ePaper | THE ECONOMIC TIMES

  • The Economic Times
  • The Times of India
  • Mirror
  • Maharashtra Times
Front PagePure PoliticsThe Edit PageEye on AICompanies: Pursuit of ProfitAround the WorldEconomy: Macro, Micro & More
More
Smart InvestingBrands & CompaniesDisruption: Startups & TechET PanacheSports World Play
Smart InvestingBrands & CompaniesDisruption: Startups & TechET PanacheSports World Play
Smart InvestingBrands & CompaniesDisruption: Startups & TechET PanacheSports World Play

1Front Page

US automaker Ford is understood to have finalised plans to use its mothballed factory near Chennai to manufacture and export engines and related components, people aware of the development told ET.

India’s merchandise exports contracted at the sharpest pace in 20 months and shrank for the fourth straight month by 10.9% to $36.91 billion in February, pulled down by the high base effect, official data showed.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is working to phase out ‘collect calls’ for merchant payments as part of the government’s efforts to combat online frauds via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), two bankers familiar with the matter said.
Bajaj Finserv has signed a binding agreement to acquire Allianz SE’s 26% stake in its life and general insurance ventures for ₹24,180 crore, ending a 24-year-old partnership.

2Pure Politics

After three days of information gag, a grim looking lieutenant general Ahmed Sharif, Pakistan army spokesman and director general Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), squarely blamed the interim Taliban regime in Afghanistan and India for the hijacking of a train by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on March 11.

A riot erupted in Nagpur on Monday following an agitation by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal (BD), leading to hours of unrest. The violence initially broke out in the Mahal area and quickly escalated into stone-pelting between two groups.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central government on a plea seeking an independent and neutral process for appointing the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs highlighted significant downward revisions to the budgets for the Intelligence Bureau (IB), NATGRID, Central Police Organizations (CPOs), and Delhi Police.
India is on track to sign a record number of defence contracts this year, with the value expected to be in the ₹2-3 lakh crore range, the ministry has informed a parliamentary panel, sharing that there have been some delays in deliveries due to the conflicts in Russia and Israel.
The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a plea filed by retired IAS officer Pradeep Nirankarnath Sharma seeking discharge in a 2023 illegal land allotment scandal. Sharma stands booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering in the said scandal.
A gathering of Union ministers in Parliament building created a lot of buzz as all the names speculated to be the next BJP chief attended the meeting held in Manohar Lal’s chamber. Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Kishan Reddy, Pralhad Joshi were among the attendees.
A parliamentary panel has called for a significant increase in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) budget, stating that the current allocation does not adequately support India's growing foreign policy priorities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday stated that he and his counterpart from New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, “share the same opinion” on terrorism and expressed optimism that the New Zealand government will act on the anti-India activities.
Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Monday raised concerns over the recent railway accidents, questioned the financial health of the Railways, and called for improved passenger amenities and hygiene, especially on ordinary trains.
Sikh extremist groups, which are active in the US, have been issuing death threats and inciting violence and should be designated as terror organisations, defence minister Rajnath Singh told visiting US national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard on Monday.
Beijing China has appreciated PM Narendra Modi’s “positive” remarks on the Sino-Indian ties favouring dialogue over discord and said a cooperative “dance between the elephant and dragon” contributing to mutual success is the only choice for both sides.
Congress has objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that international bodies such as the UN have become almost irrelevant and claimed he was trying to humour President Donald Trump and repeat the latter’s language.
BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai, the party's women's wing national chief Vanathi Srinivasan and senior state leader H Raja were among the party leaders who were detained here on Monday by the police ahead of their protest against the alleged irregularities in state-run liquor retailer TASMAC.
A militant was killed in an ongoing encounter in J&K’s Kupwara district on Monday. The armed forces had launched a joint operation following a specific input regarding the presence of militants in Krumbhoora of Zachaldara area of Rajwar in Handwara, which falls in the Kupwara district.
J&K MLAs on Monday protested inthe House against a police officer seen ‘kicking and abusing’ relatives of victims found dead in unexplained circum- stances in Kulgam over the past week.
The Supreme Court on Monday emphasised the importance of maintaining "freedom of media," stating that courts should not issue “gag orders” that restrict this freedom.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur at the end of this month, a development that will be closely watched in political circles.
Tension escalated on Monday after a leader of the Hmar tribe was assaulted by unknown miscreants in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Sunday, with people demanding identification of the perpetrators. The district administration has clamped prohibitory orders in the district.
Minutes after the Rajya Sabha reconvened on Monday, the Opposition staged a walkout in protest against the Chair's refusal to suspend the listed business to discuss issues related to delimitation, anomalies in Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), and other matters.
SC has extended the tenure of justice Gita Mittal Committee till July 31. The panel is handling several humanitarian aspects of the ethnic violence in Manipur.
Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai extended full backing to the ally DMK government’s contentious decision to replace the rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in the state budget logo, saying it was a reaction to the Centre “imposing Hindi” on the southern state.
Seven associates of jailed MP and radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who were lodged in Dibrugarh Jail in Assam under the National Security Act, will be moved out to Punjab.

