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Trade pacts with UAE, Australia will fuel economic growth: Finance Minister

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday the country’s trade pacts with the UAE and Australia will chart the way for economic growth.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ outreach programme on India-UAE CEPA and India-Australia ECTA here, Sitharaman said awareness events about these pacts are happening across the country.

She also said the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has been asked to translate the details of the trade pacts in Tamil and share them with the media and stakeholders.

Tamil Nadu has a long-time connection with the leather sector, and the industry has achieved modernisation, Sitharaman said, as she went on to add that Tamil Nadu has been a frontrunner in trade for a long time.

She urged entrepreneurs to know the features of these agreements and make best use of them.

“If you want any support in connection with the agreements, feel free to convey it to us,” she added.

“The industry should equip itself to cater to the changing tastes and preferences of consumers post Covid. Access the available markets that are part of the agreements,” she said.

According to Sitharaman, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UAE some years back, the Royal family promised $75 billion worth investments in India.

Sitharaman added that a formal agreement has also been signed, and entrepreneurs should scale up their businesses to get share from the investments.

“We are now dependent on one country for APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients). So enough investments need to be made after much thought. I request the state government to invite raw material makers to invest here. We should not depend on others for our raw materials. Backward and forward industries should be supported by the governments,” she said.

On the trade pact with Australia, Sitharaman said it is for the well-being of the Indo-Pacific economy.

While there are many hurdles because of the Russia-Ukraine war, there are also opportunities since their exports are hit, she said.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel, said all efforts are being made to reach out to the stakeholders all over the country to explain the details of the trade agreements.

“The India-UAE trade agreement was concluded in record time. India is the second largest trading partner of the UAE. Several benefits will flow out of the comprehensive agreement between the two countries. There is huge scope and there are so many employment opportunities to be created. Bilateral trade will double in the next five years,” Patel said.

“The India-Australia agreement is a clear signal to the other developed economies to partner with India,” she added.

Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, L.A Murugan, congratulated the Department of Commerce and Industry for organising the awareness event in Chennai.

“We are making huge exports in the marine sector. For the first time in history, Rs 20,000 crore was announced for fisheries under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) by Nirmala Sitharaman,” he said.

Murugan also said that Rs 7,500 crore was allocated for fisheries infrastructure development by Sitharaman.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, India’s maritime sector registered growth, Murugan said, adding that seafood exports will touch Rs 1 lakh crore before 2025.

Tamil Nadu Minister for MSME, T.M. Anbarasan, Consul General of Australia, Chennai, Sarah Kirlew, industry leaders from various sectors and other stakeholders took part in the event.

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Adani Group’s consolidated portfolio revenue stands at Rs 2.92 lakh crore in FY26: Chairman

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Ahmedabad, June 24: Gautam Adani, the Adani Group Chairman, on Wednesday said that FY2025-26 was another year of disciplined growth and strong execution for the Group, and its consolidated portfolio revenue stood at Rs 2.92 lakh crore, thereby reflecting a year-on-year growth of 7.4 per cent.

Addressing shareholders at the Adani Group’s 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2026, Gautam Adani said they are now one of the very few global companies that are not reacting to the future but are prepared for it.

“At Adani Energy Solutions, our transmission order book rose to Rs 72,000 crore. We secured several major projects, including the Khavda South Olpad HVDC line, reinforcing our position as India’s only private sector player with proven HVDC capability,” the billionaire industrialist told the gathering.

“At Adani Power, we are implementing India’s largest ever private sector power capex programme of over Rs 2 lakh crore, with a target of reaching 45 GW of capacity over the next five years. We are also honoured to be partnering with the Government of Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation. As part of this partnership, the Adani Group and the DGPC will jointly develop 5,000 megawatts of hydropower projects in Bhutan,” the Adani Group Chairman explained.

The Group’s entry into nuclear energy through Adani Atomic Energy is another confident step towards securing India’s long-term energy future.

“With land identified and a 10 GW targeted capacity by 2035, we are positioning ourselves early to serve the growing national demand for clean, round-the-clock power,” Gautam Adani noted.

“At Adani Total Gas, we accelerated and crossed the significant milestone of over 1.1 million Piped Natural Gas home connections. Given the current geopolitical situation, we are further ramping up our PNG projects to meet India’s rising demand for more accessible gas. Coming to connectivity and logistics, Adani Ports handled over 500 million tonnes of cargo in FY 2025-26, setting an unmatched benchmark for the nation and creating a clear pathway to one billion tonnes by 2030,” Gautam Adani highlighted.

The integrated network of ports, SEZs, logistics assets and expanding maritime services “places us in a unique position to keep gaining market share while lowering the cost and complexity of India’s trade”, the Adani Group Chairman noted.

“I am proud to specifically say that Vizhinjam, one of the most strategic ports on the global maritime route, delivered a record first year by crossing one million TEUs. This is the fastest pace ever achieved by any Indian port and a strong signal of India’s arrival on the global transshipment map,” said Gautam Adani during his speech.

