Expansions, layoffs, funding, leadership moves, and policy shifts — with our take on what it means for hiring in India, today and over the next five years.
India's Central Vigilance Commission has directed public sector banks and financial institutions to urgently address gaps in credit appraisal and monitoring skills among their staff, identifying these gaps as a root cause of banking frauds. As part of a broader preventive vigilance drive, banks have been asked to roll out structured training programmes and submit compliance reports by the end of November. The directive signals a regulatory push toward building stronger internal competencies across the banking sector.
India is considering reintroducing merchant discount rates on UPI transactions, targeting large merchants or high-value payments under proposed changes to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act. No final decision has been made, but the move could generate a revenue pool of ₹5,000–10,000 crore for payment companies. This would mark a significant policy reversal after MDR on UPI was scrapped in 2020.
The central government has directed state drug regulators to step up surveillance on how GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes drugs are being promoted, citing concerns over surrogate advertising. Manufacturers have received advisories clarifying approved uses, and advertising platforms are now under watch for non-compliant promotions. Regulators have also been asked to monitor supply chains to prevent diversion of these drugs.
India's mandatory push toward E20 petrol — a blend containing 20% ethanol — is facing significant public backlash, with motorists worried about engine damage and lower fuel efficiency. The government maintains that efficiency losses are minor and widespread engine failures are not occurring, while automakers broadly back the policy based on their own testing. Critics are nonetheless calling for consumer choice and a slower, more transparent rollout.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare has called on FMCG, food, and retail companies to significantly upgrade how they handle consumer complaints, noting a fivefold rise in grievances over the past five years. The government plans to deploy AI and robotics for product quality testing while also simplifying BIS compliance standards to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses. This signals a period of both accountability pressure and infrastructure investment across the consumer goods sector.
India's Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has ruled that stock options which haven't been exercised by employees are capital assets, not salary perquisites. Gains from the company buying back such unexercised options are therefore taxed as long-term capital gains. The case centred on a Flipkart executive who received ₹2.33 crore through such a buyback transaction.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance has formally called on drug regulators to bring a large set of long-marketed medicines — including common neurological drugs — into proper regulatory compliance. These products have been sold across India for years without receiving central-level approval, creating a significant legal and operational grey area. The push signals that a comprehensive regulatory overhaul of the pharmaceutical sector may be on the horizon.
India's insurance regulator has directed all insurers to accelerate claim settlements for policyholders affected by the Assam floods that began on July 19. The directive mandates immediate deployment of surveyors and loss assessors on the ground, along with the creation of district-level claims desks and round-the-clock helplines. Electronic channels are being promoted to speed up both claim registration and payment disbursement.