Author: News Desk

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday welcomed the proposal for an underground railway tunnel through the Siliguri Corridor, calling it a transformative project that will strengthen connectivity between the Northeast and mainland India while ensuring uninterrupted movement of passengers and goods. In a post on X, CM Sarma said the tunnel would reinforce India’s strategic and economic links with the Northeast, a region that relies heavily on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, often called the “Chicken’s Neck,” for surface connectivity. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that the initiative reflects the Centre’s long-term commitment to national…

India’s imports from China have declined in several sectors, including fertilisers, chemicals, iron and steel, and man-made yarn in 2024-25, Parliament was informed on Friday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada highlighted that mobile phone imports from China fell sharply from ₹48,609 crore in 2014-15 to ₹3,710 crore in 2024-25. Meanwhile, mobile phone exports from India surged from ₹1,566 crore in 2014-15 to over ₹2,05,017 crore in 2024-25. The minister noted that imports from China in 2024-25 dropped across several sectors compared to the previous year, with fertilisers down…

The V.O. Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority has become the first port in India to implement an advanced Anti-Drone System. The move aims to protect critical port infrastructure from aerial threats and strengthen operational resilience at a key strategic maritime facility. The system integrates radio frequency and radar-based technologies designed for complex port environments, offering 360-degree coverage with an operational range of up to five kilometres. It combines drone detection radar, drone sensors, and a man-pack jammer to provide a rapid-deploy solution for sensitive operational areas. This counter-drone capability allows real-time detection, tracking, classification, and neutralisation of unauthorised drones, enhancing protection…

India is increasingly looking to the Gulf region as a strategic trade partner amid global trade tensions and tariff barriers. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a union of six West Asian countries, is now India’s largest trading bloc, surpassing the European Union, ASEAN, and even top bilateral partners such as the United States and China. Bilateral trade between India and the GCC reached around $179 billion in 2024-25, driven largely by CEPA agreements with the UAE and Oman. Major Indian exports include gems, metals, electronics, chemicals, and other industrial goods. India is now negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with…

Eicher Trucks & Buses, a unit of VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd. (VECV), has delivered its first 13.5-metre electric intercity sleeper bus, marking the company’s entry into long-distance electric passenger transport. The bus will operate under LeafyBus’ FirstBus service, with a total of 35 units scheduled for deployment across North India by March 2026. Planned routes include Delhi–Dehradun and Delhi–Lucknow, along with other high-demand intercity corridors. Suresh Chettiar, EVP of the Bus Division at VECV, said the move extends electric mobility into intercity travel and promotes cleaner, more efficient passenger transportation on busy routes, particularly in environmentally sensitive regions. The bus…

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said the newly signed India-US trade deal will open a $30 trillion market for Indian exporters, particularly benefiting MSMEs, farmers, and fishermen, while also protecting farmers’ interests. Posting on X, Goyal noted that the agreement is expected to create lakhs of new jobs for women and youth. He said the framework for the interim agreement was achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will significantly boost India’s export potential. Under the deal, the US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%, creating opportunities in key sectors such…

The Adani Group has announced a long-term investment plan of ₹70,000 crore across energy, infrastructure, logistics, aviation and community development in Vidarbha, aiming to position the region as a hub for clean energy, industrial manufacturing and integrated logistics. Speaking at the Advantage Vidarbha 2026 conclave in Nagpur on Friday, Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Airports, said the Group’s engagement in Vidarbha was intended to be long term and aligned with national priorities such as energy security, sustainable infrastructure and inclusive growth. He said Vidarbha was becoming an important contributor to Maharashtra’s and India’s growth, supported by political leadership, infrastructure development and…

Saudi Arabia has quietly eased its decades-old strict ban on alcohol for some wealthy foreign residents, opening the door to controlled sales for a select group of expatriates in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. Alcohol sales were banned nationwide in 1952 under conservative interpretations of Islamic law, but the kingdom has recently begun broad social and economic reforms. Since late 2025, affluent non-Muslim foreign residents, including those holding Premium Residency permits or earning a high monthly income, can now legally purchase beer, wine and spirits at a discreet, licensed outlet in the capital. To qualify, expatriates must either hold a Premium Residency permit, typically granted to…

Saudi Arabia has introduced a digital passport system for camels, marking a unique regulatory step in livestock management. Each passport serves as an official identification document for individual camels, recording key details such as microchip number, name, date of birth, breed, sex, colour and place of birth, along with photographs of the animal. The passports also include a dedicated section for vaccination and health records, which must be certified by a veterinarian. This initiative is part of the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Programme and aims to streamline camel sales, transport, ownership transfer and official documentation, enhancing transparency and efficiency in the sector. With over 2.23 million camels and around…

Chinese aerospace developer AutoFlight has achieved a major advancement in eVTOL technology with its Matrix aircraft, the world’s first five-ton class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle designed for up to 10 passengers or heavy cargo roles. On February 5, 2026, AutoFlight completed a public full transition flight demonstration of Matrix, successfully flying the aircraft through all phases from vertical take-off to fixed-wing cruise and back to vertical landing, validating the platform’s advanced aerodynamic design, high-power electric propulsion and flight control integration. Matrix stands out in the emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector due to its size and capacity; most current eVTOL designs focus on smaller aircraft carrying four to six people.…