The Economic Times

This is a major decision that will maintain the purity of Indian agriculture and ensure that our soil and our seeds remain protected Shivraj Singh ChouhanUnion agriculture minister

A new US-India framework could finally open India's doors to Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles. This high-protein animal feed byproduct has faced years of scrutiny due to its genetically modified origins. Discussions have been ongoing for years, with regulatory bodies like GEAC examining safety and procedures.

Monthly registrations for Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) surpassed 10,000 for the first time in January, a 60% year-on-year increase. Company incorporations also saw a significant jump of nearly 39%. These surges are attributed to a strong domestic growth outlook, boosted by recent trade deals with the US and EU, and favorable tax policies.

Highway developers have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review construction timelines for public-private partnership projects. They argue that current deadlines are too short for quality and durability. The National Highways Builders Federation highlighted a recent greenfield project with a two-year construction period. They seek reasonable periods based on project size and complexity to ensure successful national highway development.

Foreign companies registered a five-year high in India in 2025, with 92 new entrants, primarily from the services sector. This surge reflects growing global confidence in the Indian market, supported by government initiatives promoting a business-friendly environment and ease of doing business. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat attracted the majority of these new ventures.

US India Trade Deal: India plans to purchase $500 billion in goods from the US. This move will diversify import sources and boost India's economic growth. The agreement protects India's sensitive interests and offers opportunities for labor-intensive sectors. It also facilitates technology and investment inflows. Farmers' concerns are addressed with a protected exclusion list for agricultural products.

India and the United States have reached an interim trade agreement framework. Union Minister Piyush Goyal stated the deal is beneficial for India's development goals. The agreement will create opportunities for youth, farmers, and MSMEs. India will reduce tariffs on US goods, while the US will impose tariffs on select Indian products. Both nations aim for a broader trade pact.

India has approved a limited import of dried distillers' grains with solubles. This move allows for 5 lakh tonnes of DDGS, just one percent of total consumption. The imports will boost animal feed supply and help meet growing demand. This measure aims to reduce the need for corn and soybean imports.

We are not surplus in apples. The demand for apples is more than 25-26 lakh tons. We produce about 20-21 lakh tons. As we speak, we import 5.5 lakh tons of apples every year. And a large quantity of that comes from the United States of America. We have not opened up apples. We have given them a quota on apples, which we will procure from there. That is less than the Current imports of apples from the USA, Goyal said in an interview with ANI.

India is set to purchase USD 500 billion in goods from the US over the next five years. This figure is considered conservative, with demand expected to grow significantly. Sectors like aviation, energy, and technology will drive these purchases. India's competitive tariffs offer an advantage over other nations. Safeguards are in place to protect domestic industries and farmers.

Union Minister Satish Chandra Dubey announced the Indo-US trade deal will foster development and boost trade. He criticized opposition parties for their constant criticism of government actions. Dubey highlighted the Union Budget as a catalyst for development, aiming for a developed India by 2047. He emphasized inclusivity in achieving national progress.

India is diversifying its energy sources by purchasing crude oil, LNG, and LPG from the US. Union Minister Piyush Goyal stated this move is in India's strategic interest. Commercial buyers and companies make these purchasing decisions. Trade deals focus on ensuring smooth trade pathways and preferential access. This ensures India has an advantage over competitors.

Tiruppur garment exporters anticipate a significant boost from the India-US trade deal. Exports to the United States are projected to double to Rs 30,000 crore within three years. This growth is expected to create approximately 5 lakh new jobs in the textile town. The agreement is poised to bring more orders to Tamil Nadu, potentially diverting them from other countries.

India will offer duty concessions on dried distillers' grains to the US. This animal feed is highly nutritious and sought after by India's animal husbandry and poultry sectors. The agreement is part of a broader trade deal expected by mid-March. India is opening its market in a balanced manner, supporting economic growth and farmer exports.

India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the trade agreement with the US includes safeguards for farmers and domestic industries. He highlighted that Indian agricultural exports to the US are substantial. The minister emphasized that the deal offers Indian goods a competitive edge in the American market.

Indian benchmark indices closed higher on the back of buying interest in consumer and private banking stocks, though gains were limited by selling pressure across auto, IT and pharma names.

Salaried employees in major Indian cities may soon see significant tax relief. The government is planning to expand the list of cities eligible for a higher House Rent Allowance exemption under the old tax regime. Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad are set to join Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai in receiving this benefit.

Leading cement makers reported strong double-digit year-on-year growth in sales volumes during the December 2025 quarter, even as their realisations came under pressure.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated the India-US trade deal was reached through constructive dialogue, not bargaining. He asserted the pact fully protects India's agriculture sector and farmers' interests. Key agricultural products vital to cultivators have been excluded from the agreement.

The edible oil and soybean processing industry has cautiously welcomed the India-US interim trade agreement but is waiting for clarity on tariff cuts, quotas and quality norms. The pact includes lower US tariffs on Indian goods and reduced Indian duties on several American food and farm products such as soybean oil and DDGS.

The successful conclusion of an interim trade framework agreement between India and the US will boost investor confidence, strengthen the foundation for capital flows, and deepen market participation as India integrates further with the world economy--directly advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat, said Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD and CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

After three consecutive months of heavy selling, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) turned net buyers in the first week of February, infusing more than Rs 8,100 crore in Indian equities, aided by improving risk sentiment, along with a trade deal with the US.

The combined market valuation of eight of the top 10 valued firms jumped by a whopping Rs 4.55 lakh crore last week, with Reliance Industries emerging as the biggest winner, in line with a remarkable rally in equities.

