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India Shoots Down F-16 in Escalating Air Conflict

In a dramatic escalation, India’s air defence systems went full throttle Thursday night, downing a Pakistani F-16, two JF-17s, and a Pakistani AWACS inside Punjab province. The air battle followed Islamabad’s coordinated strikes on Indian military locations in Jammu and Punjab. Drones were also intercepted in J&K and Rajasthan, with one striking Jammu Airport. India’s S-400 systems thwarted eight incoming missiles across key border areas. The Integrated Defence Staff confirmed no casualties, calling the response “by the book.” The attacks came just days after India’s Op...

As missiles struck terror targets across the border in ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s cyber command braced for a digital warfront. Just hours after the strikes, top cyber experts and government officials warned of a heightened risk of cyberattacks targeting India’s critical infrastructure. Banks, telecom networks, and public utilities have been put on alert. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued advisories to financial institutions, while the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered telcos to boost network security, especially in sensitive border regions. “Cyber sabotage today can be as destructive as a missile,” warned Rakesh Bhatnagar of VoICE, highlighting risks from f...

1.⁠ ⁠Operation Sindoor: India Strikes Back

In a dramatic pre-dawn move on May 8, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including key Lashkar and Jaish hubs in Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22.

Executed using fighter jets, loitering munitions, cruise missiles, and tri-service precision, the strikes were conducted entirely from Indian airspace and targeted only terrorist infrastructure. India described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” avoiding Pakistani military installations while sh...

India Gears Up for Worst-Case Scenarios

As Indo-Pak tensions soar post the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered nationwide civil defence mock drills on May 7. These include air raid sirens, crash blackouts, evacuation rehearsals, and camouflaging critical infrastructure—measures not seen at this scale since the Kargil conflict. The drills follow India’s sweeping diplomatic retaliation: suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals, revocation of the Indus Waters Treaty, sealing the Attari border, and banning Pakistan Airlines. Pakistan hit back by halting all trade and closing its airspace. PM Mod...

Buffett to Step Down

Greg Abel Steps UpIn a surprise announcement at Berkshire Hathaway’s AGM, Warren Buffett, 94, revealed he will retire as CEO by end-2025. His successor: Greg Abel, 62, Berkshire’s vice-chair overseeing its vast non-insurance businesses like BNSF Railways and Dairy Queen. Abel, a low-profile Canadian known for strategic thinking and integrity, has been the designated successor since 2021. The board is expected to formalize his appointment. Buffett’s children won’t lead the company—son Howard will become non-executive chairman, while their $140B stake goes to philanthropy. Abel now prepares to helm the $1 trillion giant, with a cle...

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1.⁠ ⁠YouTube Doubles Down on India’s Creator Economy

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, at the WAVES 2025 summit, pledged an additional ₹8.5 billion to India’s creator ecosystem, on top of ₹210 billion already invested over the past three years. With over 100 million Indian channels uploading in 2024 and more than 15,000 surpassing 1 million subscribers, Mohan called India a rising “Creator Nation.” T...

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Bajaj Finance: Four Reasons to Cheer

Bajaj Finance delighted shareholders with a ₹56 dividend bonanza, a 1:2 stock split, and a 4:1 bonus share issue. The ₹44 final dividend and ₹12 special dividend come on the back of its Bajaj Housing Finance IPO. Financially, Bajaj Finance posted a 16% jump in net profit at ₹3,940 crore and a 21% rise in net interest income. Assets under ma...

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Banks across India will see scattered closures this week.

April 29: Parshuram Jayanti (Himachal Pradesh)

April 30: Akshaya Tritiya & Basava Jayanti (Multiple States)

May 1: Nationwide shutdown for Labour Day, Maharashtra Day, and Gujarat Day. If you have urgent banking needs, act fast before the long break hits.

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1. India-Pakistan Tensions Rise After Indus Waters Treaty Suspension

Just a day after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, Pakistan retaliated by calling the move an “Act of War.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting, announcing a series of c...

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Kashmir Travel Takes a Hit Post Terror Attack

Following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives, travel agencies across India report up to 90% cancellations for Kashmir-bound trips. The Resistance Front (TRF), linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility. Agencies say bookings dropped overnight, with...

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1. RBI Pushes Banks to Adopt ‘.bank.in’ Domain for Safer Digital Banking

In a major cybersecurity move, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked all banks to migrate to the new ‘.bank.in’ domain by October 31, 2025. The initiative aims to curb rising digital payment frauds and phishing attacks, enhancin...

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RBI Allows Minors Aged 10+ to Operate Bank Accounts

In a push for early financial literacy, the Reserve Bank of India has allowed minors aged 10...

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1. No GST on UPI, Says Government

The Finance Ministry has shut down rumors of a potential 18% GST on UPI payments over ₹2,000, calling the reports “false...

