India’s 2026 Baggage Rules: Are UAE Travellers Finally Getting a Fair Deal?

India has introduced a major overhaul of its customs baggage rules for 2026, bringing changes that will significantly benefit international travellers, especially UAE residents, Indian expats (NRIs) and tourists of Indian origin flying into the country. These changes come into effect from February 02, 2026 under the Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026 and a consolidated “Baggage Rules, 2026,” which replace decade-old frameworks and modernise customs procedures at Indian airports.For UAE travellers, a large diaspora that frequently shuttles between India and the Gulf for family, business and leisure, these developments make shopping, carrying personal goods and returning home with prized purchases far easier and more predictable.

India hikes duty-free allowance to ₹75,000

One of the most impactful changes is the increase in the general duty-free limit that passengers can bring into India without paying customs duty:

This increase reflects the government’s recognition that baggage values and travel-shopping patterns have shifted significantly since the previous rule was introduced over a decade ago. This matters for UAE flyers because with the Dirham/Rupee exchange rate and lower prices for many electronics and fashion products in markets like the UAE, the higher duty-free band allows travellers to bring more back home from smartphones and watches to clothing and accessories, without getting hit with import duties at Indian airports.

India simplifies gold jewellery rules for the UAE: No value caps

Another welcome reform affects gold jewellery duties, an especially important issue for Indian expats returning from the UAE, where gold shopping is common before trips home. Under the 2026 framework, value-based caps on duty-free gold jewellery have been removed, leaving only weight-based limits.Eligible travellers who have been abroad for more than a year can carry:

This applies regardless of the market value of the gold, easing stress from price fluctuations and aligning the rules with contemporary market conditions. Previously, passengers faced both weight and value limits (₹100,000 for women and ₹50,000 for men), which became confusing as gold prices soared over the years. The revised rule removes this complexity and reduces disputes at customs.For many in the UAE’s Indian community, this has been a long-pending demand and the updated rule is seen as a practical and fair resolution that improves compliance and avoids hassles for genuine travellers.

Other traveller-friendly additions by India for UAE

The 2026 customs regime streamlines several other baggage categories that directly affect UAE travellers –

These enhancements signal a broader shift toward efficiency and passenger convenience in India’s customs processes, aligning with global travel standards.

What UAE travellers should know before flying to India

Here are key takeaways for UAE passengers planning trips to India in 2026 –

India’s Baggage Rules, 2026 represent one of the most significant updates to its customs framework in nearly a decade by increasing duty-free limits, scrapping outdated value caps on jewellery, streamlining digital procedures and clarifying exemptions. For UAE-based travellers, returning expats and frequent flyers, these reforms mean less worry about customs duties, simpler airport clearance and greater flexibility in carrying purchases home. As international travel resumes full pace and global shopping remains a strong part of travel culture, these new rules help India stay aligned with modern travel expectations and passenger convenience

NEW DELHI: Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday defended the India-US bilateral trade agreement in the Lok Sabha, saying India had “successfully safeguarded” its sensitive sectors, particularly agriculture and dairy, after nearly a year of negotiations between the two sides. “As the Members of the House are aware, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States in February 2025, India and the US have been regularly engaged in discussions with the objective of concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement,” Goyal said.He added that negotiators from both countries held intensive discussions at multiple levels over the past year. “During these negotiations, the Indian side successfully ensured the protection of its sensitive sectors, particularly agriculture and dairy,” he said, noting that the US too had areas it considered sensitive.

Year-long talks, key sectors finalised

Goyal said it was natural for both sides to protect critical interests while seeking the best possible outcome. “After several rounds of deliberations spanning approximately one year, the negotiators from both sides have succeeded in finalizing several areas of the bilateral trade agreement,” he told the Lower House. He said the agreement would help promote flagship initiatives such as Viksit Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Design in India for the world, while also enhancing the export competitiveness of Indian exporters.The minister said the deal would open up opportunities for skilled Indian professionals and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the US market.

