The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unanimously cut the repo rate by 25 basis points, bringing it to 5.25 percent. This marks the fourth rate reduction in 2025, totalling a cumulative 125 bps cut since the start of the year. This decisive move comes against a backdrop of easing inflation, stable growth, and an eagerness to boost liquidity and credit flow. For homebuyers, particularly those looking at affordable, mid-income, or even premium housing across NCR and other urban corridors, this signals a fresh wave of affordability. As banks adjust lending rates, borrowers with floating-rate home loans may soon see lower EMIs, reviving demand and giving impetus to property purchases. The softer interest rate environment is thus set to underpin stronger housing demand through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026, a period likely to see many “fence-sitters” finally turning into homeowners.

Repo Rate Slashed to 5.25 percent; Reignites Demand Across Real Estate Sector

Real-estate developers welcomed the decision, noting that it could accelerate demand, convert cautious buyers into committed ones, and provide the needed boost to both residential and commercial launches in the coming year.

Sandeep Chhillar, Founder and Chairman, Landmark Group, says, “The RBI bringing the repo rate down by 25 basis points marks a strong pro-growth signal and undoubtedly benefits the real estate sector. With home loan rates likely to fall further, affordability will improve, especially for first-time homebuyers. This move is expected to reignite demand, sustain buyer interest, and create a favourable environment for continued growth across the housing market.“

Umang Jindal, CEO, Homeland Group, says, “The 25 bps rate cut is a welcome breather for the industry, especially at a time when growth is spreading beyond metros. In Tier-II cities, we’re seeing families upgrade to better homes and businesses look for organised commercial spaces. This reduction nudges both trends forward. It lowers borrowing costs, improves sentiment, and makes it easier for developers like us to fast-track mixed-use neighbourhoods where people can live, work, and shop within the same ecosystem. As we head into 2026, Tier-II markets are set to witness stronger absorption, better retail activity, and sustained demand for quality residential projects driven by aspiration and improved affordability.”

Sehaj Chawla, Managing Director, TREVOC Group, says, “The cumulative softening of rates — with the latest 25 bps cut bringing the effective lending environment to 5.25 percent from 6.50 percent last year — marks a total reduction of 1.25 percent, which is a major boost for homebuyers. Lower borrowing costs directly translate into higher purchasing power and faster decision-making. Supported by stable inflation and strong GDP momentum, this move sets the stage for accelerated growth across the real estate sector.”

Harinder Singh Hora, Founder Chairman, Reach Group, says, “Retail thrives on consumer confidence, and the RBI’s move to bring the repo rate down to 5.25 percent is exactly the sentiment boost the sector needed. For developers, this signals a stronger investment climate, easier access to capital, and faster decision-making from brands planning expansion. We anticipate higher leasing activity across high-streets, malls and experience-led retail centres in Gurugram, as occupiers move quickly to secure prime spaces before the new year. By 2026, this policy shift will contribute significantly to a more vibrant, liquid, and future-ready retail ecosystem across NCR, benefiting both developers and brands.”

Shyamrup Roy Choudhury, Founder and Managing Director, Aura World, says, The 25 bps rate cut is a highly encouraging development for the luxury housing segment, where sentiment and confidence play a far larger role than affordability. Affluent buyers tracking macro trends will view this as a strong green signal to advance large-ticket purchases. Further, the reduced rate will strengthen liquidity for developers building high-spec, design-led communities. As we look toward 2026, luxury housing will continue gaining momentum, powered by wealth creation, asset diversification, and India’s rising global economic position.

Ankit Kansal, MD, 360 Realtors, says, “The recent decision by RBI to lower the Repo Rate is a welcome step, as it will enable reduction in home loan rates and make property more affordable in numerous urban corridors such as MMR, NCR, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. The inflation rates are benign, and the economy appears to be on a strong footing marked by healthy agrarian output, a rise in rural demand and strong corporate savings. In such a situation, it is seemingly a prudent move to lower the REPO rate and infuse liquidity in the market.”