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🇺🇸🇨🇳 US-China Trade War Escalates

Just hours after the U.S. slapped a 245% tariff on Chinese goods, Beijing signaled a willingness to return to the negotiation table—but with conditions. China demanded an end to hostile rhetoric, clarity on trade policy...

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1. India’s $4 Billion Tech Design Ambition

India is aiming to move up the electronics value chain with a proposed $4 billion Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme. The goal? To go from “Make in India” to “Design in India.” The scheme will support 30 semiconductor and 30 electronics categories, including Wi-Fi chips, EV components, and smart meters. Incentives will be based on investment and turnover, with a focus on creating patents and IP. This comes as India files only 60,000 patents annually...

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China Hits Back with Rare Earth Export Curbs

In a powerful response to US tariffs, China has tightened export controls on rare earth minerals—ess...

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Market Holiday Alert

Heads up, traders! Indian stock markets will be closed on April 14 (Ambedkar Jayanti) and April 18 (Good Friday). Plan your trades accordingly.

US-China Trade Wa...

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Wall Street Reverses Course After Tariff Jitters

Wednesday’s rally? Short-lived. U.S. stock markets nosedived Thursday, giving back most of their gains after optimism over Trump’s temporary tariff pause faded fast. The S&P 500 fell 3.46%, the Dow lost 1,014 points, and the Nasdaq dropped 4.31%, dragged down by a brutal tech sell-off—Tesla plunged 8%, Nvidia and Meta slid 7%, and Apple fell 4%. What triggered the sell-off? A White...

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🌍 Global Trade Truce — Or Just a Timeout?

In a dramatic turn, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on new tariffs and rolled back the “reciprocal tariff” rate to 10% for most non-China trade partners. “No other president would’ve done what I did,” Trump declared, defending his hardline strategy that’s rocked global markets.

But China wasn’t spared — tariffs on Beijing were jacked up to 125%, with Trump accusing China of “disrespecting” world markets. China retali...

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US-China Tariff War Escalates

The US-China trade tensions hit a boiling point as the White House confirmed a 104% tariff on Chinese imports, effective April 9. While President Trump says he’s “waiting for China’s call,” Beijing isn’t backing down, calling the move “blackmail.” Global markets, oddly, bounced back slightly on hopes of negotiations—but signs of a resolution remain slim.

Apple’s Satcom Partner Eyes India

Globalstar, the satellite part...

MARKET SHOCK: MONDAY MELTDOWN, BUT A POSSIBLE REBOUND

India’s stock markets suffered their worst single-day fall in 10 months, with the Sensex plunging nearly 3%—opening 4,000 points lower—after Donald Trump’s tariff threats sent global investors into panic mode. Midcap and smallcap indices dropped even more, down 3.5% and 3.8%. Despite the turmoil, experts say this isn’t an India-specific issue. “Today’s correction is more global panic than India-specific,” noted Finavenue’s Abhishek Jaiswal. Historically, such sharp corrections are often followed by strong rebounds. Meanwhile, the rupee stayed largely stable, slipping only 0.47%, and India’s markets are still outperforming peers...

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Last week, the Indian stock market hit the brakes—and hard.

The Sensex plunged over 2,000 points, Nifty dropped more than 600, wiping out a two-week rally. The trigger? Donald Trump’s tarif...

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Trump’s Tariffs Shake Global Trade, But India Stays Steady

Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs—10% on all imports and 27% on Indian goods—sent global markets into a tailspin, yet India’s m...

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Harvard in Trump’s Crosshairs

Harvard is the latest Ivy League school facing Trump’s crackdown on alleged campus antisemitism. On Monday, the White House launched a revie...

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Zepto Bets Big on Cold Chain for Fresh Produce

Quick commerce is fast, but fresh produce needs better logistics. Zepto is doubling down on cold chain infrastructure t...

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Stock Market Under Pressure

Indian markets may open nearly 1% lower after the Eid holiday as global trade tensions resurface. Investors are wary of US President Donald Trump’s A...

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Jubilant FoodWorks Bets Big on Tech & Expansion

Jubilant FoodWorks is ramping up its Domino’s India expansion from 2,000 to 3,000 stores, backed by Elate, an in-house Android-based POS sys...

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State Revenue Deficit Grants Shrink

India’s states are receiving far less in revenue deficit grants from the Centre—plummeting from ₹1.18 lakh crore in 2021-22 to ₹24,483 crore in 2024-2...

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State Revenue Deficit Grants Shrink

India’s states are receiving far less in revenue deficit grants from the Centre—plummeting from ₹1.18 lakh crore in 2021-22 to ₹24,483 crore in 2024-2...

