Archives 2025

Skål India National Congress 2025 to Convene Global Tourism Leaders in Mumbai, 12–14 September

Mumbai, India , 12th August 2025 : Skål International India proudly announces the Skål India National Congress 2025, to be hosted by Skål International Mumbai South, scheduled to be held from 12th to 14th September 2025 at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.

Themed around “Connecting Tourism Leaders, Inspiring Growth”, this premier gathering will bring together distinguished leaders from travel, tourism, entertainment and hospitality sectors for 3 power-packed days of keynote addresses, panel discussions, fireside chats, and exclusive networking opportunities.

Delegates will have the opportunity to engage with CEOs, tourism board representatives, hospitality innovators, and policy leaders, shaping the future of the industry. Beyond business sessions, attendees can enjoy curated social evenings, a glamorous black-tie dinner, and cultural entertainment, making it a well-rounded industry experience.

Below is the speaker line-up of the conference:

Main Keynote Session – 13th September
• Omar Abdullah – Former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, sharing perspectives on national integration and tourism development.
• Smt. Maneka Gandhi – Eight-time Parliamentarian, environmentalist, and Chairperson of People for Animals, she will focus on how sustainable, ethical tourism can drive environmental conservation, animal welfare, and community development.
• Kandula Durgesh – Tourism Minister of Andhra Pradesh, discussing state-led initiatives shaping tourism growth in India

Fireside Chat – Skål Special Session
• Subhash Ghai – Renowned filmmaker and educationist, on the interplay between cinema and tourism
• Pooja Bedi – Actress, life coach, and wellness advocate, on holistic well-being in tourism experiences
Final Session
• Ambassador Deepak Vohra – Special Advisor to the Prime Minister (Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau) and to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils, bringing global insights on diplomacy-driven tourism

“The Skål India National Congress is not just a meeting of minds – it is a launchpad for the next chapter of Indian tourism. With a powerful line-up of leaders from politics, policy, cinema, wellness, and global diplomacy, this platform will spark bold ideas and practical solutions. Overall, we are not here to discuss change; we are here to lead it.”, said Sanjeev Mehra, President, Skål International India.

Padmashree Dr. Mukesh Batra, Host President, Skål International Mumbai South added, “We are excited and honoured to host this year’s Skål India National Congress in Mumbai – a city that embodies the very spirit of innovation, diversity, and hospitality. This year’s Congress will bring together visionaries who can reimagine tourism for the next decade. By fostering cross-sector partnerships and showcasing Mumbai’s unique blend of heritage and modernity, we aim to inspire solutions that make Indian tourism more inclusive, competitive, and future-ready.”

Combining high-level discussions, global networking opportunities, and immersive cultural experiences, the Skål India National Congress 2025 is set to be a landmark event for tourism professionals from India and beyond.

Mumbai/Delhi – 12th August, 2025: EMERGE 2025, hosted by AdTech Today at Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Delhi (Gurugram), brought together an eclectic mix of marketing leaders, independent agencies, and creators for a power-packed day of bold ideas, sharp insights, and industry recognition. The event shone a spotlight on the independent and emerging voices reshaping the future of media, marketing, and advertising.

AdTech Today extended its gratitude to the partners whose support made EMERGE 2025 possible — KARGOas Premium Ad Tech Partner, TRACKIER as Managing Partner, Animmoov ADSUITE as Creative Partner, Treize Communications as PR Partner, and WINGREENWorld.com as Gifting Partner.

The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote by Srikanth Rayaprolu, CEO of AdTech Today, urging the industry to embrace experimentation, agility, and collaboration to thrive in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.

