Archives March 2026

Sriperumbudur: The Engine of Tamil Nadu’s Manufacturing Rise

Chennai, Mar 11th:  With a diversified economic base, robust infrastructure and progressive policies, Tamil Nadu has positioned itself as a leader in development and inclusive growth. This is clearly reflected in the state achieving a real growth rate of 11.2% in 2024-25, the highest among major states, according to a recent economic survey by the Tamil Nadu government.
 
Tamil Nadu benefits from significant productive capacity and efficiency advantages along with high levels of human capital, reflected in literacy, technical education and skill development, ensuring a productive workforce capable of supporting both manufacturing and services, the survey added.
 
Few places illustrate that story better than Sriperumbudur. Primarily an agrarian economic area, the region got a facelift with it first entered the global manufacturing map in the late 1990s with the arrival of a Korean automobile major. Over time, the ecosystem diversified. When Samsung Electronics decided to establish its Sunguvarchatram plant in 2007, it signalled the region’s evolution from an auto hub into broader electronics manufacturing cluster.Today, Sriperumbudur and the surrounding belt host several global electronics and telecom manufacturers — including Samsung, Foxconn, Flex, Salcomp and Dell — along with a dense network of component suppliers serving domestic and export markets for mobile phones, laptops and consumer durables. The region has emerged as a major employment generator, providing jobs for over 70,000 people.
 
“The Sriperumbudur story reinforces a critical policy insight: manufacturing-led growth delivers its greatest impact when job creation is paired with skill development, fair wages, and long-term workforce investment. Companies like Samsung Electronics demonstrate how early, sustained industrial investments can transform regional economies – not just by creating employment, but by formalising livelihoods, raising income standards, and improving workforce productivity,” said Shailesh Khanna, Brand Lead, ManpowerGroup India.
 
Industrialisation in Sriperumbudur has reshaped household income patterns, skill profiles and aspirations. Young people who once migrated to cities for uncertain employment are now able to access formal-sector jobs closer to home. Ancillary industries — logistics, housing, retail, food services and training institutes — have flourished alongside anchor investors.
 
Industry observers note that early entrants like Hyundai and Samsung helped establish wage and welfare benchmarks that influenced the broader ecosystem. Publicly available employer review platforms such as Glassdoor and AmbitionBox indicate that established players in the region are often perceived to offer structured wage growth and formal employment benefits. Such practices contribute to workforce stability in what has become one of India’s most important electronics corridors.
 
Nearly three decades after the first wave of global manufacturers arrived, the transformation is visible in everyday life. Concrete homes have replaced thatched roofs. Educational attainment has risen. Financial savings and asset ownership have increased. A generation that once depended on agriculture and informal work now participates in formal manufacturing and global supply chains.
 
“Overseas investments catalyze local economic growth by enabling the development of modern industrial estates in Chennai — fostering technology transfer, creating quality jobs, and empowering local companies to scale and compete globally, ” said Sanjay Chugh, City Head & Director, Anarock Property Consultants Pvt Ltd.
 
This is reflected amply in the Tamil Nadu growth story which is now outperforming the national index for growth. The state is poised to become a $150-billion electronics hub by 2030 and will also become a one trillion-dollar economy by 2030-31 with a target of 12 to 14% annual nominal growth. Sriperumbudur’s journey underscores a broader lesson: industrial investment, when sustained over time, can anchor local prosperity. Electronics manufacturing has not merely created factories; it has reshaped a regional economy.

LTM Recognized as Innovator in Avasant’s GenAI Services 2025 RadarView™

Business Wire India

LTM, the Business Creativity partner to the world’s largest enterprises, has been recognized as an Innovator in Avasant’s Generative AI Services 2025 RadarView™. The recognition highlights LTM’s strong capabilities in generative AI (Gen AI) and agentic AI, underpinned by robust governance, enterprise-scale platforms, and sustained investments in innovation.

According to the Avasant report, LTM stands out for its centralized Gen AI and agentic AI orchestration ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on AI governance, compliance, and responsible AI adoption. The report notes that LTM continues to strengthen its capabilities across voice AI, edge inferencing, and industry-specific agentic AI solutions, enabling enterprises to move from AI experimentation to scalable, production-grade deployments.

