Balance AI-driven judicial transformation with constitutional values: CJI

At the VII Congress of Asian Constitutional Courts in Samarkand, CJI Surya Kant urged embracing digitalisation and AI in the justice system to enhance access, cut delays and aid research, while insisting tech change must not erode dignity, equality, liberty and fairness.

BlackSoil plans ₹2,400 cr in FY27 after ₹1,600 cr so far this year (₹700 cr in Q1), as IPO-prep/refi and working-capital debt rise. Focus: financials, agri, consumer (health/healthtech). Recent: VLCC, MintOak, Suminter, Creditfair solar. At 10 years: ₹13,000 cr deployed; losses ₹35 cr, GNPA ₹50 cr.

After the Tata Sons boardroom revolt, promoter-led companies are reworking governance, separating ownership and management. Lawyers urge tighter AoA, reserved matters and clearer nominee-director duties. With outsider CEOs, trust, alignment and defined autonomy are key.

Post-Covid, war-driven inflation led RBI to off-cycle hikes in 2022, taking repo to 6.5% under Gov. Shaktikanta Das. Since 2016, inflation targeting kept CPI near 4.6% vs 7.5% earlier. As another hike cycle looms, experts weigh narrower bands and a growth mandate—FIT endures.

RBI clears ICICI veteran Anup Bagchi as HDFC Bank MD & CEO from Oct 27, ending succession uncertainty. Brokerages see room for a strategic reset but flag execution risks: deposits, loan growth, margin/return recovery, leadership stability, and governance under chair Rajiv Kumar.

Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube says its 43 Boeing 737 MAX jets are safe and operations, deliveries and inductions remain on track despite a rare software glitch disabling automated guidance in certain go-arounds. Pilots fly manually; DGCA and Boeing are fixing it. 226 MAX on order through 2032.

India’s Mines Ministry auctioned two limestone blocks in J&K—Koot-Kapran (22.43 ha; 4.75 mt; G-4) and Wantrag (5.36 ha; 10.853 mt; G-3, 159 m drilling)—marking a new phase of organized mineral development post-Article 370, expected to spur investment, exploration and economic activity.

Malta-based Challenge Group has temporarily suspended cargo flights to/from Mumbai until further notice after being forced to shift to Navi Mumbai airport, citing an unreliable setup. It’s exploring alternatives. The move follows MIAL’s mandated split, which airlines and IATA have opposed.

India’s steel outlook is upbeat: low stocks, strong demand and Oct–Mar restocking are lifting rebar and HRC prices. Input costs are high; coal may ease as China restarts. Tata, JSW, Jindal favored; SAIL more coke-exposed. If prices hold, earnings and valuations could rise; watch raw-material swings.

RIL will invest ₹1 trillion in Andhra Pradesh to build compressed biogas plants, Anant Ambani said, creating 3 lakh jobs and ₹60,000 crore in state revenue. He praised AP’s rapid approvals and tied RIL’s clean-energy push to the new GOBARdhan scheme to scale CBG by 2036.

The G7 will coordinate with the IEA to release 100 million barrels of diesel and other fuel reserves to stabilize global energy markets. The rollout starts immediately over four months, with a substantial diesel tranche in the first 20 days, per a joint leaders’ statement via Macron’s office.

USTR Jamieson Greer said a US‑India trade deal isn’t imminent, though talks are in the “short strokes” with sticking points identified. A US court voiding reciprocal tariffs clouds the offer. At the G20, only food weaponisation saw consensus; USTR 301 probes continue; India denies excess capacity.

Bajaj Finance will raise up to ₹175bn via a ₹117bn QIP to institutional investors and ₹58bn in promoter warrants to Bajaj Finserv, pending approvals. Warrant pricing later; 25% on allotment, 75% on exercise. Convertible within 18 months or forfeited. EGM to seek nod; shares rank pari passu.

RBI appointed Sudhakar Malli as executive director effective Oct 1, 2026. Former CGM-in-charge, Department of Supervision, he has ~30 years’ experience, incl 25+ in supervising banks/NBFCs/co-ops, 5 years overseas, and currency management. He’ll lead Supervisory Assessment. BTech, CAIIB.

FACE reports Q1FY27 personal loan sanctions at 4.9 crore, totaling Rs 2.99 trillion. In Apr–Jun 2026, digital NBFCs okayed 3.4 crore loans worth Rs 64,656 crore (avg ticket Rs 18,802). Sanctioned value rose 4% QoQ vs Q4FY26 and 50% YoY vs Q1FY26; average ticket near Rs 19k, led by small-value loans.

Dr Sandeep Goyal of Rediffusion is elected AAAI president for 2026–27; Jaydeep Gandhi is VP. The board includes Sam Balsara, Priyanka Chatterjee, Tanya Goyal, Santosh Kumar, Kunal Lalani and others; past president S.K. Swamy stays ex-officio. AAAI is a 1945-founded not-for-profit trade body.

