With duties at 15%, GST at 3%, and making charges running as high as 20% -- the gap between a smart purchase and a careless one can easily be Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 on every Rs 1 lakh invested. And most of that gap is entirely avoidable. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the math.
According to a bulletin issued on Wednesday, 'The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026', 'The Delimitation Bill, 2026' and 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment Bill), 2026' will be introduced and debated for passage in the Lower House.
This is the time for India to plan forward fully, with the goal of Atmanirbharata, and energy security. The Persian Gulf is no longer a reliable source, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
The BJP has taken an early lead in the Gujarat local body elections, winning a significant number of seats as counting progresses. The Congress trails behind, while Independents and other parties, including AAP and AIMIM, have also secured seats.
India's banking system is grappling with a persistent liquidity surplus exceeding Rs 5 trillion, driven by significant government spending and bond redemptions, leading market participants to anticipate the Reserve Bank of India will step up Variable Rate Reserve Repo operations to manage the excess funds.
Rahul Gandhi accuses the government of using the women's reservation bill as a smokescreen to manipulate India's electoral map and diminish representation for certain states.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced declines due to a sharp rally in crude oil prices, continuous foreign fund outflows, and geopolitical uncertainties. Regulatory developments in the banking sector, particularly the implementation of the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) framework, also contributed to the selling pressure.
Opposition leaders have criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation, calling it politically motivated and a misuse of official platforms during ongoing elections.
A crucial Tata Trusts board meeting was unexpectedly postponed, highlighting internal conflicts over veto power, Tata Sons listing, and trustee eligibility, raising concerns about the stability of the $180 billion conglomerate.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die, concluding a Budget session marked by the passage of key legislations and the defeat of a Constitution amendment bill on women's reservation. The session saw frequent opposition protests and discussions on various issues, including the West Asia conflict.
The Election Commission will examine a complaint filed by opposition parties alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation violated the Model Code of Conduct for elections.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed an appeal by the state government, upholding the acquittal of all 10 accused in the 2010 Tadmetla Maoist attack case due to lack of direct evidence and procedural lapses in the investigation.
A court in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Monday fixed May 2 for giving its verdict on the anticipatory bail plea filed by TCS employee Nida Khan, an accused in a case related to alleged sexual harassment and forcible religious conversion at the IT firm's local unit.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant slump in early trade, driven by a sharp surge in crude oil prices above USD 120 per barrel, weak global market trends, and continued foreign fund outflows.
A complaint has been filed against a woman who confronted Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan over a traffic jam caused by a BJP rally in Mumbai, police said.
The top agenda of the meeting includes a review of Tata Trusts representation on the Tata Sons board.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has upheld the acquittal of ten accused in the 2010 Tadmetla Maoist attack case, citing lack of direct evidence and procedural lapses in the investigation.
US President Donald Trump is inclined to reject Iran's latest diplomatic proposal, which suggests restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz while deferring nuclear programme concerns, according to CNN. Concerns remain over Iran's nuclear enrichment and internal government fractures.
The last date for candidates who qualified JEE Main 2026 to register for JEE Advanced is May 2, 2026. Fee payment should be completed by May 4, 2026 to be eligible for the exam.
Indian golfer Karandeep Kochhar voices concerns about the uncertainty surrounding LIV Golf-backed funding and its potential impact on the Asian Tour and Indian golf.
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been notified by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for a missed out-of-competition doping test dating back to December 18, 2025. This marks her first whereabouts failure in the last 12 months and triggers a warning under anti-doping regulations.
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been notified by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for a missed out-of-competition doping test dating back to December 18, 2025. This marks her first whereabouts failure in the last 12 months and serves as a warning under anti-doping rules.
The Jharkhand High Court has rejected a bail application filed by suspended IAS officer Vinay Choubey in a case registered by the anti-corruption bureau, involving the illegal sale of land and manipulation of records during his tenure as deputy commissioner in Hazaribagh.
The Reserve Bank of India has updated its e-mandate framework, allowing card issuers to map existing mandates to reissued cards and clarifying rules around transaction limits and customer grievance redressal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of spreading falsehoods and offering no relief to the poor through his speeches. She made these remarks at a rally in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas district, ahead of Modi's address to the nation.
Indian stock markets are poised for volatility this week, driven primarily by the outcomes of five state assembly elections, ongoing high crude oil prices amid West Asia tensions, and the release of Q4 corporate earnings, according to market analysts.
The University of Chicago has conferred its Alumni Award for Professional Achievement to India's former chief economic adviser Krishnamurthy V Subramanian, the first Indian economist to receive the honour since 1941.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched a scathing attack on the TMC in West Bengal, accusing it of appeasement politics, shielding infiltrators, and presiding over a corrupt and lawless regime.
India's forex reserves dropped by $9.8 billion to $686.81 billion in the week to January 2, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday.
In a swift political counter-offensive, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have announced a massive, nationwide protest campaign targeting the Opposition.
Bajaj Auto reported a significant increase in its consolidated Q4FY26 performance, with profit after tax more than doubling to approximately 3,662 crore, a 103 per cent year-on-year rise, primarily driven by record volumes, an improved product mix, and the strategic consolidation of Bajaj Auto International Holdings AG (BAIHAG).
Following regulatory action against Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL), Paytm strategically separated its core operations, a move praised by analysts for preserving business continuity and governance. This separation has enabled Paytm to sustain growth and improve profitability.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has approved the adoption of the 3x15 scoring system, set to take effect on January 4, 2027, following a vote at its Annual General Meeting in Horsen, Denmark. The decision aims to enhance the sport's appeal, improve match scheduling, and benefit player welfare, despite reservations from some leading Indian players.
The woman who confronted BJP workers during a protest in Mumbai's Worli area last month has criticised all political parties for disregarding the general public.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) net-bought $7.4 billion from the spot foreign exchange market in February, its highest buy since March 2025, before heavily intervening by selling dollars in March as the rupee declined over 4 per cent following a spike in crude oil prices.
Even if there is an early agreement on a cessation of hostilities in West Asia, the price shock will not go away easily, points out A K Bhattacharya.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
India is among six countries on the priority watch list in a US report addressing the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Paytm (One 97 Communications Ltd) has stated that the Reserve Bank of India's action on Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) has no financial or business impact on the company. The fintech firm clarified it has no material business arrangements or exposure with the banking entity, which operates independently.
'The real fault line in Assam is not Hindu versus Muslim. It is Assamese versus Bengali -- and within that, the specific anxiety about undocumented Bangladeshi settlers claiming land and altering the demographic balance of the state.'
