Page 16 - Industry News

India's diagnostics pivots to precision tests as high-value segments grow

Industry leaders say demand for these higher-value tests aimed at early disease detection, personalised treatment and long-term health management has been expanding far faster than routine pathology

Annapurna Swadisht to buy 75% stake in Andri Agro Foods for ₹150 million

Packaged food manufacturer Annapurna Swadisht Ltd on Tuesday announced that it would acquire a majority stake in West Bengal-based Andri Agro Foods Pvt Ltd for a total enterprise value of Rs 15 crore. The company has entered into an agreement to acquire 75 per cent of the equity share capital in AAFPL. Post-acquisition, Andri Agro Foods will become a subsidiary of ASL, a company statement said. The move is aimed at strengthening ASL's product portfolio and enabling its entry into the soya-based food products market both in India and overseas. AAFPL manufactures a range of products, including soya chunks and textured vegetable protein (TVP). "The acquisition of AAFPL will enable us to establish our presence in the soya-based product markets both in India and overseas. Besides, it will enable us to enter the groceries segment through bulk and premium namkeen products," Annapurna Swadisht CMD Shreeram Bagla said. The deal would also open export opportunities for the company's existi

Land acquisition proof no longer mandatory for non-coal mining green nod

Non-coal mining project developers will not have to show proof of land acquisition as a pre-requisite for environmental clearance now, according to a recent environment ministry memorandum. So far, the ministry required proof of land acquisition. However, the norm was reconsidered following requests that consent from landowners should not be insisted upon at the time of grant of environmental clearance (EC) for non-coal mining projects and the status of land acquisition should not be linked with the grant of the clearance. "The matter was referred to the non-coal mining Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for consideration. After due deliberation the sectoral EAC observed that the request for delinking the consent from landowners at the time of grant of EC for non-coal mining projects, appears to be reasonable and can be accepted," an official memorandum of the ministry said. "Further, the EAC, inter alia, also observed that there are many mining projects where mining operations have

MatchLog joins Softlink Global to boost container asset optimisation

Container reuse platform MatchLog on Tuesday said it has entered into an agreement with logistics solutions provider Softlink Global to integrate its container equipment optimisation capabilities with the latter's enterprise resource planning platform Logi-Sys. The integration would help container reuse and asset optimisation for freight forwarders, third-party logistics providers, and shipping companies. The integration is designed to scale across more than 100 countries where Logi-Sys is already deployed, using Softlink Global's footprint to standardise container reuse practices while adapting to regional operating realities, it said. Softlink Global is a digital backbone platform powering freight and logistics operations for more than 5,100 companies globally, while its enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform serves as the system of record for freight forwarding, customs, warehousing, and financial operations. By embedding container optimisation within Logi-Sys, customers ga

Indian FMCG set for stronger quarters with 5% volume growth: Report

The FMCG sector is witnessing a strong pick-up, helped by robust macroeconomic indicators, and a 5 per cent volume growth is expected in the 'first few months' of this year, a Worldpanel report said. According to the December FMCG Pulse report from Worldpanel by Numerator, India's GDP expectations have been revised upwards, inflation is low, and food inflation is negative, and many manufacturers are passing on these benefits to shoppers. Moreover, the banking sector regulator, the RBI's consumer confidence index, also indicates that consumer confidence is returning. "With the macro-economic indicators being strong and FMCG also seeing an uptick correspondingly, we expect the coming quarters to strongly build on the momentum. A 5 per cent FMCG volume growth from a household perspective is possible within the first few months of the next year (2026)," the report from Worldpanel by Numerator, said. Worldpanel by Numerator provides currency-grade consumer data representing nearly 6 ..

India's vehicle retail sales jump 7.71% to 28.1 million in 2025: Fada

Retail sales of vehicles across categories in India in 2025 grew by 7.71 per cent at 2,81,61,228 units as compared to 2,61,45,445 in 2024, with GST 2.0 helping overcome a subdued start to the year, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations said on Tuesday. Passenger vehicle (PV) retail sales stood at 44,75,309 units in 2025 as against 40,79,532 units in 2024, a growth of 9.7 per cent, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said in a statement. Similarly, two-wheeler (2W) sales also grew by 7.24 per cent at 2,02,95,650 units last year as compared to 1,89,24,815 units in 2024. In 2025, three-wheeler retail sales were at 13,09,953 units as compared to 12,21,886 units in 2024, up 7.21 per cent. Commercial vehicles (CV) retail also witnessed a growth of 6.71 per cent at 10,09,654 units in 2025 as against 9,46,190 units in 2024. Commenting on the performance, FADA President CS Vigneshwar said 2025 was a tale of two halves -- January to August remained subdued despite .

