BL Morning Report June 18, 2026: Get today’s top business news, market headlines about the Stock Market, Sensex & Nifty trends, key market insights, economic highlights, and the latest updates from India and global markets.

From the government’s Telegram curbs and the legal challenge around them, to a revival in IPO markets, and a record surge in defence production—here are the key developments across policy, markets and defence.

NEET paper leak: Google removes Telegram from Play Store, CEO Pavel Durov says ban is not a solution

Let’s start with the government’s move to restrict Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG re-test.Founder Pavel Durov says the ban is unlikely to stop paper leaks, arguing that offenders can simply move to other platforms, while over 150 million users in India are affected.The Centre has asked app stores to delist Telegram until June 22, and is also looking to temporarily disable its message-editing feature.The move follows the cancellation of the earlier exam over leak allegations, but has drawn criticism from digital rights groups, who question its effectiveness.

NTA DG holds firm on Telegram ban as platform tells Delhi HC blocking order is ‘unsustainable in law’

And staying with that story, the government has defended its move to block Telegram ahead of the NEET exams.NTA Director General Abhishek Singh says the platform’s features made it vulnerable to misuse, including in paper-leak cases, and warned that enforcement will remain strict.Telegram has challenged the order in the Delhi High Court, calling it disproportionate, while the Centre says it has enough evidence to justify the action.

IPO comeback: ₹60,000 crore pipeline in next three months

Shifting to markets, India’s IPO activity is showing signs of a revival after a prolonged slowdown. Nearly 50 companies are expected to hit the primary market over the next three months, potentially raising close to ₹60,000 crore. Improving sentiment, stable equity markets and softer crude prices are driving the momentum, although experts caution that valuation discipline will be key for sustained investor interest.

Private sector push lifts defence production to record ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY26

Finally, on the defence front, India’s production has hit a record high.Annual defence output rose to ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY26, marking a 15.6 per cent increase, driven in part by stronger private sector participation.While public sector units still dominate, the private sector’s share has climbed to 24 per cent, its highest so far.The government says the growth reflects a broader push towards self-reliance, with defence exports also reaching record levels.

Script & VO: Prethicshaa Gurumoorthy

Published on June 18, 2026