Corporate margins and profits in India remain vulnerable to changes in crude oil prices in the international market. Historical quarterly data from listed companies (excluding banks, finance and insurance, oil and gas, and power sectors) indicate an adverse correlation between corporate margins and crude oil prices.
A number of private companies have contributed to the development of ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft which successfully landed near the south pole of the Moon on Wednesday evening.
The principal director of plans, policy, and resources management for the Maldives National Defence Force, Colonel Ahmed Mujuthaba Mohamed said that discussions are underway for withdrawing Indian troops from the Maldives.
Terming as "illegal" marketing margins charged by RIL on gas supplied to it, Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Infra has asked the Mukesh Ambani-led company to withdraw these charges and refund the payments it had made till now.
A total of 86 metres have to be drilled vertically to prepare an escape passage. Pipes of 1.2 metres in diameter have to be laid vertically through the top of the tunnel on which work began on Sunday as a second option to reach the stranded labourers.
In a new twist to negotiations on the much-delayed Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, Tehran wants legal immunity in case of armed conflict disrupting natural gas supplies through the proposed line.
Billionaire Gautam Adani's group is building the world's largest renewable energy park in Gujarat, as it eyes a massive 45 GW capacity to generate electricity largely from solar energy. Speaking at the opening of 'Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Gallery' at the Science Museum in London, Gautam Adani said his group's renewable energy arm, Adani Green Energy, is leading an energy transition that honours the commitment of taking care of the planet not just for this generation and the next but also for generations to come. "As the world's leading solar power developer and India's largest renewable energy company, we are taking very big steps," he said.
Existing optimism about the capital goods sector has been enhanced by the Assembly election results, which were favourable for the BJP. The prospects of political continuity led to renewed interest in the sector. There are demand-supply gaps, especially in power, and visibility of improved pricing and strong order flows, including from private enterprises.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday dedicated GAIL India Ltd's 1,000 km Dabhol-Bangalore natural gas pipeline to the nation.
Closely watched by the world for any escalation, the Iran-Israel conflict is already showing early signs of stress for India Inc - longer deliveries, doubling freight rates, extended working capital cycles, and higher costs. For those yet to feel the heat, there is growing apprehension and nervousness over future developments, observed industry executives.
Capital expenditure by Indian companies is likely to see an uptick in the upcoming quarters as capacity utilisation has surpassed the critical threshold of 75 per cent, and numerous companies have deleveraged their balance sheets, according to analysts. The first quarter of the current financial year has shown improved profitability, driven by a decrease in input prices. This, according to analysts at Care Ratings, should stimulate a revival in the private capex cycle.
ONGC currently supplies gas directly in isolated pockets of India, mainly in Gujarat and Assam, which contributes around Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) to ONGC's total marketing revenues. In May 1992, gas pipelines and marketing functions related to natural gas were transferred by ONGC to GAIL. However, there are certain isolated pockets where ONGC continues to be the marketing agency.
Qatar and Australia are likely to supply fuel for restarting the $3 billion Dabhol Power Project in Maharasthra from the fourth quarter of 2006.
MahaVitaran, which draws 95 per cent of the power from the project, has started drawing power at Rs 4 per unit.
India's trade account could come under pressure and there could be an inflation push if crude oil prices remain above the $90 per barrel (Brent) for a prolonged period since India imports over 85 per cent of its oil and roughly 50 per cent of its gas. A rebound in economic activity is bound to lead to higher fuel demand. While India is the third-largest importer of crude, it is a net exporter of refined products, which helps to compensate to some degree.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Union government has the exclusive jurisdiction to enact law on the supply and regulation of natural gas and liquefied natural gas and quashed a Gujarat legislation purporting to regulate
Gail India subsidiary Mahanagar Gas (MGL) on Friday announced a steep reduction in the retail price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs 8/kg and domestic PNG (piped natural gas) by Rs 5/SCM across its licenced area. The move comes on the heels of the Centre revising the pricing methodology of domestically-produced natural gas on Thursday as proposed by the Kirit Parikh committee and following it with the new price announcement earlier in the day. In February, the city gas distributor reduced its CNG price by Rs 2.5/kg but prices are still around 80 per cent more than those in April last.
The Principal Secretary of Planning Commission also requested the people of Jammu and Kashmir on behalf of the central government to maintain peace.
