Mutual funds provide pooled, professionally managed investment exposure with diversification, costs, and market-linked risks over time.
Mutual funds are collective investment vehicles pooling investor capital into equity, debt, or hybrid portfolios aligned to a scheme's objective; unit values vary with market prices. Key structural elements include diversification across industries or issuers and investment methods such as lump sum or systematic investment plans. Returns reflect asset allocation, market movement, and the expense ratio, with performance measured against benchmarks over multiple time frames. Time horizon and cost differences between direct and regular plans affect outcomes, and illustrative calculators do not predict future performance.

India Digital Awards: Albinder Dhindsa named Digital Person of the Year; Sarvam AI wins Digital Startup of the Year.
India Digital Awards 2026 honoured leadership and innovation in the digital sector: Albinder Dhindsa was named Digital Person of the Year for transformative contributions to quick commerce and digital retail, and Sarvam AI was awarded Digital Startup of the Year for pioneering artificial intelligence solutions with strong innovation and execution.

JM-1 loitering munitions delivered to Indian Army under Emergency Procurement, indigenously made and operationally deployed in Operation Sindoor.
Johnnette Technologies completed delivery of a third batch of JM-1 loitering munitions to the Indian Army under the Emergency Procurement procedure, adding to over one thousand drones previously supplied. The JM-1 has been operationally employed in precision strikes during Operation Sindoor and was showcased at the 77th Republic Day Parade. The company states platforms use over eighty percent indigenous components and are fully non-Chinese, stressing domestic content, supply-chain security, and continuing development of longer-range combat UAVs and MALE UCAVs for future procurement.

Bihar aims to double per capita income by 2030, targeting one crore jobs and major public-investment measures.
The government aims to double average per capita income by 2030 by increasing employment from about 50 lakh to one crore and implementing programmatic measures under "Saat Nishchay 03." Core interventions include grants and follow-on support for women entrepreneurs through the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana, expansion of self-help group networks, large-scale recruitment and regularisation of teachers, and major investments in healthcare and education infrastructure. Enabling measures cited include strengthening police capacity, emergency response services, communal-protection fencing, and accelerated road and expressway construction.

Stock markets rebound on value buying and lower oil prices after Budget-driven volatility and a securities transaction tax hike.
Stock markets rebounded after a Budget-day sell-off due to selective value buying in large-cap sectors and a sharp decline in global crude oil prices. The initial volatility was driven by a hike in securities transaction tax on equity derivatives and the government's higher borrowing plan, while Budget measures offering tax incentives for data centres and commitments to manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure spending provided medium- to long-term policy support.

Kadhal Kadhai Sollava stars Rittika Sen in a character-driven love mystery shaped by Vijay Sethupathi.
Kadhal Kadhai Sollava, releasing February 6, 2026, stars Rittika Sen as a guitarist whose bubbly exterior masks a layered emotional journey; the film combines a romantic puzzle with a developing mystery and emphasizes character-driven storytelling shaped by creative collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi and Jayaram. The account presents the production as a pivotal career moment for Sen and is provided as a press release under arrangement with the producing entity.

Manipur MLAs in Delhi as President's rule nears expiry; decision on forming government or seeking extension.
President's rule in Manipur is nearing expiry and the BJP central leadership has summoned NDA MLAs to Delhi to assess whether a party-led popular government can be formed before the deadline. Inter-community divisions-particularly the reluctance of Kuki MLAs tied to a demand for a Union Territory with a legislature-are the main barrier to recovery of a state administration. Failing formation, a statutory resolution in both Houses of Parliament will be required to extend the President's rule.

Air India plane crash probe examines technical, organisational and human factors, including near simultaneous fuel supply loss to engines.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting a time bound, comprehensive probe into the June Boeing 787 8 crash, examining technical, operational, organisational and human factors; the preliminary factual report notes a near simultaneous fuel supply cut to both engines and the inquiry continues to inspect components, cockpit voice recordings and crew actions while keeping all causal hypotheses open.

Karnataka Hate Bill defines hate speech with seven-year minimum jail and fines, prompting objections over chilling political expression.
The bill defines hate speech as any public expression made with intent to cause injury, disharmony, enmity, hatred or ill-will against persons or groups, and prescribes a minimum seven-year jail term and up to one lakh rupees fine, creating a punitive enforcement framework; opponents argue the law was rushed, may chill political expression, and could be selectively applied against dissenting actors.

Pakistan's sports boycott won't affect India, says J-K deputy CM, urging separation of politics and sports.
Pakistan's boycott of an ICC T20 match is described as having no effect on India and exemplifies the need to keep politics separate from sports. The deputy chief minister also pressed for clarification on the pledge to restore statehood, supported establishment of a National Law University demand, defended the revival of the Darbar Move as boosting commerce, and identified restoration of statehood, protection of land rights, local employment safeguards, and a state-model budget and special package as priority policy concerns for Jammu and Kashmir.