From there, the momentum only grew with four engaging panel discussions. Srikanth Rayaprolu led Short-Form, Big Impact: Maximizing Engagement Through Bite-Sized Content, unpacking the craft of capturing attention in just seconds. Next is Now: How Independent Agencies Are Building the Future, moderated by Mimi Deb, COO of Madison Media Plus, spotlighted the entrepreneurial spirit and agility driving independent agencies forward. In Brands, Bots & Balance Sheets: Cracking Performance Marketing in 2025, Kumar Awanish, Chief Growth Officer at Cheil India, explored the winning formula where AI, automation, and human insight work in harmony. The day’s final panel, Unfiltered: What It Really Takes to Run an Independent Agency Today, with Dr. Kushal Sanghvi, Chief Revenue Officer at iCubesWire, offered a candid look at the realities, challenges, and victories of running a modern agency.

A shift in pace came with the Founders’ Spotlight, giving the stage to two entrepreneurs with distinct journeys and bold visions. Tom Stany, Group Brand & Marketing Lead at True One Ventures, shared insights on building standout brands in competitive markets, while Sayak Mukherjee, Co-founder of Creators Cult, spoke about creating creator-led ecosystems and driving community-first growth. Both offered candid reflections on the ideas, milestones, and challenges that continue to shape their ventures.

The day culminated with the EMERGE Awards, honouring excellence in creativity, strategy, and innovation.Best Independent Agency of the Year saw a Silver tie between Trivayu Media Works, lauded for its impactful storytelling and nimble execution, and Efficacy Worldwide, celebrated for data-driven creative strategies that deliver measurable results. LS Digital took home Gold for its pioneering digital-first approach, while Animmoov Digital Media earned the title of Rising Star Agency.

EMERGE 2025 turned out to be more than an industry gathering – it was a testament to the originality, courage, and vision shaping the next era of marketing and media.

New Delhi,AUGUST 12, 2025: MongoDB, Inc. today at Ai4 announced a range of product innovations and AI partner ecosystem expansions that make it faster and easier for customers to build accurate, trustworthy, and reliable AI applications at scale. By providing industry-leading embedding models and a fully integrated, AI-ready data platform—and by assembling a world-class ecosystem of AI partners—MongoDB is giving organizations everywhere the tools to deliver reliable, performant, cost-effective AI.

Organizations recognize the business potential of AI. But according to the 2025 Gartner Generative and Agentic AI in Enterprise Applications Survey, 68% of IT leaders felt that they struggled to keep up with the rapid pace at which gen AI tools are rolled out, and 37% agreed that their application vendors drive their enterprise application gen AI strategy. Too many organizations are stuck in the messy middle with their AI implementation, seeing some benefits but not enough to warrant wider adoption.

Businesses express that this gap in AI adoption—a barrier for developers and enterprises alike—is due to the complexity of the AI stack, the importance and challenge of achieving accuracy for mission-critical applications, and price-performance concerns that emerge at scale. To address these issues, MongoDB continues to invest in streamlining the AI stack and introducing more performant, more cost-effective models. Customers can integrate Voyage AI’s latest embedding and reranking models with their MongoDB database infrastructure. MongoDB has also increased its interoperability with industry-leading AI frameworks—by launching the MongoDB MCP Server to give agents access to tools and data, and by expanding its comprehensive AI partner ecosystem to give developers more choice.

These capabilities are fueling substantial momentum among developers building next-generation AI applications. Enterprise AI adopters like Vonage, LGU+, and The Financial Times—plus approximately 8,000 startups, including the timekeeping startup Laurel, and Mercor, which uses AI to match talent with opportunities—have chosen MongoDB to help build their AI projects in just the past 18 months. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 new developers register for MongoDB Atlas every month.

“Databases are more central than ever to the technology stack in the age of AI. Modern AI applications require a database that combines advanced capabilities—like integrated vector search and best-in-class AI models—to unlock meaningful insights from all forms of data (structure, unstructured), all while streamlining the stack,” said Andrew Davidson, SVP of Products at MongoDB. “These systems also demand scalability, security, and flexibility to support production applications as they evolve and as usage grows.

By consolidating the AI data stack and by building a cutting-edge AI ecosystem, we’re giving developers the tools they need to build and deploy trustworthy, innovative AI solutions faster than ever before.”

