In a stark reassessment driven by escalating global trade tensions, Fitch Ratings has trimmed India’s GDP growth estimate for the current fiscal year to 6.4%, citing rising policy uncertainty and weakening global demand. The revision—down by 10 basis points from its previous outlook—comes amid sharp downgrades to global growth projections as retaliatory tariffs and trade policy volatility stifle investment and consumer confidence. Fitch maintained its growth outlook for India in the subsequent fiscal year, reflecting cautious optimism.

Hero MotoCorp, India’s leading two-wheeler manufacturer, has announced a temporary suspension of production at four of its key manufacturing facilities between April 17 and April 19, 2025. This planned pause is part of a short-term supply alignment initiative and will also be used to carry out maintenance and operational upgrades. The company assured stakeholders that the move would not disrupt retail supply across domestic or international markets, as operations at its Tirupati and Halol plants will continue uninterrupted.

In a strategic move that underscores growing investor confidence in India's banking sector, IDFC First Bank has announced a preferential equity issuance amounting to Rs. 7,500 crore. The capital raise will involve marquee global investors—Warburg Pincus and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). This infusion is expected to bolster the bank’s capital adequacy, accelerate growth ambitions, and support its mission to build a customer-centric financial institution.

Assetz, a prominent real estate firm, has made significant strides in Bengaluru's real estate sector by acquiring 16 prime land parcels over the past two years, adding over 15 million square feet of saleable area to its portfolio. The company’s latest acquisitions, with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of Rs 15,000 crore, will help deliver more than 7,500 homes across the city’s key corridors. Assetz is set to launch 10 new projects in FY26, aiming to double its turnover within the next three years, marking a strong growth trajectory in a competitive market.

Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, unveiled the vision for a sustainable Rs 1,00,000 crore agri-economy by 2030 through the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). The initiative, launched in April 2023, seeks to empower farmers and modernize agriculture in the state by leveraging digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and real-time monitoring tools. Abdullah emphasized that the program goes beyond policy intervention—it's a movement to reshape governance, boost agricultural productivity, and create a future-ready farming ecosystem.

BluSmart, a prominent electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing service operating in major Indian cities, faced significant operational disruptions this week, with passengers across Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, and Mumbai reporting difficulties in booking rides. The app's inability to fulfill ride requests coincides with mounting challenges for its co-founder, Anmol Singh Jaggi, whose other company, Gensol Engineering, is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for financial irregularities.

Acer has re-entered the Indian smartphone market with the launch of two new models, the Super ZX and Super ZX Pro, priced competitively to cater to both budget-conscious consumers and those seeking premium features. The Super ZX starts at Rs. 9,990, while the Super ZX Pro, offering higher-end specifications, is priced at Rs. 17,990. Both phones will be available for sale on Amazon starting April 25.

PB Fintech, the parent company of the well-known online insurance marketplace Policybazaar, recently announced a significant milestone in its expansion plans. On Tuesday, the company revealed that its subsidiary, PB Pay Private Limited, had received an in-principle authorization from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a payment aggregator under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. This pivotal development strengthens PB Fintech’s strategic push into the digital payments and financial services sector.

PB Fintech’s Expansion into Digital Payments

Gensol Engineering Ltd. (GEL) has agreed to fully cooperate with a forensic audit ordered by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) following serious allegations of fund diversion and governance lapses. SEBI's interim order has also led to the suspension of the company's promoters, Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi, from holding any directorial or managerial roles. The company is under scrutiny for using corporate funds for personal expenditures, including luxury property and credit card payments.

In a growing legal conflict, Honasa Consumer, the owner of the popular FMCG brand Mamaearth, has filed a lawsuit against Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) in the Delhi High Court, accusing the company of disparaging its sunscreen products. The dispute centers around an advertisement campaign by HUL’s Lakme brand, which questions the efficacy of rival sunscreens, including one from Honasa’s The Derma Co. HUL has responded with its own lawsuit, filing a counterclaim in the Bombay High Court.