Avasant highlights LTM’s BlueVerseTM ecosystem as a key differentiator, a modular platform for deploying GenAI and agentic AI that works across various enterprise systems and supports multi-cloud, multi-LLM, and multi-provider setups. The RadarViewTM report also highlighted LTM’s comprehensive AI governance and built-in guardrails for safety, compliance, and adherence to global standards, including GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO.

The report also highlights enterprise case studies demonstrating LTM’s impact on business outcomes, including faster AI risk management, improved decision-making through multi-agent systems, and higher productivity across sectors such as BFSI, manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and professional services. LTM’s strategic partnerships, AI Centers of Excellence, and Gen AI workforce programs strengthen its reputation as a reliable partner for organizations implementing GenAI at scale.

Organizations today are focused on unlocking real value from GenAI and agentic AI at enterprise scale. Being recognized by Avasant reinforces our commitment to enabling organizations translate AI ambition into real business impact through our BlueVerseTM ecosystem and deep industry expertise,” said Krishnan Iyer, Chief Growth Officer, LTM.

Abhisekh Satapathy, Principal Analyst, Avasant, added, “Enterprises are shifting toward AI-native operating models built around contextual intelligence, centralized governance, and scalable Gen AI deployments. However, real-world execution is constrained by data readiness gaps, integration complexity across platforms, and the need for robust operational oversight.​

LTM enables this shift through its BlueVerseTM platform that provides centralized orchestration, governance, and deployment for Gen AI and Agentic AI applications, backed by over 1,000 ready-to-deploy AI agents, embedded LLM guardrails, and prebuilt GenAI deployment templates and solutions across ITOps, software engineering, marketing, and customer engagement. These capabilities are reinforced through partnerships with hyperscalers, LLM vendors, and Gen AI hardware providers, as well as investments in niche AI startups to strengthen capabilities in sovereign AI, voice-native Gen AI, multimodal interaction, and industry-specific multi-AI agent orchestration across sectors such as BFSI, healthcare, and retail and CPG.​

With these capabilities, LTM supports enterprises in orchestrating, governing, and deploying Gen AI and agentic AI solutions across core business workflows, strengthening its position as an Innovator in Avasant’s Generative AI Services 2025 RadarView™.​”

SLB Provides Update on Middle East Operations and First Quarter Outlook

Business Wire India

SLB (NYSE: SLB) continues to closely monitor the unfolding situation in the Middle East and adapt its operations.

 

The safety and security of SLB’s employees is the highest priority, and the company has activated local and regional crisis response teams that are meeting daily. Travel to and transit through the region have been suspended, and the company has begun to demobilize operations in a few countries in response to customer actions to safeguard personnel and facilities. These measures will continue as long as necessary until the environment in the region has stabilized. SLB is working closely with local authorities and its customers to monitor the situation and will begin a phased resumption of full activity as conditions allow.

 

 

SLB revenue for the first quarter will be lower than expected, and the company expects to incur additional costs resulting in an impact of approximately 6-9 cents of earnings per diluted share for the first quarter. Given the dynamic nature of the environment, these factors could change, and we will continue to closely monitor developments and their impact.

 

 

Despite these near-term disruptions, SLB remains confident in the underlying resilience of its global business, including the Middle East. The company has dealt with numerous geopolitical crises throughout its 100-year history and has deep experience navigating these challenges while remaining focused on serving its global customer base.

 

 

About SLB

 

 

SLB (NYSE: SLB) is a global technology company that has driven energy innovation for 100 years. With a global footprint in more than 100 countries and employees representing almost twice as many nationalities, we work each day on innovating oil and gas, delivering digital at scale, decarbonizing industries, and developing and scaling new energy systems that accelerate the energy transition. Find out more at slb.com.

