India's economic engine is revving up, but navigating the global headwinds requires sharp strategy. The rupee's recent volatility against the dollar underscores the complexities facing Indian businesses, impacting everything from import-export trade to domestic inflation. This week alone, we've seen significant shifts in the IT sector, with major players announcing restructuring and a renewed focus on AI-driven solutions. Meanwhile, the burgeoning startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial funding, despite a cautious global investor sentiment. The government's recent policy announcements on infrastructure development and digitalization are poised to further shape the business landscape, creating both opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and established corporations alike. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for success in today's rapidly evolving Indian economy. Stay informed with Abtak.com for the latest insights and analysis on key sectors including finance, manufacturing, and technology – empowering your business decisions in a dynamic market. Explore the complete business news section now to stay ahead of the curve.
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), in partnership with NITI Aayog and the World Bank as a knowledge partner, organised a two-day National Workshop entitled "Using Alternate Data Sources and Frontier Technologies for Policy Making." This event took place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on June 5 and 6. The National Workshop concluded with a Valedictory Session on 6 June. Also Read | UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy Meets PM Narendra Modi, Expresses Support for India's Fight Against Cross Border Terrorism (See Pics). According to the release, the Valedictory Session was graced by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to GoI as the Chief Guest; Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, D/o Science and Technology; Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI and P.R. Meshram, Director General, MoSPI. The two-day workshop was attended by over 450 participants from central ministries, state governments, international organisations, including the World Bank, academic and research institutions, and private sector entities. In his address, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to GoI and the Chief Guest of the event, emphasised that alternate data sources and frontier technologies are increasingly becoming critical for policy making. These high-frequency indicators are more dynamic and offer timely insights, enabling policies to be more agile and responsive. While traditional data sources reflect where we have been, the alternative data sources indicate where we are heading. He added that though alternative data sources provide real-time information at a much granular level, they cannot replace traditional data sources. He emphasised the need for the best policy, which blends both traditional and alternative data sources. Also Read | Latur Shocker: Man Kidnaps Woman's Child for Rejecting His Proposal for Affair in Maharashtra, Arrested. He highlighted various use cases where alternate data sources have been effectively used. He stressed the need for collaboration between the Government, academia, researchers, industry and international organisations for the effective use of new technologies. He also called for the ethical deployment of AI and said that data security and privacy concerns cannot be compromised. Further, he asserted that the development of the techno-legal framework for Digital Public Infrastructure is a gift of India to the World. Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, D/o Science and Technology, in his address, remarked that the policy-making process is a complex exercise which involves gathering of data, consultation with stakeholders and drawing insights. AI/ML has facilitated the timely processing of data for designing actionable policies. In this age and time, the challenge is not to collect data but to make sense of the data. The real challenge lies in addressing issues relating to data privacy, data security, regulatory framework, and institutional readiness. He emphasised the need for an institutionalised hybrid data ecosystem which has equal place for both traditional and alternative data sources. Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, MoSPI, in his address emphasised the need to foster collaboration with various stakeholders for developing a robust statistical system to address the data needs for policy making. He opined that as survey data becomes available with a time lag, alternative data sources can be used to supplement traditional data sources for policy making in real time. While quoting the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, he emphasised that for statistical purposes best combination of the four data sources, namely surveys, censuses, administrative records and alternate data sources, may be drawn with quality and timeliness, along with limiting cost and respondent burden. He expected that in the next 3-6 months, MoSPI would be able to implement some of the use cases that have been identified to harness alternate data sources and the application of frontier technologies. He thanked the World Bank for conceptualising and NITI Aayog for collaborating with MoSPI in organising this workshop and expressed that India will be at the forefront of integrating alternate data sources and frontier technologies in the National Statistical Frameworks. In the