Business Standard - May 19, 2025

In this issue

May 19, 2025

RBI seeks govt nod for bigger contingent risk buffer band

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) central board, which met last week and reviewed the economic capital framework (ECF), has sought the government's approval to expand the range of the contingent risk buffer (CRB), multiple sources aware of the development told Business Standard.

1 min

Airtel dials rivals to fight cyberfraud

Bharti Airtel Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Gopal Vittal has written to peers Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), proposing a platform where all telecom firms could work together to curb the growing menace of malicious uniform resource locator (URL) links or web addresses that are tricking unsuspecting consumers into financial fraud.

2 mins

Slew of PSU stake sales, including 6.5% in LIC, soon

The government plans to divest a 6.5 per cent stake in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India in tranches over the next 24 months, while kicking off a slew of share sales in central public-sector enterprises (CPSEs) this financial year to meet the stock market regulator's minimum public shareholding (MPS) mandates.

1 min

Capacit'e looks to West Asia after Maldives foray

Mumbai-based engineering, procurement and construction firm Capacit'e Infraprojects is exploring partnerships and projects in West Asia after foraying into Maldives through a joint venture (JV) with a local partner, said Subir Malhotra, whole-time director.

1 min

Capacit'e looks to West Asia after Maldives foray

The \"suicide\" of a young techie of Krutrim, the artificial intelligence unit of Ola, has raised questions over the company's work culture after allegations of intense work pressure and verbal abuse against employees surfaced in a viral social media post.

3 mins

India Targets 5% Slice of Global Chip Pie by '30

Five Cleared Projects to Push Daily Chip Output to 91 Million

2 mins

Perfetti India eyes ₹4K cr revenue in FY26

Perfetti Van Melle India expects to close FY26 with ₹4,000 crore revenue on the back of double-digit growth, as the company anticipates improved demand compared to the previous financial year.

1 min

Skoda Auto VW Set to Rev Up India EV Play to 17% in 5 Yrs

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Ltd (SAVWIPL) plans to grow its electric vehicle (EV) portfolio to 17 per cent by 2030, said Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Piyush Arora.

2 mins

Apollo in talks to invest $750 mn in Adani's Mumbai Airport bonds

US-based financial services giant Apollo Global Management is in advanced talks to invest $750 million in bonds to be issued by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), according to people familiar with the matter.

2 mins

Cab segment drives up to 25% of Rapido's total bookings

Ride-hailing unicorn Rapido is quickly scaling up its four-wheeler segment, which now contributes up to 25 per cent of its total bookings. Aravind Sanka, Rapido's cofounder, in a video interview with Udisha Srivastav, shares insights on the company's plans to expand into the segment, how BluSmart's exit has created an opportunity for the company, its push towards green mobility, and navigating state-specific policies. Edited excerpts:

4 mins

Isro's 101st mission fails after PSLV rocket suffers malfunction

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Sunday failed to put its earth observation satellite in orbit after its trusted PSLV rocket developed a fault after launch from the spaceport.

1 min

Hope to deliver more to Centre to stay the fiscal course

The complex and multi-stage process in the strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank is taking time, but the government remains committed to the transaction, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary Arunish Chawla said in an interview with Harsh Kumar and Asit Ranjan Mishra at his office in New Delhi. In a wide-ranging interview, Chawla said that while defence stocks have been doing well in recent days, more listings of government-owned defence companies will be considered carefully, in a calibrated way, in consultation with the defence ministry. Edited excerpts:

5 mins

CCI to bring toolkit for curbing cartels in public procurement

Keeping Check

1 min

Tough India-US Trade Talks Amidst Irritants

Throughout last week, President Trump of the United States repeatedly irritated India with one upsetting statement or another. India tried to pinprick the US with a proposal to impose retaliatory tariffs. Both governments should now settle down to some serious trade talks during the visit of our Commerce Minister to the US this week.

2 mins

Indian shippers see cargo rush, freight rates surge

After the United States (US) administration announced a 90-day pause on the tariff war with China last week, Indian shippers are facing the risk of being caught in disruption in global supply chains because Chinese goods are seeing an evacuation rush.

2 mins

RBI Board to Meet on May 23 to Decide Transferable Surplus

The board will again meet on May 23 to approve the accounts for FY25 and decide on the transferable surplus, based on the new range, following approval from the Centre.

1 min

Airtel's Vittal bats for real-time fraud intelligence sharing

According to data from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, India recorded over 1.7 million cybercrime complaints in the first nine months of 2024, leading to financial losses exceeding ₹11,000 crore.

1 min

No cause for concern yet in India: Experts

As several Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand saw a surge in Covid-19 cases in the last week, medical experts in India have said that there is no need to panic.

2 mins

Rupee steady versus dollar, but loses ground against euro, pound in 2025

The rupee has held its ground against the US dollar in the 2025 calendar year so far, but depreciated significantly against the euro and pound.

