HCLTech has launched 'HCLTech Pulse', a new business unit designed to help enterprises with annual revenues between USD 500 million and USD 5 billion accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence and modernise their technology infrastructure, targeting a USD 400 billion global market opportunity.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for enhanced accountability and safeguards for artificial intelligence, particularly as it integrates into critical sectors like finance. Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest, she highlighted the dual nature of AI, capable of accelerating transactions but also amplifying fraud and cyberattacks. Sitharaman stressed the need for human and institutional responsibility in AI-driven decisions, urging regulators and companies to scrutinise high-risk AI applications. She also proposed a federated industry platform for Indian tech companies to navigate international regulations and ensure tax compliance globally.
BRICS leaders, in their New Delhi Declaration 2026, have called for wider access to Artificial Intelligence resources and stronger international cooperation to ensure the technology is safe, secure, inclusive, and reliable. The declaration outlines a broad technology agenda covering AI, cybersecurity, digital public infrastructure, telecom, quantum technologies, and advanced manufacturing, committing to implement the grouping's statement on 'Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence'.
The Haldwani forest division has launched India's first AI-based forest acoustic surveillance system. This innovative technology uses AI, acoustic sensors, and long-range wireless communication to detect illegal logging, poaching, and other suspicious activities in real-time, even in remote areas. Powered by solar energy, the system provides continuous monitoring, significantly enhancing forest protection, wildlife conservation, and biodiversity monitoring efforts.
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.
The Karnataka government is collaborating with ElevenLabs to explore pilot projects using voice AI across various sectors including skilling, investment promotion, healthcare, culture, and citizen services. This initiative aims to leverage advanced AI to enhance accessibility and efficiency of government services, with a strong focus on responsible AI use and safeguards against misinformation.
Three labourers were arrested in Surat for allegedly throwing stones at the Vande Bharat Express, damaging windows but causing no injuries. The accused, who claimed they acted "for fun," were identified via CCTV footage and booked under the Railways Act.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced plans to strengthen the state police's Cyberdome to combat cybersecurity threats and deploy indigenously developed robots for traffic management and disaster response. He emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address growing cyber challenges and protect critical infrastructure, while also highlighting the role of the CoCoN conference in sharing knowledge.
Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the death of a girl student after a lighting truss collapsed during a Dandiya event at an engineering college in Nadergul, Hyderabad. The incident on October 17 injured 22 students, with one succumbing to injuries. Preliminary investigations suggest negligence in the truss's construction.
Boeing has identified a software issue in some 737 MAX planes that could disengage the automated flight guidance system after a missed landing approach. The company is developing a permanent solution and has advised operators on interim procedures. Indian carriers Air India Express and Akasa Air operate these aircraft, with Akasa Air stating no impact on their safety.
The Bombay High Court has quashed a 2016 FIR against a teacher and college management in connection with the drowning of 14 students off Murud beach. The court ruled that the victims were adults capable of understanding the consequences of their actions and found no gross negligence by the teachers. It also called for better implementation of safety norms at beaches.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT,M) have developed a novel "morphing skin" concept for aircraft wings, inspired by bird flight. This adaptive external skin dynamically reshapes in real time to prevent aerodynamic stalls, enhance lift, reduce drag, and significantly improve aircraft safety and fuel efficiency. The technology holds promise for commercial aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and defence applications.
Police in Palghar, Maharashtra, seized banned tobacco products and pan masala worth Rs 49.24 lakh from a tempo on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. The vehicle's driver was arrested, and a case was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has condemned the firing incident on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff's car in Mumbai, raising concerns about the safety of film personalities. The incident, which injured Shroff's driver and an autorickshaw driver, is the second such attack on a film personality, prompting calls for immediate investigation and action from authorities. The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has reportedly claimed responsibility, and three suspects were detained on Monday.
India's Engineering Research and Development (ER&D) sector is projected to exceed USD 100 billion in revenue by 2030, driven significantly by the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into engineering workflows. This growth, highlighted by Nasscom, positions India as a critical global engineering hub, necessitating focus on talent development and strategic partnerships.
A three-year-old girl in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, was mauled to death by a stray dog while playing in her home's courtyard on Thursday evening. Manisha Bhabhar sustained severe injuries and was declared dead at the district hospital. Police are investigating the incident.
Police in Latur, Maharashtra, have appealed to minor girl students who may have been sexually harassed by the founder of Adarsh International School, Bashir Usman Shaikh, to come forward. Shaikh was arrested on Wednesday under the POCSO Act, and authorities assure protection and confidentiality for victims.
IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh undertook a flying sortie with NCC cadet Jakkula Tejasvi Reddy on October 20 at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. This special flight, part of Singh's final sorties before superannuation, aimed to familiarise the cadet with aviation and encourage defence careers, aligning with the 'Viksit Bharat -2047' vision.
AI4Bharat at IIT Madras and Josh Talks AI have launched 'Voice of India', a multimodal AI evaluation platform designed to assess AI systems against Indian conditions, languages, accents, and dialects. This platform aims to provide scientifically rigorous, India-specific evaluations, covering areas like Voice AI, large language models, document processing, safety, cultural appropriateness, and Indian legal reasoning, to build trust and enable informed deployment decisions.
A man named Shahad was arrested in Varkala, Kerala, for allegedly sexually harassing a British woman tourist late on Sunday night. The woman reported the incident to the police on Monday morning, leading to the arrest of the accused, who was identified with the help of a video.