Tariff reduction lower than competitors

Referring to the latest call between PM Modi and Trump, Goyal said, “On 2nd February 2026, PM and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation on several matters of bilateral and international importance. After this, President Trump announced a reduction in tariff to 18 per cent.”He added, “I would like to emphasize the fact that this tariff is lower than the US tariff on several competitor nations,”. Further the minister added that, “Energy security for Indians is the top priority of government.”Goyal maintained that the agreement balanced the interests of both countries while protecting India’s core sectors and strengthening bilateral trade ties.US President Donald Trump on Monday night on his social media platform Truth Social announced that India and the US have “agreed to a trade deal” and also the US would reduce tariffs in India from 25 per cent to 18 percent.PM Modi later in a post on X acknowledged Trump’s announcement saying, “Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: As India begin shaping their roadmap towards the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, former captain MS Dhoni has thrown his weight behind senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, insisting that performance and fitness — not age — should determine their future in ODI cricket. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking at a recent event, Dhoni made it clear that experienced players should not be written off simply because they are in their 30s, especially with scrutiny increasing after both stalwarts stepped away from Test cricket last year.

“Why not? The thing is, why somebody should not play the next World Cup? For me, age is not a criteria. Performance, fitness, these are the criteria,” Dhoni said, adding that no player should be judged purely on numbers associated with age. “Is age a factor? No. Fitness factor? Yes. Even if you are 22 and not fit, you cannot play international cricket.” Dhoni emphasised that decisions on longevity ultimately belong to the players themselves: “If they keep performing and have the urge to do well for the country, then why not? How do you get experienced people otherwise?”The World Cup-winning skipper also stressed the value of seasoned campaigners in a young dressing room. “You cannot get a 20-year-old who is experienced unless it is someone like Sachin Tendulkar,” he noted, pointing out that experience is built over years of high-pressure matches. “If people are performing, they will be there, otherwise not. If they are not fit, you can chuck them out,” he added.

Dhoni’s remarks come as both Rohit and Kohli continue to build their ODI credentials. Since the Australia tour, Kohli has amassed 616 runs in nine matches at an average of 88, while Rohit has contributed 409 runs @ 51 average. With the next ODI assignment scheduled in England from July, the debate over India’s senior core heading into 2027 remains firmly alive.

MUMBAI: All vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have been diverted to the old Mumbai-Pune Highway following a gas tanker overturn in the Khandala Ghat section. However, traffic continues to remain congested on the ghat on Wednesday.Traffic on the expressway was paralysed overnight after the tanker overturned, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing massive congestion on both carriageways.Vehicles remained stationary near the accident site for several hours amid traffic chaos that lasted over 12 hours, leaving passengers, including women and children, without food, water, and toilet facilities.The highway traffic police have appealed to motorists to avoid travelling on the expressway until normal traffic movement is restored.The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first 6-lane wide concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway, spans 94.5 km, connecting Mumbai, Raigad, Navi Mumbai, and Pune.According to the expressway control room, the gas tanker overturned on the highway around 5 pm on Tuesday.The incident occurred near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district when the tanker, allegedly travelling at high speed, lost control due to the slope and overturned. Soon after the accident, gas was found leaking from the tanker, causing panic among motorists, an official said.The tanker was carrying propylene gas, which is highly flammable. As a precaution, police immediately closed traffic towards Mumbai to prevent any untoward incident.Mumbai-bound traffic was diverted onto the Pune-bound carriageway for about a 2-km stretch. However, normal movement could not be restored due to a continuous gas leak from the tanker, resulting in long queues and crawling traffic even for Pune-bound motorists, an official at the expressway control room said.The impact was severe on motorists, with several passengers stranded for hours.“People have been stuck and desperately waiting for help. Please do something,” wrote X user VyasKarn.A conductor of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus told PTI around midnight that their vehicle had been stationary for over six hours near the accident site, leaving passengers without food, water, and toilet facilities.Many motorists voiced their frustration on social media, with some describing the expressway as a “parking lot” and advising others to avoid travel unless necessary.“Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a literal parking lot right now. Traffic crawling for hours near Lonavala and Khandala due to a truck overturn. If you absolutely don’t have to travel, don’t,” wrote X user pranav_72.Pune-bound motorists were also inconvenienced due to the traffic snarls.“Started my journey from Andheri West around 7 pm via cab. Will be reaching Pune around 3.40 am. Worst traffic experience I ever had,” another X user, Sohit Manik, wrote.The Maharashtra Highway Traffic Police have advised motorists to avoid the Mumbai–Pune Expressway until regular traffic movement is restored.The tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section on the Mumbai-bound corridor near the Adoshi tunnel, according to a statement from the highway traffic police shared by a spokesperson of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).A highly flammable gas leaked from the tanker after the accident, and all agencies concerned were working at the site on a war footing to contain the situation, the statement said.The Mumbai-bound carriageway was closed in the interest of vehicle and commuter safety, leading to traffic congestion on both the Mumbai and Pune-bound lanes of the expressway, it added.(With agency Inputs)

