India's real GDP growth is projected to grow in a range of 6.4-6.7 per cent in FY26, reinforcing the country’s position as the fastest-growing major economy in the world, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said on Thursday.

CII President Rajiv Memani said that at a time when global economic and political volatility is at its highest in over two decades, India stands out as a bright spot in an increasingly fractured global economy.

Speaking at a CII event in the national capital, Memani said competitiveness is India’s passport to prosperity.

"But it must be earned through reform, through innovation, and through trust. CII remains committed to working alongside the government, industry, and citizens to accelerate India’s rise as a confident, competitive, and globally connected economy," he said, adding that India’s internal momentum is strong enough to withstand external shocks.

At least 60 students of a girls' residential school in Mandor Lukhadia village of Dahod district fell ill due to suspected food poisoning, prompting an urgent medical response and a formal investigation by authorities.

According to preliminary reports, the students began experiencing vomiting, stomach pain, and nausea shortly after consuming their meal.

Around 12 students were initially shifted to the Limkheda Government Hospital for treatment.

However, as the night progressed, more students reported similar symptoms and were also rushed to the hospital in ambulances.

Doctors confirmed that all students are in stable condition, thanks to timely medical intervention.

Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota has passed away at the age of 28 in a tragic car accident in Spain, the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) said on Thursday.

Jota's brother Andre Silva, was also a professional footballer, with Portuguese second-tier club Penafiel, also died in the accident, which took place in the Spanish province of Zamora, BBC reported.

"The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, this morning, in Spain," the PFF said in a statement.

Actress Alia Bhatt took to social media to react to the first look of Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram in “Ramayana.”

The actress is beyond words after witnessing her husband’s transformation for the epic saga. Taking to her Instagram handle, Alia shared the first look teaser from the movie and wrote, “Some things don’t need words. This feels like the start of something unforgettable. Diwali 2026 — we’re waiting.”

Notably, Alia Bhatt has always been one of Ranbir Kapoor’s biggest cheerleaders, both personally and professionally. Whether it’s attending his film screenings, sharing heartfelt posts on social media, or speaking fondly of him in interviews, the ‘Raazi’ actress never misses a chance to celebrate her husband’s achievements.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on Thursday said that they have detained a 23-year-old Russian woman in St. Petersburg for allegedly preparing a terrorist attack ordered by the Ukrainian Special Services.

The FSB mentioned that it has "stopped the activities of a Russian citizen born in 2002 who was involved in preparing a terrorist act on orders from Ukrainian special services."

The security service found that the woman detained has had "proactively entrenched contact" with a Ukrainian Special Services representative across WhatsApp and Telegram messengers (owned by Meta, whose activities are recognised as extremist in Russia), reported TASS news agency, citing the FSB report.

The woman, according to the FSB, was planning to become a citizen in one of the European Union (EU) countries. Hence, she was found stating her readiness to be a "part of sabotage and terrorist activities for the sake of leaving" Russia.

Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu on Thursday administered the oath of office and secrecy to a new cabinet minister -- Kishor Barman -- at a simple ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

Barman, 45, a first-time MLA, belongs to the ruling BJP.

In Tripura, the council of ministers comprises 12 members, including the Chief Minister. With the new minister's induction, the cabinet has reached its full strength.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, his council of ministers, and senior civil and security officials were present at the swearing-in ceremony, held at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in the New Capital complex, on the outskirts of the city.

Barman, who is also the party's General Secretary, won the 2023 Assembly polls from Nalchar Assembly constituency in Sepahijala district.

India Inc has shown remarkable financial strength over the last five years, with corporate profits growing nearly three times faster than the country's GDP between FY20 and FY25, a new report said on Thursday.

The profit-to-GDP ratio has risen significantly to 6.9 per cent -- reflecting strong earnings performance despite economic challenges, according to the data compiled by Ionic Wealth (Angel One).

The report, titled ‘India Inc. FY25: Decoding Earnings Trends & Path Ahead’, highlights that FY25 was a resilient year for Indian companies.

Revenue of Nifty 500 firms grew by 6.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY), while EBITDA rose by 10.4 per cent and profit after tax (PAT) increased by 5.6 per cent.

Notably, mid-cap and small-cap companies outshined large-cap firms in terms of profit growth, recording 22 per cent and 17 per cent PAT growth respectively, compared to just 3 per cent for large caps.

In a distinctive display of rising affluence as economy remains resilient, the sale of ultra-luxury homes worth Rs 50 crore and above in Delhi-NCR saw a massive 2,550 per cent (year-on-year) growth in the first half of 2025 (January-June period), while the Rs 20-50 crore bracket surged by 1,233 per cent, according to a report on Thursday.

NCR's residential market is seeing a dramatic shift and premium and luxury housing now dominates.

In H1 2025, homes over Rs 2 crore made up 57 per cent of total sales, up from 43 per cent in H1 2024, according to the report by Knight Frank India.

Ultra-luxury projects in prime Gurugram locations like Golf Course Road and Southern Peripheral Road, with some units exceeding Rs 50 crore, are exceptionally well-received, often selling 60-70 per cent immediately post-launch.

India’s commercial real estate market witnessed strong growth in the first half of 2025, with net office leasing across the top seven cities rising by 40 per cent year-on-year (YoY), a new report said on Thursday.

According to data compiled by Anarock Research, net office absorption grew from around 19.08 million sq. ft. in H1 2024 to approximately 26.8 million sq. ft. in H1 2025.

New office supply also increased by 25 per cent during the same period, reaching nearly 24.51 million sq. ft.

Experts say the strong office market performance reflects India’s steady economic growth and its rising global profile as a business destination.

Peush Jain, Managing Director, Commercial Leasing & Advisory at Anarock Group, said the country continues to attract large-scale office leasing by global capability centres (GCCs) and US-based corporates.

After a delegation of opposition parties lodged a strong protest against the Election Commission's decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections, the NDA launched a scathing counterattack, accusing Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of undermining constitutional authorities and showing distrust towards Indian voters.

The Opposition, represented by an 18-member INDIA bloc delegation comprising 11 parties, including Congress, RJD, CPI, CPI(M-L), and Samajwadi Party, met with ECI officials at Nirvachan Sadan on Wednesday.

They alleged that the EC's move was both sudden and ill-timed, potentially impacting marginalised groups and compromising the fairness of the polls.