Sub Heading Maruti Suzuki to increase prices of all models by up to ₹30,000 from August 2026, citing rising input costs. Key Highlights Maruti Suzuki India has announced a fresh price hike across its entire passenger vehicle lineup, with prices set to increase by up to ₹30,000 from August 2026. The company said the revision will vary across different models and variants. The country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer informed stock exchanges about the decision through a regulatory filing, stating that the price increase has become necessary due to rising input and operational costs. According to the company, while it has made continuous efforts to optimise costs and improve operational efficiency, it has not been possible to absorb the entire increase in production expenses. As a result, a portion of the additional cost is being passed on to customers through revised vehicle prices. This marks Maruti Suzuki’s second price revision in just two months, reflecting persistent cost pressures faced by the automobile industry. The company did not disclose the exact increase for individual models, saying the final price adjustment will depend on the specific variant. The latest revision comes at a time when automakers continue to deal with fluctuations in raw material prices, logistics expenses and component costs. Industry experts believe the move could prompt other manufacturers to review their pricing strategies in the coming weeks. With the revised prices taking effect from August, customers planning to purchase a Maruti Suzuki vehicle may consider booking before the new rates are implemented.
PMAY Crosses 4 Crore Homes
Government completes over 4 crore homes under PMAY, while housing support continues across rural and urban India. Key Highlights The Government of India has shared the latest progress under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), revealing that more than 4 crore houses have been completed across rural and urban areas. The scheme continues to improve access to affordable housing while providing basic civic amenities to eligible beneficiaries. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), 3.10 crore houses have been completed so far. The government has sanctioned 3.92 crore houses against an overall target of 4.8 crore, leaving around 1.08 crore houses yet to be constructed. Over the past five years, the Centre has released ₹1.34 lakh crore for the rural housing programme. In addition to housing, rural beneficiaries have also received supporting infrastructure, including 2.90 crore LPG connections, 2.43 crore tap water connections, and 3.08 crore household toilets. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), 99.07 lakh houses have already been completed. Construction has started on 1.2 crore houses, while approvals have been granted for more than 1.27 crore homes. The government has also extended the scheme until September 30, 2026, to accelerate the completion of remaining projects. Homes built under PMAY-U are equipped with essential amenities such as electricity, water supply and other basic civic infrastructure, improving the quality of life for urban beneficiaries. Eligibility Criteria The government has also reiterated the key eligibility conditions for availing benefits under PMAY: The latest figures highlight the government’s continued focus on expanding affordable housing while improving access to essential public services across both rural and urban India.
PLI Schemes Draw ₹2.4 Lakh Crore Investment
Government says PLI schemes have generated over 14 lakh jobs, boosted exports and strengthened India’s manufacturing ecosystem across key sectors. Key Highlights News India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes have attracted actual investments exceeding ₹2.40 lakh crore and generated over 14.15 lakh direct and indirect jobs as of March 31, 2026, the Central Government informed Parliament on Tuesday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said the flagship manufacturing incentive programme has also enabled exports worth more than ₹15.2 lakh crore, reflecting India’s growing role in global manufacturing and supply chains. Among all sectors, high-efficiency solar PV modules attracted the highest investment of ₹64,873 crore. The pharmaceutical sector followed with investments of ₹45,158 crore, while the automobile industry received ₹44,326 crore. Investments also remained strong in speciality steel at ₹23,896 crore and large-scale electronics manufacturing at ₹20,580 crore. The government also highlighted progress under the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme. As of June 30, 2026, 219 operational incubators had been selected, with ₹945 crore approved under the scheme. Out of this, ₹650 crore has already been disbursed to support early-stage startups across the country. Sharing data on overseas investments, the minister said Indian companies invested USD 15.9 billion in the United States between 2021 and 2026, including over USD 4 billion during the last financial year alone. On foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector, the government reiterated that 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route in single-brand retail trading, while 51% FDI is allowed under the government approval route in multi-brand retail trading, subject to existing conditions. The government further stated that cumulative FDI inflows into single-brand retail trading reached USD 1.53 billion between April 2021 and March 2026. Meanwhile, multi-brand retail trading attracted USD 34.38 million during the same period, with annual inflows showing gradual improvement. The latest figures indicate that the PLI scheme continues to play a significant role in expanding domestic manufacturing, attracting private investments, generating employment and strengthening India’s export competitiveness across strategic industries.
