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India-US trade deal talks hit plateau, says Nirmala Sitharaman

India-US trade talks appear to have reached a plateau, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying further concessions may be difficult as tariff pressures persist. The US has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, while fresh concerns have emerged over proposed tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major buyers of Russian energy.

Integration of key Air India, AIX departments being mooted: Sources

The Air India Group is considering integrating key functions such as HR, finance, IT and engineering across Air India and Air India Express to reduce duplication and costs, while retaining their separate brands and business models. The proposal comes amid combined FY26 losses of Rs 22,238 crore and a wider push for savings and efficiency.

Single GST registration likely for small e-commerce sellers

The GST Council is likely to consider a proposal to let small businesses selling exclusively through e-commerce platforms operate with a single GST registration, even if their goods are stored across multiple States or UTs. The optional scheme aims to simplify compliance, with safeguards including physical verification, e-commerce operator responsibilities and a ₹2.5 lakh monthly ITC limit.

The great chase for audience attention

India’s fragmented audience is making it harder for the entertainment industry to predict what viewers want, but distinctive, authentic stories may travel further than generic ones. As the industry pursues an estimated ₹59,000 crore opportunity, streaming, micro dramas and AI are creating cheaper ways to test content and find audiences who will watch, pay and return.

Script & VO: Shakthi H

Published on October 6, 2026