Chinese state media on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic reforms have achieved "little progress" and asserted that the Chinese economy was five times bigger than the Indian economy.
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.
As the world's most populous country, India's economy looks large in the aggregate even as its average incomes stay modest.
Regional OTT platform STAGE is set to release India's first AI-made biopic on farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram. The project leverages artificial intelligence for various aspects of filmmaking, from visualisation to character generation, aiming to reduce production costs and expand storytelling possibilities for underserved cultures and languages.
For India, the goal is not simply to host another grand diplomatic gathering. It is to prove that a diverse coalition of emerging powers can still deliver.
Popular anguish over the slow pace of economic reforms has grown more intense in the last few weeks even as Congress President Sonia Gandhi takes charge as the head of the National Advisory Council and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's grip on the policy-making apparatus of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government appears to get weaker.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India is likely to sustain economic growth of 7 per cent or more in 2026-27, continuing the pace recorded since the Covid-19 pandemic, despite geopolitical uncertainties and supply-chain disruptions.
Asking the state finance ministers to resolve the pending issues expeditiously, the Centre on Thursday said introducing Goods and Services Tax was critical for economic reforms.
The BRICS grouping adopted a consensus joint declaration in New Delhi, successfully navigating differences on the West Asia conflict but notably omitting any direct mention of US strikes on Iran or Iranian military attacks on Gulf Arab nations. The declaration also criticised Israel's actions in Gaza and called for a concerted approach against terrorism.
'Improved law and order and transparent governance have helped change UP's investment image.'
'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.'
The challenge thrown by the youth movement creates the opportunity for a more consequential debate on India's economic trajectory because it must remain centered on India's youth as its driving impulse, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A government bill proposing to widen the remit of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) is facing scrutiny from Members of Parliament. Concerns have been raised that the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, could reduce the premier institute's autonomy. The bill, currently under examination by a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, aims to incorporate ISI as a 'body corporate' to strengthen governance and promote academic excellence, but critics fear increased government control.
The Indian coal ministry announced that 147 commercial coal blocks auctioned since 2020 are expected to attract approximately 55,000 crore in capital investment, generate 490,000 jobs, and contribute significantly to state revenues.
Indian governments enjoy brief periods of autonomy before politics take over.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday assured the industry that momentum of economic reforms will continue to make India a hotspot of global investment. India has turned the crisis created by COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to push the economic reforms, which remained pending for decades, she said while addressing the National MNC's Conference 2020 organised by industry chamber CII.
India must carry on with economic reforms: Lord Swraj Paul
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed his determination to blacklist contractors and suspend officials responsible for delays and shoddy execution of infrastructure projects. He plans to personally inspect the delayed Mumbai-Goa Highway in October and urged the Goa government to develop roadside amenities and promote green initiatives along the route. Gadkari also highlighted the importance of infrastructure for economic growth and sustainable development.
The Obama Administration is encouraged by recent steps taken by the governments of India and Pakistan to initiate closer trade and commercial ties.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian concluded his visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit, announcing that Iran and the UAE agreed to move past previous tensions. This diplomatic breakthrough occurred during talks with Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince on the summit sidelines. Pezeshkian also met with PM Modi to discuss bilateral ties and West Asia developments, with Modi emphasising dialogue for regional peace. The BRICS summit adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, calling for global governance reforms and de-escalation in West Asia.
Indian economy is on growth path, says US diplomat.
Reaching out to the American business community, he said, virtually all spheres of Indian economy are open for participation by foreign investors and "no investors will be more welcome than investors from this great country".
Lauding India for its decade-old economic reforms, World Bank vice president Nicholas H Stern said on Tuesday that the country has shown the developing world the right kind of economic policies to be adopted.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday strongly refuted observations by US think-tanks, the government and industry that India has gone slow on economic reforms and insisted that a series of reforms are in the process, which will lead to the next round of growth.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
The United States and the European Union have strongly criticised India's trade policies at the World Trade Organization review, highlighting concerns over high tariffs, quality-control orders (QCOs), and restrictions on digital trade and services, which they argue undermine India's economic openness.
Delhi Police detained several anti-reservation protesters at Jantar Mantar who were demanding that economic criteria be prioritised over caste for government support and reservation. The protest, mobilised via social media by 'Reservation Hatao Andolan', proceeded despite police denying permission for Jantar Mantar and offering Ramlila Ground as an alternative venue. Demonstrators called for a review of the existing reservation system and the introduction of a creamy-layer criterion.
'It is not because of the war in West Asia, which began on February 28.' 'Petroleum product prices are already going through the roof. They are bound to have a serious inflationary impact.' 'A country's leadership is tested in trying times. It is here that the current leadership is failing.'
People like Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram, who as finance minister had fully supported the NPS, refuse to exercise their moral and political influence to try and stop Ashok Gehlot and others hell-bent on wrecking the states' finances, notes Virendra Kapoor.
Andy Burnham has officially taken office as the new UK Prime Minister, pledging to make politics more about problem-solving and usher in a 'circuit breaker' moment for the country with significant political and economic changes.
India must push on with economic reforms as back tracking on such initiatives will impact growth as well as foreign investments, a senior banking official said.
Of the 37,448 candidates registered for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) in June, 36,288 appeared and 4,635 qualified.
A research paper by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) recommends that Bihar revoke its alcohol ban, citing its failure to reduce violence against women and a rise in illicit drug and alcohol consumption. The report suggests that reinstating the liquor excise tax would significantly increase state revenues and decrease enforcement costs.
Brokerage Bernstein has warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India risks squandering recent economic gains unless it accelerates structural reforms, particularly in jobs, manufacturing and innovation.
When questioned on recent efforts by the US to bring up issues against India at the World Trade Organization, most recently to thwart India's efforts to market generic drugs, Rao reiterated the 'candour in the dialogue' both countries have which had helped maintain a balance, eschewing any extreme decisions.
'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.'
Computer-based testing can make the examination more secure and transparent. Ensuring equal opportunities to prepare will make it fair as well. India needs both, suggests Dibyasree Ganguly.
The Indian government has approved the introduction of one billion polymer banknotes in Rs 10 and Rs 20 denominations for field trials, aiming to enhance durability. This move comes as the Finance Minister also addressed Parliament on declining retail inflation, GST reforms, and other fiscal measures taken to support the economy and household consumption.
The Congress on Monday took potshots at West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee over her move to stage a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar in new Delhi against the Centre's new reforms, saying that the United Progressive Alliance government is determined and has made a commitment to push economic reforms for the betterment of the country.
