New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India and Belgium on Tuesday discussed ways to expand cooperation across trade, investment, technology, logistics and workforce mobility.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had an excellent meeting with David Clarinval, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy, and Agriculture of Belgium.

“We also exchanged views on the transformative potential of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and reaffirmed our shared commitment to further strengthening economic ties for the mutual benefit of our businesses and people,” Goyal said in a post on X.

Goyal also met EU Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth, Wopke Hoekstra, and exchanged views on strengthening India–EU cooperation in clean growth, climate action and sustainable industrial development.

“Our discussions focused on expanding collaboration in renewable energy, green hydrogen, clean technologies, innovation, investments and resilient value chains to support our shared net-zero ambitions,” the minister maintained.

Goyal began his day in Brussels with a productive meeting with Thomas Colinet, MD, and Bruno Lete, Director of Public Affairs at Thales Belgium.

“Appreciated the company's longstanding operations in India, including manufacturing for global markets, technology partnerships & skill development. We also discussed opportunities to further strengthen collaboration and encouraged the company to further expand its manufacturing footprint in India, aligned with the vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World’,” informed Goyal.

Earlier, Goyal met Jordi Hereu, Minister of Industry and Tourism of Spain, and explored new opportunities to strengthen India-Spain collaboration in trade, investment, manufacturing, innovation, tourism and other future-ready sectors that drive growth, competitiveness and job creation.

“We also exchanged views on the India-EU FTA and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening industrial partnerships, building resilient supply chains and deepening economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations,” Goyal said.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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Shillong, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) is playing an increasingly significant role in strengthening India's border security while accelerating development across the Northeast through space-based technologies, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

Reviewing NESAC's ongoing programmes at its headquarters in Umiam, Meghalaya, the minister said the Centre is carrying out geo-spatial mapping of the India-Myanmar international border and inter-state boundaries in the Northeast, alongside projects covering agriculture, disaster management, water resources, forestry and governance.

Describing NESAC as a vital link between India's space programme and grassroots development, Singh said the institution has emerged as a strategic partner in supporting both national security and regional development by harnessing satellite and geospatial technologies.

Officials informed the minister that NESAC is currently implementing nearly 130 space application projects across the eight northeastern states.

Of these, around 50 projects have been completed, while 78 are under implementation in sectors including agriculture, forestry, urban planning, geosciences, satellite communication, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications, disaster management and capacity building.

With floods affecting the Northeast almost every monsoon, Singh directed NESAC to further enhance the accuracy of its flood early warning systems to provide more location-specific and timely alerts to vulnerable communities.

He also urged the Centre to collaborate with state governments in replicating successful rainwater harvesting models, including the initiative at the Ramakrishna Mission in Cherrapunjee, to strengthen long-term water security across the region.

Highlighting bamboo as one of the Northeast's key economic resources, the minister called for closer coordination between NESAC, the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) and state governments to strengthen bamboo resource mapping and promote value addition.

Singh also stressed the strategic importance of geospatial technologies in sensitive border areas and asked NESAC to strengthen its 'ManzilNE' GeoTourism dashboard by involving private tourism stakeholders.

He further advocated deeper collaboration with central ministries, state governments, research institutions, start-ups and industry to accelerate the adoption of space technologies.

He said institutions like NESAC would continue to play a crucial role in improving governance, disaster resilience and sustainable development in the Northeast.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is set to launch a revamped version of its ticket booking website on July 15, aimed at making the reservation process faster, smoother and more user-friendly.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the rollout during an event in Rajasthan after some students highlighted the difficulties they face while booking train tickets through the existing IRCTC portal.

The upgraded platform is designed to significantly enhance booking capacity and improve the overall user experience. According to the announcement, the new website will be capable of processing more than 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute, a substantial jump from the current capacity of around 32,000 bookings per minute.

The Passenger Reservation System (PRS) is also being upgraded to handle more than 40 lakh enquiries per minute, compared with the existing capacity of around 4 lakh enquiries per minute. The enhanced infrastructure is expected to reduce delays and improve responsiveness, especially during peak booking periods such as Tatkal ticket reservations.

The revamped website will introduce several new passenger-centric features. Travellers will be able to specify their preferred seat choices while booking tickets, while a new fare calendar will allow users to compare ticket prices across different travel dates before making a reservation.

To make the platform more accessible, the website will support multiple Indian languages. It will also offer integrated services for Divyangjan, students and patients through a single platform, simplifying access to special booking facilities.

The new portal is also expected to provide a cleaner and more streamlined interface by eliminating unnecessary pop-ups, distracting flashing graphics and excessive CAPTCHA prompts that often interrupt the booking process. These changes are aimed at making ticket reservations, particularly Tatkal bookings, quicker and more convenient.

Another key improvement is the introduction of a unified seat availability view. Instead of checking availability separately for Sleeper, AC 3 Tier, AC 2 Tier and other classes, passengers will be able to see seat availability across all classes on a single screen, making it easier to compare options and book tickets.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) IBM shares plunged 23 per cent in pre-market trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday after the technology giant reported preliminary second-quarter results that fell short of market expectations, triggering a broad sell-off across software and IT services stocks.

The sharp decline erased nearly $55 billion from IBM's market capitalisation and, if sustained through the trading session, would mark the company's steepest intra-day fall since the 1980s.

International Business Machines Corp. said its preliminary second-quarter sales missed analysts' expectations, citing weakness in its software and infrastructure businesses.

The company attributed the disappointing performance to customers redirecting technology budgets toward artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, including chips and servers, at the expense of traditional software spending.

IBM's infrastructure business was particularly affected, with sales from the division declining 7 per cent during the quarter.

The company noted that it is still reviewing its financial statements and that the final results could differ slightly from the preliminary figures.

The weak update weighed heavily on the broader technology sector, dragging down shares of several major software companies in pre-market trading. Oracle fell 2.3 per cent, while ServiceNow declined 6.8 per cent. Accenture dropped 8.5 per cent and Adobe slipped 4.8 per cent, while Cognizant was down 7 per cent.

The sell-off also extended to Indian IT companies listed in the US. American Depository Receipts (ADRs) of Infosys were trading nearly 9 per cent lower in pre-market trading, while Wipro ADRs declined around 3 per cent.

Despite the weakness in individual technology stocks, Nasdaq futures recovered some ground after the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite had fallen 1.6 per cent in the previous trading session.

IBM's results underscore the ongoing shift in enterprise technology spending, as businesses continue to prioritise investments in AI infrastructure over conventional software and legacy IT systems, creating pressure on companies with significant exposure to traditional technology segments.

Source: IANS

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Ahmedabad, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Adani Group has become the fastest brand to enter India's ‘Top 10 Most Valuable Brands’ for the first time, while Adani Power became the country's top energy brand in the 'Brand Finance India 100 Report 2026', it was announced on Tuesday.

The Adani Group secured eighth rank, up from 13 last year, thus becoming the fastest company to break into India's ‘Top 10’ in just three years, according to leading independent brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

The report valued the Adani Group at $8.48 billion (net of approximately $500 million relating to Adani Wilmar and associated consumer-facing brands), up from $6.46 billion a year ago.

According to the findings, the 31.3 per cent uptick is the highest among India's ‘Top 20’ brands, making the Adani Group the country's third-most valuable conglomerate.

The Group has also recorded the steepest three-year climb among India's ‘Top 25’ most valuable brands, advancing 15 positions during the period.

Over the past year alone, it has added $2.02 billion in brand value — more than its entire valuation in 2022.

Meanwhile, Adani Power emerged as India's most valuable energy brand, with its brand value surging 152 per cent to $1.8 billion.