 

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements

 

 

This Form 8-K and the press release furnished as Exhibit 99 hereto, as well as other statements we make, contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which include any statements that are not historical facts. Such statements often contain words such as “expect,” “may,” “can,” “believe,” “predict,” “plan,” “potential,” “projected,” “projections,” “precursor,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “expectations,” “estimate,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “ambition,” “goal,” “target,” “scheduled,” “think,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “will,” “see,” “likely,” and other similar words. Forward-looking statements address matters that are, to varying degrees, uncertain, such as statements about our financial and performance targets and other forecasts or expectations regarding, or dependent on, our business outlook; future global economic and geopolitical conditions; future liquidity, including free cash flow; and future results of operations. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changing global economic and geopolitical conditions; changes in exploration and production spending by our customers, and changes in the level of oil and natural gas exploration and development; the results of operations and financial condition of our customers and suppliers; the inability to achieve our financial and performance targets and other forecasts and expectations; the inability to achieve our net-zero carbon emissions goals or interim emissions reduction goals; general economic, geopolitical, and business conditions in key regions of the world; foreign currency risk; inflation; changes in monetary policy by governments; tariffs; pricing pressure; weather and seasonal factors; unfavorable effects of health pandemics; availability and cost of raw materials; operational modifications, delays, or cancellations; challenges in our supply chain; production declines; the extent of future charges; the inability to recognize efficiencies and other intended benefits from our business strategies and initiatives, such as digital or new energy, as well as our cost reduction strategies; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements, including those related to offshore oil and gas exploration, radioactive sources, explosives, chemicals, and climate-related initiatives; the inability of technology to meet new challenges in exploration; the competitiveness of alternative energy sources or product substitutes; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in this Form 8-K and the presentation furnished hereto and our most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K filed with or furnished to the SEC.

 

 

If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize (or the consequences of any such development changes), or should our underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. Statements in this Form 8-K and the press release furnished hereto are made as of the date hereof, and SLB disclaims any intention or obligation to update publicly or revise such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

 

 

 

 

0101.Today Appoints Nitika Khanna as Director Martech to Strengthen Data-Led Engagement for Enterprises

Mar 11: 0101.Today, a leading data-driven conversion specialist, has announced the appointment of Nitika Khanna as Director – Martech. In her new role, Khanna will spearhead the design and implementation of lifecycle-driven Martech architectures that integrate customer data, analytics, automation platforms, and communication systems into unified engagement ecosystems aimed at improving conversion, retention, and long-term customer value.

0101.Today Appoints Nitika Khanna as Director – Martech to Strengthen Data-Led Engagement for Enterprises

 With over a decade of experience across global consumer technology platforms, digital marketplaces, and enterprise consulting, Khanna brings deep expertise in building and scaling CRM, retention, and lifecycle engagement systems. Prior to joining 0101.Today, she held leadership roles including Director – Martech at Performics India, Head of CRM at MAISON D’AURAINE, Retention Consultant at WebEngage, and Head of CRM at Trell. She has also contributed to major CRM initiatives at Nykaa, designing retention frameworks, behavioural segmentation models, and automation systems for multiple markets.

Commenting on the appointment, Ajay Verma, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, 0101.Today, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Nitika to 0101.Today. Her deep understanding of Martech ecosystems and lifecycle engagement will play an important role as we continue helping enterprises translate customer data into measurable business outcomes and build integrated growth systems.”

Nitika Khanna, Director – Martech, 0101.Today, added:

“I’m excited to join 0101.Today at a time when organisations are looking to unlock greater value from their Martech investments. When data, technology and lifecycle strategies work together, businesses can create far more meaningful and consistent customer engagement. I look forward to helping enterprises build systems that translate customer data into measurable growth.”

Khanna’s appointment reinforces 0101.Today’s commitment to helping enterprises build integrated Martech infrastructures that transform customer data into actionable engagement frameworks, improve conversions, and drive sustainable growth.

Tata AMC Sees Healthy Nifty50 Earnings Growth Despite Middle East Geopolitical Risks

 Rahul SinghChief Investment Officer Equities, Tata Asset Management

“Recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East have led to an increase in the risk premium for Indian equities, largely driven by concerns around crude prices and their potential impact on the rupee. However, valuations have become more reasonable with the Nifty trading around 20 times earnings. While near-term sentiment may remain sensitive to global developments, sectors such as consumer and pharmaceuticals could remain relatively insulated, while metals and energy may benefit from higher commodity prices. Credit growth has also improved to around 14.5 percent, which could support banking sector growth. Overall, earnings growth for the Nifty50 is expected to remain healthy at around 15–17 percent over FY26–FY27.”

