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India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a long-awaited free trade agreement (FTA), marking a major step in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. The deal was finalised after nine months of intensive talks. Here's what it means for both the nations 👇 https://mybs.in/2esTQjE

Indian Railways will revise passenger fare starting December 26, 2025, affecting both AC and non-AC travellers. Watch in to find out more 👇 https://youtu.be/c8u0NDtV6pg

Book Review | Unseen: The Untold Story of Deepinder Goyal and The Making of Zomato by Megha Vishwanath Unseen… stands out more for the portrayal of Deepi as a young boy, more than him as a businessman. The book not only tells of many such awe-inspiring moments in the life of a startup, it also captures the unpredictability, risk and adventure through it all. Read the full review by Nivedita Mookerji here 👇 https://mybs.in/2esSx4p

For the second time in 2025-26, the Ministry of Railways has raised passenger fares, a move officials described as “modest” and calibrated to put minimal burden on travellers. The latest increase is expected to generate an additional ₹600 crore in revenue during the current financial year, the ministry said. At prevailing passenger volumes, the annualised revenue gain would have been close to ₹2,400 crore. More details: https://mybs.in/2esSx2m

India and New Zealand have concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after nine months of intensive effort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, and they jointly announced the successful conclusion of the deal. The deal, alongside sweeping tariff cuts, opens a new pathway for Indian professionals to work in New Zealand under a capped skilled visa programme. https://mybs.in/2esTQi8

Foxconn has rapidly expanded its workforce at its new iPhone assembly facility near Bengaluru. In nine months, the company has hired close to 30,000 workers at its Devanahalli unit near Bengaluru. A key feature of the Devanahalli plant is its workforce composition. Around 80 per cent of the employees are women, most of whom are between 19 and 24 years old and entering formal employment for the first time. More details: https://mybs.in/2esTQgQ

Markets With BS | Varun Beverages, KEC International, PVR Inox, Rites, Tech M, and Crompton Greaves are some of the stocks to watch today. Take a look 👇 https://mybs.in/2esTQfF

Markets With BS | Varun Beverages, KEC International, PVR Inox, Rites, Tech M, and Crompton Greaves are some of the stocks to watch today. Take a look 👇 https://mybs.in/2esTQfF

🧠 It’s Monday. Your coffee woke up your body—now wake up your brain. 🟦 Solve today’s free Sudoku puzzle: https://www.business-standard.com/sudoku-puzzle-online

Good morning! This is what Business Standard's front page looks like today. Read the stories on http://business-standard.com

Book Review | Ghost-Eye by Amitav Ghosh Ghosh writes with deep affection for Calcutta (now Kolkata) and the Sundarbans, and from a moral responsibility to make amends for the ecological harm that human beings have caused. He continues to tell stories that are profound, layered and meaningful. Read Chintan Girish Modi's review 👇 https://mybs.in/2esS3g7

Alphabet's Google has advised some employees on US visas to avoid international travel due to delays at embassies, Business Insider reported on Friday, citing an internal email. The email, sent by the company's outside counsel BAL Immigration Law on Thursday, warned staff who need a visa stamp to re-enter the United States not to leave the country because visa processing times have lengthened, the report said. More info: https://mybs.in/2esSVB1

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he discussed EU regulation of American tech companies on Thursday with the bloc’s trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, and reinforced “strong concerns” that the measures are discriminatory against US companies. He also said negotiations with India that began earlier this year still haven’t resulted in an agreement — noting that the US had concluded deals with a slew of other partners, from Malaysia to Switzerland, in the interim. https://mybs.in/2esSVAx

Datanomics | Lynching persists in India despite laws and low conviction Between 2014 and 2023, India recorded 189 lynching cases — less than 1% of over 526,000 incidents of mob violence. As of 2025, only Manipur, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jharkhand have anti-lynching laws. Read more 👇 https://mybs.in/2esS3VT

Opinion | Dhurandhar marks the arrival in Bollywood of a new-generation soft power Dhurandhar has an unapologetically political theme. This is a celebration of the Modi-Doval era. And because there’s a sequel coming, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet, writes Shekhar Gupta. Read the full piece here 👇🏻 https://mybs.in/2esS3gu

IndiGo will start compensating passengers affected by widespread flight cancellations earlier this month from next week, following directions from the civil aviation ministry, according to a report by The Economic Times. IndiGo will begin issuing travel vouchers worth ₹10,000 from December 26 to passengers who were severely impacted and stranded at airports for several hours on December 3, 4 and 5. This will be over and above compensation of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000, as mandated under government norms. Read more: https://mybs.in/2esSV9s

Take Two | Will India be able to solve its air pollution problem? Mundane as it may seem, this is in some ways a metaphor for the challenges facing the nation more broadly. A Sixth of Humanity by Arvind Subramanian and Devesh Kapur identify necessary conditions that would give India a fair shot at solving important challenges ahead. Excerpt: https://mybs.in/2esS3fi

Delhi woke up to heavy smog over the weekend as air quality in the capital deteriorated sharply. Fourteen out of 39 monitoring stations recorded AQI in the ‘severe’ category, with no area below 300. Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 434 at 8 am, while the city’s average AQI stood at 384, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). https://mybs.in/2esSV8t

Sundays have never come in the way of the annual financial statement. But 2026 is going to be different and power corridors are as engaged with the date of the Budget as with its theme, perhaps. Read more: https://mybs.in/2esS3eV

Video | Driven by increased corporate tax payments and low refunds, India’s direct tax collections have surpassed ₹17 trillion midway through FY26, signaling strong economic momentum. Watch in for details 👇🏻 https://youtu.be/eO1XQam0TXk