Adani Green Energy and Adani Energy Solutions also feature among India's ‘Top Five’ energy brands, while Adani Total Gas further strengthens the Group's presence in the rankings.

“The Adani Group's entry into India's top 10 most valuable brands reflects the strength of a business that has become deeply embedded in India's growth story. Through its expanding presence across infrastructure, logistics and energy, the Group has built a powerful portfolio of brands supporting some of the country's most important economic priorities,” said Alex Haigh, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Brand Finance.

The Adani Group's Brand Strength Index (BSI) also climbed 3.6 points to 84, lifting the Group eight places to ‘Rank 18’.

Among India's ‘Top 20’ companies, the Adani Group recorded the fastest gain in Brand Strength, placing the diversified conglomerate alongside some of India's most established consumer and retail brands — a reflection of growing familiarity, trust and stakeholder confidence, said the report.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) A major outcome of the India–Australia annual summit, held in Melbourne last week, was the finalisation of the Administrative Arrangement under the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries, which enables long-term exports of Australian uranium to India for peaceful purposes under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

Australia possesses the largest uranium resources globally, accounting for more than one-third of the global total. Assured access to Australian uranium would strengthen the fuel base for India's expanding nuclear power programme, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

The arrangement is also significant for India's long-term energy security and nuclear ambitions. It complements the Nuclear Energy Mission, which targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

The India–Australia Civil Nuclear Agreement bolsters India's long-term fuel security, diversifies uranium imports, and deepens the comprehensive strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific.

Nuclear power is a low-carbon source that adds firm capacity to India's non-fossil energy mix. It can progressively meet demand currently served by coal while supporting the growing energy needs of industry, data centres, and the digital economy.

India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and has progressively raised its climate targets, including a greater share of non-fossil capacity. A secure supply of nuclear fuel supports this transition by enabling the expansion of clean and reliable generation.

Australia's decision to supply uranium reflects confidence in India's strong non-proliferation record and responsible use of nuclear technology.

The arrangement further reinforces the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by adding a robust energy pillar to cooperation spanning trade, defence, critical minerals, technology, and the Indo-Pacific.

It also reinforces the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, enacted in December 2025. The Act enables participation by Indian private companies and joint ventures in building, owning and operating nuclear power plants, the statement said.

India is steadily expanding its nuclear power programme to strengthen energy security and support clean economic growth. Backed by indigenous technologies and long-term planning, nuclear energy will play an increasingly important role in India's low-carbon energy transition.

India currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors across seven sites with a total installed capacity of 8.78 gigawatt (GW). Ten more reactor units with a combined capacity of 8,000 megawatts (MW) are under construction. Pre-project activities for 10 additional reactors are also underway.

These reactors are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs), and Light Water Reactors (LWRs).

India mainly uses natural uranium fuel to run the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) to produce nuclear energy. Plutonium is produced as a by-product. The Australian uranium will ensure a steady supply of the primary fuel to run these reactors.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indonesia is seeking closer cooperation with India to draw on the latter's experience in technology, digital transformation, public policy and innovation, a new report has said.

The report from Times Kuwait said Indonesian officials have expressed interest in learning from India how to build a stronger innovation ecosystem, support startups and leverage technology to improve efficiency across public and private sectors.

The move reflects Indonesia’s growing interest in adopting successful Indian models that drove economic growth, improved public services and access to technology-driven solutions.

The media house cited India’s rapid progress in digital infrastructure, financial inclusion, healthcare innovation, and technology-led governance that drew global attention as reasons for Indonesia's interest in the South Asian nation.

India's digital infrastructure initiatives have enabled millions of citizens to access banking, health services and other public platforms.

Areas of potential cooperation include digital technology, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, with analysts saying joint projects and knowledge exchange could help both countries tap emerging markets and deepen economic ties.

Both countries play important roles in the Indo-Pacific region, and stronger cooperation could further deepen their economic partnership, the report noted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month said his visit to Indonesia has opened new avenues for cooperation in defence and security, maritime collaboration, critical and emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, digital innovation and capacity building.

During his visit to Indonesia, PM Modi held talks with President Prabowo, addressed the Indonesian Parliament and attended an Indian community programme on Tuesday.

PM Modi and President Prabowo Subianto reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and discussed issues of global and multilateral interests.

"The leaders reviewed the full spectrum of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership encompassing trade and; investment, defence and; security, maritime cooperation, energy, healthcare and pharma, space, critical minerals and rare earths, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges," the MEA stated.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) As many as 14 out of the 19 sub-sectors recorded double-digit growth in April 2026 as compared to April 2025 in the first sub-sectoral Trial Index of Services Production (ISP) with base year as 2024-25, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said on Tuesday.

Nearly all the categories recorded positive growth during the month. These 19 sub-sectors cover about 60 per cent of the services sector, the official statement said.

Top sub-sectors reporting strong growth in April this year are Accommodation and Food (37.2 per cent), Retail Trade (30.8 per cent), Administrative and support services (28.7 per cent) and Real Estate (27.7 per cent).

The release of sub-sectoral ISPs will provide, for the first time, a monthly measure of short-term movements in India's formal services sector, with a coverage of about 60 per cent. Overall ISP will be brought out later after studying stability and resilience of sub-sectoral ISPs and improved overall coverage of services, the statement said.

As part of the suite of macro-economic indicators, MoSPI is commencing release of the ISPs of 19 sub-sectors, with base year as 2024 -25. The first set of ISPs is being released for the month of April 2026. The ISP represents an important milestone in strengthening India's statistical system and improving the measurement of the services sector, which accounts for more than half of the country's economic activity.

The Technical Advisory Committee on Index of Services Production (TAC-ISP), constituted in May 2025, provided the conceptual and methodological guidance on compiling ISP. Apart from representatives from academia and the industry associations, membership of the TAC–ISP included representatives from the concerned Ministries and Departments dealing with the respective services sectors.

Based on its data sources, namely, GST and Administrative Data, ISP would cover the formal sector enterprises only. Accordingly, services which are not covered in ISP are those which are either related to core government activities or are dominated by non-market activities and the informal sector, the statement said.

The ISP adopts a differentiated approach to compilation of sub-sectoral ISPs based on the nature and availability of data sources. The three principal data sources are: Administrative/secondary data for ISP of Air Transport, Railway Transport, Water Transport (Freight), Banking and Insurance.

GST data is used for Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, Repair and Maintenance, Accommodation and Food, Road Transport, Water Transport (Passenger), Warehousing and support activities for transportation, Postal and courier, Telecommunications, Information and Broadcasting, Real estate, IT and computer related services, Professional, scientific and technical services including R&D, Administrative and support services and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation.

At present, for compiling ISP, WPI is used as a deflator for wholesale trade and for other sub-sectors, either sub-sector specific CPI has been used or suitable proxy CPI (closest match for the sub-sector available) has been chosen. CPI–General has been used as a deflator for the sectors of Repair and Maintenance and Banking and Insurance. The sectors where such mapping is not available, CPI-Services has been used as a deflator, the statement explained.

The monthly ISPs are being published on an experimental basis. The publication of the Trial Series would enable MoSPI to examine data quality, test its resilience and also receive feedback from stakeholders and users, the statement added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Edtech firm Byju's on Tuesday clarified that media reports suggesting founder Byju Raveendran had failed in a bid to overturn a Singapore court order were inaccurate, asserting that his substantive appeal against the civil contempt finding remains pending before the Singapore Court of Appeal.

The company said the hearing before the Singapore High Court on July 9 was confined to an application seeking a temporary stay of the civil contempt order issued on May 25, 2026, while Raveendran's appeal is heard.