Oracle has publicly defended its partnership with OpenAI after reports emerged that the company could slash up to 30,000 jobs to fund AI infrastructure spending. The software giant said the stalled Nvidia-OpenAI investment deal has “zero impact” on its financial relationship with Sam Altman’s company, adding that it remains “highly confident in OpenAI’s ability to raise funds and meet its commitments.““The NVIDIA-OpenAI deal has zero impact on our financial relationship with OpenAI. We remain highly confident in OpenAI’s ability to raise funds and meet its commitments,” Oracle posted on X through its official account.The clarification came after a bruising weekend for OpenAI’s partner network. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, speaking to reporters in Taipei following what local media dubbed the “trillion-dollar dinner,” said his company would still back OpenAI—just not to the tune of $100 billion. “No, no, nothing like that,” he said when pressed on the figure that had been circulating since September.

Oracle’s reassurance sends stock tumbling

Wall Street wasn’t reassured. Minutes after Oracle’s post went live, the stock started sliding. It closed down 2.79% at $160.06. Venture capitalist Alex Kolicich captured the mood on X: “This is literally bank-run language.”Rather than calming nerves, the statement reminded investors how deeply Oracle has bet on AI. The company has racked up $58 billion in debt over just two months—$38 billion for data centres in Texas and Wisconsin, another $20 billion for a New Mexico campus. Total debt now tops $100 billion. Since peaking in September 2025, Oracle’s market cap has been cut in half, wiping out roughly $463 billion.

TD Cowen flags potential layoffs of up to 30,000

Investment bank TD Cowen reported this week that Oracle is considering workforce reductions affecting 20,000 to 30,000 employees. The cuts would free up $8 to $10 billion in cash flow—funds the company badly needs to deliver on a $300 billion OpenAI contract that TD Cowen estimates will require $156 billion in capital spending and around 3 million GPUs.Lenders are getting nervous too. Several US banks have quietly stepped back from Oracle-linked data centre projects. TD Cowen noted that interest rate premiums on Oracle debt have roughly doubled since September, and some planned data centre leases have stalled after private operators failed to secure financing.

Nvidia confirms $100 billion OpenAI deal was never finalised

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Nvidia’s proposed $100 billion investment in OpenAI had hit a wall, with some inside the chip giant expressing doubts. Huang confirmed in Taiwan that the September agreement was non-binding and never closed. He has also privately criticised what he views as a lack of discipline in OpenAI’s business approach and voiced concern about rising competition from Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, WSJ reported.Separately, Reuters reported that OpenAI has been shopping for alternatives to Nvidia’s inference chips since last year. The ChatGPT maker has held discussions with AMD, Cerebras, and Groq. Seven sources told Reuters that OpenAI is unhappy with how quickly Nvidia’s hardware handles certain workloads, particularly around coding tasks.

