editor - The Purbottar

06 Feb

RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25%, Maintains Neutral Policy Stance

editorFinance

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% after the conclusion of its three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held from February 4 to 6. The committee, led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, also decided to retain a neutral policy stance, signaling a cautious approach amid evolving economic conditions.The decision comes at a time when growth expectations have strengthened following the Union Budget’s emphasis on higher government spending and renewed optimism around India–US trade ties after US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with New Delhi. These developments have supported market sentiment and raised…

05 Feb

JSW Cement Shares Jump Over 9% After Return to Profit in Q3

editorBusiness

JSW Cement shares surged over 9% on February 5 after the company reported a strong turnaround in its Q3FY26 financial performance, marking a return to profitability. The stock climbed to an intraday high of ₹127 following the announcement. For the quarter ended December 2025, JSW Cement posted a net profit of ₹130.6 crore, reversing a loss of ₹80.22 crore reported in the same period last year. Revenue from operations rose 13% year-on-year to ₹1,621 crore, supported by a 14% increase in cement volumes to 3.56 million tones. Operating performance also improved, with EBITDA rising 32% to ₹285.1 crore and margins…

03 Feb

Air India Orders Fleet-Wide Fuel Switch Checks After Dreamliner Snag on London–Bengaluru Flight

editorACCIDENT

Air India has initiated precautionary fleet-wide inspections of fuel control switches on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft after a malfunction was reported on a London Heathrow–Bengaluru flight. The issue was flagged by a pilot after the completion of the international service, prompting immediate action by the airline’s engineering team.According to sources, the reported defect involved the fuel control switch on a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Air India has escalated the matter to Boeing for priority evaluation to determine whether the problem is a broader technical concern or an isolated incident. Until a response is received, engineers have begun re-inspecting fuel control…

02 Feb

Gold Slips 3%, Silver Crashes 9% After Budget as Profit Booking Hits Bullion Market

editorBusiness

Gold and silver prices witnessed a sharp correction on February 2, 2026, a day after the Union Budget, as profit booking and lack of fresh policy triggers weighed on bullion markets. Gold prices fell nearly 3 per cent, while silver plunged around 9 per cent in domestic trade.The decline came after the government kept customs duty on gold and silver imports unchanged in the Budget, dampening bullish expectations. On MCX, April gold futures dropped 6 per cent, or ₹9,140, to open at ₹1,43,205 per 10 grams. In the physical market, 99.9 per cent purity gold slipped ₹3,500 to ₹1,65,500 per…

31 Jan

Jobs, MSMEs and Growth in Spotlight as Sitharaman Prepares Record Union Budget 2026

editorNational

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman readies to present a record ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, economists and industry leaders are calling for a sharp focus on jobs, MSMEs, skills and inclusive growth. Expectations include tax relief for the middle class, stronger support for small businesses, and targeted welfare spending.Ahead of the Budget, NIIT Vice Chairman Vijay K Thadani urged the government to remove the 18% GST on AI skilling courses and expand research funding for private institutions, arguing that affordable AI education is key to building India’s global talent pool.The Economic Survey projects India’s potential growth at around…

29 Jan

BPCL to Invest ₹25,000 Crore in City Gas Network Expansion Over Five Years

editorBusiness

State owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) will invest ₹25,000 crore over the next five years to expand its City Gas Distribution (CGD) network across India. The investment aims to strengthen gas infrastructure and accelerate cleaner energy adoption.Speaking on the sidelines of India Energy Week in Goa on Wednesday, BPCL’s Business Head for Gas, Rahul Tandon, said the company has already spent around ₹8,000 crore in its 26 operational geographical areas. He expressed confidence that BPCL would scale up its CGD operations faster than other players in the sector.Aligning the expansion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat,…

27 Jan

India, EU Seal Landmark Deal, Strengthen Multipolar World Order

editorEconomy

India’s landmark free trade agreement with the European Union marks more than an economic milestone; it underscores the shift toward a truly multipolar global order. Together, India and the EU form one of the world’s largest economic partnerships, spanning nearly 2 billion people and accounting for about a quarter of global GDP.The deal completes a key gap in India’s foreign policy vision under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, positioning New Delhi to engage all major power centres on its own terms. While India already maintains strong ties with the US, Russia, Japan, ASEAN nations and Indo-Pacific partners, the EU — a…

24 Jan

Republic Day 2026 Celebrations to Mark 150 Years of Vande Mataram

editorNational

India is set to celebrate its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026, at Kartavya Path with a grand ceremony centred on the theme “150 Years of Vande Mataram.” The theme commemorates the legacy of the national song composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and reflects its enduring role in India’s freedom struggle and nation-building.The Republic Day parade will creatively weave this theme through tableaux, music, narration and visual elements. Rare paintings illustrating the verses of Vande Mataram will line the parade route, while the 30 tableaux will focus on two sub -themes- Swatantrata ka Mantr – Vande Mataram and Samriddhi…

24 Jan

Indian Woman Among Four Klled in US Shoting Linked to Family Dispute

editorNews

An Indian woman was among four people shoot dead in the United States in an incident suspected to have stemmed from a domestic dispute, according to reports on Saturday. Although local authorities initially did not confirm the nationalities of the victims, news agency PTI reported that one of the deceased was an Indian national.Police officials said the shooting took place in a residential area, where officers responded to reports of gunfire and found four victims with fatal injuries. Investigators believe the incident was linked to an ongoing family conflict, though the exact motive is still under investigation.Law enforcement agencies have…

15 Jan

California Opens Probe Into Grok Over AI Deepfake Abuse Claims

editorBusiness

California has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s xAI following mounting allegations that its Grok model is generating sexually explicit deepfake images without consent. State Attorney General Rob Bonta said recent reports showing the spread of fabricated nude imagery including depictions of women and children were shocking and called on xAI to act immediately. The probe comes as global scrutiny intensifies. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned that X, which hosts Grok, could lose its ability to self-regulate. British watchdog Ofcom has separately opened its own investigation and could impose fines of up to 10% of global…