Jewellery, gold

Despite concessions, people in general think of India as a high-tariff economy. This suggests a need as well as a possibility for tariff policy reform to simplify and bring transparency in the tariff regime

Harsha Vardhana Singh: India is an average low-tariff economy

Business Standard

A free trade agreement with the European Union could be an important first step for India to deal with an evolving trade environment

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Time to consider greater links with large markets

India is being left out of the emerging global trade architecture

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Preparing for an interlinked future

The US has taken significant steps to try and resolve the deadlock on the Doha Round - it is now time for India to reciprocate

Harsha Vardhana Singh: How to move forward at the WTO

How Narendra Modi should explain India's stand on trade to Barack Obama in September, and how Indo-US cooperation could take the trade agenda forward

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Moving beyond the WTO deadlock

India has focused on financial inclusion since the 1950s. The methods and scope have evolved and progressed over time, with focus on innovative efforts to widely provide financial inclusion. There is evidence of innovative steps and new experiences in India. These efforts are recognised at the international level, as can be seen by a recent World Bank publication, &lsquo;Financial Inclusion Strategies Reference Framework&rsquo;, which shows examples of multiple strategies and policy steps taken in a range of countries, and India is one of the most cited examples of such initiatives. I am particularly happy to see they have mentioned health payments in Bihar as an example of channelling social payments through financial accounts.

'Extend coverage of financial products'

The government could reduce customs duty on inputs used in manufacturing medical equipment, electronic goods and footwear industries in the forthcoming Budget to boost local manufacturing, according to tax experts.
Deloitte India Partner, Indirect Tax, Harpreet Singh said key demands from the Customs side from the 2025-26 Budget, to be tabled in Parliament on February 1, would be rate rationalisation, simplification of the regime, and litigation and dispute management.
"In the lines of the phased manufacturing plan, we expect some duty cuts in raw materials in electronics, home appliances, healthcare products, and pharmaceuticals. These are the industries where the government wants to give impetus in terms of manufacturing, and hence, we will see the raw materials declining in these sectors," Singh told PTI.
On the proposed Customs duty rationalisation announced in the Budget in July 2024, Singh said the sectors which could see rationalisation are healthcare, manufacturing of medica

Sitharaman, Nirmala Sitharaman, Budget, Union Budget

The final of the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup will feature India vs Nepal in both the men's and women's divisions

Kho Kho World Cup 2025 final

Foreign investors have pulled out Rs 44,396 crore from Indian equities this month, driven by strength of the dollar, rising bond yields in the US, and expectations of a weak earnings season.
This came following an investment of Rs 15,446 crore in the month of December, data with the depositories showed.
The shift in sentiment comes amid global and domestic headwinds.
"The continued depreciation in Indian rupee is exerting significant pressure on foreign investors leading them to pull the money out of the Indian equity markets," Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director - Manager Research, Morningstar Investment Advisers India, said.
In addition to that, higher valuation of Indian equities, despite recent corrections, expectation of a rather weak earning season and uncertainty over the pace of economic growth are making investors wary, he added.
According to the data, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) offloaded shares worth Rs 44,396 crore from Indian equities so far this month (til

FPI, Foreign portfolio investment

Garcetti and his family on Sunday met PM Modi and said that the two leaders have achieved record-breaking milestones

Eric Garcetti, Eric, Garcetti

The outgoing US ambassador to the United Nations says she watched America's leadership diminish in the world during Donald Trump's first presidency and China fill the vacuum. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is warning that if it happens again during Trump's second term, adversaries will move in anew.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Thomas-Greenfield said during Joe Biden's presidency, the United States again engaged with the world, rebuilt alliances and reestablished America's leadership.
That is the gift that we hand over to the next administration, she said, and I hope that they will accept that gift in the spirit in which it is being given to them.
Advice to Trump's choice for UN ambassador
In a brief meeting with Trump's nominee, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, Thomas-Greenfield told her that the UN is important, and that it is important that we not cede any space to our adversaries.
Those rivals will change the rules of the road," she warned. "And so, US ...

