Archives May 2025

Bangalore, 3 May 2025: Staying true to its customer-first philosophy, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the launch of the Exclusive Edition of the Innova HyCross available in the ZX(O) grade. Building upon the remarkable success of the Innova HyCross, this new rendition offers distinguished styling and enhanced cabin experience with the below offerings:

• Dual Tone Exterior 
• Black Elements  
  • Roof
  • Front Grill 
  • Rear Garnish
  • Alloy Wheels
  • Hood Emblem
• Front Under Run
• Front Grill Garnish
• Wheel Arc Moulding
• Outside Rear View Mirror (OVRM) Garnish
• Exclusive Badge
• Rear Under Run
• Rear Door Chrome Lid Garnish
• Dual Tone Interior

• Instrument Panel
• Door Fabric
• Seat Material
• Center Console Lid

• Air Purifier
• Leg Room Lamp
• Wireless Charger

Innova HyCross Exclusive Edition available in ZX (O) Grade

Trusted by over a lakh customers across the country, the Innova HyCross continues to impress with its exceptional spirit of glamor and efficiency. Crafted to make every journey as distinctive as the individual behind the wheel, the Innova HyCross Exclusive Edition of ZX(O) will be available from May 2025 through July 2025, in two colors—Super White and Pearl White, in limited quantity. 

Speaking on the introduction, Mr. Varinder Wadhwa, Vice President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said “The Innova HyCross has consistently garnered strong customer appreciation for its proportions & poise of an SUV with the spaciousness of an MPV, and we are truly humbled for their continued trust placed in the brand. Today, we are delighted to launch the Innova HyCross Exclusive Edition in ZX(O), thoughtfully crafted to meet the evolving aspirations of our discerning customers. This special variant embodies Toyota’s commitment to exclusivity and elevated customer experience. 

With this introduction, we aim to offer enhanced value and added convenience features, while continuing to build on the strengths of the versatile Innova HyCross – perfect for families wanting a car that can deliver a seamless, fatigue-free drive.”

Since its debut in November 2022, the Innova HyCross has emerged as a preferred choice among customers, epitomizing Toyota’s renowned Quality, Durability, and Reliability (QDR). Powered by the 5th Generation Self-Charging Strong Hybrid Electric System, built on the advanced Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), the Innova HyCross is much celebrated for delivering outstanding performance, unmatched fuel efficiency, and superior driving dynamics. Equipped with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder gasoline engine and an e-drive sequential shift, it delivers an impressive power output of 137 kW (186 PS) while offering best-in-segment fuel efficiency. The hybrid electric system is capable of operating the vehicle upto 60% of the time in electric (EV) mode, providing a seamless combination of power, efficiency, and environmental consciousness, giving customers a wise choice for a greener tomorrow.

With its class-leading features such as Powered Ottoman Second Row Seats, Front Ventilated Seats, Dual Zone Air Conditioning, Panoramic Sunroof, Toyota Safety Sense™, and connected infotainment experience, the Innova HyCross has set new benchmarks in the premium MPV segment, delighting our customers across India

Chandigarh, May 03: Nifty Waves Index was launched today at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis. The Nifty Waves index comprises 43 listed companies that belong to the media, entertainment and gaming industry.

With a diverse ecosystem spanning film, television, digital platforms, music and gaming, the Indian Media & Entertainment industry is undergoing a dynamic transformation, blending creative innovation with rapid technological adoption. Promoted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (Government of India) and inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit, known by the acronym WAVES, is a key forum for promoting discussions, collaboration, and innovation in the Media & Entertainment industry. The event brings together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators from across the world to discuss prospects, challenges, promote trade to India, and influence the sector’s future. WAVES is a groundbreaking event designed to propel India’s Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry to even greater heights.

The weight of each stock in the Nifty Waves Index is based on free float market capitalization subject to a cap of 5%. The base date for the index is April 01, 2005, and the base value is 1000. The index will be reconstituted semi-annually and rebalanced on a quarterly basis.

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, “India’s next significant export is its imagination—our stories, music, innovation, and creative spirit. Through WAVES, we are building a bridge between our rich cultural heritage and our boundless digital future. The launch of the Nifty Waves Index has provided us with a tool to measure success in this field and inspire many more entrepreneurs.”

Shri. Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO, National Stock Exchange of India commenting on the Nifty Waves index said, ‘We are proud to introduce the Nifty Waves index, designed to provide deep insights into the performance of one of India’s most dynamic sectors. It offers us a benchmark to understand market trends and unlock the full potential of India’s creative economy.’

Avaloq, a global leader in wealth management technology and services, successfully hosted its first-ever Avaloq India Community Connect event in Pune. The event brought together key industry leaders from India’s wealth management and technology sectors to discuss how digital transformation is shaping the future of financial services.