Ashwani Kumar, Pyramid Infratech, says, “The 25 bps cut, especially after two consecutive status-quo policy announcements, signals a renewed push toward affordability and market confidence. For Gurugram’s end-user-driven corridors, this will encourage families who were delaying decisions due to rate uncertainties. As we enter the year-end buying cycle and prepare for 2026, this move is set to enhance absorption across well-connected micro-markets and support long-term stability in premium housing.”

Azad Ahmad Lone, President, Business Development and Operations, Biigtech, says, “The RBI’s 25 bps repo rate cut couldn’t have come at a better time for NCR’s commercial sector. Cities like Noida-Greater Noida are becoming India’s most credible alternative to traditional commercial hubs, due to strong connectivity, a deep talent pool, and highly competitive rentals. We’re seeing GCCs and global MNCs actively exploring sizeable office mandates here. This rate reduction will only make capital deployment smoother for new Grade A offices, high-street clusters, and integrated work–retail spaces. Moving toward 2026, we expect sharper pre-commitments, longer leases, and a robust pipeline of institutionally backed commercial assets“.

As the market absorbs the implications of the RBI’s 25 bps rate cut, the momentum clearly tilts toward a more active and confident real estate cycle. Lower EMIs, improved liquidity, and a sentiment boost across buyer segments position the sector for a healthier close to 2025.

ASBL, India’s fastest-growing real estate developer headquartered in Hyderabad, recently concluded its NRI Realty Meet in the Middle East as part of its landmark multi-city global outreach series. The initiative was held across Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, representing ASBL’s formal entry into the Gulf market and a significant step towards building a stronger international investor base among the global Indian community.
 

ASBL Hosts NRI Realty Meet in Middle East, Offering Guidance on Hyderabad Real Estate & What To Consider Before Buying A Home
 

With the Middle East being one of the most important regions for Indian real estate investments, ASBL’s presence in the region reflects a long-term commitment to deepening relationships with NRI investors and serving them through direct engagement. This meet is driven by growing overseas demand for Future city Hyderabad, particularly from professionals seeking stable, high-growth investment opportunities backed by strong infrastructure and regulatory confidence.

Hyderabad has consistently ranked as India’s No.1 city for quality of living by mercer, strengthening investor confidence among global NRIs. Hyderabad’s real estate momentum is strongly backed by large-scale infrastructure development including the 340-km Regional Ring Road (RRR), the 392-km Outer Ring Rail along the RRR corridor, and the Strategic Road Development Program (SRDP), which has completed 36 out of 42 major mobility projects across the city. The Financial District alone has emerged as India’s fastest-growing employment hub, with global companies leasing over 10 million sq. ft. and creating more than 1,00,000 new jobs. This combination of infra expansion and tech-driven job creation continues to solidify Hyderabad as one of India’s most resilient property markets.

What sets this Middle East expansion apart is the direct involvement of ASBL Founder & CEO, Ajitesh Korupolu, who personally led the interactions across all cities. While most developers rely on channel-driven overseas outreach, ASBL’s leadership-led initiative enabled NRIs to engage directly with the company’s top management, reinforcing trust, transparency, and long-term relationship-building. This approach reflects ASBL’s philosophy of placing customers at the centre of its growth strategy, even beyond Indian shores.

The Middle East NRI Realty Meet was designed to address the key challenges NRIs face when investing in India, including evolving market dynamics, limited access to real-time data, and uncertainty around long-term value. Through direct dialogue and data-backed insights, ASBL enabled participants to gain a clearer understanding of Hyderabad real estate landscape, pricing trends, infrastructure-driven growth, rental yields, upcoming projects in Hyderabad, and long-term investment potential.

During these sessions, Ajitesh Korupolu highlighted Hyderabad’s continued emergence as one of India’s most resilient real estate markets, supported by sustained demand from the global tech workforce, large-scale infrastructure development, and the ongoing expansion of the Financial District and western growth corridor. He also shared insights into the steady rise in NRI investments across premium residential micro-markets, driven by employment growth, improved urban planning, and strong regulatory frameworks.

