Buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions that an individual can take. While the price tag of a property is one of the most important factors that attract buyers’ attention, there are many other hidden costs that can have a significant impact on the investment. Hence, the real estate developers should make informed decisions and ensure a smooth homeownership journey. Ashish Sharma, AVP Operations, Brahma Group, a Gurgaon-based real estate developer, says that buying a property is not just about the property price ut it involves a number of other expenses that are often overlooked in the beginning but are not small enough to be ignored.Stamp Duty and Registration Charges One of the first hidden costs is the legal fees incurred in the transfer of legal ownership. Stamp duty is a tax that the government charges on the purchase of properties. However, the amount of stamp duty that is charged differs in different states and even in different Union Territories. Registration charges are usually expressed as a percentage of the property value and are incurred on the legal transfer of ownership in the records of the government. These charges are usually underestimated and can be as high as 5% to 10% of the property price.Home Loan Processing and Legal FeesMany buyers prefer financing their purchases through home loans. While interest rates are often talked about, other expenses of home loans are often ignored. These costs can be substantial and include home loan processing fees, legal verification costs, and other expenses. In some cases, lenders may also demand mortgage or property insurance, further adding to the costs.Maintenance and Society Charges Once the possession is handed over, the ongoing costs such as maintenance charges and society charges are applicable. Maintenance charges include the cost of amenities such as security and the maintenance of the area. Society charges may also include the contribution towards the resident welfare fund.

Property Tax and Utility DepositsProperty tax is an annual tax that is determined by local municipal authorities. This can be a considerable annual expenditure depending on the location. Another cost, which is sometimes not taken into account, is the connection charges for services such as electricity, water, and gas, which are required for a smooth stay in the property. Interior and Furnishing ExpensesMost people normally ignore the interior and furnishing costs. Some may think that the house is already furnished, but they may be forgetting that some costs may be incurred in the interior decoration, furniture, and the floor, among others. It is, therefore, necessary to plan and budget for the interior and furnishing costs in order to have a comfortable home without financial constraints. Legal and Documentation CostsThe need to seek the services of legal experts to carry out due diligence before purchasing a business is essential in avoiding future disputes as well as fraudulent business deals. The cost of hiring legal experts to carry out due diligence, verify the title of ownership, as well as provide other services may sometimes be ignored, but it is essential in ensuring that the investment process is safe.Miscellaneous ChargesOther hidden costs may be brokerage charges if an agent is involved in the purchase, parking charges, club charges, and society transfer charges. These charges may be low in individual cases, but overall, they may contribute substantially to the overall investment amount. Planning Ahead: Financial Discipline for Smart BuyingThe knowledge of the hidden costs is essential in planning the finances of the buyer. Getting loans pre-approved, having enough cash on hand, and keeping in mind the regular and one-time costs is essential in ensuring financial comfort and avoiding overleveraging.By knowing the hidden costs, the buyer can make an informed buying decision and can avoid any unpleasant experience. By doing this, the buyer can indeed enjoy the journey to homeownership with confidence. A well-thought-out investment today can set the stage for wealth and security tomorrow.

NEW DELHI: Indian firms hoping to ride the global biologics boom are finding the path far tougher than expected, as China tightens its grip further on biotech supply chains. Recent data suggests Chinese companies have bagged more than half of several recent project deals from US biotech companies, underscoring the challenge for Indian players trying to break into complex biologics.Unlike generics, where India leveraged cost efficiency and scale to capture global markets, biologics demand deep R&D capabilities, sophisticated manufacturing infrastructure and specialised talent, raising both entry barriers and financial risks, analysts say.

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Over the last few years, China has rapidly emerged as a major force in biotech, with biologics accounting for about 42% of its new drug approvals in 2023, up from 9% in 2015, cementing its position in global supply chains for complex niche biologics. Against this backdrop, Indian companies will need to recalibrate strategy if they are to carve out a meaningful share in advanced therapies.K V Subramaniam, president, Reliance Life Sciences, said: “In last seven years, China has come from behind and forged way ahead of India in biopharmaceuticals, driven by mission-driven govt policy, fast-track regulatory approvals and clearance of a huge drug approval backlog.”“Recent project flows suggest Chinese companies have been able to secure more than half of their new orders from US-biotech companies, indicating Chinese companies’ operational scale, cost competitiveness and established capabilities remain unmatched,’’ said Tausif Shaikh, India analyst pharma and healthcare at BNP Paribas.Market research firm, IQVIA estimates 118 biologics are losing patent protection in the US (2025–2034), representing a ~$232B global biosimilar market. India’s biosimilar exports, currently around $0.8 billion, are projected to grow five-fold to $4.2 billion by 2030, and then potentially to $30–35 billion by 2047.Shreehas Tambe, CEO & MD, Biocon says, said, “India’s biosimilars industry is at a pivotal stage — the early years were defined by cost efficiency and established India as a reliable producer of high-quality generic medicines at scale. The next phase will evolve from cost leadership to capability leadership.’’“Though India has the broad capability, it has to address gaps such as cell line engineering depth, legal/IP plus market access firepower in the US, manufacturing at commercial scale of newer modalities from hybrid science like cell and gene therapies,’’ said Suresh Subramanian, national lifesciences leader, EY-Parthenon India.

