Business
UK economy boost set to be announced as budget uncertainty fades
The UK economy is anticipated to have registered modest growth during the final quarter of 2025, as it navigated persistent budget uncertainty, according to leading economists.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is set to release crucial GDP figures for December and the entire fourth quarter on Thursday, offering a clearer picture of the nation’s economic performance.
Economists largely predict a 0.1 per cent expansion for the quarter. However, some analysts suggest the growth could be marginally higher, buoyed by stronger-than-expected activity in November and a perceived increase in clarity following the autumn Budget, which may have supported businesses in the run-up to the festive season.
This follows earlier ONS data indicating a 0.1 per cent growth in the three months leading to September.
The subsequent months saw a 0.1 per cent contraction in October, followed by a 0.3 per cent rebound in November, largely attributed to a recovery in manufacturing output at Jaguar Land Rover after a significant cyberattack.
Despite this, December is projected to have experienced no growth, according to estimates from Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Several industry surveys, including the month’s construction PMI data, also pointed to continued weakness across housing, commercial construction, and civil engineering sectors.
Conversely, others believe that improved certainty post-Budget might have stimulated a modest rise in spending.
Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor, commented: “It is likely that economic activity picked up after the budget once that cloud of uncertainty shifted to the rear view mirror in December.
“Plus, there could have been an improvement in the services sector with consumers spending on things like food and beverages, retail, and hotels around the festive season.”
Robert Wood, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, suggested GDP growth “could tip to 0.2%” but maintained his original prediction of 0.1 per cent.
He added: “We think the broad thrust from activity in the services sub-sectors in December indicates that budget uncertainty is already fading quickly.”
Nevertheless, the broader outlook for UK economic growth remains subdued. The Bank of England announced on Thursday that it now estimates the economy grew by 1.4 per cent last year, a slight reduction from its previous forecast of 1.5 per cent.
The central bank also revised down its growth projections for 2026, from 1.2 per cent to 0.9 per cent, and for 2027, from 1.6 per cent to 1.5 per cent.
New Delhi: A new report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) suggests that setting up a pilot air corridor connecting Gurugram, Connaught Place, and Jewar International Airport could help India reduce travel time from hours to minutes. The model is seen as a high-impact solution to urban traffic congestion and could be scaled up across the country.
The report, titled Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India, was launched by Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu. He said India’s aviation sector is moving toward a “high-tech, multi-dimensional mobility ecosystem.”
One of the key highlights of the report is the use of rooftops as landing and parking sites for electric air taxis, known as eVTOLs. This approach could turn existing buildings into revenue-generating assets. As acquiring land for ground-based landing pads is costly, rooftops offer a faster and more affordable way to launch such services in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
“The integration of Advanced Air Mobility reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and world-class urban connectivity,” said Union Minister Kinjarapu. He added that the report provides a “timely and practical blueprint to realise a faster, cleaner, and more connected India.”
However, the report notes that current regulations do not permit regular commercial rooftop operations. To address this, it recommends forming a dedicated team within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to develop safety and operational standards for these emerging technologies.
Amit Dutta, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Advanced Air Mobility, said the study helps turn the concept into reality. “By analysing a hypothetical Delhi-NCR corridor through structured modelling and regulatory scenario testing, this study moves from concept to operational assessment,” he said, adding that it addresses key regulatory, infrastructure, and airspace challenges linked to early AAM pilots.
The report also recommends initially using drones to transport cargo and medical supplies over distances of 50–100 km. It suggests regions such as GIFT City and Andhra Pradesh as testing zones, where relaxed regulations could support faster adoption. To enable this growth, CII has urged banks and government agencies to create dedicated funding mechanisms for air mobility infrastructure.
Business
Gold, iPhone, Laptop From Dubai: How Much Can You Bring To India Without Paying Customs Duty?
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India’s Baggage Rules 2026 raise duty-free limits to Rs 75,000, introduce weight-based jewellery allowances, allow one laptop duty-free, and simplify customs for arrivals.
Items that exceed the Rs 75,000 limit will attract customs duty (typically around 10% + social welfare surcharge on the duty), which is significantly lower than earlier effective rates.
