Page 6 - Industry News

Apogee Aerospace signs ₹3,500 cr deal with Australia's AAI for 15 seaplanes

Apogee Aerospace has placed an order for 15 amphibian aircraft with Australia's Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI) for a total value of Rs 3,500 crore as part of a strategic collaboration. Besides, the Indian company will invest Rs 500 crore to establish tail-section manufacturing, maintenance and overhaul facilities, training and simulation infrastructure, and advanced systems integration capabilities in India. This will be for the amphibian planes of AAI, which also plans to set up a manufacturing facility for these planes in India. The announcements made on Thursday in the national capital also come at a time when the government is making efforts to boost air connectivity as well as encourage self-reliance in the fast-growing aviation and aerospace ecosystem. Amphibian aircraft can operate on both water and land. They are also known as seaplanes. The two companies are also looking to tap the opportunities in the country's blue economy. On Thursday, AAI and Apogee Aerospace .

Leather industry looks at boom year with US, EU trade deals in bag

India-US and India-EU trade deals lift sentiment for leather exporters, who expect stronger orders, factory expansion and job creation as global sourcing shifts to India

Amit Shah to roll out Bharat Taxi, cooperative ride-hailing app, on Feb 5

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will launch 'Bharat Taxi', India's first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, on Thursday after a successful two-month pilot operation, an official statement said. The service aims to expand across all states and cities within two years. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and established on June 6, 2025, Bharat Taxi operates on a zero-commission and surge-free pricing model with direct profit distribution to drivers. This positions it as an indigenous alternative to foreign investment-based platforms. Backed by eight top cooperative organisations, the platform began pilot operations on December 2 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, challenging established players like Ola, Uber and Rapido. The ministry claims it has emerged as the world's first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing platform and the world's largest driver-owned mobility platform. Since its launch, over 3 lakh drivers have joined the platform, more tha

Technology Development Board issues first call of proposal under RDI fund

The statutory body invited applications on a rolling basis in priority areas such as energy transition, AI, quantum computing, robotics and space

Delhi emerges as world's most cost competitive student city: Report

Younger demography, infra potential prime India's push to be most strategic higher education growth market globally

Link power tariff hikes to inflation, suggests expert report to 16th FC

An expert report to the 16th Finance Commission suggests inflation-linked power tariff hikes could ensure timely revenue recovery for discoms and help consumers avoid sharp increases

PM Surya Ghar scheme benefits 2.8 mn households, ₹16,000 cr disbursed: Govt

Over 28 lakh households have benefited under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana as of January 2026, with disbursement of Rs 16,061.12 crore as central financial assistance, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. The government is also strengthening global partnerships to advance renewable energy, storage and grid integration, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Naik informed the House that since the launch of the scheme in February 2024, total 22,65,521 roof top solar (RTS) systems have been installed across the country, benefitting 28,24,518 households with disbursement of Rs 16,061.12 crore as central financial assistance till January 30, 2026. Under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, it has been estimated that RTS installation in 1 crore households may produce renewable electricity of 1,000 billion units, which may result in reduction of 720 million tonne of CO2 equivalent emission during the 25 years of lifeti

Maritime stakeholders join hands to form new national container carrier

State-owned maritime entities have signed an MoU to form Bharat Container Shipping Line, aimed at strengthening India's export-import logistics and reducing freight volatility

India-US trade deal: Refiners await govt nod on cutting Russian oil imports

Only two state-run refiners Indian Oil and BPCL and Russia-backed Nayara Energy Ltd purchased crude oil from Moscow in January

India-US trade deal brings glimmer of hope for beleaguered IT services cos

India-US trade deal eases fears of tariff spillover into IT services, offering relief to Indian tech firms amid weak global demand and delayed client spending

India-US trade deal: Gems and jewellery exports set to shine once again

Easing of US tariffs has revived demand-side confidence in India's gems and jewellery sector, raising hopes of reversing export losses and regaining momentum