Accelerating AI innovation with enhanced product capabilities

Voyage AI by MongoDB recently introduced industry-leading embedding models designed to unleash new levels of AI accuracy at a lower cost:

Context-aware embeddings for better retrieval: The new voyage-context-3 model brings a breakthrough in AI accuracy and efficiency. It captures the full document context—no metadata hacks, LLM summaries, or pipeline gymnastics needed—delivering more relevant results and reducing sensitivity to chunk size. It works as a drop-in replacement for standard embeddings in RAG applications.

New highs in model performance: The latest general-purpose models, voyage-3.5 and voyage-3.5-lite, raise the bar on retrieval quality, delivering industry-topping accuracy and price-performance.

Instruction-following reranking for improved accuracy: With rerank-2.5 and rerank-2.5-lite, developers can now guide the reranking process using instructions, unlocking greater retrieval accuracy. These models outperform competitors across a comprehensive
set of benchmarks.

MongoDB also recently introduced the MongoDB Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server in public preview. This server standardizes connecting MongoDB deployments directly to popular tools like GitHub CoPilot in Visual Studio Code, Anthropic’s Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf—allowing developers to use natural language to interact with data and manage database operations—and streamlines AI-powered application development on MongoDB, accelerating workflows, boosting productivity, and reducing time to market.

Since launching in public preview, the MongoDB MCP Server has rapidly grown in popularity, with thousands of users building on MongoDB every week. MongoDB has also seen significant interest from large enterprise customers looking to incorporate MCP as part of their agentic application stack.

“Many organizations struggle to scale AI because the models themselves aren’t up to the task. They lack the accuracy needed to delight customers, are often complex to fine-tune and integrate, and become too expensive at scale,” said Fred Roma, SVP of Engineering at MongoDB. “The quality of your embedding and reranking models is often the difference between a promising prototype and an AI application that delivers meaningful results in production. That’s why we’ve focused on building models that perform better, cost less, and are easier to use—so developers can bring their AI applications into the real world and scale adoption.”

“As more enterprises deploy and scale AI applications and agents, the demand for accurate outputs and reduced latency keeps increasing,” said Jason Andersen, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. “By thoughtfully unifying the AI
data stack with integrated advanced vector search and embedding capabilities in their core database platform, MongoDB is taking on these challenges while also reducing complexity for developers.”

Expanding the MongoDB AI ecosystem

MongoDB has also expanded its AI partner ecosystem to help customers build and deploy AI applications faster:

Enhanced evaluation capabilities: Galileo, a leading AI reliability and observability platform, is now a member of the MongoDB partner ecosystem, which is designed to give customers flexibility and choice. Galileo enables reliable deployment of AI applications and agents built on MongoDB, with continuous
evaluations and monitoring.

Resilient, scalable AI applications: Temporal, a leading open-source Durable Execution platform is now also a member of the MongoDB partner ecosystem. Temporal enables developers to orchestrate reliable AI use cases built on MongoDB, including agents, RAG, and context engineering pipelines that manage
and serve dynamic, structured context at runtime. With Temporal’s Durable Execution, developers don’t need to write plumbing code for resilience or scale. AI applications seamlessly recover across failures, reliably run for a long time, easily handle external interactions, and scale horizontally. Developers can also get visibility into every step of AI workflows to rapidly debug live issues. These partner capabilities significantly expand MongoDB’s AI ecosystem for developing AI applications.

Streamlined AI workflows: MongoDB’s partnership with LangChain is redefining how developers build AI applications and agent-based systems by streamlining development and unlocking the value of customers’ real-time, proprietary data. Recent advancements include the introduction of GraphRAG with MongoDB Atlas, which enables greater transparency into the retrieval process, fostering trust and providing better explainability of LLMs responses. Another advancement is natural language querying on MongoDB, which allows agentic applications to directly interact with MongoDB data. These integrations empower developers to build reliable, sophisticated AI solutions—from advanced retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems to autonomous agents capable of querying data and performing advanced retrieval.

