RBI orders, SEBI regulations, PLI schemes, and government policy news affecting businesses.
NPCI has asked UPI apps and partner banks to hide cellphone numbers and other personal details to strengthen user privacy starting September 4. The action is in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act and strives to minimise risks of privacy and identity theft.
The Delhi High Court has ordered the winding up of Paytm Payments Bank in proceedings started by the RBI, marking the final stage of its liquidation following extended regulatory action. The court has designated former SBI executive Girikumar M Nair as the official liquidator.
The Indian government has authorised RBI’s plan to begin field trials of one billion polymer INR 10 and INR 20 banknotes, which will lead to their regular issue if the trials are successful. Polymer notes are projected to be more durable and resistant to weather.
The FSSAI does not recognise the phrase ‘energy drink’ as a permitted category. India has ordered Pepsi, Red Bull, Monster, Reliance and Hell Energy to remove the term ‘energy drink’ from product labels within 90 days.
The new CBDT standards under the Income Tax Act have boosted crypto tax compliance in India, moving the country closer to the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). The laws do not introduce new taxes, but rather increase tax reporting obligations.
A CAG audit has detected a loss of INR 12.86 crore to West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) on account of allotment of land to Flipkart’s logistics subsidiary, Instakart Services, at Haringhata Industrial Park. Audit discovered that WBIDC miscalculated land price.
Smaller UPI apps have approached the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to reconsider its planned UPI Meta architecture, cautioning that it could lead to increased dominance of PhonePe and Google Pay and stifle competition.
The Indian government has reduced FDI regulations to allow inventory based e-commerce for exports, enabling foreign backed enterprises to sell Indian created products directly in global marketplaces. The policy intends to enhance exports, provide more chances for the manufacturers in India.
The Government of India is in the process of formulating a strategy for introduction of ethanol based cooking fuel as a cleaner alternative for households, restaurants and commercial kitchens. The drive, led by the Ministry, intends to extend ethanol use beyond E20 petrol
India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is in talks with Spain’s Bizum digital payments platform to allow Indian tourists to make UPI payments in Spain, bringing the country a step closer to enabling such transactions.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against 41 eateries, including Chaayos and Barbeque Nation, for allegedly charging service costs without the approval of customers. The CCPA said required service charges are against the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The Government of India has proposed tighter CAFE-III fuel economy rules for passenger vehicles, effective April 1, 2027, to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The draft regulations include tougher fleet-average CO2 limits, compliance credits etc.
The Union Cabinet has granted INR 1.27 lakh crore for India Semiconductor Mission (Semicon) 2.0 for bolstering the country’s semiconductor design and production ecosystem. Announced by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the initiative intends to attract INR 4 lakh crore investments.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has fined HP India INR 138.85 crore and 21 resellers INR 3.52 crore for allegedly colluding to rig bids and forming a cartel in Government e-Marketplace (GeM) tenders.
ONGC has sanctioned a project to enhance India’s strategic crude oil storage capacity by 1.75 mn tonnes at Mangaluru in Karnataka, boosting the nation’s energy security in the face of global supply uncertainty. The project will help India’s expanding energy needs and strategic petroleum reserves.
Indian government has cleared the joint venture between Dixon Technologies and Vivo Mobile India under Press Note 3 which will lead to more smartphone manufacture in India. The joint venture will manufacture Vivo branded smart phones and products for other companies.
The Centre has extended customs tax exemptions on critical electronics components and lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment till March 31, 2029, to boost India’s manufacturing ecosystem. This will lower the input prices for display modules, wireless charging systems etc.
BSNL launches satellite phone in India at INR 1.34 lakh, promises dependable communication in rural, network-less locations using satellite connectivity. The device, built with worldwide satellite providers, provides SOS emergency support, a long battery life etc.
Truecaller has expressed concerns about the impact of TRAI’s current restrictions that bar the app from displaying spam notifications for calls coming from the 140 and 160 number series used by banks and telemarketers.
FSSAI has issued notices to Lotte India, Kubera Foods and FNP for allegedly making deceptive product claims and violating labelling norms. The companies have been given seven days to reply or risk prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
China is said to be mulling limits on outside access to its most powerful AI models, a move that might harm developers and companies in India, the US and beyond. Officials are thought to be mulling tougher controls on frontier AI technologies, foreign investment etc.
Apple has started accepting card payments for App Store & iCloud in India after a gap of 5 years, by upgrading its payment system to conform with the RBI guidelines on card tokenisation and recurring payments.