India's largest bank, SBI, is investigating the suspected exposure of 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information on the dark web. The bank received alerts on October 16 and has initiated cyber incident response protocols, engaging an independent cybersecurity agency. While a detailed assessment is underway, SBI states the incident has not materially impacted its core business operations. This comes as CERT-In also warned last week about autonomous AI agents accessing confidential data and reported a compromise of eMudhra's private keys.
Three children, aged seven to ten, drowned in an allegedly illegal sand excavation pit filled with rainwater in Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday afternoon. One person, Pintu Jamra, has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for allegedly digging the uncovered pit on government land. The incident sparked protests from the children's relatives, who blocked a road before being pacified by district officials.
India is strategically positioned to develop a robust domestic semiconductor ecosystem, driven by increasing electronics consumption, strong government support through incentives, and a global shift in supply chains. Boston Consulting Group Managing Director Ankush Wadhera highlights India's potential as a safe haven for investments, with the AI boom further fuelling demand for advanced chips. The nation aims to expand its capabilities across the entire semiconductor value chain, attracting significant global and domestic investments.
Authorities in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, raided Sapna Dairy and seized significant quantities of adulterated paneer, desi ghee, cream, and other food ingredients. The raid followed a tip-off, leading to the recovery of 10 quintals of paneer and other items. Samples have been sent for testing, and an FIR is being registered against the dairy operator.
Schaeffler India CEO Harsha Kadam has been arrested in connection with a fatal gas leak at the company's Pune facility in June, which resulted in the deaths of two workers. Kadam is the eighth person arrested in the case, facing charges including culpable homicide. The incident occurred during unauthorised maintenance work on a CO2 fire suppression system.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a woman IPS officer has been formed in Latur, Maharashtra, to probe the alleged sexual assault of minor schoolgirls by Bashir Usman Shaikh, founder of Adarsh International School. Shaikh was arrested earlier this week under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO Act. The SIT is investigating further potential victims and urging students to report abuse without fear.
Three men, including Adhin Das Mohle, cousin of BJP MLA Punnu Lal Mohle, were killed in Mungeli district on Thursday when a speeding mini goods vehicle ran over them during their morning walk. Police have registered a case and are searching for the unidentified driver.
Maharashtra Cyber has arrested Phannendra Balkrishna Pamarti, a 34-year-old Bengaluru resident, for allegedly stalking and harassing a female stand-up comedian through multiple Instagram accounts. The comedian had lodged a complaint about persistent online harassment, leading to an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act sections. Investigators used cyber-forensic tools to trace and arrest the accused.
An Australian public servant of Indian origin, Suyash Sinha, has been arrested and denied bail in Canberra for allegedly stalking a woman and threatening to use government databases to obtain information about her and her family. Sinha, who became an Australian citizen last week, is accused of continuing to harass the woman after she rejected his advances, even claiming he could access her family's details through government systems. The case has been adjourned to November 4.
The Haryana Congress has strongly criticised the BJP government's two-year tenure in the state, alleging widespread misgovernance, unfulfilled election promises, a surge in crime, and rampant corruption. Senior Congress leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja, highlighted issues faced by farmers, traders, and youth, demanding accountability and a white paper on the government's performance.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has sent an athlete back from the Asian Para Games in Japan due to alleged misconduct. The athlete faces severe disciplinary action, including a potential lifetime ban, after the Games conclude. The PCI reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards misconduct and emphasised its commitment to discipline and integrity.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the state government's firm support for power employees, pledging to challenge the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission's (HERC) decision to grant a parallel electricity distribution licence to a private company for Gurugram and Nuh districts before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). The government is appealing to unions to defer their planned three-day strike while making arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
'Applying AI to change the lives of Indians and at population scale -- just like we did with DPI [digital public infrastructure] -- is really where it's going to go.'
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan have strongly criticised the Maharashtra government, particularly Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. They cited recent incidents like the firing at actor Tiger Shroff and the murder of a Shiv Sena worker, demanding a "regime change" and accountability from the government.
A Delhi court has upheld the conviction of Yatin Sharma in a 2013 fatal road accident case in Hauz Khas, rejecting his appeal and plea for probation. The court emphasised that high-speed vehicular negligence resulting in death warrants custodial sentences to ensure public safety and deterrence, directing Sharma to surrender within 30 days.
A principal of a private inter college in Muzaffarnagar was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a Class 11 girl student on the premises. Police registered a case under the BNS Act and POCSO Act following a complaint from the girl's mother.
Indigenous smartphone brand Ai+ has announced a Rs 100 crore bug bounty program over five years, inviting independent researchers to identify and address security vulnerabilities. This initiative, named Project Trust+, aims to foster a collaborative environment with the tech community to enhance the safety and resilience of Ai+ products, reflecting the company's commitment to transparent and collaborative security development.
A man has been arrested in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for allegedly raping a three-year-old girl. The accused, Pramanand Dhruv, was known to the victim's family and was apprehended after the girl's father filed a complaint. He faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act.
A Class 9 student was found dead near her home in Dumka, Jharkhand, with police suspecting she was raped and murdered. Her body was discovered on Friday night after she went missing from home. Police have launched an investigation and sent the body for post-mortem.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Boeing 787's electrical systems during its probe into the fatal Air India crash of June 2025. This call follows concerns raised by the Foundation of Aviation Safety regarding chronic system failures and the central role of electrical architecture in the B787 design. The crash, involving a Dreamliner VT-ANB, killed 260 people, and FIP emphasizes the need for detailed examination of all electrical and electronically controlled systems.
