Money Update – March 2026

TOP 10 UPDATES

• 1. EPFO is implementing 'EPFO 3.0' by early 2026, allowing members to withdraw up to 75% of their PF balance directly via ATMs and UPI for faster, paperless, and immediate access to funds. This system links a specialized PF withdrawal card to the UAN, requiring active Aadhaar/KYC for potentially 50–75% of funds.
• 2. 70% of global GDP, two-thirds of global trade now open to India: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India now enjoys preferential access to markets accounting for nearly 70% of global GDP and two-thirds of global trade, following a series of trade agreements signed in recent years.
• 3. Govt disburses Rs 28,748 crore under PLI; sales cross Rs 20.4 lakh crore, 14.39 lakh jobs created. The scheme has helped India cut import of mobile phones by nearly 77% since 2020–21, and over 99% of domestic demand is now met through local production. Investments triggered: ₹2.16 lakh crore.
• 4. SEBI introduced Life Cycle Funds — a new category of open-ended mutual fund schemes designed for goal-based investing. These funds follow a pre-defined glide path strategy, automatically shifting asset allocation from high-growth assets (like equity) to safer instruments (like debt) as they approach a target maturity date.
• 5. India amends tax treaty with France, drops most favoured nation clause. French companies with large stakes in Indian firms will see a lower tax on dividends. Smaller French shareholdings in India will face a higher dividend tax.
• 6. RBI MPC 2026: India's forex reserves stand at $723.8 billion. Guv Malhotra says this provides a robust merchandise import cover of more than 11 months.
• 7. Over 72,000 crore in unclaimed bank deposits transferred to RBI fund. Government informed Parliament that unclaimed bank deposits totaling Rs. 72,454 crore have been transferred to the RBI's Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund.
• 8. 55% of India's exports now free from 18% duty. The US Supreme Court's verdict to strike down reciprocal tariffs would free about 55% of India's exports to the US from the 18% duty — $48 billion worth of exports will be exempt from those duties.
• 9. NHAI to discontinue cash toll payments from April. National Highways Authority of India plans to end cash toll payments from April 1, 2026. All payments will be digital via FASTag or UPI.
• 10. RBI eased External Commercial Borrowing rules by increasing the borrowing limit to the higher of USD 1 billion or 300% of net worth, while also relaxing maturity norms, removing cost caps, and allowing market-aligned pricing to support easier access to foreign funds for Indian companies.

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Product of the Month: Aditya Birla Health Insurance – Active One Max

Forthcoming New Fund Offers (NFOs)

• DSP BSE Top 10 Banks ETF – Others-Index Funds/ETFs, Open Ended, Opens: 27-Feb-26, Closes: 4-Mar-26, Very High Risk
• Motilal Oswal Multi Factor Passive Fund of Funds – Others-Fund of Funds, Open Ended, Opens: 20-Feb-26, Closes: 6-Mar-26, Very High Risk
• HDFC Income Plus Arbitrage Omni FOF – Others-Fund of Funds, Open Ended, Opens: 27-Feb-26, Closes: 11-Mar-26, Very High Risk
• Kotak Multi Factor Passive FOF – Others-Fund of Funds, Open Ended, Opens: 27-Feb-26, Closes: 13-Mar-26, Very High Risk
• Canara Robeco Banking and Financial Services Fund – Equity-Sectoral/Thematic, Open Ended, Opens: 27-Feb-26, Closes: 13-Mar-26, Very High Risk

Article: Employer Employee Scheme – A Smart Corporate Tax Planning Tool

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