Vijay Joshi And Ammar Zaidi

Stories by Vijay Joshi And Ammar Zaidi

'Ek baar aap GST dekh lo': PM's nudge ushered in biggest GST reform in 8 yrs

'Ek baar aap GST dekh lo': PM's nudge ushered in biggest GST reform in 8 yrs

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2025

'Ek baar aap GST dekh lo!' - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gentle nudge to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in December last year sparked the beginning of a mammoth exercise to overhaul the tangled goods and services tax regime. And the final outcome is a significantly simplified system with lower tax rates and easier compliance for businesses.

Russia's Rosneft in early talks with Reliance to sell stake in India unit

Russia's Rosneft in early talks with Reliance to sell stake in India unit

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2025

Russian oil giant PJSC Rosneft Oil Company is in early talks with Reliance Industries for sale of its 49.13 per cent stake in Nayara Energy, which operates a 20-million tonnes-a-year oil refinery and 6,750 petrol pumps in India, sources said. Reliance has held preliminary talks for acquisition of Nayara, which will help it overtake state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to become India's No.1 oil refiner as well as give a meaningful presence in the fuel marketing space.

HAL head responds after IAF chief flags Tejas delivery delay

HAL head responds after IAF chief flags Tejas delivery delay

Rediff.com   25 Jun 2025

The slippage in the delivery schedule for the LCA Mk-1A variant of the jet had become a major issue with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh raising the matter publicly.

Pak a threat to humanity: Owaisi's message to world as delegation member

Pak a threat to humanity: Owaisi's message to world as delegation member

Rediff.com   17 May 2025

He added, "You can never trust Pakistan as long as the Pakistani deep state, Pakistani ISI, Pakistani military's objective is to destabilise Bharat."

'Wahan se goli, toh yahan se gola': Modi told armed forces

'Wahan se goli, toh yahan se gola': Modi told armed forces

Rediff.com   11 May 2025

India has called Pakistan's nuclear bluff with Operation Sindoor and sent a psychological message to state-sponsored terrorists: nobody is untouchable and no place in Pakistan is safe for you, government sources said on Sunday.

How Adani Countered Hindenburg And Made The Boldest Comeback

How Adani Countered Hindenburg And Made The Boldest Comeback

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2025

Hindenburg Research, the forensic financial firm that challenged the Adani Group, took its name from the infamous airship that burst into flames upon arriving in New Jersey in 1937. And the counter to its damning report against the conglomerate was dubbed 'Operation Zeppelin,' named after the German dirigible airships used for reconnaissance and bombing during the First World War.

Roads not for namaz, learn discipline from Hindus: Yogi

Roads not for namaz, learn discipline from Hindus: Yogi

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2025

Yogi said Waqf boards have become a den of selfish interests as well as loot khasot (property grabbing), and have done little for the welfare of Muslims.

'Everyone Who Pays Tax Will Get Something Beneficial'

'Everyone Who Pays Tax Will Get Something Beneficial'

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2025

'The voice which came wherever I travelled was that we are proud taxpayers. We are honest taxpayers. We want to continue to serve the country by being good taxpayers.' 'But what do you think about the kind of things you can do for us?'

'People Will Have More Money In Their Hands'

'People Will Have More Money In Their Hands'

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2025

'When people have money in their hands, they make their judgment about whether they want to spend it entirely or spend some out of it.'

Budget is by the people, for the people: Sitharaman

Budget is by the people, for the people: Sitharaman

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2025

Paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday described the Union Budget as "by the people, for the people, of the people", and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was fully behind the idea to cut taxes for the middle class but it took time to convince the bureaucrats. "We have heard the voice of the middle class" who had been complaining about their aspirations not being met despite being honest taxpayers, she told PTI in an interview.

Govt to give Rs 35,000 cr LPG subsidy to OMCs

Govt to give Rs 35,000 cr LPG subsidy to OMCs

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2025

The government is likely to provide a subsidy of Rs 35,000 crore to state-owned Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to make up for losses they incurred on selling the fuel this fiscal, sources said.

Govt cuts gas allocation for LPG, diverts to city gas retailers

Govt cuts gas allocation for LPG, diverts to city gas retailers

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2025

The government has slashed allocation of natural gas used for LPG production, and diverted the low-priced fuel to city gas retailers like Indraprastha Gas Ltd and Adani-Total Gas Ltd to meet a part of their requirement for CNG/piped cooking gas supplies, according an official order. The government had in October and November last year cut supplies of low-priced natural gas coming from old fields such as Mumbai High and Bassein fields in the Bay of Bengal, to city gas retailers by as much as 40 per cent in view of limited output.

Recalled envoy speaks out: Canada backstabbed India

Recalled envoy speaks out: Canada backstabbed India

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2024

Calling Canada's behaviour 'the pits', India's recalled high commissioner Sanjay Verma says India was backstabbed and treated in a most unprofessional manner by a country that is supposed to be a friendly democracy.

'Why should I resign? I am no thief, there is no scam'

'Why should I resign? I am no thief, there is no scam'

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2024

'In a complex situation a PM coming was not necessary'

'Enough is enough': Why President Droupadi Murmu is 'outraged'

'Enough is enough': Why President Droupadi Murmu is 'outraged'

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2024

Declaring that 'enough is enough', President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said it is time for India to wake up to the 'perversion' of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as 'less powerful, less capable, less intelligent'.

How year's most extravagant wedding was made secure

How year's most extravagant wedding was made secure

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2024

Three different invitations were sent out for the wedding and the receptions with top-run guests being sent a large red box that contained an intricate chest incorporating a mini silver temple featuring gold idols of various Hindu deities, including Lord Ganesh, Radha-Krishna, and Goddess Durga.

Want a J-K where violence is history, stand by statehood promise: PM

Want a J-K where violence is history, stand by statehood promise: PM

Rediff.com   20 May 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said his government has made a "solemn promise" for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and will stand by it, adding the Centre was working very hard to create the right conditions.

Adani shrugs off Hindenburg effect, back to rapid expansion spree

Adani shrugs off Hindenburg effect, back to rapid expansion spree

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2024

Adani group opened a $1.2 billion copper plant, bought a port in Odisha, raised stakes in a cement company and stitched an alliance with rival Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, all in a matter of one week in signs that the apples-to-airport conglomerate has shrugged off the Hindenburg effect and is back to rapid expansion spree. In the last one week, Adani group has through regulatory filings and press statements announced expansions and investments in its mainstay ports business, diversification into metal refining, fund infusion into a two-year-old cement foray and continuing progress in the commissioning of its mega solar project.

South will help reach Modi's goal of 370 LS seats: Gadkari

South will help reach Modi's goal of 370 LS seats: Gadkari

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2024

The work we have done in the south and the northeast over the last 10 years under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, we have started getting results of the same, he said.

The Modi Interview: 'India will be developed by 2047'

The Modi Interview: 'India will be developed by 2047'

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India's economic growth is a 'natural by-product' of his nine-year-old government's political stability, as he expressed optimism that it will be a developed nation by 2047 with 'corruption, casteism and communalism' having no place in our national life.