Economy

India challenges US tariffs on quartz products with WTO consultation bid

Under WTO rules, the US has to enter into consultation within 30 days of receiving the request. If the dispute isn't resolved within 60 days, India can request the establishment of a panel

India's tanker exports surge over six-fold to $1.36 bn in Q1, UAE leads

Tankers are large-scale transport ships engineered for the bulk movement of liquids and gases

Govt weighs cutting sugar import duty to curb record local prices

Officials are weighing proposals to lower or scrap the 100% tax on inbound shipments in an effort to boost local supplies

Median Indian firm grew in size after Covid-19 pandemic, EAC-PM paper finds

The paper found corporate profits rebounded sharply after the Covid-19 pandemic, but investment growth remained slower

India's growth to slow to 6.8% in FY27 amid West Asia crisis, El Nino risks

The FY27 GDP growth projection at 6.8 per cent is a tad higher than the 6.7 per cent growth Ind-Ra had projected in May

Chatroom: EOU warehousing, eway bills and ITC: 3 practical issues

Expert explains whether an EOU can warehouse goods near Ahmedabad, the correct eway bill destination for exports and how to claim ITC on differential IGST

Industry seeks input tax credit relief for data centres, GCCs, other biz

Industry seeks wider GST input tax credit on construction and employee-related expenses, arguing that the current restrictions raise business costs and hurt competitiveness

India's unemployment rate eases to four-month low of 5.1% in July

India's unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in July as labour force participation and worker population ratios rose, pointing to a firmer labour market

Esic contribution cushion seen thinning on rise in benefit costs

Actuarial projections show ESIC's benefit spending could outpace contribution income over the next four years, even as interest income keeps the corporation in surplus

VB-G RAM-G's first month: Poor jobs data, but the story is more complex

July persondays fell sharply from MGNREGA levels, but the Centre cites sowing pauses, monsoon recovery and transition issues, while experts say one month is too early to judge

MSMED amendment bill could be an 'IBC moment' for small enterprises: Report

The bankruptcy law (IBC) has helped banks to get rid of bad loans by putting borrowers at the risk of losing control over their companies in case of a default

Govt clears 31 electronic component manufacturing proposals worth ₹7,877 cr

With the latest approvals, the government has cleared 106 applications covering around 30 product categories across 15 states under the ECMS

India's unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in July from 5.5% in June: Govt data

Compared with July 2025, the overall UR and rural UR remained broadly stable in July 2026, whereas the urban UR decreased by 0.5 percentage point from 7.2 per cent in July 2025

CEA calls for E10 petrol option alongside E20 amid consumer concerns

E20 - petrol with 20% ethanol blended in it - was rolled out last year and since April 1, it has been the only fuel available for sale ‌at gas stations across the country

Weekly policy watch: Jobs, core sector output, PMI, forex reserves in focus

India's policy calendar this week will track jobs, infrastructure activity, business growth and forex reserves

MDR on UPI payments: Six rules govt must settle before charges can start

The Bill opens the door to selective UPI MDR, but leaves the operating details undecided. Here are six questions the final framework will need to answer before any charge takes effect

Free for users, costly to run: The economics behind India's UPI system

UPI remains free for consumers and merchants, but the cost of running India's digital payment infrastructure has revived the debate over MDR, subsidies and platform fees

UPI MDR debate: Why ₹2,000 is in focus and what it means for users

The government has not notified ₹2,000 as an MDR threshold, but the existing incentive framework and transaction data explain why the number dominates the debate

New nuclear rules mandate financial security of plants, say experts

The rules require nuclear plant operators to maintain an insurance policy, financial security or a combination of both to cover civil liability for nuclear damage

Statsguru: India's high income goal faces roadblocks on the path to 2047

India needs sustained 9.25% annual growth to become a developed economy by 2047, but low investment and a prolonged lower-middle-income phase remain key challenges