Business

Paramount Raises Warner Bros Takeover Bid to $31 Per Share, Intensifying Battle With Netflix Warner Bros Discovery said that Paramount has increased the price of its takeover offer to $31 per share, potentially escalating a high-stakes bidding contest with Netflix over the future of the Hollywood powerhouse.The revised all-cash proposal comes after Paramount had initially offered $30 per share in December. That earlier hostile bid was launched just days after Warner reached an agreement to sell its studio and streaming business to Netflix for $27.75 per share.Paramount Sweetens Offer With Higher Termination Fee and Ticking Payment In addition to raising the per-share offer, Warner said Tuesday afternoon that Paramount has increased...

Elixiir Foods Raises $9 Million to Build Private Labels and Farm-to-Fork Backend in Delhi NCR Elixiir Foods, a National Capital Region based grocery startup, has raised $9 million in its seed funding round, with the capital set to accelerate its private-label strategy, farm-to-fork backend infrastructure, and tech-enabled omnichannel expansion across Delhi NCR.The funding round was led by 3one4 Capital, with participation from Incubate Fund Asia.Founder and Chief Executive Officer Arvind Mediratta said the fresh capital will be deployed to establish physical retail stores alongside e-commerce capabilities, while also building a robust supply chain directly linked to farmers.Private Labels to Drive 60 to 70 Percent of Sales Elixiir...

Corporate Updates: Paytm Launches Silver Savings, Utkarsh SFB Partners Kotak Life, IHG Signs Holiday Inn in Madurai One97 Communications Launches Paytm Silver for Digital Savings One97 Communications, the parent company operating the Paytm brand, on Tuesday announced the launch of Paytm Silver, enabling users to begin saving in silver through its app starting at Rs 20.The new offering is designed to promote disciplined savings in small amounts, allowing users to gradually accumulate silver over time. According to the company, the feature offers flexibility for use during festivals, personal milestones, and future financial requirements.The company said it has witnessed strong adoption of its Paytm Gold product. Building on that...

Government Permits Export of 25 Lakh Tonnes of Wheat to Stabilize Domestic Market Centre Allows Limited Wheat Exports Despite Prohibited Policy Status New Delhi, February 24: The government has permitted the export of 25 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, even as the overall export policy for the grain continues to remain under the prohibited category.The decision, taken earlier this month, was formally notified on Tuesday by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.In its notification, the DGFT stated that while the export policy for wheat remains prohibited, an exception has been granted allowing the shipment of 25 LMT of wheat. The detailed modalities governing these exports will be notified...

Vivriti Group Launches Vivriti Next, Vineet Sukumar Commits ₹200 Crore to New Holding Platform Vivriti Next to Anchor Lending, Private Credit and Capital Market Expansion Mumbai, February 24: Vivriti Group has unveiled Vivriti Next as its new operating and holding company, marking a structural shift aimed at expanding beyond traditional lending. Founder and Managing Director Vineet Sukumar has committed ₹200 crore to the new entity in his personal capacity, underlining the group’s long term growth ambitions.Vivriti Next will house the group’s lending arm, Vivriti Capital, and its private credit business, Vivriti Asset Management. In addition to consolidating these businesses, the platform will broaden its scope to include capital...

Omnitech Engineering Raises ₹174.6 Crore from Anchor Investors Ahead of ₹583 Crore IPO Omnitech Engineering has raised over ₹174 crore from anchor investors on Tuesday, a day before the opening of its initial public offering. The Rajkot-based manufacturer of precision-engineered components finalized allocations at the upper end of the price band, signaling strong institutional interest ahead of its market debut.Anchor Investors Subscribe at ₹227 Per Share According to a circular uploaded on the BSE website, the company allocated 76,91,629 equity shares to anchor investors at ₹227 per share, aggregating to approximately ₹174.6 crore.Among the participants were leading domestic and global institutions including ICICI Prudential Mutual...