“As organizations bring AI applications and agents into production, accuracy and reliability are of paramount importance,” said Vikram Chatterji, CEO and co-founder at Galileo. “By formally joining MongoDB’s AI ecosystem, MongoDB and Galileo will now be able to better enable customers to deploy trustworthy AI applications that transform their businesses with less friction.”

“Building production-ready agentic AI means enabling systems to survive real-world reliability and scale challenges, consistently and without fail,” said Maxim Fateev, CTO at Temporal. “Through our partnership with MongoDB, Temporal empowers developers to orchestrate durable, horizontally scalable AI systems with confidence, ensuring engineering teams build applications their customers can count on.”

“As AI agents take on increasingly complex tasks, access to diverse, relevant data becomes essential,” said Harrison Chase, CEO & Co-founder at LangChain. “Our integrations with MongoDB, including capabilities like GraphRAG and natural language querying, equip developers with the tools they need to build and deploy complex, future-proofed agentic AI applications grounded in relevant, trustworthy data.”

By – Preeti Sharma, Partner, Global Employer Services, Tax & Regulatory Services, BDO India

“THE INCOME-TAX (No.2) BILL, 2025 is approved in the Lok Sabha today. The biggest advantage of the new law is that a common man may easily understand it with lesser efforts as compared to the old law. The revised bill has incorporated most of the changes recommended by the Select Committee. The new regime announced in Budget 2025 will remain in the new Bill and the tax-payers still have to undergo the process of assessing the right regime to follow while filing tax return. Similarly, no changes are proposed in tax rates as introduced in Budget 2025.“

With urban congestion rising and parking chaos becoming a daily struggle, a new wave of tech-driven and urban-mobility startups is stepping up to fix India’s parking mess. From smart parking apps to automated solutions, these companies are reshaping how city dwellers find, reserve, and pay for parking.

Here’s a list of the top 5 companies actively working to reduce parking issues in India’s metro cities—and how their services are making urban life smoother:

1. ParkMate: Based in Jaipur, ParkMate is a fast-growing smart parking startup focused on simplifying everyday parking for urban commuters. With operations in Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, and plans to expand into other metro cities, ParkMate stands out for its unique approach to utilizing private and residential parking spaces. Through its user-friendly mobile app, it offers real-time availability and advance booking of parking spots, helping users avoid the stress of last-minute parking hunts. The platform features automated ticketing, secure cashless payment options, and even integration with EV charging stations, making it a modern and scalable solution for both vehicle owners and property managers. By bringing underutilized spaces into the public parking network, ParkMate is solving one of India’s most overlooked urban challenges with innovation and community focus.

2. Park+: Headquartered in Gurgaon, Park+ is one of India’s leading app-based platforms addressing urban parking challenges. Operating in key metro cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, Park+ provides real-time updates on available parking slots through its mobile application. The platform allows users to pre-book parking spaces at high-traffic locations such as malls, office complexes, and airports, significantly reducing the hassle of searching for spots in crowded areas. One of Park+’s standout features is its seamless integration with FASTag, enabling fully cashless and contactless parking payments. Trusted by thousands of daily users, Park+ continues to redefine how urban commuters manage their parking needs with speed, efficiency, and convenience.

3. Get My Parking: Headquartered in New Delhi, Get My Parking is a leading provider of IoT-based smart parking solutions that cater to both municipal authorities and private parking operators across India and globally. Unlike consumer-facing apps, Get My Parking focuses on building the digital backbone for entire parking ecosystems. Their offerings include white-label mobile apps for operators, enabling customized customer interfaces, along with powerful parking analytics, automation tools, and digitization infrastructure. By helping cities and large-scale operators digitally transform and manage their parking assets, Get My Parking plays a critical role in modernizing urban mobility. With successful pan-India deployments and international partnerships, it is a key enabler of smart city initiatives and public-private parking management systems.

