India exports fall 7.44% in March to $38.92 bn amid Middle East disruption, trade deficit at $20.67 bn

India’s merchandise exports declined 7.44% year-on-year to $38.92 billion in March as disruptions in key trade routes amid the Middle East conflict weighed on outbound shipments.Imports also fell 6.51% to $59.59 billion from $63.75 billion in the year-ago period, reflecting the impact of tensions affecting routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, according to government…

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India-US trade talks: Indian team to visit Washington from April 20; move follows Modi-Trump call

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump reviewed bilateral ties and key economic engagement, an Indian delegation will travel to Washington from April 20 for trade talks, Additional Secretary Darpan Jain said, PTI reported.The delegation is expected to travel next week, sources told PTI, as both sides work towards resolving…

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Drone-based land mapping boosts rural credit flows

MUMBAI: Govt’s shift to drone-based land mapping has lifted rural credit flows, with sanctioned loan amounts rising 23% after residential plots were converted into verifiable collateral under the SVAMITVA scheme, according to an April 2026 working paper published by the economic advisory council to the Prime Minister.The move replaces informal land demarcation with legally recognised,…

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Fuel Prices Pakistan: Iran war impact: Will Pakistan be forced into rationing fuel if conflict drags on?

Pakistan could be forced to consider fuel rationing at petrol pumps if the ongoing US-Iran conflict continues for a prolonged period, finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said.Speaking at the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings 2026 in Washington, DC, Aurangzeb indicated that while Islamabad has so far avoided rationing, the situation remains fluid and dependent on how…

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Atmanirbhar Bharat 2.0 push: Amid Middle East conflict, India working on self-reliance in energy, nuclear power

PM Modi has asked ministries and government departments to review the evolving situation and draw up both immediate and long-term plans. (AI image) Atmanirbhar 2.0: The Middle East conflict has led India to re-work its self-reliance strategy to shield key supply chains and strengthen energy security in response to the global economic disruption triggered by…

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Will consumption slip on oil, monsoon forecast?

The twin headwinds of rising oil prices, fuelled by West Asia’s ongoing conflict, and a below-normal monsoon forecast for 2026, are putting India’s consumption-driven growth story under pressure. While sectors hit by the conflict have raised prices to offset costlier raw materials and freight, a below-normal monsoon would squeeze farm incomes and hurt rural demand,…

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