The Centre is planning a phased introduction of E21 fuel by 2027 and E25 by 2029, limiting ethanol content to 25%, as per India’s ethanol-blending roadmap. The phased roll-out is intended to ease worries about vehicle compatibility, fuel economy and infrastructural readiness.
The Government of India has announced an Offer for Sale (OFS) to disinvest up to 5.04 per cent ownership in Cochin Shipyard at a floor price of Rs 1,400 per share. Non-retail investors can place bids from July 7 while retail bidding will be held on July 8.
Meta has until July 9 to reply to concerns raised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology regarding WhatsApp’s proposed username feature. The functionality could increase risks of impersonation, phishing, fraud and identity spoofing.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor has explained that the issue displayed in the viral video involving an Innova Hycross was due to the petrol being polluted and not because of E20 fuel. The business said the Hycross is completely developed and certified for E20 petrol.
Centre to call Meta amid accusations Instagram used advertising promoting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) Minister for IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has asked MeitY officials to seek an explanation from the firm on the presence of such content on its platform.
India has given a two-year exemption to four Chinese-linked power equipment manufacturers – TBEA Energy, Nanjing Electric India, New Northeast Electric India and Taikai Electric (India) – to bid for major government power transmission projects.
Reports of misuse of Chinese applications BAT BMS and Epoch Li-ion to remotely disable e-rickshaws in Delhi led the Centre to direct their removal from Google Play and Apple’s App Store. Bluetooth-enabled battery management apps can shut down lithium-ion batteries.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, 2026, replacing the EPF Scheme, 1952, which is six decades old, under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
WhatsApp has said that its new username feature that will allow users to talk without providing phone numbers isn’t operational yet, and will be rolled out gradually later this year with various safety safeguards. This explanation comes after a government notice to Meta.
The Expenditure Finance Committee of the Finance Ministry has granted INR 1.25 lakh crore for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, subject to final approval of the Cabinet. The extended initiative is aimed at boosting the semiconductor ecosystem in India.
Delhi Cabinet has adopted a new Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy with an outlay of INR 15,000 crore to promote sustainable transportation and reduce pollution. The program provides incentives for purchase and scrapping of electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles.
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EPFO 3.0 raises auto-settlement to Rs. 5 lakh, removes employer dependency for most claims, and introduces UPI and ATM-based withdrawals. Here is everything salaried employees need to know about PF withdrawal rules in 2026.
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Explore the best government franchise opportunities in India, including India Post, BSNL, Jan Aushadhi, CSC, and Indian Oil. Compare investment, ROI, and requirements to choose the right government-backed business opportunity.
Shares of One 97 Communications fell sharply after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL), intensifying regulatory pressure on the fintech major. The move has raised major concerns around Paytm’s operations, user services, and future growth outlook. RBI Cancels Paytm Payments Bank
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Understand the GST registration process in India with step-by-step guidance on eligibility, documents, online application, and post-registration compliance requirements.
The Telangana government has announced a Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC), offering some relief amid long-standing demands over pay and benefits. The move comes as part of a broader effort to address employee concerns and clear pending dues within the state-run
Reliance Jio has been ordered by the country's telecom regulator to end some rate practices that it deemed "discriminatory" and in breach of transparency standards. The corporation has until April 14 to meet two important deadlines set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). First,
The industry has pushed back against the deadline for compliance with SIM-binding rules, but the Centre has apparently extended it to December 31. In response to industry representatives' requests, the government has postponed the implementation deadline of the SIM-binding rule until December 31. By December 2025, the regulations put
Starlink, which is run by Elon Musk, and the government of Meghalaya have both signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Under the terms of the deal, Starlink will be able to test out satcom services in outlying parts of the state. In order to roll out the satellite broadband service
A new set of regulations to improve and simplify the country's online commerce exports has been operationalised by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The government has lifted the limit of INR 10 lakh per shipment on courier exports under the new regulations. It has
The Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) has seen 29 more proposals approved by the Ministry of Information Technology (MeitY). Investments of INR 7,104 Cr, 14,246 direct jobs, and an anticipated production pipeline worth INR 84,515 Cr are all part of the revised proposals. With this, MeitY has
Pine Labs, a prominent fintech company, was fined INR 3.1 lakh by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for noncompliance with regulations pertaining to PPIs. Officials from the central bank issued a statement saying they discovered Pine Labs broke PPI rules by giving out full-KYC PPIs without doing the
A tax demand of INR 384 crore, including interest of INR 100 crore for the Assessment Year (AY) 2023-24, was imposed on Go Digit General Insurance by an Income Tax Order dated March 25, 2026. The majority of the changes are related to challenges that affect the entire sector. These
Telecom firms asked to highlight 30-day plans more clearly to protect users from overpaying. Raghav Chadha places demands to…
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Sangeeta Sharma, a life transformation and inner alignment coach, explores how emotional healing, generational trauma, and self-awareness shape modern women’s journeys, highlighting the shift from silent struggle to empowered living.
