A working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) reveals a continuous decline in the rate at which foreign-owned firms invest in fixed assets in India since the FY20 peak, contrasting with a steady increase from Indian business groups.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated that the central bank consistently views fintechs as 'valuable partners' in shaping India's future financial system, crediting the sector with expanding financial inclusion, enhancing customer experience, and streamlining credit delivery, particularly for MSMEs.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for the establishment of a Supreme Court bench in South India to improve accessibility to justice. Speaking at a conference on Artificial Intelligence in the judiciary, he also highlighted the need to address algorithmic bias and ensure judicial independence in the age of AI.
'...A new challenge has emerged in the form of Mythos.'
Axis Bank MD & CEO Amitabh Chaudhry has cautioned that the surge in FCNR(B) deposits could lead to 'abnormal lending' as banks seek to deploy excess liquidity, while also hinting at a potential interest rate hike in the near future.
Barclays Global Service Centre India MD & CEO Praveen Kumar has urged Indian banks to modernise their technology architecture and build AI-based defence systems to counter emerging cyber threats posed by AI tools.
'My suggestion to Nandan Nilekani is that it would be worthwhile for him to take a holistic review in a manner in which examination is just one critical component.'
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged BRICS nations to expand trade in national currencies and build an inclusive global economic framework. He criticised "unilateral sanctions" by Western powers, stating they make emerging economies vulnerable and impact global food security. Pezeshkian emphasised BRICS' role in creating a balanced world order and highlighted Iran's geopolitical and energy capacities for cooperation.
The CEO of the National Health Authority, Sunil Kumar Barnwal, highlighted BRICS nations' shared aspiration for connected, patient-centric, and resilient healthcare systems through digital health infrastructure and responsible AI. Discussions at the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' meeting focused on overcoming challenges like limited interoperability and workforce constraints, with countries like Brazil and Indonesia sharing successful digital health initiatives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's strong bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games and detailed plans for a nationwide talent hunt for children aged 5 to 15 to ensure significant participation and success in the event. He highlighted the success of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and India's growing presence in global sports.
A PwC India report highlights that the competitiveness of India's industrial manufacturing sector hinges on the seamless integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business strategies and operations. The report indicates that a significant majority of Indian manufacturers view AI as crucial for achieving strategic goals and are accelerating automation across various functions to build intelligent enterprises and gain sustainable competitive advantage.
As the government faces a difficult choice in keeping up with the rest of the world in AI development while making sure it does not add to unemployment, it has set up a task force to draw up a policy for the accelerated deployment of AI
'Companies are getting selective about what they pay a premium for.'
IBS Group has launched Naviq Technology, an artificial intelligence company dedicated to the global travel industry, backed by a substantial USD 500 million investment over the next five years. The new venture aims to partner with major travel players to drive business transformations, modernise operations, and leverage AI for new revenue streams, with plans for significant job creation in India.
'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.'
Cognizant's Chief AI Officer, Babak Hodjat, highlights India's unique position in AI enablement due to its strong technology foundation and large pool of digitally skilled people. He emphasises the continued importance of developers in the age of AI and Cognizant's focus on becoming an 'AI builder' company.
'India is vulnerable to the West Asia crisis in three ways: Energy costs, the business Indian companies conduct in the region, and remittances from the Indian diaspora.'
Cognizant's Chief AI Officer, Babak Hodjat, discusses India's unique position in AI enablement due to its strong technology foundation and skilled workforce, emphasising the continued importance of developers in the age of AI-generated code.
A delegation of Indian startup founders and leaders visited the UK to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence and technology, aiming to strengthen the India-UK innovation corridor.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced a global partnership with AI major Anthropic to help enterprises accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence, including equipping 50,000 TCS employees with Anthropic's Claude AI models.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw indicates India may require a new legal framework for Artificial Intelligence, as the current IT law predates AI's rapid emergence. The government aims to balance innovation with regulation, engaging with the industry to ensure citizen safety while fostering technological growth.
