What you need to know
– Indian tech workers posted on social media saying they had been laid off by Oracle and were seeking new jobs
– CNBC reported that Oracle was cutting thousands of jobs globally
– Top Russian officials visited India to discuss security and defence ties
– Airfares are set to rise as jet fuel costs climb amid the Iran war
April 2, 2026 — Roundup of developments from India
Delhi and adjoining areas to see heavy rains
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rainfall across northwestern India under the influence of two western disturbances. The systems are expected to bring rain, possible thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds and temperature changes on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, with the western Himalayan region and adjoining plains most affected. Hailstorms are likely in Delhi and neighboring parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana on April 3 and 4, and isolated heavy rainfall is expected over the Kashmir Valley.
Airfares in India set to rise
Indian airlines are expected to raise fares as aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices increase amid the Middle East conflict. IndiGo said revised fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights would take effect from Thursday. The government limited the increase for domestic flights to 25% when ATF prices were revised. In March, carriers announced fuel surcharges following a steep rise in crude prices since the start of the US‑Israel war with Iran. India’s aviation ministry last month suspended a price cap on airfares to allow airlines to adjust ticket prices as needed.
First deputy prime minister of Russia visits India
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov arrived in India for a two‑day visit focused on bilateral relations, particularly security and defence ties. Manturov is scheduled to meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. India and Russia have long defence and trade ties, and energy purchases have featured in recent diplomacy; under a February US‑India trade framework New Delhi agreed to halt some purchases of Russian oil, though Washington later issued a temporary waiver allowing Indian refiners to resume such buys for 30 days to ease global energy prices.
India exempts some petrochemicals from import duty
To ease supply pressures tied to the Iran war, India has temporarily exempted a range of chemicals from import duty from April 2 to June 30. The exemptions cover products including ammonium nitrate, methanol, styrene, acetic acid and polyvinyl chloride. The government said the targeted relief is intended to benefit industries that rely on petrochemical feedstock and intermediates and to help lower 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 a companywide “reduction in force and other terminations,” according to media reports. Indian outlets estimated between 10,000 and 12,000 employees in the country could be affected. CNBC had reported earlier that Oracle was cutting thousands of jobs globally; Oracle declined to comment on that report to Reuters. Social media sites, including LinkedIn, saw a surge of posts from Indian tech workers saying they had been laid off and were seeking new opportunities. Oracle had about 162,000 full‑time employees worldwide as of May 2025. The cuts come as the company increases spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure to compete with cloud rivals.
Welcome to our coverage
This live roundup brings the latest updates from across India, including the unfolding impact of major corporate layoffs, weather alerts, and policy moves responding to global energy disruptions.