Archives February 2026

New Delhi, Feb 05: Nestlé India marked a significant milestone in the journey of one of the country’s most loved food brands with the launch of a commemorative postal stamp celebrating 50 years of MAGGI in India. The stamp was unveiled by Mr. Manish Tiwary, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India, along with Mr. Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India.

The commemorative stamp honours MAGGI’s five-decade-long journey in India—one defined by constant evolution, category leadership, and an enduring emotional connection with consumers across generations. Titled “50 Years of Togetherness”, the stamp captures the warmth, comfort, and shared moments that MAGGI has brought to Indian households since its introduction.

Over the past 50 years, MAGGI has become a staple in Indian kitchens in many forms, including noodles, masalas, sauces, soups, and ready-to-cook offerings. From quick solo meals to family gatherings, hostel kitchens to celebratory get-togethers, MAGGI has been part of countless everyday food moments, earning its place as a trusted and beloved brand across the country.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, said,

“India’s processed food sector has evolved significantly over the decades, building trust among households nationwide. Pioneering brands have played a vital role in shaping new categories and strengthening the food ecosystem. I congratulate MAGGI on completing 50 years as part of this remarkable journey.”

Mr. Manish Tiwary, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India, added,

“Completing five decades in a country as vibrant and diverse as India is a truly special milestone for MAGGI. This journey reflects the trust, affection, and everyday love that millions of consumers have showered on the brand. The commemorative stamp celebrates a legacy built on shared moments, evolving tastes, and a bond that has grown stronger—year after year, generation after generation.”

As MAGGI celebrates this golden milestone, Nestlé India reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its connection with consumers and continuing to contribute to everyday moments that bring warmth, comfort, and togetherness to tables across India.

New Delhi, Feb 05: TravClan, a leading travel technology platform powering modern travel businesses, today announced that several fast-growing Indian travel startups including Rimigo, 30 Sundays, The Tarzan Way, and Jeto Vacations have adopted its Volt API as their core backend infrastructure. The adoption enables faster go-to-market, improved operational efficiency, and accelerated scale, and reflects a growing shift among new-age travel companies toward shared technology platforms.

Traditionally, travel startups have spent months developing backend systems such as supplier integrations, booking engines, pricing logic, and reconciliation workflows before launching customer-facing products. This approach has often delayed market entry and constrained innovation. By leveraging Volt’s shared infrastructure, startups are significantly reducing time-to-market while maintaining reliability, pricing accuracy, and service continuity.

Rimigo, an AI-powered vacation planning platform, adopted Volt early in its journey, raised $550,000 from Japan-based Reazon Capital within four months of launch, and has since curated over 500 personalised international vacations.

“The strongest travel companies win by staying focused on what truly matters to the customer,” said Sahil Sharma, Co-founder and CEO, Rimigo. “Volt has allowed us to scale efficiently while we continue to invest deeply in personalisation and experience design.”

Personalised travel brand 30 Sundays, which focuses on curated journeys for couples, has reported up to a five-fold improvement in operational efficiency and multifold growth over the past year.

“Personalisation and scale rarely coexist in travel,” said Kshitij Chaudhary, Co-founder, 30 Sundays. “With AI on the front end and Volt on the backend, we are now able to deliver both.”

Experiential travel company The Tarzan Way has recorded 300 percent year-on-year revenue growth, enabled by access to stable backend infrastructure that allows rapid experimentation with new travel formats while maintaining operational stability.

Commenting on the industry shift, Arun Bagaria, Co-founder and CEO, TravClan, said, “Every great travel company begins with a strong idea. Volt removes the infrastructure burden so founders can focus on building products customers value and return to. We are building the rails that allow specialised travel companies to scale efficiently.”

Jeto Vacations, a Delhi-based experiential travel company, highlighted the importance of real-time inventory and structured pricing data in driving growth. “Volt has been instrumental in our rapid growth over the past year by enabling faster planning and operational consistency,” said Debayan Ghosh, Director, Jeto Vacations.

