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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has increased India's growth forecast to 7 per cent for 2026-27, up from 6.4 per cent, attributing this robust outlook to resilient domestic demand and strong services activity, positioning India as one of the fastest-growing major economies.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will persist in its efforts to prevent excessive volatility in the rupee, which has significantly depreciated against the US dollar due to global uncertainties, despite India's strong macro-economic fundamentals.

Adani Enterprises and US-based Jabil have signed a non-binding agreement to establish a 50:50 joint venture in India. This JV will manufacture artificial intelligence and data centre equipment, including AI racks, servers, storage, networking gear, and cooling systems, targeting both Indian and global markets. The collaboration aims to capitalise on India's accelerating data centre demand and the surging global investment in AI compute infrastructure.

Infosys CEO Salil Parekh stated on Tuesday that the company's AI services, currently contributing over 8% of revenue, are growing rapidly and could account for almost half of its work within two to three years. He highlighted the strong demand for AI services, the company's hiring and training efforts for graduates in AI, and discussed potential risks like infrastructure challenges and societal backlash.

Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla stated on Tuesday that investments in artificial intelligence should be driven by potential returns, not by a fear of missing out. Speaking at the 2026 Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Birla indicated that his group would adopt AI more gradually than previously planned, moving away from an AI arms race mentality. He also discussed the varied applications of AI across different business sectors, the challenges of capital allocation, and the impact of g

IBM India and South Asia MD Sandip Patel states that technology, especially AI, should not be artificially paused. He advocates for vigilance and proactive governance to foster innovation while addressing potential risks. Patel also highlights IBM's India-specific initiatives like Bharat Core and a sovereign AI stack, and discusses the impact of AI on jobs and global supply chains.

Indian stock markets witnessed a significant rebound, with the Sensex rallying 1,109 points and the Nifty closing above 22,720, driven by strong performances in IT and financial sectors, a recovering rupee, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's comments on long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax.

More than 40 per cent of Cars24's sales are now linked to rural registration and transport office (RTO) locations, although procurement remains concentrated in urban markets.

India's leading private-sector banks, including HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, reported robust deposit growth in the July-September quarter (Q2FY27), significantly aided by the Reserve Bank of India's concessional FCNR(B) swap window.

IBM India and South Asia MD Sandip Patel stated that India is at a defining moment with a unique opportunity to shape exponential technologies like artificial intelligence, emphasizing that when India builds, it builds for billions, leading to scalable impact. Speaking at the IBM Think 2026 event, Patel highlighted that the AI revolution is still in its early stages, requiring enterprises to redesign their operations around agents, real-time data, automation, hybrid architecture, and trust. He a

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani has dismissed fears that artificial intelligence will lead to job losses in India's IT services sector, calling such concerns hogwash and disaster marketing. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, Nilekani argued that AI will actually increase demand for IT firms as it necessitates complex business transformations and creates new types of jobs, particularly in small businesses.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, stated that Starlink's services in India must be affordable for widespread adoption and that competition would benefit consumers, despite potentially reducing Reliance Jio's profits. He criticised Reliance Jio as a 'de facto monopoly' in India, alleging that certain business conglomerates were blocking Starlink's entry.

ideaForge Technology has received an order from the Survey of India for its Q6 V2 unmanned aerial vehicles. These advanced, DFCA-certified drones will enhance the Survey of India's ability to collect high-quality aerial and geospatial data for surveying and mapping across diverse terrains, offering efficient and rapid deployment for large-scale projects.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has deferred the implementation of a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Person-to-Merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000. Originally set for October 15, the new date will be announced after Diwali, providing relief to users and merchants, especially during the festive season. The decision came amidst opposition concerns about the levy burdening consumers.

Geopolitical disruptions have made shipping times unpredictable and raised costs for Volvo Car India, which may have to increase vehicle prices if the situation persists, its Managing Director Jyoti Malhotra said on Monday.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has deferred the implementation of a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI payments above Rs 2,000, originally set for October 15, until after Diwali.

Nandan Nilekani, head of the task force on exam reforms, stated on Tuesday that technology and a systematic approach can solve the issue of question paper leaks. He suggested generating exam papers from a large question bank at the last minute to remove economic incentives for leaks and also proposed moving towards computer-based testing.

