New Delhi, Sep 17: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday turned 76 with his tenure marked by expansion across India’s economy, financial inclusion, infrastructure and startup ecosystem.

Several key numbers highlight the scale of changes recorded during his time as prime minister. On of them is India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) which grew 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter of fiscal 2026-27 with manufacturing and services supporting the expansion.

As per government data, real gross value added rose 8.2 per cent, while investment grew 11.9 per cent, household consumption increased 7.1 per cent and exports rose 12 per cent.

Apart from that, India’s nominal GDP is estimated at around $4.15 trillion that underscores the expansion of the world’s major emerging economy despite global trade and geopolitical uncertainties.

In addition, India’s foreign exchange reserves also rose to a record $785.7 billion in the week ended September 4, according to Reserve Bank of India data.

The reserves have increased for 10 consecutive weeks and surged nearly $120 billion over that period. Also, India is the world’s fourth-largest holder of foreign exchange reserves.

Moreover, the number of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana stood at 59.21 crore as of September 2, according to the government, while deposits in the accounts totalled Rs 3.17 lakh crore and 41.39 crore RuPay debit cards had been issued.

Women accounted for 32.98 crore accounts, while 46.03 crore beneficiaries were in rural and semi-urban areas, the official data said.

On the infrastructure front, the nation’s national highway network under PM Modi’s leadership has expanded to 146,572 km from 91,287 km in fiscal 2013-14.

The Economic Survey said average annual highway construction rose to 9,704 km during 2014-25, compared with 4,174 km during 2004-14.

Under his guidance, the number of startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has risen to more than 2.47 lakh as of August 2026 from 502 in 2016

Meanwhile, Startup India rules have also increased the turnover threshold for startup recognition to Rs 200 crore, while DeepTech startups have a higher ceiling of Rs 300 crore.

New Delhi, Sep 16: The eighth Central Pay Commission is set to begin a three-day visit to Chandigarh on Wednesday, as part of its consultations on pay and pension-related matters.

The commission will hold meetings with civil service unions, pensioner groups and representatives of the regional administration till Friday.

The discussions are expected to focus on pay conditions and submissions from public sector stakeholders in northern India.

The eighth Central Pay Commission is led by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai while its members include Pankaj Jain, a former IAS officer serving as Member-Secretary, and Pulak Ghosh, a tenured Professor of Finance and a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

Representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh are expected to submit their views on the pay and pension revision during the commission’s meetings.

Employee associations, pensioner groups and other stakeholder bodies, including those representing railway and defence personnel, will put forward their views before the panel.

The feedback gathered during these consultations will form part of the inputs considered while framing its recommendations.

The commission’s work could have a bearing on the financial interests of more than one crore employees and pensioners.

The affected population includes around 50 lakh Central government employees and about 65 lakh pensioners, covering defence and railway personnel as well as retirees.

Employee representatives are seeking a higher fitment factor, which would raise the base used to calculate salaries under the next pay revision.

Unions are also calling for changes to the Dearness Allowance (DA) framework, including more frequent revisions and a possible merger with basic pay after a specified threshold is reached.

Several submissions seek a review of house rent allowance (HRA), transport allowances and hardship-related payments, with demands for higher rates that take account rising costs in cities and difficult postings.

Pensioner organisations are seeking stronger safeguards for retirement income, enhanced family pension provisions and better healthcare support after retirement.

Employee bodies are also raising concerns over promotion structures, service conditions and the competitiveness of government compensation as part of efforts to sustain workforce morale and recruitment.

Under the timeline set out in its Terms of Reference, the commission has 18 months from its constitution on November 3, 2025, to submit its recommendations.

Mumbai, Sep 16: Indian stock markets traded higher on Wednesday with equity benchmarks rising around 0.7 per cent each in early deals amid buying in FMCG, banking, cement and auto stocks.

Nifty was at an intraday high of 23,281, an increase of 162 points or 0.70 per cent in morning trade, while Sensex rose over 500 points or 0.67 per cent to 74,505.

Sector-wise, Nifty FMCG, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Cement and Nifty Auto were top gainers which gained up to 1.45 per cent.

Meanwhile, Nifty Oil & Gas rose 0.54 per cent, while Nifty Private Bank gained 0.33 per cent.

On the other hand, Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom fell 0.68 per cent, while Nifty MidSmall Healthcare, Nifty500 Healthcare, Nifty Pharma and Nifty Chemicals declined between 0.18 per cent and 0.51 per cent.

According to market experts, the market structure remained weak with elevated US bond yields and high crude oil prices weighing on sentiment.

“Foreign institutional investors have remained sellers over the past five sessions, and could continue to sell on rallies as the US 10-year Treasury yield remains elevated,” they said.

Analysts said the US Federal Reserve’s expected 25-basis-point rate hike was largely priced in making its commentary on the economic outlook and future rate actions more important for markets.

Despite the broader weakness, experts said stock-specific opportunities remained, with the appointment of a new MD and CEO at HDFC Bank and new NPCI norms for digital transactions among events that could influence the market.

On the technical front, experts said the inability of the Nifty to sustain above 23,515 had invalidated the recent upside attempt. Consecutive closes below the lower Bollinger Band and Tuesday’s bearish engulfing candle reflected strong bearishness, although they also suggested that fear may be peaking.

Nifty remains within the 23,260-23,000 support band, offering hopes of a revival. A close below this zone could bring the 22,600-21,800 range into focus, they said.