The government on Wednesday asserted in the Supreme Court that any suitable arrangement between the Ambani brothers for the supply of gas from K G Basin has to be approved by it keeping the national interest paramount.
During hearing of the dispute over supply of gas by RIL to RNRL at $2.34 per mmBtu, the bench headed by chief justice K G Balakrishnan said the two parties could arrive at a 'suitable arrangement' through arbitration, as the Bombay high court that approved the Reliance empire's demerger cannot spell what is the ideal arrangement.
Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani, in an address to RIL's shareholders, said RIL would continue to follow its successful strategy and focus on improving its portfolio, increasing efficiency, product innovation and expanding its businesses in order to get closer to key markets.
Tripura Asset of ONGC has set a target of 60 lakh cubic metres of gas production per day which would be completed by three phases and Rs 1,946.22 crore (Rs 19.46 billion) has already been sanctioned by ONGC board for the first phase to be completed by 2011-12, the officials said.
The crux of the ongoing court case between Reliance Industries (RIL) and Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL) on Monday was pricing of the gas produced from the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin.
The company is pursuing the early scheduling of gas with the Centre to restart generation.
State-run NTPC, Essar Power and Torrent are among the firms identified by the Union power ministry for buying natural gas from Reliance Industries' eastern offshore D6 block.
Re-instatement of 5% custom duty on crude imports will help.
Top government officials in New Delhi have started discussions with stakeholders ranging from shipping and container companies to export promotion councils to understand the impact of the Iran-Israel tensions and plan ahead. Inter-ministerial talks are also being lined up amid the crisis situation in West Asia, sources confirmed. While the crude flows are not directly under any threat, elevated oil prices remain a concern, according to officials.
Indian Oil Corporation's Raxaul depot resumed supplies after the obstruction by protesters was removed from the main 'Maitreyi' (Friendship) Bridge connecting the two countries.
Major General S C N Jatar, who passed into the ages on Monday night, thwarted anti-national forces at the peak of the Assam agitation. Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) salutes this officer and gentleman.
Last week, RIL moved the apex court challenging the Bombay high court order that asked it to supply 28 mmscmd of gas to RNRL at $2.34 per mmbtu.
IOC has been forced to shut down its Digboi refinery in Assam and is operating Guwahati unit at minimal throughput, while OIL has been forced to shut LPG production and its crude oil production has dropped by 15-20%. Sources said the agitation has blocked the movement of tankers and trucks, which are mostly used to supply petrol, diesel and LPG from the refineries to different parts of the North East.
Policy air bubbles and implementation snags could block plans to connect India's cities to a clean fuel grid.
An empowered group of ministers headed by Defence Minister A K Antony is to consider an Oil Ministry proposal of abolishing the priority ranking later in the day, according to which natural gas is first given to urea manufacturing fertiliser plants, then to LPG units, followed by power plants, city gas, steel and refineries.
Anil Ambani Group firm Reliance Infrastructure has agreed to pay the levy, although under protest, and has asked the Mukesh Ambani firm to resume natural gas supplies to its power plant.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a Rs 11.11 lakh crore spending on infrastructure and vowed to continue reforms as she resisted resorting to populist measures in Modi government's last Budget before general elections, instead choosing to stay on the path of cutting deficit while bolstering measures for focus groups.
Petronet LNG, which operates a recently expanded ten-million-tonne gas regassification plant in Dahej on the west coast, is exploring a swap option with the gas from the Krishna-Godavari field (K-G D6) on the east coast owned by Reliance Industries Ltd.
Farmers from Mormugao, Ponda and Bicholim talukas met revenue officer Anthony D'Souza, on Wednesday expressing their opposition to the Dabhol-Bangalore pipeline, which will be plugged at Gokak to provide supply gas to Goa.
Both the countries have formed a strategic partnership for setting up joint projects in construction, oil and gas, minerals and metallurgy. Besides, Kazakhstan will supply uranium to India for peaceful purpose.
In her petition seeking a writ of habeas corpus directing her production before the high court as well as an order to 'set her at liberty', Azad said not allowing her to consult a lawyer of her choice amounted to violation of her fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution, making the remand order unlawful.
The law regulating the gas pipeline sector will end up making the public sector incumbents dominant players in the market.