India’s services sector expanded at its fastest pace in three months in September, with the HSBC India Services PMI Business Activity Index rising to 55.2 from 54.1 in August. The reading points to resilient domestic demand and sustained momentum in the country’s largest private-sector employer, even as firms continue to navigate cost pressures and a mixed global backdrop.
Members of the INDIA bloc are moving to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, turning an institutional dispute into a high-stakes political confrontation. Security has been significantly tightened across Lutyens' Delhi, with central New Delhi taking on a fortified appearance ahead of the protest.
HDFC Capital Advisors and Shalimar Corp have formed a Rs 750 crore development platform aimed at accelerating residential and mixed-use projects in key Uttar Pradesh markets, including Lucknow and Varanasi. The venture is expected to support more than 5 million sq ft of development potential and about 3,000 homes, underscoring continued institutional interest in tier-2 and tier-3 housing demand.
Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy has offered a strong endorsement of Shai Hope’s leadership qualities, describing the wicketkeeper-batter as a composed and credible figure capable of guiding the side through a crucial phase. His remarks come at a time when West Indies cricket continues to search for consistency, identity and long-term stability across formats.
India could have its first domestically built civilian aircraft in about two years, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said on Thursday, framing the goal as part of a broader push to deepen manufacturing in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. He pointed to the scale of airline expansion, saying carriers have more than 1,600 aircraft on order worth an estimated $100 billion, underscoring the sector’s long runway for investment and industrial development.
Political leaders and film personalities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have paid tribute to veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, hailing him as one of Indian cinema’s most inventive directors. Their remarks highlighted his landmark experiments in form and storytelling, from the silent comedy Pushpaka Vimanam to the time-travel classic Aditya 369.
Sai Prithviraj is drawing fresh attention in Tamil cinema after his performance as Sabari in Balaji Tharaneetharan’s film earned strong appreciation from audiences and industry watchers. The young actor is now set to appear next in Dhanush’s much-anticipated D56, a move that could significantly widen his profile in the industry.
The Citizens for Justice and Peace has sharpened its campaign against the proposed Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls and the current framework for appointing Election Commissioners, saying the agitation will continue until both issues are reversed or reformed. Ahead of the October 10 protest, the group said the fight would be long and difficult, signalling a sustained pressure campaign on the Election Commission and the government.
India is preparing to establish three major chemical parks under the Bhavya Rasayan scheme, a move designed to deepen domestic manufacturing capacity and create a more integrated ecosystem for the sector. The initiative is expected to support innovation, attract investment and strengthen India’s position in a global chemicals market that is being reshaped by supply-chain diversification and industrial policy shifts.
England delivered the most emphatic result of the latest League A, Group Three fixtures, crushing Croatia 7-0 to strengthen their push in the standings. Spain remained flawless with a victory over the Czech Republic, leaving England second on six points from three matches, three behind the group leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared an article that underscores the centrality of continuous learning, collaborative effort and disciplined work in public administration. The message arrives as the government continues to project governance as a process shaped by institutional coordination, execution and sustained capacity-building rather than rhetoric alone.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Deputy Governor Shirish Chandra Murmu has said the reintroduction of a merchant discount rate on UPI payments above Rs 2,000 will not automatically push consumers back to cash. His comments come as policymakers prepare for the October 15 implementation of the fee structure, reviving debate over the economics of digital payments and the future of cash in India.
Two people, including a civilian driver for naval officers and a sailor posted at the Visakhapatnam Naval Base, have been arrested in a widening counterintelligence probe into alleged leaks to Pakistan intelligence operatives. Officials say 18 people are under scrutiny, including 13 Navy personnel, in a case that raises serious concerns about insider access, digital contact, and the security of sensitive military installations.
India and Tanzania have discussed expanding parliamentary cooperation in a meeting that underscores the growing diplomatic and economic importance of the relationship. The Indian delegation, led by Harivansh and including members from both Houses of Parliament, signaled New Delhi’s intent to strengthen institutional links alongside wider trade and development engagement with East Africa.
For Indian borrowers, the monthly personal loan EMI remains one of the most visible markers of household financial strain, especially as living costs and unsecured credit demand stay elevated. The most effective relief usually comes not from one dramatic fix, but from a disciplined mix of choosing the right tenure, making selective prepayments, avoiding fresh unnecessary borrowing and stress-testing repayment plans before taking the loan.
India’s airline industry is urging the government to intervene as lenders reportedly withhold the balance disbursement of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme funds to eligible carriers. The Federation of Indian Airlines says the delay is worsening liquidity stress across the sector, which is still grappling with high costs, uneven demand recovery and heavy debt burdens.
India briefly restored belief when Thapa levelled the contest in the 22nd minute, but Uruguay seized control after the interval and overwhelmed the hosts with a relentless second-half surge. The visitors’ superior structure, pace and finishing exposed India’s defensive lapses as the match slipped decisively away.