Since entering the Indian market in 2019, Avaloq has built a robust presence in Pune, growing to over 170 employees across project delivery, product development, banking operations, cloud technology, and corporate services. As a key orchestrator in the financial ecosystem, Avaloq welcomed leading banks, wealth management firms, and fintech companies to explore the trends driving innovation in the industry. Attendees included representatives from NatWest, HSBC, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, DBS, Accenture, Infosys, HCLTech, Synpulse, TecFinics, and Tech Mahindra.

The event provided a platform for insightful discussions on critical advancements shaping the wealth management sector, with a focus on cloud transformation, strategic partnerships, and enhancing operational efficiency. Key topics covered included:

 India’s growing wealth and investment needs
India’s financial wealth is projected to grow significantly. This is mostly driven by economic expansion, rising affluence, and increasing demand for professional financial advice. Avaloq showcased its wealth management and private banking solutions, emphasizing how digitalization can support the growing demand of India’s affluent population. The discussions highlighted India’s readiness for more sophisticated investment solutions and the role of technology in meeting these needs.

 Cloud transformation
Cloud technology is revolutionizing the wealth management industry. The adoption of cloud solutions is enabling financial institutions to enhance operational efficiency and scalability, crucial for meeting the evolving expectations of investors.

 Artificial intelligence
The collaboration with NEC Corporation drives controlled innovation in AI, focusing on responsible and transparent use. AI is transforming the wealth management industry by enhancing operational efficiency and providing personalized client experiences. AI-driven tools can analyze vast amounts of data to offer tailored financial advice and automate routine tasks, allowing experts to focus on more complex issues.

 Enhancing operational efficiency
Various strategies to improve operational efficiency were explored, including the consolidation of technology systems Various strategies to improve operational efficiency include the consolidation of technology systems into a single platform with harmonized data. This approach helps financial institutions reduce costs and streamline processes. Operational efficiency is critical for maintaining competitiveness, especially as firms face increasing regulatory pressures and the need to deliver high-quality client service.

 Integration capabilities
As financial institutions expand their service offerings, especially in growth markets, they often rely on a complex ecosystem of point solutions to meet evolving client needs. However, managing multiple disparate systems can lead to inefficiencies and higher operational costs over time. Avaloq emphasized the importance of consolidating technology systems in a single platform with harmonized data for enhanced operational efficiency and long-term scalability.

Anirban Mukherjee, Managing Director for India at Avaloq, commented, “India’s financial landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation, and within this dynamic environment, Avaloq, a specialist in wealth management and private banking solutions, is poised to carve a significant niche. While the nation’s focus often gravitates towards the mass-market digital banking revolution, a quieter yet equally potent shift is occurring: the rapid expansion of India’s affluent population. As India’s wealth accumulates, the demand for personalized, robust and technologically advanced wealth management platforms will inevitably surge. Our goal at Avaloq is to help financial institutions address the specific wealth management needs of these new investors.”

Reflecting on the event, Pascal Wengi, Managing Director for Region International at Avaloq, stated, “India’s wealth management industry is evolving rapidly, driven by economic growth, rising affluence and increasing demand for professional financial advice. Our first Avaloq India Community Connect event in Pune provided a valuable forum for industry leaders in Pune to discuss key trends and strategies to improve client service and scale operations efficiently. As the market develops, technology will be a key factor in enabling firms to offer seamless, personalized and efficient wealth management services. With 40 years of experience in wealth management technology, we look forward to supporting financial institutions in establishing and expanding their specialized wealth management services to better meet the needs of affluent investors in India.”

New Delhi 3 May 2025: Today, ASUS India, Republic of Gamers (ROG), India’s No.1 Gaming brand, today unveiled its much-anticipated 2025 ROG laptop lineup. This next generation of gaming machines includes the all-new ROG Strix Scar 16/18, ROG Strix G16, ROG Zephyrus G16, ROG Zephyrus G14, and the ROG Flow Z13, each designed to push the boundaries of innovation, performance, and portability for gamers and creators alike. With top-tier hardware, immersive displays, and AI-accelerated capabilities, the new ROG series is primed to lead the future of gaming laptops in India.

Starting at just INR 99, pre-orders come bundled with benefits worth up to INR 34,498 — including a 2-year extended warranty, 3 years of local damage protection, and a premium ROG gaming backpack. A perfect blend of peace of mind and performance for creators and gamers alike. 

Commenting on the new range of gaming lineups, Arnold Su, Vice President, Consumer and Gaming PC, ASUS India, stated, “Our goal with ROG is to continuously reimagine what gaming laptops can achieve. With the 2025 lineup, we are introducing a powerful fusion of performance, design, and AI acceleration—tailored precisely to what Indian consumers are asking for. Each laptop in this series caters to a new-age gamer and creator, someone who needs their machine to be as fast, flexible, and future-ready as they are. We’re proud to bring this innovation to our Indian audience, and we believe this lineup sets a new benchmark for what high-performance computing should look like in 2025.”

