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30-day US waiver: Indian refiners upbeat on buying Iranian crude oil

Indian refiners weigh buying Iranian crude and LPG after US issues a 30-day waiver, as energy markets tighten amid the West Asia conflict

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:16 PM IST

Willing and raring to go for a new term: HDFC Bank's Sashidhar Jagdishan

HDFC Bank CEO Sashidhar Jagdishan says Chakraborty's exit and UAE onboarding gaps are unrelated, stresses strong governance, compliance fixes, and growth-focused strategy ahead

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:22 PM IST

Companies

T-Hub incubated chip design startup Deepgrid Semi looking to raise ₹25 cr

Founder Aravind Prasad says startup aims to complete tape-out within 10 months as it builds use cases and engages investors for AI-powered ADAS chip solutions

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:33 PM IST

West Asia business 'near normal' amid war, says L&T's Subramanian Sarma

95% of sites are operating in its 'second home'; supply chain and logistics seen as key challenges, new opportunities likely post war

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:24 PM IST

Vedanta moves NCLAT against Adani bid to acquire Jaiprakash Associates

Business conglomerate Vedanta Group has approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), challenging the NCLT's approval to Adani Group's bid for acquiring Jaiprakash Associates Ltd for Rs 14,535 crore. Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Group was in the race to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) through an insolvency process, but the lenders in November last year approved the resolution plan or bid of Adani Enterprises Ltd. On March 17, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Allahabad bench, approved Adani Enterprises Ltd's Rs 14,535 crore bid to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) through the insolvency process. In a regulatory filing, JAL had informed that the NCLT, Allahabad bench, has "orally pronounced an order on March 17, 2026" approving the resolution plan submitted by Adani Enterprises Ltd. Now, mining giant Vadanta has filed an appeal against the said NCLT order before the appellate insolvency tribunal NCLAT. The matter is listed for hearing on Monday .

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:13 PM IST

West Asia crisis impact on Indian industry won't be long-term: Hajime Aota

The first product to come to India will be the Yamaha EC-06, which we are going to sell in limited cities and dealerships initially

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:55 PM IST

Amazon India workers' union calls for better wages amid LPG curbs

Amazon India workers' union seeks wage hike and incentives as LPG shortages and rising living costs strain warehouse workers amid West Asia disruptions

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:44 PM IST

South Indian Bank appoints ex-RBI ED Jose Kattoor as part-time chairman

South Indian Bank appoints former RBI Executive Director Jose Kattoor as non-executive part-time chairman, alongside senior management elevations effective April 2026

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 9:18 PM IST

Tata Capital gets ₹413 cr tax demand; to challenge reassessment order

Non-banking finance company Tata Capital has received a reassessment order from tax authorities, raising a demand of Rs 413.18 crore for the financial year 2017-18, the firm said. The order, issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, under the Income-tax Act and uploaded on March 20, 2026, pertains to Tata Capital Financial Services Ltd (TCFSL), which has since been merged with Tata Capital with effect from April 1, 2023. The demand includes interest of Rs 202.72 crore and primarily arises due to alleged short credit of taxes paid and certain disallowances, Tata Capital said in a stock exchange filing on Saturday. However, the company said the demand is based on apparent errors in the computation. It stated that the assessing officer incorrectly allowed a tax credit for Tata Capital instead of TCFSL, leading to a shortfall in credit and consequential interest levy. Tata Capital said the entire demand, comprising Rs 209.52 crore of tax and Rs 202.72 crore of interest,

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 6:28 PM IST

L&T hopes govt will sustain capex, widen deficit amid West Asia crisis

Amid concerns over a surge in import bill because of commodity price hardening in the wake of the Middle East conflict, Larsen & Toubro is hoping that the government continues with its capital expenditure even if it means a widening of fiscal deficit. The engineering, procurement and construction major feels the government should borrow more if needed to continue with capital expenditure, a senior official has said. "The import bill will go up because of oil and gas prices. The government will have to balance it. They will maybe temporarily raise the deficit, may be they will borrow more," its Deputy Managing Director Subramanian Sarma told reporters over the weekend. "Overall, if you look at it, our fiscal situation is pretty good... we have some headroom so that we don't compromise on the capital for the infrastructure," Sarma added. He also noted India has been able to curtail the fiscal deficit after the impact of the Covid pandemic. Spends on infrastructure are necessary to .