welcome address, P.R. Meshram, Director General (Data Governance), expressed gratitude to NITI Aayog, World Bank, and other participants for their active involvement during the two-day event. He added that the workshop has not only deepened our understanding of the challenges in the integration of alternate data sources in the statistical system of the country, but also helped chart out the solutions to the challenges. The key highlights of the four technical sessions on the subjects, viz, AI and Data Science for Official Statistics; Mobile Phone Data for Tourism Statistics; Geo-spatial Data for Sampling, Ocean Accounting and Data Dissemination and Scanner data for CPI compilation held during Workshop were also discussed during the valedictory session along with key takeaways. Some of the salient points of the technical sessions are as under: Technical sessions on the subject started with setting the context for the use of AI and data science in official statistics and identifying key stakeholders. Way forward for National Statistics Office, considering the stage it is in, i.e. from pilot stage to production stage, was discussed during the session. Abhishek Singh, CEO, India AI and Debjani Ghosh, Chief Architect, Frontier Tech Hub, NITI Aayog, Ankit Bose, Head AI, NASSCOM, Prof. Balaraman Ravindran, IIT-Madras, Richard Campbell, UK ONS, and Thomas Danielewitz, Malar Veerappan, Shreya Dutt from World Bank were among the key speakers. Technical Sessions on the subject also focused on discussion to devise a methodological framework using mobile phone data for tourism statistics tailored to Indian needs and covered relevant issues like data privacy and regulatory challenges. Use-cases from other countries for tourism, urban mobility and infrastructure assessment were discussed during the technical session. Safi A. Rizvi, Advisor, NDMA, Siim Esko, International Project Development Lead, Positium, Esperanza Magpantay, Senior Statistician, International Telecommunication Union, Titi Kanti Lestari, Atma Jaya University, Indonesia, Asit Kadyan, D/o Telecommunication, GoI and Sagar Mathur, Vice President, Airtel, were among the key speakers. Technical Sessions on Geo-spatial Data for Sampling, Ocean Accounting and Data Dissemination of the workshop highlighted the transformative potential of geospatial technologies in enhancing official statistics, with a focus on updating sampling frames in urban areas, improving data collection, integration, and dissemination. The latter part of the technical session was devoted to exploring the application of geospatial data in ocean accounting. The session featured enriching presentations and discussions by Richard Campbell, Deputy Director, UK Office for National Statistics; Kate Hess, Solution Engineer, ESRI; Srikant Shastri, Chairperson, Geospatial Data Promotion & Development Committee; Anija Shukla, Environment Specialist, World Bank; Rashmi Verma, Co-Founder, MapMyIndia, along with experts from NRSC, INCOIS, NCCR and various academic and research institutions. Speakers demonstrated advanced geospatial tools integrated with AI techniques for feature extraction, change detection, and spatial stratification, showcasing use cases that illustrated the value of GIS-AI convergence for dynamic visualisations, real-time dashboards, and evidence-based policymaking. Technical sessions on the subject covered concepts and methodologies related to scanner data, web scraping techniques, requisite IT infrastructure and other available alternative data sources for integration in Consumer Price Index (CPI). Key speakers in the session were Federico Polidoro, World Bank; Luigi Palumbo from the Bank of Italy, Prof. Himanshu from JNU, Dr. Aditi Chaubal from IIT Bombay, Anand Agarwal from V-Mart, Sonu Shah from Nielsen IQ and many others from industry and academic organisations. Sessions provided valuable insights for accelerating MoSPI's ongoing efforts for the integration of alternative data sources, particularly scanner data and e-commerce data in CPI compilation methodology. The workshop concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Ashutosh Ojha, DDG, MoSPI. He expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest, other dignitaries, participants from Multilateral agencies, industries, academia, researchers, as well as officers from both central and state governments for gracing the event. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], December 2: The IVCA GreenReturns Summit 2024 commenced today in New Delhi, convening over 400 visionaries, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to chart a transformative path for India's green economy. The Summit is dedicated to aligning India's climate goals with its trillion-dollar economic aspirations for a 'Viksit Bharat,' spotlighting high-impact investment opportunities, addressing funding gaps, and driving actionable solutions for net-zero and climate adaptation. Also Read | Mamata Banerjee Says West Bengal Yet To Get INR 14,000 Crore From Centre for Supply of ...Read More >
nion Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje cited statistics in the Lok Sabha on Monday to show that youth unemployment rates in India were lower than global levels. The minister cited a report by the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Institute for Human Development (IHD) which states that the worldwide youth unemployment rate was 15.6 per cent in 2021. Further, as per World Employment and Social Outlook Trends, 2024 by ILO, globally, in 2023, the youth unemployment rate was 13.3 per cent. On the other hand, the latest annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS ...Read More >