ROG Strix Scar 16/18

Built for pro-level gamers and creators, the Strix Scar 16/18 packs the Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 275HX processor, up to NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5090 GPU, up to 64GB DDR5 RAM, and up to 2TB SSD for ultimate speed. Advanced cooling with a vapor chamber and Tri-Fan Tech ensures sustained performance. A new tool-less design with SSD Q-latch makes upgrades easy, while the AniMe Vision LED lid and 360° RGB lightbar add unmatched flair. The 240Hz WQXGA Mini-LED ROG Nebula HDR display with 3ms response and 1200 nits brightness delivers an immersive visual experience.

ROG Strix G16 (2025)

Made for FPS-focused gamers, the Strix G16 runs on Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 275HX and up to NVIDIA® RTX™ 5070Ti GPU. A new Tool-less design, along with our latest Q-latch system for the SSD slots, makes it super quick & easy to upgrade. Its 16-inch 2.5K ROG Nebula display hits 240Hz with 100% DCI-P3 color, powered by DLSS 4.0, Dynamic Boost, and Advanced Optimus. Easy upgradability, RGB accents, and vapor chamber cooling complete this stylish gaming beast, backed by 32GB DDR5 RAM and 1TB SSD.

Side note: The Strix G16 (2025) will be made available with the RTX 5080 variant in limited quantities for consumers who would like a SCAR like experience with a minimalistic Strix G design.

ROG Flow Z13 (2025)

The Flow Z13 is a 2-in-1 gaming machine with the AMD Ryzen™ AI Max 390 processor and 50 TOPs AI NPU performance. Redesigned vapor chamber and dual 2nd Gen Arc Flow Fans™ boost airflow by 70%, keeping performance smooth and thermals in check. Its 13.4-inch 2.5K ROG Nebula touchscreen runs at 180Hz with 3ms response and 100% DCI-P3 color. With 32GB LPDDR5X unified RAM running in quad channel configuration, 1TB SSD, and Wi-Fi 7, it blends power with flexibility. A 170° kickstand, detachable RGB keyboard, and advanced cooling make it a top pick for creators and gamers on the move.

ROG Zephyrus G16 (2025)

The Zephyrus G16 is a powerhouse in a portable form, featuring the Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 285H CPU and NVIDIA® RTX™ 5080 GPU. The 16-inch 2.5K OLED screen offers a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.2ms response time, and perfect contrast ratios, making it ideal for content creation & gaming with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 support. Weighing just 1.95 kg and 1.49 cm thin, it combines portability with performance. Up to 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 2TB SSD, and enhanced cooling ensure seamless multitasking and creative workflows on the go.

ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)

Compact yet powerful, the Zephyrus G14 features the AMD Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370 CPU and NVIDIA® RTX™ 5070Ti GPU, ideal for AI-driven tasks and 4K content creation. Weighing 1.57 kg, it sports a 14-inch 3K OLED Nebula Display with 120Hz refresh and factory-calibrated colors. With up to 32GB RAM, 120W max GPU power, it’s made for creators who demand performance in a small form factor.

Gurugram, 3 May, 2025: India Internet Day (iDay), India’s definitive startup event for tech entrepreneurs hosted by TiE Delhi-NCR at The Leela Ambience, concluded today, marking a high point in redefining India’s position as a rising global digital power. In its 14th edition, the event brought together more than 1,200 attendees, 60+ investors, over 50 speakers, and 40+ partners, alongside policymakers and industry leaders. The focus was on driving collaboration to propel India toward its predicted $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.

India’s digital economy is expanding at double the pace of overall GDP growth, with projections showing it will contribute to one-fifth of national GDP by 2029. By 2025, India’s internet user base is expected to cross 900 million, with rural adoption playing a significant role in driving growth. Event sessions discussed how this momentum creates a fertile ground for startups, digital platforms, and tech ventures to scale, positioning India as a leader in the global tech landscape.

Opening the conversation on India’s policy environment shaping the future of the digital economy, Dr Abhijit Phukon, Economic Adviser, Department of Financial Services, Government of India, stated, “As innovation evolves rapidly, our regulatory approach must be equally adaptive and predictive. The goal is to ensure that digital and financial ecosystems remain secure while enabling innovation to thrive. A balanced regulatory environment builds trust, protects consumers, and allows startups to grow responsibly. The government remains deeply committed to collaborating with industry to strike that balance and drive inclusive digital growth.”

“India Internet Day 2025 reaffirmed its role as the crucible where India’s digital doctrine is not just discussed—but actively redefined,” said Upasana Sharma,

Executive Director, TiE Delhi-NCR. “With over 1,200 attendees, 60+ investors, and 50+ speakers, the event became a high-voltage hub for bold ideas on artificial intelligence, startup scaling, and Bharat’s digital acceleration. At a time when India is poised to lead the global AI revolution, iDay provided a critical platform for innovators, policymakers, and technologists to converge. The space tech session led by IN-SPACe was particularly electric—signaling India’s next leap into frontier technologies and deeptech. Events like iDay are no longer just conferences; they are launchpads for India’s tech-powered future.”

