The slowdown challenges the narrative of a full-blown funding recovery that had gained traction after a relatively stronger Q4 2025. However, the data also reveals a more disciplined and sustainable investment landscape, with the median deal size rising 17 per cent YoY to 3.3 million dollars — suggesting that investors are deploying capital more selectively rather than retreating entirely.

Where the Money Went

Growth-stage funding emerged as the largest contributor at 1.1 billion dollars, up 10 per cent YoY, indicating that investors are doubling down on relatively mature startups with proven unit economics and clear paths to profitability. Companies like India’s leading unicorns in quick commerce, healthtech, and fintech attracted the bulk of growth-stage capital.

Late-stage funding, in contrast, stood at 782 million dollars — a steep 56 per cent decline from Q1 2025. The absence of any deal above 100 million dollars was a sharp departure from previous quarters, where such transactions often drove overall volumes. Analysts attribute this to a global tightening of growth equity markets and Indian startups’ reluctance to accept down-rounds after the valuation excesses of 2021 to 2022.

Ecommerce emerged as the most-funded sector, attracting 536 million dollars across multiple deals. This reaffirms investor confidence in consumption-driven digital businesses despite broader market volatility. Fintech remained the second-most active sector, though deal sizes moderated compared to 2025’s first quarter.

Seed-Stage Surge Signals Future Pipeline

The 58 per cent YoY surge in seed-stage funding to 248 million dollars is perhaps the most telling data point from Q1 2026. It indicates that institutional investors and angel networks remain bullish on India’s entrepreneurial pipeline, even as they exercise caution at later stages.

Key sectors attracting seed capital include climate tech, defence technology, semiconductor design, and AI infrastructure — areas that align with government policy priorities and global demand shifts. This echoes a broader pattern observed in India’s startup ecosystem, where women founders and first-time entrepreneurs are increasingly securing early-stage backing.

Notable seed and pre-seed deals during Q1 2026 included Flo Mobility (2.5 million dollars for EV and robotics), Coulomb Litech (2.2 million dollars in energy storage), and Mojro Technologies (3 million dollars for logistics AI). The breadth of sectors receiving seed capital suggests the next wave of Indian unicorns may emerge from hardware, deep-tech, and sustainability rather than the consumer internet playbook that dominated the 2015 to 2022 era.

The Elephant in the Room: No Mega Deals

Q1 2026’s most conspicuous absence was the lack of any deal exceeding 100 million dollars. In previous quarters, a single mega-round — such as PhonePe’s 100 million dollar raise or Zepto’s 250 million dollar round — could significantly skew total funding figures. Without such outliers, the headline number appears more muted than the underlying health of the ecosystem might suggest.

Venture capital firms note that several large deals are in advanced negotiations but have slipped into Q2 due to extended due diligence and valuation discussions. If these close in the current quarter, the first-half 2026 numbers could look substantially more positive. The Indian startup landscape as a whole remains resilient despite the headline funding decline.

What Q1 2026 Tells Us About the Year Ahead

The funding data points to an ecosystem that is maturing rather than declining. The combination of rising median deal sizes, surging seed activity, and steady growth-stage investment suggests a “quality over quantity” shift that many industry observers have long called for.

India’s startup ecosystem added an estimated 1,400 new startups in Q1 2026, according to DPIIT data, maintaining the country’s position as the world’s third-largest startup hub. However, the path to profitability — not just growth — has become the dominant narrative, with investors increasingly demanding clear timelines for cash-flow positivity before writing cheques.

The performance of EV startups like Euler Motors and others in the climate-tech space suggests that sector-specific opportunities remain robust, even within a broader funding slowdown. For founders, the Q1 data reinforces that while capital is available, the bar for securing it has risen — a dynamic that could ultimately produce stronger, more sustainable businesses.

Source: Inc42

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IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that while maximum daytime temperatures across many parts of the country are expected to remain normal to below normal during the season, nighttime minimum temperatures will be above normal across most regions. The combination of warm nights and extended heatwave duration in eastern, northeastern, and coastal peninsular India poses significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations including outdoor workers, the elderly, and urban residents in heat-island-prone cities.

