Economy & Policy News

From defence to tech collaboration: 16 pacts reshape India-Israel ties

India and Israel sign 16 pacts across AI, defence and mobility, agree on deeper tech ties and allow 50,000 more Indian workers in Israel over five years

Govt mandates sale of petrol with up to 20% ethanol blending from April 1

Ethanol blending programme was introduced to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut energy imports

Saudi Arabia bans poultry imports from 40 nations; India sees no big impact

Saudi Arabia has halted poultry imports from 40 countries, including India, over disease concerns, but industry players say the move will not affect India due to its limited exports to the kingdom

Revenue secretary calls for trust-based, tech-driven customs reforms

Arvind Srivastava says next phase of customs reform must deepen stakeholder trust and leverage technology as India's expanding trade ecosystem places new demands on governance

Datanomics: FY05 vs FY12 GDP series - Industry share rose, services fell

New 2022-23 GDP base may not change sector shares unless methodology is revised, as past shifts show sharp impact of statistical tweaks

Piyush Goyal meets US Commerce Secretary Lutnick, discusses trade ties

The meeting holds immense importance as both countries are in the process of finalising the legal text for the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement

Norway eyes maritime, energy sector investments in India under TEPA: Envoy

The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc came into effect in October last year

India's GDP expected to grow between 6.8-7.2% in FY27: EY Economy Watch

The EY Economy Watch report said that major tax reforms were undertaken in the current fiscal, in particular relating to personal income tax (PIT) and the GST

Eligible manufacturer-importers to get duty deferment facility from March

This was done to encourage such importers to get themselves accredited as a full-fledged Tier 3- AEO in due course

PM Modi visits Israeli tech exhibition, invites firms to invest in India

Exhibition featured leading Israeli companies and research entities specialising in agri-tech, water-tech, climate-tech, health-biotech, smart mobility, AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies

Govt to conduct ₹25K cr bond switch auction on Monday to ease redemptions

The government will conduct a ₹25,000-crore switch auction on Monday to convert bonds maturing in 2026-27 into longer-tenor securities, helping smoothen its redemption profile and reduce rollover risk

Nepal's soyoil exports to India in 2025 jump tenfold on duty-free access

India imported a record 694,153 metric tons of soyoil from Nepal in 2025, up from 65,138 tons a year ago, according to data compiled by India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Trade talks to resume after clarity over US tariff situation: Piyush Goyal

India to resume US trade talks after clarity on tariff regime following Supreme Court ruling on Trump-era duties

Labour-intensive manufacturing key to developed economy: EAC-PM Chairman

EAC-PM chief Mahendra Dev says India must raise investment, expand labour-intensive manufacturing, upgrade health and education and deepen state-level reforms to reach developed-economy status by 2047

Datanomics: Bullion imports may widen current account deficit in Q4FY26

Surge in gold and silver imports drives January trade deficit to $34.68 billion, raising concerns over a wider current account deficit in Q4FY26

Internship, apprenticeship and skilling schemes face a reality check

PMIS, ELI and NAPS show promise but face low uptake, funding gaps and weak industry linkages, raising concerns over scale and job outcomes

Inflation to stay benign as growth momentum strengthens: RBI's Poonam Gupta

RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta says retail inflation should remain benign, while India's underlying growth trend has steadily accelerated over four decades amid resilient macro fundamentals

Cabinet clears higher equity limit for Powergrid to boost transmission push

Cabinet raises Powergrid's equity investment limit to Rs 7,500 crore per subsidiary, enabling greater participation in capital-intensive transmission projects and aiding renewable energy evacuation

Domestic market continues to power India's corporate biz travel: Report

Domestic travel forms 72% of corporate trips, says a Thomas Cook India report, with key hubs driving demand, rising costs prompting controls and more firms adopting digital tools

Govt overhauls GDP data using granular CPI, WPI data to improve accuracy

Under previous methods, low nominal ‌GDP growth alongside low wholesale inflation created discrepancies by translating into higher real growth rates