Page 15 - Industry News

Company, customers, and professionals can all win: Pronto's Anjali Sardana

Pronto's 23-year-old founder says daily bookings have grown 18-fold in seven months, as the startup targets 70,000 bookings a day by June

India plans ₹600 crore war chest to boost LNG supply for fertiliser units

With the West Asia war showing no sign of an early end, the government has started working on alternative plans to keep fertiliser units running once they resume operations

LPG shortage in Delhi-NCR leaves consumers scrambling for refills

Long queues and limited stock show a system not firing on all cylinders

Creative opportunities: India's AVGC sector moves up the value chain

The larger opportunity lies in the rapid expansion of the AVGC ecosystem. India's media & entertainment sector was estimated at around ₹2.5 trn in 2024 and is projected to reach about ₹3 trn by 2027

India's sugar output rises 10.5% to 26.21 MT in 2025-26 season: ISMA

India's sugar production reached 26.21 million tonne so far in the ongoing 2025-26 marketing year, up by 10.5 per cent from the year-ago period, industry body ISMA said on Tuesday. The sugar output so far has exceeded the total net production of 26.12 million tonne in the full 2024-25 marketing year (October-September). The crushing was underway as 157 mills were in operation as on March 15, while 379 mills remained closed. According to Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), mills have manufactured 26.21 million tonne of sugar as of March 15 of the 2025-26 marketing year, as against 23.72 million tonne in the year-ago period. As the sugar season advances and reaches its penultimate phase, the industry body said it continues to await an early upward revision of the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). "With production costs increasing and ex-mill realizations lagging, mills are facing mounting cash-flow pressures, leading to higher cane payment arrears," it said in a

West Asia conflict: Helmet makers flag safety risks amid cost surge

Helmet makers warn that rising input costs driven by global conflicts may lead to compromised safety standards, as price pressures intensify in India's competitive market

West Asia conflict scars begin to show on India Inc across sectors

With the war showing no signs of abating, the outlook for many sectors of India's industry is clouding over right now

Centre discusses rare-earth corridor sites in Andhra, Odisha and Kerala

Centre discusses SOP for monazite handling, private participation as corridor plans move ahead

Dubai airport closure affects flights from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram

Flight operations to Dubai were affected after two Emirates flights returned to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports following security concerns reported at the destination airport on Monday, authorities said. Flight EK533 departed Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at 4.30 am with 325 people on board. En route, the aircraft was directed to turn back due to the sudden closure of Dubai International Airport, airport spokespersons said. The flight landed back at CIAL at 8.30 am, and the passengers were later disembarked, the spokesperson said. Apart from this, another Emirates flight bound for Dubai was cancelled, and both flights have been rescheduled for Tuesday, he said. Flights to other Gulf countries continued to operate from CIAL. Similarly, an Emirates flight bound for Dubai from Thiruvananthapuram returned to the airport here on Monday due to similar issues reported at the destination airport. The airport spokesperson said the Emirates TRVDXB flight returned midwa

Odisha bio-refinery faces production delays due to tech challenges: Centre

Centre says commissioning of BPCL's second-generation ethanol bio-refinery in Odisha's Bargarh has been delayed due to pandemic disruptions and limited availability of specialised technology vendors

Higher-ticket loans drive microfinance disbursals in Oct-Dec: Equifax-SIDBI

Loans above Rs 75,000 now account for 38% of microfinance disbursals, reflecting lenders' growing preference for larger exposures to existing borrowers, says Equifax-SIDBI report

176 aircraft of non-scheduled, GA operators lack cockpit recorders: Govt

As many as 176 planes operated by non-scheduled and general aviation operators do not have flight data or cockpit voice recorders, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Under the norms, aircraft that have a take-off weight of less than 5,700 kilograms are required to mandatorily have CVRs only if they had received an airworthiness certificate on or after January 1, 2016. In a written reply, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that a total 2,263 aircraft were registered and issued certificates of airworthiness (C of A) before January 1, 2016. "Aircraft operated by Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP's) /General Aviation (GA) operators which are not equipped with Flight Data Recorder (FDR)/ Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) are 176," Mohol said. His reply was to a query on whether the government has data on the number of aircrafts without cockpit voice and flight data recorders. The nearly 40-year-old Beechcraft C90A aircraft that crashed in Jharkhand las

PM E-DRIVE rules eased; e-bus, e-truck firms can import motors till Aug-end

The government has eased localisation requirements under the Phased Manufacturing Programme of the Rs 10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE Scheme, providing major relief to manufacturers of electric trucks and buses by allowing them to import traction motors with rare-earth magnets till August 31. In separate notifications dated March 13, the Ministry of Heavy Industries deferred the deadline to stop imports of traction motors used in e-trucks (N2/N3) and e-buses (M2/M3), a decision expected to ease component shortages faced by manufacturers. The deadline for local manufacturing of traction motors used in e-bus and e-truck categories has been extended for the second time, as in September last year, the Centre deferred it till March 2026. The requirement under Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) of the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme stipulates that the "manufacturing of traction motor which at least includes magnet fitment, fitment of rotor ...