Affinidi's IDC InfoBrief explores challenges faced by digital-native businesses in delivering customer value through data. It highlights the importance of hyper-personalisation and data privacy as businesses transition to Experience-Orchestrated models, particularly in Asia. The report stresses the necessity of holistic identity management for competitive advantage. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, Affinidi has unveiled an IDC InfoBrief, showcasing the vital need for businesses to adopt Experience-Orchestrated (X-O) strategies. The report, based on a survey of digital-native businesse ...Read More >
* Commoditisation and similarity of products and services with competitors will have the most significant impact on how businesses deliver customer experiences over the next two years, according to the latest IDC InfoBrief commissioned by Affinidi * However, businesses who are looking to hyper-personalise their products as a competitive differentiator are facing several obstacles in addressing the privacy-personalisation dilemma, with 56% of them highlighting data collection and management to be a key challenge. * To truly enhance customer experiences through more personalised insights, they m ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (VOICE) White collar hiring in India grew 6 per cent in the festive season (October and November), driven by strong growths in key non-IT sectors, a report showed on Tuesday.The sectors like Oil and Gas (+16 per cent), Pharma/Biotech (+7 per cent), FMCG (+7 per cent), and real estate (+10 per cent), alongside sustained momentum in emerging domains like AI/ML (+30 per cent) and global capability centres (+11 per cent), according to Naukri JobSpeak Index. While the IT sector has historically been a dominant force in fresher hiring, the current trend shows a significant upsurge ...Read More >
Hit by economic slowdown and poor infrastructure, industrialists from Jharkhand's key industrial districts -- East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, and Seraikela-Kharsawan -- are looking to the newly formed state government for revival and support. The industrial zones of Adityapur, Gamharia, Kandra, and Chandil have been grappling with inadequate infrastructure, including poorly maintained roads, lack of bridges, erratic water supply, and unreliable power. Entrepreneurs in these regions hope the new administration will address these issues and work toward improving the state's industrial ecosystem ...Read More >
, /PRNewswire/ -- WiMi Hologram Cloud Inc. (NASDAQ: WiMi) ("WiMi" or the "Company"), a leading global Hologram Augmented Reality ("AR") Technology provider, today announced that they are exploring a blockchain sharding storage model optimized specifically for the storage needs of multi-view data. Sharding storage is an advanced architecture in blockchain technology that divides the blockchain network into multiple independent "shards," with each shard responsible for processing and storing a portion of the data. This approach can significantly improve the scalability and processing speed of t ...Read More >
Concerned about the targeting of religious minorities in Bangladesh, the Trinamool Congress has urged the Indian government to request United Nations peacekeeping forces be dispatched. Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, citing attacks on Hindus. The silence of the Indian government was criticized. The Trinamool Congress has expressed deep concern over the ongoing targeting of religious minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. On Tuesday, they called upon the central government to request that the United Nations dispatch peacekeeping forces to the countr ...Read More >
In an exclusive interview with FinTech Magazine at Money20/20, Matthew Van Buskirk, Co-founder and CEO of Hummingbird Regtech, discusses how the company is enabling data to be labelled at ease through the use of artificial intelligence. Hummingbird positions itself as an AI enablement company, addressing a critical challenge in the financial sector: the lack of well-labelled, clean training data. "From the day we launched, we saw that deploying effective machine learning or AI capabilities in this industry is incredibly difficult because we don't have clean training data. Instead, we have th ...Read More >
Mumbai, December 4: The domestic benchmark equity indices closed in green on Wednesday as buying was seen in PSU bank and realty sectors. The investors are keenly watching the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting which will announce its decision around the repo rate on Friday. Banking stocks rose amid volatile sessions in the market due to the possibility of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) cut by the central bank. Sensex settled at 80,956.3, higher by 110.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, while the Nifty ended at 24,467.45, up by 10.30 points, or 0.04 per cent. Stock Mark ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted searches at 10 locations in Delhi and surrounding areas in connection with an on-going investigation of a transnational cyber enabled fraud case involving large-scale financial scams. CBI registered the said case under Sections 403 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, based on a written complaint received from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. The complaint alleged that unknown ...Read More >