Ajitesh Korupolu, Founder & CEO, ASBL, said, “The Middle East is home to one of the strongest and most influential NRI investor communities. Our intent is not just to showcase projects, but to empower global Indian buyers with transparent, data-backed insights so they can make confident, long-term investment decisions back home. Hyderabad continues to offer exceptional fundamentals for real estate investment, and we aim to build lasting relationships with NRIs who are looking to stay meaningfully connected with India’s growth story.”

Through this Middle East expansion, ASBL is reaffirming its commitment to transparent communication, unbiased market education, and customer-first engagement. By giving overseas buyers direct access to leadership and authentic market intelligence, the company is redefining how Indian real estate brands engage with global investors. The initiative reflects ASBL’s larger vision to evolve into a globally connected real estate brand that empowers NRIs to make informed, confident, and future-ready investment decisions in India.

In Vietnam, VinFast’s ascent to the top of the automotive market has been one of the country’s most remarkable industrial stories. A brand that began its journey only a few years ago now leads the market with record-breaking momentum. In October 2025 alone, VinFast delivered 20,380 EVs, tripling Toyota and lifting its ten-month tally to 124,264 vehicles, a feat that analysts described as unprecedented in Vietnamese automotive history.

VinFast introduced industry-leading warranties, up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometers

This rise has been rooted in three core pillars.

The first is high-quality vehicles, anchored in engineering discipline and global safety benchmarks. The second is inclusive pricing, a value-driven approach that pairs generous equipment levels with accessible pricing to make EV ownership realistic for more households without positioning itself as the cheapest option. And the third, now widely seen as VinFast’s differentiator, is exceptional aftersales policies, a system of customer care that has redefined what Vietnamese buyers expect from an automaker.

These three pillars did not simply help VinFast grow fast. They created a new standard for trust, transparency, and long-term support. And as VinFast moves into India, it is this same formula, especially the customer-first ethos, that is beginning to take shape again.

How VinFast reshaped TCO and aftersales expectations

For many Vietnamese consumers, an EV initially looked like a gamble. Would maintenance be complicated, would parts be available, and who would help if something went wrong on the road. And convincing Vietnamese drivers to switch from ICE to EV was never only about technology. It required changing long-held assumptions about maintenance, longevity, and the cost of ownership. VinFast’s strategy was simple: make the EV experience not only competitive with ICE, but clearly superior in the areas that matter most.

The first step was security. VinFast introduced industry-leading warranties, up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometers for the VF 7, VF 8, and VF 9, and 7 years or 160,000 kilometers for the VF 3, VF 5, and VF 6. These policies stretch two to three times longer than many petrol competitors and became a defining signal of confidence from the manufacturer.

But the decisive shift came through total cost of ownership, or put more simply, the everyday economics. Vietnamese drivers quickly discovered that EV maintenance costs were not just lower, but dramatically lower. For example, one owner reported that scheduled service for a VF 6 at 36,000 kilometers costs roughly 80 to 90 percent less than equivalent ICE vehicles. One comparison shared by a community fanpage noted that an ICE rival’s 20,000 kilometer service cost was nearly 14 times higher than that of a VinFast VF 6.

Energy savings amplified the difference. With VinFast offering free public charging at V-Green stations in Vietnam until June 2027, owners effectively eliminated their largest recurring cost. For many families, this amounted to a 100 percent reduction in energy spending, often equivalent to USD 700 to 900 per year, as one driver pointed out.

As of today, VinFast has built more than 300 service centers nationwide, forming one of Vietnam’s most extensive automotive support networks. Combined with 150,000 charging ports, this infrastructure removed anxieties about where to charge or maintain an EV and made electrification feel practical rather than experimental.

Yet physical infrastructure was only part of the equation. What truly strengthened public trust was how the company behaved when customers needed help the most. In real-world situations, both at the individual level and during broader disruptions, VinFast demonstrated a willingness to go beyond standard procedure.

