Business

India’s youngest airline, Akasa Air, is preparing to commence international operations from Delhi, marking a pivotal milestone in its rapid expansion journey. Following its successful debut on international routes from Mumbai, the airline now plans to connect the national capital with key destinations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The move underscores Akasa’s strategy to evolve from a domestic low-cost carrier into a globally competitive player, leveraging India’s growing air travel demand and expanding aviation infrastructure.

India’s Tea Board has introduced a comprehensive framework of food safety and sustainability standards aimed at enhancing the quality, traceability, and environmental compliance of Indian tea. The new measures align domestic production with international benchmarks such as those set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Panasonic India’s long-serving Chairman, Manish Sharma, has resigned after nearly two decades with the Japanese electronics giant, marking the end of a transformative leadership phase. During his tenure, Sharma played a pivotal role in deepening Panasonic’s manufacturing footprint in India, driving localization, and strengthening its alignment with the government’s Make in India initiative. Following his exit, Tadashi Chiba, currently the Managing Director of Panasonic Life Solutions India, will assume the chairman’s role.

Swiggy, one of India’s largest food delivery and quick-commerce platforms, is preparing to raise up to ₹10,000 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) and other potential fundraising instruments. The move, approved by its board, comes amid intensifying competition in India’s rapidly expanding quick-commerce sector, where rivals such as Blinkit and Zepto are racing to capture market share.

In a significant initiative to revitalise Jammu and Kashmir’s traditional carpet weaving industry, the government has launched a scheme to distribute modern looms to local artisans. The move aims to enhance productivity, improve design quality, and increase global competitiveness for one of the region’s most iconic crafts. The upgraded looms are expected to help weavers reduce manual strain, speed up production, and maintain the intricate artistry that distinguishes Kashmiri carpets.

In a major push toward enhancing regional air connectivity in Himachal Pradesh, the Central Government has sanctioned funds for the expansion of Kangra Airport. The project aims to increase the airport’s capacity, extend the runway, and improve passenger amenities to support larger aircraft operations. The initiative aligns with India’s broader regional connectivity mission under the UDAN scheme, designed to strengthen tourism and trade links in hilly regions.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has initiated the creation of centralised audit cadres across its offices to strengthen accountability, streamline operations, and improve the consistency of financial audits nationwide. This structural reform aims to standardise audit processes, optimise resource allocation, and ensure greater transparency in the examination of government expenditure.

Logistics major Delhivery Ltd. has launched Freight Index One (FIX1), a pioneering data-driven benchmark designed to bring greater transparency and standardization to India’s logistics sector. The index will track and analyze truck freight movement across key transportation corridors in the country, offering valuable insights to shippers, transporters, and policymakers.

Customer engagement and retention platform MoEngage has successfully raised $100 million in a new funding round led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and A91 Partners, signaling strong investor confidence in India’s burgeoning SaaS ecosystem. This funding marks one of the largest recent investments in a customer engagement startup and underscores the rising demand for AI-driven marketing automation solutions globally.

A recent industry report reveals that Bengaluru and Hyderabad have become the epicentres of leadership activity within India’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Together, the two cities account for nearly 70 per cent of the country’s leadership roles in the sector. Hyderabad leads in the growth of senior-level hiring with a 42 per cent year-on-year surge, while Bengaluru remains the top choice for global firms seeking experienced technology and operations leaders.