The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are released on 12th of every month (or previous working day if 12th is a holiday) with a six weeks lag and compiled with data received from source agencies, which in turn receive the data from the producing factories/ establishments.
These Quick Estimates will undergo revision in subsequent releases as per the revision policy of IIP.
Key highlights:
Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of February, 2025 over February, 2024 is 3.61% (Provisional). There is decline of 65 basis points in headline inflation of February, 2025 in comparison to January, 2025. It is the lowest year-on-year inflation after July, 2024.
Food Inflation: Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month of February, 2025 over February, 2024 is 3.75% (Provisional). Corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban are 4.06% and 3.20%, respectively.
Finance Ministry has notified Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) for Power Finance Corporation. The company can raise up to Rs. 10,000 crore.
ZCB is an instrument that doesn’t pay interest during its term, but instead is sold at a discount to its face value. When the bond matures, the investor receives the full-face value. There will be no periodic payment of interest.
According to the notification, the bond will be issued with a discount of Rs. 49,546 for a face value of Rs. 1 lakh. In other words, the investor will pay Rs. 50,454 at the time of issuance, while get Rs. 1 lakh at maturity. These bonds will have the maturity value of 121 months or 10 years and one month. “To be issued on or before march 31, 2027,” the notification said.
The notification has capped the number of bonds to be issued at 10 lakhs.
These bonds are meant for long-term investors who are not looking for periodic interest payments but are focused on substantial lumpsum payout at a future date. Since these bonds pay the full-face value at the maturity date,
they are perfect for allocating funds for respective future financial obligations such as a child’s education, marriage, retirement etc.
The ZCB attracts tax on gains only. It will depend upon the duration of holding. If it is less than 12 months, then gains will attract short term capital gain tax according to bond holder’s income tax slab.
However, gain after holding for more than 12 months will be subjected to long term capital gain tax which is 12.5 per cent.
During the 4th NMFT Conference India advocated that unity amongst nations is essential in the fight against Terrorism and India stands steadfast with the global community in this fight.
India raised concerns that Terror financing increasingly has cross border linkages in terms of flow of funds and due to the development of new digital technologies;
the sources, methods and channels used for flow of assets by terrorists are becoming increasingly more complex, and pose a significant challenge to global security.
In order to meet the challenges of terror funding, the Government has strengthened the intelligence set up to collect, collate and disseminate information on real time basis,
the legal regime has been strengthened by amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and a Terror Funding and Fake Currency (TFFC) Cell and three new verticals related to Cyber Terrorism, Explosive and Prohibited Arms and Human Trafficking have been created in NIA,
to conduct focused investigation of terror funding and fake currency cases. A Fake Indian Currency Note Co-ordination Centre (FCORD) has been formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to share intelligence inputs and information amongst the different security agencies of the Centre and States to curb the circulation of Counterfeit currencies in the country.
The regulatory aspects for the Financial Ecosystem are being looked after by Reserve Bank of India.
The Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005 empowers the Director, Financial Intelligence Unit- India (FIU-IND) to issue guidelines in consultation with the concerned regulator for detecting and reporting suspicious transactions to FIU-IND.
India is participating in NMFT Conferences since 2018.
State Bank of India (SBI), the nation’s largest lender, is setting up a dedicated unit to cater to project financing needs of emerging sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), e-commerce, and fintech.
Ashwini Kumar Tewari, Managing Director at SBI, revealed that the initiative will be completed within a year and will involve the hiring of specialized professionals.
The bank is also in the process of appointing an external consultant to streamline the establishment of this unit.
This new unit, named the “Center of Excellence for Project Financing,” aims to expand SBI’s project finance and structuring division, which has traditionally focused on large-scale infrastructure projects.
With growing demand, the bank is shifting its focus towards new-age industries and renewable energy, which are increasingly contributing to its project financing portfolio.
India’s infrastructure modernization drive, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to create significant opportunities for these sectors.
