Page 28 - Industry News

MP priority sector has credit potential of ₹3.75 trillion: Nabard

Nabard estimates priority sector loan potential in Madhya Pradesh at ₹3.75 trillion for 2026-27, about 20% higher than last year, led by agriculture and MSMEs

Economic Survey: Responsive state, competitive firms key to resilience

Economic Survey 2025-26 says India's resilience to global shocks hinges on state capacity, effective governance, competitive firms and trust-based regulation, not just macro stabilit

Nalwa Aero inks pact with 3 helicopter players to launch low-cost air taxis

Aviation tech firm Nalwa Aero on Thursday said it has signed an initial pact with helicopter operators Global Vectra Helicorp, Pawan Hans Ltd and Himalayan Heli Services to launch electric air taxi (eVTOL) services, offering fares as low as Rs 200 per passenger on select routes. As part of this strategic collaboration, signed at the ongoing Wings India aviation show in Hyderabad, Himalaya Heli Services has placed pre-orders for Nalwa's upcoming eVTOL aircraft, a statement said. The partners plan to deploy eVTOL aircraft for pilgrimage travel, including Char Dham Yatra routes, air ambulance services, urban and intercity air taxi operations, and offshore crew and logistics transport, Nalwa Aero said. According to the company, electric propulsion promises lower operating costs, reduced noise levels, and zero in-flight emissions, enabling operators to expand services into routes previously constrained by conventional helicopter economics. The quieter footprint is especially valuable for

India's internet user base crosses 950 million in 2025: IAMAI report

India's internet user base crossed 950 million in 2025, driven largely by rapid growth in rural connectivity, rising short-video consumption, and increasing adoption of AI, according to a report released by IAMAI on Thursday. The report also revealed that rural India accounts for 57 per cent of India's active internet users, i.e, approximately 548 million active users. The 'Internet in India Report 2025,' jointly prepared by Internet and Mobile Association of India and KANTAR, which highlights these trends, was released at the India Digital Summit in the presence of Manjula N, Secretary to the Government, Department of Electronics, IT/BT and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka. According to the report, India now has 958 million Active Internet Users (AIU), marking an approximate 8 per cent yearonyear growth, reinforcing India's position as one of the world's largest and fastestevolving digital markets. It also reveals that 44 per cent of users have engaged with AIenabled

India plans seasonal adjustment for industrial output in data revamp

A discussion paper from the ministry, released on Wednesday, said using a new methodology could improve economic signals without causing excessive revisions

Fertiliser sales rise 3.8% in April-December on higher imports: FAI

Urea sales in the country increased 3.8 per cent to 31.16 million tonnes during April-December 2025 on account of higher imports, even as domestic production declined marginally, according to provisional data released by the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) on Wednesday. Urea sales stood at 30.02 million tonnes in the year-ago period. Domestic urea production during the period stood at 22.44 million tonnes, while imports rose 85.3 per cent to 8 million tonnes, supporting higher sales during peak crop nutrition months. Production of NP and NPK fertilisers (other than DAP) rose 13.1 per cent to 9.27 million tonnes during April-December 2025, with imports increasing 121.8 per cent to 3.29 million tonnes, the data showed. Sales of complex fertilisers remained largely stable at 11.74 million tonnes. Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) production during the period was recorded at 3.03 million tonnes, reflecting a 3.9 per cent decline compared to the previous year, while imports increased 4

Republic Day boost: Ecom, qcom firms witness up to 25% uptick in sales

Ecom and qcom platforms clock up to 25% YoY sales growth as Republic Day deals, flash discounts and festive offers drive demand across metros and Tier-II+ cities

Iran unrest has had minimal impact on Indian companies so far: Crisil

Domestic credit ratings agency Crisil on Wednesday said the unrest in Iran has not had any impact on Indian companies so far. However, if the tensions persist or escalate, leading to rise in crude prices, companies in oil refining, aviation and crude-linked sectors like specialty chemicals, paints, petrochemicals and synthetic textiles may be impacted, it said. "The ongoing unrest in Iran has not had any significant impact on India Inc's global trade, or the credit profiles of domestic corporates thus far," it said. Pointing out that Iran accounts for over 4 per cent of the global crude oil supply, the agency said any escalation that disrupts its production could spike prices and the same should be watched closely by a country like India that is dependent on imported crude. "While India's direct dependence on Iran for crude-linked products is low, any sharp rise in crude oil prices will have a cascading impact on sectors such as oil refining, aviation, specialty chemicals, paints,

Pine Labs reports ₹423.9 million Q3FY26 profit as digital payments surge

Indian fintech firms have continued to benefit from strong growth in cashless transactions, rising merchant adoption and a renewed investor appetite