India’s casino and gaming company, Delta Corp, has come under regulatory pressure after receiving a massive tax demand notice of ₹1,752 crore from the government. The development has triggered concerns among investors and led to a sharp reaction in the company’s stock price. Government Issues ₹1,752
A unit of the Income Tax (IT) Department has sent a tax demand notice to PhysicsWallah (PW) for a sum of INR 263.3 crore. The business announced the ruling in a filing with the stock market, citing Section 143(3) of the Income Tax Act as the basis for
By 2029, Karnataka intends to have established 500 new global capability centres (GCCs), which will help to speed up the development of jobs and solidify its status as a hub for global technology. Approximately 3.5 lakh jobs and approximately $50 billion in economic production are anticipated to be generated
Air India has begun corrective actions, including the imposition of sanctions on the accountable workers. The step is taken after discovering widespread irregularities in the implementation of its staff vacation travel programme, which affected more than four thousand personnel. In January 2022, the Tata Group bought the financially troubled Air
IDBI Bank shares plunged over 13% to around ₹79 after reports said the Indian government may scrap the proposed majority stake sale due to lower-than-expected bids. The development has raised uncertainty around the bank’s long-planned privatisation process.
Visakhapatnam will be home to a new information technology development centre and a Global Capability Centre (GCC) thanks to an invitation from the government of Andhra Pradesh to the international consultancy firm Capgemini. Government officials have estimated that this action might create 20,000 new jobs in the area. Andhra
India has eased FDI rules for Chinese and neighbouring-country investors, allowing minority, non-controlling stakes via the automatic route. The move aims to revive stalled startup funding, boost manufacturing, and attract global capital while keeping strategic control with Indian entities.
On March 10, Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce Jitin Prasada informed Parliament that as of January 2026, over 6,700 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had closed their doors. Prasad stated in a written response presented to the Lok Sabha that
On 10 March, IDFC First Bank said that it had paid the Haryana government INR 645 crore in response to a fraud investigation at one of its Chandigarh branches. This amount was 55 crore more than the bank had originally estimated. At first, the bank thought the incident's
According to a recent filing by the company, e-commerce startup Meesho intends to challenge an income tax demand notice totalling around INR 1,500 crore, including interest. On March 6, Meesho was notified for the evaluation year 2023-24. According to the document, a tax demand totalling INR 1,500 crore,
The Karnataka government has suggested a ban on social media use for minors under the age of sixteen in an effort to address the rising worries about children's digital addiction and excessive screen time. The chief minister of the state, Siddaramaiah, made the announcement when presenting the budget.
