The State Bank of India (SBI), the country's largest public sector lender, has announced a revision in its Fixed Deposit (FD) interest rates effective from April 15, 2025, according to the bank’s website. The bank has cut interest rates by 10 basis points for select medium-term deposits, specifically in the 1 to 3-year range,
applicable to both general customers and senior citizens. Alongside this revision, SBI has also reintroduced its special “Amrit Vrishti” FD scheme with modified rates for a 444-day tenure.
The revised FD rates reflect a conservative rate-cutting approach by the SBI, likely in anticipation of potential monetary easing by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
After the revision, SBI offers interest rates between 3.50% and 6.9% (without special deposit) for tenures ranging from 7 days to 10 years. For senior citizens, the bank offers interest rate between 4% to 7.50% (including SBI We care).
India and Slovakia have signed a Defence Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at co-developing and manufacturing advanced technologies for next-generation combat vehicles. The agreement was signed between Slovakia and Airbornics Defence & Space (ADSL), the defence subsidiary of India’s JCBL Group.
The MoU was formalised during the ongoing state visit of President Droupadi Murmu to Slovakia, where she is accompanied by a high-level business delegation. The agreement marks the first defence partnership of its kind between the two countries, highlighting India’s growing role in global defence cooperation and indigenous manufacturing.
Under the MoU, ADSL will be responsible for developing and manufacturing critical subsystems for Light Tanks, Future Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCVs), and Future Infantry Combat Vehicles (FICVs). These will include Turrets, Active Protection Systems (APS), Remote-Controlled Weapon Systems (RCWS), and Human-Machine Interface (HMI) modules.
SBI Card, India's largest pure-play credit card issuer, has partnered with Tata Digital to launch the Tata Neu SBI Card. This collaboration introduces a co-branded credit card available in two variants: Tata Neu Infinity SBI Card and Tata Neu Plus SBI Card. Both cards aim to offer a premium shopping experience by providing rewards in the form of NeuCoins.
Cardholders can earn up to 10% rewards on the Tata Neu Infinity SBI Card and up to 7% on the Tata Neu Plus SBI Card. These rewards are redeemable through the Tata Neu app, addressing diverse lifestyle needs such as groceries, travel, and fashion.
The new co-branded card provides attractive benefits for everyday spending.
Cardholders can receive up to 1.5% back on UPI transactions with the RuPay variant and up to 5% on bill payments made through Tata Neu.
The application process is convenient, as customers can apply digitally via SBI Card SPRINT or offline at select Croma stores.
Both card variants carry a joining and annual renewal fee, with the Tata Neu Infinity SBI Card priced at Rs 1,499 and the Tata Neu Plus SBI Card at Rs 499, plus applicable taxes.
In addition to rewards, the Tata Neu SBI Card offers complimentary access to domestic and international airport lounges, enhancing the overall premium experience.
World Liver Day is observed on April 19 every year globally to acknowledge liver health and its related diseases. The day aims to create awareness about maintaining a healthy liver to avoid any liver-related diseases. The liver is a vital organ that performs various essential functions in the body, like digestion, detoxification, and nutrient storage.
World Liver Day began in 2010 due to the increased number of liver diseases among people. It was an initiative by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) to seek people’s attention to liver health worldwide.
World Liver Day 2025’s theme is ‘Food is Medicine’.
It basically throws light on how important it is to have a healthy and balanced diet for a healthy and well-functioning liver. A balanced and nutrition-rich diet helps to avoid excess buildup of fat, which is necessary for liver health, as fatty liver can lead to disease and raise major concern. But let us first understand what it is.
The Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu approved the draft Ordinance to implement the sub-categorisation of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the State.
Aimed at integrated and equitable development of the sub-castes, the Cabinet, following a proposal from the Social Welfare Department,
approved the classification of the 59 SC communities in the State into three categories based on their population, backwardness, and social cohesion.
The government would also issue a District Selection Committee (DSC) notification to fill the teacher posts, and the SC sub-categorisation would be applicable to it.
Social Welfare Minister Dola Balaveeranjaneya Swamy said 12 castes were brought under Group-I, and 1% reservation was earmarked for them. Similarly, 18 castes that form part of Group-II would get 6.5% reservation. The third group comprised of 29 castes with 7.5% reservation, he said.
“The Ordinance is aimed at ensuring equitable access to education and job opportunities among the SC communities, and will be implemented across all the 26 districts. A 200-point roster system will be used in two cycles of 100 points each,” the Minister said.
Home Minister V. Anita said the government elicited the opinions and suggestions from all the caste organisations.
South India's first AC EMU chugged along the Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu corridor, marking yet another significant episode in the suburban rail network that is often hailed by many as the transport lifeline of the city and its neighbourhoods.
This is the first such service in southern India, an official said.
The Chennai division of Southern Railway operates the service.
The train is equipped with more features than the regular EMU rakes, such as automatic doors and passenger information system.
The maiden service was flagged off from Chennai Beach to Chengalpattu at 7 am and saw eager passengers enjoying the ride.
Many regular train commuters recalled the days of the iconic metre gauge that was phased out in 2004 to accommodate broad gauge rakes with more capacity, and expressed joy over the air conditioned Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) being introduced just during the peak summer.
According to Southern Railway, the initiative was aimed at providing hassle-free, pleasant travel experience for passengers.
The state-of-the-art 12-car AC EMUs, manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, are equipped with several modern features that "offer Metro-like comfort with a higher carrying capacity of around 5000 passengers."
The AC EMU service was first introduced in the Mumbai suburban and witnessed steady patronage among commuters, especially office-goers and women travellers.
Following its success, it has been introduced in Chennai suburban in Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu section which registers high footfalls, it said.
For the first time since 2022, the Indian mutual fund industry is witnessing a net closure in SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) accounts, raising red flags about changing investor behavior and confidence, as per an analysis by Elara Capital.
SIPs, known for their resilience during market volatility, remained steady even during past market disruptions—most notably during the 2022–23 correction sparked by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Back then, while lump sum flows fluctuated, SIP accounts continued to grow, reflecting long-term investor commitment.
But 2025 tells a different story. Starting January, the mutual fund industry has seen more SIP accounts being closed than opened—a reversal that hasn't occurred in over two years. This shift suggests growing caution among retail investors amid evolving market conditions.
IndusInd Bank named Santosh Kumar as its deputy CFO, with effect from April 18.
Kumar will head the finance and accounts functions till IndusInd appoints a full-time CFO, the lender said, after deputy CEO Arun Khurana's term as finance chief ends.
IndusInd, India's fifth-largest private lender by assets, has been grappling with elevated bad loans in the microfinance segment, leading to a drop in profit in the last two quarters.
Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu and Commonwealth Games gold medallist S. Sathish Kumar have been elected chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively, of the Athletes’ Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). Their term will last four years.
Mirabai is one of India’s most decorated weightlifters, holding multiple national records and historic milestones to her name. Her personal best in the total lift is 205kg — 86kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk — which also stands as the national record.
She holds the national record in snatch as well, with a lift of 88kg.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she became the first Indian weightlifter to win a silver medal, marking a watershed moment for the sport in the country. Earlier, in 2017, she ended a 22-year wait by becoming the first Indian in over two decades to win gold at the World Weightlifting Championships.
