2025 has been a record year for India’s IPO market, with several large listings and strong participation across mainboard and SME segments. In this Business Today discussion, Prashanth Tapse , Sr VP Research Analyst ,Mehta Equities shares his outlook on the IPO pipeline for 2026, including Zepto’s reported confidential filing for a ₹10,000–11,000 crore public issue. He explains how Zepto’s listing could intensify competition in the quick commerce space alongside Zomato’s parent Eternal and Swiggy. Tapsee also highlights sustained investor appetite, strong liquidity, and the listing of nearly 365 companies in 2025 as signs that IPO momentum may continue. Among the most anticipated listings in 2026, he flags NSE as the long-awaited and potentially biggest IPO to watch.
India’s anti-obesity drug market is at an inflection point, with multiple GLP-1–based therapies entering within months in 2025. Global launches like Mounjaro and Wegovy, along with rising off-label use of oral semaglutide, have triggered a surge in demand. As Indian pharma prepares for generic launches in 2026, the segment is set for intense competition, falling prices and wider access.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said India’s growth is inevitable given global realities, but stressed that economic and strategic power alone is not enough. He said India must also emerge as a Vishwa Guru, offering moral, intellectual, and civilisational guidance to the world. Bhagwat underlined that India’s role should combine material progress with values, knowledge, and responsibility, adding that true leadership lies in uplifting humanity, not just achieving superpower status.
In this Business Today podcast, Karishma Asoodani speaks with PVR INOX MD, Ajay Bijli about the transformation of cinema-going in India. From watching Pretty Woman at Delhi’s Chanakya cinema in the late 1980s to building India’s largest multiplex chain, Bijli reflects on the moments that shaped his journey. He explains why audiences remained glued to the screen despite average facilities—and how that insight led him to focus on sound, projection, seating and hospitality to create a premium, experiential movie-going culture. Bijli also opens up about joining the family business, the early days of Priya cinema, and why improving the cinema experience remains the key to attracting Indian audiences even today.
At the India Today Conclave 2024, legendary investor Jim Rogers made a bold call - buy silver when it was nearly 50% down from its all-time high, even as gold was already trading at record levels. Fast forward to 2025, and that prediction is playing out with stunning accuracy. Silver prices are now soaring to fresh highs, while gold continues its powerful rally, validating Rogers’ long-held belief in precious metals as long-term stores of value. In the interview, Rogers stressed that everyone should own gold, but made it clear that silver offered the bigger opportunity at the time. With both metals now shining, the veteran commodities investor’s foresight stands proven once again - a reminder of the power of patience, cycles, and contrarian investing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s social security coverage has expanded dramatically under his government. He noted that before 2014, barely 25 crore people were covered by welfare schemes, a number that has now risen to nearly 95 crore. Modi highlighted insurance schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti and Suraksha Bima Yojanas, which have brought affordable cover to crores of poor families and paid claims worth nearly ₹25,000 crore. He also paid tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, crediting his vision for digital identity, telecom expansion, highways, and metro networks that laid the foundation for today’s connected and fast-growing India.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow, commemorating the life and ideals of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 101st birth anniversary. Speaking at the event, PM Modi highlighted the contributions of Atal Ji, Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya, Maharaja Bijli Pasi, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, and Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee in nation-building, unity, and governance. The Rashtra Prerna Sthal, built on reclaimed land, features grand statues of national stalwarts and symbolizes India’s journey of self-respect, service, and inspiration. The Prime Minister also connected the day to Christmas greetings, emphasizing inclusive development, welfare schemes, and initiatives like One District One Product and the defense corridor in Uttar Pradesh, reinforcing India’s path toward progress and self-reliance.
Nearly four months after the SCO meeting projected stability in India–China ties, a US Pentagon report flags deeper strategic risks for New Delhi. The 2025 assessment says China is pursuing a dual-track strategy tactically easing tensions along the Line of Actual Control while simultaneously strengthening military pressure through Pakistan. Despite disengagement agreements reached in October 2024, Beijing continues to label Arunachal Pradesh a “core interest,” underscoring a deep trust deficit. The report also highlights China’s extensive military support to Pakistan, including fighter jets, drones, naval platforms, and joint drills, warning that apparent border calm masks sustained long-term pressure on India.
