Archives January 2026

Mumbai, Jan 19:  Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, inaugurated the IndiaSkills Regional Competition 2025–26 for the North-East today at Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, where youth from eight states of Northeast will be competing with each other across 26 skills.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), along with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) as its implementation partner, is bringing India’s premier skilling championship to the North-Eastern region for the first time, providing young talent from the region a valuable opportunity to participate in a national-level skills competition closer to home.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Dr. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University, Shri Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Border Protection and Development Dept., Implementation of Assam Accord Dept ,Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship Department and Labour Welfare Department and Ms. Hena Usman, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt of India; along with senior officials and key stakeholders from the skilling ecosystem.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister highlighted that the Prime Minister’s sustained focus on the North-East—evident through frequent visits and policy prioritisation—has created renewed confidence and opportunity for the region’s youth. He noted that initiatives such as IndiaSkills complement this vision by taking national platforms directly to young talent in the region.

Shri Jayant Chaudhary said, 

“IndiaSkills is not merely a competition; it is a celebration of excellence, discipline, and the dignity of work. The North-East has immense talent and aspiration, and this platform reflects our confidence that youth from this region are ready to lead India’s skilled workforce and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s growth.”

The  Minister also emphasised the growing importance of integrating skilling with formal education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, noting that closer alignment between education and skill development expands pathways for employability, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning, while making young people future-ready for a rapidly evolving economy.

Beyond the competition itself, this regional event reflects the steady strengthening of the skilling ecosystem in the North-Eastern Region under the Skill India Mission. Students from Directorate General of Training (DGT) institutions, including Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), are participating across several skill categories, demonstrating the growing alignment between long-term vocational education and national-level competitive platforms.

The North East Regional Competition has drawn 162 competitors from all eight North-Eastern states, reflecting strong regional participation and diversity of talent. The competition spans a diverse range of contemporary and traditional skill areas including Automobile Technology, Cloud Computing, Mobile Applications Development, Software and Web Technologies, Digital Interactive Media, Electronics, CNC Milling and Turning, Welding, Electrical Installations, Fashion Technology, Bakery and Patisserie, Hotel Reception, Restaurant Service, Health and Social Care, Retail Sales, and Visual Merchandising.

The skill mix at the competition highlights the increasing participation of women in core technical and traditionally male-dominated trades such as Automobile Technology, Electronics, CNC, Electrical Installations, and Welding. It also reflects a strong convergence of digital skills with manufacturing and services, preparing youth for Industry 4.0-linked roles. At the same time, the presence of hospitality, health, and retail skills underscores the alignment of skilling efforts with the North-East’s key growth sectors, particularly tourism and services. Platforms such as IndiaSkills play a critical role in aligning regional talent with industry demand and national development priorities.

The IndiaSkills competition follows a structured, multi-tier evaluation process designed to identify and nurture the best talent across the country. Candidates are first assessed at the district level, followed by state-level competitions, after which short listed participants advance to regional competitions. Top performers from the regional stage qualify for the IndiaSkills National Competition, where they are evaluated against national benchmarks, with select winners earning the opportunity to represent India at WorldSkills Competition to be held in Shanghai between September 22-27, 2026.

Bengaluru, India, Jan 19: ABB today announced the successful dispatch of its first locally manufactured wind power converter in India, marking a major milestone following the acquisition of Gamesa Electric’s power electronics business in December 2025. The converter was manufactured and shipped from ABB’s state-of-the-art Nelamangala facility in Bengaluru and delivered to a leading wind turbine OEM.

This milestone reinforces ABB’s expanded commitment to the renewable energy and wind power sectors in India and globally, while strengthening the company’s contribution to the energy transition through advanced wind, solar, and energy storage technologies.

Strengthening India’s Renewable Manufacturing Ecosystem

The dispatch represents a significant step in integrating Gamesa Electric’s proven wind energy conversion technologies into ABB’s renewable portfolio. Aligned with the Government of India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives, ABB is deepening its local manufacturing footprint and supporting India’s growing role as a global hub for renewable energy manufacturing.

ABB’s enhanced renewable portfolio now spans wind power converters, utility-scale solar inverters, and power conversion systems for battery energy storage systems (BESS)—all manufactured locally to support India’s integrated renewable energy vision.

Leadership Perspective

Commenting on the development, Anoop Anand, President – Motion High Power Division, ABB India Ltd., said:

“Wind energy plays a critical role in the global energy transition. By delivering advanced power conversion technologies that are locally manufactured in India and engineered for effective grid integration, we are strengthening the integration of wind power into the grid and supporting the scale-up of renewable energy worldwide. This milestone also reinforces India’s position as a global hub for renewable energy manufacturing and deployment.”