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO, One97 and Paytm, joined a discussion on “Keynote – Dreaming Big, Building Bold: India’s Road to Tech Superpower.” Vijay compared the 2014 era of startup funding to “crossing flyovers in Delhi’s Outer Ring Road.” He explained, “The first flyover you cross is angel funding. For the second flyover, there’s no series A funding because all are tourist VCs. At that time, VCs were opening a few bases in India. Now, Outer Ring Road has all the flyovers. I think funding in India is not that big of a problem. Now, investors will value you if you are building for India in India.”

On AI, he noted, “So it is my reading that currently we consider AI as an agent, saathi, or assistant for us. I’ve started using it for many deep insights. But actually, after a few days, we will be the agents of AI. It will no longer be just an agent to us.”

iDay 2025 became a crucial platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their tech-driven startups. The event focused on cutting-edge topics such as AI, 5G, fintech, digital public infrastructure, e-commerce, space tech, startups, policies, smart cities, and regional internet trends. Experts discussed how these technologies are creating opportunities for businesses to accelerate and how government initiatives, like the Digital India Programme, are facilitating growth. These initiatives aim to position India as a digital superpower by 2030.

At iDay 2025, transformative sessions inspired the ecosystem—Col Sanjeev Yadav, Director, UIDAI, explored how Aadhaar authentication can power startup innovation, while Air Vice Marshal Retd. Dhananjay V Khot, AVSM, VM; Director, Strategy and Planning, IN-SPACe, highlighted India’s bold leap into the spacetech frontier.

The event also highlighted India’s digital economy growth, the expansion of internet connectivity, and how AI is shaping industries such as healthcare, agriculture, and innovation. Experts discussed how other open tech frameworks are reshaping India’s digital landscape, empowering startups to scale while improving access to services for underserved communities.

With indicorns on the rise, Kunal Bahl, Co-Founder, Titan Capital and Snapdeal, joined the discussion on “Indicorns: Building India’s Enduring Startup Foundation—Release of India’s Indicorn List 2025.” Kunal shared, “India’s startup engine is thriving. 202 Indicorns with over ₹1.5 lakh crore in revenue and ₹7,393 crore in profits prove that building profit-first businesses at scale is not only possible but already happening. With 51 Indicorns, Delhi-NCR is leading the charge, powering jobs, innovation, and sustainable growth.”

Delhi-NCR Tops the Charts with 51 Indicorns as India’s Profit-First Startups Cross ₹1.5 Lakh Crore in Revenue

Indicorn—a Titan Capital initiative—highlights the rise of 202 “Indicorns,” or Indian startups with over ₹100 crore in annual revenue. Together, these companies generated ₹1,51,137 crore in revenue and ₹7,393 crore in profits while employing over 1.46 lakh people. Delhi-NCR leads the pack with 51 Indicorns, followed by Bengaluru (42) and Mumbai (35), reinforcing India’s shift toward scalable, profit-driven entrepreneurship.

The event featured an impressive lineup of speakers, including event co-chairs Akshay Chaturvedi, Founder and CEO, Leverage Edu; Apurva Chamaria, Global Head, VC and Startup Partnerships, Google; and Upasana Taku, Co-Founder and CEO, MobiKwik; alongside industry leaders such as Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President and CEO, Startup Policy Forum; Akshat Babbar, Managing Director, ChrysCapital; Shantanu Deshpande, Founder and CEO, Bombay Shaving Company; Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder, One97 and Paytm; and Ankur Warikoo, Founder, WebVeda. These leaders shared their insights through fireside chats, panel discussions, and keynote speeches.

iDay 2025 facilitated unparalleled networking opportunities, connecting entrepreneurs with decision-makers and fostering collaborations that will drive future innovation. The discussions equipped attendees with the knowledge needed to thrive in the evolving digital landscape.

Havas Media Network India served as the Silver Partner to this milestone event. Spotlighting the importance of iDay and its association with the Indian startup ecosystem, Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Network India, said, “At Havas Media Network India, we take great pride in our consistent partnership with TiE, which continues to be a powerful force in shaping India’s startup ecosystem. iDay2025 brought together some of the most inspiring minds driving innovation and transformation. As champions of meaningful brands, we are committed to being enablers in this journey of entrepreneurial growth and digital progress.” TiE Delhi-NCR remains committed to empowering entrepreneurs and fostering innovation within India’s rapidly growing digital economy. iDay 2025 served as a milestone in this journey, laying the foundation for India to not only participate but also lead the global tech narrative.

Delhi, May 3, 2025 – The sixth edition of Très, South Asia’s premier boutique travel showcase, concluded successfully at Andaz Delhi on May 2. Spanning two days, Très 2025 featured over 80 boutique hotels, retreats, lodges, camps, and innovative travel concepts rooted in luxury and mindful tourism experiences across the subcontinent.

