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By Nitya Chakraborty China is hosting the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on July 17 to 20 the deliberations of which are expected to decide the course of AI development globally as also the scope of AI governance as also collaboration for assisting AI growth in the developing countries. The four day session […]

The article World AI Conference In Shanghai On July 17-20 To Witness The High Tech Battle Between U.S. And China appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The state-owned telecom company said the device can provide voice calls and text messaging in isolated regions, including mountainous terrain, forests, offshore locations, mining zones and areas affected by natural disasters. The quoted handset price includes taxes, while customers must separately subscribe to an approved Global Satellite Phone Service plan.

The phone is being positioned primarily for defence units, maritime operators, emergency agencies, mining companies, remote infrastructure teams and adventure travellers. Unlike ordinary mobile phones, it communicates directly with a satellite rather than depending on nearby ground towers, allowing connectivity across large areas where terrestrial coverage is unavailable or unreliable.

BSNL’s announcement represents an expansion of an established service rather than the introduction of satellite calling for the first time. The company has offered voice and SMS connectivity through its Global Satellite Phone Service to the public and private enterprises since January 1, 2018.

The renewed commercial push comes as satellite communication assumes greater importance in disaster management and strategic operations. Cyclones, floods, earthquakes and landslides can damage mobile towers, sever fibre links and disrupt electricity supplies. Satellite phones provide an alternative channel for coordinating rescue teams, sharing field information and maintaining contact with command centres.

The service can also support personnel stationed along remote borders and crews operating far offshore. Mining, energy and construction businesses may use the handset at project sites where installing mobile towers or fibre infrastructure is technically difficult or commercially unviable.

BSNL offers separate plans for government and commercial customers. Post-paid monthly charges begin at ₹3,500 for government users, with 16 minutes of voice usage or an equivalent number of SMS messages included. Another government plan costs ₹5,835 a month and includes 30 minutes or messages.

The commercial post-paid package costs ₹11,670 a month and provides 60 minutes of calls or SMS messages. Once the included allowance is exhausted, government users pay ₹18 per minute or message, while commercial subscribers pay ₹25. Taxes are charged separately on the service plans.

Pre-paid options are also available. Government customers can choose a ₹3,500 monthly package carrying 20 minutes or messages, or an annual plan costing ₹38,500 with an allowance of 240 minutes or SMS messages. Commercial packages cost ₹5,835 a month for 30 minutes or messages and ₹64,185 a year for 360.

Additional pre-paid top-ups are available in denominations ranging from ₹200 to ₹10,000. The pricing underlines the specialised nature of the service and is likely to limit widespread consumer adoption, particularly when compared with conventional mobile connections and emerging satellite messaging features on premium smartphones.

Satellite phone ownership and use remain subject to strict security requirements. Subscribers must undergo the prescribed customer verification process and disclose where the handset will be used, the period of intended operation and the purpose for which it is required. These conditions are designed to maintain traceability because satellite devices can function independently of domestic terrestrial networks.

The communication transmitted through the Global Satellite Phone Service is encrypted. However, the service currently supports only voice calls and SMS, not high-speed internet access or the broader applications available on modern smartphones.

Customers have been advised to approach the nearest BSNL office for purchasing and activation details. Availability may depend on documentation, regulatory clearance, service eligibility and the user’s stated operational needs. The company has not announced a mass-market retail network or consumer financing options for the handset.

The move is distinct from direct-to-device satellite technology, which seeks to connect ordinary mobile handsets to satellites without requiring a dedicated satellite phone. BSNL has also worked with US-based Viasat on trials of direct satellite connectivity, including messaging and emergency communication applications.

Competition is developing in the broader satellite communications market as global and domestic companies prepare broadband services for homes, enterprises and remote locations. Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, Jio Satellite Communications and other operators have pursued regulatory approvals and spectrum access, although satellite broadband requires different equipment, licensing and commercial models from BSNL’s voice-focused service.

Separated by thousands of miles, the two millennia-old port cities reconnected, leveraging their ports as a bond and cultural exchanges as a cohesive force to hold in-depth talks on integrated port-city development and bilateral economic and trade connectivity.

This cross-Indian Ocean dialogue echoes the ancient Maritime Silk Road while charting a brand-new outbound development path. As a pivotal starting port of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Ningbo is building a new global trade landscape powered by smart manufacturing.

A thousand years ago, merchant vessels from Mingzhou Port set sail southward loaded with Yue Kiln celadon porcelain, passing through Ceylon to deliver Oriental crafts across the Indian Ocean coasts. Precious gemstones and spices traveled the same sea route back to regions south of the Yangtze River, laying the groundwork for the earliest cultural exchange between the two ports through trade. Today, the cargo carried by giant cargo ships has undergone a dramatic transformation. Beyond traditional daily necessities, intelligent equipment, digital home appliances and industrial robots now dominate shipments.