US President Donald Trump (AP photo)

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US could end the war with Iran within weeks, pointing to a possible early exit from a conflict that has disrupted global energy markets.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said, “We’ll be leaving very soon,” adding that the withdrawal could happen “within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three.”The remarks are his clearest yet that Washington is preparing to wind down the month-long war.Trump also said a deal with Tehran is not necessary to bring the conflict to an end. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal, no,” he said. “No, they don’t have to make a deal with me.”Instead, he said the objective is to ensure Iran is left without the ability to quickly develop a nuclear weapon.“Then we’ll leave,” he added.On the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route, Trump said the US will not take responsibility for securing it.“That’s not for us. That’ll be for France. That’ll be for whoever’s using the strait,” he said, adding there is “no reason for us to do this.”He also criticised US allies for not doing enough to support the American effort.Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint US-Israel offensive is weakening Iran and reshaping regional alignments.Addressing the nation, Netanyahu said the campaign was “systematically crushing” the Iranian regime and that Israel is building “new alliances with important countries in the region.”He said Iran had spent vast sums on its military ambitions with little to show for it.“Now it can be said: That trillion has gone down the drain,” Netanyahu said.Netanyahu added that Iran is now weaker than before, while Israel has emerged stronger, though he stressed that the war is not yet over.The developments come amid growing expectations that the US could halt the war without a formal agreement, a possibility that some analysts say Israeli messaging is beginning to anticipate.

Dozens of Maoist cadres surrendered across Bastar in Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra on the final day of Union home minister Amit Shah’s March 31 deadline to end left-wing extremism, while Odisha declared itself free of Naxalite influence and scrapped its surrender and rehabilitation policy for those who failed to lay down arms on Tuesday.In Gadchiroli, for long one of the worst affected by Maoist violence, officials described the surrender of nine from Chhattisgarh as significant due to their role in operations spanning both states. Verification will precede rehabilitation benefits, including financial aid and skill training. The Centre has already reclassified Gadchiroli and Gondia in Maharashtra from Maoist-affected districts to “legacy and thrust” category — the final stage before full normalisation.Officials said coordinated strategy combining sustained security operations and incentives had weakened insurgent morale and encouraged surrenders.Odisha police said CPI(Maoist) had collapsed in the state with no fresh recruitment. Nine districts that once reported Maoist presence have now been cleared, leaving only a small patch in Kandhamal with limited activity. Forces remain on alert to prevent a resurgence.With this, only Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand remain categorised as Maoist-affected districts across the country. On Tuesday, at least 35 insurgents surrendered across five Bastar districts — 25 in Bijapur, five in Dantewada, two each in Sukma and Kanker, and one in Narayanpur — as security forces tightened pressure on Maoist networks. Nine more Maoists crossed the Indravati river from Chhattisgarh forests into Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and surrendered with weapons and explosives.Security forces found 93 weapons, over 7kg of gold and Rs 2.9 crore cash from Maoist dumps in Bijapur alone, with the total haul valued at more than Rs 14 crore. In Dantewada, five cadres linked to the Dandakaranya special zonal committee surrendered. Police said intelligence provided by them led to the seizure of 40 weapons, including SLR and Insas rifles. SP Gaurav Rai said the surrender of “last five active Maoists” had rendered the district Naxal-free.

29 Naxal cadres give up arms in 3 Chhattisgarh districts

Bijapur police reported the surrender of 25 cadres, including members of area committees, alongside confiscation of weapons such as AK-47s. In Sukma, two women carrying rewards of Rs 8 lakh each surrendered. Forces seized Rs 10 lakh cash and rifles. SP Kiran Chavan said the district’s Maoist network had been “nearly dismantled”.Kanker saw two surrenders with an AK-47 rifle. SP Nikhil Rakhecha said 11 cadres had returned to mainstream in six days, though about 14 Maoists, including divisional committee-level members Chander and Rupi, were still active.Around nine lower-rung cadres are believed to be active in Kandhamal forests. “They may either be neutralised or arrested,” ADG (anti-Naxal operations) Sanjeeb Panda added.

SRINAGAR: Five lakes in the Kashmir Valley have high susceptibility to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), posing a threat to 2,704 buildings, 15 major bridges, road stretches, and a hydropower plant in their immediate downstream areas, a study by the University of Kashmir has found.Citing the study, CM Omar Abdullah, who also holds the disaster management and relief portfolio, told the J&K Assembly Tuesday that there is a need for continuous monitoring of these high-susceptibility lakes through remote sensing and targeted field assessments, as well as the installation of effective early warning systems.However, the CM said, a lake classified as highly susceptible does not mean it is currently unstable. He said it only means it may be more prone to an outburst compared to others if specific triggering conditions occur. “This does not imply that the lake is currently unstable or actively breaching or likely to fail in the immediate future,” Omar said in his written response.The study, conducted by researchers from the department of geoinformatics, has analysed 155 glacial lakes in the Kashmir Himalaya. Of these, Bramsar and Chirsar in Kulgam district; Nundkol and Gangabal in Ganderbal district and Bhagsar in Shopian district, have been categorised as having “very high susceptibility” compared with others in the region.Omar said accurate risk assessment of glacial lake outburst floods in the Kashmir Valley, including estimates of flood magnitude, velocity and warning time, requires reliable information on glacial lake volume. For this, he said, researchers at the department of geoinformatics have procured high-precision, powerful tools, including robotic echo-sounding boats, with support from the union ministry of earth sciences, to know the water volume of the lake.Using this facility, he said, in-depth surveys of high-risk glacial lakes in the western Himalaya are planned for 2026.