Highlights: Delhi cabinet gives nod to ordinance on regulation of school fees

Today's news updates: Catch all the news developments from around the world here

8:41 PM

Vedanta Aluminium partners with Central Bank of India for collateral-free loans

Vedanta Aluminium has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Bank of India for offering collateral-free customer financing, officials said.

The partnership will provide low-interest working capital through ‘BALCO' and Vedanta Metal Bazaar, a release issued by the company said.
 

The initiative will enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including MSMEs, to access loans with minimal documentation and at highly competitive interest rates, it said.
 

Financing limits range from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 10 crore per customer, with the potential for higher limits based on business turnover and BALCO's recommendation, the release said.

8:25 PM

We are no saints to sit in opposition, says Ajit Pawar on joining hands with BJP

Justifying his decision to join hands with the BJP, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said he and his colleagues were not "saints" who could remain in the opposition and be content with protesting and shouting slogans.
 

Speaking at an event here to mark the 26th Foundation Day of the undivided NCP, Ajit, currently Maharashtra deputy chief minister, made no definitive statement about the possibility of reuniting with his estranged uncle Sharad Pawar's faction.

"The NCP was founded on the ideologies of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. Some people question our decision to join hands with the BJP and the Mahayuti coalition," said Ajit, who parted ways with his uncle in 2023.

7:32 PM

QSR firms' margins under pressure, food delivery firms show improvement

The Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) are facing pressure on margins due to factors like inflation, while the food delivery firms have seen improvement in their margins, according to a report.
 

QSR firms have also slowed the pace of store expansion, the report from banking firm BNP Paribas said.
 

Further, the report mentioned that now food aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato have become larger over the last few years and provided reach to the restaurants smaller than QSR chains.
 

"This, we believe, has resulted in increased competition for the listed QSR companies. Over the last four years, margins of food delivery firms have increased, while QSR margins have remained under pressure," it said.

6:52 PM

Anil Ambani, Diehl Defence CEO discuss strengthening strategic partnership

Reliance group founder Anil D Ambani and German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence CEO Helmut Rauch discussed strengthening strategic partnership on guided munition/terminally guided munition that they had entered into in 2019, the two firms said in a statement on Tuesday.
 

"For Diehl Defence, the collaboration with Reliance Defence is part of the company's commitment to the Indian market and to the 'Make in India' initiative of the Indian government," the statement said.
 

The main purpose of the current strategic cooperation agreement between the two groups is to focus on the urgent supply of the 'System Vulcano 155mm Precision Guided Munition' for the Indian armed forces.

6:12 PM

Goyal woos Swiss investment, proposes an enclave for firms in India

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday proposed to develop a dedicated enclave for Swiss businesses in India as he sought to attract investment from the European country.
 

Addressing industry representatives of India and Switzerland here, he invited companies to invest in India as the country provides huge opportunities for them.

"We could even create a Swiss enclave, an area dedicated to Swiss businesses," Goyal said.
 

He added that the enclave could have restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges for Swiss citizens who would come to work in the units of those enclaves.

India is inviting companies to set up units in industrial parks that are being set up in the proposed industrial corridors in different parts of the country.

5:50 PM

Congress govt to undertake caste re-enumeration in Karnataka; party top brass discusses stampede

 The Congress on Tuesday said it has decided to hold caste re-enumeration in Karnataka to address concerns of some communities who complained of being left out of the survey that was conducted 10 years ago.
 

The party's top brass met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy and Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar at the Congress' new headquarters and discussed various issues, including the June 4 stampede in Bengaluru.

Sources said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi expressed their displeasure over the involvement of the state government in the IPL victory celebrations of Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) during which 11 people lost their lives in the stampede.

A source said Rahul Gandhi told the chief minister and PCC president that human lives are of great value to the Congress party and the government has to be responsive towards people, "unlike the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh or the Left government in Kerala where no responsibility was taken for the loss of lives during the Kumbh and Sabarimala tragedy respectively".

5:40 PM

Caste census will help NDA in Bihar polls: Upendra Kushwaha

The NDA will benefit from the government's announcement of a caste census, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha claimed on Tuesday as he stressed that the alliance should focus on consolidating its votes in regions like Magadh and Shahabad.
 

Addressing a press conference here after scores of members of All India Kalwar Kalal Kalar Association including chief Rajiv Jaiswal joined the RLM, Kushwaha said that his defeat from the Karakat seat in the Lok Sabha polls last year was a loss for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which besides the RLM includes the Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas (LJP-RV) and the BJP.

4:58 PM

Delhi cabinet approves ordinance on regulation of fees charged by private schools, says minister

Education minister Ashish Sood said that in the eighth cabinet meeting, the BJP government approved the ordinance based on the proposed Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.

4:53 PM

Congress decides to re-enumerate caste data in Karnataka to address concerns

The Congress top brass on Tuesday said it has decided to hold re-enumeration of caste data in Karnataka to address concerns of some communities who complained of being left out of the survey that was conducted 10 years ago. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of the party that also reviewed the government's handling of the Bengaluru stampede that claimed 11 lives on June 4.

4:52 PM

PM Modi's able leadership ended 'policy paralysis': Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

As the Narendra Modi government at the Centre completed 11 years in office, Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday credited the Prime Minister for providing a stable government that has spurred growth, development and prosperity in the country. Contrasting this with the UPA government which was in power before 2014, he said that after almost 1984, there was a serious "policy paralysis" due to "instability". He alleged that it was the most "unstable government" with a "weak leadership".

4:10 PM

NHAI raises concerns over MCD's advertising, parking on National Highways

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) raised objections to a string of issues with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), including outdoor advertising on highways and an illegal parking lot, officials said on Tuesday. In a recently held meeting, the central body's concerns were conveyed to the Delhi government, which has MCD's administrative control.

4:05 PM

News update: Doctors withdraw agitation against Health Minister Vishwajit Rane after CM's intervention

4:01 PM

Technology double-edged sword, must enhance functions not replace decision making: CJI Gavai

Underlining technology's “double-edged sword” nature, Chief Justice of India B R Gavai has said such innovations must enhance judicial functions and not replace the decision making process.Speaking at the international symposium on "The Role of Technology to Improve Access to Justice" at the University of Cambridge on June 9, the CJI, emphasised the transformative power of technology in enhancing access to justice in a vast, diverse, and complex country like India.

3:37 PM

US-China trade talks in London enter their second day

The US and China are holding a second day of talks Tuesday in London aimed at easing their trade dispute, after President Donald Trump said China is “not easy” but the US was “doing well” at the negotiations. A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng met US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for several hours on Monday at Lancaster House, an ornate 200-year-old mansion near Buckingham Palace.

3:32 PM

We salute bravery of armed forces: Mamata Banerjee in Bengal Assembly

"Terrorism has no religion, caste or creed; we don't support it," says West Bengal CM Mamata in Bengal Assembly on resolution lauding armed forces.