Paul Merchants Finance Private Limited (PMFPL), a diversified NBFC and part of the Paul Merchants Group, has launched its Loan Against Silver product. The launch follows the Reserve Bank of India's introduction of the Reserve Bank of India (Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral) Directions, 2025, which formally enabled eligible regulated lenders to
accept silver as collateral for loans. The move by the RBI has opened the way for silver to become part of the formal secured lending ecosystem in India.
With this launch, PMFPL aims to bring an organised and transparent lending model to a segment that has traditionally been dominated by the unorganised sector, where customers have largely depended on
local financiers and informal channels to raise credit against their silver assets.PMFPL's Silver Loan initiative seeks to bridge the gap by providing customers with access to credit against an asset they already own.
Lending against silver has largely remained in the unorganised sector. With the RBI enabling lending against silver as collateral, we see an opportunity to bring this segment into the formal financial ecosystem. Paul Merchants have chosen to make a meaningful beginning by establishing exclusive Silver Loan branches and creating a specialised lending
platform around silver.The Company has commenced its Silver Loan operations from Chandigarh and plans to expand the product to other locations in a phased manner, with more dedicated Silver Loan branches being established to provide customers with an organised platform for availing loans against their silver assets.
Under this offering, customers can avail loans ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹15 lakh, against eligible silver jewellery, ornaments and approved silver coins, subject to the company's lending policies and applicable regulatory requirements. The product is intended to cater to individuals, proprietors and MSMEs looking for liquidity for personal, businesses.
Fintech and enterprise technology firm Paramotor Digital Technology Ltd has entered into a co-branded partnership agreement with NSDL Payments Bank to issue prepaid cards across India.The partnership will support Paramotor's consumer spend management, digital gifting and rewards and loyalty platforms, including SpendPro, Yayyy.shop and RewardOn.
The agreement is expected to enable Paramotor to offer industry-specific prepaid card programmes for enterprises and consumers across various use cases.
The partnership will leverage NSDL Payments Bank's prepaid card issuance services and banking infrastructure to support secure, RBI-compliant prepaid payment solutions across payment networks.
In May, Paramotor Digital filed draft papers with markets regulator Sebi through confidential route to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO).
In a major push for wider use of rupee in international trade, India has removed a key regulatory hurdle by allowing exporters to receive payments in Indian currency while retaining incentives under the country’s foreign trade policy.
It is an additional payment mechanism to the existing system based on freely convertible currencies.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in a notification amended the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 with immediate effect, aligning rules on export invoicing and realisation with the Reserve Bank of India’s existing foreign exchange
regulations.
The move comes against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump warning Brics countries against moves to challenge the dollar, including the creation of an alternative currency.
India, however, has explicitly rejected the idea of a common Brics currency. India does not support such a scheme. India has maintained that rupee internationalisation is about expanding the use of its domestic currency in global trade rather than replacing existing foreign currency arrangements.
The government has reappointed Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group, as a part-time, non-official director on the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for four years with effect from August 20, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The government has also appointed former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Somanath Sreedhara Panicker as a part-time, non-official director on the RBI’s Central Board for a four-year term from August 20, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Both will serve as part-time, non-official directors for four years from August 20, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has appointed Prasanta Mahapatra as Executive Director, marking another significant step in his more than 27-year career with India’s capital markets regulator. He took charge of the new role in Mumbai on August 3, 2026.
In his new role, Mahapatra will handle SEBI’s Corporation Finance Investigation Department (CFID) and Recovery and Refund Department (RRD), bringing extensive experience in market regulation, investigation and corporate finance to the position. Mahapatra joined SEBI in April 1999 and was serving as Chief General Manager before his elevation as Executive
Director. Over the course of his career, he has worked across several key functions, including the Market Regulation Department, Investigation Department, Enquiries and Adjudication Department, Market Intermediaries Regulation and Supervision Department, Corporation Finance Department and Investment Management Department.
He has also served at SEBI's Eastern Regional Office in Kolkata and participated in various domestic policy-making and advisory committees dealing with matters of mutual interest and cooperation with international regulators.
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), India's largest insurance company, has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to increase its stake in HDFC Bank to up to 9.99 per cent. According to an HDFC Bank regulatory filing dated August 19, the RBI has approved LIC's application to acquire up to 9.99 per cent of the bank's paid-up share
capital or voting rights.
The filing said the RBI "has accorded its approval to Life Insurance Corporation of India ("LIC")" for acquiring the additional stake in HDFC Bank. As of August 14, LIC holds 4.11 per cent of HDFC Bank's total share capital. The approval would therefore give LIC the option to significantly increase its ownership in the
in the private sector lender, subject to the applicable regulatory and statutory requirements.
