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.
Wind Creek Hospitality, under the ownership of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, has agreed to purchase the Birmingham Racecourse from the McGregor family, known for their stakes in both the Birmingham and Victoryland Casinos. The acquisition, set to conclude by early 2025, marks a significant expansion for Wind Creek in the Southeast. "For over 30 years, we have worked to provide the best possible experience for our customers and employees, while generating significant tax revenue for the state of Alabama and local charities," said Lewis Benefield, President of the Birmingham Racecourse and VictoryLand. "We have paid hundreds of millions of dollars to the State of Alabama and to local schools, hospitals, charities and other organizations that need financial support." The plan is to elevate the Birmingham Racecourse into a top-tier entertainment hub while maintaining its current offerings of parimutuel and historical horse racing games. Despite previous efforts by the McGregor family to boost the venue's gaming and entertainment facilities, legislative barriers have impeded progress. "The people of Birmingham desire the same types of entertainment offered at other facilities in and around Alabama," Benefield said. "Unfortunately, differing state laws and enforcement actions regarding gaming have limited our ability to compete effectively. The McGregor family will now focus their efforts on VictoryLand in Macon County and advocate for unified gaming legislation in Alabama which would capture much-needed revenue for the people of Alabama." Based in Atmore, Wind Creek Hospitality is rapidly expanding its footprint in the gaming sector. The company is keen on amplifying the investments previously initiated at the racecourse. They intend to collaborate closely with local government and racing authorities to outline the future steps post-acquisition and during the venue's development phase. "We are excited to bring the Birmingham Racecourse into the Wind Creek family," said Jay Dorris, President and CEO of Wind Creek Hospitality. "The McGregor family built and has operated the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino for decades. Over those years, it became clear to us that we share many of the same goals -- providing great entertainment, attracting tourism and creating economic growth In Alabama. We are really looking forward to welcoming their employees and to moving forward together." Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, said the tribe has already been heavily involved in the Birmingham area, supporting organizations like the Birmingham Promise, Birmingham Zoo and many others. She said Wind Creek will make this facility a major economic force for the area in creating more jobs, taxes and support for the local community. "Birmingham is one of the most vibrant cities in America, and we feel very fortunate that this acquisition will allow us to increase the investment and deepen the relationships that we already have in Birmingham," she said. "When it comes to attracting tourism, this is an incredibly important area of the state. We are committed to building on the success of both the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino and our Wind Creek brand by ensuring that this property will keep tourist dollars here at home and provide jobs that support Alabama families." Bryan added, "As the leader of our Tribe, I am deeply grateful to the expertise and leadership of Arthur Mothershed, a Member of our Tribal Council and Wind Creek's VP of Business Development, in representing the interests of our Tribe and our gaming business in this important acquisition and new venture."
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 >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Fintech firm BimaPay Finsure on Thursday said it has entered into corporate insurance financing and aims for Rs 20 crore in premiums in 2025-26. Launching the pilot phase with insurance partners, BimaPay said the initiative will allow businesses to pay premiums in easy equated monthly instalments (EMIs) instead of bearing the burden of full upfront costs. Also Read | Who Is Pinaki Misra? From Age to Family Background and Net Worth, Here's All About BJD Leader With Whom Mahua Moitra Reportedly Married. The company aims to finance over Rs 20 crore worth of premiums by t ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to develop 'Visakha Economic Region' as the growth engine of Andhra Pradesh, with an aim to transforming it into a USD 120 billion economic region by 2032. He emphasised the need to develop Visakhapatnam on the lines of Mumbai in the next seven years. The Economic Region consists of eight districts including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, ASR, and Manyam. The Chief Minister instructed officials to develop projects that would boost economic activity across this eight-distri ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar inaugurated Andhra Pradesh's first Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) compliant building at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Terming it a landmark in sustainable infrastructure, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy efficiency and green design in public facilities. The facility will serve as a national-level training hub for power sector staff. He urged power utilities to expedite 20 lakh rooftop solar connections, targeting 10,000 in each Assembly segment. He reaffirmed nine-hour uninterrupted power for agri ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...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 >