4. ValetEZ: Based in Bangalore, ValetEZ is a smart parking and mobility solutions provider specializing in enterprise-focused parking management. Operating across Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Delhi-NCR, the company delivers tailored solutions for offices, hospitals, malls, and large commercial hubs, combining advanced technology with efficient service models. ValetEZ leverages tools such as access control systems, license plate recognition (LPR), and smart sensors to enable secure, streamlined, and automated parking experiences. It offers both pay-per-use and subscription-based models, making it flexible for different business needs. Known for its blend of high-tech innovation and human-centric services, ValetEZ is helping urban institutions maximize parking efficiency while enhancing the overall experience for end-users.

5. Secure Parking: Though headquartered in Australia, Secure Parking has established a strong operational presence across major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai. The company specializes in end-to-end professional parking management, catering to high-traffic zones such as airports, shopping malls, office complexes, and commercial centers. What sets Secure Parking apart is its focus on both technology and manpower—offering trained parking personnel, operational outsourcing, and a suite of digital tools under its Park & Pay platform. By combining international expertise with local execution, Secure Parking ensures smooth, efficient, and secure parking experiences in some of India’s busiest urban environments, making it a trusted partner for large-scale infrastructure and real estate developers.

The Bigger Picture
These companies aren’t just solving the nuisance of finding a parking spot—they’re contributing to larger goals like urban decongestion, environmental sustainability, and smart city development. With India’s cities bursting at the seams, these innovators are making every square foot count.

Mumbai, August 12, 2025 : Taiwan Excellence makes a powerful return to Automation Expo India 2025 with its largest-ever pavilion, featuring over 44 cutting-edge solutions from 22 Taiwanese companies. The exhibit highlights Taiwan’s innovation in smart manufacturing, AI robotics, industrial electronics, smart control, and sustainability.

Under the theme “Green Vision, Smart Manufacturing, the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion features a futuristic installation that combines nature and technology, centered with a symbolic ‘Tree of Eternity’ integrated with an industrial robotic arm – one of the most visually impactful displays on site.

The exhibit is organized into three themed zones to spotlight Taiwan’s industrial strengths:

• Taiwan Robotic Zone – featuring collaborative robots and CNC systems
• Metal Processing Zone – highlighting precision machinery and automation
• Industrial Electronics Zone – showcasing AI computing, smart sensors, and control systems

Flagship Taiwanese exhibitors included:

• TM Robot – collaborative robots for precision assembly and logistics
• TOYO Automation – multi-axis platforms and high-precision linear modules
• Advantech – AI edge computing platforms and IIoT integration solutions
• DFI – high-performance embedded industrial motherboards
• ICP DAS – remote monitoring modules for flexible automation architectures

The opening day celebration was graced by the presence of Mr. Homer Chang, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in Mumbai and some key Indian industrial leaders, including representatives from industry associations like the Federation of Association of Maharashtra, SME Chamber of India, etc., signaling strong Taiwan-India interest in industrial collaboration.

The vibrant cultural opening ceremony blended traditional Taiwanese and Indian elements, with gong sounds and Ganesha-inspired live art, symbolizing deep bilateral cultural and industrial ties.

Aligned with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and accelerated digital transformation efforts, Taiwan’s strengths in agile manufacturing and technical innovation position its companies as ideal partners in India’s industrial upgrade.

The Taiwan Excellence Pavilion is located at Hall 6, Booth I2–J2, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai and is open from August 11–14, between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Visitors are welcome to explore how Taiwan is shaping the future of manufacturing through collaboration, sustainability, and innovation.

Ahmedabad, 12th August 2025: BuilditIndia, India’s Leading Digital Platform for Building Materials, today announced the launch of its subsidiary Matelio, a next-generation retail-tech venture designed to redefine how India buys building materials.

Matelio is conceptualized as the retail and private label arm of BuilditIndia, committed to organizing and digitizing India’s fragmented construction materials market. Staying true to its tagline ‘From Bricks to Clicks’, Matelio will bridge traditional offline retail with modern digital capabilities, enabling a seamless omni-channel experience for contractors, builders, retailers, and end consumers.

