eznews.inThe Union Cabinet, led by Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, has approved the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, which will allow 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, a significant reform expected to be introduced in Parliament next week. This move aims to enhance the growth and accessibility of insurance services in India, aligning with the FY26 Budget announcement to raise the FDI limit from 74% to 100% for companies investing premiums entirely in India. Alongside the Insurance Bill, the Cabinet also approved three other legislative measures, including renaming the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and permitting private sector participation in nuclear energy. The amendments are designed to streamline regulatory processes and foster innovation, with the goal of achieving "Insurance for All by 2047." Experts view this as a pivotal moment for the Indian insurance landscape, potentially attracting substantial foreign investment and improving service quality for citizens. 
Published: Dec 12 2025, 6 pmeznews.inSagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd has been granted 29.58 acres at the Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Andhra Pradesh to establish the world’s first autonomous maritime shipyard and systems centre. This initiative, approved by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, aims to bolster India's indigenous capabilities in maritime technology, enhancing both surface and subsurface platforms. Founded in 2015, Sagar Defence specializes in unmanned systems across various domains, striving to create a "Digital Ocean" through real-time data integration. The new centre is expected to significantly impact defence readiness, commercial shipping efficiency, and environmental performance while fostering a future-ready maritime workforce. It will feature a dedicated Maritime Test Centre to facilitate research and development, ultimately transforming ship design and operations. This pioneering facility is set to accelerate innovation and establish new international standards in autonomous maritime technology, contributing to sectors like logistics, fisheries, and disaster response.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 6 pmeznews.inThe Indian government has announced a five-year extension of its Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) scheme, originally launched in February 2020, to address operational challenges and enhance support for the 10,000 FPOs formed to date. Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi highlighted the need for ongoing assistance, particularly for newly established FPOs, to improve capacity building and access to capital. He noted that while these FPOs have achieved a cumulative turnover of ₹9,000 crore, compliance with the Companies Act remains a significant hurdle, prompting a request for relaxed penalties during their formative years. Chaturvedi emphasized the potential of FPOs to facilitate bulk purchasing and value-added sales, thereby benefiting farmers. Additionally, APEDA Secretary Sudhanshu outlined efforts to strengthen FPOs for better market access, citing successful agricultural exports as examples of the initiative's impact. The government aims to ensure that FPOs effectively contribute to India's agricultural landscape while differentiating between genuine and nominal organisations.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 6 pmeznews.inBartronics India Limited is set to launch a Smart Agri Store franchise model as part of a strategic transformation aimed at enhancing its presence in rural commerce, agritech, and digital platforms. The company plans to rebrand as Avio Smart Market Stack Limited (ASMS), pending regulatory approvals, and has received board approval for this initiative. The Smart Agri Stores will offer a comprehensive rural commerce experience by integrating agricultural inputs, advisory services, and digital procurement linkages. To support this expansion, Bartronics will initiate an expression of interest process for franchise partners and recruit senior professionals across various sectors. Additionally, the company will engage a national brand ambassador to promote the Avio platform among farmers. Managing Director N Vidhya Sagar Reddy emphasized the commitment to creating a seamless digital and physical ecosystem, aiming to unlock value for farmers and rural entrepreneurs across India.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 5 pmeznews.inIndia has emerged as the largest buyer of discounted Russian crude oil, capitalizing on the West's withdrawal from the market following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In November, India's imports of Russian crude reached €2.6 billion, marking a 4% increase and the highest level in five months, with the majority of refined products being exported to Australia. While China remains the top buyer of Russian crude, accounting for 47% of exports, India follows with 38%. Despite US sanctions on major Russian oil producers, some Indian refiners continue to source from non-sanctioned entities, leading to a 22% month-on-month increase in imports by state-owned refineries. In November, Indian and Turkish refineries exported €807 million worth of refined oil products, with a notable rise in shipments to Australia. Reliance Industries, a key player in this sector, has ceased using Russian oil for exports to Europe.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 5 pmeznews.inIndia's annual retail inflation rose to 0.71% in November, up from a record low of 0.25% in October, as the decline in food prices slowed, according to government data released on Friday. This marks the third consecutive month that inflation has remained below the Reserve Bank of India's target range of 2% to 6%. Food prices fell by 3.91% year-on-year in November, with vegetable prices dropping 22.20%. The Reserve Bank recently cut interest rates by 25 basis points, reflecting a "rare goldilocks" phase of strong economic growth and moderate inflation, with GDP growth reaching 8.2% in the July-September quarter. The central bank has revised its inflation projection for the current fiscal year down to 2% while raising its growth forecast to 7.3%. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies, including tax cuts and labour reforms, are expected to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on the Indian economy.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 4 pmeznews.inIndia and New Zealand are actively seeking to expedite negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA), as highlighted in discussions between New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay and India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Following their bilateral meeting, Goyal emphasized the importance of advancing the FTA talks, which were officially initiated on March 16, 2025, with four rounds of discussions already completed. The bilateral merchandise trade reached $1.3 billion in 2024-25, marking a significant 49% increase from the previous year. The FTA aims to enhance trade flows, investment ties, and supply chain resilience, while New Zealand's average import tariff stands at a low 2.3%. Historically, negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) began in 2010 but stalled in 2015 after nine rounds. Key exports from India include textiles and medical supplies, while New Zealand primarily exports agricultural products and minerals to India.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 3 pmeznews.inIndia has made significant strides in renewable energy, adding a record 27GW of solar and 3.9GW of wind power capacity from April to November in the current financial year, surpassing the total additions of 23.8GW of solar and 4.1GW of wind for the entire year of 2024-25. Including 2.6GW from large hydro and 700MW from nuclear sources, the total non-fossil fuel capacity increase for this period reached 35.66GW. As of October, India's total non-fossil fuel power capacity stands at 262.73GW, accounting for 52% of the overall electricity generation capacity of 505GW. Rajasthan and Gujarat lead the country in installed renewable energy capacity, with 41.7GW and 41.6GW respectively, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The ongoing expansion reflects India's commitment to enhancing its renewable energy infrastructure.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 3 pmeznews.inUnion Minister for Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, convened a review meeting on Friday to evaluate airline readiness for the winter fog season, involving key stakeholders such as the DGCA, AAI, and airline operators. He emphasized the need for strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and accountability, urging the implementation of real-time data sharing and the deployment of CAT-II/III compliant aircraft. Naidu assured that passenger convenience would be prioritized, with timely updates provided to mitigate disruptions. Concurrently, the DGCA dismissed four Flight Operations Inspectors linked to recent IndiGo flight cancellations, as part of heightened scrutiny following significant operational disruptions. A special committee will meet with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to investigate the chaos caused by the airline's widespread cancellations, with the DGCA having issued a show-cause notice to the airline, which has requested more time to respond to the inquiry.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 2 pmeznews.inUnion Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita announced a new 40-country market diversification strategy aimed at enhancing India's global textile presence during a Rajya Sabha session. The Ministry of Textiles has introduced several initiatives, including the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Parks Scheme, the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, and the National Technical Textiles Mission, to bolster the industry. Upcoming events like Bharat Tex 2024 and 2025 will showcase India's textile capabilities to international audiences. The government has also implemented the Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) scheme, benefiting over 15,000 exporters, and signed 15 Free Trade Agreements to improve competitiveness. Additionally, import duties on cotton have been exempted until December 2025 to lower production costs. Despite a slight decline in textile exports during April-October 2025, overall performance remains stable, with exports reaching USD 37.76 billion in 2024-25, a 5.2% increase from the previous year.
Published: Dec 12 2025, 2 pm
For the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
India
World
Economy
Science
Health
Showbiz
Contact