Top headlines: Govt plans spending boost, international flight ban extended

India plans spending boost as govt tries to revive Covid-19 hit economy

India is set to swing from being a cautious spender in 2020 to opening the fiscal floodgates as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to pull Asia’s third-biggest economy bank from the worst of the pandemic. Curbs imposed by the finance ministry on more than 80 government departments and ministries earlier in the year to preserve cash were relaxed this quarter. In addition, this year’s budget will be increased from its current 30 trillion rupees ($407 billion) when new spending plans are announced Feb. 1, according to people familiar