Tata Motors' June‑quarter net profit slumped 80% to Rs 775 crore. The drop came despite a 46% surge in Indian passenger‑vehicle volumes and a 112% jump in EV sales, because Jaguar Land Rover faced a supplier‑fire‑induced production halt, West Asia conflict impacts and a legacy‑model wind‑down.
Parliament cleared the Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill 2026, letting the centre set limits on state‑imposed mining levies that have been deemed excessive. The move follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling and aims to keep mineral extraction financially viable while keeping tax receipts with states. It could unlock stalled projects across Karnataka, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.
Meta’s removal of a Narendra Modi video from Facebook sparked a four‑hour takedown and a rare, bipartisan rebuke in India’s parliament. The episode has ignited a debate over the country’s new IT Rules and threatens the safe‑harbour immunity that protects internet platforms from liability.
The finance ministry is preparing an amendment that would let the centre impose a merchant discount rate on select UPI transactions above a Rs 2,000 threshold. The move aims to give banks and fintechs a revenue stream to sustain the rapidly expanding UPI network, while keeping person‑to‑person transfers free. The final rate and cut‑off remain under review.
The bench chastised the government for dragging its feet on front‑of‑pack warning labels for foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, and ordered the Centre and FSSAI to decide within two weeks. Judges warned that corporate pressure can’t trump public health, especially for children.
A new White House “Shadow Transshipment Network” report labels India a Tier‑1 hub, estimating $67 bn of Chinese‑origin goods were rerouted through India, Mexico and Vietnam in 2025. Officials warn Chinese firms can use Indian processing corridors to sidestep higher US tariffs, prompting tighter trade enforcement.
India's goods exports jumped 19.6% YoY to a record $44.24 billion in July, propelled by petroleum, electronics and engineering shipments. Imports rose 17.5% to $76.22 billion, pushing the trade deficit to $31.98 billion, a six‑month high that underscores lingering external imbalances despite export gains.
A regulator‑led panel is set to publish recommendations by year‑end to standardise treatment rates, coverage and billing, and to launch a nationwide health‑claims exchange. The move targets 12‑14% annual medical inflation and an estimated 10‑15% of fraudulent claims, aiming to protect Indian families and boost insurance penetration.
India’s electronics sector jumped to $48 billion in FY 2025‑26, an 11‑fold rise that makes it the country’s third‑largest export category. Government incentives and the PLI scheme drove the surge, while women now account for nearly 30% of the industry’s 12 lakh jobs, reshaping the labour mix. The growth signals a shift toward high‑value manufacturing and deeper digital integration.
The RBI’s new loan‑recovery rules prohibit eight abusive tactics, including threats, night‑time calls and unannounced doorstep visits, and require agents to be certified, identified and to give borrowers advance notice. Banks and NBFCs stay liable for third‑party misconduct, giving borrowers legal recourse and curbing a long‑standing source of distress.
SEBI wants every debt issue to display a six‑colour ‘Credit Risk‑o‑Meter’ that translates standard AAA‑to‑D ratings into a simple visual scale. The meter, mandatory in prospectuses, ads and online bond platforms, will show the lowest rating when multiple agencies rate a security, helping retail investors compare risk at a glance.
By amending the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 gives the central government authority to notify which electronic payment modes, payer or payee categories, and transaction thresholds can be exempt from charges. The move aims to lower transaction costs and boost digital payment adoption, while also tweaking related income‑tax provisions.
You’re caught up.
That was all 12 stories in the 14 August issue.