India-Europe Flight Network: Air India and the Lufthansa Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a joint business partnership. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between Air India, its subsidiaries such as Air India Express, and Lufthansa Group carriers, including Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, and SWISS.

Through this partnership, the two companies aim to enhance flight connections and travel experiences between India and Europe on a single ticket. The move follows the recent completion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement. The airlines plan to collaborate on route planning, flight schedules, and marketing to make travel more convenient. They also intend to coordinate frequent flyer programs and IT systems.

Carsten Spohr, Chairman and CEO of the Lufthansa Group, said the agreement marks a new phase in aviation between the two regions. He stated, “Together with Air India, we will strengthen our access to the aviation market with the highest growth rates worldwide.”

Air India, in a statement, said it is expanding its fleet and services following its privatisation in 2022. The airline views this cooperation as a way to support growing trade and travel ties. Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, noted that the framework allows both companies to explore closer cooperation on multiple levels. He said, “This would unlock greater value for our common customers and respective shareholders, and we look forward to progressing these initiatives together with the Lufthansa Group.”

The two airline groups already collaborate through the Star Alliance and existing codeshare agreements. Currently, they operate 145 routes connecting 15 cities in India with 29 cities in Europe. The new agreement will initially focus on traffic between India and the Lufthansa Group’s home markets of Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland, with plans to expand to the rest of Europe and the Indian subcontinent later.

Economic data shows that the EU is India’s largest trading partner for goods, with bilateral trade exceeding 120 billion euros in 2024. Together, India and the European Union represent nearly 25 percent of global Gross Domestic Product. The airlines believe that improved aviation links will further strengthen these economic relations. Final details of the partnership, including specific routes, will be announced after the companies obtain the necessary regulatory and anti-trust approvals. 

New Delhi: Salaried employees could see a slight increase in their take-home salary from April 1, 2026, as India prepares to implement the new Income-tax Act, 2025, replacing the decades-old Income-tax Act, 1961.

One of the key reasons for higher in-hand salary is the standard deduction benefit available under the new tax regime, which currently stands at Rs 75,000 for salaried individuals. This reduces taxable income and can increase disposable income.

Under the new tax regime, taxpayers earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually can effectively pay zero income tax due to the Section 87A rebate, while salaried individuals can enjoy tax-free income up to about Rs 12.75 lakh after including the standard deduction.

Although income-tax slabs remain unchanged for FY 2026-27, the rollout of the new tax law from April is expected to simplify compliance and maintain tax relief measures introduced in recent budgets.

Overall, the upcoming tax changes are aimed at simplifying the tax system while ensuring that salaried taxpayers continue to benefit from deductions and rebates, which could slightly improve monthly take-home salary depending on income level and tax regime chosen.