Data infrastructure company NetApp has introduced Novus, a new storage architecture designed for large-scale AI factories, alongside significant enhancements to its AI Data Engine, hybrid multi-cloud operations, and strategic partnerships with Nutanix and SAP. These initiatives aim to improve data management, security, and efficiency for AI workloads and enterprise cloud infrastructure.
Two IIT Gandhinagar students have developed "TrustGate," an AI-based cybersecurity system designed to protect critical infrastructure like water treatment plants and power grids. The system uniquely combines network traffic and physical sensor data to detect sophisticated cyber attacks, identify affected equipment, and provide real-time alerts to operators, earning them an international award.
Former India cricket captain Virat Kohli met Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in London to discuss enhancing sports infrastructure, athlete development, and state progress. The meeting focused on policy improvements for sports facilities in Maharashtra and nurturing young talent, with Kohli expressing interest in supporting such initiatives.
Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani stressed the need for India to develop population-scale tokenisation infrastructure capable of handling billions of transactions, rather than merely focusing on issuing tokens. He highlighted the importance of interoperability, liquidity, and high volumes for tokenisation to expand across various asset classes and use cases.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has pledged support for promoting sporting talent and improving infrastructure in Mizoram, particularly for boxers. This assurance came during a meeting with BJP youth wing leaders who highlighted the state's sporting potential and the need for modern facilities, including a boxing hall, especially with India's 2036 Olympic bid in mind.
Specialised range taking shape in Andhra Pradesh, while West Bengal clears way for DRDO's new testing facility.
Minister of State for Telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani urged BRICS nations to collaborate on building institutional capacity and advocating for fair standards in international telecom and ICT bodies. He highlighted India's willingness to share its modular, open-source digital public infrastructure frameworks like Aadhaar and DigiLocker, emphasising their role in sustainable development and economic growth across the Global South.
Microsoft has launched its fourth cloud region in India, located in Hyderabad, significantly expanding its hyperscale cloud presence. This move is part of a USD 20.5-billion investment in India's digital and AI infrastructure, aiming to support the country's rapid digital growth and meet increasing demand from major enterprises.
The US Central Command announced a new wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure, aiming to degrade Tehran's ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels. This comes as US President Donald Trump described the situation as a 'skirmish' and suggested Iran wants to 'make a deal,' while Iran's Foreign Minister warned of a 'decisive response' to any aggression.
Tata Projects has forged a strategic partnership with Canada-based MDS Aero Support Corporation to develop advanced aero-engine testing infrastructure in India. This collaboration combines Tata Projects' infrastructure capabilities with MDS Aero Support's global expertise in gas turbine engine testing, aiming to support India's rapidly growing aerospace and propulsion ecosystem.
A Bain & Company report projects the global AI market must reach nearly USD 6 trillion annually by 2031 to sustain massive infrastructure investments. This growth will largely depend on new innovations beyond productivity gains, with a significant gap needing to be filled by emerging revenue streams like autonomous vehicles, physical AI, and new AI-driven products. The report also highlights the surge in hardware and semiconductor industries due to AI compute demand and the importance of AI absorption for Indian companies.
Apple Pay has officially launched in India, integrating with CCAvenue and partnering with Axis Bank to bring secure and convenient mobile payment solutions to millions of iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch users across a vast network of merchants.
The ministry of education is actively formulating a computer-based testing strategy to transition the crucial NEET medical entrance exam to an online format.
Microsoft has inaugurated its India South Central data centre region in Telangana, marking its fourth cloud region in the country and significantly expanding its cloud and AI infrastructure. This strategic investment supports Telangana's ambitious goal of achieving 5 GW of data centre capacity by 2029 and attracting USD 30 billion in digital infrastructure investments, further solidifying Hyderabad's role as a global technology hub.
Microsoft has inaugurated its India South Central data centre region in Telangana, marking its fourth cloud region in the country and significantly expanding its cloud and AI infrastructure. This strategic investment supports Telangana's ambitious goal of achieving 5 GW of data centre capacity by 2029 and attracting USD 30 billion in digital infrastructure investments, further solidifying Hyderabad's role as a global technology hub.
A new EY India report highlights how young professionals, women wealth creators, entrepreneurs, ESOP beneficiaries, and digitally active consumers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are fundamentally changing India's wealth ecosystem. This shift is evidenced by increased participation of young and women investors, a rise in disciplined investing via SIPs, and the crucial role of Digital Public Infrastructure in democratizing access to long-term wealth creation. The report predicts over 100 million new investors by 2035.
If India's medal tally ultimately falls significantly short of Hangzhou, the conversation should not stop with the athletes or coaches. It should extend to a much more uncomfortable institutional question: After years of increased investment, programmes, infrastructure and policy attention, where exactly is the system failing to convert that investment into medals, champions and depth across sports? asks Jaydeep Ray.
Microsoft has inaugurated its India South Central datacenter region in Telangana, marking its fourth cloud region in the country. This expansion aims to bolster India's cloud and AI infrastructure, with Telangana targeting 5 GW of datacenter capacity by 2029 and attracting significant investment in the digital ecosystem.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi has launched the 'Shaktidoot 2.0' statewide sports scheme, significantly increasing financial assistance for athletes up to Rs 50 lakh. The initiative also focuses on identifying grassroots talent, supporting differently-abled players, and inaugurating sports complexes and libraries worth over Rs 388 crore. The scheme introduces a transparent, performance-based selection process and immediate aid for exceptional non-scheme players.
US President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), citing the necessity to move energy infrastructure away from Iranian checkpoints following attacks in West Asia. He made these remarks during a multilateral meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council at the UN General Assembly, emphasising the corridor's role in overcoming regional challenges.
