Economy & Policy News

Fuel sales jumped in June despite price hikes, shows PPAC data

Petrol and diesel consumption rose despite higher fuel prices, while ATF demand edged lower and LPG sales declined amid supply disruptions from West Asia

Coal block allocatees now have option to produce insurance surety bonds

Coal block allocatees under the MMDR Act can now use insurance surety bonds instead of performance bank guarantees, easing financing constraints and improving business ease

State-run OMCs incur ₹2.19 trillion under-recovery till June 30: Puri

High crude oil prices pushed state-run oil retailers into massive under-recoveries despite fuel price hikes, while LPG sales continued to remain loss-making, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said

India must revisit stance on ecom moratorium at WTO after MC14: Report

ICRIER says India's growing digital exports now outweigh tariff revenue concerns and calls for a more proactive role in shaping global digital trade rules

India, Japan to partner on strategic petroleum reserves, energy transport

The two countries will cooperate on strategic petroleum reserves, maritime energy transport and upstream investments to strengthen energy resilience amid geopolitical uncertainty

India's coal imports fall 13% in April; power sector imports drop 25%

Improved domestic coal supplies helped reduce import dependence, with power sector imports falling nearly 25 per cent even as coking coal purchases edged higher

Govt fast-tracks disinvestment, garners 31% of FY27 Budget target in Q1FY27

The government has achieved 31% of its FY27 disinvestment and asset monetisation target in Q1, aided by a rapid series of PSU stake sales and InvIT receipts

Free trade agreements to give major boost to toy exports: Industry

India's FTAs with the UK and EU are expected to boost toy exports by providing zero-duty market access and opening new opportunities for domestic manufacturers

CIC advises NHAI to proactively disclose contracts' info in public domain

The CIC has advised NHAI to proactively disclose highway contracts, safety plans and project documents, saying greater transparency will improve public accountability

India-EU FTA legal scrub to end in 10-12 days; pact likely by Dec 31: Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says the India-EU free trade agreement is on track for signing by December-end, while reiterating India's demand for a competitive edge in the interim US trade deal

Uttar Pradesh trade show may generate ₹25,000 crore boost for MSMEs

UPITS 2026 aims to connect nine million MSMEs with global buyers, targeting ₹20,000 crore in business opportunities and boosting Uttar Pradesh's export ambitions

West Asia crisis caused ₹74,781 cr loss on fuel sales for oil firms: Puri

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said rising crude prices during the West Asia conflict led to ₹74,781 crore in losses for state-run OMCs till June 30

Govt ramps up share sale plans to cushion budget from oil price impact

Life Insurance Corp. of India, Hindustan Zinc Ltd., and several state-controlled banks are among eight companies identified by officials for stake sales in the coming months

'Powered' up: Pvt projects pipeline expands 70% in Q1 to ₹13.1 trn

Private sector project announcements jumped over 70% in Q1FY27, led by power projects, even as government capex plans more than halved amid fiscal pressures

NITI Aayog plans policy to recover critical minerals from mine waste

A technical committee is examining royalty, incentives and commercial viability for extracting critical minerals from mining waste before submitting policy recommendations to the government

Datanomics: India's protein intake still comes largely from cereals

The debate over eggs in PM Poshan meals highlights a deeper issue: cereals remain India's primary protein source, with states having diversified diets showing better child nutrition

The new EPF playbook: Flexible withdrawals and firmer compliance

The notified framework under the Social Security Code retains contribution rates, eases withdrawal rules, mandates digital compliance and strengthens governance for exempted provident fund trusts

Moscow imports gasoline from New Delhi to mitigate fuel shortages

Russia begins importing gasoline from India to ease fuel shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure, as energy trade between the two countries expands

Manufacturing PMI falls to 3-month low in June amid int'l demand slowdown

Output, new orders, exports and hiring lose momentum as softer demand and intense competition weigh on factory activity, though the sector remains in expansion territory

Russian crude oil imports reach record high in June as discounts widen

Russian crude imports rose to a record 2.58 million barrels a day in June as discounts widened and refiners diversified sourcing amid supply constraints from West Asia