Is India ready for the AI revolution? The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, from generative AI tools to sophisticated machine learning algorithms, are transforming industries across the nation. From fintech's burgeoning use of AI-powered fraud detection to the agricultural sector's embrace of precision farming technologies, the impact is undeniable. This week saw a major breakthrough in indigenous 5G technology development, signaling India's growing prowess in the global tech landscape. But alongside this progress comes the crucial discussion surrounding data privacy, cybersecurity, and the ethical implications of AI deployment. How will India navigate these challenges and harness the transformative power of technology for inclusive growth? Explore the latest developments in Indian tech, from the rise of digital payments to the burgeoning startup ecosystem, and discover how innovation is shaping the nation's future. Stay informed with Abtak.com – your gateway to understanding the tech revolution reshaping India.
Guwahati: A preliminary investigation report into the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft on June 12 in Ahmedabad has revealed that both engines shut down moments after take-off due to a shift in the fuel control switches. The incident claimed the lives of at least 260 people. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! According to the report released by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) late on Friday, the fuel switches for both engines transitioned from "RUN" to "CUTOFF" within seconds of the aircraft becoming airborne. The first transition occurred three seconds after liftoff at 1:38:42 pm, and the second followed one second later. The report stops short of concluding whether the switch movements were accidental or intentional. It notes that cockpit voice recordings captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel supply was cut off, to which the latter reportedly denied doing so. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! However, the report does not specify which pilot made the query and does not include the transcript of the recording. Aviation safety expert Amit Singh, founder of the NGO Safety Matters, commented that further clarity is needed. "Until the investigation explains how a supposedly locked fuel switch could have moved to CUTOFF and provides a detailed sequence of failure messages and aircraft response, the full truth remains elusive," he said. At the time of the crash, First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 flying hours, was piloting the aircraft. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 hours of experience, was monitoring the flight. Thirty seconds after liftoff, one of the pilots transmitted a distress call -- "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY." The air traffic control tower responded with an inquiry for identification, but received no reply. Seconds later, at 1:39 pm, the aircraft was observed crashing just beyond the airport's boundary. Ten seconds after the switches moved to CUTOFF, they returned to their original RUN positions. One of the engines began to recover, but the second engine failed to respond, and deceleration continued. The aircraft's data recording ceased at 1:39:11 p.m., 17 seconds after the engine switches were restored. The AAIB also confirmed that the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), a backup power source, deployed automatically during the initial climb -- a typical response in the event of total engine failure. There was no evidence of bird activity near the flight path, ruling out bird strike as a contributing factor. The aircraft had no prior recorded issues with the fuel control switches since 2023, when the throttle control module had last been replaced. While a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of potential disengagement of the fuel switch locking feature, Air India reportedly did not carry out related inspections, citing the non-mandatory nature of the bulletin. The AAIB stated that no additional airworthiness directives were currently in place for the Boeing 787-8 or the GE GEnx-1B engines on this aircraft. The investigation remains ongoing, with further evidence and information being collected from involved stakeholders. Both Air India and Boeing acknowledged receipt of the preliminary report. Air India stated it is cooperating fully with investigators and regulatory bodies. Boeing affirmed its continued support for the probe and its customer. Per international aviation norms, a preliminary report is required within 30 days of an accident. While it outlines factual details, it does not assign cause, pending a more detailed final investigation.
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Mumbai: Air India has issued a statement explaining the reason behind the delay in the take off of the Bangkok-bound Air India Flight AI 2354, on June 25. The flight was delayed for more than 5 hours after hay was discovered lodged beneath the left wing of the aircraft, the airline confirmed in a statement. Reportedly, Flight AI 2354, operated by an Airbus A320Neo, was scheduled to depart Mumbai at 7:45 AM but took off only around 1:00 PM. The airline's immediate action in the matter resulted in the quick removal of the hay, stated the airline. The aircraft was subsequently deemed fit for ope ...Read More >
New Delhi: As the investigation into the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI-171 continues, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol has confirmed that "possible sabotage" is one of the aspects under scrutiny. His statement follows the launch of a comprehensive investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is currently analysing data from the aircraft's black boxes. The crash occurred on June 12, shortly after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of 241 of the 242 people on board. The final death toll now stands a ...Read More >
Ahmedabad Air India Crash: The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines mandate the priliminary report release within 30 days of the crash. The report will be the first official insight into the possible causes of the crash The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to release the preliminary investigation report into the fatal Ahmedabad Air India plane crash that claimed the lives of 260 people on June 12, as per a report by CNBC-TV18. The report would provide details about the AI 171 aircraft, Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, its crew, conditions at the Ahmeda ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) The pilots of the IndiGo plane, which was damaged in rough weather en route to Srinagar, were denied permission by the Lahore ATC to venture briefly into Pakistan airspace to escape the hailstorm, in complete violation of humanitarian norms. India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, said the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 36,000 feet near Punjab's Pathankot when it ran into a thunderstorm and hailstorm. Experiencing severe turbulence, the crew first requested the Northern ATC of the Indian Air Force to allow the flight to deviate to ...Read More >
