and tax rationalisation on energy inputs, to support MSMEs, exporters, and energy-intensive industries affected by the ongoing West Asia war.
The data may include details of foreign bank accounts, investment accounts, certain financial investments, interest income, dividends and other specified financial income held by Indian tax residents abroad.
Business confidence in India Inc rose to a five-quarter high in December quarter of FY26, amid further reform expectations and steady domestic demand, a survey by industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) showed. The CII Business Confidence Index (BCI) rose for the third consecutive quarter to 66.5 in the December quarter from 66 in the preceding September quarter.
The Indian government has sought explanations from WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal regarding their username features, citing serious concerns about potential impersonation and cybercrime. IT Secretary S Krishnan highlighted the risks, leading to notices being served to these platforms, with WhatsApp specifically asked to pause its rollout of the feature.
Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran has urged the industry to invest in skilling, capability development, and innovation to counter the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, particularly for Global Capability Centres (GCCs). He noted that while the government has supported GCCs through Budget measures like simplifying transfer pricing and promoting expansion into tier-II/III cities, industry must move beyond low-cost execution to thrive in an an AI-driven landscape. Nageswaran emphasised that AI displaces routine tasks, necessitating a focus on higher-value work and continuous skill enhancement to maintain India's competitive edge.
Meta-owned WhatsApp has submitted its reply to the government's notice on the "username" feature and the response is being examined, sources said on Thursday.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought an explanation from WhatsApp regarding its username feature, citing concerns over potential cybercrime facilitation. Concurrently, the ministry is investigating reported data leak allegations involving Tata Electronics, a key supplier for Apple's iPhone components in India. MeitY is also exploring techno-legal solutions for VPNs to address challenges posed by unregistered providers operating from outside India.
The Indian government has ordered the removal of three Chinese mobile applications - BAT-BMS, Lossigy, and Epoch-i-ion - from app stores, citing their alleged misuse to remotely disable battery-operated vehicles in India, amid heightened cybersecurity concerns.
Indian foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States has reached approximately USD 16.4 billion, supporting around 70,800 jobs and contributing significantly to research and development, according to US Deputy Undersecretary Brandon Remington.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the state has secured investment proposals worth approximately Rs 50 trillion over the past nine years, attributing this economic revival to the enforcement of the rule of law and strategic policy changes. He affirmed UP's trajectory towards becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2029-30.
The India-Oman free trade agreement, operationalised on June 1, is set to create significant export opportunities for India's labour-intensive and value-added sectors, including textiles, gems and jewellery, and marine products, while also strengthening energy security.
Barclays Global Service Centre India MD & CEO Praveen Kumar has urged Indian banks to modernise their technology architecture and build AI-based defence systems to counter emerging cyber threats posed by AI tools.
Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan urges Indian startups to focus on deep technology and advanced manufacturing to ensure strategic autonomy.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlights the growing demand for AI-related jobs in India and the transformation needed in the IT industry. He also mentions significant investments in data centres and subsea cable networks to boost digital infrastructure.
Bihar's economy is expected to grow to $1.1 trillion by 2046-47, considering the state's huge underlying potential, a report by industry body CII said on Tuesday.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that two more semiconductor chip packaging units, part of the India Semiconductor Mission, are expected to be operational by July and December, respectively. He also highlighted India's focus on becoming a beneficiary of AI technology, expanding data centre infrastructure with significant investments, and developing new subsea cable networks for global connectivity.
The proposed facility seeks to simplify and speed up PF withdrawals by allowing Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscribers to access up to 75 per cent of their balance through ATMs and UPI-based systems, while retaining at least 25 per cent in their accounts.
NITI Aayog Member Rajiv Gauba has detailed an extensive deregulation agenda, moving India towards a 'permitted unless prohibited' principle to dismantle new forms of the Licence Raj and clear 'regulatory cholesterol' for businesses.
India's home-grown EV startups say the government's auto PLI scheme is helping big players while shutting out innovators building electric two- and three-wheelers from scratch.
Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani group, emphasised that energy and intelligence are inseparable national priorities, asserting that India must build its own capabilities in these sectors rather than relying on external sources, especially in the context of global conflicts and shifting supply chains.
India has no plans to ration fuel supplies despite ongoing disruptions in global energy markets, according to a top oil ministry official. The country has maintained adequate inventories of crude products and LPG while diversifying imports to manage supply risks.
'Policy consistency combined with timely and calibrated reforms are expected to ensure that India not only maintains macroeconomic stability, but also emerges as a globally competitive and inclusive economy.'
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.
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.
'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
India possesses two months of fuel stockpiles and faces no supply concerns despite global energy disruptions, according to Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. However, state-run fuel retailers are incurring losses of up to Rs 1 lakh crore in a single quarter due to elevated crude prices and unchanged retail fuel prices, raising questions about the sustainability of these losses.
JNS Cloud Solutions, in partnership with upGrad Enterprise, has launched the Africa AI Skilling Initiative to accelerate digital transformation and address the skills gap in Africa.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the India-Canada CEOs Forum, likened T20 cricket to India-Canada business ties, urging fast, fearless partnerships and inviting Canadian CEOs to join India's development journey.
India's economy is expected to grow 6.4-6.7 per cent during the current financial year driven by strong domestic demand, even as geopolitical uncertainty poses downside risks, the newly appointed CII president Rajiv Memani said on Thursday.
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.
Renewables sector stole the show as Andhra Pradesh bagged investments to the tune of around Rs 13.25 trillion during the three-day CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam. The sector accounted for the bulk of Rs 5.33 trillion out of the memorandum of understanding (MoUs) signed during the summit.
