India's electric mobility goal, which has so far been riding on two wheels, is all set to graduate to four wheels. At least, the journey has begun. Hyundai Motor India said it would invest Rs 4,000 crore till 2028 to launch half-a-dozen electric vehicles (EVs) in India. It would eventually straddle premium and mass segments. The first of these - the electrified version of an internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered model - will go on sale as early as next year.
Both have been robustly muscular leaders who began as immensely charismatic politicians conveying an impression that they were makers of history, raring to go. Both have been hyperactive on the world stage. But in the final analysis, Abe is departing on a sombre note, unceremoniously and apologetically, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Failure to sell Air India, IDBI may have prompted a change in strategy.
There is nothing to suggest that the DMK stands to gain from the AIADMK split nor is there anything indicative of an extraordinary advantage for the BJP, independently or in the company of the AIADMK, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
A day after losing the battle with the United Progressive Alliance government in Parliament on the issue of allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, the National Democratic Alliance has threatened to reject the Union government's notification if it is voted to power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The going is not going to be easy for the DMK and its allies in Elections 2024. Despite the seats sweepstake in the 2021 assembly polls, the vote-share difference of 5.6% (DMK's 45.38% versus AIADMK-BJP's 39.72%) is not insurmountable on a bad day, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
India is apprehensive about the Taliban's return as it would mean loss of access to Baluch rebels and help to the restive tribals of Waziristan. This would be a setback to the Indian strategy of returning the compliments of death by a thousand cuts to Pakistan, notes Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Two French sports retailers - Go Sport and Decathlon - are all set for battle royal to grab market share in India. Both are competing with sports goods makers Nike, Puma and Adidas and footwear major Bata. While Decathlon is already in India for some time, Go Sport opened its first super store in Navi Mumbai recently.
Pharma companies gear up for the 'new normal' as they train and align their sales forces for a paradigm shift. GSK leads the charge with staggered return-to-work, others plans yoga sessions and health care webinars for salesperson's family.
The alliance for engine maintenance, repair and overhaul would work under the brand The A Team.
Does Uddhav (and indeed the Sena) have the pizzazz and staying power to continue to be an actor in Maharashtra politics as a paler version of the NCP and an orange rather than saffron version of the BJP, asks Aditi Phadnis.
They just don't have similar colours, Datsun's marketing campaign too seems be inspired from Maruti Alto 800.
Neither Biden nor his successors can any longer ignore the threat China has come to pose to the US in both economic and military fields, observes Virendra Kapoor.
However, the tilting factor still remains: Can the rivalling 'Modi brand' of 'soft Hindutva' and 'hard-sell nationalism' garner more votes for the NDA in Tamil Nadu, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
United Progressive Alliance's second largest partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday demanded reconsideration of the decision to allow FDI in the multi-brand retail sector and said it would back any opposition-sponsored resolution that may be brought on the issue in Parliament.
Opposition National Democratic Alliance and estranged United Progressive Alliance ally Trinamool Congress on Friday criticised the decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail, saying government has surrendered to crony capitalism and feared that the policy will spell doom for farmers and small traders.
Refusing to give up on the Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail issue, which could affect its core vote bank of small traders, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said it will oppose the government decision in Parliament and try to build a joint strategy with National Democratic Alliance partners and other political parties.
Mahindra group and Ford Motor Co will jointly develop new SUVs and a small electric vehicle as part of several initiatives to take forward their collaboration pact signed last year.
The Mondelez portfolio in India also includes brands like Bournvita, 5-Star. Nikhat Hetavkar finds out how it stays relevant amid strong pushback from millennials over health effects of its products.
'Nitish Kumar was not happy about promoting R C P Singh as Union minister.'
The war of words between Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Arun Jaitley, leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, refuses to die.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and C P Thakur were detained in Patna on Thursday during a protest against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government over Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail and the hike in diesel prices. Several other opposition leaders have also been detained by the police.
Vistara appoints Vinod Kannan as chief strategy officer; plans to launch its maiden international flight to Colombo in May
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha emphasised that the brand name has both sentimental and economical value.
The company behind brands like Aquaguard focuses on technology to differentiate brand, rethinks communication strategy.
Recent easing of restrictions does not address the pain in the sector.
While we wait for Batra's latest to drop on Amazon Prime Video on February 11, Sukanya Verma looks at how Bollywood has dealt with affairs of the heart over the years.
Asserting that "the BJP first set Hindus against Muslims", Badal said the party has "become the most powerful divisive force", out to "replay its evil game in Punjab".
Strongly opposing major reforms announced by the Centre, key United Progressive Alliance constituent Trinamool Congress on Friday set a 72-hour deadline to the government to withdraw decision on multi-brand retail and diesel price hike.
Leaders of that party are now scared of contesting from constituencies dominated by majority population
Labelling All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal as the 'enemy of Assam', state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday asserted that he is an extremist in protecting Indian and the Assamese culture.
The only thing that may salvage Narendra Modi's trip to the US is his meetings with CEOs, such as those of Blackstone, First Solar, Qualcomm, Adobe, and General Atomics, asserts Rajeev Srinivasan.
Rattan Keswani has been appointed as the president of Trident Hotels to take the brand to the international market. The West Asian market is one area where the group would actively look to establish its brand, besides China, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
So who stands to benefit the most by a weak Opposition? What's behind the sudden public spat between the two parties?
The move to open multi-brand retail to foreign direct investment may run into rough weather, with key Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states, as well as some constituent parties of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, rejecting or being ambivalent towards the proposed policy.
Laxman Chandra Seth, believed by the vast population of the area to have been the villain of the historic anti-farmland acquisition movement in 2007, said the two built their political careers by misleading the innocent people of Nandigram. Now their lies are back to haunt them.
If the alliance works out as planned, it will give a big boost to Mahindra, as it has been struggling with its only car model Verito, managing to sell around 200 units a month
Remember the US withdrawal agreement was signed in February 2020. In the intervening period, a proper evacuation plan ought to have been in place. It was not. Consequently, tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked as interpreters, drivers, suppliers of goods and services, etc, face brutal retribution from the Taliban, Virendra Kapoor points out.
The RJD chief rapped the BJP for "sensing an opportunity to destabilise the Grand Alliance government in Bihar" and asserted that the coalition was "intact".