According to the company, the High Court declined only the stay application and did not hear, determine or reject the substantive appeal challenging the contempt finding.

"The hearing on July 9 did not concern an application to overturn the civil contempt order dated 25

May 2026. It was limited to an application requesting the General Division of the Singapore High

Court to temporarily suspend (or stay) its earlier order while Raveendran’s appeal is considered by the Court of Appeal," it said.

"It is therefore incorrect to state that Raveendran has lost a bid to overturn the order or sentence. The bid to overturn the underlying contempt finding remains live before the Court of

Appeal," the company said in a statement.

It added that Raveendran continues to have the option of seeking appropriate interim relief before the Court of Appeal.

The company also said some media reports conflated the stay application with the substantive appeal, even though the two are legally distinct proceedings.

It further disputed reports claiming that the latest order had effectively prevented Raveendran from returning to Singapore, stating that the legal position had been overstated.

Quoting J. Michael McNutt, Senior Litigation Advisor to Byju Raveendran and the founders at Lazareff Le Bars, the company said there had been "no new development of substance" in the matter.

“There is no new development of substance in this matter. On 9 July the Singapore High Court declined an application to stay the civil contempt order of 25 May 2026," he said.

The dismissal is about timing, not merits. Raveendran is not presently in Singapore and because there is no certainty of when, or whether, he intends to travel to Singapore, the Court held

there was no live question for it to decide, and left it to be raised if and when the situation arises, he added.

"In the future, should he be in, or intend to travel to, Singapore, he may apply then and the Court will deal with it. The order has no practical effect unless and until he chooses to enter Singapore," McNutt mentioned.

The nature of the matter is unchanged. This is a civil contempt arising from disputed document-disclosure obligations in ongoing arbitration proceedings. It is not a criminal case, it is not a finding on the merits, and it is not a finding of fraud, dishonesty, diversion of funds or personal

wrongdoing against Raveendran. It has no implication outside of Singapore, he explained.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The government on Tuesday said that the first round of negotiations for the India-Maldives Free Trade Agreement (FTA) have been concluded successfully towards expanding bilateral trade and investment engagement.

India is the second-largest trading partner of the Maldives.

Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $771.76 million in 2025–26, compared to $679.70 million in 2024–25, registering a growth of 13.54 per cent.

According to a Commerce Ministry statement, negotiating teams from both sides engaged in text-based discussions across eight technical sessions, covering eight policy areas.

Both sides made substantive progress across the negotiating tracks and reached broad convergence on several issues, the statement added. India's negotiating team was led by Chief Negotiator Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, while the Maldives delegation was led by its Chief Negotiator Yusuf Riza.

Last week, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met his Maldivian counterpart, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade of the Maldives.

According to an official statement, the ministers reviewed the progress of ongoing bilateral economic initiatives, including the India–Maldives FTA negotiations.

As India and the Maldives commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expedite the conclusion of the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

They also agreed to further deepen cooperation in tourism, startups, digital payments, MSMEs and trade to unlock new opportunities for both countries.

According to the ministry, the proposed FTA is expected to further strengthen bilateral economic and trade relations by enhancing market access, facilitating investment, promoting greater economic cooperation and contributing to sustainable economic growth in both countries.

Both sides are working towards a broad-based, balanced and comprehensive agreement guided by the principles of fairness and reciprocity, said the ministry.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India accounted for almost 18 per cent of global Android game downloads, reinforcing its position as one of the world's largest mobile gaming markets, although its monetisation patterns remain markedly different from global trends, according to a report released on Tuesday.

According to a report by Mintegral, the country accounted for 17.8 per cent of global Android game downloads, while contributing 2.8 per cent of global iOS downloads, underscoring the country's overwhelmingly Android-first gaming landscape.

Android represented 97.5 per cent of all game downloads in India, compared with 85.9 per cent globally, making it the primary platform for user acquisition, product testing and audience expansion, it added.

It further stated that India remains one of the world's most cost-efficient gaming acquisition markets, estimating a 19.9-fold difference between global Android cost-per-install (CPI) benchmarks and India's average CPI.

The report also highlighted differences in advertising economics, with about 22-fold gap between global Android rewarded-video effective cost per mille (eCPM) benchmarks and Indian market eCPMs.

63 per cent of India's overall gaming revenue across platforms is generated through in-app advertising (IAA), it said.

However, about 70 per cent of Android gaming revenue comes from in-app purchases (IAP), indicating platform-specific monetisation strategies.

Casual, hypercasual and mid-core or hardcore games together accounted for 57.5 per cent of game downloads, providing large-scale opportunities for user acquisition, while monetisation models varied across genres.

The report also found that leading global gaming apps generally use a wider mix of user acquisition channels than Indian publishers.

Top global puzzle games utilise an average of 20 acquisition channels, compared with 14 in India, while card and board games use 17 channels globally against nine in the Indian market.

Moreover, the report showed that Google's ecosystem remained the largest contributor to gaming installs in India, while original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and alternative app distribution channels together accounted for around one-fourth of installs.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Around 9 crore micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been registered under the government's Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform, providing employment to over 38 crore people across the country, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

The two digital platforms have been launched to formalise enterprises, expand access to government support and strengthen the country's MSME ecosystem, according to a statement from the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Udyam Registration provides MSMEs with an official identity through a paperless, self-declaration-based and free online registration process.

Meanwhile, the Udyam Assist complements the initiative by enabling informal micro-enterprises, including those not covered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Income Tax systems to obtain formal recognition through authorised partners such as banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and other lending institutions.

According to the government, the platform allows eligible enterprises to receive 'Udyam Assist Certificate', making them eligible for various government initiatives aimed at supporting micro enterprises.

The ministry said Udyam registration enables MSMEs to access government schemes related to finance, technology upgradation, quality certification, skill development, market access and entrepreneurship promotion.

Moreover, registered enterprises can also avail easier access to institutional credit, protection against delayed payments, participation in government procurement, and support for quality improvement, digitalisation and productivity enhancement.

The ministry said the initiatives are also helping expand financial inclusion by bringing more informal enterprises into the formal economy.

It added that the platforms are supporting women entrepreneurs, SC/ST entrepreneurs, rural enterprises, traditional artisans, first-generation entrepreneurs and youth-led startups by simplifying the registration process and improving access to government support.

According to the ministry, the combined impact of the Udyam Registration Portal and Udyam Assist Platform is helping strengthen entrepreneurship, formalise MSMEs and contribute to the country's long-term economic development goals.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The High Court of Singapore has rejected a plea by Byju's founder Byju Raveendran to suspend a six-month jail sentence for contempt, dealing another legal setback to the embattled edtech entrepreneur and effectively preventing him from returning to the city-state unless he is prepared to serve the prison term.

According to reports, the Singapore High Court has dismissed Raveendran's application to stay the sentence.

The jail term was originally imposed in May for contempt of court, with a temporary stay granted last month pending his appeal.

With the latest ruling, Raveendran will be unable to enter Singapore without facing the six-month sentence unless he secures further legal relief.

Responding to the decision, J. Michael McNutt, a lawyer at Lazareff Le Bars representing Raveendran, said his client continues to deny violating any court order.

"Raveendran maintains that he did not breach any court order, intentionally or otherwise, and will continue to pursue every lawful remedy through the proper legal process," McNutt said in a statement.

The ruling marks the latest setback for Raveendran. Earlier in May, a Singapore court had sentenced Raveendran to six months in jail for allegedly failing to comply with multiple court orders related to disclosure of his assets.

