Mumbai civic life, transport, business, culture and sport.
India’s technology job market has begun 2026 with a notable drop in active openings compared with a year earlier, according to a report by staffing firm Xpheno. The data points to weaker demand across many cohorts, with some resilience in global capability centres even as overall hiring remains subdued.
India’s bank unions are set to hold a one-day nationwide strike on 27 January 2026, saying the government has delayed approval for a five-day work week. The protest is expected to disrupt services across multiple types of banks, with unions pointing to earlier agreements and recommendations that remain pending.
Healthcare leaders have urged the government to raise public health expenditure in the Union Budget 2026-27, arguing India remains below its National Health Policy spending target. Industry voices say pressure from both communicable and non-communicable diseases makes investment in primary care, prevention and underserved regions more urgent.
A new academic study released ahead of Union Budget 2026-27 has called for a significant increase in public healthcare expenditure in India. The researchers argue that fast-changing economic and social conditions are driving medical costs upward and widening inequality, making stronger public investment essential for equitable access.
Ahead of Budget 2026-27, Deloitte has called on the government to address regulatory and tax frictions that affect the competitiveness of the IFSC at GIFT City. The firm’s pitch focuses on parity, removal of tax asymmetries and clearer compliance to help attract more global banking and capital markets activity.
India women’s hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia said she was surprised and delighted to learn she will receive the Padma Shri in 2026. She framed the honour as recognition not just of her individual journey but of the wider rise and visibility of the women’s team on the national stage.
India’s IT spend is projected to cross $176 billion in 2026, with data centre systems forecast as the fastest-growing segment. Gartner links the surge to AI infrastructure demand, as enterprises and government initiatives scale model training, inferencing and data-heavy workloads—accelerating investment in GPUs, capacity and sovereign cloud.
With Republic Day celebrations underway, Delhi Police rolled out one of its most layered security plans in recent years—30,000 personnel, thousands of CCTV cameras with facial recognition and video analytics, and AI-enabled eyewear for officers on the ground. The measures reflect both threat perceptions and a growing reliance on tech-led policing for large events.
India’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi drew global attention this year with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attending as chief guests. The presence of the two leaders was widely read as a signal of deepening India–EU strategic engagement, alongside the ceremony’s traditional cultural and defence showcase.
India celebrated its 77th Republic Day on January 26, 2026, with the Kartavya Path parade blending tradition with a clear emphasis on preparedness, indigenous strength and a modern security outlook. With top European Union leaders present as chief guests, the showcase underlined India’s diplomatic outreach alongside its cultural and military confidence.
India sealed an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with an eight-wicket win in Guwahati, driven by a blistering start from Abhishek Sharma and a commanding half-century from Suryakumar Yadav.
India has taken over the BRICS chair for 2026 and has begun formal preparations for the 18th BRICS Summit, including the launch of an official logo and website as it sets priorities for meetings through the year.