India has begun the process of developing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline infrastructure to eliminate bulk movement of cooking fuel, with the petroleum and natural gas regulatory board (PNGRB) in the process of concluding bid proposals of four pipelines with an estimated investment of Rs 12,500 crore.

“The cumulative length of these proposed pipelines is ~2500 km, reflecting the scale and strategic importance of the initiative,” the regulator said.

India’s plastic packaging sector is set to see a 3–5% decline in margins by H1FY27, as rising input and supply chain costs begin to weigh on profitability across segments, even as demand remains steady.

“The persistent rise… may lead to a 3–5% dip in margins of plastic packaging players by H1FY27 if prices spike again by 5–10%,” the CareEdge Advisory report said, indicating a gradual transmission of cost pressures into the sector’s earnings.

The impact is being driven by higher raw material costs, with packaging heavily dependent on oil-derived polymers. “Higher prices increase the cost of oil-derived feedstocks which raises polymer (resin) prices,” the report said, adding that key resins such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and PET have become costlier, pushing up input costs for manufacturers.

India's seed industry has sought policy support from the government amid rising input costs linked to the West Asia crisis. The industry has requested a doubling of income tax deductions on private R&D investments and permission to use the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to transition from LPG to alternative energy sources.

The government had previously offered a 200% weighted income tax deduction on private R&D investments, but this was reduced to 100% from 2020-21. Private seed firms, which invest heavily in research - often over 10% of their annual revenue -have argued that enhanced incentives are needed to sustain innovation and ensure long-term productivity gains in the agriculture sector. It has also requested for regulatory harmonisation across states to enhance ease of doing business.

The ongoing crisis has caused a significant spike in input costs including energy, packaging, and distribution causing operational and financial stress, said Raghavan Sampathkumar, executive director, Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII), adding that policy reforms and incentives can help save an estimated Rs 800 crore annually and much of it can be ploughed back in R&D.

Construction costs for malls have risen a record 13.9% over the past two years, driven by upgraded facade designs, addition of multiple basement levels and costlier mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), along with related expenses.

The luxury housing segment followed with a 12.8% increase, while mid-market residential projects saw an 11.9% rise, as developers invested in improved amenities, according to Savills India.

A sharp spike in coal and iron ore costs is rippling through the global metals chain, triggering a cost-led rally in aluminium and steel even as demand fundamentals remain weak, highlighting a widening disconnect between prices and underlying demand.

At the heart of the current upcycle is a surge in mining-linked input costs. South African non-coking coal prices jumped ~14% month-on-month (MoM) and ~21% year-on-year (YoY), driven by higher freight rates and supply constraints, while Australian coking coal, despite a ~8% MoM decline, remains elevated at ~30% above year-ago levels, keeping cost pressures intact across the value chain.

According to a Centrum Institutional Research report, the ongoing price momentum across metals is largely cost-driven, with “pricing strong amid mixed cost trends,” even as global demand remains under pressure.

The textiles ministry has proposed duty cuts and regulatory easing to secure raw material supplies amid the West Asia crisis, including lowering import duty on rayon pulp and select cotton varieties and deferring anti-dumping duty on certain yarns.

Sales of automobiles across categories rose to the highest ever last fiscal year, supported by the biggest consumption tax cuts by the Centre, reduction in policy rates, and revision in income tax slabs. Industry-wide sales climbed for the first-time since the pandemic, which had caused a shrinkage in low-end wages and, consequently, mobility demand.

As per data available with industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), while passenger vehicle sales climbed about 8% to 4.64 million units last fiscal, those of commercial vehicles, three-wheelers and three-wheelers increased by 12.6% (1.08 million units), 12.8% (836,000 units) and 10.7% (21.71 million units), respectively.

It was in FY19 previously that sales across all four categories of vehicles touched records.

Exports across vehicle categories too rose strongly by 24% to 6,647,685 units in the year under consideration.