India has updated its customs and baggage rules affecting what international passengers, including people arriving from the UAE, can bring into the country without paying duty. These changes are part of the Baggage Rules, 2026, and the Customs Baggage (Declaration & Processing) Regulations, 2026, which came into effect from February 2, 2026, following announcements in the Union Budget 2026.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what’s changed and what it means:
1. Higher Duty-Free Allowance for Personal Items
Passengers arriving by air or sea can now bring goods worth up to Rs 75,000 duty-free, higher than the Rs 50,000 limit earlier.
This limit applies to Indian residents, people of Indian origin (PIO/OCI), NRIs, and foreign nationals with valid visas. It covers personal effects and items carried in bona fide accompanied baggage — personal use items, not for commercial sale.
Foreign tourists have a separate duty-free cap of Rs 25,000 (up from Rs 15,000 earlier).
For crew members, the limit is Rs 2,500.
2. Simplified Jewellery Rules
The old value-based limits on jewellery imports have been replaced with weight-based allowances for returning residents/PIOs:
• Women: up to 40 grams of jewellery duty-free
• Men/Others: up to 20 grams duty-free
This applies to passengers who have stayed abroad for at least a year and are bringing jewellery in bona fide baggage.
Earlier, jewellery allowances were defined by value rather than weight, which often caused confusion and disputes at customs.
3. Laptop and Electronics Allowances
• One laptop can be brought in duty-free, separate from the Rs 75,000 general limit, for travellers aged over 18 years (excluding airline crew).
• Other electronics (smartphones, watches, cameras, etc.) are counted within the Rs 75,000 allowance.
This dual-bucket system (laptop + Rs 75,000 limit) is particularly beneficial for travellers bringing gadgets from the UAE, where prices are often lower.
4. Simplified Customs Process
The new regulations also introduce:
• Advance and electronic baggage declaration to streamline arrival processing.
• Unified digital declaration linked to immigration systems, reducing paperwork.
• Clearer rules around temporary imports / re-imports and Transfer of Residence (ToR) benefits for long-term expatriates.
5. What Still Requires Duty or Has Restrictions
Even under the new rules, certain items remain outside duty-free allowances and must be declared:
• Alcohol beyond allowed limits
• Tobacco products above the limits
• Cars, TVs, and other large goods
• Gold bars/coins or precious metals in non-jewellery form
• Commercial quantities of any item
Items that exceed the Rs 75,000 limit will attract customs duty (typically around 10% + social welfare surcharge on the duty), which is significantly lower than earlier effective rates.
Example (From UAE To India)
If an NRI returning from Dubai brings:
• One laptop: duty-free separate allowance
• A phone (Rs 50,000), watch (Rs 15,000) & clothes: these total Rs 65,000 — all duty-free within the Rs 75,000 limit
• Gold jewellery (30 g): duty-free under the new weight limits
The above would be cleared without duty. Only items or values above these thresholds may attract charges. However, for updated and item-specific rules, check customs rules from official government website.
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February 08, 2026, 16:01 IST
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New Delhi: Farmers across India are waiting for the 22nd instalment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, under which eligible beneficiaries receive Rs 2,000 directly in their bank accounts. While the government has not officially announced the release date, the next payment is expected between February and March 2026, based on the scheme’s usual schedule.
The PM Kisan scheme provides Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments to landholding farmer families through direct benefit transfer.
Farmer ID Requirement
A key update this year is the growing importance of the Farmer ID, which is being introduced as part of the government’s farmer-registry initiative. The ID is mandatory for new registrations in several states where the registry system has already started, though it may not yet be required everywhere in the country.
Authorities say the Farmer ID will help verify beneficiaries, prevent duplication, and ensure that financial assistance reaches genuine farmers.
e-KYC Still Essential
Along with the Farmer ID, e-KYC remains compulsory for all registered PM Kisan beneficiaries. Farmers who fail to complete e-KYC or update their records may face delays in receiving the next instalment.
The government has also introduced new methods such as OTP-based and facial-authentication e-KYC to make the process easier for farmers.
What Farmers Should Do
To avoid missing the next instalment, farmers should:
Complete e-KYC verification
Ensure Aadhaar is linked to their bank account
Update land and registration details
Obtain a Farmer ID if required in their state
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