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 6:13 PM IST

Kotak Mahindra Capital divests nearly 31% stake in Infina Finance

The transaction involves the sale of a cumulative 30.99 per cent stake in Infina, an associate company of the bank, to multiple investors, the bank said in a regulatory filing

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 4:23 PM IST

Economy

Rise in industrial diesel price hits sugar mills and mining sector

Sharp rise in industrial diesel prices raises transport and input costs, putting pressure on sugar mills' cash flows and mining operations across sectors

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:45 PM IST

Fuel crisis shuts aluminium extrusion plants amid West Asia conflict

LPG supply dries up, PNG cuts and rising input costs disrupt operations, forcing plant shutdowns and slashing output as firms struggle to service loans

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:39 PM IST

New Income-Tax rules: Registration to become simpler for charitable trusts

New Income-tax Rules, 2026 introduce a single registration form and cut record retention to six years, reducing compliance burden for charitable trusts and non-profits

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:11 PM IST

StatsGuru: Crude reality of India's import dependence to meet fuel demand

In each of the past 12 years, there has been a drop in domestic crude production

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:44 PM IST

Capex pours into 3 states, yet efficiency blooms elsewhere: Report

UP, Maharashtra, and Gujarat dominate capital expenditure, while Karnataka and Telangana lead in capital efficiency, highlighting divergence in investment patterns across states

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 4:24 PM IST

Finance

RBI firefights to keep rupee afloat amid outflows, external pressures

RBI intensifies intervention to stabilise the rupee amid FPI outflows, rising oil prices, and a widening BoP deficit, with a ballooning forward book deficit adding to pressure

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 12:12 AM IST

RBI's misselling proposals may reshape how retail game is played hereupon

RBI's draft norms on misselling aim to strengthen customer protection, but raise concerns over regulatory overreach and impact on banking sales models

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:58 PM IST

Opinion

WTO MC14: West Asia war, disruptions and unilateralism temper expectations

WTO's MC14 in Cameroon is set against geopolitical tensions and trade fragmentation, with limited expectations beyond preserving multilateral consensus

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 12:09 AM IST

A structural reset in Indian M&A financing: RBI reforms reshape market

Amended framework empowers domestic banks, boosts flexibility in deal-making and introduces stringent credit safeguards

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:55 PM IST

Trump's America a historical problem: Global impact, zero accountability

Conflicting signals from Donald Trump on the Gulf war unsettle markets, drive oil volatility, and expose deeper global economic imbalances and geopolitical risks

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:42 PM IST

Things getting out of hand: US miscalculations keep West Asia on the boil

The escalating US-Israel war with Iran deepens global uncertainty, disrupts energy supply chains, and exposes geopolitical fractures from NATO to Asia

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:31 PM IST

Bank held liable for refusing customer deposit during demonetisation

The National Commission noted that the government notification did not confer any right on the bank to refuse acceptance of deposits; it could only refer them for scrutiny

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:25 PM IST

Transparency needed: Public should know about the happenings at HDFC Bank

The sudden resignation of its chairman, therefore, cannot be treated as an ordinary event

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:22 PM IST

West Asia war: Are the effects priced in amid rising economic risks?

As the Strait of Hormuz disruption deepens, India faces rising inflation, supply shocks, and fiscal strain, with markets yet to fully price in the risks

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:17 PM IST

The story behind promotions in PSBs and the growing need for reform

The challenge is to transform the promotion process from a source of distrust to a catalyst for developing genuine leaders

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 4:12 PM IST

Markets

FPI flows into FAR turn negative amid global risks, crude oil surge

Foreign investors turn net sellers of FAR securities in March as global risks, rising oil prices, and higher US yields weaken sentiment, though RBI measures keep bond yields stable

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 12:12 AM IST

West Asia conflict likely to dent Q4 earnings of listed hotel majors

Geopolitical tensions may hit foreign tourist inflows, affecting occupancies and room rates even as domestic demand stays resilient; outlook hinges on conflict duration

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:33 PM IST

Liquidity glut to power IPO revival once volatility ebbs: Mahavir Lunawat

Lunawat says the current phase could reset valuations without derailing long-term capital formation

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:08 PM IST

HDFC Flexi Cap Fund: Focus on high-return sectors boosts gains further

HDFC Flexi Cap Fund delivers strong long-term returns, outperforming benchmark and peers, with rising AUM and a diversified, large-cap-heavy portfolio strategy

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:05 PM IST

Top 10 AMCs lose ground even as the leading five stay steady, shows data

While India's mutual fund industry expands rapidly, the top 10 AMCs are losing share to new entrants, even as bank-backed giants continue to dominate the top tier

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:59 PM IST

Street signs: IPOs brave uncertainty & premiums muted, Nifty nears support

Three issues - Powerica, Amir Chand Jagdish Kumar (Exports) and Sai Parenterals - are set to launch this week