The court had also directed him to surrender to authorities, pay legal costs of S$90,000 and furnish documents establishing his ownership of Beeaar Investco Pte, a corporate entity that held shares in a related company.

The legal proceedings in Singapore were initiated by a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority, which had invested in Byju's during a period when the company was undergoing restructuring and large-scale layoffs.

Qatar Holdings was represented by law firm Drew & Napier, while Byju's Investments was represented by Fervent Chambers.

The Singapore case is one of several legal battles involving Raveendran across jurisdictions. In the US, creditors have been pursuing claims linked to a defaulted $1.2 billion term loan, while investors have raised concerns over the company's financial management and governance.

However, Raveendran had secured some relief in December 2025 when the Delaware Court reversed its earlier $1 billion judgment against him after considering fresh submissions.

The court held that damages had not been properly determined and ordered a fresh phase of proceedings to assess whether any compensation was payable.

Raveendran's legal team has alleged that GLAS Trust and certain lenders withheld or misrepresented key information during the US proceedings, claims they say contributed to the collapse of the edtech company and destruction of its enterprise value.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) US-based technology giant Google on Tuesday announced a series of artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives for developers, startups, enterprises and educational institutions in India.

At the Google I/O Connect India 2026 summit here, the company unveiled new AI education programmes, healthcare collaborations, cybersecurity initiatives and expanded infrastructure for Indian enterprises using its AI models.

Google also said its Google Play Store and Android ecosystem generated an estimated Rs 5.3 lakh crore (around $6 billion) in revenue for app publishers and the wider economy in India in 2025, up 28 per cent from the previous year.

Addressing the event, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said Google has played a key role in expanding internet access and digital services in India through products such as Search, Android, YouTube, Maps and Google Pay.

"Google transformed how students learn, how businesses grow, how governments deliver services and how billions of people access knowledge every single day. That is an extraordinary contribution all of you have made," he said.

Among the key announcements, Google DeepMind launched its AI Research Foundations curriculum, a free 56-hour programme aimed at training learners to build and fine-tune large language models.

The programme will be rolled out in partnership with NASSCOM, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and other institutions.

"India's builders are already deploying AI faster than almost anywhere else. As we drive the shift into the agentic era, our focus is on providing the infrastructure and guardrails the ecosystem needs to scale safely," said Preeti Lobana, Country Manager, Google India.

Google also introduced ATL Saathi, a Gemini-powered assistant for teachers under the Atal Innovation Mission, with an initial rollout across 100 schools.

In healthcare, the company said researchers at AIIMS Delhi are using its MedGemma open AI models to develop India-specific tools for leprosy and sexual and reproductive health, with the resulting models to be made available to the country's developer ecosystem.

Google also announced that Gemini Live now supports 25 Indian languages and dialects, including Sanskrit, Bhojpuri and Maithili.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India has the foundation to emerge as a global hub for AI-native technology talent, but unlocking this potential will require a stronger focus on engineering fundamentals, AI judgment and technical depth, according to a report released on Tuesday.

The report by Nasscom, titled "The State of AI-Native Talent in India: Decoding the Readiness of India's Early-Career Technology Workforce," introduces the Nasscom AI-Native Talent Index, a structured industry benchmark designed to measure AI-native capabilities among India's early-career technology workforce.

According to the study, nearly 70 per cent of India's early-career technology talent is AI-proficient, while around 23 per cent qualifies as AI-native.

The findings suggest that young professionals are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into their work, learning and decision-making processes, but there remains significant scope to strengthen engineering judgment, AI orchestration capabilities and technical expertise.

Sangeeta Gupta, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Nasscom, said India is uniquely positioned to become a global centre for AI-native technology talent, but cautioned that AI skills alone do not make a workforce AI-native.

“India is uniquely positioned to emerge as a global hub for AI-native technology talent. It is important to keep in mind that AI skills penetration is not the same as being AI-native. Without a rigorous measurement framework such as the AI-Native Talent Index followed by action, India risks scaling a workforce that is AI-reliant rather than AI-native," she said.

"Academia must strengthen fundamentals, while industry must redesign onboarding and mentorship to ensure that the decline of routine work does not lead to a decline in deep engineering expertise," Gupta added.

The report noted that while AI is significantly improving productivity, accelerating learning and enhancing workplace capabilities, organisations and educational institutions must consciously create opportunities for engineers to develop deep technical understanding, independent problem-solving skills and engineering judgment that were traditionally built through hands-on experience.

Calling for a joint effort between academia and industry, the study recommends that educational institutions move beyond conventional coding education to strengthen engineering fundamentals, domain expertise and assessment methods.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India's rapidly expanding data centre industry is emerging as one of the country's biggest employment generators, with demand for nearly one lakh skilled professionals by 2030, a report said on Tuesday.

The data compiled by NLB Services showed that India's installed data centre capacity is projected to grow from around 1.5 GW currently to nearly 6.5 GW by the end of the decade, while the market is expected to exceed $22 billion.

Cumulative investment commitments in the sector have already crossed $126 billion, making it one of the fastest-growing infrastructure segments in the country, the report added.

However, industry experts warn that a widening skills gap could threaten the sector's ambitious growth plans unless education, industry and policymakers work together to prepare a future-ready workforce.

Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services, said that the country’s data centre and AI infrastructure expansion represents far more than an infrastructure story -- it is a nation-building opportunity for our young workforce.

“As the country accelerates its digital transformation, the sector is creating demand for a new generation of professionals with expertise spanning AI infrastructure, cloud operations, automation, power systems, and critical facilities management,” he stated.

“This is not simply about filling jobs; it is about building a workforce capable of powering India's digital economy for decades to come,” Alug added.

On the digital side, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is driving demand for professionals skilled in AI infrastructure engineering, cloud operations, platform engineering, DevOps, MLOps and data centre automation.

With AI workloads expected to account for nearly 30 per cent of India's total data centre capacity, AI infrastructure literacy is becoming an increasingly important competency for engineers entering the industry, the report noted.

At the same time, the physical infrastructure segment is witnessing growing demand for specialised professionals such as AI Infrastructure Operations Engineers, Liquid Cooling Engineers, Energy Optimisation Specialists, Critical Facilities Engineers and Power Systems Experts.

These roles are becoming increasingly important as next-generation AI-enabled data centres require advanced cooling, energy management and critical infrastructure capabilities.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Adani Electricity’s anti-theft drive has succeeded in significantly reducing its Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses to 4.46 per cent in FY 2025-26 from 4.7 per cent in the previous year, which positions it among the Discoms with the lowest AT&C losses nationwide, according to a company statement issued on Tuesday.

This significant reduction of 0.24 per cent in AT&C losses across Adani Electricity’s extensive network will lower the burden on honest, paying consumers, the statement said.

Adani Electricity conducted 36,720 mass raids during the financial year 2025-2026 and registered 486 First Information Reports (FIRs) against perpetrators of power theft. This intensified vigilance also reflects a 40 per cent increase in odd-timing raids which include early morning, late evening and holidays.

Additionally, 5897 power theft cases were booked. During raids, 79.25 tons of illegal wires were recovered. A total theft of 19.82 million units -- amounting to Rs 43.39 crore -- was assessed, according to the statement.

The important cases include the successful detection and booking of a high-value electricity theft case of Rs 1.63 crore involving direct supply for moulding activity at Swastik Compound, Chincholi Bandar Road, Malad (West) on 7th November 2025, by the company’s vigilance team.

Similarly, on 4th July 2025 another high-value electricity theft case of Rs 80 lacs was booked involving direct supply for moulding activity at Motilal Nagar, Goregaon (West).

Besides, a case involving electricity theft to the tune of Rs 48.73 lakh was booked in June involving direct supply for moulding activity at Malad (East).

