Digital credit access expanded through personalised cards, instant credit to loan conversion, EMI options and fraud protection.
AU Small Finance Bank expands digital, personalised consumer credit through a diversified credit card portfolio including a fully customisable card, co branded professional cards, upgrade pathways without fees, instant paperless conversion of credit limits into personal loans, and EMI conversion of purchases supported by digital tools, instant card controls, and zero liability protection to promote responsible, technology enabled access for young and first generation credit users.

Cross border payments compliance improved: one day USD to INR settlement with transparent FX pricing and automated remittance documentation.
ECL Flow is a cross border payments platform for AI and SaaS companies that provides one business day USD to INR settlement, transparent foreign exchange pricing, automated compliance documentation including foreign inward remittance certificates, and real time payment tracking to reduce delays, clarify FX costs, and improve cash flow predictability for payroll and vendor payments.

Foreign exchange intervention stabilisation: RBI action counters pressures from crude-led trade shock and capital outflows.
The rupee strengthened marginally as equity gains and a softer US dollar offset pressures from rising crude prices and foreign outflows; analysts cited elevated oil import demand widening the trade deficit and placed part of the currency stabilisation on foreign exchange intervention by the Reserve Bank, with near term exchange rate direction to be influenced by global central bank decisions, US data, energy prices, and portfolio flows.

Digital payments governance reinforces technical safeguards and reporting avenues, enhancing adoption while addressing fraud and inclusion challenges.
Unified Payments Interface drives the majority of retail digital transactions, underpinned by incentives, interoperability and inclusion measures, while technical and procedural safeguards - including device binding, two factor authentication, transaction limits and AI/ML fraud monitoring - together with awareness campaigns and national reporting platforms, form the framework for fraud mitigation and secure adoption across urban and rural users.

Financial inclusion expanded through flagship schemes broadening access to banking, insurance, pensions and credit for underserved groups.
The central effort advances financial inclusion via flagship schemes that expand access to banking, insurance, pensions and collateral free credit for underserved households and micro enterprises, leveraging the JAM (Jan Dhan Aadhaar Mobile) digital pipeline to deliver welfare benefits through Direct Benefit Transfer.

Wholesale price inflation set to rise as crude oil surge pushes wholesale costs higher, affecting manufacturing and non-food goods.
Wholesale price inflation rose to 2.13% in February 2026, led by higher prices in food and non-food articles and an uptick in manufactured goods; fuel and power deflation narrowed as global oil prices increased. Analysts warn that persistent crude oil price rises from geopolitical conflict will transmit more to WPI than retail CPI, likely pushing wholesale inflation higher in subsequent months. The report identifies basic metals, textiles and other manufacturing segments as contributors and stresses supply-chain, logistics and domestic manufacturing measures to contain cost-push pressures.

RBI intervention follows sharp rupee depreciation amid oil-driven trade pressures and foreign fund outflows to stabilise markets.
The rupee weakened to a record low against the US dollar amid high crude prices, sustained foreign portfolio outflows and a widening merchandise trade deficit; the Reserve Bank of India intervened in FX markets to stabilise the currency and limit excessive volatility, while market participants noted domestic equity recovery and imminent international monetary policy decisions as key near term influences on USD INR dynamics.

Digital inclusive finance recognition: WeBank's AI driven model advances accessibility and SME credit access across regions.
WeBank won four awards recognising its digital inclusive finance model and customer accessibility initiatives, retaining regional digital bank titles and adding awards for SME banking and a sign language service. The bank's AI native strategy strengthens infrastructure, toolchains, applications, governance and organisational design to integrate AI across business scenarios, deploying numerous AI applications and agents to enhance efficiency, risk management and customer experience. Its digital lending product Weiyedai and the Weilidai sign language service expand timely credit access for micro and small enterprises and provide accessible service for customers with hearing impairments.

Wholesale price inflation rises driven by food and non-food articles, while retail inflation also edges upward.
Wholesale price inflation rose to 2.13% in February led by increases in food articles and manufactured products, with non-food articles spiking; fuel and power continued to record negative inflation. Retail inflation also rose to 3.2% in February, and the central bank has lowered policy rates in the current fiscal year while focusing on retail inflation for benchmark rate decisions.

Foreign exchange stability: rupee weakened as capital outflows and reserves decline increased market pressure.
Foreign exchange stability: the rupee weakened against the US dollar as foreign portfolio outflows, higher global crude prices and volatile equity markets drove the currency to near intra day lows; exchange data showed significant FII net selling and a notable weekly decline in forex reserves reported by the central bank, highlighting interacting external and domestic drivers relevant to reserve management and market stability.

Currency depreciation driven by strong dollar, foreign outflows and rising oil prices pressures domestic exchange rate stability.
The rupee fell to a fresh record low against the US dollar amid a stronger dollar, heavy foreign portfolio outflows and sustained equity market selling. Rising crude oil prices, higher US treasury yields and geopolitical risk heightened market risk aversion, while RBI data showed a notable weekly decline in gross forex reserves; analysts warned these factors collectively impart a negative near term bias on the currency and provided a projected trading range.