India’s team management must strike a careful balance between preserving continuity and offering opportunities to emerging players in the first T20I against the West Indies, according to bowling coach Morne Morkel. He said the challenge lies in maintaining a settled core while ensuring promising youngsters such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gain valuable exposure around the senior setup, even if they do not immediately break into the playing XI.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of displaying “hubris” and political insecurity after Rahul Gandhi was unlawfully detained, calling the episode a sign of a weakening administration afraid of the Congress leader’s growing influence. His remarks sharpen the political confrontation over the treatment of opposition leaders and the broader climate of democratic dissent.
The GST Council is set to examine whether an 18% goods and services tax should apply to merchant fees linked to UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, according to a report. The discussion comes as the government proposes a 0.4% merchant discount rate from October 15, capped at Rs 300, with merchants eligible to claim input tax credit on the GST paid.
The death of veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao at 94 has renewed attention on one of Kannada cinema’s most respected creative partnerships: his long association with Dr. Rajkumar and the actor’s family. From Halu Jenu and Chalisuva Modagalu to Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma, the collaborations helped shape a distinctive era of popular, emotionally resonant filmmaking in Karnataka.
Indian equities have turned sharply volatile, with the Sensex and BSE 500 both falling about 4.5% over the past month. Yet the damage has been far more severe in a cluster of BSE 500 laggards, where names such as PB Fintech, IFCI and New India Assurance have posted declines ranging from 16% to 44%.
Bank unions have deferred their planned three-day nationwide strike after discussions with the Indian Banks' Association, easing the immediate risk of disruption across the banking system. The talks are expected to lead to a high-level committee that will examine key employee demands, including a five-day workweek and concerns over the Performance Linked Incentive scheme for senior officers.
Tributes have flooded in from across Indian cinema after the death of veteran filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, whose work shaped generations of directors, actors and audiences. Kamal Haasan, S.S. Rajamouli, Jr NTR, Mahesh Babu and others remembered him as a rare creative force whose imagination, technical command and humanism left an enduring mark on Indian film history.
In markets, the instinct to chase the best-performing product often leads investors into the wrong asset at the wrong time. The smarter approach is not to hunt for the highest return in every cycle, but to build portfolios that match goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.
Jio Platforms is preparing for a landmark public offering aimed at raising Rs 37,700 crore, with subscriptions expected to begin on October 21. The draft red herring prospectus points to a powerful growth story built on scale, data consumption and enterprise expansion, while also highlighting the competitive and regulatory risks that will shape investor scrutiny.
Andre Siddarth has thrown his weight behind Tamil Nadu’s U-23 side to continue the state’s long-standing reputation as one of India’s most consistent talent pipelines. His remarks come at a time when the team is being closely watched for both immediate results and the next wave of first-class cricketers it may produce.
The World Bank has lifted India’s growth projection for FY27 to 7.1% in its latest India Development Update, signalling confidence in the country’s medium-term economic momentum. Even so, the lender warned that external risks remain elevated, underscoring the vulnerability of an open economy to global demand, financial-market and geopolitical shocks.
India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has intercepted a gold-smuggling operation along the India-Bangladesh border, seizing more than 8.3 kilograms of foreign-origin gold and arresting four people. The action underscores the continuing use of porous border routes for high-value contraband and the government’s intensified enforcement against cross-border illicit trade.
India’s economic growth may ease below 7% in the second half of the current fiscal year, but the full-year average could still settle around 7.2%, according to economist Madan Sabnavis. He expects the second quarter to deliver a stronger 7.5% to 7.6% expansion, while arguing that India’s longer-term growth potential remains close to 8% if conditions remain supportive.
India briefly restored parity through Thapa’s 22nd-minute equaliser, but the match quickly tilted in Uruguay’s favour as the visitors imposed their tempo and punished defensive lapses after the interval. What had been a competitive contest in the opening phase ended as a one-sided defeat, with India unable to sustain structure, discipline, or pressure against a sharper second-half performance.
Asset reconstruction companies have urged the government to strengthen the debt recovery framework by improving the functioning of Debt Recovery Tribunals and tightening timelines on interim stays. They said faster hearings, better creditor notifications and fuller tribunal staffing are essential to speed up recoveries under India’s stressed-asset regime.
Chennai resident Seshadri Sukumar has turned a late-life leap into sports photography into a remarkable second career, trading a long banking life for the demanding rhythm of international sporting events. Now covering the 20th Asian Games in Japan, the 71-year-old is proving that access, discipline and curiosity can matter as much as age in elite sports media.
Apple is preparing to launch Apple Pay in India next month, beginning with integration for Axis Bank credit cards, according to a report. The move would place Apple more directly inside India’s fast-growing digital payments market, with discussions also under way with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank to broaden access.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said India could see its first Made-in-India civilian aircraft within two years, underscoring the sector’s long-term manufacturing potential. He pointed to a massive order pipeline of more than 1,600 aircraft worth an estimated $100 billion, arguing that the country’s aviation boom can support a domestic aerospace ecosystem.