Which States Face the Highest Risk

The IMD’s forecast identifies the following states as likely to experience above-normal heatwave days between April and June: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, coastal Tamil Nadu, and northern Karnataka. Delhi-NCR is also flagged, though heatwave conditions are most likely to be concentrated in May and June.

Heatwave conditions are declared when the maximum temperature at a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius for plains and 30 degrees Celsius for hilly regions. Most parts of the plains normally experience three to five heatwave days during the April to June period, but the IMD’s models suggest this could extend to eight to 12 days in worst-affected regions this year.

A silver lining in the forecast is that April itself may bring above-normal rainfall across many parts of India, including the northwest, due to active western disturbances. This could temporarily moderate temperatures before the more intense heat of May and June sets in. The full picture of India’s climate trajectory is becoming increasingly concerning to researchers.

The Escalating Extreme Weather Crisis

The CSE’s State of India’s Environment 2026 report, released in March, paints a stark picture. In 2025, extreme weather events impacted at least 17.41 million hectares of crop area — a nearly five-fold increase from 3.61 million hectares in 2024. The number of days experiencing some form of extreme weather rose from 88 per cent in 2024 to 99 per cent in 2025.

Himachal Pradesh was the worst-hit state, experiencing extreme weather on 267 days in 2025, followed by Kerala (173 days) and Madhya Pradesh (162 days). The agricultural losses alone — encompassing both kharif and rabi crops — are estimated at over Rs 1.2 lakh crore, though comprehensive figures are yet to be compiled by the agriculture ministry.

Scientists point to rising temperatures already reshaping wildlife behaviour across the country, from shifting tiger movement patterns to disrupted bird migration. The ecological consequences of intensifying heatwaves extend beyond human comfort to threaten biodiversity, water security, and food production systems.

Government Response and Preparedness

The National Disaster Management Authority has activated its Heat Action Plan for 2026 across all states, mandating cool-roof programmes, public hydration stations, and revised working-hour guidelines for outdoor labourers during heatwave periods. The NDMA has also directed municipal bodies in 50 cities to establish early-warning SMS systems for vulnerable communities.

However, critics argue that India’s climate adaptation spending remains inadequate. The CSE report notes that the clean air budget was slashed even as air quality crises worsen, and similar underfunding plagues heat-resilience infrastructure. Urban heat island effects — exacerbated by concrete construction, reduced green cover, and poor urban planning — mean that cities like Delhi, Nagpur, and Ahmedabad experience temperatures 3 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than surrounding rural areas.

Meanwhile, even India’s tourism sector is feeling the impact, with Himalayan tourism operators raising concerns about climate risks affecting trail safety and water availability at high-altitude destinations.

What Lies Ahead

The IMD will release its detailed monsoon forecast in late April, which will indicate whether the southwest monsoon — expected in June — will offer timely relief from the summer heat. Early indications suggest a normal-to-above-normal monsoon, but the gap between the end of western disturbance activity and monsoon onset in May to June is typically when India records its most severe heatwave casualties.

Climate scientists at IIT Delhi’s Centre for Atmospheric Sciences have warned that unless India accelerates its urban greening targets and transitions to heat-resilient building codes, heatwave-related mortality could double by 2030. The 2026 summer season will be a critical test of India’s disaster preparedness systems and its political will to treat climate adaptation as a national priority.

Source: Times of India

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The trend marks a deepening of the two-speed dynamic in Indian real estate: the luxury and premium end continues to boom, while the affordable housing segment (below Rs 45 lakh) faces slower absorption and rising unsold inventory. This divergence has significant implications for developers, investors, and the broader Indian economy, which relies on real estate for roughly 7 per cent of GDP and 15 per cent of total employment.

Where Prices Are Rising Fastest

Savills India’s latest data shows that under-construction premium homes outperformed completed assets in terms of price appreciation during the past 12 months. Capital values in this segment rose as much as 36 per cent YoY across major cities, reflecting higher launch benchmarks, increasing land and construction costs, and robust demand.

