Author: News Desk

Bengaluru-based iD Fresh Foods has unveiled an ambitious global expansion strategy, announcing plans to establish 10 manufacturing hubs over the next five years. The move is aimed at strengthening the company’s international footprint while ensuring its fresh, preservative-free products are produced closer to consumers. The company plans to expand across key international markets, including the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and Asia. By manufacturing locally, iD Fresh aims to reduce transportation costs, improve supply chain efficiency, and deliver fresher products with shorter delivery times. Founded by PC Musthafa, iD Fresh has grown from a small idli and dosa batter…

A bipartisan group of US Senators has introduced a new sanctions bill that proposes tariffs of up to 100% on exports from India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan for continuing to purchase Russian oil. The legislation, backed by the White House, aims to reduce Russia’s energy revenues and increase pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. Lawmakers said the bill could be passed before August if it secures congressional approval. Speaking at a press conference in Washington, Senator Richard Blumenthal said the proposed tariffs would be narrowly targeted at the five largest buyers of Russian oil. He added…

Kerala celebrated a proud moment on Tuesday as Kerala-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon began his first journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. Menon lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina as part of Expedition 74. The mission is expected to last around eight months, during which the crew will conduct scientific experiments and technology demonstrations aboard the orbiting laboratory. The 49-year-old astronaut has roots in Ottapalam, Palakkad district, and is the great-grandson of Sir C. Sankaran Nair, the former president of the Indian National Congress.…

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has dismissed allegations that he personally benefited from the government’s ethanol blending programme, calling the claims politically motivated and based on misinformation. In an interview with The Times of India, Gadkari said the sugar and ethanol businesses run by his sons have only a minimal presence in the industry and that he has no role in their management or operations. He said ethanol accounts for only around 10% of their business, while their companies hold less than 0.5% of India’s ethanol market. Gadkari also pointed out that the businesses have debts of nearly ₹1,600 crore, arguing that…

NASA astronaut Dr. Anil Menon and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina have successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. The three-member crew docked with the orbiting laboratory after a journey of just over three hours following liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The mission marks Dr. Menon’s first journey into space and the beginning of an approximately eight-month expedition aboard the ISS. During the mission, the crew will conduct scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, station maintenance, and research focused on human health, biology, and space technologies that could support future missions to…

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace is preparing for the launch of Vikram-1, a mission that could become a defining moment for India’s private space sector. If successful, Vikram-1 will be the first privately developed Indian rocket to place satellites into Earth orbit, marking a major milestone in the country’s rapidly growing commercial space industry. Vikram-1 is a three-stage launch vehicle designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit. The rocket incorporates advanced carbon-composite structures, 3D-printed rocket engines, and modular design features aimed at reducing manufacturing time and launch costs while improving reliability and efficiency. The upcoming mission builds on Skyroot’s earlier achievement…

Japan-based water treatment solutions company Daiki Axis is set to invest around ₹200 crore to establish its third manufacturing facility in India at Tumakuru, Karnataka, as it looks to expand its presence in the country’s growing wastewater treatment and water recycling market. The new facility will be developed by Daiki Axis India, the company’s wholly owned Indian subsidiary, and will focus on manufacturing and assembling sewage treatment systems based on Japan’s proprietary Johkasou technology. The technology enables decentralised wastewater treatment and reuse, helping reduce dependence on large sewer networks. According to company officials, the investment comes at a time when…

India’s proposed acquisition of 114 additional Rafale fighter aircraft under the Indian Air Force’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme is emerging as one of the most closely watched defence modernisation plans in the Indo-Pacific region. Although the competition is still underway and no final contract has been signed, defence analysts in Pakistan have been examining the possible impact of a larger Indian Rafale fleet on the regional air balance. If Dassault Aviation’s Rafale is selected for the MRFA programme, India’s fleet could expand beyond the 36 Rafale fighters already inducted into the Indian Air Force, potentially creating a force of more than 150 advanced fighter…

Bhaskar Kakani’s journey from Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, to becoming the co-founder and CEO of one of India’s leading semiconductor design services companies is a story of ambition, setbacks and resilience. Inspired by the Bollywood cricket film Lagaan, Kakani describes his entrepreneurial journey as one filled with challenges, teamwork and determination. Today, his company BITSILICA has emerged as a global semiconductor engineering firm with operations across five countries. But his path to success was far from straightforward. From IIIT Hyderabad to Global Chip Design Kakani completed his B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 2006 before pursuing…

Kamarajar Port in Tamil Nadu has achieved a major milestone by becoming India’s second major port to offer an 18-metre draft, enabling the facility to accommodate larger container ships, tankers and bulk cargo vessels. The completion of deepening works will allow bigger vessels to make direct calls at the port, reducing the need for cargo movement through foreign transhipment hubs and improving efficiency across supply chains. Port authorities said the upgraded navigational channels and berths are now equipped to handle deeper-draft vessels and increased cargo traffic. Major Infrastructure Improvements Completed The upgrade involved extensive capital dredging, strengthening of berth structures…