Uttar Pradesh govt sets aside 425 acres for fintech, apparel parks

Uttar Pradesh has earmarked 425 acres near Noida airport for fintech and apparel parks, aiming to boost exports, jobs and its push to become an industrial hub

India-EU FTA: One-stop hub to aid movement of skilled professionals to EU

Supports IT services industry and students

ONGC seeks oil majors for Western offshore blocks; multiple deals signed

ONGC has invited global oil majors for technical support partnerships in its western offshore blocks to lift output

India-EU free trade agreement to improve access to premium alcobev brands

While detailed provisions of the agreement are awaited, the initially released agreement indicates that import tariffs will be reduced to 75% from current 150% across all EU spirits, wines categories

India-EU FTA: Large market opens up, says Maruti Chairman RC Bhargava

India-EU FTA opens a large European market for Indian-made small cars, with duty cuts boosting exports and giving carmakers like Maruti Suzuki a cost advantage

Budget 2026 Outlook: How India's infra push may change in the next phase

As Budget 2026 approaches, policymakers and industry leaders weigh how India's infrastructure push may evolve - balancing capex momentum, fiscal discipline and private investment

Budget 2026 outlook: Key expectations for agriculture, rural sectors

With falling crop prices, slowing farm income growth and pressure on subsidies, the Union Budget for FY27 is expected to focus on agriculture reforms, rural spending and cooperatives

Renault aims to lift India market share to 3-5% by 2030, says CEO

French automaker Renault is eyeing a market share of 3-5 per cent in the Indian passenger vehicle segment by 2030, led by new product launches and sales network expansion, according to a top company executive. The company currently sells three models in the market -- Kwid, Kiger, and Triber -- and has also unveiled the new Duster with deliveries expected to begin in April this year. The automaker's market share has slipped below 1 per cent in the over 43 lakh strong passenger vehicle segment. "If we do our job well, by 2030 we should get between 3-5 per cent market share, that's our goal," Renault brand CEO and Chief Growth Officer Fabrice Cambolive told PTI in an interaction. "We would not like to communicate today about the new cars, but we will increase the number of models here in India, because the market is big and there are a lot of growing segments," he added. The market share improvement would depend upon the level of competitiveness the automaker is able to achieve as th

Tata Power bets big on home automation, targets mass adoption across India

Tata Power is expanding its footprint in the home automation space, relying on rising mass acceptance of Internet of Things (IoT)-based products, a senior company official said here on Tuesday. The power major, which forayed into the retail home automation segment last year, is targeting one crore households with IoT-enabled converters and other products as part of a rapid expansion strategy, its renewable and automation head Kaushik Sanyal said. "We are growing at around 60 per cent, but growth will be unprecedented with this device. My aim is to take this to one crore households," Sanyal said at the launch of the company's EZ Home Automation Solutions in Kolkata. Tata Power currently operates in nine cities and plans to expand to 100 cities within three years, he said. Sanyal said the segment is poised for phenomenal growth, amid rising aspirations among Indian households to automate homes at affordable price points, driven by increasing awareness around safety, convenience and .

India-EU FTA to boost Indian pharma exports, improve EU market access

Lower tariffs under the India-EU free trade agreement will significantly strengthen the position of Indian formulations, APIs, and value-added medicines in the European Union, Pharmexcil Chairman Namit Joshi said on Tuesday. For the domestic pharmaceutical sector, the agreement delivers structural competitiveness, he stated. "Near-zero tariff access significantly strengthens the position of Indian formulations, APIs, and value-added medicines in the EU, a development that is particularly consequential for India's pharma MSMEs, many of whom possess strong quality capabilities, but face cost and access barriers in highly regulated markets," Joshi said in a statement. Reduced tariffs and smoother market entry will directly enhance their ability to scale exports, invest in compliance, and integrate into European supply chains, he added. "Crucially, this agreement enables stable, long-term, and predictable pharmaceutical trade, benefiting European healthcare systems and consumers throug

India-EU FTA a game-changer for trade, investment in EU market: Industry

The "game-changer" free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) is set to unlock significant trade and investment opportunities for the country in the high-potential market of the 27-nation bloc, which remained untapped and boost India's export competitiveness, industry bodies said on Tuesday. The European Union and India on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) here. CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said the landmark agreement represents a strategic breakthrough in India's global trade engagement and significantly deepens the partnership between two major democracies and economies that together account for nearly 25 per cent of global GDP. "The unprecedented preferential access secured for over 99 per cent of Indian exports is a game-changer for Indian industry. It decisively improves competitiveness in the EU's high-value market, anchors Indian manufacturers and service providers deeper into global value