Investing.com -- India has declined an offer from the United Nations aviation agency to include one of its investigators in the probe of the Air India Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787-8 Dreamliner crash that killed 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12, according to a Reuters report on Thursday. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made the unusual move earlier this week by offering to provide investigative assistance without being asked. The ICAO requested that their investigator, who was already in India, be granted observer status in the investigation, but Indian authorities rejected this ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): A non-specific security alert was detected on one of Air India's aircraft on Friday. The aircraft was cleared for the next flight after standard security procedures, the Air India spokesperson said. A statement issued by the Air India spokesperson said, "A non-specific security alert was detected on one of our aircraft. Standard security procedures were duly carried out, and the aircraft has been cleared for the next flight. Air India accords top priority to the safety and security of its passengers and crew." Also Read | Shimla Shocker: Private School Princ ...Read More >
Bhuj, Jun 29 (PTI) Anil Khimani, the last victim of the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash identified through DNA tests, has been cremated in Gujarat's Kutch district, bringing closure to the family after two weeks of wait and distress that included submission of samples twice. The 35-year-old, a mason by profession and father of two minor daughters, was on his way to London on Air India Flight 171 to meet relatives when it crashed into a medical college complex in Meghaninagar shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in what turned out to be one of the ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mohol said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was speaking at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investig ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) India's forex reserves dropped by USD 1.01 billion to USD 697.93 billion for the week ended June 20, the Reserve Bank of India said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the reserves had jumped by USD 2.29 billion to USD 698.95 billion. Forex reserves had touched an all-time high of USD 704.885 billion in September 2024. Also Read | Ahmedabad Plane Crash Probe: Parliamentary Committee To Grill Boeing and Air India Executives, DGCA Officials; Sources Say 'Multiple Shortcomings' Matter of Concern. For the week ended June 20, foreign currency assets, a major component ...Read More >
New Delhi: Union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Sunday said the investigating agencies were examining all angles in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, and this included the possibility of sabotage. He said that CCTV footage and passports of passengers were being scrutinised as part of this probe. He added the crash was a rare case and noted that both engines shutting down simultaneously was unprecedented. He said the AAIB had commenced an investigation into the crash on June 12 that claimed 260 lives in all. "Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 26: India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun the critical analysis of the black boxes recovered from the wreckage of Air India Flight AI-171, which crashed earlier this month. The Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that all investigation steps are being carried out as per international norms laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). As a signatory to the ICAO's 1944 Chicago Convention, India investigates aircraft accidents in line with ICAO's Annex 13 and under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017. Th ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government said on Thursday that the black box data of crashed Air India Flight AI-171 has been downloaded to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to its crash recently in the western Indian state of Gujarat. According to India's federal civil aviation ministry, the analysis of Cockpit Voice Recorders (CVR) and Flight Data Recorders (FDR) data was underway. The ministry said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau promptly initiated an investigation and constituted a multidisciplinary team on June 13 in accordance with international norms an ...Read More >
Mumbai: Recurring aircraft defects, unserviceable ground handling gear, and faded runway markings are among a range of safety lapses discovered by the civil aviation regulator after an intensive survey of key airports including Delhi and Mumbai. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered airport operators and airlines to address these safety concerns within a week. The inspections come on the heels of the June 12 crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Equity investors became richer by Rs 12.26 lakh crore as stock markets surged for the fourth day in a row on Friday amid de-escalation in geopolitical tensions and softening crude oil prices in international markets. On Friday, the BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 303.03 points or 0.36 per cent to reclaim the 84,000 level and settled at 84,058.90. During the day, the Sensex jumped 333.48 points or 0.39 per cent to 84,089.35. Also Read | Ahmedabad Plane Crash Probe: Parliamentary Committee To Grill Boeing and Air India Executives, DGCA Officials; Sources Say 'Multiple Shor ...Read More >
MUMBAI -- Investigators have recovered flight recorder data from the Air India crash earlier this month, the civil aviation ministry has confirmed, marking a key step in the probe. At least 270 people were killed when the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed less than a minute after taking off on 12 June from Ahmedabad airport in western India. Investigators had earlier recovered both sets of Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFRs) - the "black boxes" - from the Boeing 787 crash site on 13 and 16 June - one from a rooftop, the other from the debris. It could be several weeks befo ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 1(ANI): An Air India flight en route to Vienna from Delhi experienced a serious mid-air incident on June 14, during which the aircraft suddenly lost altitude by nearly 900 feet, prompting an investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Air India, in an official statement, confirmed that both pilots involved in the incident have been removed from active duty pending the outcome of the probe. The airline stated that the matter was reported to the DGCA immediately, by aviation regulations. Also Read | India Developing Its Own Bunker-Buster Missile? ...Read More >