Stealing electricity is a non-bailable offence. Under Section 135 of the Electricity Act 2003, an offender can be punished with a fine, a jail term of up to three years, or both, once proven guilty.

Adani Electricity actively collaborates with police authorities to conduct regular mass raids, apprehend offenders, and confiscate equipment used for power theft. During FY 2025-26, a significant amount of 79.25 tons of unauthorized wires and other equipment were seized, the statement said.

Power theft in high-demand areas like slum clusters, where new network development is challenging due to space constraints, severely overloads the existing infrastructure.

This strain increases maintenance costs due to more frequent cable and transformer failures.

An Adani Electricity spokesperson said, "Power theft unfairly burdens honest, paying consumers. Adani Electricity is committed to eliminating the menace of power theft. By combating such unlawful activities, we safeguard the interests of our customers. We will intensify our efforts in specific areas to further reduce AT&C losses this year."

“The significant reduction in AT&C losses this year is a direct result of our intensified efforts against power theft. This not only safeguards our infrastructure but also alleviates the financial burden on our honest, paying consumers by enabling us to maintain competitive tariffs,” he added.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Wholesale price inflation in India stood at 9.87 per cent in June on a year-on-year basis, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities rose to 110.2 in June.

Among the major groups, inflation in primary articles increased to 7 per cent, while fuel and power inflation moderated to 27.41 per cent.

However, inflation in manufactured products remained unchanged at 7.48 per cent.

In addition, the WPI Food Index -- which comprises food articles and manufactured food products -- recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.14 per cent in June.

Within primary articles, food articles registered inflation of 5.49 per cent, while non-food articles recorded 11.07 per cent inflation during the month.

The data also showed that inflation in mineral oils stood at 46.48 per cent, while crude petroleum and natural gas recorded 34.75 per cent year-on-year inflation in June.

Meanwhile, the final WPI inflation for April 2026 was revised to 8.36 per cent from the provisional estimate of 8.26 per cent.

Moreover, the revised WPI index for April stood at 108.9, compared with the provisional estimate of 108.8.

According to the data, the provisional WPI for June was compiled with a weighted response rate of 82.6 per cent, while the final estimate for April was based on a 97.5 per cent weighted response rate.

The All India Output Producer Price Index (OPPI) for all commodities stood at 109.9 in June, while the provisional trial Input Producer Price Index (IPPI) for the manufacturing sector was 107.1. The final IPPI for April was revised to 104.2 from the provisional estimate of 104.9.

The next provisional WPI data for July will be released on August 14, the ministry said.

In May, WPI stood at 9.68 per cent, according to the data.

Earlier in June, the government launched a revised WPI series with 2022-23 as the new base year which replaces the existing 2011-12 base year series and is part of a broader overhaul of producer price measurement in the country.

Apart from that, the government had released a new series of PPI, IPPI and SPPI for seven services.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Backing India's ethanol-blended E20 fuel programme, eminent scientist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar on Tuesday said ethanol has already proved to be a viable transport fuel globally and can play a key role in strengthening the country's energy security.

Speaking to IANS, the former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) cited Brazil's decades-long experience with ethanol-powered vehicles as evidence of the fuel's viability.

"Brazil has been running vehicles on ethanol for 30-40 years. That experience tells us that ethanol is a viable fuel," said Dr Mashelkar, a chemical engineer and Fellow of the Royal Society.

He said expanding the use of ethanol and other indigenous fuels would help India reduce its dependence on imported crude oil while improving energy self-reliance.

Referring to the recent geopolitical tensions in West Asia, Dr Mashelkar said disruptions to global energy supplies underline the need for India to accelerate the adoption of domestically produced alternative fuels.

"We need self-reliance. We should produce our own fuels," he said, adding that dependence on imported energy leaves countries vulnerable to global conflicts and supply disruptions.

While expressing strong support for ethanol, Dr Mashelkar said India should simultaneously develop other clean fuel options, including methanol, dimethyl ether, compressed biogas and biomass-based green hydrogen.

"I am not just talking about ethanol. We have to look at all these alternative fuels," he told IANS.

He also emphasised that biomass should become a key feedstock for India's clean energy transition.

"The sun is shining, and biomass is produced from solar energy. Biomass should be our main feedstock from which we can produce fuels," he said.

Dr Mashelkar added that degraded and semi-degraded land could be used to cultivate energy crops such as Napier grass for producing compressed biogas and green hydrogen, without affecting land meant for food production.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kerala will have another moment of pride on Tuesday evening when NASA astronaut Dr Anil Menon, whose family traces its roots to Ottapalam in Palakkad district, blasts off to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft.

The launch is scheduled for 8.17 p.m. IST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking the beginning of an eight-month mission that will conclude with the crew's return to Earth in April next year.

Dr Menon, the son of Shankaran Menon of Ottapalam and Elizabeth Samoylenko of Ukraine, has excelled in every field he has entered, as a physician, mechanical engineer, US Space Force flight surgeon and pilot before earning his place in NASA's astronaut corps.

His first spaceflight is expected to play a key role in research into the medical challenges of long-duration human space travel, findings that will help shape future missions beyond low Earth orbit.

He will travel alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, who will undertake a series of scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station.

Hours before liftoff, Menon shared his excitement on Instagram, saying he was ready for the mission and expressing gratitude to NASA, his family and friends for their unwavering support.

For Palakkad, Menon's journey adds yet another illustrious chapter to the district's remarkable legacy of producing personalities who have left an indelible mark on India and the world.

The district has been home to towering figures across politics, culture and public life, including legendary actor politician and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, diplomat, author and parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, whose family has roots in Palakkad, and Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, one of Kathakali's greatest exponents and former Principal of the Kerala Kalamandalam.

Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, an Air Commodore and flight instructor with the Indian Air Force and 'Gaganyatri (astronaut)' with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), also hails from Palakkad.

With Anil Menon now preparing to leave Earth for space, Palakkad's long tradition of producing achievers has reached yet another milestone, this time, quite literally, beyond the skies.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) India’s poultry industry is expected to see revenues rise by 6–7 per cent in FY27 and an improvement in profitability of about 50 to 100 basis points over previous year, a report said on Tuesday.

The report from CareEdge Ratings said the poultry industry witnessed stabilisation in operating performance during FY26, supported by healthy production growth, resilient demand across retail, institutional, and food-service channels, and improved supply-demand dynamics.

"India continues to be among the world's largest producers of eggs and poultry meat, supported by rising protein consumption, urbanisation, improving affordability, and changing dietary preferences," the report said.

"Focus on improving feed conversion ratio (FCR), better farm management practices, and increased operational efficiency is expected to support productivity and enhance competitiveness across the organised poultry industry," the report noted.

The ratings agency forecasted egg and meat production to maintain healthy momentum in FY27, supported by rising protein consumption, urbanisation and capacity additions by organised players.

The evolving processed poultry segment, supported by the expansion of organised retail, quick-service restaurants (QSRs), cold-chain infrastructure, and export opportunities, is expected to provide additional avenues for long-term growth and value addition.

Adoption of advanced breeding, precision nutrition, automation and improved farm management are expected to enhance productivity and feed conversion ratios, the report said.

Organised players, which account for roughly 60–65 per cent of the industry, saw huge improvement in profitability in FY26 through integrated operations, better feed procurement and stronger pricing discipline.

During FY26, the industry saw a sharp correction in maize prices, supported by higher domestic production and improved supply conditions. The decline in maize prices provided significant margin relief, particularly for integrated players with captive feed mills and efficient procurement practices.

