Author: News Desk

India and France have set a goal to increase the number of Indian students studying in France to 30,000 by 2030, up from around 10,000 currently. This announcement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron elevating bilateral relations to a “Special Global Strategic Partnership.” President Macron visited India from February 17 to 19, 2026, at PM Modi’s invitation, attending the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit 2026 and jointly launching the India–France Year of Innovation 2026 in Mumbai. This marked Macron’s fourth visit to India, following PM Modi’s trip to France in February 2025. On education, the leaders reaffirmed the target of 30,000 Indian…

FedEx and Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) have officially begun construction on FedEx’s fully automated air cargo hub, aiming to boost capacity in India’s largest international trade corridor and enhance Western India’s position as an integrated logistics and trade gateway. The ₹2,500 crore investment will fund a 300,000 sq. ft. regional consolidation and redistribution facility, developed in partnership with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. (AAHL). Leveraging NMIA’s multimodal infrastructure, the hub is expected to generate over 6,000 direct and indirect jobs across logistics, warehousing, transportation, and related services. The groundbreaking ceremony included Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, FedEx President and CEO Raj Subramaniam, Richard…

The Kerala government has announced an extension of operating hours for bars and beer and wine parlours by two hours, allowing them to open from 10 a.m. to midnight. Additionally, FL3-licensed bar hotels with a five-star rating or higher will be permitted to operate until 3 a.m., with an extra three hours beyond the standard closing time, subject to an annual fee of ₹5 lakh. The move, issued via an extraordinary gazette on February 17, 2026, is aimed at promoting MICE tourism, destination weddings, international conferences, and other events. Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh said the change standardises timings for all…

Galgotias University faced controversy at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in Bharat Mandapam when a robotic dog displayed at its booth, presented as an in-house innovation called “Orion,” was identified as the commercially available Unitree Go2 from Chinese robotics firm Unitree. Government sources said the university was asked to vacate the expo after scrutiny revealed the robot was imported rather than developed on campus. The incident sparked criticism from opposition leaders, with the Congress and Rahul Gandhi calling the summit a “disorganised PR spectacle” and questioning the promotion of foreign technology as domestic innovation. Professor Neha Singh had initially described…

At the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced plans for a new subsea cable that will directly connect India with the United States, strengthening digital and AI connectivity between the two countries. At present, most global internet traffic flows through undersea cables routed via hubs such as West Asia or Singapore, as there is no direct India–US link. The project would become the second such system after Meta Platforms unveiled its Project Waterworth. Technical and route details of the cable have not yet been disclosed. India–America Connect Initiative to Expand AI Infrastructure Google also introduced the India–America Connect initiative,…

The Union Cabinet has approved an investment of ₹3,175 crore for the upgradation and development of National Highway 167 (NH-167), along with sanctioning several other key highway projects across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The move aims to improve road connectivity, reduce travel time and catalyse economic activity along these major transport corridors. NH-167, which connects Kodad in Telangana to Jadcherla and further to Deverakonda, will be upgraded to a two-lane with paved shoulder standard under the Bharatmala Pariyojana framework. The project includes improving road safety features, constructing bypasses and overpasses where required, and enhancing drainage and geometric standards to handle traffic growth. In addition to NH-167, the Cabinet approved…

In a landmark development for India’s defence manufacturing sector, Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) has joined hands with France’s Dassault Aviation to manufacture Rafale fighter aircraft fuselages in India, the first time this critical component will be produced outside France. Under four Production Transfer Agreements signed between the partners, a cutting-edge production facility will be established in Hyderabad, Telangana, dedicated to producing key structural sections of the Rafale fuselage, including the front section, central fuselage, complete rear section and lateral shells. The facility is expected to start production in the financial year 2027-28, with a projected capacity to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month once…

Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, part of Adani Enterprises, operates one of India’s largest private airport networks, including major hubs such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram along with the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport. The company handles a significant share of India’s air traffic, with its airports collectively serving over 9.4 crore passengers in FY 2024-25 and contributing roughly 23 % of domestic air travel and a substantial portion of international traffic. With rapid growth across passenger volumes, non-aeronautical revenue streams and airport capacity expansion plans, Adani Airports is preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) or demerger of its airport business.…

Lay’s has unveiled a refreshed brand identity in India as part of the largest redesign in its nearly 100-year history. The updated packaging highlights ingredient cues and farm origins, with on-pack messaging such as “Made with Finest Potatoes”, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to quality and taste. The redesign features updated logo elements, refined typography and vibrant ingredient imagery intended to make quality cues more visible on shelves for consumers. The revamp also incorporates a polyolefin-based recycle-ready structure designed to improve post-consumer waste outcomes, reflecting a greater focus on sustainability. The refreshed packs will roll out nationwide starting the first week of March. To support the brand refresh,…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formally invited Tarique Rahman, the newly sworn-in Prime Minister of Bangladesh, to visit India at a mutually convenient time, signalling a strengthened diplomatic outreach between the two neighbouring countries. The invitation was conveyed through India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who handed over a personal letter from PM Modi to Rahman following his inauguration. In his letter, Modi congratulated Rahman on his electoral victory and assumption of office, noting that the result reflects the trust the people of Bangladesh have placed in his leadership. Modi highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between India and Bangladesh, based on shared history, cultural ties and…