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:55 PM IST

Mkts brace for more turbulence as Iran war shows no signs of de-escalation

Escalating conflict, rising oil prices and rupee pressure likely to keep markets volatile as investors turn cautious amid global uncertainty

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:51 PM IST

Elections

The shadow of SIR on West Bengal Assembly elections sharpens battle lines

A high-stakes electoral battle unfolds in West Bengal as candidate reshuffles, voter roll revisions, and shifting political narratives redefine the contest

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:30 PM IST

Three poles in poll fray: Kerala boasts literacy, low poverty, but not jobs

Kerala heads into a three-cornered electoral contest amid strong social indicators, fiscal stress, and a persistent jobs crisis

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:28 PM IST

BJP's rise faces Tamil Nadu wall despite gains across poll-bound states

The BJP has expanded steadily across eastern and north-eastern India, but southern strongholds like Tamil Nadu and Kerala continue to resist its rise

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:23 PM IST

India News

West Asia crisis: PM Modi takes stock of fuel, power, fertiliser supply

Prime Minister chairs CCS meeting to assess oil, gas and fertiliser supply risks, directs coordinated response as Hormuz closure disrupts flows

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:48 PM IST

Odisha govt launches ₹2,612 crore water projects on World Water Day

Chief Minister unveils irrigation, drinking water and recharge projects, calls for conservation drive and community participation to strengthen water security

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:17 PM IST

Orissa High Court upholds elderly man's right to stay in ancestral home

Court upholds tribunal order allowing 86-year-old to reside in his ancestral house, reinforcing dignity and protection of senior citizens under the law

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 8:09 PM IST

Industry

Ready to supply more than 20% ethanol blends amid rising oil prices: AIDA

With West Asia in turmoil and crude oil prices rising, the All India Distillers' Association (AIDA) has offered to supply ethanol blends exceeding 20 per cent with petrol, saying the move could proportionally reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil. In a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, AIDA Deputy Director General Bharati Balaji said the ethanol industry was prepared to go beyond the E20 target already achieved by the country. "Now with the Middle East entangled in a war and oil prices having started increasing, we as an ethanol industry are ready to offer ethanol more than 20 per cent which will reduce proportionally the import of crude," she said in the letter. She said such a step will mitigate supply disruptions and adverse economic impact on the country. India achieved its E20 ethanol blending target -- mixing 20 per cent ethanol with petrol -- ahead of schedule in 2025, a goal set under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administrat

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:46 PM IST

Domestic urea plants at half capacity as West Asia war choke gas supplies

India's urea plants are running at half capacity after force majeure declarations disrupted LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating West Asia tensions, industry sources said on Sunday. Petronet LNG Ltd, which operates India's largest liquefied natural gas receiving terminal, declared force majeure after upstream suppliers cited their inability to deliver contracted volumes amid disruptions to cargoes transiting the Strait, sources said. The move triggered supply curtailments by state-owned gas distributors GAIL (India) Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), which supply gas under RasGas contracts to fertiliser units across the country. "Gas supplies have been curtailed to approximately 60-65 per cent of normal levels," a senior industry official told PTI, adding that when scheduled plant turnarounds over the past six months were factored in, effective supply at some units had fallen below 50 per cent. Urea output at affecte

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:46 PM IST

Telecom sector braces for higher expenses as diesel price increases

Tower firms rely on diesel generators to power sites in non-grid remote, rural areas

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:43 PM IST

Semaglutide prices crash up to 90% as 15+ generics launch in two days

Off-patent GLP-1 therapy drives 70-90% price drop with generics flooding in

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:28 PM IST

A first: Two-wheeler sales cross 20 million in FY26, shows VAHAN data

But electric penetration lags NITI Aayog's targets

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:22 PM IST

Check unnecessary expenses, Air India CEO tells staff amid West Asia war

The Air India Group has been significantly impacted by the Middle East conflict and the financial impact is "yet to be fully felt", according to Air India chief Campbell Wilson, who has also stressed the need for having a tighter-than-ever control of unnecessary expenditure. Loss-making Air India and Air India Express have been grappling with operational disruptions like other airlines since the start of the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran on February 28. "In the three weeks since the conflict started, we have had to cancel around 2,500 flights to the region. As of today, we can operate only around 30 per cent of our normal Middle East schedule because airports and/or airspace are closed, or are assessed to be beyond our safety threshold," Wilson said in a message to the staff on Friday. The airline's flights to the UK, Europe, and North America, are also taking longer flight paths due to airspace restrictions in the region, resulting in more fuel consumption. Wilson sa

