Cigarette Prices to Rise 20% from February 1

Cigarette prices in India are expected to surge by up to 20% from February 1, 2025, following a significant increase in the National Calamity Contingent Duty. This move will impact major tobacco companies and consumers nationwide.

GST Collection Holds Strong at Rs 1.76 Lakh Crore

India's GST revenue for December 2024 stands at a robust Rs 1.76 lakh crore, including cess, demonstrating continued buoyancy despite rate rationalization. Explore the detailed analysis.

Goa adds 5 new GI tags, portfolio now at 15

Goa's GI list grows to 15 with 5 new agricultural products, including unique mangoes, rice, and brinjal. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant says this empowers farmers and boosts local economy. Read more.

Skill Gaps Strain India's Demographic Advantage

India's demographic dividend is under strain due to critical skill development gaps and a slow shift to productive jobs. Expert Chitra Saruparia explains why skills matter more than ever for Indian workers.

SAIL's Manish Raj Gupta Assumes CMD Charge at RINL

Manish Raj Gupta, Director at SAIL, assumes additional charge as CMD of RINL (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant). A seasoned leader with over three decades of experience, his appointment is set to drive strategic growth. Read more about his career and vision.

KFC, Pizza Hut Operators Merge in $934M Deal

Sapphire Foods and Devyani International, operators of KFC and Pizza Hut in India, announce a $934 million merger to tackle rising costs and competition. The new entity aims for annual synergies of ₹2.1-2.25 billion.

Goyal on 10-min delivery, gig worker strike

Zomato's Deepinder Goyal addresses the 10-minute delivery model during a nationwide gig workers' strike, stating 'no system is perfect' while defending platform work. Read his full explanation.

Mumbai property registrations hit 14-year high in 2025

Mumbai's housing market recorded its strongest performance in 14 years in 2025, with over 1.5 lakh property registrations generating Rs 13,487 crore in stamp duty. Driven by end-user demand and improved affordability.

PM Modi to inaugurate Vibrant Gujarat conference in Rajkot

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference for Saurashtra-Kutch in Rajkot on January 11. The event will feature global delegates, major trade exhibitions, and focus on regional growth and self-reliance. Read more.

Sapphire and Devyani Merge, Creating Fast-Food Giant

Yum Brands' India partners Sapphire and Devyani announce a major merger, creating a franchisee behemoth. The move comes as the sector faces slowing sales and consumer cutbacks. Read the full analysis.

US Approves Samsung, SK Hynix Chip Gear Exports to China

The US has approved annual export licences for Samsung and SK Hynix to ship chipmaking equipment to their China facilities through 2026, replacing a more permissive waiver system. This move creates new uncertainty for global memory chip supply.

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