Circular financing model faces mounting scepticism

The turbulence has put a spotlight on the circular economics underpinning the AI boom. Nvidia invests in companies that spend the money buying Nvidia chips. Oracle builds data centres for OpenAI, then charges OpenAI to use them. It all works until one party slows down—and suddenly everyone feels it.Sam Altman pushed back on the coverage with his own X post: “We love working with NVIDIA and they make the best AI chips in the world. We hope to be a gigantic customer for a very long time. I don’t get where all this insanity is coming from.”But the numbers remain daunting. OpenAI has committed to roughly $1.4 trillion in compute, power, and infrastructure spending while generating just over $20 billion in annualised revenue. The plan hinges on continuous fundraising at rising valuations. Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest up to $50 billion in the current round; SoftBank has already contributed $22.5 billion.Oracle, meanwhile, is asking new customers to pay up to 40% of contract value upfront and is said to be weighing a sale of Cerner, the healthcare software unit it bought for $28.3 billion in 2022. The company has not commented on the layoff reports.

Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath has shared bold set of predictions for the T20 World Cup 2026. Speaking on The Fast Bowling Cartel YouTube channel, McGrath moved away from traditional safe bets to highlight a new era of T20 dominance. His forecasts focus on a blend of tactical spin mastery and the fearless aggression of the next generation. By backing specific subcontinental stars and predicting a high-stakes rematch of the 2024 final, McGrath has provided a comprehensive roadmap for the upcoming tournament.

Glenn McGrath shares his bold predictions for T20 World Cup 2026

1. T20 World Cup 2026: Leading wicket taker

McGrath has officially backed Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan to finish as the leading wicket-taker of the 2026 tournament, citing his unmatched efficiency in the shortest format. Rashid enter the World Cup as the all-time leading wicket-taker in T20I history with 187 wickets in just 111 matches. McGrath specifically highlighted Rashid’s career economy rate of 6.02 and a remarkable bowling average of 13.59 as the factors that make him tough to beat compared to traditional pacers. With 2 five-wicket hauls and 9 four-wicket hauls already to his name, Rashid is expected to lead the Afghan attack as he nears the historic milestone of 200 T20I wickets during this event.

Also READ: Kapil Dev rips apart Pakistan for boycotting India’s T20 World Cup game; blames them for ‘killing generation’

2. T20 World Cup 2026: Highest run scorer

For the highest run-scorer, McGrath has placed his bets on India’s Abhishek Sharma, the current World No. 1 ranked T20I batter. McGrath’s prediction is driven by Sharma’s astronomical career strike rate of 194.74, which is currently the highest in T20I history for any player with over 30 innings. The 25-year-old opener has amassed 1,297 runs in just 38 outings, including 2 centuries and 8 fifties. McGrath pointed to Abhishek’s ‘Player of the Tournament’ form from the 2025 Asia Cup, where he scored 314 runs, and his recent blitz against New Zealand (averaging 45.50 at a strike rate of 249.31) as proof that he will be the most dominant force at the top of the order in 2026.

3. T20 World Cup 2026: Finalists and winner

McGrath has predicted an India vs South Africa final for the 2026 edition setting the stage for a repeat of the 2024 summit clash. Despite the high-pressure nature of a one-off final where ‘anything can happen,’ McGrath has officially backed India to successfully defend their title and come out on top. He views the Men in Blue as the ultimate ‘team to beat,’ specifically noting their superior balance of world-class spin options and the clinical pace of Jasprit Bumrah. While he respects South Africa’s ability to reach the final for a second consecutive time, McGrath believes India’s familiarity with subcontinental conditions, given the tournament is hosted by India and Sri Lanka, gives them the definitive edge to secure the trophy.