Through the Volt Hotel API, partner businesses gain access to TravClan’s directly contracted properties, advanced content solutions that eliminate duplicate listings, and seamless integration across more than 40 global suppliers through a single API. Volt also enables the integration of accommodations with experiences, simplifying travel planning and delivering a connected, end-to-end customer journey.

Chennai, Feb 05: Aptus Value Housing Finance India Limited, a leading Housing Finance Company has declared its financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025.

Performance Highlights 

• AUM as of Dec’25 was at ₹12,330 Cr, growth of 21% Y-o-Y.
• Disbursements in Q3 FY26 were at ₹1,030 Cr, growth of 11%. 9M FY26 disbursements were at ₹2,768 Cr, growth of 9% Y-o-Y.
• Total Income for Q3 FY26 was at ₹569 Cr, growth of 22%. 9M FY26 total Income was at ₹1,652 Cr, growth of 27% Y-o-Y.
• Net Profit* for Q3 FY26 was at ₹239 Cr, growth of 26%. 9M FY26 Net Profit* was at ₹685 Cr, growth of 26% Y-o-Y.
• The RoA/RoE for Q3 FY26 was at 7.9%/20.2%. The RoA/RoE for 9M FY26 was at 7.9%/20.0%, amongst the best in the industry. 

* Excluding additional cost on account of new labour code, past service cost of ₹3.85 Cr (₹2.99 Cr Net of tax).

Key Performance Metrics(₹ Cr)

*Excluding additional cost on account of new labour code, past service cost of ₹3.85 Cr (₹2.99 Cr Net of tax)

Commenting on the results, Mr. P. Balaji, Managing Director, said, “Q3 FY26 sustained the sequential momentum, aided by stable business growth and prudent portfolio management. AUM grew 21% YoY to ₹12,330 Cr in Q3 FY26, driven by disbursements growth of 11% to ₹1,030 Cr.

We expanded our network to 335 branches, adding 37 new locations during the calendar year. Going forward, our branch expansion will be focused on new states, deepening presence in select under-penetrated pockets within existing states.

On the asset quality front, Gross NPA and Net NPA remained flat sequentially at 1.56% and 1.18%, respectively. 30+ DPD saw a slight uptick to 6.48%, due to seasonal volatility in collections (including around festive periods).

On the profitability side, the total income grew 27% YoY to ₹1,652 Cr, in 9M FY26. Our spreads for 9M FY26 improved to 8.9%, driven by decline in cost of funds to 8.4%. The Opex ratio remained largely flattish in 9M FY26 to 2.7%, leading to an operating profit growth of 28% YoY to ₹933 Cr. The credit cost for the 9M FY26 remained at 50 bps, within our guided range.

The net profit* for the quarter came in at ₹239 Cr, growth of 26% YoY. The RoA RoE for the quarter came in at 7.9%/20.2% respectively. The net profit* for the 9M FY26 came in at ₹685 Cr, growth of 26% YoY, translating to an RoA/RoE of 7.9%/20.0% respectively, among the best in the industry. This performance is underpinned by a well-diversified product portfolio and a broad customer base across income segments, which together provide balance and resilience across market cycles.

Technology and data-led decisioning remain key enablers of our growth and risk discipline, helping us scale reliably across geographies. We continue to stay ahead on digitization, with over 92% of agreements executed digitally and more than 94% of collections routed through digital channels. Increased adoption of account aggregator data and credit bureau insights is sharpening our underwriting, improving portfolio quality, and supporting growth in higher-ticket, stronger customer cohorts.

Over the past couple of quarters, we have been indicating our intent to move towards a higher-ticket segment to build a higher-quality customer base. In line with this, we discontinued sanctions below ₹7 lakh, which has led to some moderation in disbursements this year. Despite this, we expect to close the current year at 20-21% AUM growth. Looking ahead, we expect to deliver sustainable AUM growth of 22–24%, driven by new branch additions, channel augmentation, higher ATS, calibrated lending rate on incremental home loans without compromising on NIMs & improved productivity”

Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India.