The event attracted more than 60 overseas travel operators from key markets, including the UK, France, Australia, the US, and Germany, alongside over 100 Indian travel companies from across the nation.

This year, the event was proudly supported by Gujarat Tourism and its Heritage Tourism Association as the Principal Sponsor, with Uttar Pradesh Tourism serving as the Lead Sponsor. Additional support came from Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Rajasthan Tourism, all receiving enthusiastic appreciation from both the domestic and international travel trades, as well as the boutique hospitality community.

“We believe the subcontinent is a premier global destination for leisure, luxury, and inspirational travel, distinguished by its unique diversity and transformative experiences. Très serves as an ideal platform to showcase these exceptional travel offerings. We are immensely grateful to our lead sponsors for their significant support, which has been a tremendous source of motivation for all involved,” said Sowmya R Vijaymohan, Director of Très.

The guiding vision of Très is to connect a select group of meticulously curated properties and travel experience providers with a precisely targeted audience of tour operators and travel facilitators. This collaboration aims to stimulate travel within India as well as neighboring regions like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, fostering broad and sustainable industry growth. Unlike traditional trade shows, Très facilitates bespoke, one-on-one appointments between buyers and sellers tailored to business interests, strengthening partnerships and exploring new markets for positive business opportunities.

The Très 2025 exhibitors, ranging from boutique properties to historic forts and palaces, wildlife lodges, wellness retreats, private villas, and glamping sites, share a unifying philosophy built on a concept-driven approach that celebrates the unique stories and identities behind each property. Every exhibitor is committed to offering personalized, immersive hospitality experiences while remaining mindful of their environmental impact and local communities.

Adding to the event’s value, Très Ignite sessions led by travel, destination, and industry experts addressed relevant topics shaping the region’s travel landscape. Discussions included “Kerala’s Earthlore, Lorekeepers & More!”, an insightful conversation with Gujarat Tourism’s Heritage Tourism Association, a panel exploring responsible and sustainable tourism through “Tourism at Crossroads”, and a vital discussion on “Preserving Heritage & Promoting Indigenous Communities” featuring Dr. Madan Meena, artist, writer and researcher  and Sapna Bhatia, owner of Kaner Retreat.

India, May 3, 2025 – Cloudflare Inc. , the leading connectivity cloud company, today announced a wave of global technology companies, including Asana, Atlassian, Block, PayPal, Sentry, Stripe, and more, are working with Cloudflare to create powerful AI experiences through Anthropic’s AI assistant, Claude. These software companies are enabling Claude and other AI assistants to securely interact with their services on behalf of users, through connections built on Cloudflare Workers. Now users can complete tasks and interact with their favorite business tools through natural conversations with Claude, rather than working directly in the application. 

AI is already transforming the way we work by helping to edit emails, generate code, and analyze data. However, it still often requires the user to switch between multiple applications, tabs, and tools to implement the actions it recommends. For truly autonomous, agentic AI experiences, AI tools should be able to act on the user’s behalf. That can only happen if AI tools can directly interact with business software tools. MCP servers allow AI platforms to connect directly to the popular tools where data resides so the user can send an email, answer a question about a marketing campaign, or create invoices–all without leaving the AI assistant. But delivering reliable, low-latency, and secure access to external tools and data is a significant technical challenge, especially at global scale.

“Cloudflare is powering how AI connects to the world,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO, Cloudflare. “Whether it’s through a browser, an app, or an AI assistant like Claude, we’re the backbone making those experiences fast, secure, and reliable. As agentic AI becomes the new interface, Cloudflare is the core infrastructure companies will rely on to build and scale their AI strategies.”

“AI apps are most valuable when they can connect to your data and tools, but building these connections reliably at scale is complex,” said Mahesh Murag, Product Manager at Anthropic. “Cloudflare is helping to simplify and secure how anyone can connect their apps to Claude via MCP, accelerate adoption of MCP, and kickstart an ecosystem of remote servers.”

Simplifying How Enterprises Build with MCP Standard

Cloudflare provides the only toolkit to build remote MCP servers quickly and easily – allowing developer teams to focus on building powerful AI experiences for their users rather than managing the technical challenges of MCP, the open-source standard developed by Anthropic. Cloudflare makes it easy to build secure MCP servers – simplifying complex authentication and authorization processes, providing controls to restrict agent permissions, and offering visibility into what data has been accessed and what actions were taken. Building and deploying remote MCP servers on Cloudflare takes days instead of weeks, and is supported by Cloudflare’s global network for fast, reliable, seamless AI experiences for customers anywhere.

