Archives 2026

Bengaluru, Mar 03: The Flipkart Group announced the appointment of Somnath Das as Vice President, Supply Chain, and Digbijay Mishra as Vice President, Corporate Communications. These appointments strengthen Flipkart’s senior leadership bench across critical operational and strategic functions as the company continues to operate at a national scale and build institutional capabilities to support its long-term growth roadmap.

Somnath will lead supply chain operations for the Large business, focusing on strengthening network efficiency and driving technology-enabled supply chain capabilities as Flipkart continues to scale across India.

He brings over two decades of experience across CPG, retail, and food and beverage sectors. Prior to joining Flipkart, he served as Senior Vice President at Jubilant FoodWorks, leading manufacturing and supply chain operations, and has previously held leadership roles at Reliance Retail (Grocery), Nivea India, Marico Ltd, and PepsiCo India.

Digbijay will lead Corporate Communications for the Flipkart Group, driving an integrated communications strategy and stakeholder engagement across the organization.

He brings over a decade of experience across India’s digital economy. Previously Deputy Bureau Chief (Startups) at The Economic Times, he most recently founded Ringsight Advisory, advising founders and investors on narrative strategy and strategic communications.

Seema Nair, Chief Human Resources Officer, Flipkart, said,

“As Flipkart continues to operate at scale across India’s fast-evolving commerce ecosystem, strengthening leadership across both core operational and strategic functions remains central to our long-term roadmap. Somnath’s experience in building high-efficiency supply networks and Digbijay’s understanding of India’s digital economy landscape will help us further institutionalize capabilities and drive sustained growth.” 

Somnath Das, Vice President, Supply Chain, Flipkart, said, ‘

“Flipkart operates at a significant scale, where operational excellence and disciplined execution are essential. I look forward to strengthening network effectiveness and building resilient, technology-enabled supply chain capabilities that support sustained growth while elevating customer experience across India.”

Digbijay Mishra, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Flipkart Group, said,

“Flipkart has played a defining role in shaping India’s digital commerce ecosystem. I look forward to working across the Group to build a strong, transparent, and forward-looking narrative that reflects its scale, innovation, and long-term ambition.”

  Director Jong-Jin Lee and Executive Vice President Myung-Ho Lee of HANMI Semiconductor attended the grand opening ceremony of Micron’s first semiconductor manufacturing facility in India on February 28. During the event, HANMI Semiconductor received a commemorative plaque for DDR5 DRAM produced in India from Micron Chairman and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

SEOUL, South Korea (Mar 3) — HANMI Semiconductor today announced that it attended the grand opening ceremony of Micron Technology’s semiconductor facility in Sanand, Gujarat, India, on February 28. The facility marks Micron’s first semiconductor manufacturing plant in India.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who delivered a commemorative address, along with senior government officials, Micron Chairman and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, and other key executives.

HANMI Semiconductor was invited as a key equipment supplier to Micron’s India facility, reaffirming its position as a key strategic partner.

Micron’s plant in India is an advanced packaging facility backed by a total investment of USD 2.75 billion and supported by financial incentives from the Government of India. Aimed at strengthening the country’s semiconductor industry, the project has been designated as a national strategic initiative, with the Government of India providing 50% of the investment in subsidies and the State of Gujarat contributing an additional 20%. The facility is expected to serve as a strategic hub for testing and packaging high-performance AI memory products, including multi-die GDDR (Graphics DRAM) and enterprise SSDs (stacked NAND Flash).

The DDR5 DRAM currently being produced in Gujarat, India, is based on Micron’s most advanced DRAM technology, utilizing its latest 1-gamma process node. Micron announced that it plans to begin packaging and testing tens of millions of chips this year, with production expected to scale to hundreds of millions next year. Accordingly, it is expected that KRW 2 trillion (approximately USD 1.4 billion) will be invested in advanced semiconductor packaging equipment, including TC bonders used for stacking AI memory semiconductor chips.

The facility also holds historic significance as the first project approved under the “India Semiconductor Mission 2.0” and as the first semiconductor manufacturing facility established in the country. It is widely regarded as a major milestone in India’s advancement toward becoming a key hub in the global semiconductor supply chain. Through the initiative, the government has introduced an incentive program of approximately USD 10 billion to advance the country’s ambition of becoming a global semiconductor manufacturing hub.

Advanced bonding technology and rapid technical support are critical to ensuring the stable operation of the new facility. As a core supplier to Micron, HANMI Semiconductor plans to fly in engineers to India to provide on-site technical support and operate training programs, reinforcing its long-term strategic collaboration. Building on this partnership, the company received the “Outstanding Supplier Performance Award” from Micron in 2025.