NOIDA recorded the widest range of appreciation at 9 to 36 per cent YoY, driven by the Noida International Airport development at Jewar and upgraded expressway connectivity. Gurugram followed with a 2 to 19 per cent YoY increase, concentrated along the Dwarka Expressway and Southern Peripheral Road corridors. Bengaluru posted healthy gains of 13 to 15 per cent YoY, supported by IT-sector hiring and infrastructure upgrades including the Phase 2 metro expansion.

Completed premium homes showed steadier but still resilient growth, with values rising up to 20 per cent YoY. Bengaluru led this segment at 12 to 14 per cent, followed by Delhi (10 to 18 per cent) and NOIDA (10 to 20 per cent). Mumbai saw a more modest 4 to 7 per cent increase, though select micro-markets in the Bandra-Kurla Complex corridor outperformed significantly.

The Broader Market Picture

The 1 Finance Housing Market Index, based on RERA-registered transaction data, delivered a 10.2 per cent CAGR over five years, reaching 276 in December 2025. While earlier growth was driven by strong end-user momentum, the current phase is more measured, with inventory discipline shaping outcomes across cities.

New launches are expected to exceed 300,000 units in 2026, with Cushman and Wakefield projecting that the luxury segment will account for over 30 per cent of all new launches — up from 22 per cent in 2024. This shift reflects developers’ strategic pivot toward higher-margin products as land costs and regulatory compliance expenses under RERA continue to rise.

However, not all markets are thriving equally. Same-quarter absorption rates — the percentage of newly launched units sold within the quarter — softened through 2025 in Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru for non-premium segments. Total housing sales data from earlier in 2026 confirms that the affordable segment is under pressure from inventory build-up and cautious buyer sentiment.

What Is Driving Premium Demand

Several factors are converging to sustain demand in the luxury segment. First, India’s growing high-net-worth population — estimated at 8.5 lakh households in 2026 — is increasingly viewing real estate as both a lifestyle asset and inflation hedge. Second, NRI buyers, attracted by a weaker rupee and improved RERA transparency, have significantly increased purchases in Bengaluru, Goa, and parts of Mumbai, according to industry data.

Third, the post-pandemic preference for spacious homes with wellness amenities, private terraces, and work-from-home infrastructure has persisted. Developers who invested in sustainable design — green-certified buildings, EV charging, and energy-efficient construction — are seeing faster sell-through rates and are commanding 10 to 15 per cent premiums.

The impact on personal finance and investment patterns is notable: the Union Budget 2026’s enhanced tax deductions for home loans up to Rs 5 lakh annually have further incentivised ownership in the premium segment, particularly among salaried professionals in the Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh annual income bracket.

Outlook and Risks

Analysts remain cautiously optimistic. Knight Frank India forecasts that residential prices across the top eight cities will rise 6 to 10 per cent in 2026, with the premium end outperforming the average. However, risks include the impact of global geopolitical tensions on financial markets and the RBI’s interest rate trajectory — any delay in anticipated rate cuts could slow mortgage demand in the second half of the year.

For buyers, the window for value purchases may be narrowing in high-growth corridors like NOIDA and Bengaluru’s outer ring road, where prices have already moved substantially. For developers, the challenge is maintaining quality and delivery timelines to justify premium pricing — a crucial factor as RERA enforcement tightens nationwide.

Source: Economic Times

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According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film’s worldwide gross stands at approximately Rs 1,350 crore, with overseas territories contributing nearly 25 per cent of total earnings — the third-highest overseas share for any Indian 1,000-crore grosser after Jawan and Kalki 2898 AD. The film has also surpassed the lifetime collections of its predecessor, Dhurandhar, which released in December 2025 and itself earned over Rs 700 crore worldwide.

Box Office Milestones and Records

Dhurandhar 2 achieved several firsts during its run. It recorded a 100-crore single day on day 11 — a feat managed by only three Indian films in history. The sequel has overtaken KGF Chapter 2 and RRR in lifetime collections, leaving only Pushpa 2 (Rs 1,742 crore worldwide) and Baahubali 2 (Rs 1,810 crore worldwide) ahead of it.

