Category: India LIVE

Plans to turn India into a major semiconductor manufacturing hub are moving from policy to execution, with four companies scheduled to begin chip production during 2026 and the government setting its sights on becoming one of the world’s leading producers by 2035. The transition marks a decisive phase for a country long dependent on imported chips but now seeking to embed itself in global electronics supply chains amid geopolitical realignments and rising

A wave of AI-generated videos circulating on social platforms has drawn regulatory and public attention after Meta removed a cluster of manipulated clips tied to public discourse in India, underscoring the accelerating threat posed by deepfakes and the strain on existing cybersecurity defences. The action has reignited debate over platform accountability, election integrity, and the pace at which safeguards are keeping up with generative tools.

Meta said the videos breached its policies on manipulated

Google has committed USD 8 million to support a network of artificial intelligence Centres of Excellence in India, signalling a deeper push into applied AI for public services, health care and local-language technologies while tying the investment to a parallel clean-energy partnership aimed at powering digital infrastructure sustainably.

The funding, announced by Google, is designed to accelerate research, product development and deployment across priority areas that include healthcare delivery, Indic language models and urban

IBM has set out an ambitious plan to equip five million people across India with skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing by 2030, deepening its long-running SkillsBuild programme and expanding partnerships with governments, universities and employers to address widening technology talent gaps.

The initiative, led by IBM, centres on scaling IBM SkillsBuild, a free digital learning platform that blends online courses, project-based learning and industry-recognised credentials. The

Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter, director and producer Sreenivasan died on Saturday morning at the age of 69, leaving the Indian film industry mourning the loss of one of its most versatile and influential creative voices. He passed away at the Government Taluk Hospital in Thrippunithura, Kochi, after developing severe health complications while being taken for dialysis, hospital officials confirmed. His body has been kept at the facility, and

Apple is evaluating the assembly and packaging of iPhone chips in India as part of a broader effort to rebalance its global supply chain, with CG Semi emerging as a potential partner, according to people familiar with the matter and public disclosures by companies involved in India’s semiconductor push. The move would mark a deeper localisation step beyond final device assembly and signal confidence in India’s ability to

Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a three-nation diplomatic tour covering Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman, signalling a calibrated push to deepen political engagement, economic cooperation and people-to-people ties across West Asia and Africa. The visit places emphasis on long-standing partnerships while marking diplomatic milestones that officials describe as pivotal to a wider strategy linking the Gulf, the Horn of Africa and South Asia.

The tour opened in Jordan, where Modi

Cognizant has opened a new AI Lab and a Moment Studio in Bengaluru, signalling a deeper push into enterprise-focused artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems and immersive digital experiences as global clients accelerate adoption of advanced automation and data-driven platforms.

The facilities, located in the city’s technology corridor, are designed to function as integrated hubs where research, product engineering and client co-creation converge. Cognizant said the AI Lab will concentrate on

Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has launched its blockbuster diabetes and weight-related therapy Ozempic in India, making the semaglutide-based injectable available across the country with a starting cost of about ₹2,200 per week for the lowest 0.25 mg dose. The move positions Ozempic as a key element in the fast-evolving metabolic health market, where type 2 diabetes and obesity rates are among the highest globally.

Available in pre-filled

Google has unveiled its most affordable artificial intelligence subscription in India, aiming to challenge OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT Go service and expand the reach of its AI ecosystem. The new Google AI Plus plan is priced at ₹399 per month, with a special introductory offer of ₹199 for the first six months for new subscribers, a strategy clearly designed to attract price-sensitive users in one of the world’s

Shares of the national carrier InterGlobe Aviation — operator of IndiGo — have tumbled over the last week after the airline cancelled thousands of flights following implementation of stricter pilot-duty regulations. Regulatory pressure and mounting costs have weighed on sentiment, yet several brokerages are urging investors to stay the course, citing the airline’s cost advantages and long-term dominance in the domestic market.