“HANMI Semiconductor’s participation in Micron’s grand opening of semiconductor facility in India and the roundtable reaffirms our position as a key supplier in the global semiconductor supply chain,” said a HANMI Semiconductor official. “As Micron’s key supplier, we will continue to dispatch engineers to India and provide close technical support to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction.”

Bangalore, India Mar 02: Recent rapid evolution in the technology space has led to significant shifts and new considerations for the audit profession as well. IT audit and assurance professionals can arm themselves with new tools to help them keep pace, including ISACA’s newly updated IT Audit Framework (ITAF): A Professional Practices Framework for IT Audit. The revamped 5th edition now incorporates updated terminology, refreshed examples, and expanded scope to better address emerging technologies, digital trust considerations, and evolving audit practices.

A longtime mainstay for audit and assurance professionals, ITAF was last updated in 2020. The comprehensive IT audit framework establishes standards that address IT audit and assurance practitioners’ roles and responsibilities, ethics, expected professional behavior, and required knowledge and skills; defines terms and concepts specific to IT audit and assurance; and provides guidance and techniques for the planning, performing and reporting of IT audit and assurance engagements. 

ITAF, 5th Edition, enhances clarity, integrates ISACA’s newest resources, including AI audit guidance, and aims to support both traditional assurance functions and modern audit teams using data analytics, automation, agile methods, and AI. The new framework places greater emphasis on governance, transparency, and readiness for advanced technologies while providing more practical, flexible, and globally relevant guidance, including through: 

• Modernization of content and scope: The 5^th edition updates terminology, definitions, and examples to reflect today’s technologies—such as cloud computing, AI/ML, and business automation—moving beyond the traditional IT control focus of the previous edition.

• Integration of digital trust and emerging technologies: The new framework incorporates digital trust concepts throughout planning, fieldwork, and reporting, and adds guidance for AI/ML auditing aligned with ISACA’s AI audit guidance and the broader digital trust ecosystem.
• Increased flexibility, practicality, and usability: This updated edition introduces language suitable for organizations of all sizes, adds practical examples, and improves clarity through a modernized layout.
• Expanded audit practices and governance expectations: The new version broadens the scope of IT audit to include data analytics, agile auditing, continuous assurance, and AI governance, with enhanced expectations for transparency, ethical technology use, and oversight of automated systems. 

This latest edition of ITAF also includes an updated ITAF Companion Performance Guidelines 2208: Information Technology Audit Sampling that provides IT audit and assurance professionals with guidance in the design, selection, and evaluation of audit samples to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence supporting audit conclusions. The updated guidelines better reflect data-driven and technology-enabled audit sampling approaches. 

“As technology rapidly advances, it is essential for IT audit and assurance professionals to keep pace with changing tech and industry standards to ensure they are most effective in conducting engagements and ensuring their organizations comply with mandatory requirements,” said Mary Carmichael, Executive Advisor and Principal Director, Strategy and Risk at Momentum Technology, ISACA Vancouver Chapter board member, and the lead developer for ITAF, 5th edition. “The expanded and updated ITAF gives IT auditors a robust tool and trusted guidance for navigating today’s new challenges and ensuring trust in an increasingly complex and interconnected digital ecosystem.” 

Noida, Uttar Pradesh  Mar 02:  Ofis Square successfully hosted the much-anticipated FoodTech Meetup on 28 February 2026 at its Sector 62, Noida facility, bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders shaping the future of India’s food and beverage industry. The meetup was organized in collaboration with StartupNews.fyi and served as a powerful networking and knowledge-exchange platform for emerging and growth-stage FoodTech ventures. 

The event witnessed participation from over 50 founders and more than 15 active investors and ecosystem enablers, creating a dynamic environment for strategic conversations and partnerships. Representatives from leading investment networks and venture firms including Indicorn Angels, The StepUp Ventures, ValueBridge Capital, Delhi Angels Den, GetVantage, WEIN Capital, and SmartFin Capital engaged directly with startup founders, discussing funding strategies, market expansion, rapid commerce opportunities, and sustainable scaling models. 

Throughout the evening, founders shared insights into building resilient cloud kitchens, scaling D2C food brands, optimizing supply chains, and navigating evolving consumer preferences. Conversations also explored performance marketing efficiencies, packaging innovation, cost management strategies, and the role of technology in enhancing operational excellence. The meetup created an open forum for real-world problem solving, with investors offering candid feedback and guidance based on active market trends. 