The 7^th edition of the CSR Conclave and Awards, organised by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI), was held on 2^nd December at ITC Maurya, New Delhi, in the presence of Mr Damien Syed, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in India. The event celebrated the most impactful CSR initiatives executed by French and Indian companies and awarded the top projects across six distinct categories, highlighting the significant role played by IFCCI in promoting corporate engagement in the field of CSR, and connecting NGOs and CSR stakeholders.

Indo-French CSR Excellence Celebrated at IFCCI’s 7th Annual CSR Conclave & Awards

The annual CSR Conclave brought together over 120 CEOs, policymakers, CSR and Sustainability leaders, CSR foundations and NGOs from the Indo-French business community to share best practices while recognising the efforts of the most significant CSR projects.

The theme of the Conclave this year, “Local Frameworks, Global Goals, Digital Pathways”, reflects the growing convergence between India’s pioneering CSR framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, creating opportunities to align domestic priorities with global sustainability imperatives. The discussions explored how the future of CSR lies in collaboration rather than competition, while reimagining CSR through the lenses of inclusive growth and global responsibility.

On this occasion, Mr Damien Syed, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in India, remarked “The annual CSR Conclave and Awards – a flagship forum for the CSR ecosystem between India and France – is an important pillar of our bilateral engagement. Today’s event illustrates that CSR is a driver of responsible corporate leadership, social equity, sustainability, employee engagement and innovation. I congratulate all the companies and IFCCI members who submitted impactful and well-executed CSR projects across the award categories, and applaud the winners for their exemplary initiatives and encourage all participants to continue striving for deeper, scalable and more sustainable impact. I would like to reaffirm France’s long-term commitment to supporting India and the French business community in advancing inclusive and sustainable development.”

Speaking at the event, Mr. Yohann Samuel. Regional Director – South, IFCCI expressed, “IFCCI is proud to celebrate the remarkable journey of its CSR Department, which in a span of 2 and a half years, is currently supporting 102 high-impact projects across 11 states, reaching over 1,45,000 beneficiaries in India, including nearly 29,000 direct beneficiaries. Through collaborative partnerships, IFCCI continues to strengthen CSR efforts by uniting member companies and delivering end-to-end project management that drives inclusive socio-economic development. The IFCCI CSR Conclave and Awards embody this commitment, bringing together leaders from French and Indian companies to inspire meaningful and scalable change.”

The event also featured a fireside chat moderated by Ms Lise Breuil, Country Director, French Development Agency (India), on “Domestic Roots, Global Goals: Aligning India’s CSR with the SDGs” with Ms Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India; Ms Anna Roy, Programme Director, NITI Aayog, and Dr Nidhi Pundhir, SVP Global CSR, HCLTech and Director, HCLFoundation as panelists.

Other speakers at the event were:

• Mr Anurag Pratap, CSR Leader, Capgemini India & Chairperson, IFCCI CSR Committee

• Ms Priyam Dhamankar, Legal and Compliance Director, Company Secretary, Servier India & Vice Chairperson, IFCCI CSR Committee

• Dr Kavita Chaudhari, Deputy Director – CSR & ESG, Sanofi & Vice Chairperson, IFCCI CSR Committee

• Ms Manisha Dubey, Head of IDEMIA India Foundation & VP Marketing Communications & Brand, IDEMIA

• Ms Anuradha Suvarna, Chief Sustainability Officer, L’Oréal India

• Mr Huzefa Salim, Executive Director, Dassault Systèmes Foundation

• Ms Chhavi Bajpai, Director, STMicroelectronics Foundation India

• Dr Ketan Deshpande, Founder & Chairman, FUEL (Friends Union for Energising Lives)

• Ms Manasi Diwan. Vice President, Impact Practice, CSRBOX Group and

• Mr Adarsh Trivedi, Assistant Vice President, Government & Technology, CSRBOX Group

Winners – IFCCI CSR Conclave and Awards 2025

Education & Skilling – EDF power solutions India Pvt. Ltd. (Project: Shaping Young Minds with Brighter Lives) and Capgemini Technology Services India Limited (Project: Youth Employability through Digital Academies)

