Author: News Desk

Exporters in Tiruppur expect garment shipments to the United States to double to Rs 30,000 crore over the next three years, following the recently signed trade deal between India and the US. The textile hub, located around 450 km west of Chennai, is also likely to see a major surge in employment during this period, according to industry leaders. Major Boost for Exports Tiruppur Exporters’ Association president K M Subramanian said garment exports from Tamil Nadu currently stand at around Rs 15,000 crore. With the new agreement in place, that figure is expected to rise sharply. “The exports are projected…

Swiss luxury watchmaker Rado’s global CEO Adrian Bosshard has said that while the India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) trade agreement, effective October 2025, offers a price advantage for consumers, the depreciation of the Indian rupee has largely offset these benefits. Without the agreement, he noted, Indian buyers would have faced significantly higher prices for Swiss-made watches. “Any trade deal that lowers taxes is good for consumers, as they pay for the product and not the taxes. But with the Swiss franc being strong and the rupee weakening, the impact is limited,” Bosshard told ET during his visit to India. Under…

Indian Railways is moving toward a passenger-focused model offering faster, more comfortable, and premium travel experiences. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget announcement of seven new high-speed rail corridors underscores this effort to transform intercity travel. The move comes as Indian Railways upgrades overnight journeys with Vande Bharat sleeper trains, which combine speed, comfort, and modern passenger amenities, while Amrit Bharat trains improve facilities for the common traveller. The seven new high-speed corridors are designed to serve as growth connectors, linking major economic centres across India: Experts note that these corridors will drastically reduce travel times, increase passenger capacity, and…

Entrepreneur Anjana Shaji has made a mark in the world of embroidery with her brand One Hand Embroidery, where every piece is crafted using only one hand. She specializes in children’s dresses, t-shirts, kurtis, and cotton shirts, customizing each piece personally and delivering her work to customers across India and abroad. Anjana, who completed her MSW, discovered embroidery during a period of personal and professional challenges. “I struggled to find a job, and embroidery became a way forward,” she said. Her unique skill and creativity allowed her to build a brand that now operates largely online through social media platforms.…

Indian Railways (IR) maintains several booking quotas to address specific travel needs, including the Emergency Quota (EQ), which is designed to meet urgent travel requirements. This quota, however, is not available to all passengers and is reserved for select categories. The Emergency Quota is primarily intended for High Official Requisition (HOR) holders, such as Central Government Ministers, Supreme Court and High Court judges, and Members of Parliament. Limited seats in different trains and classes are set aside for these passengers, especially if they are on the waiting list. Beyond these categories, Indian Railways also considers emergency travel requests for other…

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…