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:14 PM IST

Subsidies or science? India's farm future hinges on scaling up R&D

Economist Ashok Gulati of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (Icrier) said government spending on agriculture R&D is "not even peanuts" by global standards

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:53 PM IST

Alternative fuels fire up corporate kitchens as LPG crisis deepens

Firms leverage ESG-led shifts to biogas and electric cooking to manage LPG supply disruptions and ensure continuity of canteen operations across campuses

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:43 PM IST

Odisha lines up 34 mineral blocks for FY27 auction, includes gold deposits

State plans to auction 25 major and nine critical mineral blocks, including two gold-bearing assets, as it steps up exploration, production and revenue generation

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 7:44 PM IST

NCLT allows withdrawal of insolvency process against ATS Knightsbridge

ATS eyes delivery of project in 18 to 24 months, reset in core NCR luxury market

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 5:05 PM IST

Cricket

Every sport in the world is a function of star power, says Vinit Karnik

Cricket's dominance in India is built on deep structural strengths-from grassroots systems to governance-while other sports struggle to scale beyond visibility

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 12:13 AM IST

Cricket continues to dominate biz of sports as others fail to make a mark

India's sports economy is booming past $2 billion, but cricket's overwhelming dominance is squeezing growth in other sports

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:45 PM IST

Book

Chain of Ideas: Ibram X Kendi on rise of modern xenophobia in conservatism

Ibram X. Kendi's Chain of Ideas traces the rise of replacement theory but struggles to balance ideology with real-world political and economic forces

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:39 PM IST

World News

Iran threatens Hormuz shutdown over Trump's energy strike warning

Trump on Saturday threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 6:26 AM IST

A look back at WTO ministerial conferences since 1996: Key outcomes, agenda

WTO's 14th ministerial in Cameroon comes amid rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions, with India set to push key concerns on agriculture and trade reforms

Updated On: 23 Mar 2026 | 12:05 AM IST

How Ukraine's front line became a testing ground for drone innovation

The night air in eastern Ukraine is crisp, and a myriad of stars scatter above a small crew of soldiers watching for Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia launches in waves. Such teams are deployed across the country as part of a constantly evolving effort to counter the low-cost loitering munitions that have become a deadly weapon of modern warfare, from Ukraine to the Middle East. While waiting, the crew from the 127th Brigade tests and fine-tunes their self-made interceptor drones, searching for flaws that could undermine performance once the buzzing threat appears. When Shahed drones first appeared in autumn 2022, Ukraine had few ways to stop them. Today, drone crews intercept them in flight with continually adapting technology. In recent years, Ukraine's domestic drone interceptor market has burgeoned, producing some key players who tout their products at international arms shows. But it's on the front line where small teams have become laboratories of rapid military ...

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:04 PM IST

China vows more open economy, national treatment for foreign companies

China will focus on promoting high-quality development and continue to create a favourable business environment so that companies coming to China can develop with confidence and achieve great success

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:02 PM IST

Apple CEO praises Chinese developers, partners amid Beijing's pressure

Cook, speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Sunday, praised the innovations of Chinese developers and the automation at the country's manufacturing facilities

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:02 PM IST

Trump touted big tax refunds, but rising gas prices may level gains

The US economy was supposed to start the year with a bang, fuelled by an unusually large jump in tax refunds from President Donald Trump's tax cut legislation. Yet spiking gas prices are on track to eat up those refunds, leaving most Americans with little extra to spend. "Next spring is projected to be the largest tax refund season of all time," Trump said in a prime-time speech in December that was intended to address voters' concerns about the economy and stubbornly high prices. But that was before the Iran war, which began Feb. 28. Oil and gas prices have soared since then, with the nationwide average price of gas reaching USD3.94 Sunday, up more than a dollar from just a month earlier. Gas prices are likely to remain elevated for some time, even if the war ends soon, because shipping and production have been disrupted and will take time to recover. Economists now expect slower growth this spring and for the year as a whole, as dollars that are spent on gas are less likely to be

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 11:01 PM IST

Trump, Iran escalate conflict with threats to energy, water facilities

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf wrote on X that critical infrastructure and energy facilities in West Asia could be "irreversibly destroyed" should Iranian power plants be attacked

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 10:57 PM IST

Oil prices set to rise further Monday as West Asia crisis escalates

Iran warned it would attack US-linked infrastructure, including energy and desalination facilities in the Gulf, if Trump carried out his threat

Updated On: 22 Mar 2026 | 8:37 PM IST