In a major boost to its growth journey, Matelio has appointed Mr. Sandeep Kakkar as Director. Mr. Kakkar brings with him over 35 years of cross-border leadership experience across retail, wellness, apparel, and industrial safety sectors. A seasoned veteran, he brings to the table a rich and diverse experience with stints at Redcats Asia, H&M, Monsoon Accessorize & the Essel Group. He is currently the CEO of Worldwide Safety, an Indo-French joint venture. His expertise in business building, operational excellence, brand development, and global retail management will be pivotal in driving Matelio’s vision of becoming India’s most trusted building materials retail-tech brand.

Speaking on the launch of Matelio, Mr Akassh Patel, Co-Founder, BuilditIndia, said, “Matelio is our commitment to bridge the gap between traditional building materials retail and modern customer expectations. We are confident that with our integrated model and Mr. Kakkar’s leadership, Matelio will set new industry benchmarks and deliver unparalleled value to customers and stakeholders alike.”

Matelio plans to launch 12+ private label brands spanning categories such as cement, steel, tiles, AAC panels, sanitaryware, wires & cables, construction chemicals, hardware, and more. This strategic focus will build strong brand equity, drive superior margins, and deliver consistent quality to customers nationwide. Matelio’s model integrates digital dealer onboarding, inventory optimization, order management, and last-mile delivery systems. By combining tech-enabled operations with localized retail presence, Matelio is set to achieve rapid scale with operational efficiency. In its first phase, Matelio will onboard 50+ franchise partners across Tier 1 and Tier 2 markets, building a capital-light but high-impact retail network to accelerate market penetration. The flagship platform, Matelioverse.com, will offer transparent pricing, real-time stock availability, assured quality, and doorstep delivery – redefining customer experience in a market dominated by unorganized players.

As the global trade landscape becomes increasingly protectionist, Indian exporters are finding themselves caught in a tightening tariff regime, especially when targeting the United States. In July 2025, the U.S. imposed a uniform 25% tariff on all Indian-origin imports, dealing a blow to industries ranging from textiles and auto components to processed foods and chemicals.

But amid these challenges, Dubai is emerging as a compelling strategic alternative, a legitimate infrastructure-ready transit and transformation hub that Indian businesses can leverage to maintain competitiveness and access U.S. markets.

The India–UAE Advantage
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), in effect since May 2022, has dramatically improved trade efficiency between India and the UAE. It eliminates duties on nearly 99% of India’s exports to the UAE, allowing Indian goods to land in Dubai either duty-free or at substantially reduced rates.

Combined with the UAE’s world-class logistics ecosystem, this makes it one of the most cost-effective re-export and processing zones for Indian businesses. With over 40 free zones, seamless customs facilitation and a mature re-export infrastructure, the UAE is well-positioned to act as a global distribution hub.

“Dubai offers not just lower trade barriers but a plug-and-play infrastructure for Indian manufacturers. It’s the ideal bridge between Indian production and Western demand.” says Mr. Ashish Mishra, Founder of Fairway Biz, a trade advisory firm helping Indian businesses expand internationally.

Understanding the Legal Framework: Substantial Transformation
U.S. customs laws do not permit superficial rerouting or relabeling of goods to avoid tariffs. For goods exported from Dubai to be recognized as UAE origin (and not Indian), they must undergo what U.S. Customs & Border Protection defines as “substantial transformation.”

This means the product must emerge from the UAE as a distinctly new article of commerce, often reflected by a change in its Harmonized System (HS) classification code. Without this, the U.S. would still treat the item as Indian in origin, subject to the full 25% tariff.

Examples of Qualifying Transformation Include:

· Converting Indian fabric into finished garments through stitching and tailoring in Dubai.

· Assembling Indian components into a complete device or product in the UAE.

· Chemical or mechanical processing that alters the function and identity of the original input.