SBI’s annual report states that in the fiscal year 2024, the bank financed 48 large projects through its project finance and structuring unit.
Beyond funding, the Center of Excellence for Project Financing will also serve as a knowledge-sharing hub, offering insights to other financial institutions, Tewari added.
Muthoot Microfin, a leading microfinance institution committed to empowering women entrepreneurs, has achieved a remarkable double victory at the SKOCH Awards 2025, securing two prestigious Gold Awards. The accolades were presented to Sadaf Sayeed, CEO of Muthoot Microfin, by Sameer Kochhar, Chairman of SKOCH Group, and Gursharan Dhanjal, Vice-Chairman of SKOCH Group,
at a distinguished ceremony in New Delhi.
The company was recognized for its excellence in digital financial inclusion and insurance solutions, winning:
- Corporate Excellence - "Best Customer Application on Digital Financial Inclusion" for its groundbreaking Mahila Mitra initiative. With 1.73 million downloads and an impressive 4.2-star rating,
Mahila Mitra has transformed how women in rural India access financial services, making digital transactions seamless and secure.
- BFSI Award - "Best Insurance Scheme" for its Griha Raksha Insurance Scheme, which has provided coverage to 2.66 million beneficiaries, reinforcing Muthoot Microfin's commitment to financial security and social empowerment.
With women at the heart of its mission, Muthoot Microfin is not just providing financial services-it is building a stronger India. By enabling 34.2 lakh women-led households, the company is positively impacting the lives of 1.4 crore Indians, driving meaningful change at the grassroots level.
The recognition at SKOCH Awards 2025 underscores Muthoot Microfin's commitment to innovation, customer-centricity, and social impact, further strengthening its position as a leader in the microfinance industry.
Muthoot Microfin Ltd. is a part of Muthoot Pappachan Group (also known as Muthoot Blue) and is one of the leading listed MFIs in India.
The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) said Atul Kumar Goel has assumed charge as Chief Executive (CE) of the Association.
Goel was MD and CEO of Punjab National Bank (PNB) from February 2022 to December 2024. He was Chairman of IBA for two terms – 2021-22 and 2022-23.
His predecessor at IBA, Sunil Mehta, too was MD & CEO of PNB (from May 2017 to September 2019) and Chairman of the Association (2018-19). Mehta was IBA CE from January 2020 till September 2024.
The new IBA Chief Executive is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He has three decades of banking experience in four Banks -- Allahabad Bank (now Indian Bank),
Union Bank of India (as Executive Director), UCO Bank (MD & CEO) and PNB (MD & CEO).
ICICI Bank Limited has appointed Kamal Wali as the Head of its Security Operations Center, bringing over 18 years of cybersecurity and IT operations expertise to the institution. In this role, Kamal will oversee the bank’s security operations, focusing on risk mitigation and enhancing digital resilience.
Before joining ICICI Bank, he held leadership positions at prominent organisations, including Jio Platforms Limited, Wipro, IBM, Intex Technologies, and Spanco Telesystems. His extensive experience encompasses managing security frameworks, implementing complex projects, and developing operational security strategies.
IIFL Finance, one of India's largest non-banking financial companies, has rebranded seven existing branches into all women staffed 'Shakti' branches on the occasion of Women's Day. The seven rebranded branches are located across the Delhi National Capital Region and Mumbai Metropolitan Region, underscoring IIFL Finance's commitment to empowering women in financial services.
'Shakti' branches celebrate the strength and resilience of women who drive social and economic change in their communities. These branches will cater to all borrowers and offer financial literacy programs tailored for female entrepreneurs.
These seven ‘Shakti’ branches, staffed entirely by women will provide employment opportunities to female professionals,
thereby bolstering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Beyond financial services, these branches will offer skill development programs designed to support women entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses.
Women business owners are a vital force in India's economy and form a significant segment of IIFL Finance's customer base.