In airports, the Group achieved two defining milestones with the opening of Navi Mumbai International Airport and the new integrated terminal building at Guwahati Airport, both inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Earlier this year, both these airports made it to the list of the World’s Seven Most Beautiful Airports. The commencement of operations at Navi Mumbai in December 2025 also marked a proud moment in India’s aviation landscape, with a 90-million-passenger-capacity-airport built in a world-record time of just over four years,” said Gautam Adani.

In digital and industrial infrastructure, the Group’s Data Centre business is firmly on the path to building a 3 GW platform by 2030.

“The binding MoU for a gigawatt-scale data centre with Google in Visakhapatnam reflects both the scale of the digital demand ahead, and the confidence that global technology leaders such as Google, Microsoft, Uber and Flipkart are placing on us,” the Adani Group Chairman noted.

“At Adani Cement, we contributed to iconic national projects ranging from the Chenab Railway Bridge to Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Umiya Dham foundation in Ahmedabad. Over the past year, our cement platform expanded significantly, with total capacity increasing to 110 MMTPA,” Gautam Adani added.

The Adani Group Chairman further added that in defence and aerospace, “our ambition became even bolder”.

“Our partnerships with Leonardo and Embraer are helping lay the foundation for integrated helicopter and regional aircraft manufacturing ecosystems in India. We are building a national aerospace platform that spans manufacturing, MRO, services and pilot training,” Gautam Adani said.

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Markets remain range-bound in early trade; IT stocks outperform

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Mumbai, June 24: Indian equity benchmarks traded in a narrow range on Wednesday morning for a second consecutive session amid decline in crude oil prices.

Sensex was trading at 76,348.95, up over 100 points or 0.19 per cent in early deals, while Nifty was at 23,853.75, higher by 30 points or 0.12 per cent.

Sector-wise, Nifty IT led the gains, rising nearly 1 per cent, followed by Nifty MidSmall IT & Telecom (0.72 per cent), Nifty Pharma (0.68 per cent), Nifty Healthcare (0.57 per cent) and Nifty Realty (0.3 per cent).

Financial and banking stocks also remained in positive territory, with Nifty Private Bank and Nifty PSU Bank advancing 0.23 per cent and 0.21 per cent, respectively.

On the downside, metal and auto stocks witnessed selling pressure, with Nifty Metal declining 0.23 per cent and Nifty Auto slipping 0.21 per cent.

“The crash in Brent crude has removed the macro headwinds for India. The rupee has stabilised and FII selling appears to have tapered off,” analysts said, adding that these developments are positive for the market.

However, they cautioned that a weak monsoon remains a concern. Rainfall has been deficient by 43 per cent so far, raising fears of a marginal impact on economic growth and corporate earnings.

The analysts advised investors to align their portfolios with the emerging risks, noting that sectors such as FMCG and entry-level two-wheelers could be affected by lower rural incomes. “Pharmaceutical stocks, with their relatively inelastic demand profile, are likely to remain resilient and could even outperform in a monsoon-deficient environment,” they said.

On the commodities front, international benchmark Brent crude fell more than 1 per cent to around $76 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 1.5 per cent to about $72 a barrel.

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Sensex, Nifty open subdued amid easing West Asia tensions

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Mumbai, June 23: Indian equity markets opened on a flat note on Tuesday after a multi-session rally driven by easing tensions in West Asia.

Sensex opened at 77,086.05, down 8 points or 0.01 per cent, while Nifty started the session at 24,071.30, lower by 31.60 points or 0.13 per cent.

Sector-wise, Nifty Pharma was top gainer, rising 0.41 per cent, followed by Nifty MidSmall Healthcare (up 0.40 per cent), Nifty 500 Healthcare and Nifty Media, both gaining 0.29 per cent.

While Nifty Cement and Nifty Oil & Gas also advanced 0.27 per cent and 0.18 per cent, respectively.

In contrast, Nifty Metal was the worst-performing sector, declining 0.8 per cent, followed by Nifty IT, which fell 0.77 per cent.

Among Nifty 50 constituents, Infosys, Hindalco Industries, TCS, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel and Wipro were the top losers in early trade.

The broader market remained resilient, with smallcap and midcap indices outperforming the benchmarks.

Nifty Smallcap 50 rose 0.34 per cent, while Nifty Smallcap 250 and Nifty Smallcap 500 gained 0.33 per cent and 0.28 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, India VIX — the market’s fear gauge — declined 0.7 per cent to 12.75.

According to market experts, easing tensions in West Asia and the sharp correction in Brent crude prices below $80 per barrel have improved the outlook for India’s GDP growth and corporate earnings in FY27.

They noted that stability in the rupee and a moderation in foreign portfolio investor (FPI) selling remain key positives for equities.

However, they cautioned that the progress of the monsoon will be closely watched, as a prolonged rainfall deficit could weigh on rural demand, inflation and sectors such as FMCG.

In the commodities market, international benchmark Brent crude fell 0.5 per cent to $77.51 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 0.35 per cent to $73.60 per barrel.

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