Page 8 - Industry News

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

Delhi govt to provide ₹10 crore collateral-free loans for entrepreneurs

The Delhi government on Tuesday signed an MoU with central government entity CGTMSE to provide collateral-free loans up to Rs 10 crore to city-based entrepreneurs. Speaking at the signing of the MoU, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta termed the move as an important step towards financial empowerment to achieve the goal of a "Viksit Delhi". She said the Delhi government has set aside a fund of Rs 50 crore to service loans worth Rs 2,500 crore without the need of any collateral. She said there was no cap on the number of beneficiaries even as an initial target of one lakh was set initially. She said under the scheme, the Centre will extend 75-90 per cent guarantee to cover the loan amounts and the remaining guarantee will be provided by the Delhi government. It will cover all sectors, including manufacturing, service, and retail, she said, adding that the Delhi government has set 10 per cent as non-performing assets (NPA) limit to keep its financial liability in check. "There are lak

Aviation reforms in focus as India air show attracts global players

Analysts and industry executives will be looking for signals from government ​officials at the show on how India plans to ease airspace congestion in major cities

Hindalco announces major ₹21,000-crore aluminium smelter expansion plan

Hindalco said it planned to invest ₹ 21,000 crore in a smelter expansion with a capacity of 360,000 tonnes per annum at its Aditya Aluminium complex in Sambalpur

India needs $145 billion per year to fund energy transition: WoodMac

India will need to mobilise average annual investments of about USD 145 billion in its energy sector to bridge the gap between sustained economic growth and its net-zero ambitions, Wood Mackenzie said on Tuesday, outlining a critical pathway to maintain around 6 per cent GDP growth through 2035 while advancing the energy transition. Speaking at India Energy Week 2026, Joshua Ngu, Vice Chairman, Asia Pacific at Wood Mackenzie, said capital deployment must be strategically focused on power generation, energy storage and urgent grid modernisation to support India's expanding economy and decarbonisation goals. "India's next decade is decisive," Ngu said. "The challenge is a dual mandate: India must de-risk its immediate energy security while simultaneously building the low-carbon architecture required to support a top-tier global economy. Today's investment choices will determine whether the country locks in carbon-intensive infrastructure or leads the world in low-carbon ...

DFS seeks states' support to ensure banking ops during Jan 27 bank strike

The DFS said banks have conveyed that ATMs are being adequately loaded with sufficient cash, and arrangements have been made to ensure timely replenishment