India’s payments stack, built around UPI and digital public infrastructure, is now moving toward a more complex frontier: tokenised money and tokenised assets. With the Reserve Bank of India exploring e-rupee use cases and wholesale CBDC applications, the country is weighing whether its next leap in financial infrastructure can be as transformative as UPI was for retail payments.
The Reserve Bank of India’s net short forward position rose sharply to $200 billion in August from $136 billion in July, underscoring a deeper build-up in its dollar commitments. The increase, alongside additional long dollar positions, points to continued market intervention and suggests the central bank is finding it harder to unwind or manage its forward book efficiently.
Indian credit card issuers are increasingly pushing EMI conversions, personal loan-on-card products and higher fee-based offerings as the traditional revolver model loses momentum. With fewer customers carrying balances month to month, interest income is rising more slowly than transaction volumes, forcing lenders to rework their consumer credit playbook.
Hamsadhwani’s latest Parampara Concert turned into a tribute to one of Carnatic music’s most enduring family legacies, with Malladi Suribabu receiving the Sathguru Thyagaraja Hamsadhwani Award before a performance that brought together three generations of the Malladi family. The event underscored how lineage, pedagogy, and continuity remain central to the preservation of classical music traditions in India.
Indian bank shares rose as much as 2% on Monday after the Reserve Bank of India raised the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50%, with the Nifty Bank index moving above 55,500. Investors appeared to read the move as a calibrated tightening step that could support lending margins even as it signals a more cautious monetary stance.
A long-running GPS tracking study in Assam has mapped the movement patterns of four female-led elephant herds and a solitary male across three high-conflict districts, offering new data to help reduce human-wildlife clashes. Conducted by the Assam Forest Department and WWF-India between April 2021 and June 2026, the project focuses on Udalguri, Sonitpur and Biswanath, where recurring encounters have made elephant management a pressing governance issue.
IndusBridge Ventures has raised Rs 2,000 crore for a defence-focused investment platform, marking one of the more significant private capital commitments to India’s security sector in recent years. Co-founders Ravi Kapoor and Rahul Devjani said the fund will target Indian defence companies positioned to benefit from rising global military spending, domestic procurement reforms and the country’s push for self-reliance.
India’s medal winners at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 span a wide range of disciplines, underscoring the country’s growing depth beyond its traditional strongholds. The final tally, organised by sport, offers a clear snapshot of where India converted promise into podium finishes and where its next cycle of investment may be directed.
Airline executives have pushed back against Mumbai International Airport Limited’s proposal to temporarily reduce about one-third of international flights from October 26, saying the schedule cannot be reorganised in just 20 days without serious cost and connectivity fallout. The dispute underscores the operational strain facing one of India’s busiest aviation hubs as carriers warn of disruption to passengers, network planning and international slot management.
Nepal’s Home Minister will travel to India from October 12 to 14 to attend a BIMSTEC home ministry-level meeting, underscoring the growing regional focus on security coordination and cross-border cooperation. The visit comes as Bay of Bengal economies seek tighter alignment on law enforcement, disaster response and mobility management across a strategically sensitive subregion.
Kerala Agricultural University has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Fuselage Flying Club to broaden the scope of drone pilot training through its Remote Pilot Training Organisation under the Agri-Business Incubator. The agreement is aimed at strengthening skilling in unmanned aerial systems, a technology increasingly central to precision agriculture, farm monitoring and rural enterprise development.
Zoe Kazan’s new adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 'East of Eden' arrives as a visually sumptuous and emotionally ambitious series, anchored by strong performances from Florence Pugh and Hoon Lee. Yet the production also inherits the novel’s structural and thematic limitations, leaving the result as compelling in moments as it is frustrating in its larger design.
Police in Andhra Pradesh have arrested a former Telangana home guard who was allegedly working as a bike-taxi driver to move across cities and target women walking alone in chain-snatching incidents. Investigators say a woman who allegedly sold the stolen jewellery has also been taken into custody, widening the case beyond street theft to the suspected disposal network behind it.
Nandini milk prices are set to increase by ₹8 a litre as dairy unions press for relief from sharply higher input costs, according to industry sources. The proposed revision reflects mounting pressure from costlier cattle feed, fodder, veterinary medicines, processing, transportation and packaging, which have eroded margins across the dairy value chain.
Actor Janhvi Kapoor has sharply condemned the misuse of artificial intelligence after an AI-generated video circulated online, describing it as “deeply violating” and “bordering on sexual assault.” Her remarks have intensified a wider industry debate over consent, digital impersonation and the lack of safeguards around synthetic media. Several prominent film personalities, including Jr NTR, Khushbu Sunder, Vijay Deverakonda and Chiranjeevi, have also spoken out against the abuse of technology.