3The Edit Page

‘It’s my first attempt at writing,’ Baudolino answered, ‘and ever since I wrote it — I was fourteen, I think, and was still a boy of the woods — I’ve carried it with me like an amulet.

Spiritual concepts are simple, but practice of spirituality takes hard work, focus and dedication. Spirituality tells us there is God, and that our souls, parts of the Divine, separated from It aeons ago, have been given human birth so we can find our way back to the Divine.

​Macroeconomic policy has three main dimensions: fiscal, monetary, and current account and exchange rate policy. Together, they are expected to deliver high and stable growth, secure moderate and stable inflation, and avert external account crises and currency volatility.
China’s stimulus for domestic consumption, announced on Sunday, signals its acceptance of a need for structural adjustment to its economy, but remains sketchy about scale and detail.
Imagine signing up for an eight-day business trip and ending up marooned for nine months far from home. Unfortunately for Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, that’s exactly what happened — only their office was the International Space Station (ISS).
Donald Trump’s disdain for Nato is well documented. He believes member countries have been ‘taking advantage’ of the US, and insists Europe should more than double its contributions to collective defence.
The US has imposed an additional 20% tariff on all goods from China, opening a chance for India to step in as the preferred supplier to the world’s largest electronics market. But here’s the challenge.

4Eye on AI

Influencers are facing stiff competition from AI-generated Instagrammers, YouTubers and TikTokers. Global AI figures such as America’s Lil Miquela and Brazil’s Lu of Magalu are capturing the attention of brands like Chanel, Givenchy, Adidas and Samsung.

Himanshi Lohchab dissects the economics of the booming cohort of AI-focused social media creators and the challenges along the way

5Companies: Pursuit of Profit

State-run oil companies have registered a decline in diesel and jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF) sales this month even as petrol sales have increased.

Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) on Monday said that director Lakshmi Venu has been appointed as vice chairman of the company's board.

Bharti Airtel has partnered with Sweden’s Ericsson and Volvo Group to carry out 5G-related research in India for exploring the potential of Extended Reality (XR), digital twin technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing sector.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has partnered with the Meta-backed WhatsApp platform to extend latter’s safety campaign against online scams and spam in India, christened ‘Scam Se Bacho’.
The Indian legal sector is witnessing a strategic shift as domestic law firms increasingly focus on enhancing their brand positioning. With evolving practice areas, mounting competition, and the distant yet distinct prospect of foreign law firms entering the Indian market, law firms recognise the need to present themselves with greater clarity and impact.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has revised downwards India’s economic growth forecast for FY26 to 6.4% from 6.9% projected in its December outlook, amid rising global uncertainty.
The country’s leading automakers Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors on Monday said they will increase vehicle prices next month to offset rising input costs and operational expenses.
The Bombay High Court on Monday overturned a five-year-old ruling by an additional sessions judge against brothers Gautam Adani and Rajesh Adani in connection with an alleged stock market manipulation scam involving wrongful gains of ₹388 crore.
Noel Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, along with Shireen and Deanna Jejeebhoy—half-sisters of the late Tata patriarch, Ratan Tata—have been appointed to the board of the Ratan Tata Endowment Trust (RTET).
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court order that directed the CBI to form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe complaints against Jai Corp, its director Anand Jain and others for allegedly defrauding public investors in real estate projects of ₹2,434 crore.
Gold and silver prices hit fresh record levels on Monday, rallying Rs 1,300 each, tracking strong trends in the global markets amid uncertainty over US tariffs, trade tensions and growing expectations of monetary policy easing by the Federal Reserve.
The Delhi High Court on Monday sought responses from the ministry of civil aviation, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and others on a petition by GMR-led Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) against the government’s decision to start commercial flight operations from Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad.
Ultraviolette Automotive, an electric two-wheeler maker backed by TVS Motor and Qualcomm Ventures, is looking to raise $500 million (₹4,343 crore) through an IPO in 2026-27, its chief executive officer told ET.

6Around the World

BYD Co. unveiled a new system for electric cars that the Chinese automaker says will allow them to charge almost as fast as it takes a regular car to refuel.

Chinese consumption, investment and industrial production exceeded estimates to start the year, pointing to signs of resilience for an economy still in need of more stimulus as Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten growth.

Dozens of foreign CEOs will visit Beijing this month for a flagship development conference where some are expected to meet President Xi Jinping, according to a draft agenda and three sources familiar with the matter.
Trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainties are weighing on economic perspectives, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said on Monday as it lowered its projections for global growth in 2025.

7Economy: Macro, Micro & More

India Inc. should come forward and participate in the Prime Minister Internship Scheme, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Monday.

The imposition of tariffs by the US presents varying risks to rated companies in South and Southeast Asia, according to a report by Moody’s Ratings released on Monday.

India and the European Union (EU) must work together, streamline non-tariff barriers and harmonise standards to remove trade bottlenecks, instead of competing, as the world grapples with economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical shifts, said Jitin Prasada, minister of state for commerce and industry, and electronics and information technology.
India’s exports to the US could decline 3-3.5% after imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration, which should be negated through increase in both manufacturing and services exports, SBI Research said on Monday.
Advance tax payments increased a muted 2.5% year-on-year to ₹2.9 lakh crore in the ongoing last quarter of this financial year till March 16, showed official data released on Monday.
India’s wholesale inflation inched up marginally to 2.4% in February from 2.3% in January, as a decline in food prices was countered by a rise in non-food items, official data released Monday showed.
The Centre on Monday told Parliament that it is targeting to mop up RS 1.36 lakh crore as cess levied on income-tax in the current financial year, including Rs 60,000 crore on corporate I-T and Rs 76,000 on non-corporate I-T.
All offences under the income-tax law, including cases that involve agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, have been made compoundable by competent tax authorities if the applicant is not found to be involved in any anti-national or terrorist activity, the central board of direct taxes (CBDT) said on Monday.
India has not broached the issue of reciprocal tariffs in its trade talks with the United States, but the two countries are finalising the scope and schedules of the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), officials said. These could be finalised in the next few weeks.

8ET Markets

A look at some of the latest stock recommendations by analysts. These stocks are expected to return between 27% and 72% as per analysts’ price targets

US stocks were steadier Monday, and the market's scary roller-coaster ride from recent weeks is slowing. The calm trading may be short-lived, though, with a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates coming later in the week and worries continuing about President Donald Trump’s trade war.

After Adani Green Energy (AGEL) refinanced a $1.06 billion construction facility which was due March 2025, bond analysts are recommending that investors suggest targeted bond buybacks to the Adani Group to reduce risk and manage the large volume of debt coming due.
Mutual funds are repackaging some of their existing debt schemes as fund of funds (FoFs)—a product that invests in a collection of other funds—to take advantage of the tax benefits for this category announced in last year’s budget.
IndusInd Bank raised ₹11,000 crore selling certificates of deposit (CDs) on Monday, as the lender moved to shore up its funding position amid deposit withdrawals after it revealed a ₹2,000 crore accounting discrepancy in its derivatives book.
Oil prices edged higher on Monday after the United States vowed to keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until the Iran-aligned group ends its assaults on shipping while Chinese economic data fuelled hopes for higher demand.
State Bank of India , the country's largest lender by assets, is shelving plans to raise funds this fiscal year, discouraged by elevated bond yields despite a policy rate cut and liquidity boost from the central bank, three sources aware of the matter said on Monday.

9Smart Investing

Around 16 months ago, the central bank took measures to rein in credit offtake, which was largely fuelled by uncollateralised retail advances. Those steps appear to have helped derisk the broader credit environment, as higher risk weights tied to such exposures helped limit loan disbursements.

The Nifty started the week on a positive note tracking pullback in global equities. Key point to highlight is that, slower pace of retracement over the past five sessions has helped the index form a higher base despite ongoing global volatility, highlighting inherent strength.

Religare Enterprises (REL) said it has appointed law firm Trilegal and Grant Thornton Bharat LLP to review alleged misconduct by select current and former employees of the company and its two subsidiaries.
Industry experts believe that short-term borrowings will likely cost less for mainstream Indian lenders as early as next month. Multiple—and simultaneous—central bank measures to boost systemic liquidity will help reduce the rates on instruments such as certificates of deposit (CD) and commercial paper (CP).
Public sector banks must plan for appropriate and timely capital raising and strive to reduce intermediation costs to make banking products and services, particularly credit-related, affordable to the public, said M Nagaraju, secretary of the department of financial services on Monday.
Deepak Nitrite has lost 22% on the bourses since the beginning of 2025, of which 13% fall was after it declared the third quarter numbers on February 13.
State-owned Canara Bank on Monday raised ₹4,000 crore through the sale of tier-II bonds maturing in 10 years at an annual coupon rate of 7.46%, according to a top bank official.
The rupee began the week 20 paise stronger against the dollar buoyed by dollar inflows, traders said.

10Brands & Companies

Birla Estates, a subsidiary company of Aditya Birla Real Estate, is expecting a revenue of Rs 2,700 crore from its first housing project in Pune.

TV broadcasters' operating margins are set to rise by 300 basis points to 15% by FY27, driven by digital expansion, according to a Crisil Ratings analysis covering broadcasters that contribute to 90% of industry revenue.

The Competition Commission (CCI) of India on Monday gave its go-ahead to Hindustan Unilever Limited’s (HUL’s) proposal to acquire beauty and personal care brand Minimalist's parent company Uprising Science.
Prominent Hindi film studios are moving into making regional language films as they look to break the dry spell caused by funding constraints, high costs and low confidence in starting fresh films.
Reliance Consumer Products (RCPL) has acquired the India rights for premium juice brand Sun Crush from former Sri Lanka cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan’s company Ceylon Beverage International and started local manufacturing of the brand in the country at aggressive prices, jostling for share with Dabur’s Real, B Natural from ITC, Amul Tru, Paperboat and Tropicana from PepsiCo.
In a first, the Centre has asked air conditioner makers to accelerate sales of energy-efficient models, nudging them to launch schemes and tap brand ambassadors to encourage consumers into upgrading older ACs to the latest five-star models in an effort to temper “peak power demand” and ensure “grid stability” this summer.
SpiceJet will get about Rs 294 crore from founder Ajay Singh, which will boost promoter group shareholding in the budget airline to over 33%.
The government may offer easier market access for US medical device firms as part of its efforts to mitigate the potential impact of the US tariff threat on Indian exports and create leverage in trade negotiations, multiple people aware of the matter told ET.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has approved Torrent Group’s acquisition of a 67% stake in Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Gujarat Titans from private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.
​This retail chain recently introduced its own line of budget-friendly lab-grown diamonds, offering consumers more choices. However, this move has ruffled feathers at a long-established industry leader that has traditionally dominated the space.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Tata Sons’ acquisition of a 10% stake in direct-to-home (DTH) provider Tata Play from Temasek-owned Baytree Investments. Post acquisition, Tata Sons’ stake in Tata Play has increased to 70% with Walt Disney holding the remaining 30%.

11Disruption: Startups & Tech

India’s smartphone exports crossed a staggering Rs 1.75 lakh crore ($21 billion) in 11 months of FY2024-25 (April-February) which constitutes a 54% jump over the corresponding previous period, according to latest industry data.

Homegrown semiconductor companies are rushing to tap talent globally to spearhead their nascent operations in this potential growth market, said industry experts.