Walmart-backed PhonePe is preparing for an IPO likely in April, with plans to expand its presence in digital payments while growing its financial services and consumer platforms. The public offer will be entirely an offer for sale of 5.06 crore shares by existing investors, with no fresh issue component, after receiving Sebi approval earlier this year.

India will reduce tariffs on high-end American cars to 30% from up to 110% and remove duties on Harley-Davidson motorcycles under an interim trade pact with the United States, while keeping electric vehicles out of the concessions. The move follows an interim framework released by both countries after the U.S. said duties on Indian exports would be cut to 18% from 50%.

New Budget proposals offer a significant boost to India's data centre sector. A 20-year tax holiday until 2047 will attract foreign investment. This move allows Indian data centres to serve global clients without their foreign income facing Indian taxes. This ensures a level playing field for both domestic and foreign-promoted data centres.

The immediate reduction in US tariffs on Indian textile goods from 50% to 18% has brought long-awaited relief to an industry that had been grappling with margin compression, regulatory costs, and weakening demandparticularly in home textiles, where the market had declined by around 4% and smaller players were nearing shutdown.

The American financial system is structurally designed to accommodate, and often actively encourage, speculative behaviour. Indian markets, by contrast, are deliberately constructed to restrain it.

After a strong rally driven largely by a few AI-focused stocks, US equities are facing concerns around high valuations and narrow market leadership. Anand Rathi believes the long-term outlook for US markets remains positive, but broad-based gains may be limited in the medium term, prompting investors to moderate return expectations and look for better risk-reward opportunities globally.

Nifty IT remains at a crucial technical level, with a break below 35,400 likely to trigger sharp weakness in the sector, while holding above the level could lead to a meaningful recovery. Meanwhile, FII positioning in index futures has been largely bearish, driven more by the lack of a USIndia trade deal than the Budget.

Silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have plunged about 38% from their record high reached just seven trading sessions earlier on January 29, as higher margin requirements and profit-booking led to a sharp unwinding of leveraged bets.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. Discussions will focus on American talks with Iran. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister issued threats against U.S. military bases in the region. Netanyahu's office emphasized the need to limit Iran's ballistic missiles and its support for regional militant groups.

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias declared India an indispensable partner for Europe, highlighting its growing strategic and economic significance. Speaking at the India-EU Forum 2026, he expressed strong support for the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement, anticipating substantial mutual benefits. The forum concluded after two days of discussions on enhancing India-EU cooperation across various domains.

India-US trade deal: The framework targets balanced trade, supply chain resilience and deeper technology cooperation. India intends to buy $500 billion of US energy & tech products, aircraft & parts, precious metals, tech products, coking coal over 5 years.

India-US trade deal: India's exports of about $44 billion to the US will enter the American market at zero reciprocal tariffs under the first phase of the BTA, which is expected to be signed by mid-March. This will include spices, tea, coffee, copra, coconut oil, certain nuts, banana, guava, mango, bakery goods, and home decor.

India and the US have inked an interim trade deal, paving the way for duty-free exports across numerous sectors, including textiles, leather, and aviation. Global aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus are eyeing India as a major foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer base for aircraft components, signaling significant growth potential and excitement for the bilateral partnership.

There's no clarity yet on the level of import duty reduction by India on US tree nuts comprising walnuts, almonds and pistachios. The domestic industry however believes that any duty cut would lead to lower prices, driving consumption among Indian consumers.

Draft income tax rules: The changes include rationalisation of archaic perquisite thresholdssuch as tax-free at-work meal values and gifts received from employersbringing the tax framework closer in line with contemporary economic realities, tax experts said.

The budget proposed a revamped safe harbour regime for component warehousing linked to manufacturing, fixing taxable margins at 2% which would result in an effective tax rate of about 0.7%.

India's exports to the US will see a significant boost. An interim trade agreement between India and the US will reduce import duties on several Indian goods. This move is expected to greatly benefit labour-intensive sectors like apparel, footwear, and home decor. The US has removed punitive duties, and reciprocal tariffs are set to decrease.

Under the interim trade agreement between India and the US, New Delhi has agreed to address long-standing barriers to the trade in US medical devices; eliminate restrictive import licensing procedures that delay market access for, or impose quantitative restrictions on, US Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods.

India US trade deal: As part of the framework announced last night, both countries will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade.

India-US trade deal: India and the US on Saturday announced that they have reached a framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement under which both sides will reduce import duties on a number of goods to boost two-way trade.

India and the US will sign a trade pact by mid-March. Around USD 44 billion of Indian exports will enter the US duty-free. This agreement will boost trade and benefit Indian industries. It aims to achieve USD 500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030. The pact opens opportunities for MSMEs, farmers, and fishermen.

State Bank of India Chairman CS Setty views India-US trade deals and other FTAs as highly beneficial for India's economy. He notes the absence of tariff overhang opens global supply chain opportunities. The Reserve Bank of India's decision to maintain the repo rate was anticipated.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that Indian farmers' interests are fully protected under the Indo-US trade deal. He dismissed opposition claims that the pact will harm cultivators. Chouhan highlighted that the agreement safeguards basmati, rice, spices, and textiles. He added that increased exports will boost farmers' incomes.

Nifty ended a volatile, event-driven week with gains, holding above key moving averages. The broader trend remains positive, but consolidation persists near resistance, suggesting selective, stock-specific strategies as momentum indicators stay neutral to mildly positive.