A measured English daily covering India and the wider world.
With Europe’s top executive in New Delhi ahead of summit meetings, India–EU negotiations on a long-awaited free trade agreement are back in focus. The discussions are also expected to cover strategic defence cooperation and measures to ease mobility for Indian professionals.
India is presenting a large investment runway in renewables, storage and green hydrogen-linked infrastructure, with New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi telling global investors that the country offers a stable, scalable ecosystem for clean-energy capital. The pitch, made on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, aligns with India’s 2030 targets and a broader push to modernise grids and attract long-term funds.
Walmart-backed PhonePe has received SEBI approval for its initial public offering, structured as an offer for sale of about ₹12,000 crore, a major milestone for India’s fintech listings and the UPI-led digital payments ecosystem.
Walmart-backed PhonePe has received SEBI’s approval for its proposed IPO, with reports saying it will need to file an updated draft red herring prospectus before moving ahead. The listing is expected to be structured as a pure offer for sale by existing shareholders, meaning the company itself would not raise fresh capital through the issue. The development is being watched as a key test of investor appetite for large fintech listings in India.
Indian equities settled lower after an RBI policy decision, with investors weighing the central bank’s guidance alongside continuing foreign fund outflows and a mixed corporate earnings season. Stock-specific moves and profit-taking in key sectors contributed to the subdued close.
Alternative investment manager Investcorp expects to deploy around $250 million in India in 2026, targeting 2–3 transactions and focusing on sectors such as healthcare, consumer, technology/IT services and financial services, its CIO said on the sidelines of WEF in Davos.
The Reserve Bank of India kept the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.5% while updating its macro outlook, including a lower inflation projection for FY26 and an upward revision to GDP growth expectations, amid external headwinds.