The aviation watchdog Directorate General of

Amazon has pledged to invest more than $35 billion in India by 2030, targeting a significant expansion of its technology, logistics, and export operations across the country. The announcement, delivered on 10 December at the Amazon Smbhav Summit in New Delhi, follows previous investments totalling about $40 billion since 2010 — including a $26 billion commitment in 2023.

The funding will be channelled along three strategic pillars identified

Microsoft has committed $17.5 billion — roughly Rs 1.5 lakh crore — to expand cloud and artificial-intelligence infrastructure in India, marking its largest investment ever in Asia. The announcement came after a meeting between Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The funds will flow over the next four years, aimed at building data-centre capacity, upskilling the workforce and strengthening what the

India stands out among emerging economies for its high adoption of generative artificial intelligence, according to a new report by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development together with Cisco. The study shows that India, along with a few other emerging markets, leads global usage and trust metrics — even as sharp generational and geographical divides become evident.

Under-35s represent the bulk of this surge, with more than

AceVector Ltd, the parent company of the e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal, has submitted an updated draft red herring prospectus to the Securities and Exchange Board of India, signalling that the company is advancing toward an initial public offering. The filing proposes a fresh issue of shares worth ₹300 crore, accompanied by an offer-for-sale of up to 6.38 crore equity shares held by existing investors.

The IPO proceeds

Crowds and cameras gathered at the Delhi airport as Vladimir Putin stepped off his aircraft and was received by Narendra Modi with a firm embrace that signalled the weight both leaders attach to a relationship tested by shifting global alignments. The state visit, framed by Moscow and New Delhi as an effort to reinforce political and economic cooperation, comes at a moment when both sides are seeking predictable

A decision to withdraw a controversial directive on compulsory smartphone app preinstallation has been taken by the authorities after sustained objections from device makers and technology firms. The policy reversal follows intense debate over whether phone manufacturers should be required to preload the government’s Sanchar Saathi platform, amid concerns about user privacy, operating system integrity and compliance burdens. The shift comes less than two days after reports that Apple had declined

A 25-basis-point reduction in the policy repo rate has set the stage for a notable shift in housing sentiment as the year draws to a close, giving the real estate sector a stronger footing after months of price escalation across major urban centres. Market participants described the cut as a timely boost for homebuyers facing rising borrowing costs and double-digit appreciation in property values through 2025, with many

Smartphone makers in India have been instructed by the telecom ministry to preload a government-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices sold in the country, blocking users from deleting the application once installed. Under a directive issued on November 28, companies such as Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi have been given a 90-day window to ensure all handset models destined for India include the Sanchar Saathi app.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit aimed at reviving and expanding energy and defence cooperation with India. His agenda includes proposals for increased Russian oil exports alongside renewed offers of missile systems and fighter jets, as part of efforts to restore ties challenged by global pressure on Moscow.

The visit coincides with heightened scrutiny of India’s oil and weapon imports from Russia, but

Government of India has broadened access to advanced semiconductor design by enabling universities across the country to use industry-grade Electronic Design Automation tools and Multi-Project Wafer fabrication services under the Chips to Start-up Programme. At a handover event at Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali saw 28 chips—comprising 600 bare dies and 600 packaged units—designed by students from 17 institutions returned to their teams. Officials confirmed that 122 design tape-outs from 46 institutions were

India has initiated formal negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, signalling a strategic shift in trade dynamics aimed at expanding commercial engagement beyond traditional markets. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced in New Delhi that talks with the five-member bloc—comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan—will begin with negotiations unfolding in the capital this week. The move marks the culmination of the

Luxury housing continues to dominate the residential real estate market across India’s major cities, with luxury and ultra-luxury segments driving a marked rise in overall transaction value even as unit sales taper. Data from a leading national consultancy shows that although the number of homes sold in the top seven cities dropped by 9 percent year-on-year in Q3 2025, the total value of transactions surged 14 percent. That

Authorities in Kerala have issued widespread weather warnings as a strengthening atmospheric circulation over the southeast Arabian Sea intensifies rainfall across multiple districts. The India Meteorological Department has placed seven districts—Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam—under a yellow alert, signifying expected rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm in a 24-hour period. The advisory also highlights the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching