India’s foreign exchange reserves surged by $6.6 billion to a five-month high of $665.4 billion for the week ended on March 28, 2025, data released by the Reserve Bank of Indian on Friday showed.

According to the RBI’s Weekly Statistical Supplement, the country’s gold reserves which also form part of the forex kitty went up by $519 million to $77.8 billion.

This is the fourth consecutive week of rise in the forex reserves kitty after the increase of $4.5 billion to $658.8 billion in the preceding week that ended on March 21. The declining trend of earlier weeks due to revaluation and forex market interventions by the RBI to help reduce volatility in the rupee has now been reversed in the last four weeks.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Friday sought to highlight his commitment to go the extra mile in safeguarding the economic interests of the country and posted on social media a video clip of his light-hearted exchange over the issue with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, captioning it “Yes, I am obsessed”.

The post on X relates to an episode that unfolded during question hour on Thursday when Chadha started talking about an issue featuring US tycoon Elon Musk and his satellite internet company Starlink.

As the MP from Punjab began speaking to put things in context and recounted actions of Musk in Ukraine, the Chairman, amid banter, nudged him over his so-called obsession with issues related to “what someone else is doing”.

The Chairman also asked him to focus on something which is more “Indianised”.

In the sweltering afternoon heat of Chennai, when the batters will sweat it out on a sluggish pitch, it could well be the wrist-spinners who dictate terms as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host a confident Delhi Capitals (DC) in match 17 of IPL 2025 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

While Chennai grapple with concerns over form and combinations, Delhi arrive with back-to-back wins and momentum on their side. But it is the wrist-spin duel between India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad that may ultimately decide which way the contest swings.

Kuldeep, with an exceptional economy of 5.25, has been quite lethal, extracting purchase with smart use of the crease and subtle variations in pace and arm speed. On the other hand, Noor’s flatter trajectory and faster pace have earned him nine wickets already, making him equally dangerous on surfaces where the ball holds and turns.

In a major operation against Naxalites, the Gaya Police, in coordination with Bihar’s Special Task Force (STF), arrested seven Naxal operatives since March 30, recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition from their possession, some of which were previously looted from police teams.

Gaya SSP Anand Kumar stated that the crackdown is part of a continuous drive to dismantle Naxal networks in the district.

On April 3, the district police received Intelligence about Naxal activities in Gangti Bazar under the jurisdiction of the Imamganj police station area.

Accordingly, a special team, led by City SP Gaya, and comprising Bihar STF and district police, was dispatched to raid the location

While guarding seashores, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized 179 boats and arrested 1,683 people over the last 10 years for illegally entering Indian waters, the Parliament was informed on Friday.

A toll-free number 1554 has also been promulgated for reporting of any eventuality at sea, said Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Replying to a question by Krishna Prasad Tenneti, the MoS said the 179 boats seized by ICG in the past decade were engaged in illegal activities like poaching, narcotics smuggling and illegal immigration.

He said surveillance of coastal areas is also undertaken through the Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) and investigation by Remote Operating Station (ROS) and Remote Operating Centres (ROCs).

Elaborating on initiatives to strengthen coastal security, MoS Seth said the ICG deploys 18-20 ships, 30-35 crafts and 10-12 aircraft for daily surveillance.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Friday that the state would play a special role in fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making India a developed nation by 2047.

He said, “Everyone must work together to accelerate Haryana’s pace of development”. Saini said this while interacting with people from Ambala during a programme at his residence here. He said dedicated efforts are being made to ensure that the government’s policies and welfare schemes reach every household. The Chief Minister said in the past 10 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, India has achieved remarkable progress across all sectors, earning global recognition.

“Today, India is emerging as a secure, rapidly developing nation that puts the interests of its people first,” a statement quoting Saini said. He said the benefits of public welfare schemes of both the Central and Haryana governments are reaching every citizen. “Eligible beneficiaries need not worry, as the government is fully committed to safeguarding their interests.”

The Maharashtra government has issued a notice to Ola Electric Mobility Limited, asking the company to explain why some of its stores in the state are operating without valid trade certificates.

According to the notice from the Transport Commissioner’s Office, several Ola Electric showrooms and service centres in Maharashtra are being run without the required documents.

The notice also accuses the company of illegally selling vehicles through these unauthorised outlets.

As per a NDTV Profit report, the notice, dated March 31, gives the company three days to respond.

Indian Railways has produced all-time high of 41,929 wagons in FY25, surpassing the 37,650 wagons produced in the earlier fiscal (FY24), the government said on Friday.

This marks a remarkable leap from the annual average of 13,262 wagons produced between 2004-2014, showcasing a significant boost in manufacturing capacity and efficiency, said Ministry of Railways.

Total wagon production in the last three years reached 1,02,369 units, boosting Railways’ freight capacity.

This growth is expected to reduce freight bottlenecks and enhance rail cargo movement.

“The numbers suggest a significant increase in the annual wagon production, highlighting the government’s vision of not only increasing domestic manufacturing but also improving its freight movement that will enhance convenience and also provide a major boost to the Indian economy, empowering India towards its goal of becoming an economic prowess,” said the ministry.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four projects to expand the track network of Indian Railways with an investment of Rs 18,658 crore, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

The four projects covering 15 districts in three states - Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh - will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 km.

These projects include Sambalpur-Jarapda 3rd and 4th Lines, Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th Lines, Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Lines, and Gondia-Balharshah doubling

The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects are in line with PM Modi’s vision of a New India, which will make people of the region "Aatmanirbhar" with comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/ opportunities, the official statement said.

Indian stock markets on Friday ended in the red for the second day in a row, as investors turned cautious after US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs announcement.

The sensex fell by 930.67 points, or 1.22 per cent, to close at 75,364.69. During the day, the index moved between an intra-day high of 76,258.12 and a low of 75,240.55.

The broader Nifty also dropped sharply and settled at 22,904.45, down by 345.65 points, or 1.49 per cent during the intra-day trade.

"The recent implementation of higher-than-anticipated US tariffs has had a significant impact on global markets, triggering a bearish trend as investors assess the broader implications,” said market experts.

“Domestically, while the direct impact of these tariffs is relatively moderate compared to other major economies, it remains more substantial than initially projected,” he added.