Author: News Desk

India has launched an ambitious Rs 70,000 crore initiative to reshape its shipbuilding industry. The plan includes granting infrastructure status to large ships, which is expected to ease financing, unlock new capacity, and attract substantial investment. The government projects this could generate nearly 30 lakh jobs and bring in investments of around Rs 4.5 lakh crore. A Policy Shift with Big Implications By giving large ships infrastructure status, the government allows shipyards to use vessels as collateral for loans, lowering borrowing costs in a capital-intensive industry. This move aligns with India’s Maritime Vision 2030 and 2047, which aims to raise…

US President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled another round of sweeping import taxes, saying he will impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods ranging from pharmaceutical drugs to kitchen cabinets. “I’m putting a 100 per cent import tax on pharmaceutical drugs unless the companies are building plants right here in the United States,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Breaking ground, under construction, that’s the deal. No exceptions.” Trump’s latest tariff plan, which takes effect October 1, includes a 50 per cent tax on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30 per cent on upholstered furniture, and 25 per…

Singapore’s Seatrium Offshore Technology (SOT) and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India’s largest shipbuilder, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand cooperation in the region’s offshore sector. The agreement focuses on Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for Asian clients, combining Seatrium’s offshore engineering know-how with CSL’s infrastructure and fabrication strengths. The MoU, signed virtually, outlines plans for joint marketing, project execution, and technology exchange, while also opening doors to other offshore markets in Asia. Winston Cheng, Senior Vice President at Seatrium, said the deal represents a strategic move to grow the company’s Asian footprint, noting India’s rising offshore…

The Indian Navy is preparing to launch a landmark ₹80,000 crore tender for four state-of-the-art Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), advanced amphibious warships capable of conducting a wide array of military and humanitarian missions. This acquisition forms a key pillar of India’s naval modernization strategy, enhancing its operational reach in the Indian Ocean amidst rising regional tensions. Leading Indian shipyards—including Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL)—are expected to participate, potentially partnering with global defence firms such as Navantia (Spain), Naval Group (France), and Fincantieri (Italy) through technology transfer agreements.…

Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, is preparing to begin commercial flight operations soon, providing a major boost to air connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR). Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have confirmed that flights will start before the end of 2025. Construction and DevelopmentConstruction began in 2019 and continued through the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase features a single runway and a passenger terminal capable of handling 12 million passengers annually. Full development by 2050 envisions six runways and capacity for 70 million passengers per year,…

FedEx is introducing a dedicated Dublin (DUB) → Indianapolis (IND) air cargo route, prioritizing healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and other high-value shipments. The new connection trims transit times by a full day compared with existing options, giving shippers a faster, more reliable channel for time-sensitive cargo. This is part of FedEx’s broader push into healthcare logistics. Key hubs, including IND and Memphis, are CEIV Pharma-certified, meeting global standards for temperature-sensitive and medical cargo. With healthcare accounting for nearly half of weighted export volume growth in FedEx’s U.S. operations, this route underscores the company’s commitment to expanding in this critical sector.

Global private equity firm KKR, through its Kerala hospital chain Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH), has acquired a majority stake in Meitra Hospital, Kozhikode for approximately ₹1,000–1,200 crore, marking its third major hospital investment in the state. Meitra Hospital is a quaternary-care facility with 230 beds, offering advanced services including heart and vascular care, bone, joint and spine care, neurosciences, gastro-sciences, nephro-urology, bone marrow transplant, and cancer immunotherapy. This acquisition follows BMH’s previous purchase of the 350-bed Chazhikattu Multi Speciality Hospital in Thodupuzha. Reports also indicate BMH is in early discussions to acquire Star Care Hospital in Kozhikode. KKR’s renewed push into hospital assets is supported by its earlier successful exit from Max…

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi, inaugurated India’s first overseas defence manufacturing facility in Berrechid, Morocco. Built by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), the plant will produce the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8, jointly developed with India’s DRDO. This is the first such venture by an Indian private company in Africa and also Morocco’s largest defence‑manufacturing facility. Deliveries to the Royal Moroccan Army are expected to start next month. Spanning 20,000 sq. m, the plant came online ahead of schedule and has already begun production. TASL says it has created direct and indirect jobs, established…

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have entered a strategic alliance to back India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, a fifth-generation stealth fighter being developed for the Air Force. The consortium will bid on the Aeronautical Development Agency’s upcoming Expression of Interest, putting forward proposals for design, development, and systems integration of the aircraft. The collaboration combines L&T’s long track record in defence aerospace with BEL’s expertise in electronics, avionics, and mission systems. Both firms have previously contributed aero-structural modules and advanced avionics to earlier defence projects. Prototypes of the AMCA are expected by 2027, marking…

The 71st National Film Awards delivered a standout story: six-year-old Marathi actor Treesha Thosar became the youngest ever to win Best Child Artist. She was honored for her tender and heartfelt performance as Chimi (Revati) in Naal 2. Her walk to the stage, draped in a white saree, brought the crowd to its feet. The applause was thunderous, matching the reception usually reserved for icons such as Shah Rukh Khan. It was a moment that symbolized not just a personal triumph but a generational one. Naal 2, directed by Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti and backed by producer Nagraj Manjule, is a film…