Bajaj Auto Q1 Profit Soars
Bajaj Auto reported a 42% jump in standalone Q1 FY27 profit, driven by record exports, robust domestic demand and rapid growth in its electric vehicle business. Key Highlights Record Quarter Across Business Segments Bajaj Auto posted a strong performance for the first quarter of FY27, reporting a 42% year-on-year rise in standalone net profit to ₹2,982.84 crore, compared with ₹2,095.98 crore in the same quarter last year. The company’s standalone revenue from operations also grew 37% to ₹17,243.72 crore, supported by higher vehicle sales, strong export demand and continued expansion of its electric vehicle portfolio. Exports And EV Business Lead Growth The automaker recorded its highest-ever quarterly export performance, with overseas shipments rising 54% and crossing the 7 lakh-unit milestone for the first time. Overall vehicle sales increased 29% to 14.38 lakh units, while domestic sales grew 11% on the back of healthy demand across both two-wheelers and three-wheelers. Bajaj Auto’s electric vehicle business continued its rapid expansion, with EV revenues nearly doubling from a year earlier despite supply constraints. EVs now contribute nearly 30% of the company’s domestic revenue. Consolidated Revenue Sees Sharp Rise On a consolidated basis, the company reported a 46% increase in profit after tax to ₹3,225.63 crore, while revenue from operations surged 64% to ₹22,376.69 crore during the April–June quarter. The strong performance reflects growth across domestic operations, exports and subsidiary businesses. Premium Brands Continue Momentum Bajaj Auto said its premium motorcycle brands, KTM and Triumph, continued to deliver strong results, with domestic revenue from the two brands increasing 60% year-on-year. The company stated that FY27 has begun on a strong note, with record quarterly performance across sales volumes, revenue and profitability, supported by sustained demand in both Indian and international markets.
Aditya Birla AMC Profit Rises
Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC reported a 12% rise in Q1 FY27 net profit to ₹309.5 crore, supported by strong growth in other income despite higher operating expenses. Key Highlights Q1 Profit Supported By Higher Other Income Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC reported a 12% year-on-year increase in its consolidated net profit for the June quarter, with earnings rising to ₹309.5 crore from ₹277 crore in the same period last year. The company attributed the growth primarily to a sharp increase in other income, which helped offset higher operating costs during the quarter. Revenue Growth Remains Modest Revenue from operations grew 3% to ₹463 crore, compared with ₹447.4 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. However, revenue remained almost unchanged compared to the March quarter, leading to cautious investor sentiment following the earnings announcement. Assets Under Management Expand Strongly The asset management company reported a significant rise in its overall Quarterly Average Assets Under Management (QAAUM), including alternate assets, which increased 42% year-on-year to ₹6.28 lakh crore. Its mutual fund business also continued to grow, with mutual fund QAAUM rising 6% to ₹4.28 lakh crore. Expenses Rise, Stock Declines Total expenses increased 14% to ₹219.3 crore, mainly due to higher employee-related costs. Meanwhile, other income surged 38% to ₹162.4 crore, providing a strong boost to quarterly profitability. Despite the positive profit growth, investor sentiment remained cautious, and the company’s shares were trading over 6% lower on the BSE during afternoon trade after the results.
Tractor Growth Likely To Slow
ICRA expects tractor industry growth to moderate to 1–4% in FY27 due to a high base effect, weaker monsoon outlook and lower kharif acreage. Key Highlights ICRA Expects Slower Tractor Demand India’s tractor industry is expected to witness slower growth in FY27, with rating agency ICRA projecting volume expansion of 1–4%, compared to the strong 23.5% growth recorded in FY26. According to the agency, the moderation is mainly due to the high growth base from last year and the forecast of a below-normal southwest monsoon, which could affect agricultural activity and rural demand. Monsoon Outlook Raises Concerns The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected a below-normal monsoon for 2026 due to the expected El Niño weather pattern. ICRA noted that rainfall deficits across parts of central, southern and coastal India could reduce kharif crop production, impacting farm incomes and limiting farmers’ ability to purchase new tractors. June Sales Remain Strong Despite the cautious outlook, tractor sales remained healthy in June. Wholesale volumes increased 11.9% year-on-year, while retail sales rose 25.3%, supported by a low base, stable farm cash flows and improved affordability following last year’s GST rate reduction. However, ICRA expects growth to slow during the remainder of FY27 because of lower kharif acreage and softer replacement demand. Margins Expected To Stay Healthy The agency believes tractor manufacturers will continue to maintain healthy profitability, supported by stable raw material prices, operating leverage and government support measures such as Minimum Support Price (MSP) and farm subsidies. ICRA also expects the credit profile of major tractor manufacturers to remain strong, backed by healthy earnings, low debt levels and adequate liquidity despite slower industry growth.