The film’s Hindi-language earnings of Rs 819 crore net make it the highest-grossing Hindi film ever, surpassing Jawan’s Rs 640 crore net. Industry analysts note that Dhurandhar 2 has benefited from minimal competition during its run and strong word-of-mouth, particularly among the 18 to 35 male demographic that drives theatrical footfall in India.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh called the performance “a textbook case of franchise building done right” and noted that the sequel opened 40 per cent higher than the original, defying the conventional wisdom that Bollywood sequels face diminishing returns. The film’s success has major implications for the growing trend of franchise films in Bollywood.

Why Dhurandhar 2 Worked

The film’s success can be attributed to multiple factors. Ranveer Singh’s action-heavy performance, combined with strong supporting turns from Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal, gave the film mass appeal across demographics. Director Aditya Dhar, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed Uri: The Surgical Strike, delivered a tighter narrative that addressed the first film’s pacing criticisms while raising the scale of action set pieces.

Multiplex occupancy rates averaged above 75 per cent through the first two weeks, with single screens in North India reporting near-100 per cent housefull shows well into the third week. The film also recorded strong numbers in the premium formats — IMAX, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema screens contributed an estimated Rs 120 crore to the total.

Crucially, Dhurandhar 2 held its audience even as the April 2026 OTT lineup offered major competing titles on streaming platforms. This theatrical resilience mirrors global trends, where franchise films increasingly dominate cinema halls even as streaming grows — a dynamic that has reshaped India’s entertainment industry.

Impact on Bollywood and What Comes Next

Bollywood’s 2026 box office is now tracking 35 per cent ahead of 2025 at this point in the year, thanks largely to Dhurandhar 2, Border 2 (Rs 306 crore net), and The Kerala Story 2 (Rs 40 crore net). The overall India box office crossed Rs 2,700 crore net in Q1 2026 across all languages, a strong start that has boosted investor confidence in theatrical exhibition.

PVR INOX, India’s largest multiplex chain, reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue in Q4 FY2026, with Dhurandhar 2 single-handedly driving a 22 per cent increase in admits over the previous quarter. Shares of PVR INOX rallied 18 per cent in March on the back of the film’s performance.

With no major Hindi release competing this week, Dhurandhar 2 is expected to maintain its dominance and could end its theatrical run near the Rs 900 crore India net mark, placing it within striking distance of Pushpa 2’s Hindi-language record. Top Bollywood celebrities including Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt have publicly congratulated the team, calling it “a new chapter for Hindi cinema.”

Dhurandhar 3 has not been officially announced, but trade sources suggest pre-production discussions are underway, with a potential 2028 release window being explored.

Source: Cinema Express

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The launch comes at a time when India’s smartphone market is seeing renewed growth, with the premium segment (above Rs 30,000) posting a 27 per cent year-on-year increase in Q1 2026 according to Counterpoint Research. OnePlus, which first disrupted this space with the original Nord in 2020, is doubling down on cutting-edge technology to reclaim share from Samsung and Xiaomi in this crucial price band.

Key Specifications and Design

The OnePlus Nord 6 is built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, which the company claims enables sustained 165 fps gaming performance in titles like BGMI, Call of Duty Mobile, and Free Fire MAX. The chipset, fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm process, offers a significant leap over the Dimensity 8200 found in last year’s Nord 5.

The handset features a triple-camera setup led by a 50 MP primary sensor, housed within a slightly raised rectangular camera module on the top left of the flat back panel. The display measures 6.7 inches with a 120 Hz AMOLED panel.

Perhaps the standout specification is the 9,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery — one of the largest ever in this price segment. Combined with 80W SuperVOOC fast charging and bypass charging support, OnePlus promises a full day’s heavy usage on a single charge. The phone will be available in Fresh Mint, Holographic Quick Silver, and Pitch Black colourways.

Pricing, Availability, and How It Compares

The OnePlus Nord 6 will be positioned between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000, making it slightly pricier than its predecessor, the Nord 5, which launched at Rs 29,999. The device will be sold exclusively through Amazon India and official OnePlus channels.

This positions the Nord 6 against Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE and the recently reviewed best smartphones of March 2026 list, which highlighted the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and OnePlus 14 as the flagship leaders. The Nord 6 essentially brings near-flagship performance to the mid-range, a strategy OnePlus pioneered but has faced stiff competition executing.

