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India's logistics costs are projected to reach ₹24.01 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2023-24, accounting for 7.97% of the country's GDP and 9.09% of non-services output, according to a report by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). This estimate, derived from various secondary data sources, indicates a gradual slowdown in logistics cost growth compared to non-services output, attributed to initiatives like the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and the Sagarmala Project. The report, developed in collaboration with NCAER, highlights the efficiency of rail logistics, which costs ₹1.96 per tonne-kilometre, compared to road transport at ₹11.03 and air transport at ₹72. It also emphasizes the need for more accurate metrics to assess logistics costs, suggesting alternatives that consider the value of produce or per tonne per kilometre to provide a more comprehensive view. 
Published: Sep 25 2025, 9 pmeznews.inUS tariffs on Indian goods are expected to persist until the contentious issue of India's oil purchases from Russia is resolved, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Washington prioritizes halting financial support for Moscow amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently returned from discussions in the US, where talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were described as positive, yet a date for the sixth round of bilateral trade agreement negotiations remains unannounced. The last formal talks occurred in mid-July, and subsequent tariffs of 25% were imposed on India due to its increased Russian oil imports, which surged from less than 1% to over 35% of total crude imports since the war began. While India defends its purchases as legal, it may seek to bolster energy trade with the US to ease tensions.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 10 pmeznews.inThe Broadband India Forum (BIF) has urged Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to expedite the delicensing of 30 MHz of spectrum in the 5875–5905 MHz band for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication, emphasizing its critical role in enhancing road safety and reducing accidents. BIF President TV Ramachandran highlighted that timely access to this spectrum would enable automobile manufacturers and technology developers to implement V2V safety solutions effectively. With India witnessing 4.62 lakh road crashes and 1.70 lakh fatalities in 2023, the need for this spectrum is urgent, especially as manufacturers like Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors are already equipping vehicles with on-board units (OBUs) operating in this band. Ramachandran cautioned against referring the matter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), as this could delay the process, and urged the government to prioritize the delicensing to align with global safety standards.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pmeznews.inPrices of major pulses in the global market have plummeted to record lows, driven by strong competition from Canada, Australia, Russia, and several African nations. Over the past month, prices have dropped between 5% and 20%, coinciding with a robust harvest of peas and lentils in these regions. This trend poses challenges for Indian farmers, who are currently harvesting crops like urad, tur, and masur, which have been adversely affected by recent heavy rains. While prices for most imported pulses have fallen below minimum support levels, urad remains stable. Canada is expected to produce a significant surplus of lentils and peas, with exports projected to exceed 2 million tonnes. The influx of pulses from various countries, including the US and Brazil, is likely to further saturate the market, exacerbating the situation for Indian farmers as they face declining domestic prices amid duty-free import policies.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 9 pmeznews.inPrime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized India's potential as a prime investment hub in the food processing sector during the fourth edition of World Food India on Thursday. He highlighted the country's unique strengths of diversity, demand, and scale, asserting that India is committed to enhancing global food security and urged stakeholders to innovate in biodegradable packaging. Modi noted that the government is actively promoting the food processing sector, which has seen a twenty-fold increase in processing capacity over the past decade, alongside a doubling of processed food exports. Minister of Food Processing Chirag Paswan announced that the sector is expected to attract over ₹1 lakh crore in investment proposals, with significant commitments already made through MoUs with major players like Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, which pledged ₹40,000 crore, and Coca-Cola bottlers, who committed ₹25,760 crore for various projects across multiple states.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 9 pmeznews.inFor the first time, women's representation in leadership roles within corporate India has reached 20%, according to the latest Best Companies for Women in India (BCWI) 2025 list by Avtar and Seramount. This marks a significant increase from 13% in 2016, with steady growth observed over the years—14% in 2020, 15% in 2021, 17% in 2022, and 19% in both 2023 and 2024. While the overall workforce share of women remains stable at 35.7%, sectors such as Professional Services and ITES lead with 44.6% and 41.7% female representation, respectively. The BCWI list features 125 companies, with 40% being Indian firms. Among the top ten companies recognized for their commitment to women in leadership are Accenture, EY, Wipro, and Procter & Gamble. This milestone reflects ongoing efforts to enhance gender diversity in India's corporate landscape.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pmeznews.inUnion Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has inaugurated India’s first fleet of 50 electric heavy trucks equipped with swappable batteries at the Nhava Sheva Distribution Terminal near Mumbai. This initiative positions the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) as home to the largest electric vehicle (EV) truck fleet among Indian ports, significantly enhancing sustainable logistics. A heavy-duty battery swapping station was also launched alongside the fleet. JNPA plans to transition 90 percent of its internal heavy truck fleet, which consists of around 600 vehicles, to electric by December 2026. The ministry emphasized that this move represents a significant step towards decarbonisation and energy transition within the maritime and logistics sectors, aligning with global sustainability goals while improving operational efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in cargo transport.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pmeznews.inThe Telangana government has tentatively agreed to take over Phase-I of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project from Larsen & Toubro (L&T), amid financial difficulties faced by the company due to project delays and reduced footfalls during the pandemic. The state will assume the ₹13,000-crore debt and provide ₹2,000 crore to L&T as a one-time settlement for its equity investment in L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd. In a recent meeting, both parties discussed the terms of the transition, ensuring compliance with legal requirements. L&T had previously indicated its willingness to divest its 90% stake in the project due to mounting losses, which it attributed to execution delays and the pandemic's impact on traffic. The company has submitted claims totaling ₹5,000 crore to the government, reflecting the financial strain exacerbated by the pandemic, and is now open to selling its stake through a new special purpose vehicle.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pmeznews.inThe Indian government has introduced a mandatory registration system for non-basmati rice export contracts, accompanied by a nominal fee of ₹8 per tonne, aimed at promoting Indian rice as a distinct brand in global markets. This initiative, supported unanimously by all three non-basmati exporters' associations, seeks to enhance the visibility and identity of Indian rice, which often loses its branding when repackaged by foreign importers. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) recently increased the registration fee for basmati rice exports, causing some dissent among Haryana exporters. However, industry leaders believe that the new registration system will improve monitoring of exports, create a comprehensive database of destinations, and facilitate dispute resolution. The Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) has welcomed the move, emphasizing its potential to enhance the credibility of India's rice trade and support policy planning. An awareness seminar will be held to assist exporters with the new process.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pmeznews.inFrench aerospace and defence giant Thales has significantly bolstered its supply chain operations in India by integrating over 75 local suppliers into its global network, contributing to areas such as mechanical parts, radar structures, and software development. In 2024, Thales's purchasing volume from India surpassed €250 million, highlighting the country's growing importance in its operations. The company has established partnerships with various stakeholders in the aviation sector, generating nearly 2,000 indirect jobs alongside 2,200 direct jobs. Thales operates two engineering centres in Noida and Bengaluru, employing over 1,500 engineers on high-value projects. Recent investments include an avionics MRO facility in Gurugram and an Inflight Entertainment & Services Lab in Bengaluru, aimed at enhancing India's role as a strategic innovation hub. With India's civil aviation sector rapidly expanding, Thales is also developing advanced technologies to support the country's aviation ambitions, including solutions for eVTOL aircraft and drone traffic management.
Published: Sep 25 2025, 8 pm
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