India’s Growing Role in Global Wind Energy

India is rapidly consolidating its position as one of the world’s leading renewable energy markets, with wind power at the center of this transformation. As the world’s third-largest wind manufacturing base, India is expected to meet nearly 10% of global wind demand and scale its installed wind capacity to 107 GW by 2030, highlighting its strategic importance in the global renewable energy ecosystem.

Building on a Strong Global Legacy

ABB has played a pivotal role in advancing renewable energy for over 15 years, delivering more than 60,000 wind converters and generators globally. The acquisition of Gamesa Electric’s power electronics business significantly strengthens ABB’s power conversion capabilities, enabling the company to offer end-to-end, utility-scale solutions across wind, solar, and battery energy storage.

The integration also expands ABB’s serviceable installed base of wind converters by approximately 46 gigawatts globally, equivalent to nearly one-fifth of India’s current installed renewable energy capacity.

Powering India’s Clean Energy Future

With deep expertise in power electronics and grid integration, ABB is well positioned to support India’s next phase of renewable energy growth, where grid reliability, regulatory compliance, and local manufacturing are increasingly critical. ABB India’s renewable energy solutions are aligned with the country’s ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Mumbai, India, Jan 19: Aurum PropTech, a leading integrated PropTech platform in India, today announced its consolidated financial results for the third quarter of FY2026, marking a significant milestone as the company delivered a Profit After Tax (PAT) positive quarter. This achievement reinforces Aurum PropTech’s evolution into a scalable, profitable, and technology-led PropTech institution.

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Q3 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025)

• Total income recorded strong year-on-year growth of 77%

• PBT margin improved to 1.6%, reflecting a sharp expansion of 1,535 basis points from the previous year

• Adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 6.5%, an improvement of 885 basis points year-on-year

These results underscore Aurum PropTech’s disciplined execution, steadily improving unit economics, and sustained focus on long-term value creation.

 Segment Performance Highlights

Distribution Business: Scaling Data-Driven Growth

Sell.do

• Closed over 140 enterprise deals and added 1,100 new licenses during the quarter

• Achieved 67% growth in new sales, highlighting strong market traction

• Successfully deployed AI Calling Bot and Personal WhatsApp solutions into production

Aurum Analytica

• Supported 140+ active clients across 260+ projects

• Delivered 54% year-on-year growth, with over 117,000 leads sold in Q3 FY26

• Initiated Aurum Explore MVP to enhance organic reach and expand offerings in Tier-2 markets

PropTiger

• Maintained 175+ active developer clients across 11 active mandates

• Recognized with Quarterly Sales Champion and Best Performer awards from leading developers

• Strengthened multiple growth engines across primary sales, mandates, and mortgage services

Rental Business: Expanding the Rental Horizon

HelloWorld

• Operated 270+ active coliving spaces across 15+ cities

• Onboarded 16 new buildings and added over 2,200 new tenants

• Upgraded the short-stay module and launched a dynamic inventory dashboard

NestAway

• Closed 1,400+ bookings across Standard and Lite models

• Scaled the platform to approximately 9,900 rentable units across 5,183 houses

• Enhanced resale and partner platforms with upgraded dashboards and backend infrastructure

Leadership Commentary

Commenting on the results, Mr. Onkar Shetye, Executive Director, Aurum PropTech, said:

“Q3 FY26 represents a pivotal moment in Aurum PropTech’s journey, as we transitioned from an Adjusted EBITDA-positive position to delivering a PAT-positive outcome. This milestone reflects years of disciplined execution, improving unit economics, and a strong philosophy of capital stewardship across the platform. Our Distribution businesses continue to scale through AI-led innovation at Sell.do, geographic expansion at Aurum Analytica, and sustained operational efficiency at PropTiger. Meanwhile, our Rental platforms—HelloWorld and NestAway—are demonstrating resilience and cash-generative potential. On the Capital side, we are progressing deliberately toward SM REIT opportunities with a strong focus on regulatory readiness and long-term value creation. Together, these developments reinforce our vision of building a scaled, profitable, and technology-led PropTech institution of enduring value.”