Industry analyst Tarun Pathak of Counterpoint told Gadgets 360 that the Nord 6 “could be the most compelling mid-range device of 2026” given its battery and chipset combination, though the camera system will be the deciding factor against Samsung’s computational photography advantages.

India’s Evolving Smartphone Landscape

The Indian smartphone market shipped 155 million units in 2025, with the online channel accounting for nearly 52 per cent of all sales. OnePlus has consistently ranked among the top three brands in the Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 segment, and the Nord series has been central to that performance.

With India’s 5G network expanding rapidly under TRAI’s push for nationwide coverage, consumer demand for high-performance, 5G-ready devices in this price band is growing sharply. OnePlus has also integrated several AI-powered features into the Nord 6, including smart call summarisation, an upgraded AI photo editor, and predictive battery management.

Pre-registrations for the Nord 6 have already crossed 500,000 on Amazon India, according to the company — a figure that underscores the pent-up demand in this category. Buyers who pre-order the 256 GB variant during launch week can expect a complimentary upgrade to 512 GB storage, mirroring a promotion Samsung used during the Galaxy S26 series launch earlier this year.

What to Watch For

The 7 April event will also reveal the full pricing structure, potential bundled offers with Jio and Airtel, and the company’s trade-in programme details. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has hinted at “surprises” for the Indian market, fuelling speculation about a possible Nord 6 Pro variant later in Q2.

For consumers in the Rs 35,000 bracket, the OnePlus Nord 6 appears to set a new benchmark — particularly on battery life and raw performance. Whether it can match Samsung and Google Pixel on camera quality will become clearer once full reviews land after 7 April.

Source: Gadgets360

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How the Iran War Reshaped India’s Energy Supply

The disruption centres on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes daily. Since the conflict began, shipping risks and supply fears have driven crude prices sharply higher. India, which imports over 80 per cent of its crude oil requirements, is particularly vulnerable to these disruptions.

Data from recent trade reports show that India’s Russian crude imports jumped 90 per cent in March 2026 as the country scrambled to diversify its oil basket away from Hormuz-dependent sources. However, this shift only partially offsets the cost increase. Every $10 per barrel rise in crude oil adds roughly $15 billion to India’s annual import bill and widens the current account deficit by 0.4 per cent of GDP.

Inflation Risks Are Building Despite Recent Soft Prints

The combination of costly oil and a sliding currency is beginning to feed into consumer prices. The Ministry of Statistics reported headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 3.21 per cent in February 2026, with food inflation at 3.47 per cent. While these figures remain below the Reserve Bank of India’s 4 per cent target, they represent a sharp reversal from the sub-2 per cent inflation seen through late 2025.

The RBI’s own projections, updated at the February policy meeting, forecast CPI inflation rising to 3.2 per cent in Q4 FY26, 4.0 per cent in Q1 FY27, and 4.2 per cent in Q2 FY27. These estimates were made before the full extent of the oil price surge became clear. Analysts now expect the April MPC meeting (6 to 10 April) to feature a significant upward revision to inflation forecasts. The RBI’s GDP growth outlook may also come under scrutiny if the crisis persists.

Fiscal Impact: Budget Assumptions Under Strain

The Union Budget for 2025-26 was framed with moderate oil price assumptions. The Indian basket crude price stood at roughly $63.50 per barrel when the budget was presented, far below current levels. The budget projected a fiscal deficit of 4.4 per cent of GDP, relying on revenue growth and spending discipline. A sustained oil price above $100 per barrel threatens to undermine these assumptions through higher subsidy payouts, reduced tax revenues from slowing growth, and wider trade deficits.

The record capital expenditure outlined in the budget may also face pressure if the government needs to redirect spending toward energy subsidies. India’s dual-track approach — balancing personal financial wellbeing with large-scale infrastructure investment — becomes harder to sustain when external shocks push up input costs across the economy.

What Comes Next for the Indian Economy

Markets offered a brief reprieve on 1 April when the Sensex rallied 1,186 points on de-escalation hopes, but the underlying economic pressures remain. Business confidence and hiring intentions in India stay strong according to PMI surveys, even as global manufacturing momentum slows. However, the longer the Iran crisis drags on, the greater the strain on India’s macroeconomic stability.