India ranked as the second-largest producer of eggs and a top producer of broiler meat. The country produced 149.11 billion eggs during FY25, while poultry meat production stood at approximately 5.18 million tonnes, accounting for nearly half of India's total meat production.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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Seoul, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) South Korea detected 2.4 trillion won ($1.61 billion) worth of illegal foreign exchange transactions through May as the country stepped up surveillance against related crimes amid the volatility in the currency market, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy announced the findings during a meeting with foreign exchange-related agencies amid growing concerns over illegal transactions following the Korean won's recent slide against the U.S. dollar.

During the meeting, the Korea Customs Service said it had referred a total of 84 cases involving illegal foreign exchange transactions to prosecutors through May, reports Yonhap news agency.

The finance ministry, the customs service and the tax agency also vowed to strengthen coordination to root out offshore tax evasion and track illicit foreign currency flows.

Lee Hyung-ryul, director general for international finance at the ministry, said the supply-demand balance in the foreign exchange market is gradually improving, supported by foreign currency inflows from exporters.

Lee added that South Korea is expected to undergo a structural shift in foreign currency supply in the second half, supported by its strong economic fundamentals, as demonstrated by a record trade surplus of US$138.3 billion in the first half of 2026.

Meanwhile, the South Korean government on Tuesday revised up its economic growth projection for 2026 to 3 percent, up 1 percentage point from its previous outlook, citing a semiconductor supercycle and easing uncertainties surrounding the Middle East.

The Ministry of Finance and Economy released its economic policy plan for the second half of 2026, presenting a forecast above the 2.6 percent estimates issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"This is the first year in which the Lee Jae Myung administration is taking full responsibility for the country's economic management," First Vice Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il said during a press conference held in the central city of Sejong.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will come into force on Wednesday, paving the way for cheaper British goods in India while granting Indian exporters near-total duty-free access to the UK market.

Under the pact, tariffs on a wide range of British products -- including Scotch whisky, gin, chocolates, biscuits and cosmetics -- will begin declining from July 15. However, duty reductions for several items will be phased in over the coming years.

Meanwhile, Indian exporters will receive zero-duty access on around 99 per cent of tariff lines, covering almost the entire value of the country's exports to the UK.

Labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, marine products, gems and jewellery, sports goods and toys are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries.

Similarly, engineering goods, auto components and organic chemicals are also set to gain from improved market access.

The rules were issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), laying down the framework for determining whether goods qualify for preferential tariff treatment under the pact and specifying compliance requirements for exporters and importers.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier said the CETA would deepen collaboration between the two countries across trade, investment and innovation while creating new opportunities for businesses and professionals.

He urged Indian companies to strengthen engagement with their UK counterparts and translate the agreement into sustained business growth.

Earlier in June, the minister stated that the landmark agreement will help Indian farmers, fishermen, artisans and small businesses prosper globally and accelerate job creation, while enabling the common man to access high-quality goods at competitive prices.

He noted that by unlocking the premium UK market, it creates attractive global opportunities for women entrepreneurs, youth, startups and MSMEs, while empowering the underprivileged without compromising India's core interests

Signed on July 24, 2025, after 14 rounds of negotiations, the CETA comprises 30 chapters covering goods, services, digital trade, financial services, intellectual property, innovation, sustainability and government procurement.

Additionally, India will reduce or eliminate tariffs on 90 per cent of tariff lines, with 85 per cent becoming fully duty-free over the next decade.

Tariffs on British Scotch whisky will be cut from 150 per cent to 75 per cent initially before declining to 40 per cent over 10 years, while duties on British automobiles will be reduced gradually under a quota-based mechanism.

The pact also provides relief for eligible Indian professionals working temporarily in the UK through the Double Contributions Convention, allowing them to avoid paying social security contributions in both countries for a specified period.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Adani Airport Holdings Limited's (AAHL) consumer app, Adani One, has crossed the five million-member mark within 10 months of launching Adani Rewards, one of India's first integrated airport loyalty programmes, according to the company.

The loyalty programme is available across all eight airports managed by AAHL in seven states and allows passengers to earn and redeem reward points on shopping, dining and other airport services through the Adani One app, according to the company.

The milestone reflects the growing adoption of digital services that simplify the airport experience while rewarding passengers for their everyday spending, it added.

Building on the momentum, AAHL said it plans to introduce a tier-based membership model later this year, offering frequent flyers enhanced benefits and more personalised privileges.

"Five million members in less than a year marks an important milestone for Adani Rewards. Soon, we will introduce new features, expand member benefits and create more opportunities for passengers to engage across all AAHL-managed airports," an AAHL spokesperson said.

In addition, passengers can enrol in Adani Rewards instantly using their mobile number at the time of purchase.

Reward points earned on subsequent transactions can be redeemed for benefits ranging from complimentary food and beverages to premium airport experiences through the Adani One app.

The company said seasonal campaigns such as Diwali, Winterfest and the recently concluded Summer Carnival have contributed to higher user engagement by offering exclusive deals and curated experiences.

It added that further enhancements to the programme are planned in the coming months to expand its appeal across its airport network, spanning from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala to Guwahati in Assam.

Moreover, AAHL -- India's largest public-private partnership airport operator -- currently manages eight airports like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and the newly constructed Navi Mumbai airport.

Source: IANS

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Seoul, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Foreign investors remained net sellers of South Korean equities for the fifth consecutive month in June, central bank data showed on Tuesday, despite a tech-led rally in the local stock market.

Offshore investors sold a net US$30.72 billion worth of local stocks and bonds last month, following net sales of $26.15 billion in May, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

They have remained net sellers since February, reports Yonhap news agency.

Breaking down the figures, foreign investors sold a net $32.37 billion worth of stocks in June, while purchasing a net $1.65 billion worth of bonds.

The BOK said net foreign selling widened from a month earlier as investor sentiment weakened amid concerns over excessive investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Foreign investors also reduced their holdings of Korean stocks as part of portfolio rebalancing during the market rally, accelerating net capital outflows, it added.

Meanwhile, South Korea's inclusion in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI), a key global bond benchmark operated by FTSE Russell, led to net inflows into the bond market.

South Korea began a phased eight-month entry into the index in April. The WGBI tracks sovereign debt from more than 20 major economies, including the United States, Japan and China.

Seoul shares extended losses late on Tuesday morning, led by falls in semiconductors and other market heavyweights, amid investor worries over the renewed tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty over artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.

After opening 0.56 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) extended losses, trading 139.03 points, or 2.04 percent, higher at 6,667.90 as of 11:20 a.m.

The decline comes after the KOSPI nose-dived 9 percent in the previous session due to a massive sell-off of technology stocks.

Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.26 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite dropped 1.55 percent.

A standoff between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, along with a slump in SK hynix's U.S.-listed shares overnight, sapped investor sentiment.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Incorporating standardised health terminologies will ensure Ayush interventions become an integral part of broader digital health ecosystems, matching modern health informatics standards, according to Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.

The Ayush Ministry has launched a five-day workshop on WHO-ICHI Framework for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems, which marks an important step towards positioning India's traditional medicine systems within the global digital health ecosystem and universal health coverage frameworks.

Kotecha said that this initiative is much more than a coding exercise.

“It represents a transformational step towards positioning India's traditional medical systems within the global scientific, digital, and policy ecosystem,” he said at the inaugural session.

Dr Kavita Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, detailed the long-term policy impacts of incorporating traditional practices into digital documentation and global health systems.

Global operational context was shared by Dr. Geeta Krishnan, Unit Head, GTMC Jamnagar, alongside key addresses from WHO representatives Dr. Robert Jakob, Data Standards and Informatics Team Leader, and Dr Stephane Espinosa, Consultant, WHO, who focused on global interoperability and alignment with digital informatics.