CCI (Competition Commission of India)cleared the proposal of Prudential Corporation Holdings, an arm of UK-based financial giant Prudential plc, to acquire a stake in Bharti Life Insurance Company Ltd.The proposed combination envisages the acquisition of certain equity shareholding in Bharti Life Insurance Company Ltd (Target)
by Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd (Acquirer)," the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said in a release. Prudential Corporation Holdings acts as the holding company of the acquirer Group's insurance and asset management operations in Asia and provides management and support to its Asia and Africa business operations, while Bharti Life Insurance
is an IRDAI-licensed insurer.UK-based Prudential plc would acquire a majority 75 per cent stake in Bharti Life Insurance for Rs 3,500 crore from Bharti Life Ventures Pvt Ltd and 360 ONE Asset Management.Prudential currently holds around 22 per cent stake in its life insurance venture with ICICI Bank. With the proposed acquisition,
it will need to reduce its holding in the existing venture to meet regulatory requirements.Post completion of the transaction, Prudential's Indian operations will comprise majority-owned Bharti Life Insurance Company and Prudential HCL Health Insurance Ltd. Besides minority stakes in two listed entities,
namely 35 per cent of ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Ltd and 22 per cent in ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company.
Prudential HCL Health Insurance Ltd, backed by Prudential plc and the HCL Group, has commenced business operations in India. The JV which is 70:30 owned by Prudential and HCL respectively, had received nod from the insurance regulator on July 1, 2026 to enter over Rs 1 lakh crore health insurance market.
The standalone health insurer, operating as Prudential Health India, will use AI-powered experiences and products designed to address the evolving healthcare needs of Indian families.
As part of its launch, Prudential Health India has access to a network of more than 12,000 hospitals.
The insurer will operate an omnichannel model combining personal advice through its agency network with an AI-enabled direct-to-consumer platform. It will also offer digitally enabled services to help customers select health insurance cover,
manage policies and access support.
Policybazaar has launched a dedicated Student Term Plan in partnership with leading insurance companies, offering young Indians an early and affordable route to financial protection. The product is designed for students aged 18 to 25 years and provides life cover options starting from ₹25 lakh.
The offering aims to address the insurance gap among students, particularly those taking education loans or carrying emerging financial responsibilities. Under the plan, premiums can start at ₹388 per month for ₹50 lakh life cover for an 18-year-old purchasing a 30-year term plan, subject to eligibility, health and other applicable conditions.
The Union Cabinet, under the leadership of the PM Shri Narendramodi Ji, has decided to set up a bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir in Ladakh. This will significantly enhance access to justice for citizens living in remote areas of Ladakh by reducing the time required to avail themselves of the legal services they are entitled to.
At present, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has its principal seats at Srinagar and Jammu. The proposed Ladakh bench will provide residents of the Union Territory with a closer judicial forum and reduce the need to undertake long journeys for High Court-related proceedings.
Tingong Wangpan, a CM Aces athlete from Arunachal Pradesh, has been selected to represent India at the Asian Para Games 2026 in the Men’s 400m T37 category.
Wangpan’s achievement is the result of his dedication, hard work and determination.
The Sports Authority of India has announced a list of 51 men and 20 women athletes for the camp. The camp will be conducted across SAI Centres at Bengaluru, Delhi, and Sonipat.
Narender Berwal, an international-level boxer from Sorkhi village in Hansi district of Haryana, who has brought glory to the country, has been selected for the Arjuna Award.
Narender, who hails from a farming family and began his boxing journey in 2009, shared that his family and village are overjoyed following the news of his selection for this
selection for this prestigious award. He received congratulatory calls from his Army Commander and the Sports Minister of Haryana. He joined the Indian Army in 2013 and subsequently delivered outstanding performances in both national and international competitions.
Hyderabad-based women-led DeepTech and Defence Technology startup AkinAnalytics has launched its indigenous NIKA2 Kisan Medium Drone, strengthening its focus on technology-led solutions for farmers and other field-intensive industries.
The drone was unveiled by Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi, where he also witnessed a demonstration of the platform.
Designed with farmer utility and operational flexibility in mind, NIKA2 is a multi-payload agricultural drone featuring a 16-litre spraying payload and a 12-litre spreading payload. Its easy payload-change mechanism enables operators to switch between
spraying and spreading applications, allowing a single drone to perform multiple agricultural operations.The platform also incorporates terrain-following capability, fail-safe features and night-operation capability. Its applications extend beyond conventional agriculture to include aquaculture feed distribution, making it suitable for a wider range of
field operations.
A key feature of NIKA2 is its terrain-following capability, which is particularly relevant for uneven and sloping agricultural landscapes. The technology has potential applications in plantation regions, tea-growing areas of Shillong and Meghalaya, where terrain conditions can make conventional aerial operations challenging.
In its resolution 72/165 (2017), the General Assembly, established the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism to be commemorated annually on 21 August, in order to honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism and to promote and protect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In April 2020, mandated by General Assembly resolution 73/305, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres published his report on the ‘Progress of the UN system to support Member States in assisting victims of terrorism’ (A/74/790), which calls for the 'enhancement of international cooperation to assist victims of terrorism'.
