Adani Group will invest $100 billion by 2035 to build green, AI-ready data centres in India. The company said the move will create a sovereign AI backbone. It expects the investment to attract another $150 billion in related sectors. These include servers, cloud platforms and semiconductor systems. Together, this could build a $250 billion AI ecosystem. The group plans to expand its data centre capacity from 2 GW to 5 GW. It has partnered with Google in Visakhapatnam and Microsoft in Noida, Hyderabad and Pune. Shares of Adani Enterprises rose after the announcement.

India will receive zero tariff benefits on certain textile exports to the United States, similar to terms given to Bangladesh, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said. He stated that the proposed India–US trade deal will allow duty-free access for garments made using American cotton yarn. “If raw material is purchased from America… it will be available at zero reciprocal tariff,” he said. Goyal rejected claims that Bangladesh received better terms than India. He said details will be clearer after the interim agreement is finalised. He also said Indian farmers and exporters will gain as shipments to the US and other major markets increase. (PC: NDTV)

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal again avoided a direct reply on US President Donald Trump’s condition that India should not buy Russian oil under the trade deal framework. Speaking to ANI, Goyal said buying crude oil, LNG and LPG from the US is in “India’s own strategic interests” as the country diversifies supply. He said the trade deal will not decide “who will buy what and from where.” He added, “The trade deal ensures that the pathway to trade is smooth and ensures preferential access.” On the Russian oil issue, he said it falls under the Ministry of External Affairs. The MEA repeated that energy purchases depend on market and security needs. (PC: HT)

India's Supreme Court issued a stern warning to Meta over WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy on Tuesday. Chief Justice Surya Kant told the tech giant to "leave India" if it cannot follow the Constitution, emphasizing that no citizen's privacy will be compromised. The court ordered WhatsApp to halt all user data sharing with Meta until the case concludes. The bench criticized the policy's complex language, noting ordinary users like street vendors cannot understand such terms. Concerns were raised about commercial exploitation of user data, including targeted advertising based on private chats. This hearing addresses appeals against a ₹213.14-crore penalty imposed by the Competition Commission of India for abusing market dominance. (PC: X)

Indian stock markets closed sharply lower on Budget day after investors reacted to tax and investment signals. The Sensex fell 1,546.84 points to 80,722.94 and the Nifty50 dropped 495.20 points to 24,825.45. Losses widened after the Finance Minister’s speech. Market experts pointed to three clear reasons. First, the Budget proposed a higher securities transaction tax on futures and options trades. Second, there were no major new incentives for foreign portfolio investors. Third, foreign investors have continued to pull money out of Indian equities in recent months. PSU bank and metal stocks saw the heaviest selling during the session. (PC: India Today)

Indian stock markets first fell and then recovered partly after the Union Budget 2026 announcements. Sensex and Nifty dropped when the finance minister increased the tax on futures trading from 0.02% to 0.05%, which makes these trades more expensive. After the early fall, some large stocks saw buying and helped markets recover. HDFC, Sun Pharma, and TCS were among the main gainers during the session. Titan, Axis Bank, and ITC were among the major losers. The budget also announced ₹10,000 crore support for the biopharma sector, which pushed some pharma shares higher. Markets were open Sunday due to the Budget. (PC: HT)

Union Budget 2026 announced a new route for individuals living outside India to invest directly in Indian shares through the Portfolio Investment Scheme. The step is aimed at bringing more foreign investors into domestic equity markets. Earlier, most overseas flows came through registered foreign portfolio investors or NRI channels. The finance minister also proposed higher holding limits in listed companies for such investors. The individual ownership cap will rise from 5% to 10%. The combined cap for all such investors will increase from 10% to 24%. A market-making framework was also proposed to improve liquidity in corporate bond trading. (PC: NDTV)

Indian stock markets opened lower on Friday after three days of gains. The Sensex fell over 500 points in early trade, while the Nifty 50 also slipped. At around 9:30 am, the Sensex was down more than 516 points. The fall came despite a positive Economic Survey. Investors booked profits and reduced risk ahead of Budget Day. Selling pressure was seen in metal and IT stocks. Continued foreign investor selling and a weak rupee added to concerns. Broader markets also declined, with midcap and smallcap stocks under pressure. Market mood remained cautious amid global uncertainty.

British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced Thursday it will invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D capabilities. The investment will leverage China's scientific excellence, advanced manufacturing, and China-UK healthcare ecosystem collaborations to deliver cutting-edge treatments globally. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, currently on an official visit to China, stated the expansion will support thousands of UK jobs. The company plans to develop existing facilities in Wuxi, Taizhou, Qingdao, and Beijing, while establishing new sites. CEO Pascal Soriot emphasized advancing breakthrough treatments like cell therapy and radioconjugates. The investment is expected to grow AstraZeneca's China workforce beyond 20,000 employees. (PC: Marcus Brandt/dpa & X)

India plans to cut import duties on cars from the European Union to 40 per cent from current levels as high as 110 per cent, sources told Reuters. The move is part of a proposed free trade agreement that could be announced soon. The duty cut will initially apply to a limited number of EU-made cars priced above 15,000 euros. Tariffs may fall further to 10 per cent over time. Battery electric vehicles will be excluded for the first five years. The plan is expected to improve access for European carmakers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Officials from India and the EU declined to comment. (PC: NDTV)