Environment & Climate – Khushiyaan Foundation (Project: Trash to Treasure)

Healthcare and Wellbeing – Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (Project Name: Home Away from Home) and Pernod Ricard India Foundation (Project: UDAAN)

Inclusive Growth and Empowerment – Sonepar India Pvt. Ltd. (Project: GBV Prevention for Women with Intellectual Disabilities through Sports) and Agarwal Packers and Movers Ltd. (Project: APML Nidra Daan Kendra – Restoring Sleep, Saving Lives)

CSR Project of the Year – STMicroelectronics Foundation India (Project: Digital Unify)

Jury Special – Alliance Française de Delhi (Project: Alliance Grand Ball – French as a life changer)

Jury members – IFCCI CSR Conclave & Awards 2025

• Ms Payal S.Kanwar, Director General, IFCCI

• Mr Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Niti Aayog Atal Innovation Mission, Govt. of India

• Mr Nicolas de Labrusse, Political Counsellor, Embassy of France in India

• Dr Nidhi Pundhir, SVP Global CSR, HCLTech & Director, HCLFoundation

• Dr Kavita Chaudhari, Deputy Director – CSR & ESG, Sanofi & Vice Chairperson, IFCCI CSR Committee

• Ms Sukhman Randhawa, Partnership and Development Finance Lead, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, United Nations India

• Mr Shailesh Tyagi, Partner, Sustainability & Climate Leader, Deloitte South Asia

About IFCCI

Established in 1977, the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) is part of a global network of 124 French Chambers (CCIFI) across 94 countries, representing over 37,000 companies. One of India’s most active bilateral chambers, IFCCI promotes trade and investment between India and France through a network of 800 member companies and over 7,000 business leaders. Headquartered in Mumbai, IFCCI has offices in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, and Hyderabad.

One of India’s leading general insurance companies IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company Limited (IFFCO-TOKIO GIC) is celebrating its 25th year (Silver Jubilee) of its foundation. Over this momentous journey, the company has been working with an objective of ‘Spreading Happiness’ (‘Muskurate Raho’) in the lives of its customers with customized policies and one of the best claim settlement rates in India.

IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Company Limited is celebrating its Silver Jubilee of foundation

Established as a joint venture between IFFCO and Japan’s Tokio Marine Group and receiving license from IRDAI in 2000, IFFCO-TOKIO’s journey has been epitome of unwavering trust and dedication to making insurance accessible to every individual, household, and business.

With a modest beginning 25 years ago, the company now caters about 86+ Lakh policies through 1000+ offices and 35,000 agents, strengthened by decades of trust.

Taking inspiration from various initiatives of IRDAI, IFFCO-TOKIO has brought out affordable insurance solutions for under-covered communities. To serve this purpose, company has tied up with a number of cooperatives to distribute micro insurance for package policies, health, and motor policies.

Reminiscing on IFFCO-TOKIO GIC’s memorable journey and future ahead, Mr. Subrata Mondal, Managing Director & CEO said, “While at the beginning we were guided by the principal of affordable insurance, the vision has got enlarged to align with people’s aspirations and robust economy, while committed towards IRDAI’s “Insurance for All by 2047”. Having laid out strong technological foundation with trust, innovation and resilience at core, IFFCO-TOKIO is now entering into transformational next leg of growth with an aim of building one of the best customer-focussed, innovative and socially responsible insurance company in India.”

Mr. Mondal further stated that company’s expansion both in terms of customers and employees exemplifies its inclusive growth. While encouraging female participation, company provides ample opportunities to rise the ladder, highlighting commitment to gender diversity and equality. Additionally, insurer has provided training to over 5,000 women agents fostering financial inclusion and community trust.

The Company has been at the forefront of social welfare through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. IFFCO-TOKIO’s CSR initiatives are designed to empower rural youth, especially female, through education and skill development, improving healthcare in underserved areas, and promoting sustainable practices for a greener future.

