The last few years have seen a race for startups in India, amid the ongoing battle for unicorns and valuations, with entrepreneur Anil Agarwal advising that valuation is essential for business, but not a measure of success. Companies that solve customer problems are seen to be successful.
The basic customs duty on the parts coming in the manufacture of electronics parts in the country will be waived till the next year 2029. These parts are used in making smart TVs, smart watches, computers, wireless chargers, smart phones, laptops, fitness bands and other electronics items. Besides, this decision has been taken to promote local production under the PLI scheme run by the central government.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has issued Dabur India Ltd. Strict action has been taken against. FASSAI has banned several Dabur products for misleading claims of 100 percent natural organic product. FASSAI has ordered a ban on the sale of several food products of Dabur India. The company was making claims such as 100 percent natural, 100 percent pure and 100 percent organic on many of its products, which were found to be inconsistent with regulations, the regulator said. FASSAI has directed the company to immediately stop sale of all such products and submit an action taken report within 15 days. FASSAI has directed the company to immediately stop selling many of its food products. The regulator said the company was making claims on its products that could mislead consumers and were inconsistent with existing regulations. The claims Dabur is making on its website and some products have been called vague claims by regulators. Companies claiming 100 percent purity have also violated the rules. FASSAI has directed Dabur India to submit a report within 15 days.
One 97 Communication Limited-Paytm has informed that the company's board will consider the proposal to issue bonus shares along with June quarter results in a meeting to be held on July 20. However, this will be the first bonus issue after Paytm's stock market listing in 2021. Paytm had earlier completed an open market share buyback of Rs 850 crore in December 2022. After this, this could be the first major corporate action from the company. The entry of Paytm in the stock market took place in the year 2021. The company's IPO came at an issue price of Rs 2150 per share, but the stock was listed below this price. Later, the stock hit a record low of around Rs 300 amid concerns over regulatory challenges and profitability. However, the business and financial performance of the company has improved in recent times. But it is still being quoted at 50 percent below the IPO offer price. Investors at the time of IPO may get relief if Paytm offers one bonus share for one. According to the company's shareholding pattern, the share of domestic investors increased to 51.6 percent as of June 30, 2026, from 50.3 percent in the previous quarter. Paytm has retained its status as an Indian owned and controlled company for the second quarter in a row. The share of domestic institutional investors also increased to 24.9 percent from 23.1 percent in the previous quarter. The total share of mutual funds rose to 17.9 percent from 16.6 percent in the June quarter. The number of mutual funds investing in the company has also increased from 41 to 43. Goldman Sachs believes that growing market share in the payments business and strength in financial services can further support the company's growth. If Paytm maintains a consistent revenue growth of over 20 percent, the stock's valuation may see further improvement.
Skoda Auto India has inaugurated three new customer contact centers in Ahmedabad and Himmatnagar in Gujarat, thereby strengthening the company's network presence in the state as well as in western India. These new facilities include a new sales and service center in Naroda, a new sales center in Maninagar and a new compact 3S facility in Himmatnagar. Located at Naroda, Ahmedabad, the center is spread over 26,700 square feet, with six vehicle display facilities and 19 service bays. While the Maninagar-based dealership has a 4,800 sq ft sales center with seven vehicle display facilities. The new compact 3S facility launched at Himmatnagar is spread over an area of 10,600 square feet, with provision for four vehicle displays as well as a service facility with four service bays. All the newly launched sales and service facilities reflect Skoda Auto's global modern solid design philosophy, offering customers a great sales and service experience with a welcoming environment. With the addition of these new centres, Skoda Auto India now has a total of 25 customer contact centers across 16 cities in Gujarat—Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Vapi, Gandhinagar, Anand, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Gandhidham, Himmatnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Mehsana, Morbi and Navsari. Speaking on the occasion, Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto said, “With the inauguration of these new facilities in Gujarat, we are further strengthening Skoda Auto India's presence in the state as well as in the western region of India. We now have five customer contact centers operating in Ahmedabad alone. Through it we are bringing our complete product portfolio closer to the customers while also making them experience the highest standards of service and care. The importance of Gujarat in the development of India is very special and we are confident that with the Kylaq, new Kushaq, Kodiaq and Slavia we will be able to strengthen the Škoda brand in this important market.
India's transition to E20 fuel is the result of long planning, policy preparation, discussions with industry and scientific testing that began in 2001. The route from E10 to E20 went ahead after the roadmap announced in 2021 and inter-ministerial committee discussions. However, the Ministry of Petroleum admitted that some vehicles could experience a mileage reduction of up to 3-5 percent with E20 fuel. But he stressed that the debate should not be limited to mileage alone. Before the government implemented E-20, there were several rounds of discussions with vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, testing agencies, research institutes and technical experts. The ministry made it clear that if the manufacturers were not satisfied, they would not endorse the fuel or validate the vehicle's warranty. Almost every manufacturer today recognizes the warranty for E20, because they have been part of the process. All aspects like engine calibration, material compatibility, fuel systems, durability, drivability, emissions and fuel efficiency were evaluated before implementing the e20. Key Benefits of E-20 • Higher Octane Rating: Improves fuel quality. • Anti-knock properties: Reduces engine knock. • Cleaner combustion: reduces smoke and pollution. • Smooth acceleration: The driving experience becomes smoother. • Reduced carbon emissions: Environmentally friendly.
India’s first operational smart city continues its rapid growth.