Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Aurelia unveils its Spring Summer ’26 collection with #Bollywood actor Ananya Panday

Aurelia unveils its Spring Summer ’26 collection with #Bollywood actor Ananya Panday

Aurelia, women’s ethnic wear brands from the house of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, strengthens its positioning as the go-to brand for the latest trends in Indian wear with the launch of its Spring Summer ’26 collection under the vibrant #HameshaTrending campaign, starring Bollywood actor Ananya Panday.
Anant Daga, Chief Executive Officer - TCNS Division, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited added, “Aurelia has consistently resonated with women who want to stay relevant in an ever-evolving fashion landscape. With this sharp positioning, we are reinforcing Aurelia’s role as the go-to destination for the latest trends in Indian wear. The Spring Summer ’26 collection and #HameshaTrending campaign are strategic steps toward strengthening our fashion-forward credentials while continuing to offer accessibility, comfort, and inclusivity at scale. Ananya’s strong connect with young consumers further amplifies this vision and aligns perfectly with the brand’s growth ambitions.”

Reebok Announces #Olympic Shooter Manu Bhaker as Brand Ambassador

Reebok Announces Olympic Shooter Manu Bhaker as Brand Ambassador

Together, Reebok and Manu Bhaker will encourage athletes and fitness enthusiasts to shift focus from podium moments to the preparation that earns them.

Commenting on the collaboration, Manu Bhaker said, “Every result begins long before competition day. Training, focus, and belief shape everything I do, and that’s what connects me with Reebok. I’m proud to represent a brand that stands for preparation and backs athletes through every phase of the journey.” 
 
Speaking on the association, Arjun Ramamoorthy, Brand Head, Reebok India, added, “Manu Bhaker represents the future of Indian sport – focused, fearless, and deeply committed to the work behind performance. As Reebok sharpens its focus on training and high-performance sport in India, this partnership reflects our belief in athletes who don’t chase shortcuts, but show up prepared. It’s about empowering people to push further through training and self-belief.”

Punjab National Bank Launches “PSB #Hackathon 2026” with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Punjab National Bank Launches “PSB Hackathon 2026” with Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

PSB Hackathon 2026 will focus on developing a software-based cryptographic scanner designed to validate the implementation of quantum-resistant ciphers and generate a comprehensive Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM) for public-facing applications. The proposed solution will assess cryptographic exposure across web servers, APIs, and other mission-critical digital interfaces within the banking ecosystem. Through this initiative, PNB aims to foster indigenous capabilities in post-quantum cryptography assessment and create scalable tools that enhance systemic resilience across Public Facing Applications.
 
The hackathon is open to students enrolled in recognized colleges, universities, and educational institutions across India. Participating teams must comprise a minimum of three and a maximum of four members. Multidisciplinary teams with expertise in cybersecurity, cryptography, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and software development are strongly encouraged to ensure the development of comprehensive and innovative solutions. Winning teams will compete for prizes worth up to ₹11 lakhs.

Registrations for PSB Hackathon 2026 can be done on the official PNB Hackathon portal- https://pnb.bank.in/PSBs-Cybersecurity-Hackathon.html. Detailed guidelines, evaluation criteria, datasets, and mentorship schedules will be released as part of the Hackathon Rulebook. Updates will also be available on PNB’s official social media platforms. Queries may be addressed to hackathon@pnb.bank.in.

HELL ENERGY DRINK returns as official #sponsor of Zee Cine Awards 2026

HELL ENERGY DRINK returns as official sponsor of Zee Cine Awards 2026


HELL ENERGY DRINK will also be owning the coveted ‘Viewers’ Choice Song of the Year’ category this year

Commenting on the association, Unnikannan Gangadharan, Director, HELL-ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED, said, “We are delighted to return as an official sponsor of Zee Cine Awards 2026 for the second consecutive year. Our sponsorship of the ‘Viewer’s Choice Song of the Year’ category makes this association even more special, as it celebrates the power of the audience and the music that unites them. At HELL ENERGY DRINK, we stand for passion towards music and iconic moments, and Zee Cine Awards brings all of that together in a truly powerful and entertaining way.”
 

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Why Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) or sponge #iron industry wants domestic #coal

Why Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) or sponge #iron industry wants domestic #coal
Keshav Beriwala, Director, Shyam Steel India Ltd.
DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) industry perspective on India's strategic shift away from imported coal :-

"For DRI, industry has been mostly using imported coal because of which the industry is exposed to wild price swings. So it's important we use more of domestic coal." - Keshav Beriwala, Director, Shyam Steel India Ltd.