Amritsar: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey from Jharkhand has claimed that Britain assisted India in executing the 1984 Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, stoking a new controversy.In a post on X on Monday, Dubey alleged that then PM Indira Gandhi "launched an attack on the Golden Temple in collaboration with Britain", with British Army officers present in Amritsar.He uploaded a classified British document, "Sikh Community", claiming that on Feb 23, 1984, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office mentioned in a letter that the Indian govt had sought British advice over a plan to remove Si ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, instead of introspecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly polls, has been repudiating the mandate given by the people because they rejected him. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha is preparing his excuses for future defeats in the upcoming assembly elections, including Bihar, Fadnavis said in his articles published in the Indian Express and Marathi daily Loksatta. On Saturday, Gandhi, in an article published in several newspapers and in posts on X, claimed the 2024 Maharas ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Fairfax Financial Holdings on Thursday named former civil servant Amitabh Kant as a senior advisor. Kant, who recently stepped down as India's G20 sherpa, will help Fairfax India pursue its plans in the country."Amitabh has outstanding experience in many of the key areas that India intends to grow significantly in coming years, but what we really value is his high integrity and alignment with the values of Fairfax. We look forward to working with him to further enhance Fairfax's long-term objectives, delivering lasting value for our investors and stakeholders, while upholding our co ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana joins names such as Kamal Haasan, Ariana Grande, and Jeremy Strong at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. Ayushmann along with names such as Kamal Haasan Naomi Ackie, Gillian Anderson, Branford Marsalis, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer and Jason Momoa are among 534 individuals who were invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on June 26. "We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy," said Ac ...Read More >
Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Friday unveiled an ambitious vision to position Andhra Pradesh as a global destination of tourism, emphasising its role as an engine for economic growth, employment generation, and cultural promotion. Addressing industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders at a tourism conclave here, the Chief Minister said his goal is to make Andhra Pradesh a wealthy, healthy, and happy state. "Andhra Pradesh will be the future destination for wellness and happiness. My goal is a wealthy, healthy, happy Andhra Pradesh - that is the goal I have set," h ...Read More >
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has refuted US President Donald Trump's assertion of using trade as leverage to negotiate a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during a military showdown in May. Trump has repeatedly said that the US mediated between the South Asian neighbors when they were involved in a 4-day confrontation and offered more trade with both countries if they ceased hostilities. "I think the trade people are doing what the trade people should be doing, which is negotiate wi ...Read More >
New Delhi: Following the launch of their first destination-led collaboration with Dubai, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, India's most-loved couple share personal reflections on discovering a more surprising and intimate side of the city. The duo's new ad video has gone viral. Dubai's latest tourism campaign, are inviting travellers to experience the city through their eyes, unveiling their favourite spots. Titled 'Dubai, Ready For A Surprise', the campaign captures Virat and Anushka exploring the city in refreshingly new ways. The debut film in the campaign sees them surprising each other wit ...Read More >
PTC Web Desk: India is expected to witness a massive nationwide shutdown (Bharat Bandh) on July 9 as over 25 crore workers from key critical sectors, including banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining, highways, and public transport -- gear up for a day-long Bharat Bandh. The strike has been called by 10 central trade unions and their allied organisations to protest against the Centre's economic and labour policies, which they allege are anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate in nature. Who is participating in the strike? More than 25 crore workers are expected to take part in t ...Read More >
Kolkata, Jul 8 (PTI) Shubman Gill is enjoying a "honeymoon period" as India's Test captain but there will be more pressure on him in the days to come, feels former India skipper Sourav Ganguly. Ganguly, who turned 53 on Tuesday, recalled his recent interview with PTI while stressing that Indian cricket will never be devoid of talented players. With 585 runs, Gill is now just 18 short of surpassing Rahul Dravid's tally of 602 (in 2002) for the most runs by an Indian batter in a series in England. India bounced back in splendid fashion to win the Edgbaston Test by a dominant 336 runs and level ...Read More >
Sunmei Hotels Group has announced the launch of Sunmei Group International (SGI) and three new overseas brands—SHANKEE, PENRO, and LANOU—marking its expansion into the UAE market. The company plans to introduce SHANKEE Hotels, a smart economy brand, to cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. SGI focuses on smart marketing, modular renovations, and intelligent operations, leveraging big data and AI to enhance service and guest experiences. Chairman Ma Yingyao aims to open 100 hotels globally within the next decade, doubling revenue and establishing a strong international presence for Chinese ...Read More >
