Author: News Analysis India

Forget volume—2025 was the year India’s smartphone market truly shone in value terms, climbing 8% amid just 1% unit growth. Consumers voted with their wallets for luxury handsets, reshaping the competitive landscape. Market trackers revealed premium models now constitute 20% of shipments, a testament to rising aspirations. Apple seized 28% value share, its best ever, propelled by the blockbuster iPhone 16 as the year’s most shipped device. Vivo led volumes at 20% (sans iQOO), with Samsung close behind, excelling across budget and flagship tiers. The Galaxy S lineup achieved unprecedented penetration in Samsung’s shipments, thanks to premium demand. Growth stars…

Tension gripped the Lok Sabha as Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader, clashed with Speaker Om Birla over citing unverified sources in a debate on the President’s address. Gandhi invoked former Chief of Army Staff Gen (Retd) Manoj Mukund Naravane’s purported memoir, alleging Chinese tanks penetrated Indian territory in Ladakh’s Kailash Range. ‘There was a border with foreign troops crossing it,’ Gandhi stated defiantly, ignoring repeated interruptions. The ruling coalition swiftly objected, leading to noisy protests that halted proceedings momentarily. Gandhi maintained his source’s authenticity, pointing to a magazine that quoted Naravane and implicated Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. Singh hit back,…

A sharp rise in Chinese fighter jets breaching Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) has turned the Taiwan Strait into a hotspot of military tension. Data from the Democratic Progressive Party’s China Affairs Department reveals incursions have surged approximately 15-fold since 2020, transforming occasional provocations into daily realities. Starting at 380 flights in 2020, the pace accelerated dramatically: nearly 1,000 in 2021, over 1,700 in 2022, leaping to 4,700-plus in 2023, 5,100 in 2024, and peaking at 5,709 in 2025. Local outlets like the Taipei Times highlight how these flights now define routine Chinese operations in the strait. Analysts interpret…

Excitement is building for the T20 World Cup 2026 as the ICC confirmed the warm-up fixtures on Monday. Spanning February 2-6, 16 matches will sharpen the skills of participating teams in India and Sri Lanka, priming them for the main event from February 7. Venues in focus include Bengaluru’s BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds, Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, Chennai’s Chepauk, Colombo’s SSC, and Colombo Cricket Club. This strategic selection allows teams to adapt to local pitches and weather. Indian fans have much to cheer: India ‘A’ opens against USA on Feb 2 at DY Patil (5 PM), the main…

In a candid admission, India’s Chief Economic Adviser V. Anant Nageswaran revealed on Monday that the recent STT hike on derivatives in the 2026-27 budget targets speculative frenzy, not fiscal gains. This comes amid backlash from traders reeling from post-budget brokerage slumps. Addressing the press, Nageswaran dissected the rationale: “Raising STT isn’t for revenue—it’s to safeguard household earnings for productive assets, not F&O gambles.” SEBI data backs this, showing staggering losses for novice traders in these volatile segments. The budget, tabled by FM Nirmala Sitharaman, jacks up futures STT to 0.05% from 0.02%, while options see jumps to 0.15%. Brokerage…

In India’s financial powerhouse Mumbai, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal dissected the 2026-27 budget’s transformative potential during an NSE conclave. He portrayed it as a comprehensive roadmap covering both legacy industries and futuristic domains, with a special nod to technology-driven services. ‘India remains a global economic beacon, and this budget readies us for the future,’ Goyal declared. The fiscal plan targets specific sectors to accelerate the journey to a Viksit Bharat by 2047, building on a decade of fiscal prudence under PM Modi’s stewardship. Posting on social media platform X, Goyal called it a blueprint for embedding India deeper into global…

In a proactive step towards healthier governance, Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta launched the yearly health examination drive for MLAs at Sant Parmanand Hospital on Sunday. The event underscores a core belief: robust public servants drive stronger democracy and superior citizen services. Spanning February 2 to 14, 2026, this two-week initiative operates within the Delhi government’s health framework for the capital. Gupta explained its origins in collaborative discussions with assembly members, formalizing daily checkups for six MLAs each day. Kicking off proceedings, MLAs Surya Prakash Khatri, Poonam Bhardwaj, and Anil Jha completed their assessments. The Speaker lauded the move…

In Rampur on February 2, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lauded the Central Budget as a continuation of inclusive growth and universal empowerment under Modi 3.0. Speaking candidly, Naqvi portrayed the budget as the tangible echo of self-reliant India’s roar—a gazette that solidifies the pledge for a developed nation. Free from the frenzy of rushed decisions and messy improvisations, it radiates progress and public faith. Naqvi highlighted how Modi’s steady stewardship has kept India on course even as global economies falter. This fiscal blueprint charts a path to economic resilience, balancing external shocks with domestic demands to foster unwavering…

In a bold move towards enduring prosperity, the 2026-27 Union Budget marks a shift from knee-jerk relief to visionary long-term planning. Crisil Intelligence’s latest report, unveiled Monday, praises the surge in capital outlays and smarter expenditure allocation. Gone are the days of pandemic-era quick fixes; today’s focus is on reforms that ease business operations and ensure growth benefits all. As the economy stabilized post-COVID, the need for ad-hoc support waned, paving the way for strategic investments in manufacturing and services. Fiscal prudence has been key, with deficit reduction allowing bolder horizons. Real GDP is expected to grow 7.4% this year,…

Cricket enthusiasts, take note: Tilak Varma is set to make waves ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. The promising left-hander will feature for India A in crucial warm-up games before linking up with the senior team. First up is USA on Monday, then Namibia on Friday, paving the way for India’s February 7 opener. Recovering from lower abdominal surgery in Rajkot earlier this month, Varma rehabbed at BCCI’s Bengaluru COE. Cleared after a sim game last Friday, he skipped recent New Zealand T20s to focus on World Cup form. Ayush Badoni captains the India A outfit, blending youth and…