'We are open to all countries around the world as long as we get a fair deal, as long as we are ensured continuity in the engagement.'
While India and the US have narrowed their differences, the remaining issues will be the hardest to resolve
'While the population remains relatively young, its age structure is beginning to shift, setting the stage for a much older population later this century.'
'We expect the Indian delegation to flag New Delhi's worries and elaborate on its standpoint on the Russia-linked tariff as well as the Section 301 investigation into overcapacity.'
75% of India's 60 million digital-payment merchants have never recorded a transaction above 2,000.
'It is a blunt and dangerous attempt to pressure India to sign BTA on one-sided terms.'
'I don't really expect the August increase in food prices, which was close to 6 per cent, to persist as we go close to the end of this year.'
India's proposal to link BRICS payment systems, including central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs), was notably absent from the grouping's New Delhi Declaration, despite being a key agenda item for India's chairmanship. This omission leaves the 16-year effort for trade in local currencies without a settled payment architecture, with the declaration only 'acknowledging' the work of the BRICS Payment Task Force.
BRICS members have expressed 'serious concerns' over the unilateral imposition of trade and finance-related measures, including higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers, stating these actions distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO rules. The grouping also highlighted elevated risks to the global economic outlook due to geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, and protectionism.
The United States and the European Union have strongly criticised India's trade policies at the World Trade Organization review, highlighting concerns over high tariffs, quality-control orders (QCOs), and restrictions on digital trade and services, which they argue undermine India's economic openness.
The Indian Centre has spent 37 per cent of its ~12.22 trillion capital expenditure target in the first four months of FY27, marking a 30 per cent year-on-year increase, while simultaneously keeping the fiscal deficit under control at 27 per cent of the Budget Estimate.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India is likely to sustain economic growth of 7 per cent or more in 2026-27, continuing the pace recorded since the Covid-19 pandemic, despite geopolitical uncertainties and supply-chain disruptions.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged PSBs to become 'cool' and shed their 'government bank' image to attract young customers.
India has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) worth approximately 4,896 crore across 29 projects since May, following the government's relaxation of norms under Press Note 2 of 2026. The revised rules permit investment without government approval from entities with up to 10 per cent non-controlling ownership by land-bordering countries.
India has removed a key regulatory hurdle, allowing exporters to receive payments in Indian currency while retaining incentives under the country's foreign trade policy, a move aimed at promoting wider use of the rupee in international trade.
The US push for clearer crypto rules is putting pressure on India to fill its own regulatory gap for virtual digital assets.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government's plan to establish a high-powered committee to examine reforms for the banking sector, aligning it with the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) and India's next phase of growth.
The fiscal consolidation path and Rs 1 trillion stabilisation fund provide room to absorb mild shocks, but sustained oil-price increases pose risks.
Economists highlight that resolving domestic policy bottlenecks, particularly through land reforms and improving the ease of doing business, will be critical for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'next-generation reforms' and India's economic transformation towards its 'Viksit Bharat' vision for 2047.
'All these reports and announcements by the US seem like attempts to gain a lever in trade deal negotiations with India.'