Non-Qualifying Activities Include:

· Repackaging or re-labelling products

· Issuing new invoices or changing documentation alone

· Simple blending or sorting with minimal input

Dubai as a Transformation Hub
For Indian exporters, the answer lies in setting up value-addition units or light manufacturing partnerships within UAE’s industrial or free zones. Locations like Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Industrial City, and Abu Dhabi’s KIZAD offer purpose-built infrastructure, tax incentives and global connectivity.

This Route Provides Multiple Benefits:

· Legally claim UAE origin and reduce exposure to U.S. tariffs

· Strengthen documentation and supply chain compliance

· Tap into the growing GCC, EU, and African demand via re-export agreements

· Position the business within a robust, diversified international trading ecosystem

“As long as the processing is genuine and compliant, Indian businesses can gain a strategic advantage through Dubai. We’re already seeing interest from SMEs in apparel, nutraceuticals and electronics.” Mr. Mishra adds.

Strategic, Not Opportunistic
This is not a workaround, it is strategic supply chain realignment that adheres to global trade norms. Many Indian exporters, particularly in garments, engineering goods, electronics, and processed food, are already leveraging this route. In a world increasingly shaped by bilateralism, such transnational value chains are essential.

Recommended Actions for Indian Exporters

· Evaluate whether your product qualifies for substantial transformation

· Explore contract manufacturing or joint ventures in UAE free zones

· Understand changes in HS codes and their origin implications

· Maintain rigorous documentation including production records and certificates of origin

· Consult trade compliance professionals and customs experts

Conclusion
In an era of rising tariffs and shifting geopolitical alliances, agility is the new currency of international trade. For Indian businesses aiming to stay competitive in the U.S. market, Dubai is more than a stopover, it’s a strategic production and export gateway.

Those who adapt quickly will find not just a path around tariffs, but a long-term opportunity to build a globally integrated business model.

Bengaluru , August 11, 2025: Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace, announced the launch of a new ‘Gourmet’ category under Flipkart Minutes, its quick commerce offering. The expansion addresses India’s growing appetite for premium and international gourmet experiences by delivering carefully curated homegrown and global brands with Flipkart Minutes’ value, convenience, and speed.

The launch will offer Minutes consumers over 130 brands and more than 650 products sourced from various international destinations, including South Korea, Italy, France, and the US. The Gourmet store will offer an extensive selection across 12 thoughtfully curated sub-categories, ranging from Korean ramen and Italian pastas to French syrups, artisanal Indian breads, and more. The curated assortment caters to both value-conscious and gourmet-curious consumers who are looking to experiment with global flavours, without compromising on quality.

Kabeer Biswas, Vice President, Flipkart Minutes, said, “With the launch of Gourmet, we are not just expanding our assortment, but also redefining what convenience means for India’s growing modern consumers. Today’s consumers are aspirational and upwardly mobile, seeking global flavours, healthier alternatives, and premium ingredients as part of their everyday lifestyle. Whether it’s crafting an authentic Asian meal, baking at home, or simply discovering new tastes, our curated selection ensures they get quality products from their favourite brands, delivered in minutes at their doorstep. This is a step forward in our journey to make high-quality, niche products more accessible to Indian consumers to meet their evolving culinary preferences.”

A quick glance at the Gourmet selection available on Minutes:

• Leading gourmet brands like Habanero, Samyang, WickedGud, Barilla, and Abbie’s among several others
• Korean instant hits from Samyang and Nongshim for bold, global flavours
• Italian pastas and sauces from Barilla and Bambino, plus Argentine staples from Borges and Bertolli
• Noodle flavours like Carbonara to Kimchi and pasta varieties from Farfalle to Spaghetti
• Premium beverages like Monin syrups, Ceylon teas, and Raw Pressery juices
• Chocolate and snack offerings from Lindt, Smoor, and MadMix
• Exotic produce, including rambutan, kale, and asparagus, and an organic range of ghee, pulses, millets, and daily-use staples
• Confectionery items such as Focaccia, Ricotta, Edamame snacks, and plant-based milks
• Trusted dairy brands like Cremeitalia, Akshayakalpa, Organic Acre, IFB Fresh Catch, and Gadre

By combining speed, curation, and global access, Flipkart Minutes continues to deliver on its mission of democratizing premium consumption and unlocking new food experiences for Indian households. The Gourmet store is currently live in select metros such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, with more cities to follow in the coming phases.