Three Key Reasons to Shift from Imported to Domestic Coal
1. Price Volatility of Imported Coal
DRI industry primarily imports coal from South Africa; index has wild price movements
Example: price can swing from $90 CIF Kolkata one month to $100–$110 the next
Makes cost predictability impossible for long-term steel producers
Sustainable costing mechanism is critical for industry viability
2. Forex Savings & Trade Deficit Reduction
India currently imports ~200 billion tons of thermal coal annually
Estimated cost: $18–20 billion/year in coal imports
India has domestic production capability — imports driven by unresolved structural issues
Represents a significant chunk of currency/trade deficit that could be eliminated
3. Energy Sovereignty & Geopolitical Risk
Coal is a strategic national asset
Dependency on South Africa, Indonesia for coal = major sovereignty risk
Parallel drawn to pressure India faced over Russian oil amid global tensions
Risk scenario: sanctions on supplier countries could leave India's steel industry stranded
DRI Industry Challenge: Scaling Kiln Sizes
Key trend over last decade: kiln sizes have grown significantly
Earlier: 100 ton/day kilns
Now: 600, 700, 800, even 1,000 ton/day kilns are increasingly becoming common.
Coal used in kilns both as fuel and reductant to produce sponge iron and larger kilns introduce new challenges in transitioning to domestic coal.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

#TCS and #OpenAI to develop #AI infrastructure in India

TCS will help its customers accelerate AI-led transformation by deploying, integrating, and scaling OpenAI's advanced AI platforms worldwide

Tata Consultancy has announced a multi-dimensional strategic partnership with OpenAI to drive AI-powered innovation across enterprise, consumer, and social sectors.
This partnership spans multiple high-impact areas, including powering AI-led innovation across Tata Group companies, joint efforts to drive AI transformation across industries globally, and setting up AI infrastructure. Unde the partnership, several thousand Tata Group employees will get access to Enterprise ChatGPT. In addition, TCS will leverage OpenAI's Codex to boost software engineering outcomes. Further, TCS and OpenAI will jointly enable Indian and global enterprises to transform with AI-powered solutions specific to their organizational context. Through this collaboration, TCS will help its customers accelerate AI-led transformation by deploying, integrating, and scaling OpenAI's advanced AI platforms worldwide. Additionally, TCS' HyperVault unit and OpenAI have agreed to a multi-year partnership to develop AI infrastructure in India. In the initial phase, TCS will develop AI infrastructure with 100MW capacity, with an option to scale to 1 GW. N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said, 'This deep collaboration between OpenAI and Tata Group marks a major milestone in India's vision to become a global leader in AI. We are pleased to partner with OpenAI to create state-of-the-art AI infrastructure in India. This is a unique opportunity for OpenAI and TCS to transform industries. Together we will skill India's youth and empower them to succeed in the AI era. TCS is a digital transformation and technology partner of choice for industry-leading organizations worldwide. The company had reported an 11.74% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 10,657 crore, despite 1.96% increase in revenue from operations to Rs 67,087 crore in Q3 FY26 over Q2 FY26. 

Sunday, February 8, 2026

📈 #SCI soars 13.69% on stellar Q3 net profit surge of 140% and interim #dividend declaration

📈   #SCI soars 13.69% on stellar Q3 net profit surge of 140% and interim dividend declaration
Shipping Corporation of India posted a stellar Q3 performance with consolidated net profit rising to ₹405 crore from ₹75.5 crore last year. Revenue climbed to ₹1,620 crore versus ₹1,300 crore. EBITDA doubled to ₹680 crore, lifting margins to 42.08% from 27.16%

Earlier SCI received a favourable order from the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal for FY09-10 concerning sundry receipts & interest income. Following this, SCI received an income tax refund of ₹199.76 Cr (incl. ₹85.75 Cr interest).


Saturday, February 7, 2026

New Framework for #IndiaUSTradeDeal


India intends to purchase $500 billion of U.S. energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years from USA

The United States of America (United States) have reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade (Interim Agreement). Th framework reaffirms the countries’ commitment to the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains. The Interim Agreement between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in our countries’ partnership, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes.