The Indian stock market and bond market will be closely watching the RBI’s April policy statement for signals on how the central bank plans to balance inflation management with growth support. With the repo rate at 5.25 per cent after cumulative cuts of 125 basis points since February 2025, the RBI has limited room to ease further if inflation accelerates. For India’s broader economic trajectory, the resolution of the West Asia conflict may matter more than any domestic policy decision in the near term.

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Sitaare Zameen Par: Aamir Khan Returns to Streaming

Directed by R.S. Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par is a spiritual successor to Aamir Khan’s 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par and an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions. The story follows Gulshan Arora (played by Khan), a basketball coach whose life takes an unexpected turn after a drunk-driving incident lands him in community service. As part of his sentence, he must train a team of neurodivergent players for a basketball tournament.

The film, which also stars Genelia Deshmukh, earned largely positive reviews during its theatrical run. Critics praised Khan’s commitment to the role. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, noting that “Khan effortlessly slips into the character of a temperamental man.” The Indian Express also awarded 3.5 stars, calling it a wholesome, feel-good watch. Its Netflix debut is expected to draw strong viewership from family audiences.

Happy Patel and Vadh 2 Add Genre Variety

Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, which debuted on Netflix on 1 April, marked the return of actor Imran Khan to the screen after a decade-long absence. Directed by Vir Das and Kavi Shastri, the spy action comedy follows a clumsy British spy who discovers he was born in India and embarks on a mission to Goa, stumbling into a dangerous criminal rivalry. The cast includes Vir Das, Mithila Palkar, Mona Singh, and Sharib Hashmi.

Later this month, Vadh 2 will arrive on OTT platforms. The sequel to the critically acclaimed original stars Neena Gupta, Sanjay Mishra, and Kumud Mishra. Directed by Jaspal Singh Sandhu, the follow-up explores darker territory than its predecessor. The first Vadh was praised for its understated performances and tight plotting. The sequel adds Yogita Bihani in a pivotal role.

Regional Titles and International Content Round Out April

The month’s OTT slate extends well beyond Hindi cinema. Several Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films are scheduled for digital premieres across platforms. This trend reflects the broader shift in India’s streaming landscape, where regional content has become a decisive battleground in the fight for subscribers. JioStar and Netflix are both investing heavily in non-Hindi programming, while Amazon Prime Video continues to acquire theatrical hits for post-release digital windows.

The packed April calendar follows a strong March for OTT platforms in India. Industry analysts estimate that India’s streaming audience now exceeds 500 million monthly users. The growing volume of direct-to-digital releases, combined with faster theatrical-to-OTT windows, is reshaping how Indian audiences discover and consume films. The Bollywood box office in 2026 has been driven by franchise films and biopics, many of which are now finding second lives on streaming platforms.

What to Watch in April 2026

For viewers looking to plan their month, the key dates are: Sitaare Zameen Par (Netflix, 3 April), Vadh 2 (platform and date to be confirmed for later in April), and Happy Patel (Netflix, available now). Additional titles including Feel My Voice, Tu Yaa Main, and 18th Rose are also scheduled across various platforms throughout the month.

The battle between streaming platforms shows no signs of slowing down. As the Indian entertainment industry reaches new revenue milestones, OTT platforms are spending more aggressively on content. Viewers across entertainment categories can expect the competition to intensify further as the year progresses.

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SRH’s Batting Blitz: Head and Abhishek Sharma Set the Tone

SRH’s innings was built on the back of another devastating opening stand. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma attacked from the first over, putting the KKR bowling attack under immediate pressure. Abhishek’s innings was particularly notable — in scoring briskly, he became only the second batter after David Warner to complete a century of sixes for the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise across all IPL seasons.

In the middle order, Nitish Kumar Reddy played a composed knock of 39 off 24 deliveries, sharing an 82-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen that pushed SRH past the 220-mark. Klaasen struck a fluent half-century that ensured the team’s total was beyond KKR’s reach on a surface that offered assistance to both pace and spin. SRH’s total of 226 for 8 was among the highest at Eden Gardens this season.