The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has been extended till December. It was initiated in April 2015 by the Union government with a budget outlay of ₹4,500 crore for seven years initially.
Edtech firm Byju's founder on Monday challenged the National Company Law Tribunal’s January order to induct Glas Trust and Aditya Birla Finance onto the committee of creditors (CoC) of its parent company and set aside the reconstitution of the panel carried out by its then interim resolution personnel Pankaj Srivastava on August 31.
Bengaluru-based 60-minute fashion delivery startup Slikk Club has raised $3.2 million in a funding round led by global venture capital firm Lightspeed.
Alphabet's Google is preparing to partner with Taiwan's MediaTek on the next version of its AI chips, Tensor Processing Units, that will be made next year, the Information reported on Monday, citing people involved in the project.
Amazon.com Inc. devices chief Panos Panay is adding a premium tier to the next generation of artificially intelligent Alexa gadgets.
Starlink may offer massive satellite connectivity — a few terabytes per second of data throughput — in India, with a large amount of it already in place and can be provided immediately to customers once all the necessary approvals are obtained, people aware of the details told ET.
The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to address issues being faced by the country’s fintech industry that has run into multiple regulatory hurdles over the past few years.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) beauty and personal care brand Pilgrim has raised ₹200 crore through a mix of primary and secondary funding.

12ET Panache

Years before she published To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee wrote short stories with themes that she would later explore in that now classic novel: Small town gossip and politics, tender and tense relationships between fathers and daughters, race relations, etc.

The cost of the most expensive seats for a Broadway retelling of William Shakespeare’s Othello. Featuring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, Othello’s weekly collections have grossed $2.8 million, more than any non-musical has ever made.

Demna, who led Balenciaga to great heights, has stepped into the role as the fashion brand’s new artistic director
Junior Bridgeman, who died last week in Kentucky, US, is best known for a spate of successful businesses that brought him a $1.4-billion fortune.

13Sports World Play

South African batting stalwart Faf du Plessis was Monday appointed vice captain of the Delhi Capitals for the upcoming Indian Premier League season beginning on March 22.

The International Olympic Committee executive board on Monday recommended the inclusion of boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 summer Olympics, ending a years-long saga regarding the sport’s Olympic future.

Rory McIlroy won The Players Championship in a Monday finish over JJ Spaun that featured three dynamic playoff holes at the TPC Sawgrass, a harsh wind and very little drama.
After 70 long years the wait is over for Newcastle. The Saudibacked club beat Liver pool 2-1 on Sunday to win the English League Cup and end an agonizing trophy drought.
ET Print Edition: All you need to know
In today’s fast-paced world, reading a newspaper while having a cup of tea is a distant dream. Realising the hardship faced by newspaper lovers nowadays, Economic Times has come up with a unique initiative called ET Print Edition.

The ET Print Edition is a digital experience of the Economic Times newspaper, which is published daily. It helps you get the enormous amount of valuable information published in the newspaper daily in the digital form.

So, you get acquainted with all national and international affairs of the world while you are on the go. The best part is you can access the digital copies of our daily published stories in the print, anytime, anywhere.

What is ET Print Edition?

  • ET Print Edition is a replica of the Economic Times newspaper in the digital form. All the ET newspaper stories are presented in a format that is easy to read. The vital news from India and around the world is just a click away.
  • It has a toolbar that helps you jump from one page to the other without scrolling. The site opens up with a 'Front Page' followed by 'Pure Politics', and so on. It gives you all the important news of the day.

How can you access ET Print Edition?

  • All the Economic Times Prime members can access the ET Print Edition for free and enjoy its benefits
  • Free users on the Economic Times website can access limited content of the ET Print Edition. To get complete access to ET Print Edition, the users need to become a ET Prime Member.

What are the most significant features of ET Print Edition?

ET Print Edition is a digital avatar of the Economic Times newspaper. It has gained immense popularity amongst avid readers in no time. Here’s why it’s being loved by several readers.

  • Delivered to Your Email Inbox Every Morning: The Print Edition in digital form is sent to your email inbox at around 7 am in the morning when the subscribers of the print copy of the newspaper receive it. You can go through the daily news while having breakfast!
  • Accessible on Different Devices: No matter what gadget you are more comfortable with, ET Print Edition will be available on it. Whether it is a laptop or your smartphone, you can access the ET Print Edition with ease.
  • Archive Option Available: There is a specific feature, which can help you read the stories published in the past weeks. The 'Archive' option lets you read all the news published after April 25, 2022.
  • Sharp, Interactive Design For Better User Experience: The news stories come in a properly formatted design, which is not only easy to browse but convenient to read on all devices.

The Economic Times