Indian wedding bookings to Sri Lanka are projected to grow 20-25 per cent annually over the next few years.
India's dual pursuit of a robust strategic partnership with Washington and a pragmatic, tension-management policy with Beijing represents the essence of modern multi-alignment. By embracing economic pragmatism, learning to compartmentalize political differences, and engaging in continuous dialogue, India can secure its borders, grow its economy, and contribute to a stable, multipolar Asian century, points out Ambassador Rajasekhar.
India's exports reached a six-month high, growing by 18 per cent to USD 45.2 billion in May, driven by electronic goods, petroleum products, engineering items, and pharmaceuticals. However, the trade deficit widened to USD 28.21 billion due to a 10 per cent rise in imports, particularly petroleum products and gold, amidst surging crude oil prices.
Uncertainties stemming from the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on inflation and economic growth were key factors in the Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision to maintain the status quo on interest rates, according to the recently released MPC meeting minutes.
The harsh truth is that the US is no longer a reliable partner, cautions Ramesh Menon.
Iran's ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, has described India as a "reliable and compassionate" partner while asserting Tehran's territorial authority over the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing regional tensions.
Global oil prices fell on Thursday to their lowest levels since before the outbreak of the Iran conflict, offering a significant economic tailwind for India, the world's third-largest crude importer, by easing inflation risks, reducing the import bill and improving the government's fiscal position.
Live updates on the US-Israel-Iran war: Trump escalates threats, Iran retaliates, and oil prices surge as the Strait of Hormuz crisis disrupts global markets.
India's crude oil imports from Russia reached a record high of approximately 2.73 million barrels per day (mbpd) in June, driven by discounts of $2-5 a barrel. This surge comes as the West Asia crisis disrupted supplies from traditional sources and China reduced its own purchases, leading Russia to offer more favourable terms to India.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu recounts a 'tense and scary' experience at Dubai International Airport after an explosion occurred nearby, amidst escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced volatility due to conflicting developments in West Asia, including reports of the Strait of Hormuz closure, which led to a rebound in crude oil prices and heightened investor concerns about supply disruptions and inflation.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced volatile trade, declining in early deals before fluctuating, as investors reacted to unabated foreign fund outflows and rising geopolitical uncertainties, particularly in West Asia.
"There is a sharp jump that we have seen in bookings of EVs... The jump, at least in our case, in just two months, it is about 2 to 2.5 times of what it used to be"
"The world might face a food crisis if the war continued till the end of April, as it could have a dramatic impact on planting in Europe and North America," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash.
India's remittance inflows have remained robust despite the West Asia conflict, driven by precautionary transfers and diversification of remittance sources, with bankers expecting continued stability for the year.
India's wholesale price index (WPI) inflation surged to 9.68 per cent in May, up from 8.26 per cent in April, primarily due to significant increases in the prices of fuel and power, manufactured goods, and food items.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered India's support to bring peace to West Asia during talks with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both countries signed agreements to strengthen strategic collaborations in energy and defence.
Indian equity benchmark indices experienced a significant drop in early trade, with the BSE Sensex falling over 525 points and the NSE Nifty down more than 164 points, primarily due to rising crude oil prices and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran conflict.
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.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
The Indian government is considering additional relief packages for vulnerable sectors like MSMEs to mitigate the impact of the ongoing West Asia crisis on the economy and inflation.
Indian airlines are expected to cancel 444 international flights due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East following attacks on Iran by Israel and the US. The civil aviation ministry is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with airlines to ensure passenger safety and minimize disruptions.
Indian equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade, driven by persistent concerns over the unresolved US-Iran situation and continued outflows from foreign institutional investors.
Analysts predict India will face oil price volatility and macroeconomic effects due to the escalating Iran crisis, though the country's oil supply chain is not yet structurally insecure.
Gold prices are expected to remain volatile next week as investors track geopolitical developments in the Middle East and key macroeconomic data releases that could shape the sentiment in the domestic market, analysts said.
Precious metal prices surged in futures trading, with silver hitting Rs 2.93 lakh per kg and gold nearing Rs 1.68 lakh per 10 grams, driven by safe-haven demand following US-Israel strikes in Iran and retaliatory attacks.
IT stocks had their worst first half fall in decades, with the Nifty IT index declining 31% in the January-June 2026 period, its biggest decline in the first six months of a calendar year since 2003.
Companies are already diversifying sourcing, raising prices, and reworking operating models as the disruption drags on.
Opposition parties are demanding a full Parliament discussion on the West Asia conflict, criticising the government's silence and calling for a contingency plan to protect India's energy security and citizens.
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.
Indian stock markets experienced a significant sell-off, with the Sensex tumbling over 1,300 points, driven by escalating crude oil prices due to US-Iran tensions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for austerity measures, which amplified investor concerns about India's economic outlook.
India's industrial production expanded at a slower pace of 4.9 per cent in April, primarily due to tepid growth in the energy sector amidst the West Asia crisis. This data marks the first release under the newly revised base year of 2022-23 for the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
'The real money in India over the coming period is likely to be made in small-cap stocks rather than in the large-cap benchmark names.'
'OMCs are incurring losses of Rs 1,000 crore per day due to the West Asia crisis.'
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
'Investors shouldn't let fear dictate their decisions. The most important step is simply to begin investing.'
While the Andaman and Nicobar islands serve as a vital, stationary asset for projecting power in the Indian Ocean, referring to them as an unsinkable aircraft carrier ignores key military and geopolitical limitations, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The Indian rupee plummeted to an all-time low of 95.80 against the US dollar, settling at 95.66, driven by elevated crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia, despite potential RBI intervention and import curbs on gold.
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
Amidst a sharp run-up in gold and silver prices, investors are advised to rebalance their portfolios by booking partial profits in precious metals and reallocating to domestic equities and debt, according to financial experts.