Domestic Air Traffic Declines In June
India’s domestic air passenger traffic fell nearly 12% in June compared to May as seasonal demand softened, while IndiGo strengthened its market leadership. Key Highlights Domestic Air Travel Slows Seasonally India’s domestic aviation market witnessed a seasonal slowdown in June, with passenger traffic falling nearly 12% month-on-month to 13.5 million, according to the latest data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Compared to June 2025, however, traffic remained almost unchanged, indicating that the decline was largely driven by the industry’s typical lean travel season during June, July and August. IndiGo Expands Market Leadership IndiGo further strengthened its dominance in the domestic aviation market by increasing its market share from 64.9% in May to 66.3% in June. Meanwhile, the Air India Group saw its share decline from 25.6% to 23.9% during the same period. Among other airlines, Akasa Air continued to gain ground, increasing its market share to 6.4%, while SpiceJet‘s share fell to 1.9%. Passenger Growth Remains Positive Despite the monthly decline, India’s domestic aviation sector maintained positive annual growth. Between January and June 2026, domestic airlines carried 864.04 lakh passengers, compared with 851.74 lakh during the same period last year, reflecting 1.44% year-on-year growth. The DGCA also noted that airlines had temporarily reduced flight operations due to higher aviation fuel prices during the West Asia conflict. On-Time Performance And Passenger Compensation IndiGo topped the on-time performance rankings with an 89.4% OTP, followed by the Air India Group at 85.9%, Akasa Air at 82.7%, Alliance Air at 74.7%, and SpiceJet at 33.5%. During June, domestic airlines reported an overall cancellation rate of 0.63%. Airlines paid nearly ₹61.98 lakh in compensation for passengers affected by flight cancellations, ₹2.85 crore for delays impacting over 1.1 lakh passengers, and ₹64.84 lakh to passengers denied boarding.
UPI Gets Tap Pay
NPCI is developing an NFC-based Tap-to-Pay UPI feature that will allow users to make offline payments up to ₹2,000 without an internet connection. Key Highlights Offline UPI Payments Coming Soon India’s digital payments ecosystem is set to become even more convenient as the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) develops a new Tap-to-Pay UPI feature that will enable offline transactions using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The upcoming feature will allow users to simply tap their NFC-enabled smartphone on a compatible Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminal to complete a payment without requiring an active internet connection. Offline Payments Up to ₹2,000 Under the proposed system, users will be able to make offline UPI payments of up to ₹2,000. Instead of verifying the transaction online, the payment authorization will be securely stored on the device and automatically synchronized once internet connectivity is restored. This ensures uninterrupted digital payments even in areas with poor or no network coverage. Ideal for Low-Network Locations The feature is expected to be especially useful in locations where internet connectivity is unreliable, including: It will also offer merchants a quicker and more seamless contactless payment experience by removing the need to scan QR codes or wait for network connectivity. Rollout Expected After Certification Before the nationwide rollout, NPCI is expected to certify compatible merchant PoS terminals to ensure secure and reliable transactions. Once launched, the offline Tap-to-Pay feature is expected to strengthen India’s digital payments ecosystem by making UPI more accessible, faster and dependable even without internet access.
ITR Deadline Not Same
Oct 31 For Some Key Highlights New Delhi: With the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing season underway, taxpayers are being reminded that July 31, 2026 is not the filing deadline for everyone. The due date depends on the category of taxpayer and whether their accounts are subject to audit under the Income Tax Act. For most salaried employees, pensioners and individual taxpayers whose accounts do not require an audit, the ITR filing deadline continues to be July 31, 2026. However, businesses and professionals covered under tax audit provisions have been given time until October 31, 2026 to submit their returns. In addition, certain non-audit business and professional taxpayers can file their returns up to August 31, 2026 under the revised filing schedule. Tax professionals say many taxpayers mistakenly believe July 31 is the last date for everyone, which can lead to confusion during the filing season. They advise taxpayers to verify their applicable due date based on their income source, business status and audit requirements. Experts also caution that failing to file within the prescribed deadline may result in late filing fees, interest on outstanding tax liabilities, delayed refunds and restrictions on certain tax benefits, depending on individual circumstances. The Income Tax Department has encouraged taxpayers to file returns well before their respective deadlines to avoid last-minute technical issues and ensure faster processing of refunds.