India’s most anticipated stock market debut, the initial public offering (IPO) of Reliance Jio, may be delayed as the Indian government has yet to notify revised listing rules meant for very large companies. The public issue, backed by billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, was widely expected to launch in the
Shares of railway public sector companies IRCON International and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) surged sharply on 6 March after reports suggested that the Ministry of Railways has proposed merging the two companies. The development triggered strong buying interest in railway stocks, pushing IRCON shares up by nearly 12% and
Apple has launched the iPhone 17e, its latest budget-friendly iPhone that combines high-end features with an affordable price. Designed for users who want premium performance without paying top-tier costs, the iPhone 17e brings the A19 chip, 48MP camera, and MagSafe support to a wider audience. With pricing starting at $599
In an effort to attract startups and foster innovation within the Indian Railways, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the creation of a specialised tech strategy on February 26. Following in the footsteps of the defence ministry's iDEX program, the Rail Tech policy seeks to enlist the help of
In the next years, the Indian government anticipates that Apple Inc. will manufacture 30% of its iPhones worldwide in India. In light of the US Supreme Court's decision, the government does not anticipate any changes to Apple's expansion plans. The 10% fentanyl tax that was levied
India’s financial system remains stable for now, but early warning signs are emerging around household debt, consumption-driven borrowing, and declining savings, according to the latest Financial Stability assessment released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The findings have sparked fresh debate among economists and market observers after data
On the grounds that they stream explicit material, the MIB have banned five over-the-top (OTT) platforms: MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnu. According to official sources cited by various media reports, the five platforms were accused of hosting immoral information in contravention of obscenity rules. By virtue of
The Government of India has launched an Offer for Sale (OFS) to sell up to 4% of its stake in Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), the dedicated financing arm of Indian Railways. The stake sale is expected to raise around ₹5,430 crore and comes at a time when IRFC
Under the Trump administration, the US Department of Commerce imposed preliminary duties of about 126% on solar cells and modules imported from India, triggering a sharp fall in Indian renewable energy shares. The decision was announced by the US Department of Commerce, which said Indian manufacturers benefited from subsidies that
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Navigating the National Capital Region (NCR) often feels like driving through a single giant city, yet the transition between Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida brings a significant shift in how road laws are monitored. For a daily commuter, crossing a border can mean moving from a highly automated camera network to
Google has provided some employees in its business unit with voluntary exit packages (VEPs) in light of the continuing wave of layoffs in the IT industry. A severance payout is available to some teams within the global business organisation (GBO) if they choose to voluntarily quit the company, according to
Nearly a year after JPMorgan Chase enforced a strict five-day office attendance policy, some employees are still pushing back, with an online petition opposing the rule continuing to attract signatures. The petition, addressed to CEO Jamie Dimon, calls for hybrid work options to return, even as many staff fear public
Shares of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) fell sharply on Wednesday after the Government of India announced a stake sale through an Offer for Sale (OFS), triggering heavy selling across the counter. The stock dropped over 6% in early trade, hitting intraday lows and wiping out recent gains, despite the
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The US crypto market has grown into a regulated and structured financial ecosystem where trust, compliance, and platform reliability matter as much as technology. Modern crypto trading platforms in the US now operate as full financial services providers, offering trading, custody, payments, investment products, and institutional infrastructure. As rules become
Bharat Taxi, India's first ride-hailing platform supported by the government, was inaugurated by Union minister Amit Shah. The platform is based on the idea of shared ownership. At the 5 February launch ceremony in Delhi NCR, Shah stated that the platform's primary objective is to provide
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah officially launched Bharat Taxi on Thursday, February 5, 2026, marking a significant shift in India's burgeoning ride-hailing industry. Positioned as the nation's first cooperative-based platform, Bharat Taxi aims to empower drivers by transforming them into co-owners, thereby challenging the
Reportedly, talks are underway between UPI and Ant International's Alipay+, a cross-border digital payment system, to facilitate UPI's continued international expansion by the Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Tourists from India would be able to use UPI with Alipay+-registered merchants abroad
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman disclosed a Rs 40,000 crore allocation for semiconductors during the presentation of the Union Budget 2026 today. The 'India Semiconductor Mission 2.0' was announced by the Finance Minister in order to leverage the momentum of the semiconductor mission. Sitharaman stated that the
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Moving to the cloud is less a question of if and more a question of how. The success of that transition hinges on picking the right tools. An improperly planned migration can lead to challenges such as downtime, data loss, and budget overruns. The right cloud data migration software can
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StartupTalky presents Recap'25, a series of exclusive interviews where we connect with founders and industry leaders to reflect on their journey in 2025 and discuss their vision for the future. In this edition of Recap’25, StartupTalky speaks with Rudramani Pandey, Co-founder & COO of Sigma Earth, who
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The United States H-1B visa program, a critical conduit for skilled foreign talent, is currently facing an unprecedented crisis, particularly impacting Indian professionals. A confluence of new security protocols, policy changes, and operational backlogs has led to visa stamping interview appointments in India being pushed back to 2027, effectively stranding
- Chinese companies can now get U.S. chips, but with tight restrictions. - ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent get the green light to import chips from Nvidia. - Other companies are in line for approval.
- Geopolitical shock (Greenland issue) sends the dollar lower despite strong U.S. Investments. - Markets ignore Fed drama, but sell the Dollar on geopolitical tensions. - The dollar weakens as the U.S. angers allies, echoing the 2025 tariff crash all over again.