Over its 25-year journey, IFFCO-TOKIO has been honoured with numerous awards and recognitions across business excellence, innovation, and customer service. These include the ‘Tokio Marine Group Award 2025’ for exceptional achievement in transforming the Motor Own Damage (OD) Claims operations in Tokyo, and the ‘India’s Top General Insurance Company Award 2025’ by Entrepreneur Outlook Magazine. The company also received the ‘Best DevOps Culture (General Insurance)’ and ‘Best Incident Response Strategy for Application Security – General Insurance’ awards from Quantic India at the 8th Edition India DevOps Show 2025.

Further, IFFCO-TOKIO earned the prestigious title of ‘Asia’s Best General Insurance Company – 2025’ at the Asia Excellence Awards 2025 by Insights Success Media, as well as the ‘Top Healthcare Insurance Company’ award at the 16th Elets Healthcare Innovation Summit. It was also recognised with the ‘Best Customer Service Insurance Company Award’ at the India Insurance Summit & Awards 2025 by Synnax Group, and the ‘Non-Life Insurance Award’ for Excellence in Operational Efficiencies using Emerging Technology at the IBEX India BFSI Technology Awards held at the Jio World Convention Centre, among several others.

Estonia’s exports to India are witnessing a steady and promising rise, reflecting deepening trade engagement and growing confidence among Estonian businesses in the Indian market. This momentum is further reinforced by a marked increase in interest across industry bodies and business fraternities toward India as a priority growth destination. A significant milestone in this trajectory was the successful visit of an Estonian Food & Beverage (F&B) sector delegation to India in the first week of December, which yielded strong commercial leads, valuable buyer interactions, and a clearer, on-ground understanding of India’s dynamic and rapidly evolving consumer market.

Estonia Ambassador to India – H.E. Ms. Marje Luup with Estonian Company Saku Brewery and Indian counterpart HS Oberoi Spirits

One of the delegates – Saku Brewery’s Export Manager, Margus Masing, the company’s collaboration with India began through the strong support of KredEx, the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS), and the Estonian Embassy in India.

“I would like to extend special thanks to the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency, KredEx, and Ambassador Marje Luup, who place great value on the success of Estonia’s food and beverage industry and strongly support the promotion of domestic exports. Thanks to their efforts, the cooperation between Saku Brewery and HS Oberoi Spirits became a reality,” said Masing.

He highlighted that the partnership with HS Oberoi Spirits has progressed very successfully. “Our collaboration with HS Oberoi Spirits has been excellent — the first container of Saku products arrived in India in July, and another order is already awaiting shipment. At the moment, Saku products are available in the Delhi region, but HS Oberoi Spirits is strongly committed to building our brands across India. Our shared goal is to expand into additional cities and regions. India is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets, and we are delighted that Saku products are now available there, with local consumers appreciating our packaging, distinctive flavours, and high quality,” explained Margus Masing.

As per Indian counterpart, HS Oberoi Spirits – the role of Estonia Trade Office and equal zeal from Estonian F&B companies brought Estonia’s historic Saku Brewery to India through its partnership with HS Oberoi Spirits. The collaboration stands as a strong early example of the value that shared heritage, craftsmanship, and open trade can create between the two nations. HS Oberoi Spirits is a strategic import and distribution partner committed to building long-term, value-driven collaborations between global beverage brands and the Indian market.

Hardarshan Singh Oberoi, Founder, HS Oberoi Spirits, said, “We are delighted to support this growing relationship between India and Estonia. Partnerships like these celebrate craftsmanship, culture, and shared ambition — and we look forward to building many more meaningful stories together.”

Manveer Singh Oberoi, Founder, HS Oberoi Spirits, said, “Indian consumers today value authenticity and thoughtful product narratives. Collaborating with Estonia allows us to bring distinctive global experiences to India’s evolving premium beverage landscape.”

Further joint initiatives and category-building programs are expected to be explored in the coming months as both countries work toward expanding commercial and cultural engagement.