Page 35 - Industry News

In an AI world, BPM industry embraces AI to rethink the BPO future

Explaining the rationale behind the acquisition, Capgemini chief executive officer Aiman Ezzat said the BPM industry remains one of the fastest-growing segments

Treasury income under pressure for banks in Q3 as yields stay elevated

RBI repo rate cuts fail to ease yields across tenors

Carmakers flex dealer, service networks to drive growth beyond metros

Network scale seen as central to tapping smaller markets

Auto registrations hit record 28 mn in 2025, EV sales steal the spotlight

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

India can save $1 bn in crude imports by replacing 10% diesel with LNG

Reducing liquid-fuel demand will lower exposure to global oil price shocks as India remains heavily dependent on imported crude oil, said the country's petroleum regulator

Bharat Taxi to roll out by January-end after successful pilot in Delhi

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

NMDC sees 15% growth in December iron ore output, sales grow 19%

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.

Hyundai Motor India records 6.6% sales growth to 58,702 units in Dec

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.

Rajasthan grounds ₹8 trillion of Summit MoUs, signalling execution focus

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

Wheat sowing almost complete, prospects bright this rabi: Agri Commissioner

India has nearly completed wheat sowing for the current rabi season, with crop conditions looking promising, Agriculture Commissioner PK Singh said on Thursday. Wheat was sown across 32.26 million hectares as of December 29 in the ongoing 2025-26 rabi (winter) season compared to a total coverage of 32.8 million hectares in the previous year, Singh said. "Barring some parts of Bihar, wheat sowing has been completed across the country. The total acreage may reach last year's level," Singh told PTI. More than 73 per cent of the sown area has been planted with climate-resilient and bio-fortified seed varieties that will help counter any weather aberrations, he noted. "Due to timely and early sowing, the prospects for the wheat crop look bright, and it is in excellent condition as of now. No problems have been reported from wheat-growing areas," the official said. Sowing of pulses and oilseeds has been completed, and rice planting will continue until January-end in southern India, he .

Festive demand lifts Audi India's retail sales to 4,510 units in 2025

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".

Renault India reports 33.4% jump in sales to 3,845 units in December

Renault India on Thursday reported a 33.4 per cent increase in sales to 3,845 units in December 2025 compared to the same month of 2024. The company said it witnessed strong sales acceleration in the second half of CY2025, driven by consistent improvement in quarterly performance and a sharp surge in December. "The H2 performance of CY2025 clearly reflects the direction we have taken for Renault in India. After a phase of portfolio transition, the consistent recovery from Q3 onwards, culminating in a strong Q4 and our best monthly performance in December, confirms that the course correction we initiated is delivering tangible results," Renault Group India CEO Stephane Deblaise said. On the road ahead, he said, "With the right building blocks now in place, we are entering the next phase with confidence, and the return of the iconic Duster will mark a significant step forward in Renault's renewed journey in India".

UPI ends 2025 strong with record 21.63 bn transactions worth ₹27.97 trn

India's UPI processed a record 21.63 billion transactions worth ₹27.97 trillion in December, helping the platform close 2025 with its strongest-ever annual volumes and values

New tobacco excise duty rules: What changes, what stays, price impact

Before the latest notification, cigarettes and other tobacco products were taxed under a layered structure combining GST with multiple cesses, including a compensation levy

CBAM may force steel, aluminium exporters to cut prices by 15-22%: GTRI

EU's carbon border levy enters its payment phase from January 1, 2026, with Indian steel and aluminium exporters facing price pressure and tougher emissions data compliance

Star ratings mandatory from Jan 1 for TVs, fridges, LPG stoves, chillers

The government has made energy efficiency star-labelling mandatory on a host of appliances, including refrigerators, televisions, LPG gas stoves, cooling tower, and chillers from January 1. According to a gazette notification issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, the new regulation for energy efficiency star-labelling will also apply on deep freezers, distribution transformers and grid connected solar inverter. Earlier, star labelling was voluntary on these items like frost-free refrigerators, direct cool refrigerators, deep freezers, RAC (cassette, floor standing tower, ceiling, corner AC), colour televisions and ultra-high definition televisions. An official on condition of anonymity said the list of mandatory appliances for star labelling is updated from time to time. The draft regulation for these appliances was introduced in July 2025 for public feedback and these changes are based on the response received from stakeholders. Star labelling was earlier made mandatory on r

Govt rolls out ₹4,531-crore market access support scheme for exporters

The government on Wednesday launched Rs 4,531 crore market access support for exporters under which financial support will be provided to participate in activities such as international fairs and exhibitions. It will help exporters at some time when they are facing a steep 50 per cent tariff by the US. The measure is a part of the Rs 25,060-crore export promotion mission. Under the Market Access Support, Rs 4,531 crore will be allocated over six years (2025-31) and Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for 2025-26. Director General of Foreign Trade Ajay Bhadoo said under the measure structured financial and institutional support will be provided for activities including Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs), participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions, Mega Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets (RBSMs) organised in India. A forward-looking three-to-five-year calendar of major market access events will be prepared and approved in advance, enabling exporters and organising agencies to plan ...

Why India doesn't move against CO2's close cousin as methane tracking lags

India is the world's third-largest emitter of methane but lacks clear policy direction and mechanisms to track and mitigate the gas, which is far more potent than carbon dioxide in global warming

Public sector banks' staff count rises for first time in five years

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

NPCI authorised fewer new third-party UPI apps in 2025 after April outage

NPCI approved 13 third-party UPI apps in 2025, with five limited to closed user groups, as tighter due diligence and new safety controls followed an April system outage, sources said