Indian markets closed higher on Wednesday, with Nifty finishing at 24,715 and Sensex at 80,567, led by metals, PSU banks, and pharma. Tata Steel and Jindal Steel surged, while Lupin gained on USFDA nod. IT stocks slipped, with Infosys and Wipro among laggards. Investors now eye the GST Council meeting on rate rationalisation scheduled for September 3-4.