Archive: January 1, 2026

Mahindra Farm Equipment Business sells 30,210 Tractors during December 2025, Records 37Percent Growth in Domestic Sales

Chandigarh, Jan 01st: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Farm Equipment Business (FEB), part of the Mahindra Group, today announced its tractor sales numbers for December 2025. 

Domestic sales in December 2025 were at 30,210 units, as against 22,019 units in December 2024, reflecting a 37% year-on-year growth.

Total tractor sales (Domestic + Exports) during December 2025 were at 31,859 units, as against 22,943 units for the same period last year. Exports for the month stood at 1,649 units, a growth of 78%. 

Commenting on the performance, Veejay Nakra, President –Farm Equipment Business, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “We have sold 30,210 tractors in the domestic market during December 2025, a growth of 37% over last year. Cash flow availability in the market has improved supported by favorable crop yields following the Kharif harvest. Additionally, conducive weather conditions and healthy reservoir levels have contributed to increase in Rabi sowing acreage, which is expected to sustain tractor demand in the coming months. In the exports market, we have sold 1,649 tractors, a growth of 78% over last year.”

Mahindra Auto clocks 50,946 SUVs and 86,090 total vehicle sales in December 2025

Chandigarh, Jan 01st:  Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M Ltd.), one of India’s leading automotive companies, today announced that its overall auto sales for the month of December 2025 stood at 86,090 vehicles, a growth of 25% including exports.

In the Utility Vehicles segment, Mahindra sold 50,946 vehicles in the domestic market, a growth of 23% and overall, 86,090 vehicles, including exports. The domestic sales for Commercial Vehicles stood at 24,786, a growth of 34%.

According to Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd., “Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! The calendar year 2025 ended on a positive note, with Mahindra clocking its highest-ever volumes in both SUVs and LCVs (<3.5T) segments, a significant milestone for the company.

In December, we achieved SUV sales of 50,946 units, a growth of 23% and LCV< 3.5T sales of 24,786 units, a growth of 34%. The total vehicle sales stand at 86,090 units, a 25% year-on-year growth.”

Justdial releases ‘How India Searched in 2025’ report, Decoding India’s evolving consumer behavior

Mumbai, Jan 01st: India in 2025 searched with intent, and every query reflected lifestyle shifts, inflation pressures, digital adoption and a Gen-Z driven cultural evolution. According to Justdial’s annual search study, ‘How India Searched in 2025’, drawing insights from millions of platform searches, India demonstrated a dual-economy consumer pattern: extreme affordability and premiumisation growing simultaneously.

Beauty and Fitness emerged as the most-searched vertical of 2025, fundamentally shaping the search landscape as Indians transitioned from viewing fitness as a hobby to a core cultural identity. This shift was led by an explosive 60% growth in Cricket Clubs, which have evolved into essential lifestyle hubs, and a 50% rise in Fitness Centres driven by preventative wellness. The vertical also saw a “skinification” trend with Cosmetic Dealers up 42%, alongside a major surge in specialized recreational spaces like Cricket Turf Grounds (+33%), Makeup Artists (+26%), and Karate Classes (+24%).

Commenting on the report, Shwetank Dixit, Chief Growth Officer, Justdial, said, “How India Searched in 2025’ reflects how everyday India is quietly evolving. Behind every trend is a family choosing the right school, a student deciding what skills to build, a migrant figuring out where to live, and a young household planning its next celebration or journey. We also see a clear move towards more specialised, niche choices, a sign of changing tastes and rising expectations. As we look ahead, our commitment at Justdial is to help every consumer, in every pin code, easily discover trusted local businesses that move everyday life forward.”

Healthcare followed as the second most-searched vertical, signalling an era where wellness and specialized medical access have become part of the daily urban vocabulary. The most striking trend was the 128% surge in Ayushman Hospitals, reflecting the universalization of the scheme to include all senior citizens. Chronic lifestyle issues drove an 88% spike in Spine Specialist searches for the work-from-home generation, while the shift toward hyper-local care saw neighbourhood Clinics grow by 56%. Other high-growth categories included Jan Aushadhi Kendras and Ayurvedic Hospitals, which both rose by 19% as consumers sought affordable or evidence-based wellness alternatives.