KKR Collapse Under Pressure as Bowling Fires

Chasing 227, Kolkata’s batting order crumbled under disciplined SRH bowling. The Hyderabad attack combined pace and spin effectively to keep the run rate climbing out of reach. Nitish Reddy completed a standout all-round performance, returning figures of 2 for 17 with the ball after his valuable cameo with the bat. The young all-rounder’s ability to contribute in both departments has been a recurring theme in SRH’s IPL cricket campaigns in recent seasons.

KKR were eventually bowled out for 161 in just 16 overs — a comprehensive defeat that will raise questions about the defending champions’ preparation and squad balance. No KKR batter managed to build a sustained innings against the SRH attack, and the middle order’s inability to absorb pressure proved costly.

KKR’s Worst Start Since 2012 Raises Alarm

With consecutive losses to open the tournament, KKR now face their worst start to an IPL season since 2012 — the last time the franchise lost its first two matches. That season, KKR recovered to win the title, but the task ahead looks daunting this time. The IPL 2026 points table shows KKR rooted to the bottom after two rounds of matches, with a poor net run rate compounding their difficulties.

The defeat comes after KKR lost their season opener to Mumbai Indians by six wickets. Head coach Chandrakant Pandit will need to address several issues before KKR’s next fixture against Punjab Kings on 6 April. The top order must find consistency, and the bowling unit — which leaked 226 runs — needs to find better lines and lengths on helpful surfaces.

IPL 2026 Opening Week: RCB, MI, and RR Start Strong

Elsewhere in the tournament’s opening week, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals all recorded emphatic victories. RCB beat SRH by six wickets in the season opener at Bengaluru, MI defeated KKR by six wickets in Mumbai, and RR outclassed Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets in Guwahati. The early results have already begun to shape the narrative of IPL 2026, with established franchises asserting their credentials early. The IPL 2026 pre-season preview highlighted the depth of competition expected this year.

For SRH, the convincing win over KKR provides valuable momentum heading into a packed April schedule. Their aggressive batting approach and Reddy’s all-round ability make them a formidable side. The gruelling 2026 cricket calendar means squad depth and rotation will be crucial factors as the tournament progresses. Fans can follow all the action across Indian sports coverage on Daily Tips.

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Why Anthropic Chose India for Its Next Major Office

The Bengaluru office will serve as Anthropic’s hub for enterprise partnerships, applied AI research, and developer community engagement across India. Irina Ghose, Managing Director of Anthropic India, said the country “represents one of the world’s most promising opportunities to bring the benefits of responsible AI to vastly more people and enterprises.” The company cited India’s deep pool of technical talent, mature digital infrastructure, and a growing ecosystem of AI-first startups and technology companies as key reasons for the expansion.

Anthropic’s run-rate revenue in India has doubled since the company first announced plans for an India presence in October 2025. Key partnerships already announced include a collaboration with Infosys to deploy Claude models in the telecommunications sector, as well as a project with Air India to use Claude Code for faster internal software development.

India’s Growing Importance to Global AI Companies

Anthropic’s India entry follows a wave of investments by competing AI laboratories. At the India AI Impact Summit held in February 2026, attended by over 250,000 visitors, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that India accounts for more than 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users — second only to the United States. Altman also noted that Indian students represent the largest group of ChatGPT users globally for educational purposes.

Google DeepMind, AMD, and Nvidia have all deepened their India commitments at the same summit. AMD announced a partnership with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to develop rack-scale AI infrastructure, while the Indian government earmarked $1.1 billion for a state-backed venture capital fund targeting AI and advanced manufacturing startups. The launch of BharatGPT-2, India’s own sovereign AI model, underscored the country’s dual strategy of welcoming global players while building domestic capabilities.

Enterprise AI Adoption Accelerates Across Sectors

Beyond the headline partnerships, the broader Indian enterprise sector is rapidly adopting AI tools. Anthropic is working with Karya and the Collective Intelligence Project to build performance evaluations for locally relevant tasks in agriculture and law, in partnership with Indian nonprofits including Digital Green and Adalat AI. These evaluations will test Claude’s capabilities across Indic languages and domain-specific use cases.

