Page 23 - Indian Economy

Rupee posts biggest single-day gain in over a month on Fed rate cut hopes

Rupee strengthens 0.46% to 87.44/$, buoyed by weaker dollar, falling CPI, and gains in Indian equities and Asian currencies

India to be key driver of our long-term growth: Amazon's Samir Kumar

India is expected to become one of the largest contributors to Amazon's long-term growth, its country head Samir Kumar said on Wednesday, adding that the e-commerce giant is doubling down on its focus in the market, where it is investing billions of dollars. India is still not as deeply penetrated in terms of online consumption and therefore, presents a "very large opportunity" for Amazon, Kumar, who is now helming operations here as the Country Manager of Amazon India, told PTI in an interview. It is pertinent to mention that Amazon has committed to significant investment in its India infrastructure, about Rs 2,000 crore for 2025 alone. It has previously outlined a broader investment pledge of USD 26 billion by 2030, with close to USD 15 billion between 2023 and 2030. Kumar said India is among the fastest-growing markets for the company. "And we are a big believer that in the long run, India will be one of the biggest contributors to our growth," Kumar said, but did not give a ...

India has growth potential: IKEA CEO at first Delhi store opening

Swedish home decor and furniture retailer IKEA sees growth potential coming over the next three decades in India on the back of the country's economic growth, demographic dividend and young families coming into the consuming class, said IKEA India CEO Patrik Antoni. IKEA, which on Wednesday entered the Northern market with the opening of a city store here, is also working to increase local sourcing for its local retail operations from 30 per cent to 50 per cent in the next five years, he said. "The population size itself, the economic growth, but also the whole demographics of the society, where there are so many young people, so many young families that are coming out. So, I think it's probably the growth potential we see over the coming 30 years," Antoni told PTI. IKEA, which has now entered into the second phase of growth in the country, is working with an omnichannel strategy here, where it has classical large-size stores, along with small city stores, supporting its online sale

India's headline inflation likely to average 3.5% in FY26: Crisil

Ratings firm Crisil said that headline inflation is expected to average 3.5 per cent this fiscal as compared to 4.6 per cent in the last financial year. In its research report for August, the rating agency said that healthy agricultural production is likely to keep food inflation in check. The kharif sowing is up a healthy four per cent year-on-year as of August 8. "We expect headline inflation to average 3.5 per cent this fiscal from 4.6 per cent in the last," Crisil said in its research report. Headline inflation is defined as a rise in prices of all items in the CPI, including food and energy. Assuming geopolitical uncertainties remain under control, Brent crude oil prices are projected to be subdued at USD60 to USD65 per barrel in the current financial year, which should help contain non-food inflation, the report said. Crisil said another bout of repo cut is expected this fiscal. A cumulative cut of 100 basis points so far, along with adequate liquidity, has ensured a swift

India needs big push in AI, chips to compete with US, China, says CEA

CEA V Anantha Nageswaran said that the current trade-related matters are important but they should not blind us to other challenges

High levels of Russian crude imports may not last forever, says govt

The ministry was commenting on a recommendation by the panel on imports of crude oil from Russia according to the report of the panel tabled in Parliament today

OilMin rejects blended fuel fears, says ethanol priced higher than petrol

Despite higher ethanol prices, India sticks to its blending mandate for energy security, farmer income, and sustainability

The rupee should be allowed to weaken to cushion impending trade impact

While it is to be hoped that the Indian government will continue to engage with the US, the prospect of a 50 per cent-plus tariff on US exports will have serious consequences for the Indian economy

MSME bodies seek urgent liquidity, faster refunds to offset US tariff hit

MSME bodies urge emergency credit, faster RoDTEP and GST refunds, and targeted relief measures to protect exporters from US tariff hikes impacting margins and employment

Centre slashes FCI share of broken rice to boost ethanol production

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said last Friday that no engine failures had been reported since the E20 blend's rollout and that the performance impact was minimal, at around 1-3 per cent

US tariff hike likely to hit Rajasthan's gems and jewellery sector

Jaipur Sarafa Committee Chairman Kailash Mittal said that Rajasthan's jewellery traders are surprised by the tariff move but not overly worried

How advanced manufacturing can define India's global manufacturing rise

India's rise in global manufacturing will be driven by innovation-first businesses, policy alignment, and closing the talent gap

Best of BS Opinion: India must make rational choices on Trump tariffs

Our editorials and opinion pieces today look at the impact of Trump's tariffs and how India should calibrate its responses, as well as the social and economic impact of AI replacing IT jobs

India should use Trump's bullying to kickstart its own Meiji Restoration

India should avoid boxing itself into a corner because of Trump's bullying

Statsguru: The two sides of growth as India marks 79th Independence Day

Demographically, India overtook China as the most populous nation, with 1.46 billion people in 2025, even as the average annual population growth rate fell

India the world's most 'dashing and dynamic' economy, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described India's economy as the world's most "dashing and dynamic" and said some people who have the attitude of "we are everyone's boss" are not liking it. Singh's comments come amid high tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump on goods imported from India. The speed with which India is moving ahead, no power in the world can stop it from becoming a big power globally, Singh said in his address after performing bhoomi pujan of a rail coach manufacturing unit of the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district. 'Today, if any country has a dashing and dynamic economy, it is India's economy,' he asserted. The defence minister, without naming anyone, said some people are not liking the rapid development of India and are unable to digest it. "They think that we are everyone's boss and how is India moving forward so fast? Many people are trying to do something, so that when things made by the hands of Indians i

Nudging more states to mandate procurement through GeM, says CEO

In 2024-25, about 10.5 per cent of the total government procurements worth ₹5.42 trillion carried out through the GeM portal were from States

Misjudging a presidency: How overconfidence about Trump era turned to anger

India may yet emerge from this period of flux in trading relations with a tariff rate and exemption list from the US that allows some of its exporters to survive

Indian economy is robust: Arvind Panagariya counters Donald Trump's jibe

Dismissing US President Donald Trump's "dead economy" jibe, 16th Finance Commission Chairman Arvind Panagariya on Friday said the Indian economy is growing at 7 per cent, and more than that in dollar terms. Panagariya was speaking at the Business Today India@100 event. "You don't grow at 7 per cent plus (if the economy is dead), and actually in dollar terms we are growing at more than 7 per cent. I don't know what the definition (of dead economy) means. May be, dead bodies do move," he said when asked if India is a dead economy. Asked about India's trade protectionism, Panagariya said: "There may be protectionist measures... We are substantially open". Mounting a sharp attack on India, Trump had remarked that India is a "dead economy". "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care," Trump had said in a social media post on July 31. Trump later imposed 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods imported to the US with a brief .

US tariff impact: India's FY26 GDP growth likely to take 60-bp hit

Economists expect India's FY26 GDP to face a 35-60 bps hit from US tariff hike; strong domestic demand may cushion the blow but targeted support may be needed