Joe Biden, Biden

Net interest income grew by 10 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 7,196 crore, while fees and services for Q3FY25 also grew 10 per cent to 2,362 crore

Kotak Mahindra Bank

Hyundai Motor is exploring the potential to offer design, engineering and technology, while TVS Motor will explore manufacturing and marketing of the vehicles

Hyundai

Saif Ali Khan's wife and actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has informed the police that the intruder who entered their house in Mumbai got aggressive during the scuffle but did not touch jewellery kept in the open, an official said on Saturday.
The police recorded the actress's statement following the attack at the Bollywood star couple's apartment in Bandra in the early hours of Thursday, the official said.
An intruder attacked Khan (54) after entering his 12th-floor apartment in the Satguru Sharan building. The actor sustained multiple stab wounds, including on his neck, and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.
The official said Kareena, in her statement, said the intruder got very aggressive during the scuffle with Saif, stabbing him multiple times. He, however, did not touch the jewellery kept in the open.
He said the police are yet to record Khan's statement.
After the incident, Kareena's sister, actress Karishma Kapoor, took her to her residence i

Saif Ali Khan

RG Kar rape-murder: Nationwide protests had erupted after a trainee docto was found dead in the hospital's seminar room on August 9

Doctors and students protest at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday 	(Photo: PTI)

The Net Interest Income (NII) grew nearly 3 per cent Y-o-Y to Rs 1585 crore due to lower (Joint Liability Group) JLG funding and increased slippages causing interest reversals

RBL Bank

Thailand's LTR visa, launched in 2022, offers benefits such as a digital work permit, tax privileges, and now includes fewer restrictions on eligibility

thailand

Lauding 'Startup India' as a transformative programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on its ninth anniversary on Thursday that the initiative has propelled India to become one of the largest and most vibrant startup ecosystems globally.
It is a landmark initiative that has redefined innovation, entrepreneurship and growth, he said, describing the programme as "very close to my heart," as it has emerged as a powerful way of furthering youth empowerment.
He said on X, "Over the past nine years, this transformative program has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful Startups."
People would doubt India's ability to thrive in this system just a decade ago, he added.
The prime minister said this "transformative" programme has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful startups.
From tech-driven solutions to rural innovations, healthcare advancements to biotech breakthroughs, Fintech to EdTech, clean energy to

Modi, Narendra Modi

Israel and Hamas have reached a three-phase deal, potentially leading to the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israel

Gaza conflict, Hamas, Israel, Palestine

Alongside reduced prices, iPhone 16 series models are available with bank discounts on select cards and UPI transactions

iPhone 16 series

58% believe market will improve and they are optimistic about getting a new job this year

Working Women, Employee

Dinesh Kumar Saraogi offers expert advisory services to optimize steel projects, enhancing profitability, efficiency, and sustainability using 43 years' experience.

Dinesh Kumar Saraogi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" campaign has also got lost somewhere in the labyrinths of this bureaucratic maze

chart

l The CMIE data also points to a worrying 57.1 per cent year-on-year decline in the value of government projects completed and a 40 per cent decline in that of the private sector

Budget

Let us look at the data. We find out technically that there was a regime shift in terms of movements in the value of the rupee when it crossed 80 to the dollar in August 2022

Rupee

The challenge for macro policy is to respond to the domestic slowdown without appearing to let its guard down against a hostile global environment

Harsha Vardhana Singh

Harsha Vardhana Singh

Harsha Vardhana Singh

Harsha Vardhana Singh: India is an average low-tariff economy

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Time to consider greater links with large markets

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Preparing for an interlinked future

Harsha Vardhana Singh: How to move forward at the WTO

Harsha Vardhana Singh: Moving beyond the WTO deadlock

'Extend coverage of financial products'

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Budget: Govt could cut customs duty on raw materials to boost manufacturing

Kho Kho World Cup 2025 Jan 19: Final schedule, results and live streaming

FPIs take out Rs 44,396 cr from equities in Jan amid weak earnings outlook

PM Modi, Biden raised US-India partnership to new heights: Eric Garcetti

Biden's UN envoy says rivals will fill vacuum if Trump abandons leadership

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Kotak Mahindra Bank Q3 results: Consolidated net up 10% at Rs 4,701 crore

Hyundai ropes in TVS to rollout e-3Ws, micro four wheelers in India

Accused got aggressive, did not touch jewellery: Kareena on Saif attack

RG Kar rape-murder: Sealdah Court finds accused Sanjay Roy guilty

RBL Bank Q3 results: PAT drops 86% to Rs 32.63 cr amid surge in provisions