Consumer AI is shifting from single-task tools to persistent, general-purpose agents. OpenAI Dots, Meta Muse, and Google Gemini Spark run on cloud computers/VMs, work across apps in the background, retain context, and raise new identity/permission controls. Google is moving Gems to reusable Skills.

Delhi University’s CPC will host Avasar 2026 on Oct 7 (9am–5pm, Multipurpose Hall, North Campus): 4,000+ students, 85+ recruiters, no fee. UG/PG/PhD, alumni, SOL & NCWEB eligible. Offers >₹10L; internships up to ₹60k. On-site presentations, GDs, interviews; bring CVs, ID; formal attire.

Delhi’s RML Hospital recalled 10 medicine batches after eight failed quality tests and two showed defects, ordering an immediate halt across wards (Sept 7–14). Affected oral/injectable drugs treat seizures, cardiac issues, depression, postpartum bleeding. No severe events; alternatives arranged.

MP CM Mohan Yadav met PM Narendra Modi in Delhi, inviting him to the state's Global Investors Summit 2027. He briefed Modi on MP's development, welfare and investment push, industrial growth and jobs, the Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva, and the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan focused on public participation

India’s Supreme Court okayed specified new‑generation joint firecrackers with limits on shell size, number, and burst intervals; conventional laris remain banned. Gen‑2 barium green crackers are still under study till 2026. No total ban—use will be time‑restricted. Delhi‑NCR rules pending.

Goa High Court questioned ECI over auto-rejecting Form 8 address-change requests during SIR when no prior enumeration form exists, risking voters being off rolls. Case arose from Santa Cruz voters with unlinked EPICs. Court asked why not keep pending; ECI says use Form 6. Next hearing Oct 5.

Google launches Fitbit Air in India: a 12g, screenless fitness tracker that pairs with Google Health and Gemini-powered Health Coach. Price Rs 13,999 in Obsidian, Berry, Lavender, Fog. Features 24/7 HR, sleep, SpO2, AFib alerts, auto workouts, 7-day battery, 5-min day charge, 5ATM, swappable bands.

Amazon unveiled a redesigned Kindle lineup: new 6-inch Kindle (flush-front, lighter, 30% faster opens, 16GB; 32GB aluminum option), thinner 7-inch Paperwhite (waterproof; Signature adds 32GB, auto light, pogo charging), and 7-inch color Colorsoft. New Kindle Click remote, covers, docks.

The Cockroach Janta Party will launch its “Jail Bharo Andolan” at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Oct 2, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, rollback of SIR, restoration of Jan 2025 rolls, and EC reforms. Despite police denial, CJP vows nationwide peaceful protests; security up in Mumbai and Delhi.

A day after opening, Delhi’s ₹1,635-crore Barapullah Phase-III corridor saw heavy jams and 40–55 min delays as six lanes merged into three near Sundial, Sarai Kale Khan. A police–PWD drone survey flagged bottlenecks; proposed fixes include smoother curves, barricades, signals.

At the Valdai forum, Vladimir Putin praised PM Narendra Modi’s persistent push to end the Ukraine war, calling his ideas constructive and India’s stance neutral yet proactive despite close Russia‑India ties. The remarks followed BRICS talks where India offered to aid peace efforts.

Delhi is on high alert Oct 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) as AISA, Manoj Jha, Prashant Bhushan and others plan protests demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral-roll irregularities/SIR. Police denied Jantar Mantar nod, imposed prohibitory orders, and shut entry/exit at 11 Metro stations.

IMD: Delhi to see clear, dry weather till Oct 5; max 33–36°C, min 21–25°C, no warnings; partly cloudy Oct 6–7. Southwest monsoon withdrawing further across NW/Central India. Today, heavy rain over Arunachal; storms/rain in Kerala, TN, AP, Odisha, NE; Kerala wet Oct 2–7; coastal Karnataka today.

Business Standard poll: RBI’s MPC likely to start a hiking cycle with a 25 bp repo increase on Oct 5–7 amid inflation risks from high oil and resilient growth; some see another hike in Dec. Markets eye liquidity absorption steps. 

Nayara Energy denied capping petrol and diesel sales, saying supplies are normal and focused on access across its 7,000+ stations. The oil ministry warned private retailers against limits amid a price surge, after reports Jio-bp and Nayara set per-customer caps to curb losses.

India’s finance ministry warns growth can’t be taken for granted amid geopolitics, urging swift, competition-friendly reforms. Sees about 7.3% Q2 FY27 growth; risks from inflation, rising rates and FPI outflows. Exports may near $1T; RBI liquidity steps supportive; US trade tensions persist.

RBI clears Anup Bagchi, ICICI Group veteran and ICICI Prudential Life CEO, as HDFC Bank MD & CEO for three years from Oct 27, 2026. He joins as additional director Oct 2, pending shareholder nod, succeeding Shashidhar Jagdishan amid recent governance scrutiny at the systemically important bank.

ASI FY25: factories added jobs but cut new investment—GFCF down 8% to ₹63,497 cr; fixed capital/worker up 3.1%. Productivity flat (FY24 -0.4%, FY25 +0.5%). Profit/factory +5% (₹4.33 cr); wages/worker +5.3% (₹2.28 lakh), gap narrowed. 