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 5 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that the state government is prioritising quality education for students, and quality teachers are being recruited through the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). Saha also informed that more recruitments will be made in the future. Also Read | Centre Notifies Waqf Management Rules 2025; Portal, Database, Audit of Waqf Properties. "Textbook education can never be the standard of life. One can become morally strong through education. Along with education, children should also be engaged in social work," he said. CM ...Read More >
VMPL New Delhi [India], July 5: Expanding its successful presence in India's vibrant speciality coffee market, Pour Over Coffee Roasters has opened its third outlet--and first franchise--in Delhi, bringing its signature coffee culture to the diplomatic district. Building on the popularity of its cafes in Khan Market and Malviya Nagar, this new location furthers the brand's mission to elevate the city's coffee culture, blending curated experiences, technology, and uncompromising quality. "We don't follow trends. We craft coffee that commands respect," says Umesh Kapoor, CEO of Pour Over Coffe ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
Mumbai: Net profit of Nifty 50 companies at the aggregate level is expected to increase 4.6% year-on-year while revenue may increase 4.5% for the June 2025 quarter. Net profit is likely to show single-digit year-on-year growth for the first time in at least nine quarters amid an anticipated poor performance by select companies, including Tata Motors, IndusInd Bank and Coal India. The sample's revenue is expected to grow in single digit for the fourth consecutive quarter reflecting persistent muted demand scenario. Select companies from metals, pharmaceuticals, cement, banking and finance and ...Read More >
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 2 December 2024 - Long recognised as a land of luxury, Hong Kong has levelled up its luxury hub appeal following the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024. Organised by Robb Report Hong Kong, the summit brought together luxury industry titans to discuss pivotal topics that "Redefine Luxury Through a Global Lens" at Regent Hong Kong on November 26-28, 2024. According to the latest "2024 Billionaire Census" report from Altrata, the city is currently world's no. 2 with the highest number of billionaires. The city is expected to have 22.4% more ultra-high-net-wor ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jan 8 (PTI) Long-jump great Anju Bobby George was on Wednesday named chairperson of the Athletics Federation of India's nine-strong athletes commission that features six women with javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra being its most prominent male member. The other women in the new panel are runner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, discus thrower Krishna Poonia, hurdler MD Valsamma, steeplechaser Sudha Singh and runner Sunita Rani. George, a 2003 world championships bronze-winner, is also a senior vice president in the AFI. Also Read | FC Goa vs Hyderabad FC, ISL 2024-25 Live Streaming Online on J ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
Palo Alto Networks, released its 2025 cybersecurity predictions for the Asia Pacific region, outlining five key trends that cyber practitioners can expect to unfold in the coming twelve months and position their organisations for a more secure future. Organisations across the APAC region have emphasised embedding AI into business processes in 2024. This includes cybersecurity processes, where organisations and their adversaries are engaged in an AI arms race. But alarmingly, according to a recent PwC report, more than 40% of leaders say they do not understand the cyber risks posed by emerging ...Read More >
DP World has announced an extension of its Carbon Inset Programme after successfully registering more than 150,000 import containers since its inception in January. The programme, which commenced on 1 January 2025, is claimed to be the first initiative of its kind globally, providing cargo owners with 50kg CO2e of carbon credits for each loaded import container processed through DP World's UK terminals. This initiative aims to assist companies in addressing Scope 3 emissions within their supply ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) Canadian billionaire Prem Watsa's company Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited on Friday said it has appointed former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant as a senior advisor. In a statement, Fairfax said former G20 Sherpa Kant's extensive expertise in economic development, innovation, and sustainable growth is expected to significantly benefit the company's long-term investment approach in India. As India is pursuing an ambitious roadmap toward becoming a developed economy by 2047, Fairfax expects many opportunities for it and its affiliates, including Fairfax India Holdings Co ...Read More >
BENGALURU: BBMP marshals deployed at lake security and supervision wing, ward monitoring and Indira Canteens are working without salaries since March. The situation has arisen after Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited was carved out of BBMP for garbage management. Their salaries are usually given through the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society and each marshal is paid Rs 17,500 monthly. "Supervisors say the delay is due to a set of procedures. Earlier, the amount was given to the Ex-Servicemen Welfare Society towards payments from BBMP. Now the files have to be cleared from BWSML to ward mars ...Read More >