ISKCON Kolkata has reported ongoing attacks on their monks in Bangladesh to the Indian government, urging intervention. The recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das highlights increasing threats against Hindu religious orders, urging the intervention of both Indian authorities and the United Nations for minority protection. ISKCON Kolkata has reported ongoing attacks on their monks and members in Bangladesh to the Indian government, seeking immediate intervention. The recent arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das underscores the persistent threats faced by Hindu religious orders, includin ...Read More >
Trial conducted over a 118 km Boston metro route with 10 network hops and nine ROADMs. US wireless carrier Verizon has successfully tested the transportation of 1.6 terabits per second of data across a single wavelength on its live metro fiber network. Utilising Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) coherent optical solution, the trial, conducted in Boston, demonstrated data travelling farther and faster across Verizon's fiber network. This upgrade enhances the network's ability to handle the workloads generated by artificial intelligence (AI) applications, particularly Generative AI, according ...Read More >
Chandigarh [India], December 3 (ANI): Punjab Legislative Assembly Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday, slammed the BJP-led central government for neglecting the interests of farmers in Punjab and Haryana. Bajwa's scathing attack comes amidst growing discontent among farmers in the region, who feel their concerns have been ignored by the ruling party. "Ever since the BJP government has come to power, they have not taken a single decision that is in the interest of the farmers of India, especially the farmers of Punjab and Haryana. It is their fundamental rig ...Read More >
ISKCON Kolkata has raised concerns with India over ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu communities in Bangladesh, following the arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. ISKCON Kolkata has seriously raised concerns with the Indian government over the ongoing persecution of its monks and Hindu religious communities in Bangladesh. This is after the recent arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a development that is very worrying in light of a series of attacks on members of the Hindu Vaishnavite order and other minority communities. ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharaman Das shared with PTI that ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Vodafone Idea has launched an AI-powered Spam SMS solution to protect users from unwanted messages and potential fraud. The technology uses machine learning to detect and flag spam in real-time, with over 24 million messages identified since its testing phase. The solution complements existing measures like a user-friendly mobile app for filing complaints and reporting spam. Vi is also working on reducing unwanted voice calls and uses customer feedback for further detection. This initiative aims to provide proactive protection and safeguard customers' digital experience. Vodafone Idea's stock ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 28: Pioneering furniture fittings solutions brand Hettich India is proud to announce that it has been officially certified as a Great Place to Work, a recognition that celebrates the company's unwavering commitment to creating an ecosystem where everybody thrives. Also Read | Diljit Dosanjh Concert in Kolkata 2024: Planning to Attend Dil-Luminati Tour, Don't Miss These 5 Must-Try Local Foods. This honor is especially meaningful, with an overwhelming 95% participation from employees helping Hettich India. It reflects a shared commitment to creating a fam ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 3 (ANI): Producer Ektaa R Kapoor on Tuesday met with Odisha Chief Minister Charan Majhi in Bhubaneshwar. Visuals from the meeting surfaced online in which CM Mohan Charan Majhi and Ektaa could be seen exchanging warm pleasantries. Also Read | 'The Sabarmati Report': Union Home Minister Amit Shah Praises Vikrant Massey Starrer for Revealing the Truth Behind Godhra (View Post). Ektaa also visited Lingaraja Temple and offered prayers there. Notably, on Monday, Ektaa along with the team of 'The Sabarmati Report' attended a special screening of the film wi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 to expand the definition of mineral oils and include petroleum and natural gas passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The bill was introduced by Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri for consideration and passing. The Bill will regulate the exploration and extraction of natural gas and petroleum. The amended bill expands the definition of mineral oils to include petroleum and natural gas in it. Also Read | Pune: Doctors Perform Rare Laser Surgery on Woman Pregnant With Monoam ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheeted another accused in the Magadh (Zone) CPI (Maoist) revival attempts case, the agency said in a statement. Binod Shankar alias Vinod Shankar Singh, a resident of Kaimur district of Bihar, is the 6th accused to be chargesheeted in the case, the agency said. The chargesheet was filed on Monday. Also Read | Pune: Doctors Perform Rare Laser Surgery on Woman Pregnant With Monoamniotic Twins To Save Healthy Foetus at KEM Hospital. A supplementary chargesheet has been filed against him under various sections o ...Read More >