Powering AI Experiences for Everyday Users

Today, leading companies are enabling users to interact with their services through conversation with Claude and other MCP clients, by building and deploying remote MCP servers on Cloudflare:

• Asana: “At Asana, we’ve always focused on helping teams coordinate work effortlessly. MCP connects our Work Graph directly to AI tools like Claude, enabling AI to become a true teammate in work management. Our integration transforms natural language into structured work – creating projects from meeting notes or pulling updates into AI. Building on Cloudflare’s infrastructure allowed us to deploy quickly, handling authentication and scaling while we focused on creating the best experience for our users.” – Prashant Pandey, Chief Technology Officer
• Atlassian: “AI is not one-size-fits-all and we believe that it needs to be embedded within a team’s jobs to be done. That’s why we’re so excited to invest in MCP and meet teams in more places where they already work. Hosting on Cloudflare infrastructure means we can bring this powerful integration to our customers faster and empower them to do more than ever with Jira and Confluence, all while keeping their enterprise data secure. Cloudflare provided everything from OAuth to out-of-the-box remote MCP support so we could quickly build, secure, and scale a fully operational setup.” – Taroon Mandhana, Head of Product Engineering
• Block: Square’s APIs are a comprehensive set of tools that help sellers take payments, create and track orders, manage inventory, organize customers, and more. Now, with a dedicated Square MCP server, sellers can enlist the help of an AI agent to build their business on Square’s entire suite of API resources and endpoints. By integrating with AI agents like Claude and codename goose, sellers can craft sophisticated, customized use cases that fully utilize Square’s capabilities, at a lower technical barrier.
• Intercom: “The momentum behind MCP is exciting. It’s making it easier and easier to connect assistants like Claude and agents like Fin to your systems and get real work done. Cloudflare’s toolkit is accelerating that movement even faster. Launching the Intercom MCP server was effortless. We’ll be encouraging our customers to leverage Cloudflare to build and deploy their own MCP servers to securely and reliably connect their internal systems to Fin and other clients.” – Jordan Neill, SVP Engineering
• Linear: “We’re building on Cloudflare to take advantage of their frameworks in this fast-moving space and flexible, fast, compute at the edge. With MCP, we’re bringing Linear’s issue tracking and product development workflows directly into their AI tools of choice, eliminating context switching for teams. Our goal is simple: let developers and product teams access their work where they already are—whether refining specs in Claude, debugging in Cursor, or creating issues from conversations. This seamless integration helps our customers stay in flow and focused on building great products.” – Tom Moor, Head of US Engineering
• PayPal: “MCPs represent a new paradigm for software development. With PayPal’s remote MCP server on Cloudflare, now developers can delegate to an agent with natural language to seamlessly integrate with PayPal’s portfolio of commerce capabilities. Whether it’s managing inventory, processing payments, tracking shipping, handling refunds, AI agents via MCP can tap into these capabilities to autonomously execute and optimize commerce workflows. This is a revolutionary development for commerce, and the best part is, developers can begin integrating with our MCP server on Cloudflare today.” – Prakhar Mehrotra, SVP of Artificial Intelligence
• Sentry: “Sentry’s commitment has always been to the developer, and making it easier to keep production software running stable, and that’s going to be even more true in the AI era. Developers are utilizing tools like MCP to integrate their stack with AI models and data sources. We chose to build our MCP on Cloudflare because we share a vision of making it easier for developers to ship software, and are both invested in ensuring teams can build and safely run the next generation of AI agents. Debugging the complex interactions arising from these integrations is increasingly vital, and Sentry provides the essential visibility needed to rapidly diagnose and resolve issues. MCP integrates this crucial Sentry context directly into the developer workflow, empowering teams to consistently build and deploy reliable applications.” — David Cramer, CPO and Co-Founder
• Stripe: “MCP is emerging as a new AI interface. In the near-future, MCP may become the default way, or in some cases the only way, people, businesses, and code discover and interact with services. With Stripe’s agent toolkit, developers can now monetize their MCPs with just a few lines of code.” – Jeff Weinstein, Product Lead
• Webflow: “Since launching the Webflow MCP server, we’ve unlocked a new level of innovation as developers use AI agents and our APIs to simplify tasks that once took significant time and effort. Now, actions like managing a CMS, generating blogs at scale, improving SEO, and even getting help using Webflow can be achieved by simply prompting an AI agent. With Cloudflare’s support for remote MCP connections, we’re ensuring a seamless, secure experience while making authentication fast and easy. This partnership helps us bring development superpowers to everyone, providing the tools to build faster and smarter web experiences.” – Utkarsh Sengar, VP of Engineering

Build, Secure, and Protect with Cloudflare, Directly from Claude

Also today, Cloudflare is launching its own MCP servers that will let users more easily build applications, make websites faster, and secure networks and websites, all through conversations with Claude. For example, developers can now easily chat with Claude to analyze logs and help track and debug errors, without needing to read documentation or navigate Cloudflare’s observability tools. You can find Cloudflare’s growing list of MCP servers at https://github.com/cloudflare/mcp-server-cloudflare.