 

Veristat Expands Regulatory and Clinical Services to Chinese Drug and Device Companies Seeking Efficient Way to Enter European Markets

Business Wire India

Veristat, a global clinical research organization (CRO) and consultancy specializing in complex studies, announced expanded regulatory and clinical trial services to international pharmaceutical and medical device companies seeking a streamlined path into European, including the United Kingdom and Switzerland, plus Australian, Canadian, and U.S. markets. Particularly, Veristat has helped many Chinese companies – including Hansoh Pharma and CStone Pharmaceuticals – successfully navigate regional regulatory requirements and legal complexities leading to product approvals. Now, Veristat is expanding to provide comprehensive regional clinical trial support.

 

China is the world’s second-largest drug producer but has traditionally focused on domestic commercialization. Today, that is changing. Nearly half of all new drug molecules in human trials worldwide now originate from China, and Morgan Stanley projects annual revenue from Chinese-originated drugs could reach $34 billion by 2030 and $220 billion by 2040. Due to recent policy changes that open new opportunity for China, it is expected to become a major hub for licensing deals for international commercialization. But before the ‘sleeping giant’ can awaken, it needs regulatory and, sometimes, clinical development support in local markets.

 

Veristat provides Chinese drug and device companies with trusted regulatory services to bring novel therapies already approved domestically through regional regulatory pathways for approval across Europe, the UK, Switzerland, the US, Canada, and Australia. The American-based CRO has extensive experience preparing, submitting, and obtaining approvals for Marketing Authorization Applications (MAA) and New Drug Applications (NDAs), often based largely on foreign data. Veristat can also serve as the applicant to enable companies without a legal presence in these regions to quickly and efficiently submit their regulatory dossiers.

 

“Veristat has the deep understanding of the regulatory landscape needed to support foreign organizations with entry to key markets. Our team really enjoyed working with the Veristat team, as they always supported with prompt responses, flexibility, and recommendations on problem-solving,” said Li Zhang, Regulatory Affairs at CStone Pharmaceuticals.

 

Veristat’s multidisciplinary team conducts a thorough Gap Analysis of each customer’s data package, recommends the most efficient regulatory strategy, and guides the best path to approval across countries. This includes identifying and generating any additional analyses required, as well as compiling or developing the necessary data for submission to the relevant agencies. For instance, Veristat offers comprehensive clinical trial execution support for foreign companies whose domestic clinical trial data is not sufficient for local regulatory requirements.

 

“Veristat has had tremendous success for China-based customers recently, securing approvals in the US, EU, and UK. These successes were achieved through comprehensive dossier development and effective negotiations with EMA, MHRA, and FDA,” explained Daphne Smyth, Vice President of Global Regulatory Affairs at Veristat. “We also support subsequent submissions in Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and other regions globally, and provide comprehensive assistance throughout the entire agency review process.”

 

Between 2020 and 2025, Veristat submitted 68 initial INDs and DMFs, 10 initial Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marketing applications, and 8 initial EMA/MHRA/Swissmedic marketing applications. With 30 years of supporting more than 100 regulatory approvals, the full-service CRO has deep experience in rare disease, neurological disease, oncology, and advanced medicines including cell and gene therapies.

 

Veristat will be attending BIO China (March 12-14) and CMAC (March 18-20) both in Suzhou, China, where companies can learn more about its international service offering. Email Lorenzo.scalise@veristat.com to arrange a meeting.

 

About Veristat

 

Veristat is a full-service CRO and consultancy that helps life sciences companies bring novel therapies to market fast. With 30 years of experience and support in more than 100 regulatory approvals and deep expertise in rare disease, neurological disease, oncology, and advanced therapies, Veristat integrates strategic planning, regulatory insight, and trial execution to overcome complex challenges and accelerate success. From early planning through approval, Veristat delivers tailored solutions that drive meaningful outcomes for patients worldwide.

