The White House has revised its fact sheet on the interim US–India trade deal, removing references to “certain pulses,” dropping “agriculture” from the tariff list, and changing India’s purchase pledge from “committed” to “intends” regarding over 500 billion dollars in US goods. It also softened language on digital services taxes. Former Home Secretary Sanjeev Gupta called it a retraction, while Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal maintained limited concessions. The update follows a Trump–Modi call, after which the US lifted an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian imports.
Read more here
Inflows into gold, silver ETFs pip equity schemes in January
Gold exchange-traded funds in India saw record net inflows of ₹24,040 crore in January 2026, marking the eighth straight month of gains, as investors shifted to safe-haven assets amid equity market volatility. Fund executives including Varun Gupta of Groww and Akhil Chaturvedi of Motilal Oswal said strong returns in gold and silver drove diversification from equities. Analysts noted gold ETFs remain firm, while silver lags. However, OmniScience Capital’s Vikas Gupta cautioned that investing at elevated prices may pose long-term risks.
Read more here
All key sensitive sectors protected under India-US Interim trade pact: Commerce Secy
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal says India has protected sensitive sectors like agriculture, dairy, farmers and fishermen under the interim trade pact with the US, using tariff rate quotas where needed. He said both sides aim to finalise and sign the legal agreement by March. Key farm products received no duty concessions. The deal will lower US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent, giving labour-intensive sectors like textiles and gems an edge over competitors such as China and Vietnam.
Read more here
Direct tax collection rises 9% to ₹19.44 lakh crore in April-Feb
Net direct tax collections in India rose 9.4 percent to ₹19.44 lakh crore between April 1 and February 10, driven by over 14 percent growth in corporate taxes, according to CBDT data. However, the government still needs ₹4.77 lakh crore to meet its revised annual target of ₹24.21 lakh crore, making it challenging. Non-corporate tax growth was slower at 6 percent, and refunds declined. Experts say a March surge may help bridge the gap.
Read more here
Published on February 12, 2026