Bhubaneswar, May 3, 2025 : Odisha, which is known to formulate better policies for investors, will start production of semiconductors in the next couple of years, state Information Technology Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling said. Addressing the summit titled ‘From Temple to Tech’, he said Odisha is in a very good position in the field of digital infrastructure, skill development and start-ups. Leading IT companies have set up their centers in the state. He also invited IT companies to invest in Odisha and assured all support from the government. He also informed that Odisha Industries Support Cell also to facilitate IT sectors investors.”

In a milestone initiative to drive Odisha’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and IT services, the Department of Electronics & Information Technology (E&IT), Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), successfully hosted the ‘From Temples to Tech’ summit at The Crown, Bhubaneswar. The event gathered top government officials, industry leaders, academic experts, and startups from across India and abroad, aiming to catalyze the state’s transition into a tech-driven economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology highlighted the growing contribution of the services sector towards the State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) and the growth therein in the coming days. He spoke about the various benefits and incentives available to investors in the state’s IT policy and semiconductor policy. He said that the incentives given by the Government of Odisha to the industry are among the best in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary to the Government of India, Manish Chadha presented a comparative picture of the country’s hardware production and said that a few years ago there were many challenges about it. But after the central government came up with attractive policies, India has made considerable progress in electronics manufacturing. 99% of mobile phones used in India are made within the country. He said india’s contribution to smartphone manufacturing has been increasing steadily. Executive Director of ESC Gurmeet Singh, Chairman (Global Outreach) Sandeep Narula, ESC Chairman Veer Sagar and ESC (Eastern) Chairman Dr Ashwini Kumar Rath and others were present on the occasion.

Among the key highlights was the launch of the Odisha Industry Support Cell by ESC, aimed at providing export guidance, global market access, mentoring, and standards compliance support for local electronics and IT enterprises. The event also saw the unveiling of a white paper titled “Electronics and Software Exports from India and Odisha,” offering a data-backed roadmap for expanding the state’s export capabilities. Additionally, Six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between ESC and leading academic institutions including IIT Bhubaneswar, IIIT Bhubaneswar, OUTR, BPUT, VSSUT, and the World Trade Center Bhubaneswar, to promote industry-academia collaboration and skill development.

The summit featured impactful discussions through an open house with startup founders and CXOs, along with two insightful panel sessions. One focused on enhancing global competitiveness through hardware innovation, and another on building Odisha into a tech and talent powerhouse. Representatives from Atlanta Systems, InfoPower Tech, Ernst & Young, MeitY, ESSCI, and global accelerator Plug and Play contributed valuable perspectives. Shri Manoj Kumar, Deputy CEO of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), provided guidance to MSMEs and startups on leveraging GeM for government procurement.

A startup showcase highlighted ten high-potential electronics and IT startups from Odisha, presenting their innovative solutions to investors and mentors, further reinforcing the state’s growing deep-tech ecosystem.

Bengaluru, 03 May 2025: Coca-Cola India announced its partnership with the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) at the 4th Edition of the NRAI Food Delivery Summit 2025, held at Le Meridien, New Delhi. This collaboration marks the official launch of Coca-Cola Foodmarks 2.0, an initiative that celebrates India’s most iconic culinary destinations. Each foodmark spotlights places where the perfect meal, the perfect moment, and an ice-cold Coca-Cola come together to create unforgettable food landmarks.

Inspired by culture and powered by the Real Magic of Coca-Cola, Foodmarks 2.0 is built on the successful collaborations with legendary establishments like Paradise in Hyderabad and Embassy in Delhi’s Connaught Place. Creating moments of connection, culture, and refreshment, Coca-Cola and NRAI are scaling the program to new heights by collaborating with India’s most loved restaurants to drive culinary discovery and enrich India’s food culture. This initiative not only strengthens industry partnerships but also opens new avenues for restaurants to become part of India’s evolving cultural narrative.

Abhishek Gupta, Chief Customer Officer, Coca-Cola India said “This partnership with NRAI reflects our commitment to building platforms that drive growth for India’s restaurant industry. Foodmarks 2.0 turns iconic dining experiences into cultural destinations, fueled by the Real Magic of connection and discovery. At the core of every Foodmark is the simple pleasure of a hot meal, shared with an ice-cold Coca-Cola. Together, we are creating new opportunities for restaurants to become landmarks in India’s culinary landscape.”

Sagar Daryani, President NRAI & CEO & Co-Founder, Wow! Momo Foods Pvt. Ltd. said, ” Restaurants have always taken pride in their recipes, their stories, and their journeys. But in today’s world, excellence alone isn’t enough, discovery matters just as much. Coca-Cola Foodmarks addresses this opportunity by celebrating what makes each restaurant special and bringing it to the forefront. Given its global success, we believe India’s diversity of cuisines makes Foodmarks an even stronger fit, delivering authentic content and real visibility for the industry.”

