Indian Railways has announced a Rs 16.7 lakh crore investment plan by 2031 to modernize infrastructure, focusing on station redevelopment, freight corridor expansion, and high-speed rail projects. Private sector involvement is increasing, and significant progress includes the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train and three developing freight corridors. Station redevelopment involves 508 stations, creating substantial business opportunities.
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CII proposes a seven-point agenda in the FY26 budget to enhance employment generation, stressing an integrated national employment policy, support for labor-intensive sectors, international mobility authority, and increased female workforce participation, to harness India's youthful demographic dividend and drive inclusive economic growth.
China's dominance in manufacturing has led to significant global dependencies, especially in electric vehicles, green energy, and critical minerals. The Economic Survey suggests diversifying supply chains and forming more global partnerships to reduce reliance on Chinese imports and enhance economic security.
NPCI extends the deadline for PhonePe and Google Pay to lower their market share in UPI by two years, lifting the onboarding limit for WhatsApp. Despite new players, PhonePe and Google Pay dominate the market. NPCI aims to avoid single-point failure risk and supports diverse UPI app growth.
President Trump has announced new tariffs on imported goods, dubbing it “Liberation Day.†The tariffs target countries including the EU, South Korea, Brazil, and India to spur domestic investment. However, experts warn of higher consumer costs, potential job losses, and strained international relations. Critics remain skeptical of the economic impact.
Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas challenges Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani's view that Indians should focus solely on building applications using pre-existing AI models. Srinivas emphasizes the importance of developing model training skills alongside application development. He also pledges a personal investment of $1 million and five hours per week to support initiatives for enhancing India's AI capabilities.
India's manufacturing sector saw its slowest growth in December 2024, with the PMI at 56.4 due to softer increases in factory orders and production. Despite this, buying levels and employment continued to expand. Manufacturers remained optimistic about 2025, although concerns about inflation and competitive pressures tempered their outlook.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman's eighth budget speech highlights agriculture as a growth engine, launching various initiatives like the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana and missions for pulses and cotton self-sufficiency. Despite this, the budget's focus on incremental changes and reduced agriculture allocation raises concerns about addressing deeper sectoral challenges.
Bollywood luminaries, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Hrithik Roshan, have acquired stakes in Sri Lotus Developers & Real Estate ahead of its anticipated IPO. The Mumbai-based luxury real estate developer recently raised approximately ₹407.6 crore through a private placement of shares, with prominent figures from the financial sector also participating.
The net direct tax collection in India has grown by 15.88% to approximately Rs 16.90 lakh crore so far in the current fiscal year, with personal income tax accounting for over Rs 8.74 lakh crore and corporate tax at around Rs 7.68 lakh crore. Gross direct tax collection has reached over Rs 20.
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal states that India's free trade agreements are now finalized after extensive consultations with all stakeholders, offering equitable terms. Highlighting the EFTA pact with a $100 billion FDI commitment, he contrasts current deals with past practices, emphasizing national interests and growth in exports.