Page 10 - Industry News

Soft landing for aviation insurance premiums amid benign loss trends

Aviation insurance rates have softened due to excess reinsurance capacity and lower global losses, though geopolitical risks continue to influence underwriting conditions

West Asia conflict: Small firms face big strain from energy and cost shocks

Rising gas prices, disrupted routes threaten MSME margins and output: CII

Policy response to heatwaves remains cool even as nationwide instances grow

An early March heat spike has raised concerns of a prolonged summer as El Niño risks grow. While preparedness has improved, gaps in planning, funding, and implementation persist

JICA signs ₹16,420 crore loan deals for several projects in India

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Tuesday signed four loan projects, including a project for promoting sustainable horticulture in Punjab and Mumbai Metro Line, aggregating to Rs 16,420 crore. The loan agreement was signed with the Government of India to provide Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan for four key projects, JICA said in a statement. The loan agreement was signed in New Delhi between Alok Tiwari , Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India Office. The four projects include a project for strengthening the tertiary Healthcare Delivery, Medical Education System and Nursing Education System in Maharashtra (62,294 million Japanese Yen); a Project for Promoting Sustainable Horticulture in Punjab (18,684 million Japanese Yen), Bengaluru Metro Rail Project (Phase 3) (I) (102,480 million) and the Mumbai Metro Line 11 Project (I) (92,400 million Japanese Yen). The projects aim

JP Morgan appoints HSBC veteran Rahul Badhwar as senior country officer

American bank JP Morgan has appointed HSBC Group veteran Rahul Badhwar as its senior country officer for India. Sjoerd Leenart, J P Morgan's chief executive for Asia Pacific, made the announcement about Badhwar's appointment. Badhwar replaces Kaustubh Kulkarni, the senior country officer who quit in September to join rival Citigroup. "India is a critical market for our Asia Pacific franchise, and Rahul will play a central role in driving and executing our growth strategy across the country," the internal memo reviewed by PTI said. Badhwar's responsibilities will include getting the firm's entire set of offerings to clients, strengthening governance and controls, and supporting the talent base and community, as per the memo. He will join the firm in July and be based out of Mumbai, it said, adding that Badhwar will report to Leenart and also be a part of the Asia Pacific Management Committee. Badhwar has spent three decades in sales and trading roles at HSBC, and was last based in

'Moving beyond 10-minute race': Zepto launches Pay Later facility

Quick commerce platform Zepto on Tuesday introduced a suite of new in-app features, including a 'Pay Later' facility and real-time images of fresh produce, as it shifts its strategic focus from delivery speed to "behaviour-led commerce." The company stated that the quick commerce sector is moving beyond the "race to the fastest 10 minutes" to focus on reducing everyday shopping friction and serving customers more intelligently. The newly rolled-out 'Pay Later' feature offers a 15-day, interest-free repayment cycle embedded directly within the app. Designed for high-frequency, low-value orders, the facility allows for a one-tap checkout without One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or third-party redirects. According to the product interface shared by the company, the service provides instant credit of up to Rs 10,000. "Meet Zepto Pay Later, a BNPL experience built completely inside the Zepto app. Shopping is now going to be smoother than ever. It's already live for a small percentage, and we p

NCLAT allows Adani JAL plan to proceed, denies relief to Vedanta

NCLAT allowed Adani Enterprises' JAL resolution plan to proceed while refusing interim relief to Vedanta, with execution subject to final outcome of the appeal

Priya Kapur removes Rani Kapur as trustee of RK Family Trust amid dispute

Notice cites breach of fiduciary duties as dispute over late Sunjay Kapur's estate escalates, with proceedings underway in the Delhi High Court

CIE scheme to be notified by mid-2026 to boost equipment manufacturing

The government will notify the CIE incentive scheme by mid-2026 to boost domestic manufacturing, raise value addition, and attract investments in construction equipment

LPG crisis: HungerBox invests ₹3.5 crore in shift to electric cooking

HungerBox has invested Rs 3.5 crore in electric cooking systems to tackle LPG shortages and support food partners, ensuring continuity amid supply disruptions

Centre forms seven official panels to tackle impact of West Asia crisis

The first panel on defence, external affairs and public order is led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, with Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh as members

Centre relaxes monthly sugar sales quota for March on subdued demand

The Centre has relaxed sugar dispatch norms for March 2026, allowing mills flexibility amid weak demand without penalties for missing quota targets

Industry leaders stress trust, innovation as key for enduring institutions

Industry leaders on Tuesday emphasised that trust, innovation and empowered organisational structures are critical for building resilient and future-ready institutions, as businesses navigate rapid technological change and evolving consumer expectations. Speaking at the annual regional meeting and conference of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Eastern region, themed 'Vision with Velocity', corporate leaders said institutions must balance scale with agility while remaining anchored in strong values. ITC chairman Sanjeev Puri said long-term institutional success rests on three pillars -- vision, values and vitality. "Reshaping the narrative of a legacy institution comes down to vision, values and vitality," Puri said, adding that businesses must move beyond simple diversification to build multiple drivers of growth aligned with market opportunities and institutional strengths. He stressed that large organisations should function like "multiple startups within a larger ...

PM Internship Scheme's pilot relaxes age criteria, increases compensation

The Prime Minister Internship Scheme pilot has widened the age band, raised stipends to Rs 9,000, and reduced duration to 6-9 months to improve participation

After Zomato, Swiggy raises platform fee to ₹17.58 amid cost pressures

Swiggy has raised its platform fee to Rs 17.58, following Zomato's move, as rising costs and supply constraints in commercial LPG impact food delivery operations

India's flex office stock crosses 100 mn sq ft, triples since 2020: CBRE

Flexible office stock in India has surged past 100 million sq ft, tripling since 2020, driven by enterprise adoption, GCC expansion, and strong investor interest

Corporate Laws Amendment Bill to empower NFRA, ease compliance tabled in LS

The Corporate Laws Amendment Bill proposes decriminalisation, stronger NFRA powers, and simpler compliance norms, alongside reforms in mergers, CSR, and corporate governance

Niti Aayog retools Feb 10 transport report after Auto Inc pushback

FFVs and CBG vehicles run on flex fuel (currently ethanol blended with petrol) or bio-gas (currently CBG mixed with compressed natural gas) using internal combustion engines

Sudden rains, West Asia crisis throw a curveball at consumer demand

Rising raw material costs, West Asia tensions squeeze consumer goods sales

Manufacturing push: Execution will be key to success of industrial parks

Many industrial areas remain underutilised; in Karnataka, some parks have only about 25% of units operational due to poor connectivity, weak governance, regulatory delays and low demand