Author: Abizar Attari
News Editor

Mumbai: Highway Infrastructure Limited (HIL), an Indore-based infrastructure management company, has secured a ₹69 crore EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract from the Indore Development Authority (IDA) as the company looks to boost its order pipeline. The project includes developing the Kumedi–Lasudiya Mori corridor up to A.B. Road, to support Indore’s expanding urban infrastructure and growth initiatives. According to the order, the company needs to complete the contract within 2.5 years. The project aligns with the company’s focus on expanding its EPC portfolio across high-potential urban and regional growth corridors.  In a press release to the bourses, the company said…

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to overhaul India’s customs duties, after she hinted at the same earlier. This could include simplification of duty rate slabs and conversion of inverted duty structures, especially as customs duties remain the last tax framework that remains to be updated after GST 2.0 and Income Tax. “The Finance Minister had made a statement that she wants to re-look at the customs law. Customs has remained largely the way it is, while income tax, service tax, excise and now GST have all been revamped.” Saloni Roy, partner at Deloitte India, said in an…

India celebrates National Startup Day on January 16,  marking a decade under the transformative Startup India initiative. Over the years, Startup India has helped boost innovation, enabled job creation and positioned India as a global hub for startups building world-leading solutions. Despite the challenges, the Startup India initiative has helped entrepreneurs with access to mentorship, capital and technical expertise. We asked a few startup founders what they thought about National Startup Day, and their hopes and experiences from it. Here’s what they had to say: Anurag Gupta, Co-founder of Stemrobo Technologies “On National Startup Day, we are reminded that the…

Bengaluru: Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd has signed an agreement to develop a resort near the iconic Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, as the company loks to grow its current portfolio of 115+ properties. To be developed under the Regenta Place Resort brand, this property will have 50 spacious rooms along with state-of-the-art amenities like a 3,500 sq ft banquet hall, a swimming pool, gym, spa and an on-site restaurant. Royal Orchid Hotels aims to expand its portfolio of hotels and resorts to more than 345 from the 115 it has currently, with this one being developed in partnership with…

New Delhi: Indus Towers, India’s largest telecom tower infrastructure provider, has announced the incorporation of two wholly owned subsidiaries in Nigeria and Zambia, marking its first foray outside India. According to a regulatory filing, Indus Towers aims to explore opportunities to set up passive telecom infrastructure in those countries, which are high-growth markets with growing internet penetration. In an earlier interview to Moneycontrol in October 2025, Prachur Sah, MD and CEO of Indus Towers, had said the company aimed to expand into Africa in the next 3-6 months, starting with Nigeria, Zambia and Uganda.  “We strongly believe Africa is where…

New Delhi: India’s smartphone market has posted flat domestic shipments for the fourth successive year, even as exports have surged to a record $30 billion in 2025, a 47% rise from 2024. India’s domestic smartphone shipments have been hovering around the 150 million-unit mark, even as customers choose refurbished models over fresh, upgraded ones. India’s smartphone market is showing signs of saturation, as India’s mobile handset market is undergoing a reset, with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) realigning their brand portfolios to cut costs and stand out. Many OEMs are integrating their sub brands and product series to offer economies of…

Though Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have been helping employees work faster, almost 40% of the time saved is being used to refine or rework on its outcomes, a Workday report has revealed. Almost 77% of the employees interviewed said that AI helped them become more productive, the efficiency metrics have been quite uneven, as the quality of work done hasn’t been up to the mark. For organizations looking to boost outcomes using AI, they need to understand that the employees using the technology need to be upskilled to harness the best of its capabilities, the report, titled Beyond Productivity: Measuring…

Mumbai: Muthoot Microfin Limited has won two prestigious awards at the Inclusive Finance India Awards 2025, highlighting the company’s leadership in financial inclusion for the underprivileged. The awards were presented at the Global Inclusion Finance Summit 2026 organized by ACCESS Development Services in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. Muthoot Microfin was awarded the  Financial Inclusion Institution of the Year award, recognizing the company’s commitment to transforming the lives of those outside the formal credit and financial services markets. Muthoot’s extensive on-ground network of 1,718 branches across the country serves 33.6 lakh customers, empowering underprivileged communities and…

New Delhi: Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has been granted in-principle approval to set up a wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) in India by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI). This approval will allow SMBC to convert its four local branches at New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru into a locally incorporated, full-fledged subsidiary. Besides this, SMBC has purchased a controlling stake in Mumbai-based Yes Bank, besides a majority stake in SMBC India Credit Company (Formerly Fullerton India) an NBFC. SMBC satisfied RBI’s guidelines, and is expected to function as a local subsidiary with its own legal entity, capital base and…

Bengaluru: Infosys Ltd has reported a 2% decline in net profit for Q3 of FY26, despite the company’s revenues beating its own estimates of 2-3%. The decline in the net profit was due to the ₹1,289 crore the company had to pay for gratuity and leave liabilities as per India’s new labour laws. Revenues for the quarter were at ₹45,479 crore, a 3.2% increase from ₹41,764 crore from the same period last year. Financial Services contributed the lion’s share of revenues at 28.2%, with Manufacturing, Energy, Utilities and Retail coming at 16.7%, 13.2%, and 12.1% respectively. During the quarter, the…