As 2025 draws to a close, several critical financial deadlines are fast approaching, with belated and revised Income Tax Returns (ITR) topping the list. Taxpayers who fail to file their revised ITR by December 31, 2025, risk delays in tax refunds and may even incur interest or penalties, especially if the information in their ITR does not match government records. Why This Date MattersDecember 31, 2025, is the last day to file both belated and revised ITRs for the assessment year 2025-26 (FY2024-25). The Income Tax Department’s Central Processing Centre (CPC) examines returns and flags any discrepancies. If your ITR is checked after December 31 and errors are found, you may lose the opportunity to correct them. Chartered Accountant Suresh Surana warns that once this deadline passes, tax...

Success in business often requires more than just money—it demands a unique vision. Pooja Kaul, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, is a perfect example of this principle. She saw potential in donkey milk and launched a skincare startup that has now grown into a profitable venture, all starting with just ₹26,000—the money she had saved for a trip to Goa. Today, Pooja earns lakhs of rupees annually from her business. The BeginningIn 2016, Pooja was pursuing her postgraduate studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). While traveling in a government bus in Solapur, Maharashtra, she noticed a herd of donkeys carrying migrant workers who relied on the animals for work at brick kilns and construction sites. Despite their hard work, these families earned only ₹300–400 per day, barely enough...

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended Wednesday with marginal losses, pressured by sell-offs in oil & gas, pharma, and IT sectors. Ahead of the Christmas holiday on Thursday, investors remained cautious, resulting in slower market activity. At the close of trading, Sensex fell 116.14 points (0.14%) to 85,408.70, while Nifty declined 35.05 points (0.13%) to 26,142.10. Market experts noted that Nifty held support between 26,100–26,130, showing some buying interest, but strong upward momentum was absent. Unless Nifty sustains above 26,200, market caution is expected to continue. Sector PerformanceOn BSE, Trent, UltraTech Cement, and Maruti Suzuki saw gains, while Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Sun Pharma, and Asian Paints faced losses. On NSE, Trent, Shriram Finance, and ...

New Delhi: India and New Zealand have successfully concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a development that is expected to unsettle China’s stronghold on New Zealand’s imports. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), this FTA could significantly increase India’s share in New Zealand’s import market, where China currently dominates. Trade Gap and OpportunitiesGTRI data indicates that in FY2025, New Zealand imported goods worth $10 billion from China, while India’s exports to New Zealand stood at only $711 million. “India is underrepresented in several key product categories where it is a global leader, even though New Zealand is a major importer,” the report notes. Key Sectors for IndiaThe FTA is expected to open up substantial opportunities for Ind...

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has yet to release its report on the ongoing IndiGo crisis. The aviation regulator had formed a four-member committee on December 5 to investigate the matter, with a submission deadline of December 20. However, the committee could not complete its investigation on time. Sources now indicate that the committee’s report is expected to be submitted by December 26. The committee, led by Joint DG Sanjay Kumar, was originally mandated to submit its findings within 15 days of formation. Although the deadline has been extended, DGCA has not made a public announcement regarding the delay. What the Committee is InvestigatingThe panel is tasked with determining the reasons behind the consecutive grounding of IndiGo flights in the first week of De...