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LIC assets at $463 bn exceeds the GDP of several economies

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LIC assets at $463 billion exceeds the GDP of several economies, and it is ranked 5th globally in terms of life insurance GWP and 10th globally in terms of total assets.

Its assets are 1.1 times more than the entire Indian MF industry i.e. Rs 31.4 trillion (till March 31, 2021).

LIC’s assets are 16.3 times the AUM of the second largest private insurer in India, i.e. SBI Life. 4 per cent of total NSE market cap is held by LIC.

LIC is the largest asset manager in India with Rs 36.7 trillion AUM. LIC’s AUM on a standalone basis was equal to 18 per cent of India’s GDP for FY21.

It has been providing life insurance in India for more than 65 years and is the largest life insurer in India in terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP) with a market share of 64.1 per cent, New Business Premium (NBP) with a market share of 66.2 per cent, number of individual policies issued with a market share of 74.6 per cent and number of group policies issue with a market share of 81.1 per cent for fiscal 2021.

LIC is ranked 5th globally in terms of life insurance GWP and 10th globally in terms of total assets (comparing LIC’s assets as on March 31, 2021 with other life insurers assets as on December 31, 2020).

LIC is the largest asset manager in India as on March 31, 2021, with AUM (comprising policyholders’ investment, shareholders’ investment and assets held to cover linked liabilities) of approximately Rs 36.7 trillion on a standalone basis.

LIC’s investment in equities in India as on September 30, 2021 represented 7.62 per cent of the outstanding (non-promoter market cap in India).

As on September 30, 2021, LIC’s individual products portfolio in India comprised 32 individual products and seven individual riders / and it’s group product portfolio in India comprised 10 group products, which included one group micro insurance products.

In Fiscal 2019, Fiscal 2020, Fiscal 2021 and the six months ended September 30, 2021 — our individual agents were responsible for sourcing 95.81 per cent, 94.74 per cent, 93.80 per cent and 96.82 per cent of LIC’s NBP for its products on standalone basis, respectively

For Fiscal 2021, LIC issued approximately 21 million individual policies, representing a 74.6 per cent market share in new individual policy issuances.

For Fiscal 2021, LIC’s market share in the Indian Life Insurance Industry was 66.2 per cent based on NBP, and its NBP was 1.96 times the total private life insurance sector and 8.9 times the NBP for the second largest player in the Indian Life Insurance Industry.

The NBP of the Indian Life Insurance is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 18 per cent from Fiscal 2021 to Fiscal 2026 for individual business as compared to a CAGR of 17 pc in group business over the same period.

CRISIL Research forecasts that the elderly population (aged 60 and above) in India will increase from 116.8 million in 2015 to 316.8 million in 2050 and the share of elderly in India’s population will almost double from 9 per cent in 2015 to 17 per cent in by 2050, which will result in an increase in demand for pension/annuity products.

Brand LIC was recognized as the third strongest and 10th most valuable global insurance brand in 2021, as per the “Insurance 100 2021 report” released by Brand Finance.

As per the report, the brand value of LIC in 2021 is US$8,655 million with a brand strength index (BSI) score of 84.1 in 2021 out of 100 with a corresponding AAA- brand strength rating.

The strength of brand LIC is further evidenced by it being recognized as WPP Brands second most valuable Indian Brand in 2019 and 2020.

National

Bakrid 2025: Muslims across India celebrate Eid al-Adha with prayers, sacrifice

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New Delhi, June 7: Muslims across India are celebrating Bakrid, also known as Eid al-Adha, on Saturday with religious fervour and devotion.

The day began with special congregational prayers held at mosques and Eidgahs in cities and towns nationwide, as people gathered in large numbers to mark the sacred festival.

Eid al-Adha, or the “Festival of Sacrifice,” honours the unwavering faith and obedience of Prophet Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God.

In commemoration of this act of devotion, Muslims around the world perform ‘qurbani’, the ritual sacrifice of animals such as goats, sheep, or buffalo, and distribute the meat among family, friends, and those in need.

In India, the festival is being observed with great enthusiasm. In Delhi and Noida, large numbers of devotees offered Bakrid prayers early in the morning at major mosques. According to announcements from local mosque committees, Namaz timings varied slightly, in Noida, prayers were held around 7:00 a.m., while in Greater Noida, the timings ranged from 6:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. depending on the mosque.

