Economics
Trade, fiscal policy, banking, agriculture and economic indicators
Trade deficit with China tops $100bn
India's trade deficit with China has crossed $100 billion for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with the full calendar year 2025 deficit reaching a record $116.12 bil...
India's outsourcing industry is worth $300bn. Can it survive AI?
India's IT outsourcing industry, valued at approximately $300-315 billion and employing around 6 million people, is facing an existential reckoning as artifi...
Supreme Court nine-judge Constitution Bench commences hearing on definition of 'industry'
A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court commenced hearing on March 17, 2026 to definitively settle the meaning of "industry" under Section 2(j) ...
Oil prices up 2% amid escalating war in West Asia, closure of Strait of Hormuz
Crude oil prices surged over 2% on March 17, 2026, as fears grew over a prolonged disruption to the Strait of Hormuz — the world's most critical oil transit ...
FDI from China: From Thailand to Brazil, global lessons for India’s cautious playbook
India's Union Cabinet (March 10, 2026) approved amendments to the FDI policy for land-bordering countries — effectively liberalising aspects of Press Note 3 ...
India underreported rice, wheat price support: US, others to WTO
The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) filed its fourth counter-notification against India at the WTO Committee on Agriculture, co-sponsored by Aus...
India-US trade deal to be signed after new US tariff framework is finalised
India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal confirmed on March 16, 2026, that India will sign the bilateral trade deal with the United States only after Washin...
Trade deficit nearly 2x in Feb; exports face battlefield ahead
India's merchandise trade deficit widened to $27.1 billion in February 2026, up sharply from $14 billion in February 2025 — nearly double year-on-year. Total...
Competition Commission orders investigation against IndiGo for alleged abuse of dominance
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered an investigation into IndiGo — India's largest airline — on February 4, 2026, following a prima facie findi...
India backs talks with Iran as US seeks naval coalition to secure Hormuz
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India's direct diplomatic engagement with Iran on ship passage had yielded concrete results, signalling I...
India to sign U.S. deal only after clarity on tariff rates
India confirmed it will not sign its interim trade agreement with the United States until Washington clarifies its new tariff architecture — a position harde...
Easier FDI norms notified for border country investors
India's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) issued Press Note 2 (2026) on March 15, 2026, partially relaxing the stringent FDI re...
Bank-NBFC co-lending pacts may be expanded to aid MSMEs
A parliamentary standing committee has recommended expanding bank-NBFC co-lending partnerships to help MSMEs access cheaper credit and bridge India's signifi...
Revamped Stand-Up India scheme soon: Nirmala Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Lok Sabha that a revamped Stand-Up India scheme will be launched soon, incorporating lessons from the or...
Securities Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026
The Ministry of Finance notified the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on March 13, 2026, and effect...
Iran war could affect fertilizer sector, impacting Indian agriculture
Experts and industry analysts have warned that the ongoing US-Israel-Iran military conflict — and the resulting disruption to the Strait of Hormuz — threaten...
RIL signs long-term $3 billion pact with South Korea’s Samsung C&T for supply of green ammonia
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) signed a long-term Supply and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with South Korea's Samsung C&T Corporation for the supply of green a...
India hopeful Iran talks will ease Hormuz route for its ships
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed to the Financial Times that India's direct diplomatic engagement with Iran has yielded results in securing ...
India eases FDI rules, allows firms with up to 10% Chinese shareholding under automatic route
India has amended its FDI policy to permit companies incorporated outside land-bordering countries (LBCs) — but having up to 10% passive LBC (including Chine...
India to wait for new US tariff architecture before trade deal, says official
India has formally decided to wait for the US to finalise its new global tariff framework before signing any bilateral trade deal, according to government of...