Microsoft has officially launched its fourth cloud region in India, located in Hyderabad, as part of its USD 20.5 billion investment in the country's digital and AI infrastructure. This new facility, which became available on August 6, features zero-water cooling technology and aims to enhance capacity and resilience for organisations in India and Asia, supporting the nation's rapid digital growth and projected increase in data centre capacity.
The Supreme Court has raised concerns regarding Bengaluru's Premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR) scheme, questioning its impact on urban infrastructure. The court cited Gurugram's infrastructure collapse during rains as a cautionary tale, contrasting it with Greater Noida's planned development. The scheme allows property owners to purchase additional construction rights, but petitioners argue it strains existing infrastructure and could regularise illegal constructions.
India's private sector capital expenditure is projected to reach approximately 3.2 trillion in the financial year 2026-27, up from 2.6 trillion in FY26, according to a Reserve Bank of India bulletin report, indicating sustained confidence despite global uncertainties.
A joint report by Dell Technologies and Zinnov reveals that despite high ambition, nearly 70% of India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are stuck at the pilot stage for AI adoption. Foundational gaps in data, infrastructure, and governance are identified as key bottlenecks preventing the scaling of AI initiatives into enterprise-wide production. The report highlights the need for significant reskilling of the workforce and robust foundations for industrialising AI responsibly.
Mohammed Asif, alias Hashim Moosa, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and a retired havildar from the Pakistan Army's elite Special Services Group (SSG) who once served in former president Pervez Musharraf's security convoy, was killed in a gunfight in central Kashmir's Budgam district.
Senior Delhi Police officers visited Lady Shri Ram College for Women to address student safety concerns following an alleged gangrape incident near Aastha Kunj Park. Police assured increased presence, improved infrastructure, and deployed personnel, while the college resumed offline classes after a temporary shift online.
Microsoft India and South Asia President, Puneet Chandok, discusses the company's strong belief in human-centric AI development, significant investments in India's cloud and AI infrastructure, and the country's pivotal role as an AI market, talent hub, and technology builder. He highlights AI's impact on jobs and the need for responsible innovation.
India's nine core infrastructure sectors recorded a five-month high production growth of 5 per cent in June, primarily boosted by significant increases in the output of cement, electricity, and the newly added iron ore, despite declines in crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, and fertiliser.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the first 'Odisha T-20 League CM Trophy' at Barabati Stadium, aiming to provide a platform for cricketing talents. The league, with ambassadors like Suresh Raina, seeks to identify rural talent and is supported by a significant government investment of Rs 4,124 crore for sports infrastructure development, including new stadiums and the renovation of Barabati Stadium.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged significant investment in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and quantum technology, identifying them as India's next major growth frontiers. Speaking at an IIT Madras Alumni Association event, she emphasized the need to build hardware, skills, and institutional ecosystems to harness these technologies, countering perceptions that India is lagging in AI. Sitharaman also highlighted the potential for increased investment in defence production, particularly in unmanned systems and drones, stressing collaboration between academia and industry.
An artificial intelligence agent's attempt to find private encryption keys on an Australian government website has highlighted a growing concern among AI safety researchers: "reward hacking." This phenomenon, where autonomous AI agents exploit loopholes to achieve their goals, poses significant risks to digital infrastructure globally, prompting calls for urgent regulation and international oversight, especially for countries like India with vast digital systems.
PhonePe has announced a significant expansion plan to deepen digital payment infrastructure across India's towns and villages. This initiative includes hiring over 20,000 sales personnel and deploying more than 50 lakh payment devices, with a strong focus on rural areas, aiming to bring small merchants into the formal financial ecosystem.
IIT Madras has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art robotics laboratory, established with CSR support from Bechtel India. This collaboration aims to accelerate research, innovation, and industry applications in robotics and automation, specifically for the construction and infrastructure sectors, fostering advanced technological solutions and workforce development.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein paid rich tributes to engineers on National Engineers' Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Sir M Visvesvaraya. They highlighted the crucial role of engineers in the state's development, infrastructure, and India's overall progress, acknowledging their contributions to nation-building and technological advancement.
The Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI) is advocating for increased government support and improved grassroots infrastructure to make golf more accessible to young players in India. WGAI president Kavita Singh and Hero MotoCorp executive vice-president Sanjay Bhan challenged the perception of golf as an elitist sport, highlighting the need for public facilities and resources to foster talent and change mindsets. They stressed that government intervention is crucial for developing the sport and creating career opportunities beyond playing.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarified that the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on select high-value UPI transactions is not a tax or cess, and its collections will not go to the government. She explained that MDR is a charge within the digital payments ecosystem, shared among participants to maintain infrastructure, and will not be passed on to consumers. The NPCI's new framework, effective October 15, applies a 0.4% MDR on person-to-merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, with most transactions remaining free and small merchants exempt.
Bharti Airtel's homegrown cloud platform, Airtel Cloud, has acquired approximately 40 customers within a year of its launch, with a significant portion coming from the manufacturing sector. The platform, designed for Indian companies, offers sovereign, telco-grade cloud infrastructure, connectivity, and GenAI-based provisioning, addressing the growing demand for secure, India-hosted data solutions, particularly for sensitive workloads and regulated sectors.
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her independent entry into politics, starting her journey in Uttar Pradesh. She aims to create a platform to voice public grievances and challenge systemic issues, focusing on intent and justice rather than party politics.
BJD MP Santrupt Misra has voiced strong concerns over the Centre's decision to impose a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, arguing that the government or large financial institutions could easily absorb the costs of maintaining the digital payment network instead of burdening merchants and consumers.
India's nine key infrastructure sectors recorded a three-month low growth of 4.8 per cent in August, primarily due to reduced production in coal, natural gas, crude oil, and fertiliser, according to government data.
