State run refiners Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) have placed fresh January loading orders for Russian oil from non sanctioned suppliers as widening discounts make the crude more attractive, according to trade sources. The move comes despite evolving geopolitical risks and recent U.S. sanctions targeting major Russian producers. BPCL has reportedly purchased four cargoes two each of Russian Urals and CPC Blend. Sources indicate that Urals crude was offered at a discount of $6–$7 per barrel to dated Brent, making it significantly cheaper than alternatives in the global market. IOC, India’s largest refiner, has also…
Author: Adarsh Kumar
Insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and global investment firm GQG Partners have expressed interest in participating in the ongoing ₹24,930 crore rights issue of Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), according to people familiar with the development. The fundraising marks one of the largest capital-raising efforts undertaken by the Gautam Adani–led conglomerate in recent years. Both LIC and GQG Partners are among the largest public shareholders of Adani Enterprises, each holding around 4% equity. Their potential participation signals investor confidence in AEL’s long-term growth plans and the group’s continued strategy of expanding across new-age and core infrastructure sectors. AEL,…
A brief Cloudflare outage on Thursday disrupted multiple online services, including leading Indian trading platforms Zerodha, Angel One, and Groww. Thousands of users took to social media to report problems such as login failures, inability to place orders, and delays in accessing live market data. The disruption occurred as APIs and backend systems that rely on Cloudflare’s infrastructure faced connectivity issues across several regions. The outage had a direct impact on real-time trading activity during market hours, causing frustration among retail traders. Several fintech apps, enterprise tools, and global websites that depend on Cloudflare for content delivery, security, and traffic…
India’s largest airline, IndiGo has witnessed a sharp erosion of investor confidence as ongoing flight cancellations and operational disruptions have wiped out nearly Rs 25,000 crore from the market capitalisation of its parent company, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, over the last six trading sessions. According to stock exchange data, the airline’s continuous operational challenges have triggered a significant decline in its share price. The turbulence extends beyond markets, impacting more than 2.9 lakh retail shareholders who hold positions in InterGlobe Aviation. The steep fall in valuation reflects rising concerns over IndiGo’s ability to stabilise its operations quickly and manage passenger traffic…
Indian edtech and school management startup Newron has raised Rs 40 crore in a pre-Series A funding round, marking a significant milestone in its mission to redefine K–12 school operations in India and global markets. The fresh infusion of capital will strengthen Newron’s international operational capabilities, build a robust cross-border compliance framework, and enhance its proprietary technology infrastructure that powers centralized school administration. Founded in 2022, Newron offers end-to-end school management services, covering operations, finance, HR, and compliance. The startup also develops a comprehensive K–12 curriculum and deploys ERP systems to help institutions make data driven decisions. By replacing outdated…
Aspora, the cross-border financial technology platform formerly known as Vance, has appointed Varun Sridhar, ex-CEO of Paytm Money and Paytm Services, as the new CEO of its wealth management and lending division. The strategic leadership move was announced through Aspora’s official LinkedIn channel and marks a major milestone in the company’s global expansion ambitions. With 20+ years of experience in financial services, digital banking, and fintech transformation, Sridhar is widely regarded for steering high growth financial platforms. At Paytm, he helped scale Paytm Money from launch to profitability and played a key role in building the company’s operating model during…
Nikhil Kamath’s journey is not a typical success story — it’s a story of breaking rules and creating his own path. Born in Bengaluru, Nikhil was never interested in textbooks or exams. He dropped out of school early, began selling phones, and soon developed an obsession with the stock market. While most teenagers were figuring out college options, Nikhil was learning real-world trading at lightning speed. This unconventional start laid the foundation for one of India’s biggest financial revolutions. Building Zerodha: A Startup That Changed India’s Trading Culture In 2010, Nikhil and his brother Nithin founded Zerodha, a discount brokerage…
Nexus Venture Partners has announced the close of its $700 million Fund VIII, strengthening its position as one of the most active early stage investors across India and the United States. The new fund will primarily support startups in artificial intelligence, enterprise software, consumer tech, and fintech, continuing Nexus’ strategy of backing high potential founders building globally competitive companies. This raise mirrors the firm’s previous $700 million fund in 2023, signaling consistent investor confidence. Nexus confirmed that Fund VIII will also be deployed into US only ventures, alongside its long standing focus on cross border Indian software companies. The firm…
Ritesh Agarwal, founder & CEO of OYO Rooms, turned a small-town dream into a global hospitality empire. Born in Rayagada, Odisha, he dared to think big when most were settling for the ordinary. Today, OYO is a household name across India and multiple countries. Dropping Out to Build a Vision At just 17, Ritesh moved to Delhi, dropped out of college, and identified a major problem — budget travelers couldn’t find clean, affordable, and reliable rooms. This led to the birth of Oravel Stays, which soon evolved into OYO Rooms, redefining the budget hotel industry. Overcoming Challenges & Going Global…
Agentic AI is quickly becoming the backbone of next-generation enterprise automation, and Disseqt AI is emerging as one of the leading players shaping this shift. The company has entered strategic partnerships with Tata Technologies and Infosys to help global automobile and fintech companies adopt advanced AI agents safely and at scale. Disseqt AI focuses on solving a major challenge for large enterprises: ensuring that AI systems are reliable, testable, compliant, and ready for real-world workflows. Its platform allows organisations to build, simulate, test, and monitor Agentic AI systems without the heavy operational costs that typically slow adoption. By offering industry-specific…