The workshop is being organised by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) through its World Health Organization Collaborating Centre, the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad.

It brings together leading scientific experts, institutional heads, and international informatics professionals to finalise a scientifically robust, layered hierarchy of National Health Intervention Codes (NHIC) for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) systems.

The workshop builds upon the base drafts prepared during the consultative meetings held in May 2026.

The expert-validated repository currently covers 13 specialties, 76 therapies and 714 procedures for Ayurveda; 25 specialties, 130 therapies and 996 procedures for Siddha; and 15 specialties, 179 therapies and 551 procedures for Unani, said the statement.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Jordi Hereu, Minister of Industry and Tourism of Spain, and explored new opportunities to strengthen India-Spain collaboration in trade, investment, manufacturing, innovation, tourism and other future-ready sectors that drive growth, competitiveness and job creation.

“We also exchanged views on the India-EU FTA and reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening industrial partnerships, building resilient supply chains and deepening economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations,” Goyal said.

He earlier said that India and Spain should look at increasing their bilateral trade and investments 10 times in the next 10 years. Goyal said that advanced manufacturing, mobility, railways, sustainability, innovation, arts, science, and culture are some of the areas of greater collaboration between India and Spain.

“Delighted to deliver the keynote address at the India-Spain Business Forum. Underlined the need for encouraging the free flow of goods and services between India and Spain to achieve exponential growth in our trade and investment ties,” said Goyal.

He suggested four ways to achieve this target — invest deeper and wider into each other's future; leverage all opportunities opening up with the India-EU FTA; look at connecting tourism and talent; and further strengthen government-to-government relations.

The minister said that immense opportunities await India and the EU with the operationalisation of the India-EU FTA. “This is perhaps the only free trade agreement that Europe has finalised without any criticism from any of the member states. The 27 member states completely aligned in this partnership with India, as are businesses in India — not a murmur of dissent or dissatisfaction back home in India,” Goyal told businesses and leaders in Madrid.

The EU and India collectively represent nearly 30 per cent of the global trade and global economy, with the potential to take it to much higher levels in terms of engagement in trade, business, investments, exchanges in culture, education, tourism, technology, space and defence.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ): Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has received the seventh GE F404-IN20 engine from US aerospace major GE Aerospace for the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jet that the public sector defence major is producing for the Indian Air Force (IAF), according to reliable sources.

The arrival of the engine, after a delay of several months, has come as a big relief, as the assembly of Tejas Mk-1A fighters can now be accelerated. Several completed airframes of the fighter aircraft are awaiting engine integration before flight testing and induction into the Indian Air Force.

The F404-IN20 engine powers both the Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A variants. Delays in engine deliveries from the US manufacturer have emerged as the biggest bottleneck affecting HAL's production schedule and the IAF's modernisation plans.

Under the existing Rs 48,000 crore contract, the IAF has ordered 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters, while an additional order for 97 aircraft has expanded the planned fleet to 180 fighters. To support this programme, GE Aerospace has committed to increasing production and supplying 24-26 F404 engines annually from 2026.

HAL has also expanded its manufacturing capacity with multiple assembly lines in Bengaluru and Nashik to accelerate aircraft production. If engine deliveries continue as scheduled, HAL is expected to begin delivering the first batch of Tejas Mk-1A fighters by late 2026.

The sixth engine, which was delivered earlier by GE Aerospace, has now been cleared for operational use following the rectification of a technical snag that had been detected during testing carried out at HAL. GE Aerospace experts worked on the engine to remove the defects, after which HAL completed its own verification checks. The engine has now been declared fit for operational use.

Meanwhile, India has also submitted a formal Letter of Request to France for the procurement of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force in a deal estimated at roughly $31 billion. The acquisition is a major step towards strengthening the IAF's declining squadron strength.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) India and Spain should look at increasing their bilateral trade and investments 10 times in the next 10 years, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.

He said that advanced manufacturing, mobility, railways, sustainability, innovation, arts, science, and culture are some of the areas of greater collaboration between India and Spain.

“India and Spain must look at a 10x10x10 partnership. We must look at increasing our bilateral trade 10x in the next 10 years. Can we look at an increase in tourists, both sides, 10x in the next 10 years? Can we also imagine that we will increase our investments between the two countries 10x in the next 10 years?” Goyal told the gathering at an event in Madrid.

“It may sound a little extravagant but friends, the real test of the strength of this partnership will come in giving ourselves some truly path-breaking and out of the ordinary, possibly unimaginable targets,” he noted.

Goyal further said that immense opportunities await India and the EU with the operationalisation of the India-EU FTA.

“This is perhaps the only free trade agreement that Europe has finalised without any criticism from any of the member states. The 27 member states completely aligned in this partnership with India, as are businesses in India — not a murmur of dissent or dissatisfaction back home in India,” Goyal told businesses and leaders.

The EU and India collectively represent nearly 30 per cent of the global trade and global economy, with the potential to take it to much higher levels in terms of engagement in trade, business, investments, exchanges in culture, education, tourism, technology, space and defence.

“Immense possibilities await the European Union and India,” said the Commerce Minister.

—IANS

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Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday imposed a total penalty of Rs 142.37 crore on HP India Sales Private Limited and 21 of its resellers in two separate orders after finding them guilty of cartelisation and bid rigging in government procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

In one order, the fair trade regulator imposed a penalty of Rs 126.87 crore on HP India and a combined penalty of around Rs 1.22 crore on five of its resellers for indulging in anti-competitive practices in the sale and supply of personal system products.

In the second order, the CCI levied a penalty of ₹11.98 crore on HP India and around ₹2.30 crore on 16 of its resellers for cartelisation in the sale and supply of printer supplies products, including toner cartridges and other consumables used with printing hardware.

The Commission directed HP India and all the implicated resellers to cease and desist from anti-competitive conduct after finding them in violation of Sections 3(3)(d) read with Section 3(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.

According to the CCI, both proceedings stemmed from lesser penalty applications filed by HP India under Section 46 of the Competition Act, through which the company disclosed cartel arrangements involving itself and its resellers.

The regulator found that the resellers had coordinated by seeking and submitting support or cover bids in government tenders, thereby distorting the competitive bidding process on the GeM platform.

In the printer consumables case, the Commission held 16 Tier-2 resellers guilty of cartelisation. These include DD Enterprises, Ascent Information, Kaypee Enterprises, Britex Enterprises, Alankar Distributors, Vijay Stationery Mart, G R Enterprises, Perfect Innovative, Khandelwal Traders, A Square Technologies, Innovative Solutions, Pioneer Technologies, Delphi Infosolutions, Shakti Marketing, International Computer Resources and Arms Peripherals.

In the personal system products case, the CCI similarly found five resellers guilty of cartelisation in the sale and supply of computers and related products procured through GeM.

The Commission observed that HP India played a central role in facilitating the cartel arrangements in both cases and was therefore liable for violating the provisions of the Competition Act.

Besides imposing monetary penalties on the company and the resellers, the CCI also held officials of HP India and the concerned reseller firms liable under Section 48 of the Act and imposed penalties on them.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Drone Federation India (DFI), on Monday launched the second edition of the National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research (NIDAR 2.0) for 2026-27 under the SwaYaan initiative, with a focus on advancing indigenous drone technologies and autonomous systems.

The programme was held at Electronics Niketan in New Delhi in a hybrid format, bringing together students, faculty members, government officials and industry leaders from across the country.

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan launched the problem statements, poster and rulebook for NIDAR 2.0.

