Stories from earlier this week and beyond.
India’s antitrust watchdog has upgraded Anheuser-Busch InBev’s role in a cartel probe, moving it from a cooperating witness to a party under investigation. The case began by targeting 42 alcohol retailers in Telangana over alleged exclusion of rivals, and AB InBev was raided in 2024. The brewer then secured a temporary injunction that halted the investigation against it.
Volvo Group India president Kamal Bali says the Middle East conflict has not directly impacted India’s auto sector so far, but supply chain strain could become a real threat. He hopes for a swift end to the war, citing India’s resilience, while adding that Volvo is currently performing well with a strong market position.
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Non-alcoholic beers and spirits are growing globally, and now the NOLO category is pushing into India’s beverage market. The promise is a “buzz” without alcohol, aimed at the sober curious and younger consumers. The big question: can these products move beyond novelty and earn lasting habits, or will they fade like past fads?
Gold and silver prices tumbled on MCX, with silver falling about Rs 6,100 and gold dipping around Rs 1,000. Analysts link the move to higher crude oil prices and uncertainty over US-Iran peace talks, adding pressure from expectations of prolonged high interest rates. Traders see volatility ahead and suggest booking profits and buying only on dips, tracking dollar and inflation cues.
Kolkata’s Bhowanipur constituency is buzzing as a crucial election campaign heats up, turning the heartland into an all out political battleground. With Didi and Adhikari in the spotlight, colorful banners and high energy rallies are setting the stage for a contest seen as capable of reshaping the political landscape well beyond the area.
IIT Guwahati has released the provisional answer key for GATE 2026 on its official website. Candidates can download it to cross-check responses and estimate possible scores. A separate objection window is now open, allowing applicants to raise challenges to any discrepancies by submitting valid proof within the stipulated period.
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India’s IT sector is facing fresh uncertainty as new US H-1B visa fees threaten to raise costs. Yet leading firms say they’re buffered by strong profits and cash reserves. Meanwhile, the US continues to confront a tech talent shortage, keeping demand high for Indian professionals and reinforcing growth backed by India’s large STEM graduate base.
India’s Draft Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposes ending cross-subsidies, enabling private distribution, and setting tariffs closer to actual costs. If implemented, industrial power bills—especially for energy-intensive players like steel, cement, aluminium, and data centres—could fall, lifting margins. States with currently “distorted” tariffs are expected to benefit the most from the reset.
The Supreme Court, hearing petitions tied to religious freedom and discrimination, said it respects learned opinions but dismissed “WhatsApp University” information as unreliable. The remarks came during proceedings before a nine-judge bench examining rules around women’s entry into temples, including the Sabarimala matter. Lawyers cited scholarly works while arguing how constitutional rights should apply.
India’s textile industry is bracing for a potential April shock as the ongoing West Asia conflict pushes up oil and raw-material costs. With margins under pressure and supply chains affected by price volatility, the sector’s ambitious growth targets are at risk, industry leaders warn.
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India’s Chandrayaan-3 becoming the first mission to land on the Moon’s south pole is now being seen as a game changer for private investment. The landmark touchdown reportedly came at about 30% of the typical cost, strengthening confidence in India’s launch and mission ecosystem and encouraging more commercial players to bet on space ventures.
India’s government has recognised more than 55,200 startups in FY26, up 51.6% from the previous year. Direct jobs created by these startups rose 36.1%, reaching the highest single-year level since the Startup India initiative began in 2016, the government said. The surge underscores accelerating startup momentum and employment impact.
Adani is back in acquisition mode, agreeing to buy Hyderabad-based Penna Cements for INR 10,422 crore. The move raises the question of how cement assets strengthen the Adani Group’s broader infrastructure push, from controlling key inputs to supporting future construction demand. Analysts will be watching what this means for capacity, pricing power, and project timelines.
OpenAI has released Privacy Filter, an open-source model that detects and redacts personally identifiable information before data ever leaves an enterprise environment. Built from a gpt-oss variant, it runs locally on laptops or in browsers and supports large 128,000-token inputs. The tool targets fast, high-throughput privacy pipelines, but comes with a caution against treating it as a full safety guarantee.
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AI adoption is reshaping India’s IT hiring patterns. Companies are moderating entry-level hiring while keeping mid and senior roles largely stable, reflecting a shift toward domain knowledge plus AI capability. The report says productivity gains are strong as AI complements technical work, helping firms scale efficiently. However, AI training coverage remains limited, creating uneven readiness across the talent pipeline.
India’s health insurance coverage has risen sharply, with rural areas now outpacing urban centers in the share of people insured. The survey links the jump to expanding government schemes. However, it also reports continued out-of-pocket hospital spending. Hospitalisation is increasingly driven by infections, even as institutional deliveries reach nearly universal levels.
