Indian tech workers took to social media to say they had been laid off by Oracle and were seeking new opportunities CNBC reported on Tuesday that the US-based technology firm was cutting thousands of jobs globally Top Russian officials visits India to talk security and defense ties Airfares are set to increase amid rising fuel costs due to the Iran war
Here is a roundup of the latest development from India on Thursday, April 2:
Airfares in India set to rise
Airfares in India are expected to rise as airlines respond to higher jet fuel costs driven by the conflict in the Middle East.
IndiGo earlier said revised fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights would take effect from Thursday.
The move by the country’s largest carrier comes as aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices were revised, with the government limiting the increase for domestic flights to 25%.
India’s petroleum ministry said on Wednesday that jet fuel prices were being raised in response to higher global energy costs tied to the conflict in the Middle East.
In March, Indian airlines had announced a fuel surcharge for domestic and international flights, citing the steep rise in crude oil prices since the US and Israel began their war in Iran.
Airlines are expected to revise this surcharge in the coming days.
In light of the Iran war, India’s aviation ministry suspended a price cap on air fares last month to allow airlines to adjust ticket prices as required.
First deputy prime minister of Russia visits India
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov arrived in India on Thursday with bilateral relations, especially security and defense ties, expected to be discussed during the visit.
Manturov is scheduled to meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during this two-day visit, according to the Indian external affairs ministry.
Ties between the two countries span decades. Aside from defense ties, India became a major buyer of Russian oil after Western sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Under a February trade deal with the United States, New Delhi agreed to halt such purchases.
However, in early March, Washington granted a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to resume buying Russian oil in a bid to ease global energy prices.
India exempts some petrochemicals from import duty amid Iran war
India on Wednesday exempted a range of chemicals from import duty for a limited period, according to a government notification issued, as it seeks to ease supply pressures linked to the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The exemptions, effective from April 2 to June 30, cover products including ammonium nitrate, methanol, styrene, acetic acid and polyvinyl chloride, the order said.
The government described the move as targeted relief, with officials saying the measure is expected to benefit industries reliant on petrochemical feedstock and intermediates, while helping ease costs for consumers of finished goods.
Oracle layoffs hit thousands of employees in India
Thousands of Oracle employees in India have received layoff notices as part of what the company described as a “reduction in force and other terminations,” according to media reports on Thursday.
Indian outlets said between 10,000 and 12,000 employees in the country could be affected. Earlier this week, CNBC reported that the US-based technology firm was cutting thousands of jobs globally. Oracle declined to comment on the CNBC report, according to Reuters.
On Wednesday, social media platforms, including LinkedIn, saw a surge in posts from Indian tech workers saying they had been laid off and were seeking new opportunities.
The technology giant had about 162,000 full-time employees worldwide as of May 2025.
The layoffs come as the company ramps up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure to compete with cloud rivals such as Alphabet and Amazon.
Oracle is led by billionaire co-founder Larry Ellison, one of the richest people in the world.
Welcome to our coverage
Good morning!
This is Shakeel from DW’s New Delhi studio, bringing you the latest updates from across India.
LinkedIn today is seeing a surge in posts from Indian tech workers laid off by Oracle. National media reports suggest that 10,000 to 12,000 Oracle employees in India may be impacted.
We’re also looking at the importance of the Indian census, the world’s largest population exercise, which will see more than three million officials take part in a long-awaited data collection process.
Meanwhile, amid a rise in jet fuel prices, IndiGo has announced a revised fuel surcharge on domestic travel.
For all this and more, stay tuned to our India live blog.