Telecom industry wants another technology evaluation of D2M broadcasting

Telecom players have claimed that D2M broadcasting has direct implications for spectrum bands identified for existing and future 5G use

NCCCL bags ₹112.5 crore construction contract from Lodha Developers

New Consolidated Construction Company Ltd (NCCCL) has bagged a Rs 112.5 crore contract from realty firm Lodha Developers. In a statement on Monday, the company said it has received a Letter of Award from Lodha Developers Ltd for the construction of Tower 1 and associated non-tower ancillary structures at a residential development in Alibaug near Mumbai. "Awarded through a competitive bidding process, the mandate involves a total built-up area of approximately 7.26 lakh sq ft, with an estimated contract value of Rs 112.5 crore (exclusive of GST)," NCCCL said. Construction at the Alibaug site is expected to commence around mid-January 2026, with an estimated execution period of approximately 24 months. This is NCCCL's third contract with the Lodha Group, following the completion of a residential project at Palava spanning about 13 lakh sq ft across 11 towers, and a commercial building in Thane. Established in 1946, Mumbai-based NCCCL is an engineering and construction company. It ..

No shortage of urea in state: Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Meena

The agriculture minister's statement came after former chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot criticised the state government for its failure to provide fertilisers to farmers on time

Highway sector at crossroads as low central awards boost state role: Ind-Ra

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) on Monday said India's highway sector is facing challenges, with muted central road award activity for the past two years, leading to increased competition and persistent project execution issues. The rating agency further said that although state awards have come to the rescue, the sector is likely to witness subdued revenue and margins. "The muted central award activity has altered the sector's dynamics, pushing states into the driver's seat. While this shift ensures continuity, it also introduces complexities around execution and financing," said Krishan Binani, Director, Corporate Ratings, Ind-Ra. Moreover, Ind-Ra said the sector is likely to witness a higher number of build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects at both the centre and state levels, necessitating increased private capital. Ind-Ra said it projects modest year-on-year revenue growth of 6 per cent to 8 per cent for the overall engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) sector in .

COAI raises red flags over Prasar Bharati's direct-to-mobile tech test

Telecom industry body COAI on Monday raised concerns over a direct-to-mobile service technology test commissioned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati without involving telecom operators and mobile device companies. The direct-to-mobile broadcast service technology, if successful, will enable direct transmission of live TV channels on mobile phones without cellular connectivity. Prasar Bharati had signed a pact with IIT Kanpur 2019 to technically verify concerns regarding interference of direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcast service with telecom services and heating of mobile devices due to the operation of the D2M broadcast service. IIT Kanpur conducted the test through Telecom Engineering Centre, authorised technology partner Aracion Technology, by involving Tata group firm Tejas Networks and a D2M smartphone. The test report, published in November 2025, refuted the concern raised by some stakeholders. "COAI has expressed serious concerns regarding the manner in which recent technical

Trai slaps ₹150 crore penalty on telcos for failing to curb spam calls

The telecom regulator Trai has imposed a penalty of Rs 150 crore on telecom operators for their failure to curb spam calls and messages, according to an official source. The Rs 150 crore penalty imposed for three years beginning 2020, however, has been challenged by telecom operators. "Financial disincentives of more than Rs 150 crore have been imposed on the telecom service providers for wrong closure of customer complaints and not taking action on telecom connections of spammers in accordance with regulations," the source said. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) imposes penalties on telecom operators who fail to comply with regulations that impose financial disincentives. The regulations provide for a financial disincentive of up to Rs 50 lakh per month per licensed Service Area for a telecom operator. "It is important to note that the financial disincentives are imposed on TSPs (telecom service providers) not because someone has sent through their network, but bec

Kerala govt to hand over paddy procurement to cooperative societies

The Kerala government has decided to entrust paddy procurement to cooperative societies, shifting to a farmer-centric, two-tier system aimed at ensuring quicker payments and reducing delays. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, a release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Monday. The government said timely procurement would prevent crop damage and help farmers receive payments at the time of purchase itself. The new model will be implemented through Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies and will come into force from the upcoming season. Under the system, primary cooperative societies that are ready for procurement will purchase paddy directly from farmers. The government said the move would avoid dependence on Paddy Receipt Sheet (PRS)-based loans and ensure that farmers are paid immediately after procurement. At the district or taluk level, nodal cooperative societies will be formed with shareholding ...

