India

India’s leading food delivery platforms, Zomato and Swiggy, have announced higher payouts to delivery partners amid ongoing strikes that have disrupted services in several cities. The protests, driven by demands for better earnings, incentives and working conditions, highlight growing tensions within the gig economy. By temporarily increasing per-order payments and incentives, the companies aim to stabilize operations and address partner concerns. However, the episode underscores deeper structural issues around pay transparency and sustainability in app-based employment models.

The European Union’s carbon border tax is emerging as a significant challenge for India’s steel and aluminium industries, threatening to raise export costs and compress margins. Designed to curb carbon leakage and promote cleaner production, the levy will impose additional charges on carbon-intensive imports entering the EU. For Indian producers, many of whom rely on coal-based processes, the policy could weaken competitiveness in a key overseas market. While the move underscores the global shift toward sustainability, it also exposes structural gaps in India’s industrial decarbonization.

India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy, moving ahead of Japan in a milestone that reflects years of sustained growth and structural transformation. The shift highlights India’s expanding economic scale, powered by strong domestic demand, rising public investment, and a resilient services sector. Despite global headwinds, the country has maintained momentum through policy reforms, infrastructure spending, and improving macroeconomic stability.

India’s cement industry is projected to maintain a healthy growth trajectory through FY27, supported by sustained infrastructure spending, housing demand, and gradual recovery in private capital expenditure. Industry volumes are expected to expand at a moderate but consistent pace, reflecting stable demand from roads, urban development, and real estate projects. While input cost volatility and pricing discipline remain key watch points, balance sheets across major cement producers have strengthened, enabling capacity additions and operational efficiencies.

State-owned construction major NBCC has generated Rs 1,045 crore through the sale of residential units linked to stalled Amrapali Group projects, marking a significant milestone in the long-running resolution process. The transaction reflects steady progress in unlocking value from distressed real estate assets while offering relief to homebuyers and creditors. Conducted under court supervision, the monetisation drive underscores NBCC’s expanding role as both a project management consultant and a recovery facilitator.

Shankh Airlines is set to commence operations in January, marking the entry of a new player into India’s highly competitive aviation sector. The airline’s launch comes at a time when domestic air travel demand is expanding steadily, driven by rising incomes, improved regional connectivity, and a growing preference for air transport. With a focus on operational efficiency, customer-centric services, and disciplined cost management, Shankh Airlines aims to carve out a sustainable niche.

India’s equity markets are navigating a delicate phase as global macroeconomic indicators and foreign institutional investor (FII) activity exert growing influence on near-term direction. Persistent inflation concerns, shifting interest rate expectations and currency volatility are colliding with uneven corporate earnings. At the same time, foreign investors have turned cautious, recalibrating exposure amid global risk repricing. Domestic fundamentals remain resilient, but sentiment is fragile.

Indian equity markets are facing unprecedented pressure in 2025 as foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) execute their largest-ever withdrawal from domestic stocks. Driven by global monetary tightening, elevated valuations and rising geopolitical uncertainty, overseas investors have pulled substantial capital from Indian equities, triggering heightened volatility across benchmark indices. While domestic institutional investors have partly cushioned the impact, the scale of the outflow has raised concerns about near-term market stability.

Adani Defence has outlined an ambitious investment plan of Rs. 1.8 lakh crore, reinforcing India’s strategic push toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The initiative is aimed at expanding domestic capabilities across aerospace, weapons systems, electronics and advanced technologies, while reducing dependence on imports. Industry analysts view the move as a decisive step that aligns private capital with national security priorities.

Fittr, a digital fitness and nutrition platform best known for its coaching-led wellness model, has entered the preventive healthcare space with the launch of diagnostic laboratory services. The move marks a strategic expansion beyond fitness into early detection and data-driven health management. By integrating diagnostics with personalized coaching, Fittr aims to address lifestyle-related conditions before they escalate into chronic illnesses.