Cabinet okays Green Energy Corridor Phase-III to bolster intra-state grids and 50 GWh BESS, enabling evacuation of up to 135 GW RE by FY33. Outlay ₹1.86T with ₹54,080 cr central aid; greenfield via TBCB/BOOM. Creates demand for transmission/BESS players; execution depends on state utilities.

Rupee slid 0.5% to 96.31/$, the worst in Asia, as a stronger dollar, US 10Y at 5.34% (since 2002) and Brent >$100 spurred risk-off. India’s 10Y yield rose to 7.21% (highest since Apr), with dealers seeing 7.25% by Oct 7 MPC. Outflows, crude and RBI’s forward position added pressure.

India’s manufacturing PMI rose to 55.1 in September (52.8 in Aug), a 7-month high and above the 50 expansion mark, though Q2 FY27 averaged 53.8, the weakest since 2021. Stronger domestic/export demand lifted output and hiring; intermediate goods led, capital goods lagged. Costs and prices rose.

SDTT vice-chairmen Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh say they weren’t consulted on Tata Trusts’ Sept 28 letter urging a reorg merging TESS and TCE into Tata Sons to shed NBFC/CIC status. They question process, legal/charity risks, cite RBI stance, and seek SDTT deliberation and Tata Sons board review.

TCS will acquire Best Buy’s India global capability centre, merging its retail know-how with TCS’s tech and AI to build an AI-native hub. The unit shifts to TCS under a multi-year deal to speed innovation and scale AI solutions, reflecting broader GCC consolidation trends in India.

With 10-year G-sec at 7.19%, TMFs let investors lock attractive yields. They hold G-secs/AAA bonds to a target date, track an index, tax hits on redemption, and react to rates faster than FDs. Match tenor to horizon (1–3y appealing), prefer AAA PSU/SDLs, check costs.

Researchers at NIT Rourkela and IISER Berhampur developed a patented cotarnine‑derived formulation showing potent activity against oral (tongue) cancer cells at low doses. Now advancing to preclinical validation and potential clinical translation, the work showcases interdisciplinary drug discovery.

RBI approves Anup Kumar Saha as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank for a 3-year term starting Jan 1, 2027. Currently an executive director leading retail, government business, data and marketing, he brings 32+ years’ experience. The board will formalize the appointment and seek member approval.

Spencer Ackerman reviews Rozina Ali’s Seasons of Fury, following four Muslim American families to reveal how post‑9/11 counterterrorism—and earlier dehumanization—criminalized communities, fueled surveillance and violence, and normalized ICE-era repression, shattering myths of national unity.

India PV wholesales rose 21.4% YoY to 463,081 in September on a low base from 2025 GST changes. Maruti +36.9% with strong small cars/CNG (41% mix); Tata +15.3% and record EVs; M&M, Hyundai grew; Kia hit record; Toyota fell. Makers see festive tailwinds; industry FY growth ~10% to 5.3–5.4m.

Indian brands fell from 45% in 2014 to 1% by 2025 as Chinese OEMs hit 73%. A ₹62,500 cr scheme offers up to 9.5% incentives and mandates R&D, ₹1,000 cr revenue, 51% Indian ownership and patents to back 3 brands. Lava, NxtQuantum, Mivi target sub-₹15k mid-tier.

Since 1991, India’s privatisation has been sporadic: early minority ‘disinvestment’, a 1999–2004 surge, and few since. CPSEs number 291; only 14 strategic sales. Strategic needs, politics, valuations and legal risks slow exits. Finance Commission urges action on 3‑of‑4‑year loss makers.

Centre to direct private fuel retailers (Reliance, Nayara) to lift diesel/petrol sale caps. Despite West Asia turmoil, consumers stay insulated. Govt pushes gas: launches National PNG Drive 3.0 (5m D-PNG) and MyPNG, targets 15% gas share, and boosts CBG via GOBARdhan with up to ₹2 cr/TPD aid.

India’s equity and mutual fund investing is up, but long-term retirement saving lags, CEA Nageswaran warns. Pension assets are ~17% of GDP vs ≥80% in OECD. With rapid ageing and ~20-year retirements, officials call for trust-building, flexibility, and nudges to boost NPS/pension coverage.

India’s CAFE III (2027–32) seeks a 16.7% fuel-efficiency gain via raised reference weight, tech credits and super-credits that triple‑count EVs, plus tradable credit/debit compliance. Welcomed by industry, critics say a modest 11% EV goal and regulator‑sold credits may blunt real emission cuts.

Accenture signals IT resilience: projects FY2027 growth of 3–6% (vs 2–5%), FY revenue up 6% to $74.2B; Q4 $18.7B beat. Consulting $9.3B; bookings $22.2B; managed services +7%. Americas +7%, EMEA +6%, APAC +3%. Headcount 814,391; 13% attrition; 110k AI/data pros, surpassing targets.