“We saw a growth-oriented Union Budget with limited direct measures for the housing sector, and in this context, we believe the RBI has room to consider a calibrated 25-basis point repo rate cut in the upcoming MPC meeting. While rate reductions are often associated with currency pressures, the current macro environment, marked by moderating inflation, comfortable forex reserves, and improving India-US trade dynamics, provides adequate space for such a move without materially unsettling the rupee.

A rate cut would be particularly supportive for homebuyers in income segments whose purchasing capacity is closely aligned with lower-value housing, where affordability remains highly sensitive to borrowing costs. Effective transmission of any rate cut into home loan rates would meaningfully improve borrowing capacity and help restore housing affordability for end-users.”

Feb 5: Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, today announced that its nation-wide India #WithGalaxy photography challenge for Galaxy S Series has made it to the Guinness World Records (GWR). This marks a milestone in smartphone photography and national storytelling.

Launched in 2010, the Galaxy S series has endeared consumers over the years with its revolutionary photography, premium design and easy-to-use functionality. It has brought users closer to the world around them, made their lives convenient, and offered them unprecedented mobile experiences with one groundbreaking innovation after another

A Record-Breaking Achievement

The campaign captured the essence of the nation through the lens of the Galaxy S Series and set two new world records:

• Largest Smartphone Photography Competition: Samsung has created the largest smartphone photography competition in history.

• Most Contributions to an online photo sentence (artwork): The photo submissions have formed one of the world’s largest collaborative digital artwork celebrating creativity and digital participation across India’s rich cultural tapestry.

“The India #WithGalaxy campaign unites people and celebrates the essence of a nation. By setting two Guinness World Records, we have showcased the capabilities of the Galaxy S Series and amplified the voices of our consumers who celebrate India’s diversity, beauty, and spirit through their lenses. This initiative reflects Samsung’s commitment to fostering innovation and cultural storytelling, empowering individuals to share their unique perspectives. We are immensely proud of this achievement and grateful to everyone who contributed to making this milestone possible,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.

The campaign ran from December 30, 2025 to January 26, 2026 and invited Indian citizens to capture real moments in the country using the Galaxy S Series. The initiative garnered a total of 31331 submissions that reflect the country’s diversity, beauty, and spirit, and created a vibrant visual mosaic of “India #WithGalaxy”. The campaign was anchored by celebrated Indian filmmaker Kabir Khan and 30+ regional photographers.

Celebrating India’s Storytelling Through Galaxy S Series, the India #WithGalaxy campaign captured four key themes

• Faces of India: Portraits of real people that showcase the country’s warmth and diversity.

• Sights of India: The breathtaking natural and architectural beauty, from the Himalayas to coastal landscapes.

• Spirit of India: Everyday moments of pride, resilience, and unity that shape the country’s identity.

• Colours of India: The vibrant textures, attire, and food that make every corner of the nation visually distinct.

A Cultural Celebration Beyond Technology

The campaign highlights the Galaxy S Series’ technological prowess, and also weaves in a deep cultural narrative. Samsung has reinforced its commitment to fostering cultural relevance and people-powered storytelling by enabling citizens to document their India stories. Samsung extends its gratitude to all participants, creators, and partners who made this record-breaking achievement possible. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our mission to push the boundaries of innovation and inspire global storytelling through technology. For more information about the India #WithGalaxy campaign and Samsung Galaxy’s camera technologies

Seoul, Feb 5: SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) today announced its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended 2025, reporting revenue of KRW 17.0992 trillion, operating income of KRW 1.0732 trillion, and net income of KRW 375.1 billion, in accordance with Korean International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS).

On a year-on-year basis, consolidated revenue declined by 4.7% from KRW 17.9406 trillion in FY 2024, while operating income fell by 41.1% from KRW 1.8234 trillion. Net income declined by 73.0% compared to KRW 1.3871 trillion in the previous year. On a non-consolidated basis, SK Telecom recorded revenue of KRW 12.0511 trillion and operating income of KRW 811.8 billion for the year.

