Top headlines: Modi defends farm laws, S&P retains India GDP forecast

Bengaluru office market to see rent spike, Minister says Centre will vaccinate around 300 million people, and more top headlines of the day

Data giant S&P Global Inc is nearing a deal to buy IHS Markit Ltd, creating a heavyweight in the increasingly competitive market for financial information. More on that story in our evening newsletter.

Modi defends farm laws

A misinformation campaign is underway against recently enacted laws that give farmers the freedom to sell crops for better prices, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as he again defended the reforms that have drawn protests. “There’s a new trend now—earlier decisions of the government were opposed but now rumours have become the basis for opposition. Propaganda is spread even though a decision is right. It can lead to other consequences, about things that haven’t happened or will never happen. The same is with farm laws,” said Modi in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency. Read more

S&P retains India's GDP forecast

S&P Global Ratings on Monday retained its forecast of 9 per cent contraction in the Indian economy for the current fiscal, saying even though there are now upside risks to growth but it will wait for more signs that Covid infections have stabilised or fallen. Read more

Bengaluru office market to see rent spike

The Bengaluru office market, which absorbs the highest commercial real estate stock, is expected to see a rise in rental values next year while Mumbai and NCR are likely to remain stable, says a new report. Read more

Centre to vaccinate around 300 million people: Minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that the Central government a plan to provide coronavirus vaccines to around 25-30 crore people by July-August next year. "In the first 3-4 months of next year, there is a possibility that we will be able to provide vaccine to the people of the country. By July-August, we have a plan to provide vaccines to around 25-30 crore people and we are preparing accordingly," Vardhan told reporters here. Read more

S&P nears mega deal to buy IHS Markit

Data giant S&P Global Inc is nearing a deal to buy IHS Markit Ltd, according to a person familiar with the matter, creating a heavyweight in the increasingly competitive market for financial information. The deal could be announced as soon as Monday, with S&P set to pay around $44 billion in stock, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Read more