Economics
Trade, fiscal policy, banking, agriculture and economic indicators
Core sector output eased to a three-month low of 2.3% in February
India's Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) slowed to 2.3% in February 2026 — a three-month low — down from 3.4% in January 2026, driven by simultaneous con...
CBDT notifies rules for simplified income tax law, to be effective from April 1
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) formally notified the Income-tax Rules, 2026 on March 20, 2026, to operationalise the Income Tax Act 2025 with effec...
Centre classifies key energy data as national security; mandates real-time reporting from oil and gas firms
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued the Petroleum and Natural Gas (Furnishing of Information) Order, 2026, through a gazette notification on Mar...
NITI Aayog proposes National Job Skilling Policy to strengthen India’s skilling ecosystem
NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani has authored a working paper titled "Education and Skilling for Employment: From Credentials to Learning Outcomes," proposin...
Implementation of Biopharma SHAKTI
The government has announced implementation details for the Biopharma SHAKTI scheme, first proposed in Union Budget 2026–27, with a total outlay of ₹10,000 c...
Amidst latest flare-up, Modi says attacks on energy sites condemnable
Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly condemned attacks on energy infrastructure in West Asia as "condemnable" and warned they "can lead to avoidable escalat...
Attacks on energy infrastructure bring the war in West Asia closer home
Israeli strikes on Iran's South Pars gas fields triggered intense Iranian retaliation against energy infrastructure across the Gulf, including Qatar's Ras La...
As semaglutide drug patent expires today, what to know about weight loss drug availability
March 20, 2026 marks the nominal expiry date of the main compound patent for semaglutide — the active molecule in blockbuster drugs Ozempic (diabetes) and We...
Prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could severely disrupt global supply chains: Study
Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026 has triggered what analysts are calling the largest disruption to the global energy...
Gas shortage caused by Iran war may push India back to dirtier fuels
The ongoing West Asia conflict — which has effectively disrupted Strait of Hormuz transit — has created an acute LPG shortage in India, raising fears that mi...
Work from home, avoid air travel to deal with higher energy prices: International Energy Agency
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report recommending a set of demand-side measures to ease oil price pressures on consumers as the Middle Eas...
Nearly 100 ships pass the Hormuz Strait - who is getting through?
Since Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz began on February 28, 2026, fewer than 100 commercial ships have crossed the strait in the entire thr...
U.S. issues new 30-day waiver for sale of Russian oil, adding Cuba, North Korea exceptions
The US Treasury Department issued a new 30-day general license permitting the sale of Russian-origin crude oil and petroleum products, replacing an earlier l...
US hints at easing Iran oil curbs - what it means for India
The US Treasury indicated it may lift sanctions on approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian crude oil currently stranded in tankers, a move prompted by s...
Iranian attack hits Israeli oil refinery in Haifa, some damage reported
On March 19, 2026, Iranian missiles struck the Bazan oil refinery in Haifa, northern Israel, causing limited but confirmed damage — debris falls started fire...
U.S. may remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded in tankers, Bessent says
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the United States may remove sanctions on Iranian crude oil currently loaded and stranded aboard tankers at s...
Auto PLI disbursements under 10% as 2028 deadline approaches
The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Automobiles and Auto Components has disbursed less than 10% of its total ₹25,938 crore budgetary outlay as t...
Israel hits Tehran with airstrikes on Persian New Year as war jolts energy markets
Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran on March 20, 2026 — the morning of Nowruz (Persian New Year), as millions of Iranians observed the spring equinox holida...
With cost of inputs rising and exports disrupted, textile units in Perambalur take a hit
Textile manufacturing units in Perambalur district (Tamil Nadu) are reporting mounting financial stress as the West Asia conflict drives up raw material cost...
Oil down 2% as US considers lifting sanctions on Iranian oil loaded on vessels
Global crude oil prices fell 2–3% after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signalled that Washington may soon lift sanctions on Iranian crude oil currently ...