Business
Govt expenditure on big infra projects to drive growth in 2025-26: Report
New Delhi, Jan 13: The Centre’s capital expenditure in big-ticket infrastructure projects such as highways, railways and power development and investments in critical sectors such as defence are expected to propel India’s economic growth in the financial year 2025- 2026 and beyond, according to a report by financial services firm Prabhudas Lilladher (PL).
“We are already witnessing an uptick in momentum in railways, defence, power, data Centers, etc., the execution of which will accelerate growth in FY26 and beyond,” the report states.
The government allocated a massive Rs 11.1 lakh crore for infrastructure projects in the budget for 204-25 and this is expected to be increased further in the forthcoming budget for 2025-26.
The anticipated measures to pump-prime the economy could provide the much-needed push to stimulate demand and support long-term growth, the report states.
The report states that the forthcoming budget will be instrumental in shaping the economic recovery, with expectations of a growth-driven focus aimed at boosting middle-class spending with inflation having eased.
In addition, sectors such as healthcare, tourism, discretionary consumption, and financialisation are poised to benefit from the recovery, according to the report.
The report’s observations on the economic revival are supported by the surge in industrial growth which touched a 6-month high of 5.2 per cent in November, up from 3.5 per cent in October of the current financial year (2024-25), according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics on Friday.
The increase also marks a significant rise over the industrial growth of 2.5 per cent recorded a year before in November 2023.
The growth rate of the manufacturing sector, which accounts for more than three-fourths of the index of industrial production (IIP), accelerated to 5.8 per cent during Nov 2024 from 4.1 per cent in October. This augurs well for employment generation as the sector plays a key role in providing quality jobs to the young graduates passing out from the country’s engineering institutes and universities.
The figures on use-based classification show that the production of capital goods, which comprise machines used in factories, went up by a robust 9 per cent. This segment reflects the real investment taking place in the economy which has a multiplier effect on the creation of jobs and incomes going ahead.
There was also a double-digit surge of 13.1 per cent in the production of consumer durables such as electronic goods, refrigerators, and TVs during November 2024 reflecting the higher consumer demand for these items amid rising incomes.
Business
NPCI extends ‘UPI One World’ wallet for foreign delegates at India AI Impact Summit 2026

New Delhi, Feb 16: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Monday announced that it has extended its ‘UPI One World’ wallet service for international visitors attending the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in the national capital.
The summit is being held from February 16 to 20, and visitors from more than 40 countries will now be able to make seamless and secure UPI payments during their stay in India.
Under this pilot initiative, foreign travellers can make real-time Person-to-Merchant (P2M) payments using UPI without needing an Indian mobile number or a local bank account.
This means that international guests can enjoy India’s culture, shopping, and food experiences while using “Made in India” digital payment technology.
The ‘UPI One World’ wallet is being made available through authorised prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers at New Delhi International Airport and at the NPCI Pavilion located in Hall 14 at Bharat Mandapam, the summit venue.
Visitors can download the CheqUPI app by Transcorp from the Play Store or App Store and complete a simple registration process.
They need to enter their basic details, upload their passport and visa, take a selfie through the app, and set their UPI PIN. Once registered, a unique UPI ID is generated for them.
Travellers can load the wallet using an international debit or credit card and start making payments by scanning UPI QR codes across India.
This removes the need to carry cash or deal with foreign exchange hassles. Any unused balance in the wallet can be transferred back to the original payment source, in line with foreign exchange regulations.
Users can load up to Rs 25,000 per transaction, with a maximum of two wallet loads allowed per month, taking the total monthly limit to Rs 50,000.
Speaking on the development, Sohini Rajola, Executive Director – Growth at NPCI, said that UPI is the world’s largest real-time payment system.
Business
Mumbai Infra: BMC Plans ₹220-Crore Flyover Between Mahim & Bandra East To Ease Congestion On WEH

Mumbai: In a bid to ease traffic congestion along a crucial stretch of the Western Express Highway (WEH), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revived plans to construct a flyover connecting Mahim and Bandra (East). The civic body has once again invited tenders for the long-pending project after earlier attempts failed to attract bidders.
The proposed flyover will link Machhimar Colony on Senapati Bapat Marg in Mahim to Bandra (East), providing an alternative route for motorists who currently face severe traffic snarls on the western express highway. The congestion typically begins at Mithi Chowk in Bandra (East) and extends up to Dadar, significantly slowing down traffic on the WEH.
The project is estimated to cost approximately Rs. 220.17 crore. The flyover will stretch for over one kilometre and is expected to ease pressure on existing routes between Mahim and Bandra (East), an area that already includes the Chunabhatti–BKC flyover and the old Kalanagar flyover.
This is not the first time the BMC has attempted to push the project forward. The initial tender, floated in 2022, was withdrawn due to technical issues. A second tender issued in July 2023 failed to receive any bids and eventually lapsed. The bridge department has now reissued the tender, expressing hope that contractors will come forward this time.
The project involves crossing areas near Mithi Chowk, which will require clearances from the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) authorities and the Forest Department. The responsibility of securing these permissions will lie with the appointed contractor.
Once completed, the flyover is expected to streamline traffic flow between Mahim and Bandra (East) and provide relief to commuters using one of the city’s busiest arterial corridors.
Business
Bharat Forge’s Q3 profit falls 17 pc, Rs 2 interim dividend announced

Mumbai, Feb 12: Bharat Forge on Thursday reported nearly 17 per cent year-on-year decline in its standalone net profit for the quarter ended December 2026 (Q3 FY26).
On a standalone basis, the company posted a net profit of Rs 288 crore lower than Rs 346 crore reported in the same quarter last financial year (Q3 FY25), according to its stock exchange filing.
Standalone revenue from operations saw a marginal dip of 0.6 per cent to Rs 2,083.7 crore in Q3 FY26.
On a consolidated basis, the performance was stronger. Revenue rose 25 per cent year-on-year to Rs 4,343 crore, compared with Rs 3,476 crore in the year-ago period.
Net profit increased 28.2 per cent to Rs 273 crore from Rs 213 crore in the corresponding quarter last financial year.
The company said the quarterly numbers included a one-time cost of Rs 55.7 crore, which had an impact on margins.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew 20 per cent to Rs 750 crore from Rs 624 crore a year ago.
However, EBITDA margin moderated to 17.3 per cent from 18 per cent in the same quarter last financial year.
The Board of Directors also declared an interim dividend of Rs 2 per equity share of face value Rs 2 each, which translates to a 100 per cent payout on the face value.
The dividend will be paid on or before March 12, 2026, and the record date for determining eligible shareholders has been fixed as February 18, 2026.
Commenting on the performance, B. N. Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge, said the results continued to be impacted by de-stocking in the North American commercial vehicle market.
He added that strong growth in the domestic automotive business and execution of the defence order book helped support the overall performance.
On a sequential basis, standalone revenue rose 7 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs 2,084 crore.
EBITDA increased 4.6 per cent to Rs 569 crore, while margins stood at 27.3 per cent. Export revenue declined 3 per cent on a sequential basis, with auto exports falling 13 per cent, even as industrial exports grew 11 per cent.
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