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Markets Rally as Nifty Erases Losses

Just weeks ago, Nifty was deep in the red. Now, it’s wiped out its losses for the yea...

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India’s Market Position Slips, Brazil Takes the Lead

India fell three spots to sixth place in Mint’s Emerging Markets Tracker, as a stock market downturn, curre...

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IndiGo Soars to New Highs but Faces Valuation Concerns

IndiGo’s stock hit a 52-week high of ₹5,190, fueled by strong management commentary and rising air travel demand from...

It's Thursday, March 20th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

Market Rally Continues, Mid- & Small-Caps Shine

Indian markets extended their winning streak for the third straight session, with the Sensex closing 148 points higher at 75,449 and Nifty 50 reclaiming 22,900. However, the real momentum was in mid- and small-cap stocks, which surged over 2%, adding nearly ₹5 lakh crore in investor wealth. “The market’s positive momentum is backed by valuations,” said Vinod Nair of Geojit Financial Services, though global uncertainties persist. While Shriram Finance and HDFC Life led the gains, ITC and Tech Mahindra lagged. Analysts...

It's Thursday, March 20th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

Market Rally Continues, Mid- & Small-Caps Shine

Indian markets extended their winning streak for the third straight session, with the Sensex closing 148 points higher at 75,449 and Nifty 50 reclaiming 22,900. However, the real momentum was in mid- and small-cap stocks, which surged over 2%, adding nearly ₹5 lakh crore in investor wealth. “The market’s positive momentum is backed by valuations,” said Vinod Nair of Geojit Financial Services, though global uncertainties persist. While Shriram Finance and HDFC Life led the gains, ITC and Tech Mahindra lagged. Analysts...

It's Wednesday, March 19th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

ECI to Link Voter IDs with Aadhaar Amid Concerns

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will consult UIDAI to link voter IDs (EPIC) with Aadhaar for those who voluntarily provided it. This move aims to eliminate duplicate registrations while adhering to legal provisions. With 66.23 crore voters already sharing Aadhaar details, the plan faces opposition, particularly from the Trinamool Congress, over concerns of duplicate EPIC numbers. The ECI admitted to some errors in assigning codes but clarified that demographic and polling details r...

It's Tuesday, March 18th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

India’s Solar Growth Faces Execution Challenges

Despite crossing 200 GW in renewable capacity, India’s solar energy adoption remains slow, contributing under 10% to its electricity mix. While solar capacity surged from 3.7 GW in 2015 to over 100 GW, issues like weak transmission infrastructure, land acquisition delays, and hesitant power distributors persist. Moreover, the US SEC is probing Adani Green and Azure Power over alleged bribery in solar contracts. Experts suggest grid modernization, better state-Centre coordination, and rooftop solar expansion as key solutions to achie...

It's Monday, March 16th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

BIS Cracks Down on Non-Certified E-Commerce Products

India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has intensified its crackdown on non-certified products sold via Amazon and Flipkart. Recent raids in Lucknow, Gurugram, and Delhi led to the seizure of thousands of uncertified goods, including toys, hand blenders, and gas stoves. Investigators traced the source to Techvision International Pvt Ltd, resulting in further seizures of over 11,000 appliances. Legal action is underway under the BIS Act, 2016, with potential fines and jail time. As non-compliant pro...

It's Friday, March 14th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

LG Electronics India’s ₹15,000 Crore IPO Gets SEBI Nod

LG Electronics India has received SEBI approval for its ₹15,000 crore IPO, following Hyundai Motors as the second South Korean company to list in India. The 100% offer-for-sale (OFS) will see the parent company offload a 15% stake, with proceeds not going to LG India. With ₹64,087 crore revenue in FY24, the consumer electronics giant is gearing up for listing amid rising demand for premium appliances.

Tata Motors Faces Headwinds as Auto Rally Cools

Indi...

It's Thursday, March 13th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

1. Saudi’s Riyadh Air Eyes India for Expansion

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new airline, sees India as a key market, with CEO Tony Douglas calling it “super important.” Set to begin operations this year, the airline is in early talks with Air India and IndiGo for potential partnerships. Riyadh Air plans to connect Saudi Arabia to over 100 destinations by 2030 and has already partnered with Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta. With a fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A3...

It's Wednesday, March 12th, 2025. This is Nelson John, let's get started. 

Govt Plans LIC Stake Sale

The Indian government may sell a 2-3% stake in LIC in FY26, subject to market conditions, as part of SEBI’s mandate to reduce its stake to 90% by 2027. Instead of a single offering, the sale might be in tranches to maximize value. With a 96.5% holding, the Centre’s stake sale could fetch ₹9,500-14,500 crore at current prices. However, with weak market sentiment, analysts believe the government will wait for a recovery.

Temasek’s ₹8,500 Crore Bet on Hald...