Foreign exchange reserves decline as central bank reports weekly reductions across foreign currency assets, gold, SDRs and IMF position.
India's foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 11.683 billion to USD 716.810 billion for the week ended March 6. The change comprised a USD 9.880 billion fall in foreign currency assets to USD 563.245 billion, a USD 1.612 billion decrease in gold reserves to USD 130.017 billion, a USD 0.146 billion reduction in SDRs to USD 18.720 billion, and a USD 0.045 billion drop in the IMF reserve position to USD 4.828 billion; foreign currency assets are stated in dollar terms including valuation effects of non US currencies.

Presale utility claim: DeepSnitch AI touts a live verification network and presale mechanics with investor disclosures.
DeepSnitch AI is presented as an operational presale with a live verification intelligence network monitoring smart contracts, whale activity, liquidity changes, and suspicious on chain behaviour, contrasted with competitors whose promised features remain undeveloped; the article specifies presale stage, per token pricing, a confirmed presale deadline, a claim period before DEX listing, promotional early buyer bonuses, and a closing risk disclaimer advising independent financial advice and disavowing editorial responsibility.

Monetary policy stance maintained; rates expected steady while inflation risk rises amid higher oil prices and trade shifts.
Fitch raised India's near-term GDP forecasts, attributing growth to domestic demand and investment, noted national accounts rebasing that smooths GDP estimates, and projected a short-term easing then recovery in investment linked to looser financial conditions. The report warns that higher global oil prices raise inflation risk while the Reserve Bank's neutral stance and expectation of unchanged policy rates are likely to persist. It also highlights that weaker domestic demand may boost net trade contribution and that external legal/regulatory changes, including a lower US effective tax rate and Section 122 tariffs, will affect external demand.

Regulatory engagement with NBFCs to coordinate interagency solutions and strengthen KYC and sector reforms.
Department of Financial Services convened NBFCs with RBI, Department of Revenue and UIDAI to discuss operational issues and pursue stakeholder consultation for practical solutions. The Secretary urged NBFCs to enhance financial robustness and serve underserved customers, proposed a workshop with UIDAI and NPCI on effective KYC, and requested SROs to design a reform framework to strengthen the sector and coordinate interagency responses.

Rural credit mobilisation expands refinance and direct lending to strengthen women-led enterprises and farmer producer organisations.
Launch of rural financing and support initiatives to strengthen women-led enterprises, FPOs and rural livelihoods through credit linkages, infrastructure support and value-addition units. The package combines refinance and direct lending channels, supplemented by Rural Infrastructure Development Fund allocations, and includes distribution of sanction letters and disbursements to JLGs and FPOs alongside credit outreach to banks, implementing agencies and beneficiaries.

Inflation target band preserved as CPI edges higher due to food-led pressures, keeping rate policy pause plausible.
Retail inflation rose but remained within the central bank's inflation target band, driven mainly by food prices while core inflation stayed unchanged; analysts cautioned that geopolitical-driven crude price rises could transmit into CPI and support a near-term pause in policy easing. Data use the 2024 CPI base and show regional variation, compiled from urban and village price collection.

NBFC registration: RBI-registered gold-loan lender reports strong AUM growth and emphasizes disciplined underwriting and technology investments.
Finkurve Financial Services Limited (Arvog), an RBI-registered non-deposit-taking middle-layer NBFC, has expanded its secured lending business predominantly through gold loans and crossed a notable AUM milestone. Growth is attributed to disciplined underwriting, prudent loan-to-value norms, collateral-backed lending, a branch-led phygital network, technology-enabled loan servicing, and strategic partnerships, with continued emphasis on asset quality, capital prudence, governance, and sustainable expansion.

RBI intervention prevents further rupee depreciation as outflows and geopolitical tensions pressure the currency, while oil declines temper losses.
The rupee weakened intraday amid foreign institutional investor outflows and Middle East geopolitical tensions, with a softer dollar and falling crude curbing larger losses; reported Reserve Bank of India selling and domestic bond flows helped prevent a breach of a key exchange level and set an intraday trading range.

Agricultural credit access expanded through collateral free limits, Kisan Credit Card coverage, and interest subvention measures.
Policy measures expand institutional agricultural credit by setting Ground Level Credit targets derived from district Potential Linked Credit Plans, enforcing Priority Sector Lending allocations with a Small and Marginal Farmers sub target and district incentives, extending Kisan Credit Card coverage to allied activities, providing interest subvention with a prompt repayment incentive, increasing the collateral free loan limit for short term agricultural credit, and mobilising rural infrastructure funding and institutional support to improve liquidity and credit absorption in low disbursement districts.