Official statistics show that Ningbo’s exports of intelligent equipment, including mechanical arms and industrial robots, hit 440 million yuan in 2025, surging more than 40% year-on-year. From January to May this year, Ningbo’s exports of mechanical and electrical products maintained steady growth, reaching 247 billion yuan, a 4.1% year-on-year increase and accounting for 58.0% of the city’s total export volume. The new energy foreign trade sector saw explosive growth, with exports of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products jumping 138.4% year-on-year, with electric vehicle exports skyrocketing 215.9%. Smart manufactured goods are continuously expanding the scope of Ningbo’s foreign trade.

Complementing the Colombo forum, an exhibition highlights Ningbo’s outstanding going-global enterprises and their products, vividly illustrating the profound shift in Ningbo’s trade structure.

Alongside time-honored Maritime Silk Road staples such as celadon porcelain and silk, Ningbo’s smart manufactured products—including AI translation glasses, intelligent outdoor gear and digital small home appliances—occupy prominent display spaces across the venue. In Sri Lanka, Ningbo smart water meters are widely adopted nationwide, while handheld cooling fans and intelligent kitchen appliances have entered ordinary households.

Leveraging Colombo Port’s transshipment advantages, massive volumes of Ningbo smart manufactured goods are distributed onward to Europe, the Middle East and beyond. What Ningbo exports today is no longer mere commodities, but a complete outbound solution integrating technology, brand value and after-sales services.

Faced with mounting challenges including homogeneous global market competition and rising trade barriers, Ningbo’s manufacturing sector has abandoned the old model of low-cost OEM production, relying on intelligent transformation to consolidate its competitive edge in overseas markets.

Over more than a decade of digital transformation efforts, Ningbo has achieved full digital upgrading of all industrial enterprises above designated size. A large number of local factories have built unmanned black-light workshops and flexible production lines, escaping vicious price competition through continuous technological iteration. Represented by five specialized, sophisticated, distinctive and innovative enterprises dubbed Ningbo’s “Five Little Tigers”—famous for their core proprietary technologies, including highly sophisticated visual inspection equipment, heat-resistant materials, sun-proof coatings, puncture-proof materials and self-drilling fasteners—these niche manufacturers have developed differentiated technical routes and full-spectrum production capacity, cementing irreplaceable competitiveness for Ningbo smart manufacturing on global markets.

Beyond trade expansion, Ningbo has built a supporting cultural communication system to ensure “products go global, accompanied by local culture”.

The launch of Sri Lanka’s first “One-Meter Cultural Space” cultural station during the Colombo event marks a tangible milestone of Ningbo’s go-global initiative. Built on enterprises’ overseas outlets, these miniature cultural exhibition halls integrate intangible cultural heritage crafts, urban stories and smart products, enabling overseas clients to experience cutting-edge manufacturing while gaining insight into Ningbo’s profound cultural heritage.

During the twin-city story-sharing session, Ningbo entrepreneurs based in Sri Lanka and local designers blending Chinese and Sri Lankan aesthetics shared stories of bilateral exchanges. Economic and trade ties have evolved into a bond for people-to-people communication, bridging divides in cross-cultural trade.

From Tang-dynasty celadon porcelain sailing across the Indian Ocean to intelligent equipment shipping to every corner of the globe, Ningbo, the ancient Maritime Silk Road port, has preserved its enduring gene of openness. Where exchanges once relied purely on commodity trade, today smart manufacturing underpins a stable, diversified and high-value-added global trade network.

The Ningbo-Colombo dialogue stands as a vivid microcosm of this transformation: the port still links lands and seas, yet the core of its trade has undergone a full intelligent upgrade.

Rooted in its historical legacy as a key Maritime Silk Road hub, Ningbo has consolidated its industrial foundation through a decade of digital development, expanded global market reach via worldwide port networks, and softened trade cooperation through cultural exchanges. This brand-new outbound shipping route forged by smart manufacturing has not only reshaped the city’s foreign trade landscape, but also delivered a replicable port-city development model for Chinese manufacturing to go global.

Hashtag: #NingboSmartManufacturing #MaritimeSilkRoad #GlobalTrade

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By K Raveendran The Narendra Modi government’s position on fuel prices now looks less like prudent caution and more like an overly defensive reading of a market that has already absorbed much of the Iran-US risk. The more calibrated question, therefore, is not whether New Delhi is right to watch the West Asian security situation, […]

The article Modi Govt’s Overcautious Oil Market Reading Hurting Retail Fuel Customers appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

A Vision Built on Innovation

The event opened with a keynote by Eric Wang, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of CUKTECH, who shared the brand’s global vision and product roadmap for Southeast Asia, with Vietnam identified as one of its key strategic markets.

Eric Wang highlighted CUKTECH’s continuous investment in research and development (R&D) to solve the everyday challenges faced by modern consumers, including slow charging speeds, limited product innovation, and the increasing need for reliable, high-performance charging solutions that support multiple devices simultaneously. By combining advanced charging technologies with user-focused design, CUKTECH aims to deliver a faster, safer, and more intelligent charging experience.