The gold theft controversy at Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple has spiralled into a full-blown political storm. With several kilograms of gold allegedly missing and senior officials arrested, the case has triggered sharp exchanges between the Left, Congress, and the BJP. A Special Investigation Team has told the court that Pankaj Bhandari of Smart Creations and Ballari-based jeweller Govardhan were central to a conspiracy involving temple artefacts. Two former presidents of the Travancore Devaswom Board have already been taken into custody. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan escalated the row by directly accusing Congress MP Sonia Gandhi of alleged links to the accused, citing photographs. The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded a CBI probe, alleging a wider conspiracy involving both the Congress-led UDF and the CPM-led LDF. Vijayan also hit out at RSS-linked groups over alleged threats to Christmas celebrations, warning against religious intimidation. What began as a criminal probe has now become a major political flashpoint shaking Kerala’s power corridors.
The return of Tarique Rahman after nearly two decades in exile is reshaping political calculations across Bangladesh. Widely seen as the heir apparent of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Rahman comes back to a nation marked by violence, polarisation and deep uncertainty. Born in 1967 to former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, politics was an inheritance rather than a choice. He rose rapidly through BNP ranks, played a key role in Khaleda Zia’s 1991 election victory and became a central figure in the long-running rivalry with Sheikh Hasina. His ascent was derailed by arrest and convictions during the Awami League era, forcing him into a 17-year exile in the UK. With Sheikh Hasina out of power, cases dropped and elections looming, Rahman’s return signals a potential reset in Bangladesh’s political future.
Christmas, a season meant for joy, faith, and family, is increasingly being pulled into Europe’s political battles. Across the continent, far-right parties are turning the festival into a symbol of a broader culture war, claiming that Europe’s Christian identity is under threat from secularism, immigration, and “wokeness.” This narrative echoes the long-running “War on Christmas” rhetoric popularised in the United States, often amplified by Fox News and embraced by former President Donald Trump, who once claimed to have “brought back” the phrase Merry Christmas. European leaders are now using the same playbook. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made Christmas central to her political identity, defending nativity scenes and warning against altering traditions. Her party, Brothers of Italy, even hosts large Christmas-themed political events. Similar campaigns are seen in France under Marine Le Pen and her party National Rally, in Spain with Vox, and in Germany where the Alternative for Germany claims Christmas markets are losing their national character.
Hymns, special prayers, and a message of inclusivity marked Christmas as Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended prayers at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. Modi, who has followed this tradition for years, reached out to the Christian community, extending Christmas greetings later at an event commemorating former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary. In Kerala, the BJP celebrated Christmas at its Thiruvananthapuram headquarters. However, festivities were marred elsewhere by disruptions from right-wing groups. In Chhattisgarh’s Raipur, a Christmas bash was vandalised. In Assam’s Nalbari, school decorations were set on fire, while in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, protests were held outside a church. In Kerala’s Palakkad, a carol programme by school children was targeted, triggering political sparring. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the incidents, while Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin questioned the contradiction between the Prime Minister’s outreach and ground-level violence. Church leaders also voiced concern, warning that such incidents cast a shadow over Christmas celebrations nationwide.
At the Abhyudaya Madhya Pradesh Growth Summit in Gwalior, Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted India’s rapid economic and technological progress under the Modi government. Shah said India’s foreign exchange reserves have crossed a record 700 billion dollars, reflecting strong macroeconomic fundamentals. He announced India’s “spectacular entry” into the semiconductor sector, expressing confidence that the country will soon achieve self-reliance and begin exporting chips. Emphasising the impact of Digital India, Shah noted that internet users have grown from just seven crore when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office to over 101 crore by September 2025, calling it the fastest digital expansion globally.