Mumbai, Jan 19: Schneider Electric, the global leader in energy management and automation, has announced its participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. Led by CEO Olivier Blum, the company’s delegation will advocate for deeper cross-industry collaboration to accelerate the advancement of energy technology in an AI-driven world.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Olivier Blum said,

“We have entered a new era where AI and energy are inseparable, and together they will reshape every business. AI requires compute, and compute requires energy—making energy intelligence more critical than ever. Across industries, customers face the same opportunity and challenge: using energy more efficiently. As an energy technology partner, Schneider Electric electrifies, automates, and digitalizes industries, businesses, and homes to drive efficiency and sustainability. We don’t just connect systems—we create ecosystems where AI, data, and people work together seamlessly. Davos provides a powerful platform to advance energy technology together.”

Throughout the Annual Meeting, Schneider Electric will unveil several key initiatives and milestones reinforcing its leadership at the intersection of AI, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

AI Applications Delivering Real-World Impact

Schneider Electric has been recognized in Cohorts 1 and 2 of MINDS (Meaningful, Intelligent, Novel, Deployable Solutions)—the Forum’s global program spotlighting high-impact AI solutions delivering tangible outcomes. At the WEF Annual Meeting on January 20, 2026, Olivier Blum will accept the MINDS trophy for EcoStruxure™ Microgrid Advisor and Snaplogic Touchscreen Room Controller, underscoring the company’s leadership in deployable AI innovation.

Ninth Global Lighthouse Recognition

Schneider Electric’s Wuhan factory has been inducted into the Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, marking the company’s ninth Lighthouse recognition. Notably, the site is among only three factories worldwide to receive the newly introduced talent distinction, recognizing its people-centric, future-ready workforce model that bridges skills gaps and strengthens manufacturing resilience.

Convening Global Energy Leaders

Frédéric Godemel, Executive Vice President of Energy Management at Schneider Electric, will convene senior leaders across industries on behalf of the Bloomberg New Economy Energy Technology Coalition. This meeting marks the Coalition’s first major convening, aimed at accelerating the adoption of technologies that enhance energy efficiency, resilience, and responsiveness amid rapidly rising global electricity demand.

Driving Inclusive Energy Transition

Schneider Electric, in partnership with EDP, has launched EDGE Transition, a global accelerator designed to empower social entrepreneurs delivering clean, affordable energy solutions and inclusive economic opportunities in underserved communities.

The initiative supports early-stage impact ventures through mentorship, technical validation, strategic partnerships, and access to patient, risk-tolerant capital. By fostering equitable access to energy, EDGE Transition aims to accelerate global electrification and deliver meaningful, sustainable impact.

Gurugram, Jan 19: CollegeDekho, the ed-tech startup by CarDekho Group has today announced the appointment of Tapan Jindal as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as the education services company looks to strengthen its financial governance framework and prepare for next stage of growth. The appointment follows CarDekho’s $10Mn investment in the startup later last year. In his new role, Tapan will join the company’s core leadership team, leading its finance, legal and compliance functions with a focus on corporate governance, capital efficiency, and long-term strategic planning.

Tapan, a Chartered Accountant, brings over 2 decades of rich experience spanning early-stage startups to public companies including Scaler, SugarBox, Zee Group and Devyani International. Tapan has been a part of CarDekho Group in the past where he supported the leadership in strategic planning, fundraising and financial transformation of the company, commending the role of Director- Finance.

Talking about the appointment, Ruchir Arora, Founder & CEO, CollegeDekho, said,

“We are excited to welcome Tapan on board. His enriching experience of running an education venture, and scaling startups and ed-techs will help us unlock the next stage of growth for CollegeDekho. His experience in scaling platforms and building robust financial frameworks will be instrumental in accelerating CollegeDekho’s mission as we democratize access to quality education, guidance, and skilling for students across the country.”

Tapan Jindal, Chief Financial Officer, CollegeDekho, said,

“Education has been close to my heart, and having run an education venture early in my career, I feel CollegeDekho is the place for me and being back in CarDekho Group is like coming back to home. I look forward to creating long term value for stakeholders and strengthening the financial and governance practices as we work towards contributing to the education sector in India via making education accessible to so many.”

Founded in 2015, CollegeDekho enables students to find higher education opportunities in India and abroad. The edtech platform is currently focused on solidifying its presence in Tier 2 & 3 cities with its ‘CollegeDekho Assured’ program that enables students to pursue industry aligned degree courses with partner universities across India. Last year, CollegeDekho guided more than 4 million students for admissions.

Cloudflare, the leading connectivity cloud company, today announced that The Astro Technology Company team, the creators of the Astro web framework, will be joining Cloudflare. Astro is a popular JavaScript web framework used by major brands like Unilever, Visa, and NBC News, as well as hundreds of thousands of developers, to build fast, content-driven websites. Astro will remain open source to ensure the long-term growth and development of the project under Cloudflare’s stewardship. With the Astro team joining Cloudflare, the companies are doubling down on a sustainable future for Astro to remain the definitive framework for content-driven websites.

