Economy & Policy News

Finalised eight FTAs with 37 developed countries in recent years: Goyal

Goyal added that talks for a trade pact have started with the Mercosur group of countries to expand the existing PTA (preferential trade agreement)

Gross GST collection rises 6.2% to over ₹1.93 trillion in January

Cess collection from tobacco products in January stood at ₹5,768 crore, sharply lower than ₹13,009 crore a year earlier, when a cess also applied to luxury, sin and demerit goods such as cars

Trump claims India will buy Venezuelan oil: 'We've already made that deal'

Donald Trump claimed India will buy Venezuelan oil instead of Iranian crude as Washington moves to cut Russia-linked oil trade and ease some sanctions on Venezuela

India, US working towards closing trade deal quickly, says Piyush Goyal

He expressed confidence that "good news" on this front will be announced in the near future

India-EU Free Trade Agreement will boost footwear, leather exports

The European Union is the largest market for India's footwear and leather sectors, accounting for 43 per cent of exports, Council for Leather Exports Executive Director R Selvam said

Political polarisation worrying investors: Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee

Banerjee cautioned that policy unpredictability, combined with internal polarisation, was undermining the country's credibility as a long-term investment destination

US pitches Venezuelan crude to India as its Russian oil imports fall

The US effort to supply Venezuelan crude to India comes as Washington also seeks to reduce Russian oil revenues that are funding the war in Ukraine

New CPI series expected to push India's headline inflation prints higher

India's new CPI series, with lower food weight and higher core components, may nudge headline inflation higher but is expected to improve policy predictability and ease RBI's targeting

World Bank to boost private jobs in India with $8-10 bn annual lending

New five-year partnership framework with India will focus on private sector-led job creation, skills, infrastructure and mobilisation of private capital

Fiscal deficit in April-December kept at 54.5% of Budget Estimates

India contained its FY26 fiscal deficit at 54.5% of Budget Estimates for April-December, aided by higher non-tax revenues and controlled spending despite a December capex dip

States utilise less than half of FY26 capex budget in Apr-Dec period

CAG data show states spent just 45.8% of their FY26 capital outlay in the first nine months, sharply lagging the Centre's capex performance

World Bank commits annual financing worth $8 bn-$ 10 bn to India over 5 yrs

New Country Partnership Framework aligns with India's Viksit Bharat vision, focusing on private sector-led job creation and infrastructure-led growth

Travel, insurance emerge as biggest spends of Indian households in CY25

On the other hand, Education, media and entertainment, and e-commerce together account for only a modest slice of household budgets

India at high table of global geopolitics: Piyush Goyal hails India-EU FTA

Goyal emphasised that the agreement is a win-win deal that will drive economic growth and create new opportunities

India-EU trade deal strengthens PM Modi's 'Make in India' ambitions

The EU deal could also revive appetite from foreign businesses looking to diversify their operations out of China, seeing India as a possible alternative to set up factories for export into Europe

Decoding Economic Survey 2025-26: Five ideas that explain India's economy

Behind dense language, the Economic Survey 2025-26 lays out five clear arguments on growth, risk, manufacturing, governance and why stability now matters as much as speed

India-EU free trade deal explained: What it means for farmers and IT jobs

The India-EU trade deal boosts exports, jobs and farmers' income, and allows Indian professionals to work in the EU. Here are key FAQs on farming, services and mobility

India-EU FTA to help diversify trade, give more mkt to exporters: Moody's

Moody's said that for the EU, the deal strengthens economic security by widening access to a fast-growing India while reducing vulnerability to disruptions in more concentrated trade relationships

India-EU trade deal: Top questions answered on trade, tariffs, and more

India and the EU have signed a free trade agreement aimed at boosting exports, jobs and mobility. Here are key FAQs on tariffs, farmers and services under the trade deal

Eco Survey seeks modest hike in urea price, raises concerns on farm income

On agriculture, the survey noted the advancements in Indian agriculture pointed to the challenges that impact productivity and incomes that still need to be fully addressed