 

 

 

 

 

Chiesi and Bespak Partner to Advance Carbon Minimal Inhaler Production With UK Manufacturing Site

Business Wire India

 

Highlights

 

  • Agreement builds on existing Chiesi-Bespak collaboration, reinforcing a trusted relationship as Chiesi works to evolve a portfolio of extrafine formulation Carbon Minimal Inhalers1, ensuring patients retain continuity of care while reducing carbon emissions
  • Bespak’s leadership in low-GWP propellant inhaler manufacturing along with significant expansion at its Holmes Chapel site strengthens Chiesi’s global supply chain resilience
  • Partnership aligns with the science-based climate commitments of both companies

 

Chiesi Group (“Chiesi”), the international research focused biopharmaceutical company and a certified B Corp, and Bespak, the specialist inhalation CDMO focused on pulmonary and nasal drug delivery, today announced an expansion of their long-standing partnership, increasing pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) manufacturing capacity at Bespak’s Holmes Chapel site to support the next phase of Chiesi’s Carbon Minimal Inhaler (CMI) program.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260311319953/en/

 

 

Chiesi Group ("Chiesi"), the international research focused biopharmaceutical company and a certified B Corp, and Bespak, the specialist inhalation CDMO focused on pulmonary and nasal drug delivery, today announced an expansion of their long-standing partnership, increasing pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) manufacturing capacity at Bespak’s Holmes Chapel site to support the next phase of Chiesi’s Carbon Minimal Inhaler (CMI) program.

Chiesi Group (“Chiesi”), the international research focused biopharmaceutical company and a certified B Corp, and Bespak, the specialist inhalation CDMO focused on pulmonary and nasal drug delivery, today announced an expansion of their long-standing partnership, increasing pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) manufacturing capacity at Bespak’s Holmes Chapel site to support the next phase of Chiesi’s Carbon Minimal Inhaler (CMI) program.

 

Building on years of collaboration, the agreement reflects a shared long-term vision: delivering lower carbon inhaled therapies through CMIs at scale, without compromising clinical choice or continuity of care for patients. Both companies are committed to addressing climate change through measurable, science-based action. Chiesi’s ambition to reach Net Zero targets by 2035, and Bespak’s validated decarbonization roadmap, underpin a partnership grounded in shared sustainability principles.

 

Maria Paola Chiesi, Chiesi Group Vice Chair, said: “At Chiesi, sustainability is not an add-on; it is a commitment that guides our strategic choices. We know that inhalers are essential treatments, and that the environmental impact associated with them must be addressed without shifting the burden onto patients. The partnership with Bespak reinforces our efforts to reduce emissions across the value chain, while protecting access, quality and trust. Climate action and patient care must continue to advance hand in hand.”

 

 

To meet the needs of patients and reduce impact on the environment, Chiesi is working to be the only company to offer a portfolio of extrafine formulation Carbon Minimal Inhalers, including both dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and next generation propellant pMDIs. Chiesi’s CMI program is designed to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of pMDIs by up to 90%, through the transition to a next-generation, low global warming potential (GWP) propellant, while maintaining established treatment options and device familiarity for patients. Reinforcing the partnership with Bespak adds industrial scale and resilience to Chiesi’s journey, supporting a phased and responsible transition.

 

 

The expanded collaboration further strengthens Bespak’s position at the forefront of the global industry’s transition to next-generation, low-GWP propellants, and its Holmes Chapel site as a specialist pMDI manufacturing hub within the global pharmaceutical supply chain. Positioned in the North West of England’s inhalation R&D and manufacturing cluster, the site contributes high value skills, advanced technical expertise and long-term investment in sustainable inhaler manufacturing, for the benefit of patients and healthcare systems worldwide.

 

 

Giuseppe Accogli, Chiesi Group CEO, added:“This agreement strengthens an already established partnership with Bespak, and is a concrete example of how we translate our ambition into action. By working with trusted partners across our value chain, we can deliver sustainable innovation at scale while ensuring that patients receive their needed therapies.”

