The Indian government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to mitigate the impact of rising global crude prices, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This move aims to provide relief to consumers and oil companies amidst volatile international oil markets.
'At the first sign of real trouble, that money will move. There will be a run.'
Interpol's latest report reveals a significant surge in global financial fraud, driven by the increasing use of artificial intelligence by scamsters, resulting in losses of over USD 442 billion in 2025.
India's rapidly ageing truck fleet, with 42% of vehicles over 12 years old, is set to trigger a replacement-driven growth of 3-5% annually over the next five years.
India's services sector growth slowed in March, reaching a 14-month low, according to the HSBC India Services PMI. The slowdown reflects weaker new business intakes and rising input costs, particularly in fuel, transport, and logistics.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) are reportedly incurring losses of Rs 18 per litre on petrol and Rs 35 per litre on diesel, as they continue to absorb rising crude oil costs without increasing retail prices. This situation is leading to expectations of a fuel price hike after upcoming state elections.
Donald Trump defends the recent surge in global oil prices, arguing it's a necessary short-term cost to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat and ensure global security.
India's manufacturing sector growth slowed to a four-year low in March, impacted by cost pressures, competition, market uncertainty, and the Middle East conflict, according to the HSBC India Manufacturing PMI.
The Indian government has doubled the daily quota of market-priced 5-kg LPG cylinders for migrant workers to ensure stable fuel supplies amidst global disruptions. This move prioritises household cooking gas and addresses the needs of migrant workers who often lack regular connections.
koda Auto Volkswagen India aims to capture a 5 per cent share of India's passenger vehicle market by 2030, driven by new product launches, including alternate fuel vehicles, and a potential entry into the high-volume sub-4 metre SUV segment.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
S&P Global Ratings projects India's economy to grow at 6.3 per cent even if crude oil prices average USD 130 per barrel in the current fiscal year, highlighting the nation's resilience amidst the West Asia crisis and strong commitment to fiscal consolidation.
Ola Electric is making a renewed push into the electric motorcycle market with aggressive pricing and in-house battery manufacturing, aiming to replicate its earlier success in electric scooters while addressing past quality and service issues.
India emerged reasonably well from 2025. But now, the oil shock and war-related supply disruptions have again driven funds out of India and significantly weakened the rupee, points out Ajay Chhibber.
Indian carriers have cancelled over 10,000 flights since the onset of the West Asia conflict, as escalating tensions and airspace restrictions disrupted international operations, a senior government official said.
Dabur India's stock has fallen over 17 per cent since the start of the Iran war, driven by concerns over a weak monsoon, the West Asian crisis, and rising input costs, which are expected to impact the company's revenues and margins, particularly affecting its significant rural sales and international markets.
Vietnamese automobile major VinFast is rapidly expanding its retail network in India, aiming for 75 dealerships across 60 cities by the end of 2026, while also building a comprehensive EV ecosystem.
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 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 government has sharply reduced excise duty on petrol to 3 and diesel to zero, offering major relief to consumers. Here's how the price cut will impact fuel rates and inflation.
Nath's comments came amid the Congress party's continuous attack on Centre for the recent hike in commercial LPG cylinders and the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
'When we start describing somebody as an enemy that is the start of politics and emotion after which no business can take place.' 'We need to get out of this, allow Indian businessmen to do business with China.'
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
"Our strategy has always been to focus on volume-led penetration growth," said Manish Tiwary, chairman and managing director, Nestle India.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
The Indian government has notified final rules under four labour codes, potentially enabling a four-day workweek in certain sectors by capping weekly working hours at 48 while allowing daily flexibility. This move also introduces significant changes to wage fixation, compliance obligations, and social security norms.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
The central bank is yet to consider actions such as a rate hike or mobilising dollar inflows from non-resident Indians to boost forex reserves as it cannot afford to continue with them for long when the rupee's internationalisation tops its agenda, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Maharashtra's Chief Minister inaugurated the 'Missing Link' project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, designed to bypass a steep mountain pass, reduce travel time, and boost economic activity.
Nayara Energy, a private fuel retailer in India, has increased petrol and diesel prices following a surge in global oil prices due to Middle East tensions. This move contrasts with state-owned retailers who continue to freeze prices.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Reliance Industries is expected to report largely flat performance for its fourth quarter (January-March, Q4) of FY26, with weakness in the oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business and muted retail growth likely to offset steady gains in the telecommunications segment.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has accused Pakistan of targeting the region's youth by flooding the streets with drugs, vowing to combat the menace and protect the younger generation.
IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet are opposing the government's directive to offer 60% of seats for free selection, arguing it will lead to increased airfares to compensate for lost revenue.
The fast-growing GLP-1 market, propelled by lower-cost generics following patent expiry, is widening availability beyond patients with obesity and diabetes -- but also driving unsupervised, appearance-led demand, according to doctors.
The Indian government has waived customs duty on critical petrochemical products until June 30 to ensure supply stability and provide relief to consumers amid disruptions caused by the crisis in West Asia.
Largest low-cost airline posted an 18 per cent growth in net profits.
A major fire near the main unit of the newly built Rajasthan refinery of HPCL has postponed the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fire, which broke out near the crude distillation unit, was doused in about two hours with no reported casualties.
The Indian rupee gained 2 paise to settle at 93.33 against the US dollar, driven by positive sentiment in domestic equity markets and renewed hopes for US-Iran talks, despite rising WPI and CPI inflation.