Government to Divest Up to 4% Stake in Indian Railway Finance Corporation via OFS The Government of India will divest up to a 4 percent stake in Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd through an Offer for Sale, beginning Wednesday. The move is part of the government’s ongoing stake dilution in public sector enterprises.The floor price for the Offer for Sale has been fixed at ₹104 per equity share, according to a regulatory filing by the company.Offer Structure and Timeline The stake sale will open for non retail investors on Wednesday, while retail investors can place bids on Thursday.As per the announcement by Department of Investment and Public Asset Management Secretary Arunish Chawla, the government will initially divest 2...

Markets today are navigating a mix of boardroom suspense, global tariff tensions and a renewed debate around artificial intelligence. From sharp swings in Indian equities to fresh trade uncertainty in the United States, policy and corporate developments are shaping investor sentiment across the board.Here are the top 10 stories driving business and policy conversations.1. Tata Sons Defers Decision On N Chandrasekaran’s Extension Tata Sons has deferred a decision on extending the term of Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran following its board meeting on Tuesday.Sources indicate that the matter has now been pushed to the next board meeting scheduled in June, prolonging speculation around leadership continuity at the salt to software...

India and Canada Set to Finalize Terms of Reference for Free Trade Agreement Talks FTA Negotiations Likely to Resume This Week India and Canada are poised to take a significant step toward strengthening bilateral economic ties, with both sides expected to finalize the Terms of Reference for a proposed Free Trade Agreement later this week. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed on Tuesday that discussions are progressing and an official launch of negotiations could follow shortly.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to arrive in India on February 26. During his visit, the two nations aim to conclude the Terms of Reference, which will define the scope, structure, and modalities of the proposed trade pact...

American Express India Partners Magic Bus to Train 3,000 Youth in Digital and Employability Skills Three-Year Initiative to Boost Job Readiness in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR New Delhi, February 24: American Express India on Tuesday announced a three-year partnership with Magic Bus India Foundation to equip young people with employability and digital skills, helping them navigate an increasingly competitive and technology-driven economy.Under the initiative, nearly 3,000 young people across Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR will receive industry-relevant technical training along with essential life skills aimed at strengthening their employment prospects.Focus on Cloud, AI and Cybersecurity Training The program provides structured job-readiness...

BharatBenz Expands Eastern India Footprint with New Raniganj Dealership Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, a subsidiary of Daimler AG, has inaugurated a new BharatBenz dealership in Raniganj, West Bengal, strengthening its presence in the eastern region of the country.The new dealership, named Agile Trucking, marks a strategic expansion for the BharatBenz brand as it deepens its service and sales network in key freight corridors.85,000 Sq Ft Facility to Serve Eastern India Market Spread across 85,000 square feet, the Raniganj facility is equipped to handle comprehensive customer needs, including vehicle sales, after-sales service, and spare parts support.Staffed by 65 trained personnel, the dealership has the capacity to service...

Amitabh Kant Calls for Multilingual AI to Unlock True Potential at ‘Smarter Than the Storm’ Launch AI Must Be Multilingual to Deliver Real Impact, Says Amitabh Kant Former Amitabh Kant, ex-CEO of NITI Aayog, said on Tuesday that the full potential of artificial intelligence will only be realised when it becomes multilingual and capable of understanding and communicating across local and international languages.Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the launch of his book Smarter Than the Storm, Kant underlined that linguistic diversity is central to making AI truly inclusive and impactful. He stressed that India’s ambition is to lead from the front in emerging technologies as the global digital landscape evolves.Focus on AI...

India to Resume US Trade Talks After Tariff Clarity, Says Piyush Goyal Trade Negotiations With US Put on Hold Amid Tariff Uncertainty New Delhi, February 24: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday that India will resume trade talks with the United States as soon as there is greater clarity on the tariff situation in the US.Responding to a question on the timeline for restarting negotiations, Goyal said discussions would move forward “as soon as there is more clarity” regarding tariffs.Earlier, on February 22, India and the US mutually agreed to reschedule a proposed meeting between their chief negotiators. The meeting, originally planned to be held in Washington this week, was aimed at finalising the text for an...

