Author: News Desk

Toll revenues in India jumped 14% to a record ₹82,900.16 crore in the last fiscal year, driven by new toll road additions, stronger economic activity, and the broader rollout of the annual FASTag system. By comparison, tolls totaled ₹72,930.83 crore in FY25. FASTag transaction volumes also grew 5.7%, reaching nearly 4.45 billion in FY26 from 4.21 billion the previous year, according to National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) data tracked by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and reviewed by ET. In March alone, toll collections from commercial vehicles rose to ₹7,193 crore from ₹6,924.57 crore in February, despite disruptions…

After a year of strained relations between India and Azerbaijan over Operation Sindoor, the two countries have agreed to reset ties, with senior officials meeting in Baku for the 6th round of Foreign Office consultations. The talks, held on Friday between Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov, mark the first such discussions since 2022, following disputes over Azerbaijan-Pakistan and India-Armenia relations. The MEA said both sides “comprehensively reviewed” bilateral relations, covering trade, technology, tourism, pharmaceuticals, energy, culture, people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation against cross-border terrorism. Azerbaijan has recently resumed crude oil…

JPL’s FY25 filings show Mukesh Ambani as chairman, with Akash Ambani, Isha, and Anant Ambani as directors. The company operates under a two-tier CEO structure: Mathew Oommen as Group CEO and Kiran Thomas as CEO, with Saurabh Sancheti as CFO. The company is preparing to file for its IPO, targeting the first half of 2026, though market volatility following the US-Israel conflict and regulatory changes have delayed submission of the Draft Red Herring Prospectus. With a projected valuation around $130 billion, the IPO could become one of India’s largest. New finance ministry rules allow a minimum 2.5% equity dilution, translating…

An Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Green Sanvi, has successfully crossed the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, marking a key development for India’s energy supply chain. The vessel was carrying over 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG, a critical fuel for domestic consumption, at a time when supply disruptions have raised concerns across the country. The transit comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, where the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of global oil trade passes, has seen restricted movement due to conflict. Officials confirmed that both the cargo and the safety of Indian seafarers are being closely monitored, given the sensitive security situation in…

India’s defense exports have reached a record high of over $4 billion in the past fiscal year, reflecting the government’s push to strengthen the domestic arms manufacturing sector. The rise represents a more than 60 percent increase from 2024, according to the Ministry of Defense, underscoring India’s goal of establishing itself as a major global arms producer and exporter. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh described it as “an all-time high” and a sign of growing international confidence in India’s indigenous capabilities and advanced manufacturing. The fiscal year 2025-26 saw exports totaling ₹38,424 billion ($4.15 billion). Government defense companies contributed around 55…

Addressing a gathering at the Adani Corporate House, Chairman Gautam Adani reflected on the milestone achievement of APSEZ crossing 500 million tonnes of cargo. “An explorer has no final destination. There are only moments to pause, look back, and gather the strength to move forward,” Adani said, calling today’s celebration a rare moment to absorb the scale of the accomplishment. He emphasized that achievements of this magnitude go beyond numbers. “Numbers measure performance, but legacy measures vision, belief, and courage—the willingness to pursue what others might not even imagine,” he noted. Adani shared that the journey of APSEZ has been…

Global military power increasingly depends on air superiority, making the size of a country’s fighter jet fleet a key measure of strength. India recently signed its largest-ever deal with France to acquire 114 Rafale jets, but France is far from the world’s largest fighter jet producer. Today, production is dominated by a few nations, with the gap between them widening rapidly. The United States and China together account for the majority of global fighter jet output, while other countries maintain smaller, steady production lines. 1. United StatesLockheed Martin and Boeing drive US fighter jet production, delivering around 190–200 jets annually.…

Pakistan is set to return a USD 2 billion deposit to the United Arab Emirates, according to media reports released Friday. The funds were originally provided by the UAE to help stabilize Pakistan’s balance of payments and had been routinely rolled over in the past. However, recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly following developments involving the United States and Israel, prompted the UAE to request an early repayment, sources indicated. The amount was held by the State Bank of Pakistan as part of its foreign exchange reserves. Reports suggest that Pakistan plans to repay the full sum to…

Bharti Airtel has crossed the 650 million customer mark worldwide, cementing its position as the second-largest telecom operator globally. The company operates across India and Africa, with over 368 million mobile subscribers in India, including 13 million fixed broadband connections and 15 million Digital TV users. Airtel Africa serves 179 million customers across 14 countries, providing mobile, data, and mobile money services, with over 52 million users of its financial services. In India, Airtel remains second to Reliance Jio, which has more than 500 million subscribers, though Jio’s presence is limited to India. Globally, telecom rankings are dominated by Chinese…

Ola Electric has announced a ₹60,000 price cut on its flagship Roadster X+ 9.1 kWh electric motorcycle, making it significantly more accessible to buyers. The bike, which was earlier priced at around ₹1.89 lakh, is now available at approximately ₹1.29 lakh, marking a major reduction aimed at boosting demand. This price drop has been enabled by the scaling up of Ola’s in-house 4680 Bharat Cell battery production, which has improved cost efficiencies and reduced dependence on imports. The Roadster X+ is powered by a 9.1 kWh battery pack offering a claimed range of up to 500 km, positioning it among the higher-range electric motorcycles in India. Ola Electric…