Author: News Desk

A decade ago, Indian Railways was slow, congested, and struggling to keep pace with freight demand. Today, it’s powering one of the quietest logistics revolutions in the world. Backed by Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) and record wagon production, India has now overtaken the United States and Russia in total freight movement. Global data for FY 2024–25 shows Indian Railways moving 1.6 billion tonnes of goods — second only to China’s 4 billion tonnes. The US handled 1.5 billion, and Russia about 1.1 billion tonnes in the same period. Just a year earlier, India had transported 1.46 billion tonnes, trailing slightly behind the…

Ola Electric unveiled its first non-vehicle product, Shakti, at 10:00 am on 16 October, marking the company’s entry into the energy storage segment. The launch represents a strategic shift for the EV maker, which has so far concentrated on electric two-wheelers. Prior to the reveal, online speculation ran high, with some guessing the product could be a smart speaker similar to Apple’s HomePod. Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Ola Electric, introduced Shakti as an in-house developed, app-controlled energy storage device. Described as portable and intelligent, the product is designed for multiple purposes including power backup, solar storage, voltage stabilization, and mobile…

The inaugural India-South Korea naval bilateral exercise commenced on Monday at Busan Naval Base, marking a significant step in the expanding strategic partnership between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN). INS Sahyadri, currently deployed in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific, arrived at Busan on October 13 to participate in the maiden exercise. The South Korean Navy provided a ceremonial welcome, reflecting the growing navy-to-navy cooperation between the two countries. INS Sahyadri, a Shivalik-class stealth frigate commissioned in 2012 and indigenously designed, embodies India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision. The ship operates under the Eastern…

Kinet Railway Solutions, an Indo-Russian joint venture, revealed the design concept for the First AC coach of the Vande Bharat Sleeper train on Wednesday at the International Railway Equipment Exhibition (IREE) 2025 in New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam. The joint venture, a partnership between Russian rolling stock leader TMH and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), is responsible for manufacturing and maintaining 120 Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, totaling 1,920 coaches for Indian Railways. Spacious Design and Modern Comforts The First AC four-berth compartment emphasizes passenger comfort and privacy. Features include a staircase for easy upper-berth access, built-in USB ports at every seat,…

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and UAE Minister of Defence, recently captured global attention with a breathtaking skydiving video over the iconic Palm Jumeirah. The adrenaline-fueled clip shows the royal launching from a propeller plane alongside Sky Dive Dubai members, performing flips, swings, and precise maneuvers thousands of feet above the ground. A playful mid-air flying kiss adds a charming, personal touch that delighted viewers worldwide. The footage demonstrates Sheikh Hamdan’s skill as an experienced skydiver, highlighting his complete mastery of the parachute as he descends smoothly and celebrates with…

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is set to launch three technologically advanced vessels, including an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) for the Indian Navy, the shipbuilder announced. The other two vessels are a Hybrid Electric Methanol-Ready Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) and India’s largest Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger, DCI Dredge Godavari. According to CSL, the triple launch underscores the shipyard’s leadership across naval, commercial, and green maritime sectors, highlighting India’s engineering capabilities and commitment to sustainable maritime development under the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The ASW SWC, the sixth vessel in an eight-ship contract signed…

Russia has pushed back against Donald Trump’s claim that India plans to stop buying discounted crude oil from Moscow. In a short but pointed statement, Moscow said its energy partnership with India is built on a “trustworthy and comprehensive dialogue” and remains central to India’s economic stability. “Russian oil is important for the Indian economy,” the statement said, following Trump’s comments and India’s careful response that its “consistent priority” is to protect consumers amid global price volatility. Moscow added that it understands India’s energy policy as one driven by national interest. “These goals do not contradict Russia–India relations. We will…

Union IT & Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a bold pitch: transform Andaman and Nicobar Islands into a key global hub for internet data transfer.He was speaking at the Bharat AI Shakti event. Vaishnaw argued that Andaman’s strategic geography can help companies like Google reach Southeast Asia, Australia, and beyond, bypassing the bottlenecks around Singapore. He proposed extending submarine cables through Myanmar (Sittwe) to better connect India’s northeast and integrate regional digital infrastructure. In the same speech, he linked this ambition with Google’s recent $15 billion AI investment in Andhra Pradesh, suggesting synergy between data infrastructure and AI expansion. Vaishnaw also…

The FASTag Annual Pass has now been adopted by over 2.5 million users across India, according to data released by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). In the past two months alone, these users have made approximately 56.7 million toll transactions, highlighting the rapid uptake of this prepaid tolling option. Launched in August 2025 as a drag-and-drop substitute for per-trip tolling, the annual pass lets users make 200 crossings or travel for one year, whichever comes first, for a fixed price. The convenience and predictability it offers are appealing to frequent highway commuters. Early uptake was strong: the pass crossed 5 lakh users within just four days of…

Air India is reportedly in advanced talks with aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing to buy up to 300 new planes, including as many as 80 to 100 wide-body jets. The move signals a major push by the Tata Group to accelerate Air India’s transformation into a leading global airline. According to people familiar with the matter, these discussions go beyond the earlier plans involving 200 narrow-body jets and 25–30 wide-body aircraft. If finalized, the new deal would be one of the largest aircraft acquisitions in recent years, further strengthening Air India’s international operations. Neither Air India nor Boeing has commented…