Durables, fashion and footwear see up to 40% rise in sales (Financial Express)
Festive season shopping has surged sharply after GST rate cuts, with sales of durables, fashion, and footwear jumping 20–40% in the past ten days, led by strong demand during Dussehra and expected to carry through Diwali. Companies like LG, Samsung, and Godrej report 35–40% growth in large-panel TVs, ACs, and dishwashers as lower GST rates boosted sentiment, while apparel and footwear retailers such as Lifestyle saw 15–20% sales growth despite rains in some regions. Malls and high streets too are witnessing 30% higher sales and rising footfalls, as consumers upgrade products and take advantage of price cuts, though retailers caution that demand may taper off after the festive period.
Putin orders steps to ease India-Russia trade imbalance amid Trump tariffs (Business Standard)
At the Valdai forum in Sochi, President Vladimir Putin emphasised the “special” and tension-free relationship between Russia and India, praising Prime Minister Modi as a wise and independent leader while acknowledging the trade imbalance created by India’s heavy crude oil imports. He suggested easing this gap through greater Russian purchases of Indian agricultural goods and medicines, as well as cooperation in technology and artificial intelligence, underscoring the importance of strengthening the 15-year-old strategic partnership. Looking ahead to his December visit to India, Putin positioned the relationship as resilient against US pressure and tariffs, warning that Washington’s actions could backfire globally while reaffirming Moscow’s commitment to deepening economic and diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
India-China direct flights to resume from October 26 after 5-year freeze (Business Standard)
India and China are set to restore direct air connectivity after more than five years, with IndiGo resuming daily nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou from October 26 and Air India expected to follow later this year with a Delhi-Shanghai service, marking a key step in reopening people-to-people and trade links. The suspension of flights since early 2020, first due to Covid and later worsened by the Galwan Valley clash, had symbolised the deep freeze in bilateral ties, but recent technical-level talks and agreements between civil aviation authorities have paved the way for this cautious restart. This move comes at a time when relations between the two neighbors show signs of thawing, aided by Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and growing diplomatic recalibrations, signaling a gradual normalization of exchanges after years of strain.
