Rediff

India's economy recorded a robust 7.8 per cent growth in the April-June quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, surpassing both market expectations and the Reserve Bank of India's forecast. This strong performance positions India as the world's fastest-growing major economy, demonstrating resilience despite global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, including the conflict in Iran. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation highlighted the sustained growth momentum amidst globa

Indian stock markets closed lower due to selling in IT and FMCG shares, triggered by renewed tensions in West Asia which led to a rally in crude oil prices and concerns over inflation and interest rates.

Smallcap funds have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the systematic investment plan (SIP) wave in Indian mutual funds over the past five years, with their SIP assets surging to approximately 1.83 trillion by March 2026, a fivefold increase.

Indian head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged the absence of 'clutch player' Jemimah Rodrigues due to injury for the Women's Asia Cup but emphasised the team's strong hunger for success in upcoming tournaments, including the Asia Cup and Asian Games.

Shares of HDFC Bank rose nearly 3 per cent after its Managing Director and Chief Executive Sashidhar Jagdishan decided not to seek reappointment after his current term concludes on October 26.

Fintech giant PhonePe has launched 'PhonePe UPI 123Pay', a new service enabling UPI transactions for feature phone users without requiring an internet connection. This initiative aims to bring digital payment capabilities to over 200 million feature phone users, promoting financial inclusion across India.

Music Producer Finneas O'Connell, Billie Eilish's brother, has married actress and YouTuber Claudia Sulewski in Montecito, California, with Billie Eilish officiating the ceremony.

Over 900 workers and employees are missing from various hydropower project sites in Nepal following massive flash floods triggered by an ice and rock collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. Rescue teams, assisted by experts from India and China, are intensifying efforts to locate and extract hundreds believed to be trapped inside tunnels, with 279 already rescued amidst ongoing challenges.

Indian para-athletes achieved a remarkable feat at the ITTF World Para Future Lahti tournament in Finland, securing a total of 16 medals, including six gold, four silver, and six bronze, showcasing their dominance in both singles and doubles events.

Augmont Enterprises Ltd, an integrated gold and silver platform, saw its shares list with a premium of nearly 22 per cent against the issue price of Rs 788 on its market debut.

'The number of airport bundles that may be awarded to a single bidder would be capped.'

Subhash Chandra hoped that the lenders would discuss the matter with the borrowers, reconcile the outstanding accounts, and get paid by the borrowers.

Surging growth in sales by companies hasn't translated into higher salaries just yet.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India is likely to sustain economic growth of 7 per cent or more in 2026-27, continuing the pace recorded since the Covid-19 pandemic, despite geopolitical uncertainties and supply-chain disruptions.

'In the wake of this tragedy, India will provide power to Nepal if and when the requirement for the same is communicated to India as per their needs.'

India's fertiliser ministry has introduced a new analytical tool and a national-to-retail dashboard to monitor fertiliser dispatches, movement, and inventories in real time, aiming to prevent localised shortages and ensure equitable access for farmers.

India opener Shafali Verma acknowledged the team's batting unit needs to address its shortcomings on turning pitches, despite securing a 94-run victory against Thailand in the Women's Asia Cup opener. Verma, who scored a brisk 64, noted that while the new ball came on well, the older ball gripped and turned, causing difficulties for the middle order. She emphasised the need for adaptation and praised Thailand's improving performance.

Making UPI payments fee-based for some transactions could enhance mental reservations against digital payments -- which have largely been overcome -- once more. Do we want to regress?, asks R Jagannthan.

The reforms, undertaken by the Department of Defence Production, remove stakeholder consultation for exports of non-lethal defence items to most destinations, while retaining safeguards for sensitive countries.

'There is mis-alignment in strategic thinking of the board and management.' 'As the business environment and customer behaviour evolve rapidly, boards are increasingly looking for leaders who can bring new ideas and challenge legacy approaches.'

Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to renewed tensions in West Asia, which led to a rebound in crude oil prices, coupled with weak global market trends and foreign fund outflows.

Corporate leaders' half-life has shrunk over the past few decades. That is the Tata experience as well. Over 144 years till 2012, Tata Sons had just five chairmen. However, in the 15 years till 2027, the same group will see three, points out R Gopalakrishnan.

Any military response to a cross-border terror attack from Pakistan will have to take into account the new alignments beginning to take shape in the region, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.

Everything was here before, but now there is nothing left, said Nayan Tiwari, one of many residents returning to flood-hit Galchhi in central Nepal to recover whatever belongings remain and to restore homes that once held their everyday lives.

India's women's cricket team, despite a belligerent 64 from Shafali Verma, suffered an inexplicable batting collapse against Thailand's spinners, led by Suleeporn Laomi, restricting them to 159/9 in their Women's Asia Cup opener.

The Indian government has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, establishing IST as the sole reference for all official purposes nationwide. These rules, effective in 180 days, aim to synchronise digital systems, reduce reliance on foreign time sources, and enhance coordination across critical sectors like banking, railways, and telecommunications.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved media baron Subhash Chandra's personal insolvency resolution plan, which proposes to pay Rs 6.5 crore against admitted creditor claims of approximately Rs 22,006.57 crore, despite allegations from dissenting lenders that five family-linked entities controlled 61.78 per cent of the voting share.

