Work Demand Overview Year-on-Year and Sequential Trends Financial Allocation and Labour Budget This reflects the ongoing trend of fluctuating demand for work under the scheme, despite consistent financial support from the government. BS

Context: Razorpay has launched India’s first Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for payment gateways, enabling AI tools like chatbots to execute payment operations autonomously, bypassing traditional APIs or dashboards. Key Highlights UPI Infrastructure Partnership This innovation marks a leap in AI-led financial automation in India, strengthening Razorpay’s backend capabilities and expanding its presence in UPI infrastructure services.

Context: In FY25, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) purchased 57.5 tonnes of gold, its second-highest annual acquisition since 2017, driven by global uncertainties and a surge in gold prices. Key Highlights Forex Reserves Context RBI’s gold purchases align with a strategy to hedge against currency volatility, diversify reserves, and enhance financial s

Context: State Bank of India (SBI) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) to enhance trade-linked financial and digital banking services across India’s land ports. This aligns with the government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to modernize infrastructure and facilitate regional commerce. Key Highlights Strategic Relevance About SBI About LPAI

Context: State Bank of India (SBI) has signed an MoU with the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) to enhance banking and trade-related financial services across 26 land ports on India’s borders, aligning with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Key Highlights Strategic Impact About SBI About LPAI

Context: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance has introduced ‘ClimateSafe’, a first-of-its-kind parametric insurance product in India, offering swift financial relief against climate-induced risks using predefined weather triggers. Key Highlights Impact ‘ClimateSafe’ redefines insurance accessibility in a warming world—offering affordable, tech-enabled climate resilience to I

Context: India Post and SBI Funds Management have signed an MoU to simplify mutual fund KYC onboarding through India’s vast postal network, boosting financial inclusion and investor access. Key Highlights Impact This initiative marks a milestone in d

Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued draft guidelines on April 9, 2025, to harmonize the regulatory framework for gold loans, aiming to strengthen governance in the sector and address observed regulatory concerns. The new rules are expected to bring more stability and clarity to the gold loan market, which could help attract further investments and partnerships, particularly for fintech firms. Rising Interest from Fintech Firms New Market Entrants Partnerships and Expansion Market Potential and Consumer Demand TET

Context: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed that credit rating agencies (CRAs) take a more active role in scrutinising companies raising money in the equity market. The regulator aims to ensure that questionable companies do not access capital markets, which could lead to investor protection issues. Key Aspects of the Proposal What are Credit Rating Agencies? CRAs theoretically provide investors with an independent evaluation and assessment of debt securities’ creditworthiness. However, in recent decades the paying customers of CRAs have primarily not been buyers of securities but their issuers, raising the issue of conflict of interest (see below). TET

Context: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has sought approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to offer monthly derivative contracts for two to three additional indices, including several thematic indices. Regulatory Process and Timeline Recent Developments and Index Launches Current Market Offerings and Performance Future Prospects BS