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StartupTalky presents Recap'25, a series of exclusive interviews where we connect with founders and industry leaders to reflect on their journey in 2025 and discuss their vision for the future. In this edition of Recap’25, StartupTalky speaks with Amit Das, Founder and CEO of Think360.ai, a
India and the European Union (EU) have reached a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) after nearly 20 years of talks, transforming economic ties between the world’s fastest-growing major economy and Europe’s 27 member states. Leaders have hailed the pact as the “mother of all deals”, with potential long-term
The Centre has started to redistribute 10% of IndiGo's flying operations, making a temporary reorganisation of the Indian aviation sector inevitable. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has earlier restricted IndiGo, reassigning 717 slots to other local carriers. The MoCA-imposed limitation is being implemented in a phased and systematic
In connection with Yes Bank's 2022 share sale, SEBI has accused current and former officials at PwC and EY's Indian divisions of violating insider trading regulations. US private equity firms Advent International and Carlyle Group were also implicated in this infraction, according to a classified SEBI
A ban on bike taxi services functioning throughout the state was overturned by a division bench of the Karnataka High Court. Hence, allowing app-based two-wheeler transport platforms to reopen. Chief Justice Vibhu Bakru and Justice CM Joshi overturned a one-judge bench decision on 23 January that had earlier supported the
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StartupTalky presents Recap'25, a series of exclusive interviews where we connect with founders and industry leaders to reflect on their journey in 2025 and discuss their vision for the future. In this edition of Recap’25, StartupTalky speaks with Sahil Sameer, CEO of OpenGrad, who shares insights on
The Union labour minister's proposal to remove the "10-minute" delivery guarantee from the branding and advertising campaigns of rapid commerce (qcom) platforms was made in good faith, according to Aadit Palicha, founder and CEO of Zepto. After meeting with Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Palicha posted on
- The initiative is set to help 1,000 African Clinics with AI technology. - The project will start in Rwanda and spread across Africa by 2028. - From recordkeeping to providing reliable medical information, AI will integrate into healthcare at every step.
The Global Capability Centre (GCC) of the French global personal care company L'Oréal is anticipated to open in November of this year, according to official sources on 21 January. The beauty tech company plans to invest INR 3500 crore (350 million euros) by 2030. This will accelerate the
In addition to its previous investment promise of INR 30,000 crore, Mumbai-based Lodha Developers has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government. As per the MoU, the group will invest INR 1 trillion in the construction of a 2.5 gigawatt (GW) data centre park in
- The global economy is overly reliant on AI, and if it fails, growth could drop by 0.4 percentage points this year. - The growth forecasts for the U.S., Canada, and China look promising for 2026 and 2027. - Reality check: Only 30% of the increased revenue was due to AI, says a PwC survey.
- Despite tariff tensions, China's $1.19 trillion trade surplus surpasses expectations. - Internal issues such as the housing crisis, 17.2% fall in property investment, and low consumer spending remain. - Experts doubt the 5% and say the number is likely at least 1.5 percentage points lower.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the parent company of Jio, has stated that once regulatory checks and balances are in place, the public offering is anticipated to take place in the upcoming months. Anshuman Thakur, SVP of Strategy & Planning at RIL, stated on the firm's Q3 earnings call
Global IT company Wipro has been accused in a letter to the labour and employment ministry by the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES). Wipro is accused by NITES of postponing the onboarding of roughly 250 engineering graduates despite the company's formal contact and offer letter guarantees. In
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation decides to shut down entirely by 2045. - The foundation wants to redirect (money from the job cuts) to healthcare, education, and women's welfare. - CEO Mark Suzman says the foundation wants "to improve millions more lives over the next 20 years."
India demands that rapid commerce companies abandon their 10-minute delivery claim. The demand was raised amid growing worries that the extremely tight deadlines are deteriorating the safety and working conditions for gig workers. According to various media reports, Federal Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with executives from major instant delivery
In an effort to draw in early-stage merchants looking to expand online, Myntra announced that it has implemented a zero-commission scheme for new Indian direct-to-consumer firms joining its marketplace. The programme,e, which is a component of its Myntra Rising Stars initiative, is applicable to domestic fashion, beauty, and lifestyle
- The U.S. plans to enact legislation to penalise Russian oil buyers. - The agenda is to cut money to Russia and stop the war in Ukraine. - It's a trade dilemma for India, and it must choose.
A goods and services tax (GST) demand order totalling INR 3,69,80,242 for the period of April 2019 to March 2020 has been sent to Eternal, the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit, together with interest and penalties. The Additional Commissioner of State Tax (Appeals), West Bengal, issued