 

 

Chris Hirst, Bespak CEO, said: “Our collaboration with Chiesi has grown over time around a shared commitment to patient safety, technical excellence and sustainability. By deepening this partnership, we are accelerating the transition to low carbon pMDIs and reinforcing the UK’s role as a center of excellence for sustainable inhalation manufacturing. This is a position being recognized by the wider industry, leading to our Holmes Chapel site being selected as a key source of supply by leading brand owners like Chiesi, cementing our role as a strategic supply chain partner for the next generation propellant inhalers and innovative nasally-delivered therapies.”

 

 

About Chiesi Group

 

 

Chiesi is a research-oriented international biopharmaceutical group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment. By adopting the legal form of Benefit Corporation in Italy, the US, France and Colombia, Chiesi’s commitment to creating shared value for society as a whole is legally binding and central to company-wide decision-making. As a certified B Corp since 2019, Chiesi is part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. The company aims to reach Net-Zero greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 2035. With 90 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), with 31 affiliates worldwide, and counts more than 7,500 employees. The Group’s research and development center in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in France, the US, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden.

 

 

For more information, visit chiesi.com or the website of your local Chiesi affiliate.

 

 

About Bespak

 

 

Bespak is a specialist inhalation contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) focused on pulmonary and nasal drug delivery. Trusted by the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Bespak delivers end-to-end capabilities across product development, clinical supply and commercial manufacturing of inhaled therapies for global supply.

 

 

Headquartered in Holmes Chapel, UK, with specialist manufacturing sites in Holmes Chapel and King’s Lynn, UK, Bespak develops and supplies pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) products, valves and actuators, complex dry powder inhaler (DPI) devices, nasal products and devices, and supports emerging inhalation technologies, including innovative soft mist systems.

 

 

Sustainability underpins every step of how Bespak operates and innovates. The company has taken clear and measurable steps to align with key United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and has set approved net-zero and near-term company-wide emissions targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

 

 

Through collaboration and targeted investment, Bespak is accelerating the industry’s transition to more sustainable inhaled medicines.

 

 

Built on a long history of inhalation experience and ready for the future, Bespak is a long-term innovation partner creating lasting impact for patients and the planet.

 

 

_________________________ 

1 In a limited number of countries, including the United Kingdom, non‑extrafine products will also be transitioned to CMI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PhysicsWallah (PW) Expands Presence in Bengaluru with Seventh Tech-Enabled Offline Vidyapeeth Centre

Bengaluru, Mar 11: Education company PhysicsWallah (PW) has expanded its presence in Bengaluru with the inauguration of a new tech-enabled PW Vidyapeeth centre in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

PhysicsWallah (PW) Expands Presence in Bengaluru with Seventh Tech-Enabled Offline Vidyapeeth Centre

 PW Vidyapeeth offers tech-enabled offline centres where students attend in-person classes led by experienced teachers. The new PW Vidyapeeth centre is located at 2nd floor, No. 466/A, Ideal Homes Township, 80 Feet Road, Kenchenhalli, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 560098. PW’s other existing Vidyapeeth centres in the city are situated in JP Nagar, Whitefield, Banaswadi, Yelahanka, Rajajinagar and HSR Layout – Harlur Road.

Ankit Gupta, CEO of Vidyapeeth-Offline, PhysicsWallah (PW)said, “At PW, we always try to find avenues of making students’ learning experience better. By opening a new centre in Bengaluru, in addition to our existing centre, we aim to provide our service to more students and bring quality education closer to their homes.”

Furthermore, 11 students from PhysicsWallah in Bengaluru secured a percentile of 99 or above in the recently announced JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 results.

Can Africa’s Mining Reforms Deliver Billions in Investment

 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Mar 11– Africa’s mineral-rich countries are moving quickly to unlock investment, diversify production and capture more value locally. Modernized mining codes and updated regulatory frameworks are giving investors clearer rules, more certainty and access to a wider range of critical minerals. By fostering transparency and strategic alignment, these reforms are not only attracting capital but also driving the development of downstream industries and positioning Africa as a key supplier for the global energy transition.

New Laws, New Deals

Liberia is preparing to introduce a new Mining Code within the next three months, creating a National Mining Company to increase state participation in major projects and strengthen its negotiating position. Nearly 80% of the country remains geologically unexplored, offering significant opportunities across minerals and even oil and gas.

