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India To Outpace Peers In 2026 As Asia-Pacific Demand Stays Strong: Mastercard report

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India To Outpace Peers In 2026 As Asia-Pacific Demand Stays Strong: Mastercard report


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India leads Asia Pacific growth in 2026 with a 6.6 percent rate and 4.2 percent inflation, says Mastercard Economics Institute.

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India continues to dominate among Asia-Pacific economies next year with the growth rate at 6.6 per cent and inflation at 4.2 per cent, according to the annual economic outlook for 2026 by the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI).

Factors that make India among the fastest-growing major economies are favourable demographics, rapid digitization and technological advancements, leading to a growth in global capability centres and Tier 2-3 cities.

The report mentioned that tourism has emerged as a key growth lever with destinations such as Goa, Rishikesh and Amristar attracting experiential and spiritual travelers.

AI Enthusiasm Index score of 8, the report said, shows growing push of AI adoption in the country, harnessing the next wave of productivity gains.

Globally, MEI expects real GDP growth to ease marginally to 3.1 per cent in 2026, compared to an estimated 3.2 per cent in 2025.

Asia Pacific has shown strong resilience despite tariff uncertainty and shifting supply chains that have disrupted global trade, said David Mann, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Mastercard.

He noted that the largely positive outlook for consumers across the region reflects an important trend heading into 2026. Even as trade realignments and technological changes shape the global economy, improving microeconomic conditions in many Asia Pacific markets are supporting demand. Mann added that businesses will need to closely track these underlying demand trends.

According to the report, Asia Pacific continues to remain central to global supply chains despite ongoing realignments. India, ASEAN and the Chinese mainland are playing an increasingly important role as companies rethink sourcing strategies and investment plans.

(With IANS Inputs)

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Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p

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Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p



Motorists are facing higher fuel prices ahead of Easter break due to the conflict in the Middle East, the RAC says.



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E-cheques coming soon? RBI unveils Payments Vision 2028, plans wider oversight of digital players – The Times of India

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E-cheques coming soon? RBI unveils Payments Vision 2028, plans wider oversight of digital players – The Times of India


The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported.The central bank said it will examine the introduction of e-cheques to combine the advantages of paper instruments with the speed and reliability of digital payments. “To leverage the unique benefits of paper-based instruments and the speed and reliability of electronic payments, and cater to new business use cases, the introduction of electronic cheques in India shall be explored,” the RBI said.Alongside, the RBI is considering widening the regulatory ambit to include entities such as e-commerce marketplaces and centralised platforms that play a growing role in facilitating digital transactions.“In addition, e-commerce marketplaces and centralized platforms have been assuming significant responsibilities that could have implications on the orderly functioning of the payments ecosystem. These aspects shall be examined in detail and, if required, the scope of direct regulations shall be extended to cover such entities,” the document said.The vision document also proposes allowing users to enable or disable transactions across digital payment modes, similar to controls available for card transactions.To address fraud risks, the RBI is exploring a “shared responsibility framework” under which both the issuing bank and the beneficiary bank would share liability in cases of unauthorised digital transactions.The central bank also plans to review cheque design and security features, introduce a Domestic Legal Entity Identifier (DLEI) framework for better transaction traceability, and bring in a Cyber Key Risk Indicators (KRI) framework for non-bank payment system operators.Other initiatives include exploring white-label solutions in the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), developing interoperability in the Trade Receivables e-Discounting System (TReDS), and introducing a ‘Payments Switching Service’ to ease customer migration across platforms.The RBI said it will also review the cross-border payments ecosystem to improve efficiency and streamline authorisation processes, alongside publishing periodic reports on global and domestic payment trends.Additionally, the central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants.



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Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India

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Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India


Hyderabad: Pharma player Hetero on Friday said it has rolled out exports of its generic semaglutide injection portfolio as part of a multi-year plan to widen access to treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity in more than 75 countries.The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company said initial rollouts are under way in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with additional launches planned in other markets subject to regulatory approvals.The injectable therapies will be sold under the brand names Truglyx, Rolmodl and Moto G. Semaglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines, which are used in diabetes care and weight management.Hetero said the export launch is part of its broader strategy to improve access to advanced cardio-metabolic therapies, particularly in emerging markets.The company said the products will be offered in multi-dose disposable pen devices designed in line with innovator formats and will be available in several strengths, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, allowing dosing flexibility for both diabetes and obesity treatment.Hetero said it is also awaiting approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after completing clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity and plans an India launch after regulatory clearance.Hetero managing director Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi said the company aims to provide high-quality, affordable generic semaglutide through a single global product platform backed by its manufacturing and development capabilities.He said Hetero would use its commercial networks across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to support supply and access. The Hyderabad-headquartered Hetero operates in more than 145 countries and employs over 30,000 people.



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