2 mins

'Panel working on IPR issues of gene-edited rice'

Marking a significant milestone in India's long journey in agriculture research. In an interview with Sanjeeb Mukherjee in New Delhi, director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) ML Jat talks about various issues surrounding these rice varieties and his roadmap for the council. Edited excerpts:

3 mins

In UK, an English challenge for Indians

Last week, the UK's Labour government unveiled a white paper outlining a series of proposals aimed at reducing inbound migration.

1 min

India Paused Op Sindoor After Achieving Goals, Escalation Dominance

In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, India launched Operation Sindoor with precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan on May 7. Pakistan then targeted civilian and military sites in India over more than three days, drawing retaliatory strikes on 13 Pakistani military installations. On May 10 afternoon, Pakistan's director general of military operations called his Indian counterpart, after which both sides agreed to stop all military action from 5:00 pm IST. With Operation Sindoor only suspended, Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda (retired), former general officer commanding-in-chief of the Indian Army's northern command, who held the position during the September 2016 surgical strike in retaliation to the Pakistan-backed Uri terrorist attack, speaks to Bhaswar Kumar in New Delhi on India's strategic messaging and the changing character of its conflict with Pakistan. Edited excerpts:

3 mins

Of Erdoğan's Gambit, Kamikaze Drones, and Diplomatic Chill

India-Türkiye ties are strained over Ankara's Islamabad tilt, its arms links with Pakistan, and fallout from the Pahalgam terror attack.

3 mins

India Puts Up United Front Abroad, Cong Shows Its Cracks at Home

Tharoor's role in bipartisan diplomatic outreach in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack has raised eyebrows in the country's main Opposition party. Archis Mohan reports

3 mins

India Tensions May Derail Bailout Goals: IMF Warns Pak

Global lender in its Staff Level report lays out 11 new conditions, taking total to 50

2 mins

China Slaps Anti-Dumping Duties on US, EU, Japan, and Taiwan

Places levy on imports of POM copolymers

1 min

Apple's AI ambitions for China provoke US resistance

The Trump administration and congressional officials have raised concerns about a deal to put a Chinese firm's artificial intelligence on iPhones.

2 mins

Trump Plans Call With Putin to End 'Bloodbath' in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump said he'll have a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday morning to discuss how to stop the war in Ukraine.

1 min

Israeli Strikes Kill 103 in Gaza as IDF Begins New Operations

Forces closure of northern Gaza's main hospital

1 min

After the 'pause'

Trump's threats to globalization have helped us recognise how much it benefits everyone

4 mins

What China gained from Apple

A little more than a decade ago, foreign journalists living in Beijing, including myself, met for a long chat with a top Chinese diplomat.

3 mins

Judges and civil servants

A post-retirement job remains a grey area

2 mins

Labour participation

Revamped PLFS data should help policymaking

2 mins

Tariff deals: End of the beginning

Last week, American President Donald Trump fired a salvo against Apple Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook, demanding that iPhones be made in the United States (US), not India.

3 mins

India will stay the top market for 20 more years

Foreign flows to Indian stock markets have started to trickle in as geopolitical developments back home and US tariff-related fears have abated. Vikas Khemani, founder, Carnelian Asset Management, tells Puneet Wadhwa in a telephonic interview that global investors are significantly underweight on India, and that this will change over the next five to 10 years. He expects India's equity weight in major global fund allocations to increase over the next decade, which could result in an inflow of $1.5 trillion—a substantial figure given India's current market capitalization of $5 trillion. Excerpts:

2 mins

Berger's palette finds contrast in a washed-out quarter

Few stay in frame as soft sales and rising competition blur the outlook canvas

2 mins

AIFs push to flip the switch on regulatory static

Operational noise disrupts capital flow; industry demands an inter-regulatory bridge

1 min

Passport as instrument of peaceful protest

It was 1989. My spouse and I were in Madurai, stepping out of our hotel to visit the Meenakshi temple, when we were surrounded by cycle-rickshaw drivers vying for our attention.

2 mins

Buy policy with zero waiting period, cumulative bonus riders

Try bringing condition under control to improve chances of getting coverage

3 mins

IBC Requires Urgent Reforms for Needs of Various Sectors

According to the newly amended extant regulations for the corporate insolvency resolution process, a committee of creditors (CoC) is entitled to invite a 'competent authority' under Section 2 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) to participate in CoC meetings.

2 mins

More than a rap on the knuckles

Mint Road's enforcement framework is turning focus on governance premium, reports Raghu Mohan

5 mins

GDP growth may miss govt estimate

The recent Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data has intensified doubts about the official gross domestic product (GDP) growth projections for Q4 and full FY25.

1 min

New brands launched in last 24 months

Trump's plans to reduce drug prices in the US may impact the Indian pharma landscape

4 mins

When DFS secretary plays the role of Vikramaditya

Customer service and excellence are buzzwords as govt and RBI write a new chapter in Indian banking

5 mins

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