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The CEA argued that India's substantial refining capacity significantly mitigates the challenges of its high crude oil import dependence

India's digitalisation reforms in public administration have improved productivity in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in states that have embraced such changes, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a working paper. The authors compared the productivity of unincorporated manufacturing firms in states that have undertaken more digitalisation reforms with those having fewer such changes in public administration. "We find that states that undertake more public administration digitalisation experience higher productivity growth and lower productivity dispersion among firms," economists Somnath Sharma and Kenichi Ueda. MSMEs contribute around 35 per cent of manufacturing output in India, employ around 110 million workers and contribute about 45 per cent of the overall exports from India. Most MSMEs are not formally registered as companies under India's Companies Act of 1956 and only a few studies have been done on the impact of the business environment reforms on the

The Finance Ministry on Saturday notified 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector under the automatic route. While 100 per cent foreign investment will be allowed in insurance companies and intermediaries, including brokers, under the automatic route, the cap is 20 per cent for Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), said the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2026. The Parliament had passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (amendment of insurance laws) Bill, 2025, in December, 2025, paving the way for hiking the FDI cap in the insurance sector to 100 per cent under the automatic route, from 74 per cent earlier. Subsequently, after the President's assent, the Bill became law. Thereafter in February, 2026, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Commerce and Industry Ministry had notified 100 per cent FDI in the insurance sector.

Prior to the meeting, thousands of people lined up outside a downtown arena before doors opened at 7 a.m., though the lines were considerably shorter than in recent years

Punjab Police is learnt to have booked Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who recently defected to the BJP, sources said on Saturday. Two FIRs have been lodged against Pathak under non-bailable sections, they said. No further details about the FIRs have been disclosed yet. Pathak was among the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who had quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the BJP. On April 24, the AAP suffered a jolt when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs quit, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal's party has strayed from its principles, values and core morals. Of the seven MPs -- who were Pathak, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- six were from Punjab. Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan later officially accepted their merger with the BJP, reducing AAP's strength in the Upper House to three. Meanwhile, the BJP on Saturday has reacted to the FIRs on Pathak, accusing AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal of indulging in vendetta politics and

AI-powered tool enables enterprises to scan codebases for vulnerabilities and generate patches, with global tech and consulting partners supporting deployment

Antony Beevor's book casts a cool academic eye on this controversial faith healer, arguing that despite the mystique, Rasputin's influence on the fall of the Romanovs has been exaggerated

The reversal has prompted traders and analysts to suggest that fresh regulatory measures could be on the cards

Invisible to most, Harsh Mander's latest book peels back the layers of injustice and neglect that the urban homeless experience in our cities

The Supreme Court said judicial reform has limits in matters of faith, warning against dismantling religion while hearing the Sabarimala reference before a nine-judge Bench

Flipkart has appointed senior leaders in legal and corporate development, strengthening governance and strategic capabilities as it prepares for its next growth phase and a potential IPO

Venture capital firms in India are creating structured programmes to help AI startups enter the US market, offering capital, relocation support, and access to networks and customers

Analysts said the United Arab Emirates' decision to quit OPEC was unlikely to have a major near-term impact on prices, though ​it would weaken the oil producers' group

The government has fixed the application fee for the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card at USD 275, payable in equivalent Indian rupees for applications in India or local currency when applying through Indian missions abroad, officials said Tuesday. A fee of USD 25 will be charged for reissuance of an OCI card with a change of particulars, reissuance when the cardholder turns 20 years of age, and for renunciation of the OCI card. Reissuance in case of loss of the card will attract a USD 100 fee, according to a post on X by the Bureau of Immigration. Now, the fee for fresh OCI cards will be USD 275, payable in the equivalent local currency where the application is made -- in rupees for applications filed within India, officials said. Earlier, eligible applicants had to pay Rs 15,000 for an OCI card when applying from India. The Home Ministry has also introduced several changes to the OCI application process. The earlier mandatory requirement of a six-month continuous stay in India

At a military base outside Portsmouth, England, a 24-hour service monitors the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and part of the Indian Ocean, responding to distress calls

Polar War reflects the current reality of security considerations overwhelming all others, including the threat of climate change

India's abundant coal reserves and rising energy demand make coal gasification a key strategy to reduce import dependence, boost industrial fuel supply, and strengthen long-term energy security

In his new book, Israel: What Went Wrong?, Bartov reflects on what has happened in the two and a half years since that episode

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the BJP virtually sealed its victory in phase 1 of the West Bengal assembly polls itself, claiming the party would win 110 seats in the first leg of polling and promising swift implementation of the CAA, a crackdown on infiltration, and a "fear-free" Bengal for women after coming to power. Addressing back-to-back rallies in Jamalpur of Purba Bardhaman district and Shyampur in Howrah, Shah sharpened the BJP's campaign around three of its core Bengal planks-the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for the Matua community, women's safety, and alleged infiltration from Bangladesh-while projecting the election as a battle to end Mamata Banerjee's rule. "Voting for the first phase is over. In the very first phase itself, the BJP will win 110 seats, and Didi (Mamata Banerjee) will be thrown out of power. Instead of TMC, BJP will form the government here," he said. Polling was held in 152 of the 294 assembly constituencies on April 23 and ...

Priyadarshini Chatterjee's First Bite explores India's urban breakfasts, blending food, history, and culture into a rich ethnography of everyday life