For the fourth quarter of FY 2025, consolidated revenue stood at KRW 4.3287 trillion, a decline of 4.1% year-on-year, while operating income was KRW 119.1 billion, down 53.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Net income for the quarter was KRW 97.0 billion, reflecting a year-on-year decrease of 75.4%. On a non-consolidated basis, fourth-quarter revenue was KRW 3.0837 trillion, operating income was KRW 130.8 billion, and net income was KRW 106.0 billion.

Despite financial headwinds, including the lingering impact of last year’s cybersecurity incident, SK Telecom made progress in restoring customer trust and stabilising its core telecom business. As of the end of 2025, the company’s 5G subscriber base reached 17.49 million, returning to net growth in the fourth quarter with approximately 230,000 additions compared to the previous quarter. Fixed-line subscribers, including high-speed internet users, also returned to pre-incident net growth levels in Q4.

In 2026, SK Telecom will prioritise Customer Value Innovation while strengthening its fundamental competitiveness, with a clear focus on improving profitability and laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term growth.

AI Business Gains Momentum

SK Telecom’s artificial intelligence business continued to gain traction during FY 2025. Revenue from AI Data Centers (AIDCs) reached KRW 519.9 billion, representing a strong year-on-year growth of 34.9%, driven by higher utilisation rates at the Gasan (Seoul) and Yangju (Gyeonggi) data centres, as well as the acquisition of the Pangyo data centre.

The Ulsan AIDC, a joint project with Amazon Web Services (AWS), progressed steadily following its groundbreaking in September 2025. Looking ahead, SK Telecom plans to break ground on an additional data centre in Seoul in 2026, strengthen its AIDC solution business, and expand its submarine cable operations to create synergies with its data centre infrastructure.

The company also advanced to Phase 2 of the government-led Sovereign AI Foundation Model project in January 2026, reinforcing its competitiveness in sovereign AI and positioning it to capture further opportunities in government-driven AI initiatives.

Driving AI Integration Across Telecommunications

As part of its accelerated AI Transformation (AX) strategy, SK Telecom plans to integrate AI across all areas of its telecommunications business in 2026, including products and marketing, network operations, and distribution channels. AI-driven automation in network design, deployment, and operations is expected to enhance customer experience, improve productivity, and support profitability recovery.

The company will also advance its AI-based Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) modelling to deliver more personalised products, membership benefits, and distribution experiences tailored to individual customer preferences.

Commenting on the outlook, Park Jong-seok, CFO of SK Telecom, said, “This year, SK Telecom will drive customer value innovation across all areas of our telecommunications and AI businesses, and make every effort to improve our financial performance.”

The conference call discussing SK Telecom’s FY 2025 earnings results will be available via the company’s website on February 5, 2026, from 16:00 Seoul Time.

V-Guard Industries Reports 10.6% Revenue Growth in Q3 FY26; Profit Impacted by One-Time Labour Code Charge

Kochi, Feb 05: V-Guard Industries Ltd., a leading Consumer Electricals and Electronics company, announced its unaudited consolidated financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025.

Q3 FY 2025–26 Highlights

• Consolidated Net Revenue from Operations stood at ₹1,403.51 crore, registering a 10.6% year-on-year growth compared to ₹1,268.65 crore in Q3 FY25.

• Consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) for the quarter was ₹57.06 crore, reflecting a 5.2% decline from ₹60.22 crore in the corresponding period last year.

• The decline in reported PAT was primarily due to a one-time exceptional charge of ₹22.11 crore related to the reassessment of employee benefit obligations under the New Labour Codes.

• Underlying PAT (excluding the exceptional item) grew by a healthy 22.3% year-on-year, indicating strong operational performance.

Nine Months Ended December 31, 2025

• Consolidated Net Revenue from Operations for the nine-month period was ₹4,210.51 crore, up 4.2% from ₹4,039.74 crore in the same period last year.