Speaking about the initiative, Surabhi Mittal, Director Brand and Corporate communication, Ofis Square said, “At Ofis Square, we believe innovation thrives where meaningful conversations happen. Hosting the FoodTech Meetup reinforces our commitment to building a collaborative ecosystem where founders and investors can connect beyond formal boardrooms. The energy in the room reflected the immense potential of India’s FoodTech sector and the power of community-driven growth.” 

She further added, “Food and technology are converging at an unprecedented pace. By providing a space where operators, capital partners, and innovators can interact transparently, we are helping accelerate smarter, more sustainable growth journeys. This meetup is part of our larger vision to position Ofis Square as a catalyst for sector-focused entrepreneurial communities.” 

As a leading coworking and innovation hub in Noida, Ofis Square continues to host curated meetups, founder roundtables, and industry-focused networking events aimed at strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. With a growing portfolio of community initiatives, the company remains dedicated to empowering ambitious founders with not just infrastructure, but access, insights, and opportunity.

Mar 02: IndiGo, India’s preferred airline, today announced the launch of daily, direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai, effective 29 March 2026. The new route will be operated using IndiGo’s A320 aircraft. This announcement follows the recent reinstatement of IndiGo’s services to Guangzhou, highlighting the airline’s focus on improving connectivity and enabling smoother travel between India and China. Customers can plan and book their travel through IndiGo’s official website www.goIndiGo.in, mobile app, or authorised travel partners.

Shanghai, China’s premier global financial centre and a major innovation hub, is an essential addition to the 6E network. With continued growth in exports from West Bengal to China in FY25-26, including marine products, leather goods, and specialized textiles, direct air connectivity will further strengthen trade flows between the two countries.

Vinay Malhotra, Global Head of Sales, IndiGo, said, “We are pleased to announce the launch of our new daily, direct connectivity between Kolkata and Shanghai, China, in addition to our flights to Guangzhou. This development underscores our commitment to connecting India to key global destinations. Shanghai is the country’s biggest city, a global financial hub, and famous for its dazzling futuristic skyline complemented with historic architecture. This addition to our network will play an important role in facilitating bilateral trade and is expected to boost tourism and promote greater cultural exchange between the two nations.”

 By Mr. Naval Kagalwala, COO & Head of Product, Shriram Wealth Ltd 

Global events may drive near-term volatility, long-term outlook unchanged

“We remain focused on aligning portfolios with clients’ objectives, investment horizon and risk profile. Market events, such as those witnessed over the weekend, have occurred multiple times in the past and typically lead to short-term volatility, followed by a period of stabilisation.

Any correction, if it plays out, could help rationalise valuations further in India, which continues to remain among the fastest-growing major economies. Importantly, this is not an India-specific event. Near-term spillovers, if any, would largely be through spike in oil prices and certain other segments which rely on exports / imports. However, with OPEC mulling an increase in production and other options also available, India could explore alternate sources and routes. The supply-side pressures could moderate over time.

With several global markets impacted simultaneously, capital flows may be re-evaluated, and India could be seen as a relative safer destination given its domestic demand strength. Domestic investor participation has been healthy, with liquidity on the sidelines that has historically tended to come into equities during periods of correction.”

Kolkata, Mar 02: In a heartfelt gesture to support and serve the community during the holy month of Ramadan, OYO Hotel Vaibhav in Ajmer has announced complimentary stays for guests observing the sacred period. Located in the Naya Bazar area near the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, OYO Hotel Vaibhav aims to provide comfort, dignity, and convenience to travelers and devotees visiting during Ramadan.

Guests can avail of this special Ramadan offering by booking their stay through the OYO app or website using the coupon code RAMADANVAIBHAV, or by directly contacting the hotel’s reservations team for further details. The initiative is valid through March 19, subject to availability and applicable terms.

The hotel will also facilitate early morning arrangements aligned with Sehri timings and ensure a peaceful environment for guests observing Roza.

Elaborating more about the scheme, Aditya Goyal, Managing Director, Hotel Vaibhav said ““It has been ten years since we began offering this service to our guests during the holy month of Ramadan. Through this initiative, we hope to support visitors in their spiritual journey and ensure that everyone can experience the sanctity of this period with comfort and dignity, irrespective of their financial circumstances.”

Ajmer is an important destination for devotees during Ramadan because of the presence of the revered shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, where they can seek blessings, participate in various rituals, and experience the spiritual atmosphere of the holy month. During Ramadan, the Dargah Sharif of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer sees a huge influx of devotees from all over the world, who come to offer their prayers and seek blessings.