Search engines prioritize fast-loading, clean pages, and consumers today expect seemingly instant load times from the web pages they visit. Websites that rely heavily on JavaScript for initial rendering often struggle to deliver this speed, hurting search rankings and customer conversions. With Astro, each web page loads only the most critical code that is needed to display a page in a browser. This makes Astro the preferred choice for building high-performance, content-driven websites optimized for speed.

“Protecting and investing in open source tools is critical to the health of a functioning, free, and open Internet,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “By acquiring this talented team and committing to one of the most impactful frameworks when it comes to speed and performance, we’re going to ensure Astro continues to be the best web framework for content-driven websites, not only as it is today but for years to come.”

“Joining Cloudflare allows us to accelerate Astro’s development faster and on a much larger scale,” said Fred Schott, CEO of The Astro Technology Company. “Astro will continue to be the best way for developers to build content-driven websites, whether they host on Cloudflare or elsewhere.”

Astro is already the backbone for successful platforms like Webflow and Wix that run on Cloudflare. Astro introduced the beta release of Astro 6 this week, which brings support for additional JavaScript runtimes, improves performance and speeds up build times. Cloudflare is also committed to continuing to support open-source contributions, via the Astro Ecosystem Fund, alongside industry partners including Webflow, Netlify, Wix and Sentry.

By:- Mr. Madhu Rajputra Peravalli, Co-founder, Troogue

“We keep talking about enabling startups, but real scale comes when the government becomes a customer, not just a regulator. A single government project says more to investors than ten pitch decks. On skilling too, we need to be brutally honest, training that doesn’t lead to employability is just expensive motivation. I would request the FM to consider funding platforms linking skilling to hiring. We also need to democratise AI access, which is currently affordable for only big tech, in order for India to become a leader in AI-led innovation. Finally, strengthening R&D tax incentives for startups building original IP will boost innovation, create more jobs and foster an environment wherein startups thrive.”

In the heart of Khan Market, where Delhi’s days blend effortlessly into its nights, Tranzit introduces Mizu Drunch to Ember Noon, a high-impact weekend IP designed for the city’s most social hours. Channelled by Mizu Drunch, an Asian-forward drunch that takes over Saturday night, and Ember Noon, a European-inspired Sunday brunch, the experience presents the charm of Delhi weekends – bold, indulgent, and always in motion.

This is the kind of plan that feels right at home in Khan Market. A Saturday night that commences amid the buzz of after-hours conversations, clinking glasses, and packed tables, before evolving into a Sunday afternoon defined by long lunches, easy pours, and unhurried indulgence. At Tranzit, the end of the week doesn’t pause; it carries forward.

Saturday nights at Khan Market belong to Mizu Drunch. Running from 9 PM to 12 AM, Mizu Drunch brings an Asian drunch experience to life through punchy flavours, shared plates, and a charged atmosphere that complements the energy of the neighbourhood after dark. Layered spices, wok-led techniques, and bold mains are paired with high-energy music, bottomless sparkling, and a curated bundle of signature cocktails, designed for groups that settle in and stay late.

As daylight returns to the market streets, the mood shifts as Sunday afternoons unfold as Ember Noon. From 1 PM to 4 PM, Ember Noon channels the easy sophistication of a European brunch, perfectly suited to Khan Market’s daytime rhythm. Burrata-led salads, handmade sourdough pizzas, pastas, and composed mains set the mood for relaxed afternoons, where conversations stretch, glasses stay filled, and the pace slows without losing its sense of occasion.

The culinary journey embodies this movement across time and place. Mizu Drunch draws from Asia’s bold passion, while Ember Noon leans into Europe’s understated comfort. Standout dishes across the weekend include the Spicy Tamarind Duck Salad, Curious Burrata, Coconut Chilli Lime Noodles, and Tranzit’s in-house sourdough pizzas.

A dedicated drinks programme maneuvers through both experiences. Mizu Drunch is led by cocktails crafted for the night, while Ember Noon features bottomless sparkling designed for long, sunlit brunches. The experience is visually backed through two-sided tent cards, with Mizu Drunch on one side and Ember Noon on the other, mapping the journey of guests from the moment they’re seated.

