MUMBAI: From smartphones priced over Rs 20,000 to large TV sets, washing machines, premium furniture and AI appliances, Indians splurged on big-ticket purchases and upgrades this Navratri-Dussehra season, keeping up with the premiumisation trend that has been defining festive shopping for quite some time now. Savings made from GST reductions have only allowed more people to expand their budgets and shop across categories, whether or not they have been covered under the ambit of lower taxes. Sales of mass apparel and footwear, segments that have been sluggish for several quarters, picked up as well as GST cuts made products more affordable for the middle class. For retailers and consumer goods companies, the initial issues with regards tothe implementation of GST cuts on the ground has also eased, helping sales, executives said. “Consumers needed time to absorb what the changes in tax meant for pricing and purchase decisions. Once these gains were understood clearly, however, we started observing a strong pick-up. From Dussehra onwards, sales have risen significantly by 15-20%, driven in large part by the effective price relief afforded by the tax cuts. The impact price point for us remains in the range of Rs 1000-Rs 3000, the (price) band that has displayed maximum traction,” Anupam Bansal, MD at Liberty Shoes, told TOI.

AC sales have fared “exceedingly well” and the momentum will continue till Diwali, said B Thiagarajan, MD at Blue Star, adding that more people are showing an inclination to shift to 5-star ACs from 3-star. AC sales will pick up further once the weather becomes conducive for purchases, said Nilesh Gupta, director at Vijay Sales, which has seen a 20% year-on-year growth in sales this festive period. “The sales have been bumper this year. Large TVs did very well and so did washing machines. TVs saw volume growth of 10%-12% which is very good because the segment had been slow,” Gupta said. Among durables, ACs, TVs above 32 inches, and dishwashers have benefited from lower GST cuts. For the appliances business of Godrej Enterprises Group, Navratra sentiments have been better in non-metro markets – registering close to 30% growth over last year, while metros have shown about 12% growth in the same period. “The trend is seen almost across categories, including ACs, which have had price reductions owing to GST but not limited to ACs. Washing machines is an exception which showed strong growth in excess of 30% in both segments with higher growth in the metro territories. The good growth in AC in non-metros can be attributed partially to GST reduction given that festive is not a peak AC selling season,” said business head & EVP Kamal Nandi. Navratri sales hit a decade high this year on GST cuts, TOI had reported. At Interio by Godrej, the premium segment grew by nearly 10% over last year, said EVP and business head Swapneel Nagarkar. “While GST implications for the furniture industry remain unchanged, we observed a notable shift in consumer spending toward categories such as automobiles and premium appliances,” said Nagarkar. Premiumisation remained a defining trend at Amazon. Smartphones above Rs 20,000 grew 50% year-on-year, lifting overall category ASPs by 30%. Fashion retailer Libas recorded a 40-50% growth in sales over last year.

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has started reviewing airfare trends ahead of the festive season rush and has directed airlines to increase flight capacity to prevent any sharp rise in ticket prices, Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Sunday.

According to the ministry, the DGCA has been keeping a close watch on airfare movements, particularly during the festive season when passenger demand typically peaks. The regulator has asked airlines to deploy additional flights to handle the increased travel rush and ensure affordability for passengers.

“DGCA is mandated by Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to keep a watch on airfares, especially during the festive season and take appropriate measures in case of a surge in prices,” it said.

“Accordingly, the DGCA proactively took up the issue/matter with airlines and asked them to augment flight capacities for the festive season by deploying additional flights to meet high demand,” it added.

In response, major airlines have confirmed plans to add hundreds of extra flights across key routes. IndiGo will deploy around 730 additional flights across 42 sectors, while Air India and Air India Express will operate approximately 486 additional flights on 20 routes.

SpiceJet is also expanding its capacity with nearly 546 flights on 38 routes. A DGCA official said the aviation regulator will continue to maintain strict oversight of both airfares and flight capacities to safeguard passengers’ interests.

“We are ensuring that airlines operate sufficient flights to meet demand and that fares remain reasonable during the festive period,” the official said. Over the last few years, the DGCA has intensified its monitoring and auditing mechanisms to ensure transparency and safety in civil aviation operations.

Between 2020 and June 2025, the regulator conducted 171 regulatory audits to strengthen air safety standards, as per official data. The aviation regulator has also been conducting comprehensive special audits of airlines and allied services following the Air India crash earlier this year in Ahmedabad. These audits cover scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, flying schools, and maintenance organisations, ensuring strict compliance with safety norms.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday said that India and the United States are actively working to resolve the ongoing tariff issues through dialogue, expressing confidence that these challenges will not affect the broader trade relationship between the two nations.  

Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025), he said a large part of India’s trade with the US remains “business as usual” despite the current differences.

Jaishankar explained that the ongoing trade tensions largely stem from the inability of both sides to reach a common ground on several issues.

“We have issues with the US and a big part of it is because we have not arrived at a landing ground. The inability to reach there has led to tariffs being levied,” he said.

The minister revealed that negotiations are ongoing regarding the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on Indian exports.

He stressed that India’s “red lines have to be respected” while finding a solution. “There has to be an understanding with the US because it is the number one market and because a lot of the world has reached that understanding,” Jaishankar said.

Despite the tariffs, the minister underlined that trade between the two countries is largely continuing smoothly.

“I don’t think this will percolate to every dynamic of trade. Some issues will need to be negotiated, but I would hesitate to read very much more into it than the issues themselves,” he said.

Jaishankar also highlighted the challenges that tariffs pose for policymakers in today’s global trade environment.

“When you have a world where the central consideration of trade has become tariffs, please explain to me where comparative advantages and competitive advantages go,” he remarked.

He noted that additional tariffs have been imposed on India’s energy trade, but assured that both nations are engaged in active negotiations to resolve these matters.

The minister pointed out that India has successfully signed trade agreements with several Asian countries, though some of these economies are highly competitive.

“And in many cases, because of the supply chain nature, they have also provided a pathway for China. Our focus should be on FTAs with economies that are not competitive,” he said.