Author: News Desk

Haier Appliances India, the Chinese refrigerator and television maker, has applied for a Press Note 3 approval from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to receive a fresh capital infusion of Rs 1,000 crore from its parent company, according to its latest filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). The Indian entity is owned by Haier Singapore Investment Holding Pte. Ltd., and while the filing confirms the application is in process, the company has not specified the exact purpose of the capital infusion. Under Indian law, companies with parent entities from nations sharing land borders with…

The recent long-term LPG procurement agreement with the US is a strategic step for supplier diversification, but higher freight costs due to the longer shipping distance could make imports slightly more expensive for oil marketing companies in the short term. India remains heavily dependent on LPG imports, which currently meet 55–60% of demand despite steady growth in domestic production. Import reliance has risen to 66% in fiscal 2025 from 51% in fiscal 2017, according to a Crisil report. The Indo-US deal, covering the import of 2.2 million tonnes per year, reduces India’s historical dependence on Middle Eastern suppliers. While the…

The Centre will invest ₹4,500 crore over the next three years to modernize the state-run Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the chips-to-startup program at the facility. The funding will come from the ₹76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 1.0), launched in 2021. Vaishnaw explained that the investment will allow SCL to scale production 100 times and create new intellectual property. For the expansion, the laboratory requires 25 acres of land, and the Punjab government has been requested to provide it promptly to help modernization efforts. A 26-acre parcel near SCL has been a potential…

The late industrialist Ratan Tata’s beachfront villa on Mahe, the largest island in Seychelles, has been put up for sale. According to his will, Tata left the property to RNT Associates, his Singapore-based fund that supports Indian startups. Independent valuers appointed by the executors of the will had placed a relatively modest valuation of ₹85 lakh on the villa, according to reports. Sources indicate that Aircel founder C. Sivasankaran, along with his family or associates, has shown interest in buying the property for $6.2 million (roughly ₹55 crore). When approached, Sivasankaran told TOI, “I don’t know what you are talking…

India and Afghanistan are edging closer again, this time by rebuilding ties in the air rather than on the ground. After months of shutdowns, blocked borders, and choked trade routes, the two countries are getting ready to restart direct cargo flights, restoring a crucial economic channel that Pakistan had repeatedly disrupted. The shift came during Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Al-Haj Nooruddin Azizi’s visit to India, where both sides focused on easing Afghanistan’s reliance on Pakistan. For the past year, Islamabad’s border closures and movement restrictions—triggered by clashes and political friction—have stalled Afghan exports and stranded thousands of traders. A…

Adani Group is preparing to put about 5 billion dollars into Google’s upcoming AI hub in Andhra Pradesh, according to CFO Jugeshinder Singh. He said the opportunity is growing fast, and interest isn’t limited to Google. Several other companies are looking to work with Adani as data centre capacity moves toward the 1-gigawatt mark. Singh didn’t spell out the timeline or deeper details yet. Back in October, Adani Enterprises, through its joint venture AdaniConneX, teamed up with Google to build what’s expected to be India’s biggest AI data centre in Visakhapatnam. Google has already committed 15 billion dollars over five…

The Kerala government has given the nod to release 50 crore rupees as part of its equity contribution for the second phase of the Kochi Metro. This phase will push the line forward from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Infopark in Kakkanad. A government order issued on November 26 confirms that the project’s revised cost now stands at 1,957.05 crore rupees, with the state responsible for 1,571.05 crore. The government had already released 190.22 crore to Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), depositing it in the Sub Treasury in Ernakulam. When KMRL’s Managing Director requested the remaining amount to keep the work…

India is building a strong foundation to compete in the global AI landscape, and the key strengths are starting to come together: a vast pool of skilled workers, world-class compute infrastructure, sovereign AI models, and a governance framework that puts safety and privacy at the centre. Mohammed Y Safirulla K, IAS, Director of IndiaAI at MeitY, highlighted how India’s advantage begins with its people. Skilled talent is no longer limited to major cities; Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions are also emerging as powerful contributors. The plan is to tap this nationwide talent base and bring more young professionals into…

Canada’s immigration authorities have once again opened a pathway for skilled foreign nationals to gain permanent residency under the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). On 26 November 2025, in the latest draw of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under its Express Entry system, IRCC issued 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required to qualify for an ITA in this draw was 531, continuing a recent pattern: for the last six CEC-only draws, the cutoff has hovered between 531 and 534. This consistency has given many applicants a clearer idea of the score range needed to…

N. Subramanian, Executive Director of the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) under the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, Govt. of India, explains that India’s AI strategy is focused on democratizing technology and empowering innovators nationwide. He says the AI India Mission has three key priorities. First, it seeks to make AI resources widely accessible through the creation of diverse datasets across multiple sectors, enabling startups and researchers to develop solutions tailored to India’s needs. Second, according to Subramanian, the mission emphasizes robust computing infrastructure, essential for scaling and customizing AI models. Finally, he highlights the importance of…