Two standout IPOs—Tata Technologies and Bajaj Housing Finance—have erased nearly half of investor wealth from their listing peaks. Tata Technologies’ decline is linked to concerns around client concentration, while Bajaj Housing Finance has faced a valuation reset in a tougher financial environment. The early pop is now being reined in by operational realities and changing market conditions.
An employee was slapped with a Rs 10 lakh penalty for failing to disclose foreign ESOPs in his ITR. But the ITAT Chennai set aside the order, holding the omission was accidental and bona fide, especially since it was the first year the reporting requirement applied. The case highlights how intent and reporting context can swing tax penalties.
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Attacks and threats have nearly halted all shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting oil flows and driving prices higher. The corridor has been weaponized before, including past threats from Iran, and even now some vessels continue to cross. With the wider war intensifying, energy markets are facing sharp shocks as supply risk grows.
IIT Kharagpur has unveiled the Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-Enabled Geological & Mining Systems, backed by a Rs 15 crore commitment. The centre plans to embed AI across the mining lifecycle, from exploration and operations to ESG analytics, tackling a core challenge in mining: vast data with little actionable insight.
Bitcoin traded around $68,000 on Saturday, holding steady even as new U.S. tariff developments raised uncertainty and ETF outflows continued. Meanwhile, several major altcoins posted gains as sentiment improved. Analysts point to a strengthening technical setup, with Bitcoin testing key resistance levels and Ethereum consolidating near $1,960—both seen as primed for potential upside if breaks hold.
Indian spinner Varun Chakaravarthy reached 200 T20 wickets during IPL 2026 as KKR faced Rajasthan Royals. He struck in a key spell, finishing with three wickets while RR were limited to 155/9. With 156 runs needed, the match sets up a tense chase where Chakaravarthy’s milestone arrives in the middle of the action.
Venture-backed startups are trying to make fashion the next quick-commerce win, promising under-hour delivery in metro cities. But the model relies on steep discounts and deep cash burn to attract customers, while inventories are expensive and trends change fast. Investors remain optimistic about growth potential, yet long-term scalability is far from settled.
Banks that traditionally relied on deposits and wholesale funding to drive lending are increasingly parking money in mutual funds. The move helps manage returns and liquidity but also puts banks in direct competition for investors’ savings, where mutual fund investments can replace or reduce demand for bank deposits and loans. The result: a reshaped financial landscape.
Global capability centres in India are expanding rapidly, but recruitment is changing fast. Replacement hiring now makes up around 40% of hiring in Q4, pushed by Gen Z employees staying for shorter tenures. Companies are recalibrating to keep operations stable while growth continues. At the same time, demand for AI and platform engineering talent is rising, while talent shortages remain a major hurdle.
Chennai Metro Rail Corporation is phasing out the CMRL travel card and asking commuters to switch to the Singara Chennai Card, a National Common Mobility Card. The update is intended to enable smoother travel across India’s public transport network. Remaining balances can be transferred to the new card or converted into a QR Stored Value Pass.
Meta says Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s is backfiring by funneling teens into less regulated alternatives. The company points to Lemon8 and yope, which aren’t covered by the restrictions, as their downloads surge in Australia. Meta argues the shift could reduce safeguards and increase safety risks for younger users.
Trials are underway on 10 coal power units totaling about 18,000 MW to test whether plants originally built for imported coal can operate on local coal blends. The exercise focuses on operational feasibility, measuring effects on efficiency, combustion characteristics and equipment performance—key to shifting supply without compromising output.
ElasticRun is reshaping India’s quick commerce playbook by shifting from traditional B2B distribution to a D2C-led fulfilment model. As brands demand same-day and even two-hour delivery, the company decentralises inventory across cities and repurposes delivery stations into fulfilment centres—promising asset-light economics, better network utilisation, and lower working capital strain.
Tesla chief Elon Musk discusses tariffs, H-1B visas, and his unusual involvement with the newly referenced Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during Nikhil Kamath’s podcast. Musk calls it an “interesting side quest” that exposed how US government works. He also says he attempted to persuade Donald Trump that tariffs could harm the economy, but wasn’t successful.
Himachal Pradesh has approved engaging more than 2,600 youth in the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited to tackle a shortage of field personnel. Of the total, 1,602 will be hired as Bijli Upbhogta Mitras and 1,000 as T-Mates. The move is intended to strengthen on-ground power services across the state.
Dr Reddy’s shares dropped about 2% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock and Citigroup turned cautious. Brokerages pointed to limited growth visibility, pipeline concerns, and valuation risks, alongside generics pricing pressure. Citi also flagged muted near-term opportunities in semaglutide, prompting analysts to warn that downside risks may persist despite earlier optimism.
A new genome reference set built around India’s diverse ethnic groups could improve cancer modelling and treatment decisions. By cataloging genetic variants that are common in different populations, researchers can create more accurate disease risk profiles and therapies designed for India’s genetic reality rather than relying on data from other regions.
