Author: News Desk
Musician Stephen Devassy has transformed his long-standing dream of creating a cutting-edge entertainment space into reality with SD Scapes, a state-of-the-art facility spread over seven acres in Kalamassery, Kochi. Built at a cost of Rs 22 crore, the three-storey studio spans 43,000 sqft and is designed to cater to the needs of filmmakers, musicians, and content creators. Multifunctional Halls for Film, Music, and Live Events The facility features multifunctional halls ranging from 7,000 sqft to 17,000 sqft, each equipped with acoustic wooden floors, ceiling grids for lighting and microphones, and elevated catwalks. These halls are optimized for capturing high-quality sound and…
India plans to spend approximately Rs 65,400 crore to acquire engines for fighter aircraft currently under development, according to estimates shared on Friday by a defence official leading the home-grown engine programme. Engine Requirements and Fighter Programmes S. V. Ramana Murthy, director of the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), said the country will need around 1,100 engines for various fighter jet programmes progressing at different stages. India’s long-standing effort to equip its Tejas light combat aircraft with the indigenous Kaveri engine has faced delays due to technical challenges. Building an Indigenous Engine Ecosystem Murthy emphasized the need for a mission-mode…
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on October 15 that India aims to build 7,000 km of dedicated passenger corridors by 2047 under the government’s Viksit Bharat vision. The new high-speed routes will allow maximum speeds of 350 kmph, with operational speeds of 320 kmph, and are expected to transform the country’s rail network. Advanced Technology for Speed and Safety Speaking at the 16th International Railway Equipment Exhibition (IREE) 2025 in New Delhi, Vaishnaw said the corridors will feature indigenously developed signalling systems and advanced operations control centres, combining high speed with enhanced safety standards. Next-Generation Trains The minister also outlined…
Brazilian aerospace company Embraer Defense & Security and India’s Mahindra Group have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly offer the C-390 Millennium for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Transport Aircraft programme. The agreement aims to establish local manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance capabilities for the aircraft in India. Expanding Previous Collaboration The new pact builds on a memorandum of understanding signed in February 2024, which outlined initial cooperation between the two companies. It now defines roles in marketing, industrialisation, and supply-chain development, taking the collaboration to a more concrete and operational level. Working With India’s Defence Ecosystem Both Embraer and…
India and Brazil have agreed to broaden the existing preferential trade agreement (PTA) between New Delhi and the Mercosur bloc to strengthen economic ties and boost bilateral trade. Mercosur includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Talks Between Leaders The discussions took place during a meeting in New Delhi between Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Both sides agreed to set up a technical dialogue, including convening the Joint Administration Committee under the PTA, to define the scope of the expansion at the earliest mutually convenient date. The commerce ministry noted that the aim…
British aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement with Bharat Forge Ltd to manufacture and supply fan blades for its Pearl 700 and Pearl 10X engines. These fan blades, used in high-performance turbofan engines for business jets such as Bombardier Global 5500/6500, Gulfstream G700/G800, and Dassault Falcon 10X, will now be produced in India. Strengthening Local Manufacturing and Partnerships The deal marks a milestone in Rolls-Royce’s strategy to build in-country capabilities and strengthen strategic local partnerships. It also aligns with the company’s goal to double supply chain sourcing from India by 2030. The contract was signed at Rolls-Royce’s Dahlewitz…
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya visited New Delhi on October 17, 2025, for her first official trip to India since taking office. During her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two leaders discussed ways to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors, highlighting the shared interests of their countries and the region. The discussions spanned development cooperation, education, women’s empowerment, innovation, and the welfare of Indian fishermen along the shared maritime borders. PM Modi emphasized the significance of closer collaboration, saying, “As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the…
A court in Antwerp has approved the extradition of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi to India, ruling that his arrest by Belgian police earlier this year was lawful. Choksi, wanted in India for his alleged role in the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud, was arrested on April 11, 2025, following a request from Indian authorities. Since then, he has remained in a Belgian prison after multiple bail pleas were rejected on grounds that he could flee again. Officials called the ruling a major step forward in India’s effort to bring Choksi back, though he still has the right…
CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container shipping company, has signed a letter of intent with Cochin Shipyard to build six LNG-powered container ships — a first for India. The $300 million deal marks the country’s entry into global container ship construction, traditionally dominated by China, South Korea, and Japan. CMA CGM chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saadé described India as a strong “alternative” shipbuilding destination and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s business-minded leadership. “It felt like speaking to a business leader, not just a Prime Minister,” Saadé said, adding that Modi encouraged the company to invest more in India. Each vessel…
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…