In Kalyan, Thane district of Maharashtra, police presence was heightened near the historic Durgadi Fort due to parallel events planned by the Thackeray and Shinde factions, both claiming to continue the legacy of Dharmaveer Anand Dighe’s “Ghantanaad” movement, a 39-year-old tradition.

In other parts of India, the celebrations continued peacefully.

In Khurja, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, large crowds assembled at the Eidgah for morning prayers.

In Bhagalpur (Bihar), thousands gathered at Tatarpur Masjid, CTS Ground, and Shahjangi Maidan to offer prayers. Similarly, in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Eidgah Mosque saw significant attendance during the morning Eid al-Adha Namaz.

Bakrid celebrations are expected to continue throughout the day, with families coming together for festive meals, acts of charity, and community bonding.

Authorities across major cities have deployed additional security to ensure peaceful observances.

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J&K CM Omar Abdullah makes passionate appeal for statehood restoration

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Jammu, June 6: During his welcome address to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) Katra town on Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a passionate appeal for restoration of statehood.

During his welcome speech for the Prime Minister, CM Omar Abdullah said, “Jenab-e-Wallah (exalted sir), when you inaugurated the Katra railway station towards the end of my first term as the Chief Minister, Manoj Sinha ji was the Union Minister of State for Railways.

“He has been promoted as the Lieutenant-Governor while I have been demoted from the Chief Minister of a state to that of a Union Territory. I am confident that your goodself will soon address the issue and announce statehood to J&K”.

He also praised the Prime Minister for making the dream of a rail link to the Valley a reality.

“I was in class 8 and since then I have been hearing about a rail link to the Valley. The dream has been realised in your time sir.

“The start of the train service to the Valley will save us from the loot of the airlines companies who hike airfare to Jammu from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 whenever the Srinagar-Jammu highway gets blocked.

“I must also pay my gratitude to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who declared the rail link to the Valley a national priority project and made financial allocations for it,” CM Omar said.

On the stage with PM Modi, CM Omar’s body language was very cordial as the PM engaged him in some close to ear talk.

He was also in the forefront of all the official functions on Friday, including the inauguration of the Chenab Railway Bridge, the Anji cable stayed railway bridge, the flag-off ceremony of two Vande Bharat trains, one from Katra to Srinagar and the other from Srinagar to Katra.

CM Omar was among the dignitaries who welcomed the PM on the stage before the latter’s address to the public in Katra stadium.

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RBI reduces inflation forecast to 3.7 pc for 2025-26

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Mumbai, June 6: The RBI has revised its inflation outlook for 2025-26 downwards from the earlier forecast of 4 per cent to 3.7 per cent, Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Friday.

Taking all these factors into consideration, and assuming a normal monsoon, CPI inflation for the financial year 2025-26 is now projected at 3.7 per cent, with Q1 at 2.9 per cent, Q2 at 3.4 per cent, Q3 at 3.9 per cent, and Q4 at 4.4 per cent.

He pointed out that Inflation has softened significantly over the last six months from above the tolerance band in October 2024 to well below the target, with signs of a broad-based moderation. The near-term and medium-term outlook now gives us the confidence of not only a durable alignment of headline inflation with the target of 4 per cent, as exuded in the last meeting, but also the belief that during the year, it is likely to undershoot the target at the margin.

While food inflation outlook remains soft, core inflation is expected to remain benign with easing of international commodity prices in line with the anticipated global growth slowdown, Malhotra explained.

He pointed out that CPI headline inflation continued its declining trajectory in March-April, with headline CPI inflation moderating to a nearly six-year low of 3.2 per cent (y-o-y) in April 2025. This was led mainly by food inflation, which recorded the sixth consecutive monthly decline.

Fuel group witnessed a reversal of deflationary conditions and recorded positive inflation prints during March and April, partly reflecting the hike in LPG prices. Core inflation remained largely steady and contained during March-April, despite the increase in gold prices exerting upward pressure, Malhotra said.

The outlook for inflation points towards benign prices across major constituents. The record wheat production and higher production of key pulses in the Rabi crop season should ensure an adequate supply of key food items. Going forward, the likely above normal monsoon along with its early onset augurs well for Kharif crop prospects.

Reflecting this, inflation expectations are showing a moderating trend, more so for the rural households. Most projections point towards continued moderation in the prices of key commodities, including crude oil, the RBI Governor said.

However, at the same time, Malhotra had a word of caution. “Notwithstanding these favourable prognoses, we need to remain watchful of weather-related uncertainties and still evolving tariff-related concerns with their attendant impact on global commodity prices,” he added.

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