With the Tamil Nadu elections approaching, political activity in the state is gathering pace, and all eyes are on actor-turned-politician Vijay. Adding star power to his campaign, several prominent Kannada film personalities have publicly expressed their support. Actor Kichcha Sudeepa hailed Vijay as a visionary leader, while veteran actor and filmmaker Shiva Rajkumar pledged his backing and assistance. As Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, positions itself as an alternative political force, large crowds at public events reflect his growing mass appeal. However, as celebrity endorsements draw attention and enthusiasm, the key question remains whether this stardom and fanfare will ultimately translate into votes at the ballot box.
In a dramatic political development in Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has returned to Dhaka after 17 years in exile in London. Upon arrival, Rahman removed his shoes and touched the soil of his homeland, drawing emotional reactions from thousands of supporters who lined the streets for a massive roadshow. In his first address, he recalled the 1971 Liberation War and the 2024 mass protests, condemned the murder of Osman Hadi, and promised leadership by a new generation. His return, once thought impossible due to corruption convictions and exile, comes amid changing political dynamics, rising tensions, and elections expected in February—making Tarique Rahman the focal point of Bangladesh’s evolving political landscape.
Bharti Enterprises, along with global private equity major Warburg Pincus, has made a strategic investment in Haier India, marking a significant move in India’s fast-growing consumer durables space. Under the new ownership structure, Bharti and Warburg Pincus will jointly hold 49%, Haier Group will retain 49%, while the remaining 2% will be owned by Haier India’s management. The partnership aims to accelerate Haier India’s growth and deepen its footprint across the country, with a sharp focus on expanding penetration in India’s white goods market. The company says it has delivered a strong 25% CAGR over the last seven years and is now targeting revenues of ₹14,500 crore by FY26. The collaboration combines global manufacturing expertise with local market strength to tap India’s rising consumer demand.
In this Episode of Business Today podcast, Karishma Asoodani speaks to PVR INOX Chairman Ajay Bijli, who busts some of the biggest myths around movie-going costs. With an average ticket price of ₹259, Bijli explains why premium cinema prices are often misunderstood and wrongly extrapolated across all screens. He also addresses the much-debated popcorn pricing issue, including unlimited refills and the GST controversy around caramel versus salted popcorn. From footfalls to food economics, this candid conversation dives into how headlines often miss the full picture—and why the big-screen experience still delivers value for money.
Manufacturing is emerging as a key investment theme for 2026, aligned with India’s ambition to become a global manufacturing hub under the “Make in India, Make for the World” vision. The focus is on companies positioned to benefit from global brands shifting production to India. Dixon Technologies, a leader in the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) space, stands out despite recent price corrections. Strong management, growing outsourcing demand from global brands and improving quarterly performance support its outlook. The second pick is Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a PSU defence major that could gain from rising defence manufacturing and potential joint ventures, including discussions around aircraft production in India. Together, Dixon and HAL offer exposure to India’s manufacturing push - from consumer electronics to defence - making them compelling long-term bets for 2026.
Watch the explosive fallout from President Trump's H-1B visa crackdown! Last night's bombshell rules scrap the 19-year-old random lottery for a wage-and-skill priority system, favouring high-paid pros while slapping a court-upheld $100,000 fee on new applications. Indian IT stocks like Coforge, Tech Mahindra, Wipro fall up to 2% as Nifty IT dips — higher costs, tighter vetting, and offshoring rush ahead. Effective Feb 2026, this America First shakeup hits TCS, Infosys, and US tech giants hard. Packed with market charts, rule explainers, and earnings impact graphics. Perfect for finance pros tracking US-India trade, visas, and markets. Stay ahead of the visa vise!
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V. Narayanan addresses the successful launch of the LVM3 vehicle injecting the Blue Bird block communication satellites for the US-based AST SpaceMobile. Speaking after the historic mission, Narayanan highlights that "the reward for hard work is more work" as the agency prepares for future targets. He confirms this is the "first dedicated commercial launch for a customer from USA" and notes it is the 104th launch from Sriharikota. The ISRO chief also details the technical precision of the mission, achieving a circular orbit with less than 2 kilometers dispersion, and celebrates the vehicle's 100% reliability record.