Budget 2026-27 increases securities transaction tax on futures and options to deter speculation and raises expected revenue.
The Budget 2026-27 raises the Securities Transaction Tax on derivatives-futures to 0.05% (from 0.02%), options premium to 0.15% (from 0.10%) and exercise of options to 0.15% (from 0.125%)-as a deterrent to speculative retail participation and to increase receipts, with estimated STT collections of Rs 73,700 crore for FY27.

VSR Ventures Learjet 45 investigation nearing completion; preliminary flight recorder findings released; Baramati crash black box recovered.
AAIB reports the September 14, 2023 Learjet 45 (VT-DBL) accident investigation is in final stages after analysis of evidence; the aircraft drifted right of Runway 27 and crash-landed at the shoulder of the intersection of Taxiway W and N, was destroyed, and a detailed preliminary report with initial flight recorder outcomes was prepared and published. The co-pilot suffered serious injury, delaying interview. Separately, the Baramati Learjet 45 crash is under expeditious investigation and its black box has been recovered.

Global markets slid as concern over the Fed chair nomination and AI-driven bubbles triggered volatility and commodity pullbacks.
Markets declined as investors worried that the nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve could weaken central bank independence and delay rate cuts; combined with hotter wholesale inflation and profit-taking in AI-linked tech and precious metals, this produced sharp losses in technology-sensitive exchanges, drops in major global indices, and reversals in gold, silver and oil prices.

Jammu and Kashmir posts ~11% nominal growth with SASCI loans, DBT transfers and major road investments driving momentum.
Jammu and Kashmir's economy recorded nominal growth of about 11% in 2024-25 supported by policy reforms, infrastructure investment and enhanced revenue mobilization. Financial measures include extension of SASCI interest free loans with Rs 1,431 crore sanctioned for 222 projects (Rs 1,083 crore first instalment) and Rs 210 crore matching for 12 schemes. Digital governance delivered 82 crore e transactions, 128 services on DigiLocker, complete Aadhaar seeding and DBT transfers of about Rs 9,000 crore to 80 lakh beneficiaries across 77 schemes. An AI strategy, banking reforms and Rs 61,528 crore road investments were also highlighted.

Union Budget neglect of Kerala prompts CPI(M) to observe Feb 3 as a statewide 'Black Day' protest.
The CPI(M) criticised the Union Budget for neglecting Kerala, saying none of the state's 29 demands were met and no long-pending projects funded; it flagged omissions including AIIMS, high-speed rail corridors, a Vizhinjam port package, Ayurveda AIIMS, inland water transport projects, a rubber price stabilisation fund and a proposed railway coach factory. The party alleged the Budget favoured corporate interests and cut employment guarantee spending and welfare supports, and called for statewide black-flag protests and demonstrations on February 3.

Sikkim Chamber of Commerce welcomes Union Budget, highlighting regional development and inclusion in the Buddhist Circuits tourism scheme.
The Sikkim Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Union Budget 2026-27 for pairing growth with fiscal discipline, emphasising infrastructure development, capital expenditure and connectivity as drivers of long-term growth and employment. It welcomed Sikkim's inclusion in the "Scheme for Development of Buddhist Circuits" for temple and monastery preservation and tourism promotion, and noted that continued support for health, education, rural development, women empowerment, plus central tax devolution and grants, will provide financial stability despite no immediate tax relief.

Tejashwi Yadav criticises Bihar government for misrepresenting development and failing on crime and rule of law.
Tejashwi Yadav criticised the state administration for presenting an overly positive governor's address allegedly prepared by the government, asserting Bihar lags on development indicators despite long incumbency and charging the government with failing to address recurring crimes including rapes and murders, thereby calling into question its claim to maintain rule of law.

Tejasvi Surya criticises a decade of UPA rule while seconding the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
The MP seconded the Motion of Thanks, describing the prior decade as a "decade of lost opportunities" and a defensive narrative in the President's Address, criticised the former government's stance on terrorism and Naxalism, and asserted the incumbent administration delivered on national security, economic resilience, youth empowerment and cultural recognition.

Union Budget criticised as weakest; Karnataka alleges neglect of agriculture, industry, education and infrastructure and inadequate allocations.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara labelled the Union Budget the weakest among nine, alleging it neglects agriculture, industry, education and infrastructure, provides no meaningful schemes for Karnataka, and fails to translate substantial Centre borrowing (about Rs 16 lakh crore of a Rs 53.50 lakh crore Budget) into public benefits. He also noted a Special Investigation Team has been formed in a local realtor's suicide to prevent speculation and determine roles of involved persons.

Union Budget 2026 defended as a blueprint for self-reliance; opposition criticism called politically motivated and irrelevant.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi defends the Union Budget 2026 as a blueprint for self-reliance and sustained economic stability, and dismisses opposition criticism as politically motivated and intellectually bankrupt, arguing such critics are becoming politically irrelevant and linking opposition conduct to a decline in respect for constitutional institutions.