Anil Menon, a NASA astronaut of Indian descent, is embarking on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station. A former US Space Force colonel and emergency medicine physician, Menon will conduct vital experiments on the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight, develop in-space medical technologies, and research semiconductor crystal production, contributing significantly to future deep-space missions and advanced technology.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel addressed AI Manthan 2.0, advocating for the comprehensive integration of Artificial Intelligence across all university subjects rather than as a standalone course. She urged universities to develop clear, time-bound AI roadmaps covering education, research, healthcare, and agriculture, emphasising indigenous AI development, employment creation, and the importance of "Safe and Trusted AI." The event also saw the formation of an AI Policy Advisory Group and an AI Implementation Group to drive these initiatives.
'All these reports and announcements by the US seem like attempts to gain a lever in trade deal negotiations with India.'
Cybersecurity specialists warn AI-driven attacks require continuous threat monitoring instead of periodic security checks.
rediffGURU Pradeep Pramanik, a career coach, placement consultant and director at Fast Track Career Consultants, guides aspirants on how to pick the right career stream and college after the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam.
'ChatGPT for Teens brings together learning and safety features in one unified experience, supporting active, collaborative learning outside the classroom while enabling more intentional and age-appropriate use of AI.'
The retro hair, the vintage clothing, that's not the real charm of these images. It's the ability to look at a screen and create the one thing modern technology has never been able to give us: the tactile, imperfect feeling of memory, points out Kaleem Ullah Fasihi.
Indian companies LTM and Mastek announced new international partnerships for cloud, AI, and digital transformation. Jio BlackRock AMC launched a new hybrid fund. NMIMS partnered with Coursera for AI-enabled learning, and MakeMyTrip Foundation rebuilt a flood-damaged school in Manali.
Artificial intelligence major Anthropic has reinstated access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models after the US government lifted export controls imposed due to national security concerns over a "jailbreak" vulnerability. The company has implemented new safeguards and is collaborating with major tech firms to develop a framework for addressing AI model vulnerabilities. India, a significant market for Anthropic, will see Fable 5 available globally, while Mythos 5 access expands under Project Glasswing.
The Indian government is integrating artificial intelligence into the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) 2.0 to enhance crime tracking, criminal profiling, and predictive policing across the country.
BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have called for increased representation of emerging-market and developing economies in the IMF and World Bank, while also criticising unilateral tariffs and trade measures, as the expanded bloc aims to bolster financial cooperation amidst global fragmentation.
Higher US Treasury yields, particularly the 10-year yield approaching 5 per cent, pose a significant near-term risk to global equity markets, including India, potentially triggering a 'big correction' according to market strategists.
'The fundamental issue that I have raised, how come India's GDP in current prices went down from Rs 86 lakh crore down to Rs 80 lakh crore -- a staggering erasure of Rs 6 lakh crore. This disappearance of Rs 6 lakh crore has not been answered by anyone.'
Shiprocket plans to allocate a significant portion of its IPO proceeds towards artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to evolve its e-commerce enablement platform into a comprehensive operating system for merchants, enabling conversational commands and reducing manual tasks.
The National Medical Commission is emphasising the importance of preparing doctors and healthcare systems for the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for ethical and equitable AI adoption in healthcare.
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has commenced an investigation into Rajesh Exports concerning a 15.15 trillion financial misstatement, following a referral from market regulator Sebi.
Gaudium IVF and Women Health Limited has introduced artificial intelligence-led infertility treatment in India, integrating advanced embryology tools into routine clinical practice. The AI integration includes systems such as SiD (Sperm Identification Device) and ERICA (Embryo Ranking Intelligent Classification Assistant) to improve precision in key stages of the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) process.
Gaudium IVF and Women Health Limited has introduced artificial intelligence-led infertility treatment in India, integrating advanced embryology tools into routine clinical practice. The AI integration includes systems such as SiD (Sperm Identification Device) and ERICA (Embryo Ranking Intelligent Classification Assistant) to improve precision in key stages of the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) process.
Wipro is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) and Cloud computing to earn more from its biggest contributor - the banking, financial services & insurance (BFSI) sector - which brought in 35 per cent of the revenue in FY23. The Bengaluru-headquartered firm also expects its consultancy arm Capco to aid in its vision. "Over the past few years, we have made significant investments in the BFSI sector and have improved our talent, capabilities, and processes in this space - both through organic investments and with the addition of Capco," Suzanne Dann, Wipro's chief executive officer for Americas 2 said.