Speaking at the launch, Krishnan said the latest edition of the challenge marks a shift from merely operating drones to developing their core intelligence using indigenous technology.

"NIDAR 2.0 takes our students from just flying drones to building the drone's brain. When the drone's brain runs on India's own VEGA processor, we are not just training engineers. We are laying the foundation of a self-reliant drone industry," he said.

He added that the VEGA processor has been developed under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) programme, a MeitY initiative aimed at reducing India's dependence on foreign chip designs and associated licensing costs.

The event also featured addresses by Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO of the India Semiconductor Mission, Tulika Pandey, Scientist G and Group Coordinator at MeitY, and Smit Shah, President of the Drone Federation India. Senior officials from the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Defence and Home Affairs, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the armed forces, academia and industry also participated.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition launched in March 2025, NIDAR 2.0 significantly expands the scope of the competition. The first edition attracted 3,448 students from 22 states, four Union Territories and 109 cities, who developed autonomous drone solutions for disaster management and precision agriculture. A total of 93 teams reached the grand finale, with 24 teams winning prizes worth Rs 40 lakh.

The new edition shifts the focus from conventional drone platforms to autonomous systems, indigenous avionics and core drone components through two competition tracks.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Global smartphone shipments declined 11 per cent (year-on-year) in the April-June quarter (Q2 2026), reaching the lowest second-quarter levels since 2013, a report showed on Monday, as the memory shortage deepened and emerged as the dominant drag on the industry.

According to preliminary estimates from Counterpoint Research's Market Monitor, DRAM and NAND prices continued to balloon through the quarter as memory suppliers kept prioritising AI data centre demand over consumer electronics, forcing OEMs to pass rising Bill of Materials (BOM) costs onto consumers via repeated price hikes, particularly on entry and mid-tier devices.

Samsung reclaimed its global No 1 position with a 24 per cent share in Q2 and recorded the strongest growth among top five brands.

Samsung held up relatively well in India and the Middle East, supported by better product availability, fewer price hikes and aggressive summer promotions that complemented flagship momentum, said the report.

Apple’s shipments grew 3 per cent YoY during the quarter, while its market share climbed to a record 20 per cent. It was also the only major OEM to avoid smartphone price hikes during the quarter.

“The global memory crisis has now overtaken every other factor as the single biggest drag on the smartphone industry. What started as a components issue last year is now a full-blown demand issue. The entry and mid-tier devices, which account for a majority of the world’s smartphone volumes and are the most exposed to BOM economics, become structurally unfeasible at previous price points,” said senior analyst Shilpi Jain.

Alongside the memory shortage, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East bumped up oil and shipping costs, further inflating smartphone prices.

This coincided with a broader macro squeeze, slower global growth, higher inflation, and record-low consumer sentiment which hit price-sensitive buyers the hardest, said Jain.

The outlook for the rest of 2026 remains challenging. Counterpoint continues to expect global smartphone shipments to decline by around 14 per cent for the full year, with the global memory shortage expected to persist in 2027.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union MoS for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh said India is entering the next phase of governance transformation through Next Generation Administrative and e‑Governance Reforms with AI, digital platforms at core, an official statement said on Monday.

Dr. Singh inaugurated the two‑day National Conference on Next Generation Administrative and e‑Governance Reforms in Shillong, jointly organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Government of Meghalaya.

The minister highlighted a decade of path-breaking administrative reforms and the removal of nearly 2,000 obsolete rules, adding that future reforms must integrate artificial I intelligence, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure and citizen-centric service platforms.

He said more than 56 crore Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar-enabled service delivery, Direct Benefit Transfer and the Unified Payments Interface have fundamentally changed the relationship between citizens and the government.

UPI today processes over 18 billion transactions every month, making India a global leader in digital payments.

Government has steadily moved from regulation to facilitation while placing citizens at the centre of policy making and public service delivery, he noted.

The minister said the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has transformed the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) into one of the world's largest technology-enabled grievance platforms.

Annual grievances have increased from around 2 lakh in 2014 to nearly 25 lakh today.

He said the platform is now supported by artificial intelligence through multilingual chatbot services while retaining a human interface at the final stage of grievance disposal to ensure both efficiency and empathy.

The minister also highlighted the nationwide Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters and Cleanliness, that has generated over Rs 4,000 crores through scientific disposal of scrap and obsolete materials while freeing nearly 700 lakh square feet of office space.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The government is actively pursuing access to Anthropic's advanced AI model, Mythos, as part of its efforts to bolster cybersecurity and identify software vulnerabilities, while simultaneously preparing with alternative AI models in anticipation of securing access, IT Secretary S. Krishnan said on Monday.

Speaking about the government's efforts, Krishnan said discussions are underway with US authorities and the company to obtain access to Mythos and other frontier AI models.

"While the process is still under negotiation, the government is not waiting idly and has already begun using alternative AI models to identify and address software vulnerabilities," he noted.

"Mythos has demonstrated an ability to uncover vulnerabilities in widely used software that often remained unresolved because they were considered low priority, too expensive to fix, or had simply gone undetected," Krishnan said.

He said the technology presents an opportunity to systematically identify such weaknesses and correct them, making access to Mythos and similar advanced AI systems a key priority for the government.

"The government has taken up the matter with its counterparts in the United States as well as the companies developing these frontier AI models. However, access involves a formal process that is currently being negotiated," he mentioned.

In the meantime, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has established a dedicated sandbox, or "war room", where alternative AI models are being used to test software code, detect vulnerabilities and develop secure workflows.

These substitute models are estimated to offer around 60 to 70 per cent of the capabilities of Mythos, enabling officials to conduct extensive testing even before gaining access to the more advanced system.

Krishnan said CERT-In is probing different elements of software code, identifying vulnerabilities and fixing them through this controlled environment. He described the ongoing exercise as a "dry run" designed to ensure that systems and processes are ready once access to Mythos becomes available.

He added that the initiative is also helping the government tackle a significant proportion of software vulnerabilities despite not yet having access to the advanced AI model.

Referring to current US export restrictions on advanced AI technologies, Krishnan acknowledged that such controls remain a hurdle in securing access to frontier AI systems.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Monday announced that 104 airports across India are now operating on 100 per cent renewable energy, marking a significant milestone in the country's efforts to make aviation infrastructure more sustainable.

Sharing the update on social media platform X, the minister said the achievement reflects the government's commitment to clean energy and sustainability under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“104 Indian airports are now powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, up from 0 in 2014,” the minister said.

“New India is walking the talk on sustainability, advancing towards the Net Zero by 2070 target set by PM Narendra Modi,” he added.

The milestone means that the 104 airports are now meeting their operational electricity requirements entirely through renewable energy sources, including power generated from on-site solar installations as well as renewable electricity procured through long-term agreements such as hydropower.

India's airport sector has steadily increased the adoption of clean energy over the past few years.

In June 2022, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport became the country's first airport to meet its entire electricity demand through a combination of on-site solar power and hydropower.

According to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), around 6 per cent of the airport's electricity is generated from its own solar power plants, while the remaining 94 per cent is sourced through a long-term hydropower purchase agreement.

The shift is estimated to reduce indirect carbon emissions by nearly 200,000 tonnes annually.

Cochin International Airport, meanwhile, became the world's first fully solar-powered airport in 2015 after commissioning its solar power project.

Since then, the airport has expanded its solar generation capacity and earned international recognition for its environmental sustainability initiatives.

The latest announcement builds on the Ministry of Civil Aviation's statement in June 2026 that more than 88 airports had already transitioned to 100 per cent green energy, with the government targeting net-zero emissions across all Indian airports by 2030.

Source: IANS

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