Sweden's Ikea will more than double its investment in India to over ₹20,000 crore ($2.20 billion) in the next ‍five years as the furniture ​retailer plans to open more stores and increase sourcing locally, a top executive said on Monday.

Ikea , which opened its first India store in 2018 in the southern city of Hyderabad, will begin accepting online orders in four other cities where it currently does not have a physical presence, including Chennai and Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu ​state.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday announced that all pending applications for land measurement will be cleared by January 31 through a special drive.

He asserted that the decision is part of the seventh resolve 'Sabka Samman Jeevan Aasan' of the government's Saat Nischay-3 programme (2025-30), which focuses on reducing day-to-day hardships faced by citizens.

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday signed a letter of intent towards the conclusion of a strategic defence partnership during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s official visit to India.

A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Al Nahyan welcomed the development.

Indian-American President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are among the leaders named to the 'Board of Peace' for Gaza redevelopment under President Donald Trump's comprehensive plan to end the conflict.

The White House on Friday released a list of appointed members to the founding Executive Board of the Board of Peace, which it said comprises leaders with "experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy".

The HDFC ERGO board of directors on Friday announced the resignation of Anuj Tyagi, managing director and chief executive officer of HDFC ERGO General Insurance. He submitted his resignation on January 16, 2026, to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations. The board said it has initiated a structured succession process to ensure continuity and stability.

Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) has secured defence contracts worth ₹300 crore under the Emergency Procurement–VI (EP-VI) framework for supplying indigenous unmanned systems to the security forces.

These platforms are primarily intended for induction into the Indian Army, with select systems also deployed by the Indian Navy, highlighting the push for indigenous technology to meet urgent operational requirements.

Air India on Friday said it has signed a commercial cooperation framework agreement with Singapore Airlines as part of which the carriers will, among other things, explore ways to improve connectivity between Singapore and India.

Singapore Airlines holds a 25.1 per cent stake in the Tata Group-backed airline.

EPFO subscribers will be able to withdraw their employees' provident fund (EPF) directly to their bank accounts through UPI payment gateway by April this year, a top source has said.

The labour ministry is working on a project where a certain proportion of the EPF will be frozen, and a large chunk will be available for withdrawal through their bank account using Unified Payment Interface (UPI), the source told PTI.

The Centre is set to launch a microcredit programme offering collateral-free loans of up to ₹10,000 per year to gig workers, domestic helpers, and other vulnerable groups, according to the Economic Times.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is designing the scheme on the lines of the PM Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi), which supports street vendors with small working capital loans.

Financial strain is the foremost source of stress for young people, many of whom believe artificial intelligence (AI) may reduce entry-level job opportunities, according to Youth Pulse 2026, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) flagship report on youth perspectives released on Monday.

The WEF’s survey of nearly 4,600 young people from 489 locations worldwide found that half viewed inflation and economic instability as the greatest threats to their lives, while deepening inequality emerged as the leading economic trend shaping the future.

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