Also READ: Ricky Ponting explains why Australia will make it to the semifinal of T20 World Cup 2026

The sell-off in IT stocks was triggered by an announcement from US-based AI startup Anthropic. (AI image)

IT stocks crash! Shares of Indian IT majors Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Persistent Systems tanked in opening trade on Wednesday, dragging Sensex down by over 100 points. The decline was due to concerns about the growing impact of artificial intelligence which intensified following Anthropic’s launch of new workplace productivity tools. The negative sentiment mirrored weakness on Wall Street, where the technology-heavy benchmark Nasdaq declined 1.4 per cent, erasing nearly $300 billion in market capitalisation across the sector.Shares of major IT companies, including Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech and Persistent Systems, slid as much as 6 per cent in early trade.

Why are IT sector stocks crashing?

International brokerage Jefferies said in a February 2 report that it has cut back its allocation to the information technology sector as part of a reshuffle of its India model portfolio. Following the revision, the IT sector now carries a weight of 5.6 in Jefferies’ India portfolio, well below the 9.7 weighting assigned to the sector in the MSCI India index. The brokerage’s guarded approach comes amid persistent foreign portfolio investor selling, with overseas funds having withdrawn about $34 billion from Indian equities over the last 16 months, a period during which IT stocks have faced some of the heaviest pressure.

US IT sector stocks crash

US equities also reflected the technology-led weakness. The S&P 500 declined 0.84 per cent to settle at 6,917.81, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.43 per cent to 23,255.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average proved relatively more stable, closing 0.34 per cent lower at 49,240.99. Among major stocks, Nvidia and Microsoft fell by nearly 3 per cent each. Alphabet slid 1.2 per cent ahead of its earnings announcement on Wednesday, and Amazon slipped 1.8 per cent before releasing its quarterly results on Thursday.

What Anthropic has said

Addressing market concerns, Anthropic clarified that its newly launched plugin is not intended to offer legal advice. “AI-generated analysis should be reviewed by licensed attorneys before being relied upon for legal decisions,” the company said. In addition to the legal-oriented tool, Anthropic unveiled a series of open-source offerings designed to automate a wide spectrum of professional activities, ranging from sales functions to customer service operations.Anthropic, established in 2021, was founded by chief executive Dario Amodei along with several former employees of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

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NEW DELHI: Defending champions India will walk into the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as firm favourites, and few voices carry more weight on the subject than Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The former India captain, who famously led the side to the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, believes the hosts have all the ingredients required to go deep in the tournament, while also underlining the fine margins that can undo even the strongest teams in the shortest format.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, open their campaign against the United States at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. The top-ranked side arrives on the back of a dominant 4-1 series win over New Zealand, extending their run to nine consecutive bilateral T20 series victories and reinforcing their status as pre-tournament favourites on home soil.

Explaining why Team India stands out, Dhoni said: “It’s one of the most dangerous teams. You know, they would have already started, batting or bowling. But what all is needed in a good team and everything is there. They have the experience. Especially when it comes to this format, the experience is vast. They have played under pressure. Whoever is playing, whatever roles they are playing in the team, they have been in that situation for a considerable period of time.”However, Dhoni was quick to point out his biggest concern ahead of the tournament. “What worries me again, I hate dew. Dew changes a lot of things. So even when I was playing something that really scared me was dew where the toss becomes crucial and all of that,” he said. “If you are playing 10 matches with some of the best teams, we will come out as winners more often than not if the conditions remain, condition is neutral and all of that.”Dhoni also highlighted the unpredictability that defines T20 cricket. “The problem is when some of your players have a day off and somebody from the opposition has a brilliant day. And it can happen in T20 cricket,” he said, stressing the importance of timing and luck. “Whether it happens in a league stage, whether it happens in the knockout stage, that’s where all the prayings are needed. Nobody should get injured. Whatever roles are given, people should accomplish their roles for the team.”He signed off with a familiar note of caution: “And if that’s the case, I don’t want to jinx it by saying anything but it’s one of the most dangerous teams.”