IndiGo ties up with Adani Airport for airline's loyalty programme

Domestic carrier IndiGo on Monday said it has partnered with Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL) for the airline's loyalty programme, BlueChip for duty-free shopping at AAHL-managed airports in the country. Under the partnership, members can earn five IndiGo BluChips for every Rs 100 spent on duty-free products pre-booked through the Adani platform. Travellers can browse, reserve and pay for products online before departure and collect their purchases conveniently at the airport, it said. AAHL operates eight airports at Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. Duty-free stores under the programme are available at airports in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur, Mangaluru and Lucknow, with expansion planned at Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Guwahati and the newly operational Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), it said.

Gujarat ramps up LPG supply by 20% amid crisis, prioritises PNG connections

The Gujarat government on Monday said it has ramped up LPG supplies by 20 per cent over normal weekly distribution to ensure an uninterrupted supply, while prioritising Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections in areas with availability of network. The state has an adequate stock of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and the supply chain remains uninterrupted, said Mona Khandhar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department. Addressing a press conference, the senior official stated that the government has not imposed any restrictions on domestic or commercial use and is taking steps to ensure smooth availability of fuel across sectors. "The district teams, police system, oil marketing companies and our state-level teams are in constant coordination to ensure that there is no disruption in LPG supply. We are receiving LPG stock continuously, and buffer stock with agencies is also increasing," she said. The state government, under the direction of Chi

BenQ eyes 50% growth in India in 2026, to expand local manufacturing

Taiwan-based display solutions provider Benq is looking for a 50 per cent growth in its topline in 2026, driven by a high double-digit increase in its monitor and interactive flat panel business here, said its India and South Asia Managing Director Rajeev Singh. Benq, which will complete its 25 years in India in 2026, expects to cross Rs 1,000 crore sales as the company is quite encouraged by the opportunities coming from the educational institutions from both government and private institutions. Besides, BenQ will also encourage 'Make in India' by increasing the number of models with locally-manufactured interactive flat panel through its local OEM partners. It will also start local manufacturing of monitors. "So, at the same time, we have increased the number of models of interactive flat panels that we are manufacturing in India. We have also added a monitor for the 'Make in India' product line. We will be starting our local production for Make in India from next month, April ...

Naidu says ₹164 crore paid to passengers hit by IndiGo cancellations

Compensation to the tune of Rs 163.92 crore in the form of travel coupons has already been given to passengers who suffered due to mass cancellation of flights by IndiGo in early December, Minister of Civil Aviation K Rammohan Naidu informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, he said the government is taking multiple necessary measures to ensure that this kind of incident is not repeated and consumers do not suffer. Hundreds of flights by IndiGo were cancelled during the first week of December due to shortage of pilots after the expiry of the deadline on Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). The government has blamed the airline for the lack of adequate planning in implementing the second phase of the FDTL norms as the key reason for flight disruptions and had granted a one-time exemption from enforcement of norms. Responding to a specific query on the IndiGo crisis, the Civil Aviation Minister said the ministry is taking several ...

Casual workers shifting to formal jobs as economy grows: Mandaviya

Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said increasing number of casual workers are getting into formal employment and with economic growth job opportunities are increasing day by day. "Day by day employment in increasing in the country, and unemployment is getting reduced. When any economy grows, employment is generated," he said during the Question Hour. To meet the rising demand of a growing economy, supply has increase for which manufacturing is required and that is where jobs are getting created, he said. The Minister further said that self-employment too has increased from 52 per cent in 2017-18 to 58 per cent. He said according to Periodic Labour Force Survey, average income of casual workers have increased from Rs 255 in FY'18 to currently Rs 418. Further, casual labourers are also shifting to formal employment. "People with regular salary have risen in the country. Casual workers are joining the formal workforce and the number of casual labourers h

Govt prohibits PNG users to hold LPG cylinders amid supply shortage

India is facing tightening of LPG supplies as nearly 90 per cent of the country's LPG imports originate from the West Asia

Madurai Airport's international status to boost region's economy: Naidu

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said that the declaration of the Madurai Airport as Madurai International Airport will transform the region into a major economic hub driven by more trade and tourism. It would also further boost the air traffic in Madurai, he observed. "Today, with the blessings of Meenakshi Amman (Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple), the decades-old demand of Madurai has been fulfilled with the renaming of Madurai Airport as Madurai International Airport," he said. With this development, the city of Madurai would gain greater prominence on global air routes, attracting more airlines and connectivity, he said at an event to rename the Madurai Airport to Madurai International Airport. "This will further empower Madurai's cultural and spiritual legacy while transforming the region into a major economic hub driven by more trade and tourism," he said in a social media post. He remarked that the passenger footfall since 2014 at Madurai