• Consolidated PAT stood at ₹196.20 crore, compared to ₹222.58 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting an 11.9% decline, largely due to the exceptional labour code-related impact.

Management Commentary

Commenting on the performance, Mr. Mithun K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd, said:

“The business delivered double-digit growth in the third quarter, primarily driven by strong volume growth in the electrical segment, which also witnessed commodity price inflation.

In light of the notification issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on the New Labour Codes, the Company reassessed its employee benefit obligations and recognised an incremental charge of ₹22.11 crore as an exceptional item during the quarter.

Overall margins remain resilient, and as we approach the upcoming summer season, we are optimistic about delivering strong results going forward.”

Outlook

V-Guard continues to focus on driving volume-led growth, managing cost pressures effectively, and leveraging seasonal demand, particularly in its electrical and consumer durable segments. The Company remains confident of sustaining momentum in the coming quarters.

Sydney, Australia, Feb 5:  The rapid rise of artificial intelligence, escalating geopolitical tensions, regulatory volatility and an expanding threat landscape are reshaping the global cybersecurity environment, according to Gartner, Inc. These forces are driving the most critical cybersecurity trends for 2026, which will be explored at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit, taking place March 16–17 in Sydney.

“Cybersecurity leaders are navigating uncharted territory as multiple disruptive forces converge,” said Alex Michaels, Director Analyst at Gartner. “This environment is testing the limits of teams and traditional models, demanding new approaches to cyber risk management, resilience and resource allocation.”

Gartner identified six cybersecurity trends that will significantly impact governance models, secure emerging digital frontiers and guide the responsible adoption of AI.

Agentic AI Requires Strong Cybersecurity Governance

The growing use of agentic AI by employees and developers is introducing new attack surfaces. The rise of no-code/low-code platforms and “vibe coding” is accelerating the proliferation of unmanaged AI agents, unsecured code and potential regulatory violations. Gartner advises organizations to identify both sanctioned and unsanctioned AI agents, implement robust controls and prepare incident response playbooks to manage emerging risks.

Regulatory Volatility Accelerates Cyber Resilience

Geopolitical uncertainty and evolving global regulations are making cybersecurity a board-level business risk. With increasing executive accountability, compliance failures can result in significant penalties and reputational damage. Gartner recommends closer collaboration between cybersecurity, legal, procurement and business teams, along with alignment to recognized control frameworks and proactive management of data sovereignty issues.

Post-Quantum Computing Moves from Theory to Action

Advances in quantum computing are expected to compromise current asymmetric cryptography by 2030. Gartner urges organizations to begin adopting post-quantum cryptography now to protect sensitive data from “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks and to ensure long-term cryptographic agility.

Identity and Access Management Evolves for AI Agents

The rise of machine identities is challenging traditional IAM models. Issues around identity registration, credential automation and authorization for AI agents are increasing access-related risks. Gartner recommends a risk-based investment approach, focusing on high-impact gaps while leveraging automation to maintain compliance and innovation.

AI-Driven Security Operations Transform SOCs

AI-enabled security operations centers (SOCs) are changing operational norms, creating new workforce, cost and skills challenges. While AI enhances alert triage and investigations, Gartner emphasizes the importance of human-in-the-loop frameworks, workforce upskilling and clear strategic alignment to maintain resilience.

GenAI Disrupts Traditional Security Awareness Programs

As GenAI adoption accelerates, traditional cybersecurity awareness programs are proving ineffective. A Gartner survey conducted in 2025 found that over 57% of employees use personal GenAI tools for work, and 33% admitted entering sensitive information into unapproved platforms. Gartner recommends shifting to adaptive, behavior-based training with AI-specific guidance, supported by stronger governance and clear policies for authorized use.

Gartner clients can access deeper insights in “Top Trends in Cybersecurity for 2026.” Additional guidance is available in the complimentary ebook “AI in Cybersecurity: Minimize Risks and Maximize Impact.”

