Author: News Desk

Kerala’s industrial community is celebrating as Vizhinjam International Seaport reaches a remarkable milestone handling its 500th ship. The port has also set two records in a single day, highlighting its rapid rise as a key player in India’s maritime sector. Record-Breaking Container Ship Berth Early today, the MSC Verona, the container ship with the deepest draft ever handled in India, berthed smoothly at Vizhinjam. With a draft of 17.1 meters—the distance from the ship’s bottom to the water level—the MSC Verona surpassed the previous Indian record of 17 meters, marking a new national benchmark. Dual Records in One Day Vizhinjam…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit India around the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai, scheduled for October 7–9, according to senior diplomatic sources. Summit-Level Talks with Modi During the visit, Starmer will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for summit-level discussions. The visit comes just over two months after Modi traveled to the U.K. for the signing of the U.K.-India free trade agreement, which is still awaiting ratification in the U.K. and is anticipated to take effect in 2026. The two countries are also negotiating a bilateral investment treaty and have launched a Technology Security Initiative in July…

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) has signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key partners, marking a significant step toward India’s goal of becoming one of the world’s top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. The agreements were announced at Bhavnagar during the ‘Samudra Se Samriddhi’ Mission, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Commitment to Collaboration and Self-Reliance Cmde P. R. Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director of GRSE, highlighted the company’s dedication to revitalizing the Indian maritime sector and contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Maritime Amritkal vision. He emphasized that the MoUs will foster a collaborative…

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that he is switching to Zoho, India’s homegrown office productivity platform. The move underscores his endorsement of domestic technology solutions and aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swadeshi call. Vaishnaw shared the news on his official X account, urging citizens to favor indigenous products over foreign alternatives: “I am moving to Zoho — our own Swadeshi platform for documents, spreadsheets & presentations. I urge all to join PM Narendra Modi’s call for Swadeshi by adopting domestic products and services.” Zoho’s Response Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu welcomed the minister’s support, describing it as…

Kochi Metro is set to launch a freight service modeled after the Delhi Metro system. This service will allow the transport of non-perishable packaged goods during off-peak hours without affecting passenger convenience. Boost for Local Commerce The initiative follows a recommendation from the Union government to implement freight services across metro networks nationwide. It is expected to provide significant benefits to Kochi’s business community while helping KMRL generate additional revenue. Strengthening Business Connections The service will also foster closer relationships with local businesses and provide a fast, reliable way to move goods and services across the city. How to Apply…

Berkshire Hathaway has officially divested from Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, closing a chapter that began in 2008 and yielded billions in returns for the American investment powerhouse. Filing Confirms Exit Berkshire Hathaway Energy, the unit that held shares in BYD’s Hong Kong and Shenzhen listings, reported the value of its stake as zero as of March 2025. The update was disclosed in a May filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was first reported by CNBC. BYD’s head of public relations, Li Yunfei, publicly expressed gratitude for Berkshire Hathaway’s support over the past 17 years via his…

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who was in Kochi to attend the Business Partnership Summit, took time to explore Lulu Mall in Edappally. Invited by Lulu Group Chairman M. A. Yusuff Ali, the Governor and his wife Tammy Murphy enjoyed Kerala’s rich culinary traditions and cultural variety during their visit. A Warm Welcome The couple was received by Yusuff Ali, Lulu Group India CEO M. A. Nishad, and Lulu Kochi Director Sadiq Kasim. At the atrium, Murphy and his wife were given a buggy ride around the mall, with Yusuff Ali himself in the driver’s seat, an unusual and memorable…

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy are set to test a ship-launched version of the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) later this year. Designed to strike targets up to 1,000 km away, the missile will be fired from a specially developed makeshift vertical launch system (VLS) for warships. This marks a major milestone in India’s development of a versatile, long-range cruise missile system integrated with naval radar and combat systems. Missile Capabilities and VariantsThe ITCM is a subsonic, long-range cruise missile, evolved from the Nirbhay project, capable of precision strikes against both land and sea…

Jet engines are the core of modern combat aircraft, demanding advanced expertise in metallurgy, aerodynamics, thermal management, and digital control systems. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, India has been striving to develop homegrown jet engines to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Russia’s Historical RoleRussia has long been India’s defense partner, providing support in some programs such as Kaveri engine testing (via CIAM) and joint fighter projects. However, Russia’s contributions often stopped short of full technology transfer. Programs like the FGFA and transport aircraft projects highlighted recurring issues with engine performance, lifecycle costs, and limited autonomy for India. Reasons India is…

Students from MESCO Grades High School in Malakpet clinched the top spot at the All India Robotics Championship in Hyderabad. Their win has earned them a place at the World Robotics Olympiad (WRO) International Championship in Singapore this November. Felicitation CeremonyThe school held a felicitation ceremony on Friday to honour the winning team, ‘Falcons’. Retired DGP S A Huda, the chief guest, encouraged the students to face challenges with determination, emphasizing that “hard work never goes to waste.” Breaking StereotypesSenior journalist Mir Ayoob Ali Khan praised the students for challenging stereotypes about Hyderabad’s Old City. He highlighted that MESCO outperformed…