Morbi ceramic hub to be showcased as special zone at VGRC Kutch-Saurashtra

Morbi district has emerged as a key pillar of India's ceramic economy, accounting for nearly 90% of Gujarat's total ceramic production and ranking second globally

Bayer, ADM extend Maharashtra soyabean farmer programme to 100K growers

Germany's Bayer AG on Monday said it has extended its partnership with US agribusiness ADM by three years to support soybean farmers in Maharashtra, scaling the programme fourfold to reach 1,00,000 growers. The partnership, launched in June 2022, reached 25,000 farmers by May 2025 and will now expand coverage from 35,000 hectares to 200,000 hectares, Bayer said in a statement. The expanded programme will cover seven districts in Maharashtra, adding Nanded, Parbhani, Hingoli, and Solapur to the original areas of Latur, Dharashiv, and Beed. The initiative focuses on sustainable farming practices through the ProTerra Foundation framework, covering production management, biodiversity protection, programme monitoring, crop documentation and post-harvest management, the company said. Bayer has delivered training programmes on good agricultural practices and integrated pest management, reaching over 58,000 farmers through audio bridge calls, while ADM's agronomist team receives regular ..

IIT Guwahati scientists develop catalyst to convert CO2 into methanol fuel

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, have developed a photocatalytic material that can convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into methanol fuel using sunlight, according to officials. The effort is aimed at addressing one of the most essential challenges -- meeting rising energy needs without further harming the environment. The findings of the study have been published in the prestigious Journal of Materials Science. "The dependence on petroleum-based fuels continues to be a source of carbon dioxide emissions, causing environmental stress and global warming. To address this, researchers are working on designing photocatalytic methods to convert carbon dioxide into clean fuels," said Mahuya De, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati. Researchers worldwide have been working on addressing this critical challenge by utilising graphitic carbon nitride, a low-cost, metal-free, non-toxic material. However, due to limitations such as rapid energy .

HDFC AMC forays into private credit market with ₹2,500 crore fund

HDFC Asset Management Company has forayed into the fast-growing private credit market with its new Structured Credit Fund-I, targeting mid-market companies with alternative debt financing. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will invest up to Rs 220 crore as an anchor investor in HDFC AMC's Structured Credit Fund-I, the asset management company said in its statement on Monday. The fund has already secured about Rs 1,290 crore in commitments in its first close, and is targeting a total corpus of Rs 1,500 crore, with a green-shoe option of an additional Rs 1,000 crore. The commitment amount includes sponsor commitment from HDFC AMC of up to 14 per cent of the fund corpus. The fund will invest in mid-market companies, and it has already committed Rs 380 crore across three deals spanning various sectors. It will target mid-teen returns over a 4-6 year horizon. HDFC AMC said that the fund will improve access to finance for underserved mid-ma

Bank employees' unions threaten to go on nationwide strike on Jan 27

Bank employees' unions under the aegis of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) have threatened to go on a nationwide strike on January 27, demanding implementation of a 5-day week. If the strike materialises, it would have a significant impact primarily on the operations of public sector banks for three days in a row, as January 25 and 26 are holidays. At present, bank employees get off on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, apart from Sundays. Declaring the remaining two Saturdays as holidays was agreed between the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and UFBU during the wage revision settlement in March, 2024. "It is unfortunate that the government is not responding to our genuine demand. There would be no loss of man-hours because we have agreed to an extra 40 minutes working per day from Monday to Friday," UFBU said in a statement. Already, RBI, LIC, GIC, etc., are working for 5 days a week, it said, adding that the foreign exchange market, money market, stock exchanges

India becomes world's largest rice producer, surpasses China: Agri minister

India has become the world's largest rice producer, beating China, with a total output of 150.18 million tonnes, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday, as he released 184 new varieties of 25 crops. These new high-yielding seed varieties would boost crop production and enhance farmers' income, he said, while directing the ministry officials to ensure that these new varieties reach farmers quickly. The minister unveiled 184 improved varieties of 25 field crops developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research at an event held in the national capital, according to an official statement. Addressing the event, Chouhan said the country has achieved great success in the development of high-yielding seeds. Since the gazette notification process began in 1969, a total of 7,205 crop varieties have been notified, including rice, wheat, sorghum, maize, pulses, oilseeds, fiber crops, among others. Chouhan informed that 3,236 high-yielding varieties have been ..

US-Venezuela conflict unlikely to affect India trade: GTRI report

The US-Venezuela conflict will have a negligible impact on India's trade with the South American country, think tank GTRI said on Sunday. On January 4, American forces carried out a large military operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and taking them to the US to face various charges, including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. "India faces negligible impact, as trade with Venezuela has collapsed under sanctions, with crude imports down 81.3 per cent in FY2025 and overall bilateral trade remaining marginal," the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivastava said. For India, he said, the Venezuelan disturbance is unlikely to have any material economic or energy impact. Although India was a major buyer of Venezuelan crude in the 2000s and 2010s, bilateral engagement has weakened sharply since 2019 due to US sanctions, which forced India to cut oil imports and scale back commercial activity to avoid secondary sanctions, he added.