Top Stories: GDP growth surprises, Commerce Secy on US deal, Defence Secy on deadline misses & more

India’s economy clocked a robust 8.2% GDP growth in Q2 FY26, comfortably beating the CNBC-TV18 poll estimate of 7.4%. The government attributed the upside surprise to broad-based strength across manufacturing, services and investment. With H1 growth at 8%, economists now expect FY26 GDP to land well above 7%, with SBI Ecowrap projecting a full-year print of around 7.6%.

But even as the macro picture looks buoyant, other policy fronts are heating up.

India and the US have begun parallel negotiations—one on reciprocal tariffs and another on a broader trade pact—signalling a more ambitious reset in bilateral engagement. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, meanwhile, offered a candid reminder that delays in defence deliveries aren’t an India-only problem, pushing back against criticism of domestic firms.

Offshore, global signals turned sharper: US President Donald Trump hardened his immigration stance again, vowing a freeze on arrivals from “all third world countries”.

In Asia, tragedy deepened in Hong Kong where the toll from an apartment complex blaze climbed to 128, the worst in decades.

Back home, the Bombay High Court pushed for stricter checks on construction activity as Mumbai’s AQI worsened, even as Cyclone Ditwah intensified over the Bay of Bengal, triggering alerts across southern states.

India's economic growth of 8.2% surpasses analyst estimates by a wide margin 



India’s economy grew 8.2% in Q2 FY26, surpassing the CNBC-TV18 poll forecast of 7.4%. This growth compares with 5.6% in the same quarter last year (YoY) and 7.8% in the previous quarter (QoQ). 

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Also Read: FY26 growth now expected north of 7% as Q2 GDP expands by 8.2%: CEA

India & USA in parallel negotiations on two deals, one of reciprocal tariffs and one on trade: Commerce Secy



India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Friday said New Delhi and Washington are now engaged in two parallel trade negotiations - a framework trade deal to address reciprocal tariffs, and a longer-term Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Also Read: India reviews bilateral trade partnership with Slovenia ahead of next round of FTA talks with EU

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Defence Secy Rajesh Singh says Indian firms not the only ones missing deadlines


Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Friday, November 28, said while some Indian companies tend to overpromise and underdeliver on defence equipment, they are not the only ones missing timelines.

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Trump’s holiday message: A promise to freeze migration from 'all third world countries’



US President Donald Trump has said that he will stop migration from "all third world countries" to enable the US to fully recover. His statement goes beyond what US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow had outlined earlier, when he referred specifically to heightened scrutiny for “countries of concern”.

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IEX Market Coupling Case: APTEL says next hearing to take place on January 6, 2026



The Electricity Appellate Tribunal (APTEL), on Friday, November 28, stated that the next hearing for the market coupling case, will take place on January 6, 2026. Shares of The Indian Energy Exchange Ltd., declined over 2% post the hearing.

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Automakers warn CAFE III norms could favour one OEM, question new weight-based rules



Several carmakers have written to the Minister for Heavy Industries, saying the proposed Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) III norms would end up benefiting a single OEM, industry sources told CNBC-TV18.

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Logistics and advertising drive revenue growth: Meesho's Vidit Aatrey



Vidit Aatrey, Chairman, Managing Director and CEO of Meesho - SoftBank-backed e-commerce platform - said the company earns revenue from services provided to sellers. “We make money from the services we offer to our merchants,” he said, highlighting logistics and advertising as the primary income drivers.

Meesho is launching its ₹5,400 crore initial public offering (IPO) with a price band of ₹105 to ₹811 per share, seeking a valuation of about ₹50,000 crore. Speaking ahead of the listing, the company’s top management explained its revenue model, profitability focus and growth strategy.

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Bombay HC orders strict monitoring of construction sites amid Mumbai's poor AQI



The Bombay High Court on Friday said dealing with a poor Air Quality Index (AQI) would take some time, but the pollution caused by construction activities in the city can be tackled if the mitigating guidelines are strictly implemented.

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Hong Kong authorities say death toll in apartment complex blaze rises to 128 after more bodies found



Hong Kong authorities say the death toll in the apartment complex blaze rises to 128 after more bodies are found. Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex on Friday.

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Cyclone Ditwah intensifies over Bay of Bengal, IMD issues alerts for Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry



A cyclonic storm named Ditwah has intensified over the southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Sri Lanka coast, prompting widespread alerts across southern and eastern India. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the system was centered at 1130 hrs IST on November 27 near latitude 6.9°N and longitude 81.9°E, positioned close to Sri Lanka’s Pottuvil region.

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