The cooperatives-backed ride-hailing service Bharat Taxi will be officially launched in Delhi and other cities by the end of January, following an encouraging response during its soft launch, a senior cooperation ministry official said on Thursday.
The digital platform, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, was introduced in the capital on a pilot basis on December 2, 2024.
"We have received a very good response for the Bharat Taxi service during the soft launch. The official launch will be done by month-end," Panjak Kumar Bansal, Additional Secretary in the Cooperation Ministry, told PTI.
The service has been recording an average of 5,500 rides daily, including 4,000 from the airport and 1,500 from other locations across cab, auto and bike categories, Bansal said.
More than 1.4 lakh drivers have registered on the app so far.
Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd is promoted by eight leading cooperative organisations -- Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), IFFCO, KRIB

taxi, cab

The digital platform, operated by Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Ltd, was introduced in the capital on a pilot basis on December 2, 2024

Press Trust of India

As India rang in 2026, quick commerce and food delivery platforms logged one of their busiest nights, with grapes, biryani and pizzas leading a sharp surge in orders across cities

Qcom, quick commerce

Business Standard

The concession will be applicable at the time of vehicle registration following purchase at the Expo, providing a one-time 50 per cent relief in motor vehicle tax

Passenger Vehicles, GST, Auto industry, Car sales

State-owned NMDC on Thursday reported a 14.64 per cent year-on-year rise in iron ore production and 18.67 per cent growth in sales in December.
The miner produced 5.40 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore in December 2025, higher than 4.71 MT in the same month in 2024.
Iron ore sales rose to 6.64 MT in the month under review from 3.91 MT in December 2024.
NMDC's cumulative production rose to 36.89 MT in April-December FY26 from 30.77 MT in the nine-month period of the preceding FY25.
Sales during the period also surged to 34.92 MT from 31.80 MT in April-December 2024-25.
NMDC, under the Ministry of Steel, is India's largest iron ore mining company, catering to the country's over 20 per cent need for the key steel making raw material.

iron ore

The miner produced 5.40 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore in December 2025, higher than 4.71 MT in the same month in 2024

The Reserve Bank has flagged structural pressures in the insurance sector, saying premium growth is being increasingly driven by high-cost distribution-led strategies of insurance companies rather than operating efficiency.
While posing no near-term systemic risks, the surface-level stability masks emerging structural pressures that could weigh on medium-term sustainability and coverage expansion, RBI said in its latest financial stability report.
"A primary pressure is the persistence of a high expense structure, particularly the acquisition costs. Premium growth has been increasingly driven by high-cost distribution-led strategies rather than operating efficiency," the report said.
It further said that while in the life insurance sector, frontloaded acquisition costs limited the extent to which scale efficiencies are passed on to policyholders.
Furthermore, expected benefits from digitisation remain unrealised.
"From a financial stability perspective, continuously elevated expen

Reserve Bank of India, RBI

Total premium income grew to ₹11.9 lakh crore in 2024-25 from ₹8.3 lakh crore in 2020-21, reflecting consistent market expansion and stable financial intermediation capacity

The official said the state recorded a series of policy, investment and governance milestones in 2025 that are reshaping its economic landscape

Rupee

Power consumption grew nearly 7 per cent to 138.39 billion units (BU) in December from 129.39 BU a year ago, as the use of heating appliances like geysers and blowers increased on account of severe cold in North India.
According to the government data, the peak power demand met or the highest supply during December also rose to 241.20 GW from 224.23 GW recorded in December 2024.
The peak power demand had touched an all-time high of about 250 GW in May 2024. The previous all-time high peak power demand of 243.27 GW was recorded in September 2023.
However, this summer (April onwards), the record peak power demand was 242.77 GW in June.
According to government estimate, peak power demand was expected to touch 277 GW in the summer of 2025.
Experts said as cold intensified in December, use of heating appliances like geysers and blowers increased. This increased the demand as well as consumption of electricity in various parts of the country, especially North.
They said power consumpti

power substation, US power station

The peak power demand had touched an all-time high of about 250 GW in May 2024. The previous all-time high peak power demand of 243.27 GW was recorded in September 2023

