Economy

India bans exports of raw, white and refined sugar with immediate effect

The ban applies to raw, white and ‌refined sugar and marks a shift in policy from "restricted" to "prohibited", according to a notification

RBI may pay highest-ever dividend to help Centre tackle West Asia crisis

Last year the RBI made a record dividend payout of ₹2.69 lakh crore to the central government for 2024-25, 27 per cent higher than ₹2.11 lakh crore transferred in the previous year

Govt hikes tariff on precious metals to shield foreign exchange reserves

Gold, silver duties more than double to 15%, & 15.4% for platinum

MPC to look through West Asia shock if it's transitory: RBI Governor

Coordination with fiscal policy becomes critical amid 'supply shock as bad as it is', says Malhotra

Rupee weakens to record closing low, approaches 96 against the dollar

Persistent importer demand, elevated crude oil prices and West Asia tensions pushed the rupee to a record closing low despite RBI intervention

Customs duty hike may divert gold, silver imports to UAE FTA route

Widening tariff gap under India-UAE CEPA could encourage higher bullion imports through Dubai amid concerns over arbitrage opportunities

After PM Modi's call, ministers, NDA chief ministers cut convoy size

Government says Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal focuses on prudent fuel use and reducing import dependence, not fiscal tightening or spending cuts

Oil shocks hit wholesale inflation harder than retail prices: BoB study

Bank of Baroda study says crude oil price shocks have a stronger impact on wholesale inflation than consumer prices, with delayed effects on growth

RBI relaxes approval norms for banks' outward remittance tie-ups

Authorised Dealer banks can now partner with digital remittance platforms without prior RBI approval, subject to compliance safeguards

Shipping insurance costs likely to fall 25% with Bharat Maritime Pool

Industry expects sovereign-backed maritime insurance pool to reduce war-risk premiums and improve trade certainty amid geopolitical disruptions

Plan to upgrade rail network to 220 kmph, says railways minister Vaishnaw

Railways minister says Ahmedabad-Dholera corridor will serve as a model for future semi-high-speed rail projects across India

RBI eases rules for outward remittances; drops prior approval for non-banks

The central bank has issued an operating framework for facilitating outward remittance services by non-bank entities through Authorised Dealer (Category I) banks in India

RBI announces switch auction for Rs 30,000 crore government bonds

RBI said the switch operation will help the government spread redemption liabilities and reduce rollover risks by replacing short-term securities with longer-tenor bonds

Can a 15% gold duty fix India's trade deficit? The math is not simple

India may need a steep fall in gold imports to ease its trade deficit, but high prices, investment demand and smuggling risks complicate the duty hike's impact

Govt approves ₹37,500 crore plan to boost domestic coal gasification

The scheme is expected to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imports of products such as LNG, urea, ammonia and methanol

Gold imports from Dubai may increase after import duty hike: GTRI

India had allowed imports of gold from Dubai at tariffs one percentage point below the normal Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) rate through a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) system

IFAD looking to make 3-4 direct investments in India in next one year: AVP

IFAD's AVP Donal Brown said that the funding agency is now increasingly looking to fund 3-4 direct investments in the private sector over the next year

Cash-transfer promises rise, but can states afford the welfare bill?

As cash-transfer politics becomes embedded in elections, the bigger challenge for states may lie not in announcing welfare promises, but in sustaining them fiscally

India's vegetable oil imports jump 13% in H1 2025-26 on palm oil surge

The world's largest cooking oil consumer imported 7.04 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier

OMCs bleed ₹30,000 crore a month: How long can India hold down fuel prices?

India is shielding consumers from rising global oil prices, but OMC losses are surging. How long can fuel prices stay frozen before fiscal pressure forces tough decisions?