New Delhi, 11th August 2025 : In a significant move towards creating industry-ready skilled manpower, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four global technology leaders: Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd., Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Cisco Systems, and Nokia Solutions and Networks India Pvt. Ltd.

Aimed at accelerating India’s digital transformation and strengthening the skilling ecosystem, these partnerships will roll out advance training initiatives in 5G, AI/ML, networking, and digital technologies at BSNL’s apex training institute, Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of Telecom Training (BRBRAITT) in Jabalpur.

This development is a step towards a broader plan by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, to establish a Telecom Innovation, Research and Training Centre (TIRTC) at BRBRAITT. Envisioned as an industry-led national hub, TIRTC will focus on developing telecom-specific R&D talent and a future-ready workforce — aligning with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Skill India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. TIRTC will also support product innovation, prototyping, and telecom entrepreneurship in the long term.

The MoUs were signed at a ceremony in New Delhi, in the presence of Hon’ble Union Minister of Communications and DoNER, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Secretary (Telecom) Dr. Neeraj Mittal, senior officials from the DoT, BSNL leadership, and representatives from partner companies.

Hon’ble Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia:
“This collaboration between BSNL and leading global technology companies is a landmark step in building a skilled and future-ready telecom workforce. It reflects the Government’s commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital empowerment through industry-academia partnerships aligned with the vision of Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

The key initiatives under these MoUs are:

As part of this initiative, Ericsson India will help establish a dedicated Ericsson 5G Centre of Excellence at BRBRAITT to provide hands-on 5G training as well as online learning modules under the Ericsson Educate Program to 2000+ students annually. The students undergoing the 5G Onsite training will benefit from the classroom infrastructure being provided by BSNL. Students undergoing the online training part of the Ericsson Educate program, will benefit from Ericsson’s global curriculum, trainers, and lab facilities — creating a world-class learning environment aligned with national priorities.

Qualcomm Technologies Inc. will set up a Qualcomm Institute at BRBRAITT, focusing on advanced 5G and AI training for students, BSNL trainers, and government stakeholders. The programme will include premium online content, live sessions, and internships. Qualcomm will sponsor training for the first 100 participants in the inaugural year. This initiative aims to position BRBRAITT as a hub for advanced, scalable, and industry-relevant digital skill development.

Cisco Systems will leverage its Cisco Networking Academy Program to enhance skills in networking, cybersecurity, and IT infrastructure. Cisco will provide free access to online curriculum and digital tools, while BSNL will coordinate implementation across non-profit educational institutions nationwide — promoting equitable access to digital learning. The collaboration seeks to create a digitally enabled, job-ready youth workforce.

Nokia Solutions and Networks India Pvt. Ltd. will support the creation of a 5G Centre of Excellence and AI/ML Lab at BRBRAITT. The programme will train 300 students annually in 5G radio, core networks, and AI/ML applications. It includes a joint certification programme by Nokia and BRBRAITT, with support from the Telecom Sector Skill Council.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director, Ericsson India: “This collaboration is an investment in building a future-ready workforce to lead innovation in 5G, IoT, and advanced telecom technologies”

These collaborations strongly support India’s flagship missions — Digital India, Skilling India, Make in India, Startup India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat — and underscore DoT’s commitment to building deep capabilities in next-generation telecom technologies.

By equipping India’s youth with critical future-tech skills, this initiative will help shape a self-reliant and globally competitive digital future. In the long term, the initiative aims to form a broad consortium of Indian and global tech stakeholders to collectively drive training, innovation, and research in advanced telecom domains