Author: News Desk

The UAE and Oman are laying down tracks for something big: the first rail link crossing their shared border. It’s called Hafeet Rail, named after the rugged mountain range that straddles both countries. This is a joint venture between Etihad Rail, Oman Rail, and Mubadala Investment Company. With a $2.5 billion price tag (960 million Omani rials), the new 303-kilometre railway will connect Sohar Port in Oman to the Etihad Rail network in Al Ain. Of that, 238 km will run between Sohar and Abu Dhabi — cutting today’s road journey down to just over an hour and a half.…

Indian Rockets Are in ‘Great Demand’ Globally, But We Are Short of Manufacturing Capacity, Says Ex-ISRO Chief India’s space technology is making waves globally, but the country’s limited manufacturing infrastructure is holding it back, said former ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Monday. Speaking at Accel’s Advanced Manufacturing Summit in Bengaluru, Somanath remarked that Indian rockets are in “great demand” internationally, but the nation’s current manufacturing capacity can’t meet that demand. “Indian rockets are in great demand. But the problem is availability — it’s controlled by our ability to manufacture in numbers,” said Somanath during a panel discussion focused on India’s high-tech manufacturing ecosystem. He emphasised that spacecraft…

Centre Spent ₹1,500 Crore on Ministry Rent, Not Anymore: PM Modi at Kartavya Bhavan Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan at Kartavya Path in New Delhi, marking a pivotal moment in the government’s Central Vista redevelopment plan. In a strong statement on administrative reform, PM Modi revealed that the Centre had been spending ₹1,500 crore annually on rent for ministry offices scattered across Delhi, a practice that will now end with the new infrastructure. “Many ministries of the Indian government are being run from 50 different locations in Delhi. Most of these are in rented buildings, with an annual rent cost of ₹1,500…

Swiggy is poised to exit its investment in Rapido, the rapidly growing ride-hailing platform, aiming to raise ₹2,500 crore ($300 million) by selling its 12% stake through a secondary share sale. The move marks a 2.5X return on the ₹950 crore ($120 million) investment Swiggy made in 2022 as part of a $180 million funding round it co-led. Rapido’s Valuation Surge and Expansion Plans Rapido’s valuation has surged to an estimated $2.7–3 billion (₹23,000–26,000 crore), up from $1.1 billion a year ago. The sharp increase in valuation is driven by: With its GMV now outpacing Uber and Ola in select…

Kuok Khoon Hong, widely known as Asia’s “Palm Oil King,” has solidified his control over Adani Wilmar Ltd (AWL) following the Adani Group’s strategic divestment. With the completion of the deal in July 2025, Wilmar International now holds a 64% majority stake, paving the way for accelerated growth in India’s consumer goods and agriculture sectors. The Adani Group had initially announced its intention to exit the edible oil joint venture with Wilmar in December 2024, as part of a broader strategy to refocus its portfolio on core infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, logistics, and transportation. Kuok, 76, is the…

India and the Philippines have officially elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership, signing 14 landmark agreements and announcing significant travel-related developments—including visa-free entry for Indian tourists, free e-visas for Filipinos, and direct Air India flights between Delhi and Manila starting October 1, 2025. These announcements came during the state visit of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. The leaders underscored a shared vision for expanded cooperation in defense, technology, space, and people-to-people exchanges. Strategic & Defense Agreements Signed: Travel & Tourism Boost: Air India will…

Bollywood star and entrepreneur Ranbir Kapoor has made a new bet on India’s booming logistics and tech-driven infrastructure sector. Kapoor has invested an undisclosed amount in Prozo, a Gurugram-based, full-stack supply chain startup. The company helps Indian brands scale their businesses with smart warehousing, freight, and fulfillment services. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Ashvini Jakhar, a former naval doctor and McKinsey consultant, Prozo currently operates 42 tech-enabled warehouses spanning 2.2 million sq. ft. It delivers to over 24,000 pin codes across India. With a revenue run-rate of ₹250 crore, the company has already partnered with over 150 brands, including Beardo, PhonePe, Neemans, Snitch,…

Paytm Now 100% Indian-Owned: A Milestone for Atmanirbhar Bharat In a landmark development for India’s digital economy, Paytm is now entirely Indian-owned, marking a proud chapter in the country’s push for technological self-reliance. Nearly a decade after founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma famously said, “We are as Indian as Maruti,” that declaration has now become reality. Chinese tech giant Ant Financial, an affiliate of Alibaba Group, has fully exited One97 Communications—Paytm’s parent company—by selling its remaining 5.84% stake for ₹3,803 crore. With this move, all Chinese ownership in Paytm has officially ended. “This makes Paytm as Indian as Tata,” remarked a source familiar with the deal. A Profitable New Chapter The…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit China at the end of August to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit—his first trip to the country since 2018. According to diplomatic sources, preparations are underway for Modi’s participation in the summit, scheduled to be held in the city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. The event, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Central Asian member states. While an official announcement is yet to be made, a bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi Jinping is reportedly…

Tesla has officially flipped the switch on its India journey, launching its first Supercharger station at One BKC in Mumbai. The site features eight stalls, four V4 Superchargers delivering up to 250 kW, and four AC destination chargers for slower top-ups. This milestone comes right after the India launch of Tesla’s Model Y SUV, priced at ₹59.89 lakh (ex-showroom). The Superchargers can juice up a Model Y from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes, with about 300 km of range added in just 15 minutes. Charging costs: Compared to ₹5,000 for a petrol SUV tank, the savings are clear. Tesla…