Page 10 - Industry News

Payments industry adopts AI-led interfaces, LLMs to reshape transactions

Fintechs, NPCI are deepening AI integration across India's payments stack, from agentic interfaces and conversational payments to domain-specific LLMs designed to streamline disputes and transactions

States asked to speed up rules, nominate officials for Labour Code rollout

Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani urged states and UTs to nominate officials, accelerate rule finalisation and support training to ensure smooth rollout of the four Labour Codes from FY27

IBA appoints Gunveena Chadha as Secretary General

Indian Beverage Association (IBA), the apex body for the non-alcoholic beverage industry on Tuesday announced appointment of Gunveena Chadha as its new Secretary General. Chadha, prior to joining IBA, served as Deputy Secretary General at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). She has also held leadership roles at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), said an IBA statement. Commenting on the development President C K Jaipuria said: "We are delighted to welcome Gunveena Chadha as the new Secretary General of IBA. The non-alcoholic beverage industry is navigating a dynamic policy and business environment, and Dr. Chadha brings a rare blend of policy depth and global industry experience. As the beverage sector engages with increasingly complex regulatory and market realities, her leadership will help IBA engage more effectively with policymakers and stakeholders." * * * * Panasonic India launches Co.lab ...

NPCIL reconnects Tarapur Atomic Power Station's Unit-1 to power grid

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has announced the successful reconnection of Tarapur Atomic Power Station's Unit-1 (TAPS-1) to the electricity grid following a landmark life-extension programme. The achievement marks a major milestone for the country's oldest nuclear facility, which has undergone extensive renovation and modernisation to ensure long-term operational reliability, the NPCIL said on Monday. An official release issued by the NPCIL said the life-extension activities were executed under "stringent regulatory oversight" and align with global nuclear safety standards. "The successful completion of such complex activities in this reactor type reflects NPCIL's engineering excellence and strong Renovation and Modernisation capability," it said, noting that TAPS-1 and its twin Unit-2 are currently the oldest reactors in operation globally. The comprehensive upgrade involved high-end engineering interventions to enhance safety margins. The NPCIL also ...

CCPA fines Snapdeal ₹5 lakh for selling toys violating BIS standards

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on e-commerce platform Snapdeal for selling toys that do not comply with mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards certification, violating the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. A final order against Snapdeal (Ace Vector Limited) has been issued after taking suo-motu cognizance of the matter, CCPA Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare told PTI. The CCPA has also issued notices to other e-commerce entities including Amazon and Flipkart, along with sellers such as Stallion Trading Company and Electronics Bazar Store, she said. Besides the penalty, the CCPA has directed Snapdeal to ensure future compliance by guaranteeing that no non-compliant BIS standard toy is listed, hosted, or advertised on its platform. The platform has also been asked to prominently display contact numbers, e-mail addresses, and Grievance Officer details to facilitate prompt consumer redressal. The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 beca

Markolines Q3FY26 result: Net profit jumps 12% to ₹6.78 crore

Highway solutions provider Markolines has reported a 12 per cent year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 6.78 crore for the quarter ended December 2025. The company had posted a net profit (profit after tax) of Rs 6.05 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. For the nine months ended December 2025, PAT stood at Rs 14.87 crore compared with Rs 10.43 crore in the year-ago period, while revenue rose to Rs 243.34 crore from Rs 185.92 crore. The company's CMD Sanjay Patil said revenue growth was driven by healthy project execution and improved billing traction, while profitability gains were supported by cost discipline and better project mix. Markolines provides highway operations and maintenance (O&M) and specialised road preservation services in India.

Diamond Power Q3FY26 results: Net profit up 693% to ₹49.72 crore

Diamond Power Infrastructure has reported a multifold jump in its net profit to Rs 49.72 crore for the October-December quarter of 2025-26 compared to the year-ago period. The Vadodara-based integrated power transmission and distribution solutions provider had reported a net profit of Rs 6.27 crore in the year-ago period, a company statement said. Its revenue from operations rose by Rs 474.71 crore in the third quarter of 2025-26 compared to Rs 307.51 crore in the year-ago period, it added. Diamond Power Infra said its EBITDA stood at Rs 69.76 crore in Q3 FY26 against Rs 16.03 crore in the year-ago quarter.Gross margins improved to 23.3 per cent in Q3 FY26 against 14.3 per cent ayear ago. Going forward, the company plans to focus on retail and new energy products and invest in newer technologies in the next two financial years, it added.