Global steel demand is likely to remain weak in the near term as the World Steel Association sees growth of just 0.3 per cent in 2026, with a stronger recovery only coming in 2027, according to a report by Centrum. China remains the main drag on demand, while India stands out as the bright spot, the brokerage noted

Despite soft demand, steel prices have jumped across major markets. For raw materials, iron ore and non-coking coal have moved up, but coking coal slipped from last month. Among non-ferrous metals, aluminium is still the top performer with prices holding firm, while other metals like copper, zinc, and nickel saw small dips, the report said.

The report suggests that the drag is mainly China, where demand is "likely to decline by 1.5 per cent YoY in CY26 and remain flat YoY in CY27." India is the key outlier. Centrum notes India "is expected to outperform with growth of 7.4 per cent in CY26 and 9.2 per cent in CY27," making it the main bright spot for steel consumption.

Telecom operators have revived their demand for a common regulatory framework across communication platforms, linking the long-standing issue to a sharp rise in spam calls and scam messages.

In recent weeks, a leading operator has written to the department of telecommunications, the ministry of electronics and information technology, and the ministry of finance, stating that tighter controls on telecom networks are pushing fraudulent activity towards over-the-top (OTT) messaging and calling platforms, where oversight remains limited.

While the demand for a level regulatory playing field is not new, the latest communication reframes the issue around consumer protection. Operators contend that a siloed approach to tackling spam is no longer effective as bad actors move across platforms.

The road transport and highways ministry is considering additional relief measures for highway contractors to minimise the financial impact on the sector in case the West Asia crisis drags on.

The second round of relief measures, expected to be rolled out next month, could include compensation for actual increase in prices of commodities beyond the threshold, extension of timelines on a case-to-case basis and ensuring continuous and timely cash flow from the Centre to highway developers under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and hybrid annuity model (HAM) projects. EPC projects are primarily funded through government budgetary allocations while HAM projects are funded through a 40:60 partnership between the government and private developers.

The Bombay High Court has the government cannot impose price controls on the variants of the drugs under the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO 2013). The court order clarified that formulations that are not specifically part of the national list of of essential medicines (NLEM) will remain exempted from the price ceiling imposed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The ruling particularly exempted the specific drug delivery systems like sustained release (SR) and controlled release (CR), which are mechanisms used in tablets and capsules to dissolve a drug at specific times or location.

“We are of the opinion that if a formulation was not specifically included in the first schedule to DPCO 2013, NPPA could not insist on such a formulation being covered by a ceiling price,” the April 10 order said.

The government on Tuesday revised pricing norms for low-grade iron ore to promote its utilisation and reduce wastage, as it seeks to ensure steady raw material supply to the steel industry amid concerns over depletion of high-grade reserves.

The mines ministry notified the amended rules providing a pricing framework for iron ore with iron (Fe) content below the threshold level of 45%, including Banded Haematite Quartzite (BHQ) and Banded Haematite Jasper (BHJ).

“The Ministry of Mines has notified the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026… providing the methodology for publication of average sale price (ASP) of Haematite Iron Ore below the threshold value,” the ministry said in a statement.

India’s data centre market—valued at approximately USD 10 billion in 2025—is expected to more than double to USD 22 billion by 2030, driven largely by the rapid growth in cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data-intensive technologies.

Between 2020 and 2024, the sector attracted approximately USD 13–15 Bn in investments, with foreign institutional investors accounting for nearly 80% of the total capital inflows, according to property consultant Vestian.

The investment pipeline remains strong, with announced projects totalling USD 60–70 Bn over the next five years, largely driven by hyperscale platforms and joint venture developments.

Haryana has ordered a 35% increase in minimum wages following a week of factory protests and work boycotts by labourers grappling with rising living costs linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The state government said on Friday it would raise the minimum wage for unskilled workers to $165 per month from about $120, effective April 1. While the move offers relief to workers, it is set to intensify cost pressures for India’s auto industry, which is already dealing with rising input costs and supply chain disruptions.

