Business

Axis Max Life Insurance Limited has announced the rollout of a participating bonus (PAR) worth ₹2,530 crore for eligible policyholders for the financial year 2025–26. With this, the company has announced its 24th consecutive annual bonus, and the total amount of bonuses declared over the past 24 years has increased to ₹18,377 crore.The newly announced bonus will be distributed to more than 21 lakh eligible PAR policyholders starting from the month of July 2026. Axis Max Life's PAR fund has increased from ₹74,119 crore in the financial year 2024–25 to ₹79,003 crore in the financial year 2025–26.

Infrastructure-led growth prospects received a major boost in Northeast India on Monday as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) marked the foundation stone laying and dedication to the nation of key National Highway projects in Meghalaya. Market observers believe the projects will strengthen regional trade networks, improve logistics efficiency and support long-term economic development across the Northeast. The projects were unveiled during a ceremony at Polo Ground, Shillong, led by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari and presided over by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. Senior state leaders, Members of Parliament, YAMAZAKI Fumio, Minister of Economic & Development at the Embassy of Japan, and TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative o...

Malabar Gold & Diamonds has launched NUWA, a new natural diamond jewellery collection that reflects emerging trends in the organised jewellery sector, including premiumisation, design-led innovation and rising demand for contemporary luxury products. The collection draws inspiration from nature’s finest creations, incorporating patterns and textures found in stripes, honeycombs, fluid formations and organic structures shaped by the earth. Industry observers note that nature-inspired collections have become an increasingly popular segment as brands seek to differentiate their offerings through distinctive design narratives. Crafted in 18kt and 14kt gold, NUWA features natural diamonds enhanced with coloured gemstones, ceramic colour enamelling and multi-tone rhodium finishes. The...

The functional beverage segment continues to witness growing consumer interest, with products offering wellness-focused ingredients increasingly finding space in daily consumption habits. Against this backdrop, Tetley Green Tea Slim Care is positioning itself within the weight management category through the inclusion of added L-Carnitine in premium green tea. L-Carnitine is a nutrient associated with energy production and fat utilisation. It helps transport long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are converted into energy. The nutrient is naturally present in foods such as dairy products and is also synthesised by the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. Scientific evidence indicates that L-Carnitine supports the utilisation of stored body fat when combine...

The Vedanta Limited group’s four demerged businesses are expected to make their stock market debut on Monday, June 15, listing on both the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange, according to sources. Alongside Vedanta Limited, which is already listed, the shares of four newly created independent entities—Vedanta Aluminium Metal (VAML), Vedanta Oil & Gas (VOGL), Vedanta Power, and Vedanta Iron & Steel (VISL)—will begin trading on Indian stock exchanges following the long-anticipated restructuring. The demerger, approved by the National Company Law Tribunal in December last year, follows a 1:1 share entitlement structure, under which shareholders of Vedanta Limited will receive one share in each of the newly formed companies for every share held in the parent e...

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the findings of an Independent Drive Test (IDT) conducted across East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts and along the Ratha Cherre Khasia Punjee – Jowai stretch of NH-6 in Meghalaya, providing consumers and industry stakeholders with a detailed assessment of mobile network quality in the region.The tests, conducted from March 11 to March 16, 2026 under the North East Licensed Service Area (LSA), covered 213 km of city routes, 98.9 km of highways, 10 hotspot locations and a walk test at District Civil Hospital, Ialong. The exercise evaluated key quality parameters including network coverage, call setup success rate, dropped call rate, speech quality, download and upload throughout, latency and packet loss.According ...

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited, one of India's leading private general insurance companies, recently announced the launch of 'My Health Care Plan Edge+'. It is a health indemnity solution aimed at reducing the ever-increasing cost of healthcare, providing better flexibility, and offering customization options based on customer needs to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.Built on the strong foundation of the company's existing MHCP (My Health Care Plan) scheme, this plan integrates core hospitalization coverage with optional riders. It allows customers to customize their policy based on their growing healthcare needs, life stage, and affordability.In this scheme, coverage options starting from ₹5 Lakhs up to ₹5 Crores are made available. Along with this, there is also a facilit...

The Government of Uzbekistan will provide special opportunities for investment to pharmaceutical companies in India.According to a source, Uzbekistan wants to develop the country as a hub for production and supply in the pharmaceutical sector. As part of this plan, the country will offer special incentives/benefits for investment to Indian pharmaceutical companies.In this regard, Uzbekistan's Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Shakhrukh Gulamov, stated—"Uzbekistan will take special steps with the aim of increasing domestic pharmaceutical production. There will be no complexities in policy-making, and special benefits will be provided in terms of investment. In this regard, the licensing process will be simplified, bureaucratic red tape will be eliminated, and timelines wi...

Malabar Group has spotlighted the growing impact of its flagship social responsibility initiative, Hunger Free World, with the release of a rehabilitation impact report that demonstrates how a daily meal can serve as a catalyst for broader social transformation. Released on World Hunger Day, the report, "Impact Stories: How a Daily Meal Opens the Door to a Transformed Life", outlines the outcomes of the Street Meal Distribution Programme, implemented by Thanal. What began as an effort to provide nutritious meals to individuals facing hunger has evolved into a structured outreach model that facilitates healthcare access, rehabilitation, shelter support, dignity restoration and family reunification. The programme currently operates across 20 states in India and nine countries, includi...

Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Meta have launched Silent Mobile Verification (SMV) capabilities for Vi subscribers across WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, underscoring the increasing economic importance of secure digital infrastructure in India's rapidly expanding online ecosystem. The network-based authentication technology enables users to verify their mobile numbers in the background without manually entering verification credentials, switching between applications or waiting for OTP messages. The service will be available across multiple user journeys, including new registrations, mobile number validation, login and re-login, account recovery and authentication during security checks. The partnership reflects a broader industry shift toward network-based verification systems as busines...