New FASTags issued to cars will no longer require Know Your Vehicle checks from February 1, 2026, as NHAI aims to ease compliance and end post-activation inconvenience for users

Fastag, Paytm

India's vehicle registrations crossed 28 million in calendar year 2025 for the first time, driven by steady overall demand and strong growth in electric two-wheelers and passenger EVs

Auto sales continue to slide in Dec, likely to remain subdued for some time

Hyundai Motor India Ltd on Thursday reported a 6.6 per cent year-on-year growth in total sales at 58,702 units in December 2025.
This includes monthly domestic sales of 42,416 units and exports of 16,286 units, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said in a statement.
"Driven by the positive momentum from GST 2.0 reforms, Hyundai Motor India recorded a robust 6.6 per cent year-on-year growth in total monthly sales for December 2025," HMIL Managing Director and CEO Tarun Garg said.
The company delivered a 26.5 per cent year-on-year growth in export volume in December, he added.

Hyundai Q4 FY25 results, Hyundai profit decline, Hyundai model launch plan, Hyundai FY30 roadmap, HMIL export strategy, Unsoo Kim Hyundai, Hyundai EV India

This includes monthly domestic sales of 42,416 units and exports of 16,286 units, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said in a statement

German luxury carmaker Audi on Thursday reported retail sales of 4,510 units in India in 2025.
Healthy festive-season demand and growth in Audi Approved (pre-owned cars), SUVs and the performance and lifestyle car range, further supported by GST 2.0, provided a timely boost to customer confidence and the overall luxury car market, Audi India said in a statement.
"While market dynamics presented inherent challenges, our performance underscored the fundamental strength of the Audi vision and the invaluable loyalty of our customer base," Audi India Brand Director Balbir Singh Dhillon said.
On the road ahead, he said, "Stepping into 2026, our mandate is one of clear focus and intensified purpose. We are prepared to translate market challenges into sustainable momentum through innovative product launches, enhanced customer experience and initiatives prioritising people-centric growth".

Audi India sales on reverse gear, down 18% to 6,463 units in 2018

Healthy festive-season demand and growth in Audi Approved (pre-owned cars), SUVs and the performance and lifestyle car range, further supported by GST 2.0

TNC Rajagopalan answers SME queries related to GST, export and import matters

export

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy unveiled third round of speciality steel PLI scheme with relaxed thresholds, updated pricing benchmarks, and wider MSME participation to boost steel manufacturing

H D Kumaraswamy (Photo: X/@hd_kumaraswamy)

Base year revised, thresholds relaxed to reflect current market trends

Trade expert cites FTP Para 1.08 and CBIC circulars requiring that export consignments not be detained beyond three days, and clarifies documentation norms under the Advance Authorisation scheme

trade

UK fintech Tide will invest 500 million euros (₹6,000 crore) in India over five years from 2026, creating 800 jobs as it deepens its commitment to the country's fast-growing SME sector

investment

RBI repo rate cuts fail to ease yields across tenors

MSME credit target FY26, MSME loans public sector banks, PSB MSME lending growth, Finance Ministry MSME focus, India MSME sector credit, SBI MSME loan target 2025, PNB MSME lending growth, MSME credit outstanding FY25, MSME loan YTD growth 2025, GNPA

RBI data show public sector banks added staff in FY25 for the first time in five years, while private banks' headcount fell, led by a sharp drop at ICICI Bank

Bandhan Bank said it has sold stressed loan portfolios worth over Rs 6,800 crore to ARCIL and Phoenix ARC to reduce NPAs and refocus on core lending

Bandhan Bank

RBI said banks remain resilient with low bad loans and strong capital, but credit growth outpacing deposits will keep resource mobilisation competitive, requiring strong governance and risk management

Illustration: Ajaya Mohanty

Industry News: Find the top news on industry, banking & financial sector, manufacturing industries news, industry trends, corporate news and many more on Business Standard.

Industry

Auto

SME

Banking