The Supreme Court has questioned the Centre's decision to cap trade margins on anti-cancer drugs at 30 per cent, asking why similar restrictions could not be extended to other medicines and medical consumables, citing glaring disparities between procurement costs and maximum retail prices (MRPs).

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty saw an early rebound, driven by strong performances from blue-chip HDFC Bank and major IT firms like HCL Tech, which reported a significant rise in net profit. Track Sensex, Nifty on October 13.

HCLTech announced a robust 21.18 per cent increase in its Q2 FY27 consolidated net profit, reaching Rs 5,132 crore, largely propelled by the strong performance and higher margins from its advanced AI operations and a reduced tax burden.

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has criticised the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI), calling it an 'unimaginative and dystopian' vision. He argues that while AI threatens intellectual jobs, humans have endless tasks related to nature, nurture, culture, and spirituality that can provide purpose and sustenance, rejecting the idea of dependency on handouts.

Indian precision engineering firm Aequs has signed long-term supply agreements with French aerospace major Safran. These contracts will support Safran's supply chain and expand Aequs' role in manufacturing critical aerospace components, including fully assembled A320 family aircraft wheels and landing gear components for various Airbus and Boeing programmes, with significant in-country value addition in India.

India's retail inflation surged to 5.54 per cent in September, primarily due to a significant increase in onion and other food prices, remaining just within the Reserve Bank of India's tolerance band. This marks the highest inflation since the new series with base year 2024 took effect in January.

Coal India Ltd (CIL) has refuted claims by NTPC Ltd regarding critically low coal stocks, stating it has met and exceeded its contractual supply commitments to the power producer. CIL reported supplying 97 million tonnes to NTPC and its joint ventures during April-September of FY27, a 5% increase year-on-year.

HCLTech has announced a global partnership with Anthropic to establish a dedicated business unit focused on developing agentic AI solutions for enterprise clients using Anthropic's Claude. The collaboration aims to help businesses adopt AI systems that operate with minimal human intervention, prioritising safety, cybersecurity, and governance. HCLSoftware will also integrate Claude into its enterprise products.

Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a significant drop on Monday, with the Sensex falling by nearly 548 points, primarily due to a fresh spike in crude oil prices, persistent foreign fund outflows, and rising bond yields.

L and T Technology Services (LTTS) CEO Amit Chadha announced that artificial intelligence is a net positive for the company, with six key focus areas expected to contribute 80% of revenue in five years. These areas, including digital manufacturing and AI infrastructure, are projected to deliver higher growth and margins, offsetting pricing pressures in traditional IT services. LTTS also inaugurated an NVIDIA-powered AI manufacturing lab in Bengaluru.

L and T Technology Services (LTTS) has inaugurated an NVIDIA-powered Engineering Intelligence (EI) lab in Bengaluru, designed to showcase AI-native manufacturing, digital twins, and autonomous systems. The facility offers clients a comprehensive view of the manufacturing journey, from virtual validation to autonomous operations, and plans to expand to the US.

American-born economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford have been awarded the Nobel memorial prize in economics for their groundbreaking work on the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation, demonstrating how individual household and business actions influence the broader economy.

Equity mutual fund schemes recorded a net inflow of Rs 38,306 crore in September, a 31 per cent increase from the previous month, driven by strong investor interest in mid-cap and small-cap funds despite stock market volatility and foreign portfolio investor (FPI) sell-offs.

GE Aerospace is set to significantly increase its supply chain spending in India, targeting USD 400 million by 2030, up from USD 200 million in 2025. This expansion reflects the company's commitment to India's burgeoning aviation market, driven by substantial aircraft orders and the strategic importance of its manufacturing and technology centres in Pune and Bengaluru.

Indian banks are projected to achieve healthy profit growth in the second quarter of financial year 2027 (Q2FY27), driven by lower credit costs, robust advance growth, and fee income. However, net interest margins (NIMs) are expected to face pressure due to significant mobilisation of foreign currency non-resident (bank) FCNR(B) deposits.

Automobile dealers in India are reporting healthy bookings ahead of Navratri and Dussehra, with the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada) indicating strong confidence in a pickup in deliveries from mid-October, despite a high base from last year's GST-led surge.