“Liberia’s geology is exceptionally rich,” said Minister of Mines and Energy, Matenokay Tingban,  in an interview with Energy Capital & Power in January. “We are seeking geomapping and exploration partners. Access to geoscientific data will allow us to negotiate stronger investment deals and develop downstream infrastructure.”

Iron ore currently dominates the country’s output – targeting 30 million tons per year by 2026 – but the new framework is expected to encourage diversification into other critical resources while facilitating partnerships for exploration and downstream processing.

Meanwhile, Namibia is finalizing a new Minerals Bill to replace its 2002 legislation, reflecting the country’s commitment to local beneficiation, inclusive participation and investment competitiveness. According to Mining Commissioner at the Ministry of Industry and Mines, Isabella Chirchir, the reforms aim “to attract capital to diversify production beyond diamonds and uranium toward strategic metals such as lithium and rare earths.”

In Central Africa, the Republic of Congo approved a draft mining code in November 2025 introducing competitive bidding, formal permitting for small-scale miners and support for in-country processing. These measures aim to increase transparency, attract investors and strengthen the domestic value chain for both traditional and strategic minerals.

Reforms Fuel Opportunity

Across the continent, countries are updating existing codes to boost investment and production. Ivory Coast is revising its mining code to support a wider range of minerals, including chromium, coltan, lithium, copper, cobalt and iron ore, complementing its existing base of 19 operating mines. Somalia is also overhauling its mining regulations to unlock frontier resources such as uranium, lithium, cobalt, gold and diamonds, reflecting growing investor interest in previously underexplored markets.

The results of such reforms are already visible. Mali, which introduced a new Mining Code in 2023, continues as Africa’s second-largest gold producer while advancing lithium projects and a new gold refinery with international partners Barrick and B2Gold. Burkina Faso, which adopted a revised code in 2024, increased gold production from roughly 57–60 tons to 94 tons in 2025, reinforcing investor confidence and its position as Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer.

Against this backdrop, African Mining Week 2026 (October 14–16, Cape Town) will bring together policymakers, industry leaders and global investors to examine these regulatory transformations and the opportunities they unlock. From exploration to downstream processing, the event highlights how modernized frameworks are turning legal certainty into tangible investment potential, connecting capital with projects poised to drive Africa’s mining sector growth.

NTT DATA Unveils NVIDIA-Powered Enterprise AI Factories to Support Secure AI Adoption and Help Clients Drive Measurable ROI

Business Wire India

  • NTT DATA drives success in healthcare, manufacturing and other sectors with NVIDIA-powered technologies
  • NTT DATA AI solutions now integrate NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, including NVIDIA NeMo and NIM Microservices to create a full-stack, production-ready, GPU-accelerated agentic AI platform

 

NTT DATA, a global leader in AI, digital business and technology services, announced an initiative to deliver NVIDIA-powered enterprise AI factories that drive innovation and operational excellence for organizations worldwide. NTT DATA’s new enterprise AI factories provide full-stack, domain-specific solutions that integrate data, infrastructure, workflows and governance to give organizations a repeatable and production-ready operating model for enterprise AI.

 

NTT DATA enterprise AI factories, powered by NVIDIA, are adaptive, intelligent and automated ecosystems designed to help clients accelerate return on investment by scaling enterprise AI efficiently and managing the full AI lifecycle end to end. The company’s new enterprise AI factories integrate the NVIDIA AI infrastructure—combining GPU-accelerated computing and high-performance networking—with NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, including NVIDIA NIM microservices, to deliver high‑throughput, low‑latency AI that can be deployed consistently across cloud, data center and edge environments. Through NTT DATA’s advanced solutions and services, this enables scalable model training, inference and enterprise AI application development.

 

 

Building on NTT DATA’s end-to-end capabilities and deep industry expertise, the NVIDIA-powered enterprise AI factories are purpose-built to meet domain-specific requirements at industry scale. This enables organizations to drive faster innovation, optimize operations, enhance knowledge management and support data-driven decision-making while reducing risk and time to value.

