News Nook: Aug 13, 2025

Indian Sector Specific News:

A) BFSI: 

1) BFSI Overtakes Tech in India’s GCC Leasing

• In April–June 2025, the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector took the lead in office leasing for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India, grabbing 44% share — beating the tech sector’s 17% for the first time.
• This is a big jump from just 8% in 2022, driven by global banks and financial firms expanding in India to use its skilled talent, lower costs, and strong policy support.
• Source: Republic Business

2) FDI Limit in Insurance May Rise to 100%

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Parliament that allowing 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indian insurance companies would attract more players, create jobs, and boost efficiency with better technology and automation.
• She assured that the Insurance Act, 1938, along with IRDAI regulation, will protect policyholders and maintain financial stability; cooperative bank director tenures have also been extended from August 1, 2025.
• Source: Economic Times

3) Sebi Rejects Anil Ambani’s Settlement Plea in Yes Bank Case

• Sebi has refused Anil Ambani’s request to settle charges in the Yes Bank case, which could lead to penalties of around ₹1,828 crore, after finding that his group’s investments in Yes Bank bonds were linked to loans given to other group companies.
• The case, flagged as having a “market-wide impact,” has also been referred to the Enforcement Directorate, with possible criminal or money-laundering probes; Ambani, his son, and ex-Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor had earlier sought a no-guilt settlement.
• Source: Business Standard

4) Sebi Proposes Wide-Ranging Capital Market Reforms

• In its annual report, Sebi outlined major proposals to simplify IPO documents, strengthen trading safeguards (including a ‘One SIM–One Device–One Client’ system), review margin trading, and overhaul rules for brokers, depositories, mutual funds, REITs, InvITs, FPIs, AIFs, and commodity derivatives.
• The regulator aims to cut compliance costs, remove redundant rules, boost investor protection, and leverage technology for efficiency, while also reviewing valuation norms for gold/silver ETFs and improving treatment of unclaimed investor funds.
• Source: Moneycontrol

5) Sebi Proposes ‘TLH’ Code for Smooth Transfer of Securities to Legal Heirs

• Sebi has suggested a new standard reason code, ‘TLH’ (Transmission to Legal Heirs), to ensure that securities passed from nominees to legal heirs are not wrongly taxed as sales, since such transfers are exempt under the Income Tax Act.
• The move will make reporting by registrars, depositories, and other entities more consistent, transparent, and aligned with tax rules, with three months for system changes after final approval.
• Source: CNBCTV-18

B) Automobile:

1) Mahindra Expands South African Plant Amid US Tariff Pressures

• Mahindra & Mahindra is boosting output at its Durban plant by two-thirds to 1,500 vehicles a month to meet rising demand for affordable pick-ups in South Africa, even as US tariffs on Indian exports climb from 25% and may reach 50%.
• The expansion, which has created about 100 direct jobs, comes as mid-market brands like Mahindra, Suzuki, and Chery gain ground, while luxury automakers struggle; Mahindra also plans to introduce BE 6 and XEV 9e EVs to the region.
• Source: Business Standard

C) Pharma:

1) Celcius Logistics Launches ₹50 Crore Pharma Cold Chain Arm ‘Celcius+’

• Celcius Logistics has unveiled Celcius+, a dedicated pharma cold supply chain division, with an initial ₹50 crore investment to deploy 100 reefer vehicles, build a pharma courier system, and hire 30–40 specialists, aiming for ₹100 crore ARR within 18 months.
• The tech-enabled fleet will ensure temperature control, compliance, and real-time tracking for sensitive products like vaccines, biologics, and specialty medicines, with plans to serve 100+ Indian cities by end-2025.
• Source: PharmaBiz

D) Telecommunication:

1) PLI Scheme Adds 28,000 Jobs; BSNL Plans ₹47,000 Crore Capex

• Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has created 28,000 jobs, while BSNL is undertaking a ₹47,000 crore capital expenditure plan for its 4G expansion, having deployed about 91,000 of 95,000 planned sites using fully domestic technology.
• He added that the government will not raise its stake in Vodafone Idea above 49% to avoid making it a PSU, and that BSNL’s 5G rollout will follow once 4G quality is assured and additional sites are deployed.
• Source: ETTelecom

E) Agriculture:

1) Government Advances Digital Agriculture Mission with AgriStack, Krishi-DSS & Soil Mapping

• The Digital Agriculture Mission, approved in September 2024, aims to build a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) including AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System (KDSS), and a national Soil Fertility & Profile Map, enabling farmer authentication, real-time crop surveys, and evidence-based policy decisions.
• Initiatives include farmer registries, geo-referenced village maps, automated yield estimation, drought/flood monitoring, and high-resolution village-level soil mapping to improve land use and crop planning; the Per Drop More Crop scheme continues to promote micro-irrigation with subsidies of 55% for small/marginal farmers and 45% for others.
• Source: PIB

F) Energy:

1) Raghuram Rajan on U.S. Pressure Over Russian Oil

• The U.S. has put a 50% tax on Indian goods and wants India to stop buying oil from Russia.
• Raghuram Rajan says India can manage without Russian oil, but giving in to U.S. pressure could cause political trouble at home.
• Source: The Economic Times

2) US Tariffs Put Spotlight on India’s Oil Dependence

• The U.S. has put a 50% tax on Indian exports, which could raise India’s annual oil import bill by $11 billion since the country imports almost 90% of its crude.
• Experts say India must urgently boost domestic oil and gas production, simplify rules, attract investment, and cut taxes to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.
• Source: ETEnergyWorld

Indian Economy and Government Initiatives:

• India still imports over 88% of its crude oil despite decades of policies to boost domestic production, making self-reliance in energy a distant goal.
• The RBI has allowed foreign investors to use surplus funds in their rupee Vostro accounts to buy Indian government securities without registering as foreign portfolio investors.
• The US government’s new “America’s Talent Strategy” outlines a five-pillar plan to align workforce development with the America First agenda, focusing on skills for an AI-driven economy, worker mobility, streamlined systems, accountability, and innovation.

Indian Stock Market Update:

• Nifty 50 closed 0.4% lower at 24,487.40, with Bank Nifty, Realty, and consumer durables dragging, while Pharma, Metals, Auto, and Oil & Gas gained.
• Key support is at 24,450; breaking it could take Nifty to 24,337, while resistance is at 24,660–24,700, with potential upside to 25,000 if breached.

Bonus Briefs:

• Central banks’ monetary policy decisions, especially interest rate changes, play a key role in driving currency values.
• Global trade developments, including US-China negotiations and Brexit progress, influence investor sentiment and exchange rates.