Gartner Security & Risk Management Summits

Gartner analysts will present the latest insights for security and risk management leaders at upcoming summits worldwide, including March 9–10 in Mumbai, March 16–17 in Sydney, June 1–3 in National Harbor (MD), July 22–24 in Tokyo, August 4–5 in São Paulo, and September 22–24 in London. Updates from the events can be followed using #GartnerSEC on X and LinkedIn.

Lalit Parihar, Managing Director, Aaiji Group, a Dholera-based real estate firm

“Ahmedabad’s 8% year-on-year rise in housing prices reflects the city’s fundamentally strong, end-user-driven demand. Growth here is being powered by genuine demand, improving infrastructure, and sustained economic activity across Gujarat. This steady appreciation reinforces Ahmedabad’s position as one of India’s most affordable and stable real estate markets for both homebuyers and long-term investors.”

AI-Enabled NDT Robotics Startup Octobotics Raises ~₹10 Crore in Series Seed Funding to Transform Asset Integrity Across Industrial and Rail Sectors

New Delhi, Feb 05: Octobotics Tech Pvt Ltd, an industrial robotics startup focused on AI-enabled Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) solutions, has successfully raised approximately ₹10 crore in a Series Seed funding round. The round was led by Navam Capital, with participation from BYT Capital.

The funds will be utilised to accelerate product development, strengthen field validation, and support Octobotics’ international expansion across key markets.

Founded in 2020 by Ishan Bhatnagar and Gulshan Kumar, Octobotics designs and deploys vertically integrated, AI-powered NDT robotics platforms engineered to operate in harsh and high-risk environments. The company’s solutions address inspection challenges across asset-intensive sectors including Oil & Gas, Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Marine, Power, Fertilisers, and Railways.

Octobotics currently serves leading organisations such as the Indian Navy, IOCL, Saudi S-Chem, BPCL, HPCL, Aarti Industries, and GSFC, and reported ₹2 crore in annual revenue in the last financial year.

“This capital will support deeper R&D for vertical integration, enable us to pursue IECEx and ATEX certifications, and help scale our operations across India, Singapore, and the Middle East,” said Ishan Bhatnagar and Gulshan Kumar, Co-Founders of Octobotics.
“Our distribution-led approach allows these systems to work alongside human operators, significantly reducing manual intervention in hazardous environments.”

Commenting on the investment, Dr. Anjan Ray, Investment Partner at Navam Capital, said,

“Octobotics is addressing critical maintenance challenges in infrastructure-heavy industries. Their vertically integrated technology stack combined with a scalable distribution model positions them well to serve the global inspection market.”

In industries where safety, operability, and asset uptime are key competitive drivers, conventional manual inspection methods continue to struggle in high-risk zones such as corroded surfaces, confined spaces, elevated structures, and complex geometries. Octobotics addresses these challenges by automating hazardous inspection tasks and transforming raw field data into actionable asset integrity intelligence.

By enabling early detection of defects, corrosion, and material loss, the company helps operators reduce operational risk, minimise unplanned downtime, and improve inspection reliability. Its robotic and sensor-driven workflows generate high-fidelity data, which is analysed using predictive analytics to deliver a unified, decision-ready view of asset health.

Octobotics’ product portfolio includes:

• PA RailScan – a PAUT-based system for rail track weld inspection, delivering consistent defect detection and repeatable inspection quality at scale

• Weld Sensei – an automated inspection platform designed for precise data acquisition in hazardous environments where manual inspection is unsafe

• Reach Master – a specialised NDT solution for inspections in hard-to-reach and high-elevation zones

The founders first connected at MERI Kolkata and later built careers in complex international operations. Ishan Bhatnagar previously managed maritime operations and automation at BW Maritime (Singapore), while Gulshan Kumar worked as an Operations & Maintenance Engineer at Belgian dredging major D.E.M.E. Inspired by the “Make in India” initiative, they returned to build data-driven, field-ready inspection solutions for critical infrastructure.