HSBC has emerged as the leading international bank in facilitating fundraising for Indian companies through bonds, syndicated loans, and IPOs during January-September 2026, according to Hitendra Dave, CEO of HSBC India.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) plans for 80% of its new hires to possess digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills, anticipating that the growing share of AI-led work will significantly boost its profit margins.

TCS chief executive and managing director K Krithivasan stated that the US is unlikely to target tech companies based on their domicile, with actions like the recent green card application programme suspension being driven by local sensitivities around jobs.

Indian equities, particularly the Nifty 50, have significantly underperformed their Asian and global counterparts over the past year, with the index down 10.6 per cent. This lag is attributed to factors like rising global oil prices, rupee depreciation, and a lack of participation in the global chipmaker rally that boosted markets like South Korea and Taiwan.

India's GST Council has approved changes allowing small online sellers to register in states without physical premises by using an e-commerce operator's warehouse as their principal place of business, aiming to boost national sales for small businesses.

The Reserve Bank of India's recent measures, including a dedicated dollar window for state-run oil marketing companies and tightened foreign exchange derivative rules, are expected to provide near-term relief to the rupee's depreciation, but market participants believe global factors and balance of payment dynamics will continue to exert pressure in the medium term.

The new Tata Aeris, a sub-compact sedan, which replaces the Tigor, promises enhanced features, superior ride quality, and advanced technology.

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty opened higher, extending their previous session's rally, driven by a decline in global oil prices, despite continued selling by Foreign Institutional Investors.

A report by IIT Bombay suggests that the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions needs rationalisation before implementation to safeguard public trust in the digital payments system, highlighting that UPI's long-term economic benefits outweigh potential incremental income from merchant fees.

A report by IIT Bombay suggests that the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI transactions needs rationalisation to protect public trust and ensure the long-term benefits of the digital payments system. It recommends restricting MDR to merchants with an annual turnover of over Rs 50 crore and keeping debt collection and loan EMI repayments free from MDR.

Airtel Business CEO Sharat Sinha stated that evolving architecture and methodologies for safely deploying Artificial Intelligence, coupled with adequate guardrails, are essential to unlock productivity gains. He welcomed the government's upcoming consultation paper on AI regulation, focusing on safety, deepfakes, and a human-first approach. Sinha also highlighted AI's role in driving demand for digital infrastructure and Airtel's growth in cybersecurity and fraud prevention.

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have withdrawn Rs 44,166 crore from Indian equities in October, pushing the total outflows for the year past Rs 3 lakh crore, driven by elevated crude oil prices, a stronger US dollar, higher US bond yields, and the allure of AI-led rallies in North Asian markets.

A dozen companies, including major players like Jio Platforms and Zetwerk Manufacturing Business, are poised to launch Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in October, continuing India's strong fundraising momentum in the primary market. These offerings span diverse sectors, reflecting sustained investor interest in businesses with robust growth prospects.

Cathy Li, Head of the Centre for AI Excellence at the World Economic Forum, advocates for integrating AI literacy into India's education curriculum and incentivising AI companies to prioritise child safety. She stresses the need for localised solutions that account for India's linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as varying levels of connectivity and digital literacy, to ensure AI systems are safe and beneficial for children.

PCBL Chemical Ltd's subsidiary, Nanovace Technologies Ltd, has formed a new wholly-owned subsidiary, Nanovace Advanced Materials Ltd, to focus on advanced battery materials and next-generation energy storage technologies for various sectors including electric vehicles and consumer electronics.

The Reserve Bank of India has opened a special dollar window for three public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) to meet their daily dollar requirements, aiming to curb the rupee's depreciation amidst global economic uncertainty. Additionally, the RBI has introduced new regulatory measures for the foreign exchange market, including reducing the threshold for derivative transactions without underlying exposure and introducing a Foreign Exchange Risk Reserve (FERR).

Net office space leasing in India's top eight cities declined by 20 per cent in the January-September period to 36.7 million sq ft, primarily due to limited fresh supply of quality workspaces and a high base effect from the previous year, according to a report by Cushman and Wakefield. Despite this, gross leasing saw a 1 per cent increase, reaching a record 64.6 million sq ft, indicating strong underlying market activity.