The RBI is expected to follow a divergent strategy when it comes to interest rates, which are at a historic low and dealing with the Rs 10 lakh crore of surplus liquidity sloshing in the banking system. In response to the pandemic, the central bank had reduced the (repo) rate at which it lends to banks to a low of 4% and also flooded banks with funds to ensure that they kept lending. Now with macroeconomic indicators improving the central bank may like to have a better grip on liquidity even as it continues to keep rates low and reassure markets that there will be no shortage of funds.

Banks are unanimous in their view that the central bank will adopt a status quo policy and continue to hold the repo rate at 4%. It is also widely expected that the central bank will continue to maintain an accommodative stance. However, many are now veering to the view that the central bank may absorb some of the surplus liquidity floating around to begin normalisation of the pandemic stimulus.

It's back to square one with Air India -- almost after 67 years. It seems that Tata Group will be in the cockpit of Air India once again as the government has reportedly chosen it as the winning bidder. While the deal is yet to be announced, some reports suggest Air India has been valued at Rs 10,000-15,000 crore in addition to the Rs 23,000 crore of debt that will be taken over by Tata Group as part of the sale.

The deal would make Tata Group the second-largest airline operator in the domestic market with 26.7 per cent market share, and behind the market leader IndiGo (57 per cent market share). In the international segment though, Tata Group would emerge as the leader with the lion's market share.

Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the world’s two richest businessmen, are set to take on Airtel’s Sunil Mittal and Reliance Jio’s Mukesh Ambani in the high-speed broadband and internet space as they have approached the Indian government with separate plans to offer satellite-based internet connectivity.

Sources said that Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, and Amazon have held separate consultations with the telecom ministry – as well as the Department of Space – for starting satellite-based internet services in India, “though they are yet to apply for a license through the formal route”.

In a major development for India’s export sector, country’s merchandise exports have reached a whopping $ 185 billion in the first six months of the current financial year. 

Announcing the details during the weekly Cabinet briefing in the national capital on Wednesday, union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said the volume was achieved till September 2021 in FY 2021-22. 

The minister further said that the Cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an investment of Rs 4,400 crore in the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) Ltd.   

A reduction in GST rates on auto LPG and subsidies on conversion kits can spur the use of LPG as a fuel in automobiles, Indian Auto LPG Coalition (IAC) said on Tuesday emphasising the need to recast vehicular fuel mix with a greater share of cleaner alternatives.

In a statement, IAC, the nodal body and a leading advocate of cleaner and greener fuels, said concurrent to the temporary benefits accrued during lockdowns, a number of recent studies have highlighted how air pollution needs to remain a top concern for the country.

"Not only is auto LPG 40-50 per cent cheaper than the carbon-based petrol and diesel, but its emissions are also negligible as compared to the conventional fuels. So, adoption of auto LPG leads to purer air and cleaner environment, reduced public health burden and lower mobility cost," it said.