The experience is available through a curated set menu priced at INR 1900 per person for food, with Mizu Drunch served on Saturdays from 9 PM to 12 AM and Ember Noon on Sundays from 1 PM to 4 PM. Reservations are mandatory. The experience operates from January 17 to February 28, 2026.

With Mizu Drunch and Ember Noon, Tranzit delights Khan Market’s evolving dining landscape, offering a weekend ritual that feels unmistakably Delhi. From late-night plans to slow Sunday afternoons, this is where the city gathers, lingers, and comes back for more.

GJC Submits Comprehensive Pre-Budget Recommendations for Union Budget 2026–27, Calls for GST Rationalisation and Measures to Boost Formalisation & MSME Growth in Gems & Jewellery Sector

Mumbai, Jan 19: All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), the apex body representing India’s domestic gems and jewellery trade, submitted its detailed pre-budget recommendations to the Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for consideration in the Union Budget 2026–27.

The representation focuses on five core pillars:

1. GST reforms to restore affordability and eliminate working capital blockage
2. Direct tax relief on unrealised inventory appreciation due to gold price surge
3. Strengthening formalisation and consumer protection through policy clarity
4. Operationalisation of the long-pending Tourist GST Refund Scheme
5. Sector-specific measures to mobilise idle gold, deepen digital payments, and support MSMEs

Key recommendations include:

Reduction of GST on gold & silver jewellery from 3% to 1.25% (or a uniform 1.5% across the sector) on revenue neutral / equivalence ratio to offset inflation-driven tax burden and revive middle-class and rural demand.

Refund of accumulated ITC on input services or reduction of GST on key input services (rent, security, logistics, etc.) from 18% to 5% to correct inverted duty structure.

Clear circular affirming 5% GST on jewellery job-work services to protect karigars and prevent field-level harassment.

One-year deferral of income tax on unrealised inventory appreciation caused by gold price rise in FY 2025–26, without interest.

Exemption from capital gains tax on exchange of hallmarked jewellery when proceeds are reinvested in new jewellery.

Immediate operationalisation of the Tourist GST Refund scheme at major airports to boost inbound tourism retail spending.

Simplified compliance for MSME jewellers, including higher turnover thresholds for returns and protection from duplicate notices post-audit.

Policy framework for digital gold, rationalised MDR on credit card transactions, and introduction of formal EMI for hallmarked 22-karat jewellery.

The submission emphasises to strengthen India’s position as a global jewellery hub while aligning with national goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, and Viksit Bharat @2047.

Rajesh Rokde, Chairman, All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) said: 

“The sharp rise in gold prices has multiplied the absolute GST burden on consumers and created severe working capital stress for jewellers, even though no policy change has occurred. Our recommendations are not for concessions but for restoring proportionality, liquidity and fairness. A modest GST reduction, together with relief on notional inventory gains and job-work clarity, will bring millions of transactions back into the formal economy, protect karigar livelihoods, and make jewellery once again an accessible savings asset for Indian households. We are confident that the Hon’ble Finance Minister will consider these practical, calibrated reforms in the upcoming Budget.”

Avinash Gupta, Vice Chairman, GJC added: 

“Our sector is deeply committed to formalisation, transparency and digital transformation. By operationalising the Tourist GST Refund Scheme, enabling EMI for 22-karat jewellery, capping credit-card MDR, and regulating digital gold, we can significantly enhance traceability, boost tourism-linked exports, and bring younger consumers confidently into the organised market. These steps will also help reduce India’s reliance on imported bullion over time by mobilising domestic gold through transparent banking channels. We stand ready to partner with the Government to implement these changes smoothly and effectively.”

The council remains committed to partnering with the government to drive transparency, formalization, and consumer trust, ensuring the sector’s contribution to India’s economic and cultural legacy.

“The contract extension reflects our confidence in Allcargo Terminals’ operational capabilities and its contribution to port-led logistics efficiency at JNPA. With the planned infrastructure upgrade, Speedy Multimodes CFS will be equipped to handle the steadily growing cargo volumes at JNPA with its scale, efficiency, and digital-first logistics services. The extension of the contract and upgradation of the facility will contribute to JNPA’s vision to become the first Indian port to handle 10 million TEUs by 2027.”

“We thank JNPA for their continued confidence in us and look forward to further strengthening our partnership. This extension reflects the trust placed in our operational capabilities and reinforces our role in supporting EXIM trade and port operations at JNPT with enhanced efficiency and reliability. Our proximity to the port enables faster turnaround times and smoother cargo movement, while the expanded operating scale positions us to effectively handle the next phase of growth in cargo volumes at JNPT and contribute to a stronger, more integrated port ecosystem.”