Sterlite Electric has teamed up with Spanish firm RDT Lumiker to produce advanced smart cable monitoring systems aimed at fast-growing power demand from AI and data centres. The technology will help utilities track asset performance and detect faults in real time, strengthening power transmission networks. Initial production is set for Spain, while a new facility is planned in India.
DBS Bank India has launched DBS Aspire for emerging affluent Indians who move globally. The proposition targets customers with a ₹10 lakh relationship value or ₹2 lakh average savings balance and offers premium banking access, including a dedicated relationship manager and zero forex markup on international spends, positioning DBS as a long-term wealth partner.
From July 1, 2024, India’s new criminal laws will replace colonial-era statutes with modern procedures, including Zero FIR and expedited trials intended to speed justice. Authorities are racing through training and tech upgrades, while critics flag risks from expanded police powers. The government says the reforms will improve fairness and ensure timely delivery of justice nationwide.
US President Donald Trump has drawn attention to whether the Fed chair could be removed after criticizing Jerome Powell for not cutting rates. While the debate continues in the US context, the bigger takeaway for India is how RBI governor removal is governed by specific legal protections and procedures, limiting who can act and under what conditions.
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane registered the IPL record for the most ducks as an opener, dismissed for a duck against Rajasthan Royals and making it a second consecutive failure. While Rahane struggled, KKR’s bowlers held Rajasthan to 155. Now KKR need 156 to win, with the chase looming over Rahane’s form.
India’s beer industry is facing “major trouble” as war-related cost spikes, supply chain disruptions, and government pricing controls squeeze margins. United Breweries CEO Vivek Gupta says support is needed to keep growth and innovation alive. On the ground, consumers are trading down to cheaper options and buying smaller pack sizes, worsening demand pressure.
GIFT City has surged in fund-management presence, with over 70 new entities setting up shop last year and the total reaching 202. The puzzle now is workforce readiness: where will the qualified professionals to run, manage, and comply with these operations come from as the ecosystem expands at pace?
The NCDRC has taken an unusually firm step against Ansal Properties and its affiliate Ansal Hi-Tech Township by effectively dissolving the corporate barrier between them. The move follows repeated non-compliance with earlier orders demanding refunds to aggrieved homebuyers, signaling tougher enforcement when builders try to hide behind complex corporate structures.
After hitting a low of 12,514, the Sensex has tested the 12,800–12,000 support zone and then tried to bounce with a corrective rally. While the rebound attempt offers hope, analysts urge investors to wait for fresh signals before turning bullish, implying volatility remains a key risk until the market confirms a clearer trend.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur called the team’s recent 0-3 T20 series defeat to South Africa a “right time” learning experience ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup in June. With two matches still remaining in the five-game series, she said the squad can fix shortcomings and come back stronger, using the losses to sharpen plans.
Sri Lanka will ban four species of predatory ornamental fish after they escaped into rivers and lakes, where they’re harming native species and stressing fragile freshwater ecosystems. The fisheries minister cited rapidly multiplying snakeheads in a northwestern lake and warned that larger predators like piranhas could continue to devastate local biodiversity.
India’s government is considering operational changes to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code after an expert panel’s recommendations. The panel urges broader use of digital tools— including virtual meetings of the committee of creditors and deployment of AI—arguing they save time and can remain even once normal operations fully resume.
India’s new Labour Code aims to simplify regulations while bringing informal and gig workers into a more formal framework. It promises better security and fairer pay, with enhanced protections for employees. For businesses, especially in organized sectors, the reform is expected to reduce red tape and boost flexibility, alongside specific rules for platform companies.
Pay Point India has become the first fintech to join RBI’s Centralised Payment System, gaining direct access to RTGS and NEFT. The move cuts reliance on partner banks and may streamline settlement and improve speed for transactions. For the fintech sector, it signals deeper integration with core RBI payment rails and a potential shift in how smaller players operate.
Suresh Narayanan’s decade at Nestlé India has spanned the Maggi crisis and a subsequent turnaround that helped reshape the company’s footprint and valuation. Now he is stepping aside as Manish Tiwary takes charge of Nestlé’s India business. The question is what new priorities will define the next chapter for the global food giant.
Chalet Hotels Limited is set to acquire Seasons Hotels Private Limited, which owns Inder Residency Resort & Spa in Udaipur. The transaction is valued at Rs 171 crore for the 144-room property. The move will mark Chalet Hotels’ entry into Udaipur, with plans to upgrade the resort into an upper upscale destination aimed at attracting higher-end travelers.
Godrej Properties built a broad Indian footprint without overburdening its balance sheet, but its stock fell after Q2 earnings amid worries about rising debt. The shift to an upfront land-acquisition model could lift profitability if the firm successfully monetises those purchased assets—though results will depend on key execution factors.
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