The decision comes a day after clashes between police and workers in Manesar, around 30 miles (48.28 km) south of New Delhi. The industrial hub houses major manufacturers such as Maruti Suzuki and hundreds of ancillary units.

India’s cement industry is set to face a notable squeeze on profitability in the current financial year as rising energy costs erode margins, according to a report by Crisil Intelligence.

The report projects that operating margins for cement companies will fall by 150–200 basis points year-on-year to 16–18 per cent, reversing last year’s expansion of 260–280 basis points.

The pressure on margins is largely driven by a surge in energy prices amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Power and fuel expenses—typically accounting for 26–28 per cent of total production costs—are expected to rise by 10–12 per cent year-on-year due to higher prices of crude oil, pet coke, and thermal coal.

The Delhi government on Saturday released its Electric Vehicle Policy 2026 for public consultation. Among the key proposals of the policy are a 50% exemption on road tax and registration fees for strong hybrid cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh, a ban on registration of new internal combustion engine (ICE) two-wheelers from April 2028 and a similar restriction on CNG-powered three-wheelers from 2027.

Incentives for EVs and Hybrids
The draft policy retained full tax exemptions for electric vehicles while extending partial benefits to strong hybrid cars for the first time. Electric vehicles registered in Delhi after the notification of the policy will be eligible for 100% exemption on road tax and registration fees, subject to specified conditions.

Electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom) will continue to receive full exemption on these charges until March 31, 2030. However, EVs priced above this threshold will not qualify for any such benefits.

Power distribution companies in Haryana have approached the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) seeking relaxation in rules related to recovery of fuel surcharge, officials said on Saturday.

Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) have filed petitions requesting amendments to Regulation 68 of the Multi-Year Tariff (MYT) Regulations, 2024 for financial year 2025-26.

As per existing rules, additional costs arising from fuel and power purchase are recovered from consumers on a monthly basis through the Fuel and Power Purchase Adjustment Surcharge (FPPAS).

A sharp surge in key mining inputs—industrial diesel prices rising 54% and explosives raw material costs jumping 44% within weeks has significantly increased coal production costs, underscoring the impact of global supply disruptions on India’s core energy sector.

State-run Coal India Limited (CIL), which accounts for the bulk of domestic coal output, said it is absorbing the rising costs to avoid a wider pass-through. “Despite spiraling operational costs… the company is absorbing the price shock insulating India’s coal users from escalating cost burden,” it said.

Global Supply Disruptions
The cost pressures follow the escalation of the West Asia crisis, which has disrupted supply chains and pushed up prices of critical industrial inputs used in mining operations.

The ceasefire in West Asia could ease supply-shock fears and the resultant rally in chemical costs, but the lingering uncertainties would keep prices across crude oil and natural gas derivative chains elevated until supply chains normalise, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said on Friday.

“Prices are likely to remain higher than pre-conflict levels in the near term, given the logistics and supply disruptions. Continued conflict may increase volatility, potentially affecting sector recovery,” says Khushbu Lakhotia, director, corporate ratings, Ind-Ra.

While liquidity buffers are adequate for most A-category and above issuers, stress could build for leveraged and capex-heavy companies, leading to certain segments of the sector facing sustained downside risks. Around one-fourth of large rated chemical exposures carry a negative outlook, reflecting heightened sensitivity to margin and cash-flow volatility, it said.

In a stark assessment of India’s energy vulnerabilities, ONGC’s Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh on Friday declared that the long-held belief in the “reliability” of Gulf energy is now over. Amid the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Singh called for an aggressive pivot toward domestic exploration and a massive expansion of strategic reserves.

Speaking at an industry event in Delhi, Singh said that the “orderly” world under a single superpower is giving way to a “war of supremacy” among multiple competing powers. This geopolitical shift has effectively ended the era of easy energy globalisation, leaving import-dependent nations like India in a precarious position, he added.

“We should explore oil in our country at any cost. We must have exploration in a big way,” he said, making clear that energy self-sufficiency must now be treated as a national security imperative, not merely a commercial exercise.