No issue found with Air India Dreamliner fuel control switches, says DGCA

DGCA says inspections found no issue with fuel control switches on an Air India Boeing 787-8 after pilots flagged abnormal movement during engine start in London

Indus Towers to decide on dividend payouts by Q4FY26: MD & CEO Prachur Sah

Indus Towers says dividend decision will be taken in Q4 FY26, factoring in Vodafone Idea's financial stability after AGR relief and changes in buyback taxation

SC sends Flipkart competition case back to NCLAT for fresh review

The Supreme Court set aside a 2020 NCLAT order directing a CCI probe into Flipkart and asked the tribunal to reconsider the case afresh

Indian agrochemical companies scale up via product deals with MNCs

As multinational companies grapple with regulatory uncertainty in India, domestic agrochemical firms are acquiring products and technologies, reshaping the crop protection landscape

India-US trade deal adds momentum to growth ambition: Industry leaders

The India-US trade deal adds meaningful momentum to India's growth ambitions and supports the country's ambition to be a globally competitive manufacturing and innovation hub, industry leaders said on Tuesday. Reacting to the trade agreement between the two countries, Mahindra Group CEO & Managing Director Anish Shah welcomed the development, terming it as "a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties." "With the Indian economy on a strong growth trajectory, this deal adds meaningful momentum to India's growth ambitions," he noted. Shah further said, "The immediate reduction in reciprocal tariffs on Indian exports to 18 per cent, along with the commitment to progressively lower tariff and non-tariff barriers, will boost growth momentum and improve the predictability businesses need to invest with confidence." Expressing similar views, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said the reduced tariffs will help strengthen the strategic and .

Slow UPI growth: Industry frets as monetisation remains elusive

A moderation in UPI growth is worrying industry players, who warn that low incentives and lack of monetisation could slow expansion of India's digital payments ecosystem

Supreme Court allows joint insolvency plea against linked realty companies

The Supreme Court has allowed a single insolvency plea against multiple real estate firms where entities are closely linked in a project's execution and operations

Railways get record Budget support for projects across states: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said record allocations have been made for his ministry in the Budget to complete pending projects and undertake new works in all states for people's benefit. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced budgetary support of Rs 2.78 lakh crore and a total capital expenditure of Rs 2.93 lakh crore for the Railways. She also proposed seven high-speed corridors connecting major cities and a new EastWest Dedicated Freight Corridor between Dankuni in West Bengal and Surat in Gujarat. Providing reporters with a state-wise breakup of expenses earmarked for railway projects from the total capital expenditure outlay, Vaishnaw noted that Uttar Pradesh will receive Rs 20,012 crore, Rajasthan Rs 10,228 crore, Madhya Pradesh Rs 15,188 crore, Chhattisgarh Rs 7,470 crore, and Maharashtra Rs 24,000 crore. He also mentioned allocation figures for several other states and ongoing projects to state that these amounts are several times higher than

White-collar hiring up 3% in Jan, led by non-IT sectors, freshers: Report

India's white-collar hiring began with a steady foot with a 3 per cent year-on-year increase in January mainly driven by non-IT sectors and fresher hiring, a report said on Monday. White-collar hiring began 2026 on a steady footing, with the Naukri JobSpeak Index witnessing 2,637 points in January -- a 3 per cent YoY rise from 2,550 points in January 2025 -- Naukri said in a report. Non-IT sectors were the primary drivers of this growth, with BPO/ITES surging 21 per cent, hospitality/travel climbing 15 per cent, insurance advancing 7 per cent, and healthcare gaining 5 per cent. However, banking and financial services was one major non-IT sector to see a decline, slipping 15 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the IT sector remained flat for the month, within this landscape, AI/ML roles sustained strong momentum with a 34 per cent rise. Overall, fresher hiring grew 8 per cent, signalling expanding entry-level opportunities across the board, added the report. Non-IT sectors have stea