WTO Sets Up Dispute Panel After China Challenges India’s PLI Schemes in Auto and Renewable Sectors China Escalates Trade Dispute Over India’s Incentive Measures New Delhi, February 24: The World Trade Organization has established a dispute settlement panel following a complaint by China against India’s measures in the automotive and renewable energy sectors. The move comes after bilateral consultations between the two countries failed to resolve the matter under the WTO framework.According to an official in Geneva, the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body agreed to set up the panel at China’s second request. The panel will examine specific Indian measures related to the automotive and renewable energy industries.Allegations Against India’s...

AMD to Deploy Up to 6 Gigawatts of Instinct GPUs for Meta’s Expanding AI Operations New Delhi, February 24: Advanced Micro Devices and Meta Platforms have announced a major multi year partnership to build the next generation of artificial intelligence infrastructure, marking a significant expansion of their existing strategic collaboration.Under the agreement, AMD will deploy up to six gigawatts of its AMD Instinct GPUs to power Meta’s growing AI operations. The companies said the deal aligns their roadmaps across silicon, systems, and software, with the objective of delivering AI platforms specifically tailored to Meta’s large scale workloads.First Phase to Begin in Second Half of 2026 The initial phase of deployment will involve a...

Board Meeting at Bombay House Signals Governance Discussions Within Tata Group Mumbai, February 24: The board of Tata Sons on Monday postponed a decision on the reappointment of Natarajan Chandrasekaran for a third term as Chairman, according to sources, pointing to ongoing discussions within the apex holding company of the diversified conglomerate.Chandrasekaran’s current term runs until February 2027. The board had convened at Bombay House to deliberate on extending his tenure when concerns were raised, leading to a deferral of the proposal.Noel Tata Sets Conditions for Reappointment Sources said Noel Tata, who chairs Tata Trusts and represents the principal shareholder that owns roughly two thirds of Tata Sons, placed certain...

The Indian rupee traded in a tight range on Tuesday before settling 6 paise lower at 90.95 against the US dollar, weighed down by a stronger greenback, rising crude oil prices, and weakness in domestic equity markets.The local currency had closed at 90.89 on Monday after gaining 5 paise in the previous session.Narrow Trading Band Amid Possible RBI Intervention At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.91 and moved within a narrow band of 90.91 to 90.97 during the day. It finally ended the session at 90.95, down 6 paise from its previous close.Forex traders indicated that the limited movement suggested possible intervention by the Reserve Bank of India to prevent excessive volatility. The rupee hovered near...

First Round of India Israel FTA Negotiations Underway Till February 26 The first round of negotiations for the proposed India Israel Free Trade Agreement has commenced in New Delhi and will continue until February 26, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Tuesday.The talks coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel on February 25 and 26, a timing the ministry described as providing renewed momentum to deepen economic engagement between the two countries.The Terms of Reference for the agreement were signed in November 2025, establishing a structured framework to guide discussions on expanding trade and strengthening economic cooperation.FTA Expected to Provide Certainty for Businesses, Including MSMEs...

Government Targets Doubling of Food Processing Capacity in 6 to 7 Years, Says Food Processing Secretary India Aims to Raise Agricultural Processing from 12–13% to Nearly Double New Delhi, February 24: The government has set an ambitious target to double India’s food processing capacity over the next six to seven years, according to a senior official from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.Secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Avinash Joshi, said that India currently processes only 12 to 13 per cent of its agricultural produce. The aim is to significantly expand this capacity within the next six to seven years.“Today, we process around 12 to 13 per cent of our agricultural products, and we are targeting...

Joint Statement Signed in New Delhi to Resume Long-Pending FTA Talks New Delhi, February 24: India and the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council have formally launched negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement, marking a renewed push to deepen economic ties between the two regions.A joint statement was signed in New Delhi by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the visiting Secretary General of the GCC, Jasem Mohammad Al Budaiwi. The Commerce Ministry confirmed that the joint statement formally initiates negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial India GCC FTA.The launch represents a resumption of earlier efforts, as previous rounds of negotiations were held in 2006 and 2008. The third round did not...