Black Box signs ₹275 cr Brazil deal in boost to global digital infra push

Essar Group firm advances India and overseas strategy amid rising demand for data centre, network and cybersecurity services

India's unemployment rate hit three-month high of 5% in January

India's unemployment rate climbed to 5% in January, a three-month high, as rural seasonal factors and post-harvest slack pushed joblessness up, even as labour force participation softened

Nine-judge Supreme Court Bench to look at definition of 'industry'

The Supreme Court has referred the scope of the term "industry" under labour law to a nine-judge Bench, which will revisit a 1975 ruling and assess the effect of later legislative developments

Govt weighs making National Pension System mandatory for gig workers

Government weighs mandatory NPS coverage for gig and unorganised workers, explores auto-enrolment and digital onboarding to widen pension net and boost long-term retirement security

India's AI moment gets real as celebrities and robots share space

PM inaugurates 5-day summit; Vaishnaw says India in talks with over 30 countries for a pact to curb AI misuse

Indian Reits distributed over ₹2,450 cr to 380K unit holders in Q3FY26

India's five listed REITs distributed over Rs 2,450 crore to 380,000 unitholders in Q3 FY26, backed by strong leasing momentum, improving occupancies and regulatory moves expanding access to capital

TCS, AMD expand AI partnership with Helios data centre push in India

The collaboration includes a blueprint for AI-ready data centres capable of scaling up to 200 megawatts of capacity

RCPL to form majority-owned JV with TGI Group to explore African markets

Reliance Consumer Products, the FMCG arm of Reliance Industries, on Monday said it has signed a definitive agreement to form a majority-owned joint venture with Nigerian conglomerate Tropical General Investments Group. This partnership will significantly expand RCPL's global footprint by establishing its presence in Nigeria, one of Africa's largest consumer markets, said a joint statement. Through this partnership, which is subject to customary legal and regulatory clearances, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL) will introduce its FMCG products to consumers in Nigeria, leveraging TGI's FMCG manufacturing and distribution experience and network, it added. "The partnership between RCPL and Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group aims to strengthen RCPL's market presence on the global stage," it said. RCPL Director T Krishnakumar said: "TGI Group is a diversified and trusted partner, and their deep expertise and decades-long presence in sectors such as FMCG, culinary, and agribusin

Premium housing rises in 2025 as affordable sales fall 17%: Knight Frank

Premium homes above Rs 1 crore captured half of all residential sales in 2025, even as affordable housing saw a 17% YoY drop, signalling a structural shift in India's housing market

Reliance Retail to pilot search-discovery platform in multi-channel push

Reliance's online grocery delivery ‌service JioMart expanded to compete in the 10-minute delivery segment in 2025

Denta Water and Infra Solutions order book crosses ₹841 crore in December

Denta Water and Infra Solutions on Monday said that it has secured orders worth Rs 377.31 crore during the April-December period this fiscal year, taking its total order book to Rs 841.48 crore. The company has also secured two projects in the capacity of a subcontractor and holds an L1 (lowest bidder) position in two projects, subject to final approvals, Denta Water and Infra Solutions said. According to a company statement, Denta Water and Infra Solutions has a healthy order book of around Rs 841.48 crore as on December 31, 2025, providing revenue visibility in the coming quarters across irrigation, urban water supply and wastewater management projects. For the nine months of FY26, the company secured fresh orders worth Rs 377.31 crore, including Rs 161.12 crore in the October-December quarter. Chairman C Mruthyunjaya Swamy said, "We continue to see healthy traction across irrigation, drinking water and wastewater management projects, supported by a robust order book and expandin

magicpin eyes 20M active users in 2026, food delivery to drive growth: CEO

magicpin aims to grow its active user base to 20 million in 2026 with food delivery as a key growth driver, the hyperlocal platform's CEO and Founder Anshoo Sharma said on Sunday. The company crossed 15 million active users last year across various categories including e-commerce, ticketing and food delivery, is focusing on the value conscious segment for further expansion of its food delivery vertical, Sharma told PTI in an interview. "Our focus is on building value-conscious food delivery users who order frequently and engage habitually. We aim to grow our active user base to 20 million in 2026 with food delivery as a key growth driver, particularly among students and first-time job seekers," Sharma said. A majority of the active 15 million users on the platform belong to the value-conscious segment in India's major cities in the age group of 18-35 years. Food delivery continues to be the primary growth driver, supported by higher repeat users and increasing cross-category ...

TN must join hands with Centre to boost startup ecosystem: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to work closely with the Centre to further strengthen the state's startup ecosystem, noting that despite significant progress, it still has immense untapped potential. Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave here, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences highlighted India's exponential growth in the sector, which has increased from 350 startups in 2014 to over 2 lakh today. "Tamil Nadu has contributed 34,000 registered startups, but there is still significant untapped potential. We need to create an enabling ecosystem, particularly in tier-II and tier-III cities, to accelerate innovation-driven entrepreneurship," Singh said. He encouraged youth in growth hubs like Chennai and Coimbatore to leverage central initiatives to scale up their ventures, pointing out that startups have already ...