Still, the ongoing U.N. climate talks have thrown a spotlight on their efforts to tackle global warming. While the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is tasked with agreeing a goal to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars for climate, leaders of the Group of 20 major economies half a world away in Rio are holding the purse strings. G20 countries account for 85% of the world's economy and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping to steer climate finance. "The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," U.N. Secretary Ge ...Read More >
New Delhi, November 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government at the Centre has strengthened the spirit of the Constitution over the last 10 years. Addressing the Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court, PM Modi highlighted that in the last 10 years, more than 53 crore bank accounts were opened, more than 4 crore pukka houses were given and more than 10 crore free gas connections were given. "In the last 5-6 years, by providing tap water facilities in more than 12 crore houses, the government made the lives of citizens easy, particularly of women," he sai ...Read More >
As businesses increasingly adopt AI, customizing large language models (LLMs) like GPT and Claude is key to meeting industry-specific needs. Techniques like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and in-context learning are gaining popularity. RAG enables real-time data retrieval, ideal for tasks requiring up-to-date information, while in-context learning provides guidance within the task prompt. Recent advancements in LLMs, such as larger context windows, offer new possibilities but also present challenges, including cost and efficiency. A hybrid approach combining RAG and long-context models m ...Read More >
The Indian government has announced a 375km rail network expansion, aimed at enhancing economic growth and connectivity in North Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. With a total cost of approximately Rs79.27bn ($1.05bn), these projects are aimed to be completed within four years. Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, detailed the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs' approval of three railway infrastructure projects. The projects include the Jalgaon-Manmad fourth line (160 km), Bhusawal-Khandwa third and fourth lines (131km), and the Prayagraj (Iradatganj)-Manikpur thir ...Read More >
Cybercrime is quickly increasing in India, with reports surfacing daily about victims losing large sums of money to scammers. These scammers often use tactics like threatening a "digital arrest" to instill fear and pressure individuals into transferring money. They typically operate from foreign countries to evade capture by law enforcement. The Indian government, including Prime Minister Modi, is actively raising awareness about these scams. Recently, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a warning to the public regarding international fraud calls. They advised people to be caut ...Read More >
ICICI Lombard partners with Arya.ai to leverage the Arya Apex AI platform, resulting in 98% workflow automation and enhanced customer satisfaction. This collaboration sets a new standard in the insurance industry by significantly boosting operational speed, scalability, and customer experience in just three months. ICICI Lombard, a major player in the Indian private-sector insurance market, has teamed up with Arya.ai, a leader in AI-driven enterprise solutions. Together, they are revolutionizing the industry with Arya Apex, an all-encompassing AI API platform that has achieved a remarkable 98 ...Read More >
The University of Bath is named one of the world's top 150 universities by the QS World University Rankings 2025 Offering leading MSc programmes, the University of Bath School of Management excels in combining world-class education with real-world learning opportunities. The University of Bath's School of Management is rapidly gaining international recognition as one of the United Kingdom's premier business schools. This prestigious university is first in Marketing, second in Accounting and Finance, second in Business and Management Studies in the UK according to The Complete University Guid ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 19 (ANI): Special measures, including the use of water sprinklers, have been implemented at the Delhi Zoo to combat air pollution and ensure that wild animals are not adversely affected. The Director of the National Zoological Park, Dr. Sanjeet Kumar, on Monday, highlighted the challenges faced by zoo management during winter. Speaking to ANI, Dr. Kumar said, "As soon as the winter season begins, the zoo management faces two challenges. First, the pollution levels rise after Diwali, and second, the onset of winter... The area around the zoo is very green, and loca ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 29 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party MPs on Friay staged a protest in the premises of the Parliament, alleging deteriorating law and order situation in the national capital. The protest was held by AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and other party leaders. On Thursday, an explosion was reported in Delhi's Prashant Vihar on Thursday. Fire tenders were at rushed to the site and teams of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos Delhi Police Crime Branch, Special Cell and Bomb Disposal Squad also reached. A high alert was sounded in the national capital afte ...Read More >