Business
Budget 2025-26: UDAN scheme to bring 120 new destinations on air map
New Delhi, Feb1: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the launch of a modified UDAN (Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, as part of her Budget 2025-26 proposals, to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.
This scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts, the Finance Minister said.
Praising the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN, she said in her speech that UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalised 619 routes. Inspired by that success,
She also informed the house that the government will facilitate the upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high-value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will also be streamlined and made user-friendly.
Giving infrastructure a fillip to Bihar, the Union Finance Minister proposed that the Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. Financial support will also be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.
The civil aviation sector has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country and plays a critical role in economic growth and job creation.
There has been a rapid expansion in airports, airline fleets have grown, and cargo operations have surged, all verticals related to civil aviation have pushed boundaries. India has now become the third-largest domestic aviation hub in the whole world a senior official said.
India’s domestic air passenger traffic rose by 6.12 per cent to 16.13 crore in 2024 from 15.2 crore in the previous year, according to the latest data compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The country’s commercial airlines also flew more than 1.49 crore passengers on domestic routes in December 2024, which represents an increase of 8.19 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of 1.38 crore for December 2023.
Business
Adani Ports to acquire Europe’s Evos for 2.56 billion euros in major global expansion

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) on Thursday announced the acquisition of Netherlands-based Evos B.V., Europe’s second-largest independent liquid storage operator, in an all-cash transaction valued at an enterprise value of 2.56 billion euros.
Under the agreement, APSEZ will acquire a 100 per cent stake in Evos from Igneo Infrastructure Partners.
The deal values Evos at an equity value of 1.18 billion euros and implies an acquisition multiple of 11.7 times CY25 EV/EBITDA.
The transaction will be funded through debt and remains subject to regulatory approvals and works council consultation.
“APSEZ, India’s largest and one of the world’s fastest growing Integrated Transport Operator, agrees to acquire 100 per cent stake in Netherlands-headquartered Evos B.V. (Evos) from Igneo Infrastructure Partners. The proposed transaction is an all-cash deal at an enterprise value of 2.56 bn euros,” the official statement said.
For calendar year 2025, Evos reported revenue of 392 million euros and EBITDA of 219 million euros, translating into a robust EBITDA margin of 56 per cent.
Following the acquisition, the combined entity’s pro forma net debt-to-EBITDA ratio is expected to stand at 2.76 times and decline to around 2.5 times by FY27.
Commenting on the deal, Karan Adani, Managing Director of APSEZ, said the acquisition marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward handling one billion tonnes of cargo and building a truly global integrated transport platform.
“Evos marks an important milestone in APSEZ’s trajectory towards handling 1 billion tons of cargo and building a truly global, integrated transport platform. We are delighted to welcome Evos into our portfolio, giving us significant presence across key global liquid storage and energy hubs,” Karan Adani noted.
“We look forward to partnering with Europe, supporting its sustainable energy transition and creating enduring value while maintaining the financial prudence that underpins our growth,” he added.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Evos operates 6.3 million cubic metres of storage capacity across eight strategically located port-based terminals in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Malta.
The company has a presence in major energy and industrial hubs, including the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region, Hamburg and the Mediterranean.
Business
Sensex, Nifty open up to 2 pc higher after US election outcome, falling crude oil

Indian equity markets opened higher on Thursday with benchmarks jumping about 2 per cent each tracking strong global cues after the outcome of the US midterm elections and a sharp decline in crude oil prices.
Sensex opened at 78,910.94, an increase of 1,609.54 points or 2.08 per cent. Similarly, Nifty began the trading session at 24,378.05, up 417.45 points or 1.74 per cent.
In early trade, financial stocks led gains with Nifty Private Bank surging more than 2 per cent. Meanwhile, Nifty Realty gained 1.86 per cent. However, all sectoral indices were trading in the positive territory.
Other sectoral performers, Nifty Cement, Nifty Auto, Nifty IT, Nifty Oil & Gas and Nifty PSU Banks climbed up to 1.82 per cent.
FMCG, consumer durables, metal, media and chemicals also traded in positive territory, rising between 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent.
Market experts said the Nifty continued to maintain its position above the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) near 23,904, reinforcing a positive technical setup.
“The RSI has climbed to 68.55, indicating strong momentum, although the possibility of near-term profit booking cannot be ruled out,” analysts said. Immediate support is seen in the 24,000-24,200 zone, while resistance is placed between 24,500 and 24,700.
The experts also noted that after the initial reaction to the US election results weakens, there will be concerns surrounding prolonged political conflict in the US, since US President Donald Trump being what he is, is likely to turn Mr Veto rather than lame duck president.
On Wednesday, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) extending their buying streak for a fourth straight session. FIIs were net buyers of equities worth Rs 7,284 crore. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs), however, continued to pare holdings, recording net sales of Rs 3,712 crore for the fourth consecutive day.
Global markets provided additional tailwinds after US equities registered sharp gains overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped more than 3 per cent, marking its strongest post-midterm election performance in over four decades. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also rose more than 1.4 per cent each as election uncertainty faded following a clear Democratic sweep of both chambers of Congress.
Meanwhile, energy markets witnessed heavy selling pressure as Brent crude tumbled nearly 10 per cent to settle below the $100-per-barrel mark.
US Treasury yields also eased, with the benchmark 10-year yield retreating to around 4.89 per cent, further supporting risk assets globally.
Market mood was further supported by easing geopolitical concerns surrounding Iran and a weaker US dollar which boosted appetite for risk assets across global markets.
Business
Weaker Republican showing could reshape US trade policy outlook: Expert

A weaker-than-expected performance by the Republican Party in the US midterm elections could reignite debate over the future direction of American trade policy and influence ongoing trade negotiations with India, experts said on Wednesday.
According to Tanay Dalal, Senior Vice President (Business & Economic Research) at Axis Bank, changes in the composition of the US Congress are unlikely to significantly alter the institutional framework governing current trade negotiations. He noted that any attempt to restore Congress’s authority over trade policy would require a veto-proof majority, a scenario that remains unlikely.
Dalal added that the scope for aggressive trade actions could gradually diminish amid a divided government in the United States and growing political constraints on the administration.
However, uncertainty is expected to persist due to ongoing legal challenges to existing tariff measures.
For India, the situation remains complex, he said. Geopolitical developments, particularly the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East, are likely to continue shaping US trade policy.
As a result, even if Washington adopts a less aggressive stance on tariffs, India may not necessarily benefit.
The country could still face targeted US trade restrictions in areas where strategic and geopolitical interests diverge.
Meanwhile, commodity markets witnessed significant volatility following the Democrats’ victories in both the House and Senate.
Crude oil prices declined, with benchmark Brent crude falling 1.19 per cent to $102.39 per barrel and WTI crude slipping 0.78 per cent to $95.31 per barrel at the time of writing.
In contrast, precious metals gained. On COMEX, gold rose 2.72 per cent to $4,047 per ounce, while silver advanced 4.22 per cent to $51.85 per ounce.
Meanwhile, in other development, Indian officials reacted cautiously to the US midterm election results, saying the outcome could ease some pressure arising from trade tensions but also introduces fresh uncertainty into an already delicate bilateral relationship.
The Democratic Party secured sweeping victories in both chambers of the US Congress, delivering a significant setback to President Donald Trump.
His administration’s tariff policies and confrontation with Iran have had significant implications for countries such as India, which relies on the US as its largest export market and sources a substantial portion of its crude oil requirements from the Middle East.
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