The AI Impact Summit signalled a clear shift from prototypes to real-world deployment across Indian industry. HCL CEO Vineet Nayyar warned that Indian IT companies must focus on profitability rather than job creation as AI reshapes the services sector. Meanwhile, Bengaluru-based C2i raised $15 million in Series A funding to build power solutions for AI data centres, reflecting the infrastructure demands of the AI boom.

What This Means for India’s AI Ecosystem

The entry of Anthropic strengthens Bengaluru’s position as a global AI hub alongside Silicon Valley and London. For Indian developers, it means easier access to frontier models, localised support, and more enterprise-grade AI tools from leading companies. For the broader Indian technology sector, it signals that the race for AI dominance now runs through India as much as it does through the United States or China.

Analysts expect further announcements from global AI firms targeting India in the coming months, particularly around regional language models, healthcare AI, and government digitisation projects. The domestic sovereign AI startup landscape — led by companies like Krutrim and Sarvam AI — will also benefit from the increased competition and investment flowing into the sector.

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What Drove the Market Rally on 1 April

Intraday, the Sensex touched a high of 73,964.58 — a gain of over 2,000 points — before profit-booking trimmed some gains by the close. The Nifty50 hit an intraday high of 22,941.30. Traders and institutional investors responded to overnight reports suggesting back-channel diplomatic talks between key West Asian nations, raising hopes that the conflict could move toward de-escalation.

On the BSE, Trent, IndiGo, Adani Ports, and State Bank of India led the gainers. UltraTech Cement, Power Grid, NTPC, and Sun Pharma were among the few laggards. All sectoral indices ended in the green except Nifty Pharma. Nifty Media and PSU Bank each gained roughly 3 per cent. The India VIX, a measure of near-term market volatility, fell 10.31 per cent to 25.01, signalling reduced fear among investors.

Broader markets outperformed benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap 100 index climbed 2.22 per cent, while the Smallcap index rallied 3.33 per cent, reflecting improved risk appetite across the board. Analysts said the breadth of the rally suggested this was not merely short-covering but a genuine shift in sentiment.

Oil Prices and the Rupee Remain Key Risks

Despite the single-day relief rally, structural concerns persist. Brent crude oil prices surged from $60.75 per barrel on 1 January 2026 to $105.32 by 27 March — a 73.4 per cent jump — largely driven by supply fears around the Strait of Hormuz disruption. Over the same period, the Indian rupee weakened from 89.96 to 94.59 per US dollar, a fall of roughly 5.1 per cent.

This combination of elevated crude prices and a sliding rupee has pushed up India’s import bill significantly. Higher energy costs feed directly into headline inflation, which the Ministry of Statistics reported at 3.21 per cent for February 2026 — still within the Reserve Bank of India’s comfort zone but trending upward from the sub-2 per cent levels seen in late 2025.

RBI April Policy Meeting in Focus

Attention now turns to the RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for the week of 6 to 10 April. The central bank held the repo rate steady at 5.25 per cent at its February review, after cutting a cumulative 125 basis points since February 2025. With India’s broader economic outlook clouded by the West Asia crisis, analysts are divided on whether the RBI will hold rates again or signal a potential pause in its easing cycle.

Market participants are pricing in the risk of cumulative rate hikes exceeding 100 basis points if inflation spikes further. Bond yields remain elevated, and any hawkish commentary from the RBI could weigh on equity sentiment. However, food inflation has remained relatively contained, giving the central bank some room to wait for more data before acting.

What Investors Should Watch Next Week

Beyond the RBI decision, markets will track services PMI data, global cues including US growth figures, and developments in the West Asia conflict. The recent Sensex run above 95,000 earlier in 2026 feels distant now, with indices having corrected sharply since the Iran war began. Foreign institutional investor (FII) flows, which turned negative in March, will be a critical indicator. Meanwhile, the oil price surge that tested Indian market resilience in Q1 continues to shape the investment landscape.

For personal finance and investment decisions, analysts recommend caution. Equity markets may remain volatile until there is clarity on both geopolitics and monetary policy. Diversification across asset classes and a focus on fundamentally strong stocks remain the prudent approach in this environment.

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