India’s insurance sector is poised for a major overhaul, with regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) proposing sweeping reforms to expand insurance penetration, lower costs, improve transparency and foster competition. While the proposals promise a more accessible and efficient insurance ecosystem, the proposed curbs on commissions and operating expenses have sparked concerns […]
The RBI’s latest measures to defend the rupee were hardly unexpected. With the Indian currency inching towards the psychologically significant 100-per-dollar mark, intervention by the central bank was only a matter of time. From directly meeting the dollar requirements of state-run OMCs to tightening rules governing foreign exchange derivatives, the RBI has stepped up efforts […]
Indian households may hold as much as USD 5 trillion worth of gold, but much of this wealth remains outside the productive economy. With gold imports touching USD 72 billion a year, call to unlock household gold rises, while raising a difficult question: can India monetise its gold without changing the centuries-old relationship the people […]