With Foodmarks 2.0, Coca-Cola India and NRAI are ushering in a new chapter in India’s food culture. By uniting the country’s diverse flavors with an ice-cold Coca-Cola, the initiative is set to create lasting food landmarks that resonate with people. As the program expands, it will continue to strengthen the connection between people, food, and shared moments of Real Magic — one Foodmark at a time.

New Delhi, May 3, 2025: The Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP) at Ashoka University inaugurated its first Annual Growth Conference 2025 today at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. Centered on India’s medium-term growth and development trajectory, the conference convened eminent policymakers, economists, regulators, and thought leaders to engage in substantive policy dialogues on key issues critical to the nation’s economic development.

The first day of the conference was graced by leading government stakeholders, economists and regulators including Shri N.K. Singh, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, Shri Ajay Seth, Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, amongst others.

Setting the context with the first session focused on Macro-Public Finance, Prachi Mishra, Professor of Economics, Director and Head of the Isaac Centre for Public Policy, Ashoka University, highlighted that the world is witnessing a shift towards a new global trading order with significantly higher tariffs, particularly in the United States. “We are in a new global order, and tariffs in the United States are perhaps the highest in a century. We are talking about an additional 20 percentage points more of effective tariffs on goods imported into the United States. Of course, other countries have retaliated and probably are going to do so in the future. So global tariffs are going to be much higher in this new world trading order as well,” she added. She further emphasized the possible impacts of high tariffs on the global economy, calling it a time of heightened uncertainty.

Speaking about the Indian economy, Prachi Mishra highlighted that while significant structural reforms have been undertaken over the past decade, the economy is currently experiencing a cyclical slowdown, with challenges persisting in areas such as manufacturing growth, private investment, and fiscal consolidation.

The first panel discussion on Macro-Public Finance featured esteemed dignitaries including Shri N.K. Singh, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission and former Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha as the moderator, and Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, Shri Ajay Seth, Finance Secretary and Dr. Prachi Mishra, Head and Director of ICPP as the panelists.  

Discussing in detail about India’s current economic scenario and the global uncertainty, Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission reiterated, “Macroeconomists are often seen as pessimists, but I’m optimistic. Looking at the short run, we experienced a sharp dip during the COVID crisis with a negative GDP growth of about -5.6%. However, we came out of it remarkably well, with strong recoveries in subsequent years, growing 9.7% in 2021-22 and 7.6% in 2022-23. 23-24, we grew 9.2 percent, in 2023-24, we grew by 9.2%, and the latest advance estimate for 2024-25 stands at 6.4%. All things considered; that’s indeed a remarkable recovery.”

Discussing the long-term vision, Dr. Panagariya emphasized India’s ambition to achieve “Viksit Bharat,” or a developed India, by 2047, marking the 100th year of independence. He stated, “The Prime Minister has set an ambitious goal for India to achieve developed country status by 2047. This will require us to grow per capita income by about 7.3% annually. While it’s a challenging target, the growth trajectory over the past few decades, despite multiple shocks, provides a strong foundation for optimism.”

 Highlighting Bihar’s economic challenges, Dr. Arvind Panagariya provided insights into the state’s growth trajectory and the role of fiscal transfers in bridging disparities among states. He explained the history of Bihar’s economic performance, highlighting that, despite some growth in recent years, the state’s progress has been slower compared to other states like Karnataka. Dr. Panagariya emphasized the role of private sector development and urbanization as key factors in addressing these challenges.

The second panel discussion on regulations included eminent speakers and experts including Justice V. Ramasubramanian, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India; Dr. K.P. Krishnan, Distinguished Fellow at ICPP and former Secretary to the Government of India; Smt. Anuradha Thakur, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; and Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian reflected on the role of judicial interpretation in shaping regulatory frameworks and said, “I was delighted to be invited for this inaugural annual conference. In an age where information overload has diminished independent thought, it’s crucial that we stop reading mindlessly and start thinking critically.”

 Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India, provided perspectives from the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, emphasizing the critical need for balancing innovation with public safety.

The discussions on Day 1 laid a strong foundation for identifying actionable pathways to drive India’s growth and regulatory modernization over the coming decade. It also reflected the commitment with which ICPP was established – to create a research environment where experts across domains will help find scalable solutions to pressing and complex policy challenges in areas such as economic development, labour and employment, healthcare, gender and fiscal policy etc.

Established through a grant from the Ajit Isaac Foundation (AIF), a philanthropic organisation created by the Founder & Chairman of Quess Corp Ltd., Ajit Isaac and his wife, Sarah Isaac, the ICPP also works and collaborates with leading public, private and non-profit sector stakeholders to identify research gaps linked with policy making and implementation.

This Annual Growth Conference will continue till Saturday, 3rd May 2025, with sessions dedicated on employment and labour, agriculture and the rural economy, and the role of developed states in India’s broader development journey.