The central lesson of 2025 is that resilience in global trade does not come from inward retreat, but from strategic integration. Looking ahead to 2026, two structural priorities will define India’s trade position: access to critical minerals and logistics competitiveness.

The number of ATMs in India has decreased as digital payments gain traction, reducing the need for cash withdrawals. While private and public sector banks reduced their ATM networks, white label operators expanded. Bank branches, however, saw growth, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, with basic savings accounts also increasing.

Gold and silver are poised to maintain their strength as traders await US Federal Reserve meeting minutes for monetary policy cues. Analysts anticipate continued support for precious metals into 2026, driven by expected global rate cuts, safe-haven demand, and robust industrial consumption.

IndiGo’s domestic market share dipped to 63.6% in November due to operational disruptions, allowing rivals like Air India Group and SpiceJet to gain ground. Despite IndiGo’s decline, overall domestic air travel continued to grow by 4.26% year-on-year, though passenger service issues and flight cancellations remained concerns.

Indian exports demonstrated resilience in a challenging 2025, navigating steep US tariffs and global trade uncertainty. Exporters successfully diversified markets and products, a strategy officials and industry believe will drive steady growth into 2026. Despite shocks, combined goods and services exports hit a record $825.25 billion in 2024-25.

India has launched its first testing standard for electric agricultural tractors, IS 19262:2025, to ensure safety, reliability, and performance. This move by the Bureau of Indian Standards aims to promote cleaner farm mechanization, reduce emissions, and lower operating costs for farmers.

A new 24/7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) has been operationalized by the civil aviation ministry to swiftly address air traveller grievances. This initiative brings together key aviation stakeholders to monitor operations and resolve issues like flight disruptions, delays, and baggage problems, leading to a marked improvement in grievance redressal.