 

 

“Visionary enterprises are redesigning core workflows end to end with AI, and they need trusted partners working in unison to achieve transformative and measurable results,” said Abhijit Dubey, CEO, NTT DATA, Inc. “By integrating NVIDIA technologies into our enterprise AI factories, we’re giving clients a powerful, standardized and secure environment to adopt agentic AI with measurable returns from the start.”

 

 

NTT DATA Real-World Deployments Demonstrate Measurable Impact

 

 

Early adopters are demonstrating how NTT DATA is deploying NVIDIA AI infrastructure to translate advanced AI capabilities into real-world, domain-specific impact. Examples include:

 

 

  • Healthcare: A leading cancer-research hospital is working with NTT DATA and Dell to use NVIDIA HGX platforms for advanced radiology analysis and rapid model evaluation, supporting clinical research and diagnostic workflows.
  • Automotive Manufacturing: A global automotive supplier partnered with NTT DATA to accelerate smart factory modernization using GPU as a Service powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure. This manufacturer reduced production setup time from months to days by validating workloads on bare metal and then scaling them via an AI-factory architecture.
  • Technology Manufacturing: A U.S.-based advanced manufacturing company is working with NTT DATA to virtually validate a next-generation battery production line using NVIDIA-accelerated simulation and 3D visualization. Modeling material flow, automation logic and production scenarios before physical deployment reduces commissioning risk, improves throughput and establishes a scalable foundation for future digital factory expansion.

 

 

NTT DATA Integrates NVIDIA NeMo and NIM Microservices

 

NTT DATA also has expanded NTT DATA AI solutions by integrating NVIDIA NeMo, a modular software suite for building, customizing, and managing enterprise-scale agentic AI systems on GPU-accelerated infrastructure, and NVIDIA NIM microservices, which provide prebuilt, GPU‑optimized containers with industry‑standard APIs for fast, reliable deployment of AI applications at scale.

 

 

NTT DATA offers integrated, prequalified GenAI prototypes and solutions that standardize output, minimize complexity, reduce risk, speed adoption and accelerate return. With the integration of NeMo and NIM, NTT DATA AI solutions provide a full-stack, production-ready, GPU-accelerated AI agent platform.

 

 

“Organizations worldwide are moving from isolated model adoption to intelligent AI solutions and platforms, often complementing GenAI with agents that reason, act and adapt within enterprise systems,” said Yutaka Sasaki, President and CEO, NTT DATA Group. “Embedding NVIDIA technologies into our platforms accelerates innovation while giving clients the performance, control and compliance they require.”

 

 

“Enterprises are now seeking robust, scalable platforms that can successfully transition their AI initiatives from pilot projects to full-scale production,” said John Fanelli, Vice President, Enterprise Software, NVIDIA. “NTT DATA’s AI factory offerings, built on the NVIDIA full-stack platform, provide clients with the domain-specific solutions needed to confidently achieve production-grade enterprise AI at scale.”

 

 

NTT DATA Builds on Longstanding Foundation of Innovation with NVIDIA Technology

 

 

NTT DATA is the only global IT services provider that is active across NVIDIA’s Solution Provider, Cloud Partner and Global System Integrator Partner Network tracks. This broad and deep expertise enables NTT DATA to deliver unique full-stack services, from advisory to deployment and operations.

 

 

Learn more about NVIDIA-powered innovations from NTT DATA here. Learn more about NTT DATA’s full-stack services and solutions at nttdata.com.

 

 

About NTT DATA

 

 

NTT DATA is a $30+ billion business and technology services leader, serving 75% of the Fortune Global 100. We are committed to accelerating client success and positively impacting society through responsible innovation. We are one of the world’s leading AI and digital infrastructure providers, with unmatched capabilities in enterprise-scale AI, cloud, security, connectivity, data centers and application services. Our consulting and industry solutions help organizations and society move confidently and sustainably into the digital future. As a Global Top Employer, we have experts in more than 70 countries. We also offer clients access to a robust ecosystem of innovation centers as well as established and start-up partners. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group, which invests over $3 billion each year in R&D.

 

 

Visit us at nttdata.com.