Beyond these primary verticals, the report highlights a “Flexibility-First” revolution in the professional sphere, where Coworking Spaces saw an 84% spike as companies scaled without long-term real estate debt. Education searches pivoted sharply toward “Integrated Schooling” and “Skill-First” models, with Digital Marketing courses up 42% and Senior Secondary schools up 27%. Travel behavior also reached a tipping point with a 90% growth in Luxury Car Rentals and an 86% rise in Tour Operators, suggesting that Indians are increasingly trading DIY planning for expert-led, stress-free milestone experiences.

Across these shifts, one thing emerges clearly: India’s service economy is hyper-local, digital-first, and youth-led by behaviour. It demands affordability at scale, even while embracing premium niche experiences. It searches not simply to spend but to learn, to move, to celebrate, and to cope.

Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) signs its largest Small Arms Contract with Ministry of Defence for Supply of Indigenously Designed and Developed CQB Carbine (5.56 x 45 mm)

Chandigarh, Jan 01st: The Indian MoD has awarded Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) a Rs. 1,661.9 crores contract for supply of 255,128 CQB Carbines (5.56 x 45 mm) to the Indian Army. The contract signed on 30th December, 2025, sets forth order execution within five years. The 5.56 x 45 mm CQB Carbine is an indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM) compact firearm jointly developed by Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), DRDO and Bharat Forge Ltd., Pune. Aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, we – BFL, and our wholly- owned defence subsidiary Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), remain dedicated to equipping the Indian Armed Forces with ‘Made in India’ advanced defence equipment and platforms.

Abakkus Mutual Fund raises INR 2,468 cr during NFO period of its maiden fund

Mumbai, Jan 1, 2026: Abakkus Mutual Fund has cited that the new fund offer (NFO) of their maiden fund – Abakkus Flexi Cap Fund, which opened on December 8, 2025 and closed on December 22, 2025, secured assets under management (AUM) with the subscription value of ₹2,468 crores. This is a reflection of strong interest from investors across the country, recording participation from nearly 5,518 pin codes from across 2,000 cities. About 36,688 retail and 1,060 institutional investors subscribed the flexi cap fund during the NFO period. To bring investment inclusivity and business scalability, Abakkus Mutual Fund has built an extensive network of 4,700 empanelled distributors.

Vaiibhavv Chugh, Chief Executive Officer, Abakkus Investment Managers Private Limited said, “Favourable reception from investors across the country for our maiden fund is a testament of strong brand capital of Abakkus Group and trust built through prudent advisory offered by our sales team & distributors during the NFO period of Abakkus Flexi Cap Fund. Our portfolio construction is true to label flexi cap product with diverse spread across market cap classifications and appropriate allocation to the conviction ideas. We will be aiming to launch more funds in the coming years.”

The Abakkus Flexi Cap Fund is managed by Sanjay Doshi, Head of Investments and Research, and re-opened for investments from December 30 2025, available in both regular and direct plans.

Sanjay Doshi, Head of Investments & Research, Abakkus AMC said, “Our flexi cap fund will be aligned to market conditions offering right balance of allocation across large, mid and small caps. The fund will have notable allocation to conviction ideas and will be supported by a well-defined risk management framework aligned to long term wealth creation.”

The equity scheme invests across large, mid and small cap stocks, offering portfolio flexibility across market capitalisations. The fund is benchmarked against the BSE 500 TRI and will invest a minimum of 65 percent of its assets in equities and equity-related instruments, with the balance allocated to debt, money market instruments, and up to 10 percent in REITs and InvITs.

All schemes under Abakkus Mutual Fund will follow the in-house MEETS framework, which focuses on Management pedigree and track record, Earnings quality and the ability of companies to multiply profits, Events/Trends that affect or disrupt operations, Timing of investment at reasonable pricing and Structural aspects like size of the opportunity and competitive positioning.