New Delhi: Aviation watchdog DGCA will soon come out with streamlined regulations for wet-leasing of planes by Indian airlines that will also entail enhanced oversight of the aircraft, amid airlines looking to operate more planes to meet rising travel demand. With persisting supply chain woes, there is a delay in aircraft deliveries and to meet the near-term needs, carriers are opting for planes on dry and wet leases. A senior official in the know told PTI that the efforts are on to streamline the regulations for wet-leasing of planes to assist in the growth of the aviation. "Realities of the ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
June 25 (Rtrs) - India would not allow a UN investigator to join a probe of a crashed Air India jet that some safety experts had criticized for delays in analysis of crucial black box data, two senior sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Earlier this week, the United Nations aviation agency took the unusual step of offering India one of its investigators to provide assistance following the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 787-8 Dreamliner crash killing 260 people in Ahmedabad on June 12. ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) Maharashtra on Friday recorded 13 new cases of COVID-19, which took the tally of infections to 2,462, and one death, the health department said. A 65-year-old woman suffering from comorbidities, including rheumatoid arthritis, died in Kolhapur, an official said. Also Read | Ahmedabad Plane Crash Probe: Parliamentary Committee To Grill Boeing and Air India Executives, DGCA Officials; Sources Say 'Multiple Shortcomings' Matter of Concern. Since January 1, the state has recorded 2,462 COVID-19 cases and 37 deaths, the department said. Also Read | Did 21-Year-Old Muslim Ma ...Read More >
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Following public backlash over a video showing Air India SATS executives partying in their Gurugram office shortly after the June 12 Air India flight 171 crash, Tata Group has taken disciplinary action against several people.Four senior officials were suspended from Air India SATS, while multiple others were issued a warning, the company said on Friday.The video, which garnered over 3.8 million views on X, captured several executives dancing with loud music playing during a cele ...Read More >
Investing.com -- Boeing's operational recovery is gaining traction following disruptions caused by a recent strike, according to Bank of America analysts in a note Tuesday. In a note, BofA highlighted key signs of improvement in the aerospace giant's production and delivery operations. The bank, citing Aero Analysis Partners/AIR (AAP/AIR), said: "In the past week alone, the company delivered three 737s, bringing the November total to four." The number of 737s in pre-delivery flights is also said to have increased, with AAP/AIR projecting three more deliveries by the end of the month. Addit ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has held the Aircraft Act was "a complete code" to deal with the safety and security of civil aviation and aerodromes whereas the state police could only forward probe material to the authorised officer to decide on lodging a complaint. The significant verdict, ruling out any significant role of state police in dealing with the airport violations cases, came from a bench comprising Justices A S Oka and Manmohan on an appeal of the Jharkhand government. The state government challenged the Jharkhand High Court judgement which quashed the FIR against BJP MPs Nishika ...Read More >
Pune: Civil aviation experts sought more action against rampant and illegal construction activities near Lohegaon airport, citing that flights' funnel zone was at risk of being compromised.Referring to the Pune Municipal Corporation's action this week against illegal under-construction buildings in the vicinity of the airport, the experts said too little was being done too late. An Indian Air Force (IAF) veteran, requesting anonymity, said rampant construction around airports couldn't have happened without collusion."This is a huge problem. No one is speaking about it. Collusion between law en ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) Air India SATS (AISATS) has sacked four senior officials after a video of an office party in Gurugram went viral, triggering widespread shock and outrage over the callous attitude of the staffers as the nation mourns the death of 270 people in the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash. The video, which featured AISATS Chief Operating Officer Abraham Zachariah and other officials dancing to blaring music, was widely condemned on social media. AISATS is a company that provides airport ground services. It is a joint venture, owned equally (50-50) by two companies -- A ...Read More >
Haridwar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday demanded that hotel, dhaba and eatery owners on the Kanwar Yatra routes should display their names and identities on boards outside their business establishments. The owners, who hide their identities under fake names, on the Kanwar Yatra routes should not be spared, he told reporters here. "Tampering with faith of the Hindu devotees during the Kanwar Yatra will not be tolerated," said the Unnao MP. The food shops on the Kanwar Yatra routes should have a board outside with the names of their owners clearly written on them, h ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): Air India announced on Thursday that it has added more flights to Bangkok, Colombo, and Kathmandu to meet the growing passenger demand. Effective July 7, 2025, Air India will add a sixth daily flight between Delhi and Kathmandu, increasing frequency from 35x weekly to 42x weekly. Air India will add a second daily flight between Delhi and Colombo, doubling the route's frequency from 7x weekly to 14x weekly. The Tata Group airline will add a third daily flight between Mumbai and Bangkok, increasing frequency from 13x weekly to 18x weekly. Air India said in a ...Read More >
India's next space hero is here. It's Shubhanshu Shukla.In a historic leap for India's space exploration, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled for launch on June 10, aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), Shukla's journey will make history as he becomes the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS.Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a pioneering private spaceflight mission that will not only send India's first private astronaut to space but also mark the return to human spa ...Read More >