Tensions began soon after Indian authorities proposed flying the American black-box experts to a remote military facility, even as US officials intervened, citing safety and security risks.
'AAIB preliminary report was more detailed than most people were expecting.'
Aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan claims human error led to the Air India plane crash and calls for more transparency in the AAIB's preliminary report.
A preliminary investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad reveals that both fuel switches were cut off before the crash, followed by pilot confusion. The report also indicates that fuel samples were satisfactory and no immediate action is recommended for Boeing 787-8 operators.
'Visualise those 15 to 18 seconds: Fully loaded aircraft, pilot manually controlling with both hands (no autopilot immediately after takeoff), looking forward while switches are behind.'
Pilot groups have accused the AAIB of portraying the pilots as responsible for the incident, with vague and selective presentation of cockpit conversations.
'In multi-pilot operations, no critical switch can be moved without the other pilot's consent.'
GE, Alstom land $5.6 billion deals to supply Indian Railways
Days before Diwali, the monthly economic review by the finance ministry has highlighted moderation in urban demand, softening consumer sentiments and limited footfall as areas that need to be watched. In its review, released on Monday, the ministry also noted the early signs of artificial intelligence displacing workers, as described in anecdotal reports. The commentary from several large consumer goods companies, including Nestl India, Hindustan Unilever, and ITC, in their recent quarterly earnings, has been around a sluggish urban demand. Rural consumption, however, has mostly seen a revival, the companies pointed out.
The change in leadership at the railway ministry comes at a time when the national transporter is grappling with low passenger earnings even as it is trying to increase freight loading and open up its doors to private investment. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took charge from Piyush Goyal who got the railway portfolio in 2017 after Prime Minister Narendra Modii dropped Suresh Prabhu from the Union Cabinet. Completing freight corridors, negotiating land for the bullet train, and speeding up monetisation plans would be some of the major focus areas for Vaishnaw.
Kumar will succeed Dinesh Keskar, who returned to Boeing Commercial Airplanes earlier this year.
GE has drawn up plans to make India a global sourcing hub for all its core businesses. It has decided to develop and manufacture products locally for global markets and partner in large-scale projects in areas such as energy, water, aviation and rail transport.
Bids for the proposed Rs 1,290-crore (Rs 12.9 billion) Madhepura electric locomotive factory in Bihar will be opened next week, say railway ministry officials.
GE India managed revenues of $2.6 billion (about Rs 130 billion) in 2007 and is hopeful of meeting its target of $8 billion (about Rs 400 billion) by 2010. Key projects in the transportation and nuclear power sector are expected to help it reach that target, says Vice-Chairman John G Rice.
Six months into his new role, Vishal Wanchoo, president and chief executive officer, GE, South Asia, speaks to Jyoti Mukul about how its horizontal business lines of additives and digital are playing across its verticals.
India is now much ahead of other large railway networks in the world in terms of electrification -- with the US at just 1 per cent, China at 72 per cent and Europe at 60 per cent.
India also went on an overdrive in expanding its military engagement with like-minded countries in its neighbourhood and beyond in the face of China's relentless attempts to become a regional hegemon and establish its primacy in South Asia.
"Lady candidates need not apply." So read the postscript in a job notice from Telco (now Tata Motors) on a notice board in the corridors of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (now Bengaluru), in 1974. Irked, Sudha Murty, who was then pursuing her masters in computer science at the institute, wrote a postcard to JRD Tata, expressing her surprise at this gender discrimination, especially since the Tata Group were pioneers on many fronts. Shortly, Murty became the first woman on the firm's shop floor.
The issue also underscores the growing scrutiny by investors and voting advisory firms of the performance of board members.
The reason for digital and IT interventions increasingly being adopted is not just the change in ways commuters move but also the mode on which this transport moves, says Jyoti Mukul.
With the world's worst outbreak of COVID-19 severely straining the health system in the country, the government has made sweeping changes in the way departments procure medical supplies, including allowing procurement of the same item at different rates.
For nearly seven years, Bhatia served in the first and second George W Bush Administrations, first in the department of commerce and then in the department of transportation, before finally enjoying a more than two-year stint as deputy US trade representative, the senior-most administration position ever served by an Indian American, before he resigned end October last year, to return to the private sector.
From trusted bureaucrat, to Wharton, MNC executive to businessman, and now politician, the man in charge of two weighty ministries is a unique all-rounder with specialist knowledge.
Presenting the Narendra Modi government's maiden Rail Budget, Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda announced setting up of logistic parks and private freight terminals on PPP model.
Three years and Rs 28,710 crore worth of transactions later, it has more than double the number of sellers than Flipkart.
Suresh Prabhu has announced a slew of measures to improve servcies in trains and railway stations
Conformity assessment procedures will be put in place to verify that goods and services sold on e-commerce platforms meet required standards and technical regulations, according to the draft e-commerce policy. The policy, which is under discussion, also stated that actions and things which cannot be done by the online platform entities "can also not be done" by any of its associates and related parties. Government may, from time to time, notify parties which fall in the definition of associates and related parties, it said.
'Prime Minister Modi has initiated a host of reforms in the right direction, and I would like to see that continuing.'
Though the Railways is yet to declare any five-year action plan, it is clear the government is not in a position to hand-hold it for any major expansion or upgrade. The issue, however, is how far the Railways can function within the PPP format. Recent history highlights some of the challenges.
Three major companies, Japanese giant Toshiba, Canadian major Bombardier and GE, are looking at manufacturing wagons and coaches in the country.
Mitsubishi, Itochu, Bombardier, Siemens, GE and Alstom want piece of action.
The policy proposes a single-window platform for facilitation of the Indian software product industry, to help fast-track legal and regulatory issues over import and export, as well as setting up and winding up enterprises.
Auto financiers, which had tightened lending norms in the face of rising defaults last year, may loosen their fists in the wake of the Calcutta high court's order of Wednesday, reaffirming the lender's right to seize vehicles if customers stop repaying loans.
Demand has outstripped capacity, not enough spectrum (in the case of mobile) and maybe not enough on-ground investment to keep data speeds high and voice quality good.
'Wherever in the world there is political instability, those countries are beset with severe crises today. But India is in a much better position than the rest of the world due to the decisions taken by my government in the national interest,' President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament.
GE has refused the supply of crucial equipment needed to make LNG to Tehran. This can hit the $22-bn Indo-Iran deal.
Dr Kanchan Sanyal, health and wellness advisor at Columbia Pacific Communities, a healthcare group, shares some crucial tips to stay safe.
Despite public-private partnership projects announced in several rail budgets, the investment since 2000 has been merely Rs 3,000 crore.
Rediff.com takes a look at the major aviation disasters of recent times.
The Rs 63,000-cr Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor and Rs 14,000-cr CSTM-Panvel suburban corridor are two of the largest projects.
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