India has become a significant supplier of gasoline to Russia, with Indian refiners providing 1 million barrels in the last two months, as Ukrainian drone attacks severely disrupt Russia's domestic fuel production.

Five-year-old Ishara Tamang lies in a hospital bed in Kathmandu, injured and separated from her family, after surviving the flash floods that devastated Rasuwa district on the Nepal-Tibet border.She was rescued from the floodwaters in Khalte, a village in Rasuwa, after being trapped in a net.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have injected Rs 30,919 crore into Indian equities in August, marking their second consecutive month of net buying. This follows a Rs 20,200 crore investment in July, indicating a potential reversal after four months of significant outflows, driven by improving corporate earnings, resilient economic activity, and a stable rupee.

Analysts predict that the Indian stock market's sentiment this week will be primarily influenced by the domestic GDP data announcement, crude oil prices, and the crucial US non-farm payrolls report.

The water levels in the Bhotekoshi River rose again on Sunday, days after a devastating flash flood struck Nepal, authorities warned, urging residents and rescue personnel in flood-hit districts to remain alert.

An Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) undergraduate student, Krishna Sharma, 22, allegedly committed suicide at his rented accommodation, leaving a note describing himself as a loser unable to cope with personal issues. This marks the second such incident involving an AMU student in four weeks, prompting questions about student well-being and support systems.

Sashidhar Jagdishan, the managing director and chief executive of HDFC Bank, has opted out of being considered for reappointment after his current term ends on October 26, choosing to retire after nearly three decades with the lender.

Dewald Brevis smashed an unbeaten 75 off 32 balls as South Africa bounced back from their Namibia defeat, chasing Zimbabwe's 144 for eight with 38 balls remaining.

Tempsens Instruments India has emerged as the strongest mainboard IPO debutant of calendar year 2026 so far, delivering a 95.55 per cent gain on its listing day, surpassing all previous top performers and contributing to August being the strongest month for listing gains this year.

Essel Group founder Subhash Chandra has called for an independent audit to examine the group's borrowings, defaults, and repayments, stating that approximately 43,000 crore of its 45,000 crore total debt has been repaid.

The absolute amount of money raised is more than three times the 2 trillion seen before the pandemic (June 2019).

India's foreign exchange reserves have surged by $12.42 billion, reaching a new all-time high of $729.33 billion for the week ended August 21, driven by increases in foreign currency assets and gold reserves.

India's industrial production increased by 6.7 per cent in July 2026, primarily driven by a 7.3 per cent growth in the manufacturing sector and a strong 8.7 per cent rise in electricity and gas supply, despite a contraction in the mining sector.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan launched Gnani Artha, an end-to-end sovereign AI stack for Indian enterprises and public institutions. He emphasised that new technologies, including AI, will enhance ease of work and create more jobs, drawing parallels with the IT industry's growth. The initiative, backed by the India AI Mission, aims for self-reliance and includes the Gnani Evon v3.3 language model and Gnani Plexus AI platform, offering cost-effective Indic language capabilities.

Jio Platforms Ltd, the digital services arm of Reliance Industries, has secured Sebi's final observation to launch an initial public offering (IPO) aiming to raise approximately USD 4 billion (Rs 37,700 crore), potentially making it the largest IPO in India's history.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's decision to grant a one-year extension to autorickshaw and taxi drivers to learn Marathi, alleging it was due to 'pressure from Delhi' and a message to BJP's ally Shiv Sena.

A survivor of a recent ambush in Manipur's Kangpokpi district, which resulted in the deaths of four Naga civilians, has described the attackers as wearing full camouflage uniforms. Gaikamang Ringkangmai, who sustained a bullet injury, recounted how militants ambushed their vehicle, killing four colleagues. The United Naga Council has accused Kuki militant outfits of involvement, while the Chief Minister has ordered action against the perpetrators.

A seminar in New Delhi commemorated Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray's birth anniversary, focusing on his significant contributions to pharmaceutical sciences and his vision for indigenous research and self-reliance. Organised by DPSRU and VIBHA, the event highlighted Ray's pioneering efforts in Swadeshi science and his role in establishing India's pharmaceutical industry.

Penguin Random House India has clarified that it is not the publisher of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, in India. This statement follows reports suggesting the publisher backed out due to Gandhi's refusal of editorial changes. The company maintains it was willing to publish but has a prerogative to fact-check authors. The book's India distribution remains uncertain, though an e-book version is available for pre-order from another publisher.

Several prominent Bollywood and television personalities, including Salman Khan, Bipasha Basu, Alia Bhatt, and Nia Sharma, celebrate Raksha Bandhan with industry colleagues, proving that strong sibling-like connections can form beyond biological ties.

Haryanvi singer and YouTuber Ankit Balyan was shot dead in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. Police, including the UPSTF, are actively investigating, tracing the assailants to Haryana using CCTV footage. A gang has claimed responsibility, and the incident has sparked protests and political criticism over the state's law and order situation.

Tamil Nadu's state-run liquor corporation, TASMAC, is implementing a new automated indent request process for all retail shops starting September 1. This digital system aims to streamline stock distribution, reduce paperwork, and ensure consumers receive their preferred brands based on local demand.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor clarified his use of the word 'drama' in a social media post about the Nepal flash floods, stating he intended it to mean 'a state, situation or series of events involving intensely clashing forces' and regretting the misinterpretation.