Business

New Delhi: The Adani Group, India’s largest private airport operator, is heavily investing in the development of eight airports across the country. The conglomerate is urging the government to allow foreign airlines to operate additional flights to increase passenger traffic. However, Indian carriers Air India and IndiGo have raised objections, asking the government to proceed cautiously. Why Adani Wants More FlightsAdani Airports Holdings is investing billions of dollars in upgrading airport terminals, runways, and passenger facilities, aiming to make airports more attractive to travelers. According to an Economic Times report, the group has requested the government to engage with countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia to secure additional ...

New Delhi: In India, airlines often claim “the customer is king,” yet passenger experiences sometimes tell a different story. A recent viral video from the United States has highlighted the stark contrast in how airlines handle customer complaints, prompting netizens to criticize IndiGo and Air India. The IncidentIndian vlogger Mohammad Arbaaz Khan, who travels under the Instagram handle @arbaazvlogs, posted a video of his experience on a United Airlines flight in the U.S. During the flight, the food tray stopper in front of his seat was broken, causing the tray to repeatedly fall whenever he placed food or light items on it. The video, uploaded just a day ago, has already been viewed by 137,000 people. United Airlines’ ResponseUnlike many incidents reported in India, United Airlines...

New Delhi: December 31 marks the end of 2025, and with it, several critical financial deadlines are expiring today. Taxpayers and investors have just a few hours left to complete key tasks, failing which they may face penalties, loss of benefits, or reduced returns. Revised ITR FilingFor the assessment year 2025-26 (FY 2024-25), December 31 is the final opportunity to file a revised income tax return (ITR) or correct any errors in your existing submission. Missing this deadline may result in hefty fines, interest on unpaid taxes, and the inability to carry forward business or capital market losses to offset next year’s profits. After today, taxpayers can only file an ITR-U (Updated Return) within 48 months of the assessment year’s end—but this option does not allow claiming past losses ...

New Delhi: The year 2025 has been a mixed bag for India’s wealthiest. While some billionaires saw their net worth soar, others experienced declines due to market fluctuations and foreign institutional investor (FII) sell-offs, especially in the IT sector. Here’s a look at the top gainers and notable losers among India’s richest this year. Top Gainers: Mukesh Ambani: Chairman of Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company, saw his net worth increase by an impressive $15.2 billion in 2025. Reliance shares surged nearly 30% this year, driven by higher refining margins, increased telecom tariffs, strong retail performance, and positive market expectations. Ambani now ranks 18th globally and first in Asia. Gautam Adani: Founder of the Adani Group, made a remarkable comeback, ad...

New Delhi: With banking frauds making headlines more frequently, banks are tightening account-opening procedures to protect customers. In recent months, online scams have led to millions of rupees being transferred within minutes, often using “mule accounts.” To prevent such fraud, banks are now emphasizing Video KYC (V-KYC) over traditional e-KYC methods. Branch Visits Required:While the government allows digital savings accounts to be opened using just Aadhaar and PAN cards, these accounts have a deposit limit of ₹1 lakh and must be converted to fully KYC-compliant accounts within a year. According to a report dated 12 December, major banks including HDFC Bank, SBI, and ICICI Bank are now asking customers to verify their identity in person at branches, discouraging fully digital accou...

New Delhi: As India gears up to welcome 2026, residents of Delhi-NCR may face disruptions in food and e-commerce deliveries as gig workers plan to go on strike on Wednesday. The move threatens to affect home deliveries, potentially putting a damper on New Year celebrations. Reason for the Strike:Gig workers claim they are not adequately compensated for their work, while companies continue to earn substantial profits. Earlier, on 25 December, gig workers in Gurgaon had staged a similar work stoppage, highlighting ongoing grievances over wages and working conditions. Impact on Residents and Businesses:Food and e-commerce delivery personnel form a crucial link in bringing essentials and festive orders to households. If the strike proceeds, residents in large societies in Gurgaon and Gau...

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated India’s ambitious goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, emphasizing that this vision is no longer just a government objective but has become a collective aspiration of the entire country. Speaking at a meeting with leading economists and experts at NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister highlighted the urgent need to enhance institutional capacity and accelerate infrastructure planning to sustain long-term growth across all sectors. The meeting, titled “Self-Reliance and Structural Reforms: Agenda for a Developed India”, focused on the key pillars necessary to achieve India’s development goals by 2047. Collective Aspiration and Growing Expectations:PM Modi pointed out that the dream of a developed India has moved beyond policy fra...

New Delhi: Taste made with love knows no boundaries. This is precisely what 23-year-old Tilak Pandit from Guwahati proved. Launching a business from his home kitchen, Tilak turned the traditional Bihari snack, Thekua, into a thriving venture, earning lakhs of rupees annually. The Journey Begins:Hailing from Bihar, Tilak grew up watching his family prepare Thekua, a sweet snack made from wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee, traditionally deep-fried to a golden perfection during Chhath Puja. Recognizing that authentic Thekua is hard to find outside Bihar, he asked himself a simple question: “Can I bring the taste of Bihar to every home?” In 2023, while still completing his B.Com degree, Tilak started Desi Tesi, selling homemade Thekua directly from his kitchen. With no business degree or ex...

New Delhi: In a decisive move aimed at curbing cheap steel imports, India has imposed a three-year tariff on select steel products, directly targeting China. The step is intended to counteract China's dumping practices and protect domestic steel producers from unfair competition. Under the new regulation, India has levied import duties of 11–12% on certain steel products. The duty will be 12% in the first year, decreasing to 11.5% in the second year, and further reducing to 11% in the third year. The move is expected to limit the surge in shipments from China and safeguard the local steel industry. Exemptions for Developing Nations:While China, Vietnam, and Nepal are subject to this levy, some developing countries have been granted exemptions. The tariffs do not apply to special stee...

Indian equity markets ended the trading session on a muted note on Tuesday. The Sensex slipped by 20.46 points to close at 84,675.08, while the Nifty edged lower by 3.25 points to finish at 25,938.85. Banking stocks provided some support to the markets, with the Nifty Bank index gaining 0.41% to close at 59,171.25. Auto, PSU banks, and metal stocks also witnessed buying interest. In contrast, IT, pharma, FMCG, realty, media, and energy sectors ended in the red. Midcap and Smallcap Performance:Midcap and smallcap segments saw marginal declines. The Nifty Midcap 100 index fell 0.15% (87.05 points) to 59,914.25, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 index lost 0.28% (48.75 points) to close at 17,518.95. Sector Movers:Among Sensex constituents, Tata Steel, M&M, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Bhart...