Blog

Budget FY27 positions agriculture as growth engine with innovation and climate focus: Kotak Mahindra Bank

Budget FY27 positions agriculture as growth engine with innovation and climate focus: Kotak Mahindra Bank

Reacting to the Union Budget FY27, Pinakin Simaria, Head – Agri Business Group, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said the Budget signals a decisive long-term shift in policy stance by simultaneously prioritising innovation, investment-led growth and climate resilience. Simaria said the Budget ensures continued focus on small and marginal farmers (SMFs) through the “Third–Kartavya Framework”, which emphasises productivity enhancement and entrepreneurship. He noted that agriculture is now being treated as a “credible engine of economic growth”, underpinned by a growth rate of 4.45 per cent between FY16 and FY25—the highest recorded in recent decades. Highlighting key policy measures, Simaria pointed to the…
Read More
Budget 2026 sets growth path with strong push for MSMEs, says Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Shekhar Bhandari

Budget 2026 sets growth path with strong push for MSMEs, says Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Shekhar Bhandari

Reacting to the Union Budget 2026, Shekhar Bhandari, President – SME, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said the Budget strikes a careful balance between growth aspirations and fiscal discipline while laying the foundation for long-term economic expansion. Bhandari noted that the fiscal deficit being contained at 4.4 per cent for the current year and projected to moderate further to 4.3 per cent next year provides much-needed macroeconomic stability as India moves towards its Vision 2047 goals. He said this fiscal clarity would help strengthen investor confidence and support sustained economic momentum. Highlighting the focus on capacity creation, Bhandari welcomed the proposed revival…
Read More
Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, but higher borrowing raises market concerns

Budget 2026 sticks to fiscal discipline, but higher borrowing raises market concerns

Reaction to the Union Budget 2026 from economists remained measured, with a mix of reassurance on fiscal consolidation and caution over borrowing levels. Upasna Bhardwaj, Chief Economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank, said the government has continued to prioritise fiscal discipline, broadly aligning with market expectations. According to Bhardwaj, the fiscal deficit target for FY27 has been set at 4.3 per cent, while net market borrowing also remains in line with estimates. “The government has continued to focus on fiscal consolidation. The FY27 fiscal deficit at 4.3% and net borrowing is in line with our expectations,” she said, indicating continuity in…
Read More
Assam CM Praises PM Modi’s Leadership as US Lowers Tariffs on Indian Exports to 15%

Assam CM Praises PM Modi’s Leadership as US Lowers Tariffs on Indian Exports to 15%

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership following the announcement of an India–United States trade understanding that will lower tariffs on Indian products exported to the American market. Under the new understanding, tariffs on Made in India goods entering the United States will be reduced to 15 per cent. The Chief Minister described the move as an important step for India’s manufacturing and export sectors, saying it would help Indian products reach a wider global market and improve competitiveness. Taking to social media platform X, Sarma said the decision would create fresh…
Read More
Cybercrime in Focus as Assam Police Organises Capacity Building Workshop Under Sishu Mitra Programme

Cybercrime in Focus as Assam Police Organises Capacity Building Workshop Under Sishu Mitra Programme

The Assam Police organised a National Capacity Building Workshop in Guwahati with a focus on cybersecurity, cyber hygiene, and financial safety. The day-long programme brought together police officers, members of civil society, and representatives of community-based organisations to discuss growing digital risks and ways to respond to them in a practical manner. The workshop was held under the Sishu Mitra Programme and aimed at improving awareness and preparedness at both the institutional and community levels. With the increasing use of digital platforms for communication, banking, and services, the organisers said there was a clear need to strengthen understanding of cyber…
Read More
Budget 2026 signals structural shift toward resilient, investment-led growth: Aon

Budget 2026 signals structural shift toward resilient, investment-led growth: Aon

Reacting to the Union Budget 2026, Rishi Mehra, Chief Executive Officer, India and Head of Strategy, Human Capital, Asia Pacific at Aon, said the Budget represents a bold move towards building structural resilience while laying the foundation for long-term economic growth. Mehra said a key highlight is the government’s focus on “crowding in” private capital through the proposed Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund. He noted that the initiative addresses a critical gap in the risk landscape by providing the credit stability required to support large-scale infrastructure projects and long-gestation investments. He also highlighted strategic measures such as the infrastructure and logistics…
Read More
Union Budget 2026 signals strong push for infrastructure, defence and industrial self-reliance

Union Budget 2026 signals strong push for infrastructure, defence and industrial self-reliance

The Union Budget 2026 underlines the government’s intent to build long-term economic resilience through higher public spending, strategic investments and measures aimed at crowding in private capital, according to Sushant Sarin, Managing Director – Strategy & Commercial Risk Solutions, India, Aon. In his response to the Budget, Sarin said the allocation of Rs. 12.2 lakh crore towards capital expenditure reflects India’s determination to invest in future-ready infrastructure, while the Rs. 7.5 lakh crore earmarked for defence reinforces the government’s focus on national security and strategic preparedness. A key announcement highlighted in the Budget is the proposed Infrastructure Risk Guarantee Fund,…
Read More
Tata Motors posts 29.9% jump in commercial vehicle sales in January

Tata Motors posts 29.9% jump in commercial vehicle sales in January

Tata Motors Limited reported total commercial vehicle sales of 41,549 units across domestic and international markets in January 2026, registering a strong year-on-year growth of 29.9 per cent compared to 31,988 units sold in the same month last year. According to company data, domestic sales stood at 38,844 units during the month, up 29.1 per cent from 30,083 units in January 2025, while international business rose sharply by 42 per cent to 2,705 units. Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) truck sales grew by 41.2 per cent to 12,691 units, while Intermediate and Light Commercial Vehicle (ILMCV) truck sales increased by 33.5…
Read More
Hardeep Singh Puri launches Jio-bp ACTIVE Technology petrol, promises up to 100 km extra drive annually

Hardeep Singh Puri launches Jio-bp ACTIVE Technology petrol, promises up to 100 km extra drive annually

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has launched Jio-bp’s petrol with revolutionary ACTIVE Technology at India Energy Week 2026 in Goa, setting a new benchmark in fuel performance for Indian motorists. The newly introduced petrol, marketed by Jio-bp, is designed to actively clean critical engine parts by removing existing deposits, thereby restoring and sustaining engine performance. According to the company, the advanced fuel can help two- and four-wheelers travel up to 100 km more per year compared to regular petrol, based on typical Indian driving patterns, at no additional cost. Developed using bp’s global fuel research…
Read More
Air India Orders Fleet-Wide Fuel Switch Checks After Dreamliner Snag on London–Bengaluru Flight

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

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…
Read More