Real-World Experience from Technology Reviewer Hung Khuc

One of the event’s highlights was a sharing session by Hung Khuc, one of Vietnam’s leading technology reviewers, who discussed his hands-on experience using CUKTECH products in his daily work.

“As a content creator who frequently shoots outdoors, I need charging devices that are both powerful and reliable. What impressed me most about CUKTECH’s power banks and chargers is their real-world performance. They can simultaneously fast charge my MacBook Pro, smartphone, and camera at full speed without power drops or interruptions.”

To promote transparency and foster closer engagement with the local technology community, the event concluded with an extensive media Q&A session. Eric Wang, together with CUKTECH’s product research and quality management teams, addressed questions on product localization, international safety standards, the brand’s one-for-one warranty policy, and future product development plans.

More than a product launch, Charge & Connect represents CUKTECH’s official step toward establishing a lasting presence in Vietnam. By combining cutting-edge charging technology, award-winning design, and a strong focus on user experience, CUKTECH is committed to delivering premium charging solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern consumers.

As the brand continues to expand its product ecosystem, CUKTECH aims to become a trusted technology partner for Vietnamese users while helping shape the future of premium charging accessories in the market.

Hashtag: #CUKTECH

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The commitments, unveiled at a government-backed industrial development event in Asan, place Chungcheong at the centre of a broader strategy to spread high-technology manufacturing beyond the Seoul metropolitan area and existing semiconductor clusters. President Lee Jae Myung praised the companies’ “bold decision” and called for faster execution of major industrial projects, warning that global competition in semiconductors and artificial intelligence will reward countries that move with speed on permits, power, water and land.

Samsung plans to invest 140 trillion won, or about $90 billion, across the central region. The programme covers display panels, high-bandwidth memory-related capacity, semiconductor packaging substrates, batteries and other core materials. The group’s plan is expected to reinforce manufacturing links between Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, whose operations span chips, OLED screens, batteries and electronic components.

SK hynix said it would invest 100 trillion won, or about $64 billion to $72 billion depending on exchange-rate calculations, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The plan includes the M17 NAND flash memory fabrication plant and P&T7, an advanced packaging and test facility. M17 is scheduled to break ground in 2026 and begin operations in the first half of 2029, while P&T7 is targeted for completion by the end of 2027.

The Cheongju expansion is intended to strengthen SK hynix’s NAND business and add back-end capacity at a time when artificial intelligence systems are raising demand for both high-performance memory and storage. While high-bandwidth memory has received the strongest investor attention because of its role in AI accelerators, large-scale data centres also require more NAND-based storage as models, user data and enterprise workloads expand.

The Chungcheong plan follows a wider national push in which Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are expected to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in new chipmaking hubs over the next decade. The government has framed the initiative as a “triple axis” strategy built around semiconductors, physical AI and data centres, with the aim of building industrial strength outside the traditional capital-area manufacturing corridor.

For Samsung, the Chungcheong investment gives the group a regional base for several linked supply chains. OLED production in Asan and surrounding areas can support premium smartphones, tablets, monitors and automotive displays. Battery investment strengthens Samsung SDI’s role in electric mobility and energy storage, while semiconductor materials and packaging substrates address one of the key bottlenecks in AI hardware production.

For SK hynix, Cheongju already has semiconductor infrastructure, making it a faster route for expansion than a greenfield project. The company has been one of the largest beneficiaries of the AI memory boom, helped by demand for high-bandwidth memory used with Nvidia graphics processors. Its latest investment signals that the company is also preparing for broader memory demand, including NAND and advanced packaging.

The scale of the commitments underlines the strategic importance of memory chips to South Korea’s economy. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are the world’s two largest memory chipmakers, with dominant positions in DRAM and a major presence in NAND. Their investment decisions affect global supply, pricing expectations and the pace at which cloud companies can build AI infrastructure.

The programme also carries risks. Semiconductor investment cycles have often produced periods of oversupply after large capacity expansions. Investors have shown caution over whether the current AI-driven boom can absorb the output planned by the industry, especially if data-centre spending slows or if memory pricing weakens before new factories reach full capacity.

Infrastructure remains another challenge. Advanced chip plants require stable electricity, ultra-pure water, skilled engineers and rapid permitting. Lee’s comments on execution reflect concern that delays could undermine the industrial strategy. Local governments are expected to face pressure to accelerate utility connections, transport links and land-use approvals while managing environmental and community concerns.

Regional development is a central political theme of the initiative. By placing more advanced manufacturing in Chungcheong and other areas outside Seoul’s orbit, the administration is seeking to reduce economic concentration and create high-value jobs in provincial cities. That ambition will depend on whether new factories attract suppliers, research teams and service industries rather than functioning as isolated production sites.