Key terms of the Interim Agreement between the United States and India will include:

India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.
The United States will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 percent under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), as amended, on originating goods of India, including textile and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals, home décor, artisanal products, and certain machinery, and, subject to the successful conclusion of the Interim Agreement, will remove the reciprocal tariff on a wide range of goods identified in the Potential Tariff Adjustments for Aligned Partners Annex to Executive Order 14346 of September 5, 2025 (Modifying the Scope of Reciprocal Tariffs and Establishing Procedures for Implementing Trade and Security Agreements), as amended, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts.
The United States will also remove tariffs on certain aircraft and aircraft parts of India imposed to eliminate threats to national security found in Proclamation 9704 of March 8, 2018 (Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States), as amended; Proclamation 9705 of March 8, 2018 (Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States), as amended; and Proclamation 10962 of July 30, 2025 (Adjusting Imports of Copper Into the United States). Similarly, consistent with U.S. national security requirements, India will receive a preferential tariff rate quota for automotive parts subject to the tariff imposed to eliminate threats to national security found in Proclamation 9888 of May 17, 2019 (Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States), as amended. Contingent on the findings of the U.S. Section 232 investigation of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, India will receive negotiated outcomes with respect to generic pharmaceuticals and ingredients.
The United States and India commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis.
The United States and India will establish rules of origin that ensure that the benefits of theAgreement accrue predominately to the United States and India. 
The United States and India will address non-tariff barriers that affect bilateral trade. India agrees to address long-standing barriers to the trade in U.S. medical devices; eliminate restrictive import licensing procedures that delay market access for, or impose quantitative restrictions on, U.S. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) goods; and determine, with a view towards a positive outcome, within six months of entry into force of the Agreement whether U.S.-developed or international standards, including testing requirements, are acceptable for the purposes of U.S. exports entering the Indian market in identified sectors. Recognizing the importance of working together to resolve long-standing concerns, India also agrees to address long-standing non-tariff barriers to the trade in U.S. food and agricultural products.
For the purposes of enhancing ease of compliance with applicable technical regulations, the United States and India intend to discuss their respective standards and conformity assessment procedures for mutually agreed sectors. 
In the event of any changes to the agreed upon tariffs of either country, the United States and India agree that the other country may modify its commitments.
The United States and India will work towards further expanding market access opportunities through the negotiations of the BTA. The United States affirms that it intends to take into consideration, during the negotiations of the BTA, India’s request that the United States continue to work to lower tariffs on Indian goods.
The United States and India agree to strengthen economic security alignment to enhance supply chain resilience and innovation through complementary actions to address non- market policies of third parties, as well as cooperation on inbound and outbound investment reviews and export controls.
India intends to purchase $500 billion of U.S. energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years. India and the United States will significantly increase trade in technology products, including Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and other goods used in data centers, and expand joint technology cooperation.
The United States and India commit to address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade and to set a clear pathway to achieve robust, ambitious, and mutually beneficial digital trade rules as part of the BTA.
The United States and India will promptly implement this framework and work towards finalizing the Interim Agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial BTA consistent with the roadmap agreed in the Terms of Reference BTA consistent with the roadmap agreed in the Terms of Reference.





Friday, February 6, 2026

IRB Infra plans to issue bonus #shares

The proposed bonus issue will be subject to approval from the company’s shareholders and other requisite regulatory approvals.

The board of IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. will review unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025.
A potential bonus share issue is under consideration butbsubject to shareholder and regulatory approval.
February 19, 2026, is the record date for an interim dividend, if declared.
IRB is India's first integrated multinational transport infrastructure developer in the roads & highways segment. The company has a strong track record of constructing, tolling, operating, and maintaining around 19,000 lane kms pan-India in its existence of more than 25 years in India.
The company reported a 41% surge in consolidated net profit to Rs 140.82 crore on a 10.42% increase in total revenue from operations to Rs 1,751.02 crore in Q2 FY26 over Q2 FY25.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Launch of Bharat Taxi service by HM #AmitShah in #Delhi today

Launch of Bharat Taxi service by HM #AmitShah


Union Home Minister Amit Shah will unveil Bharat Taxi at 3 p.m. in New Delhi, a cooperative platform where drivers called 'Sarathis' hold shares and earn without commissions or surge pricing. Pilots in Delhi-NCR and Rajkot since December 2025 onboarded over 300,000 drivers for 10,000 daily rides, offering lower fares, accident insurance, and family health coverage. Backed by Modi's cooperative vision, it aims to expand nationwide in two years, though some question if it can challenge market leaders holding 90% of the sector.