RIL takes controlling stake in pod transportation co

In what is probably the company’s most fanciful investment to date, India’s largest private sector company Reliance Industries has taken a controlling stake in a US-based futuristic transportation company. skyTran Inc is developing a technology to transport people using pods that are kept in the air by a magnetic force from below. RIL, which was […]

India’s new social media rules make it impossible for WhatsApp to function as before

The new rules for messaging apps announced as part of today’s digital/online media regulatory framework will make it impossible for WhatsApp to continue to operate in India in its present form. One of the key demands placed by the government in front of WhatsApp has always been that it should attach an origin-ID to all […]

Bharti Airtel raises Rs 9,050 cr via bonds ahead of auctions

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has raised $1.25 billion (Rs 9,050 cr) via dollar-denominated bonds from a clutch of international investors, tying up funds ahead of impending auctions of 5G spectrum. The debt was raised at considerably low interest rates, though they carry the risk of the US currency appreciating in value against the Indian rupee. […]

Airtel takes on Google, FB in India’s online ad market

Bharti Airtel has announced its entry into the lucrative, Rs 30,000 cr digital advertising market in India, making it the most serious competitor yet to Google and Facebook, which together control about 90% of the market at present. While Google leverages its access to search data and Facebook taps its access to behavioral data on […]

Airtel to tap Qualcomm chips for O-RAN rollout

In a further commitment to rolling out Open RAN technologies, telecom operator Bharti Airtel announced a tie-up with hardware and chipset provider Qualcomm Inc. It said Qualcomm will provide technology to support the roll-out of 5G using the open technology. Qualcomm is a maker of semiconductors or chips that are used by other equipment makers, […]

TVS Motor ropes in global veteran as design head

TVS Motor Co, one of India’s top motorcycle makers, said it appointed industry veteran Timothy Prentice as vice president in charge of design. Having started his career at Honda’s US-based R&D team, Prentice won the Red Dot award for designing electric motorcycle Mission R in 2010. Prentice has helped brands such as Triumph Motorcycles, Polaris, […]

Vodafone Idea to offer latest Hollywood movies on rent

Vodafone Idea launched one of India’s first per-per-view service on its Vi Movies & TV platform. The service, which will enable users to rent premium video content such as new movies, will be clubbed with what the company called ‘deals from Hungama Digital’ — an independent provider digital video and audio content. Initially, the service […]

V-Guard founder to enter venture debt, set up NBFC

Kochouseph Chittilappilly, the founder of V-Guard industries, said he has set up a company called K Chittilappilly Capital Pvt Ltd with the purpose of providing venture funding to entrepreneurs. In a letter to V-Guard industries, Chittalappilly — who founded V-Guard Industries as a voltage stabilizer maker four decades ago — said the new NBFC is […]

Malls may take six months to normalize – Prestige Estates

Prestige Estates Projects, which operates some of India’s top malls such as Bangalore’s Forum Mall, said retail spending has recovered to around 70-80% of normal levels, though it may take several months for it to fully normalize. “The malls should be back in the next six months, they should stabilize fully. Hospitality should take a […]

Wipro extends deal with Telefonica/O2 with 5G focus

Indian IT services provider Wipro Ltd said it has refreshed its 15-year engagement with Telefonica Germany with a focus on enabling new services in the 5G era. The program “will ensure that Telefónica Germany / O2 is well positioned to modernise and launch a range of new offerings including 5G products and services,” the Indian […]

After poor take-up, govt rethinks radio digitization strategy

Government of India seems to have had a change of heart as far as its digitization strategy for radio is concerned, particularly on the choice of technology for the future. The first phase of India’s radio digitization — which has the potential to deliver CD-quality sound on radio receivers — was started around 11 years […]

TV Today sees growth in TV, digital; Radio continues to bleed

TV Today, one of India’s largest news broadcasting companies, reported a strong set of numbers for the Oct-Dec quarter, indicating that the TV broadcasting business had more or less completely recovered from the impact of COVID-19. Revenue at the core TV broadcasting business returned to growth after a year, posting revenue of Rs 186 cr […]

Alembic JV’s new drug is first US FDA-approved NCE designed by Indians

Alembic Pharmaceuticals said a new chemical developed by one of its joint ventures has become the first new chemical entity designed by Indian scientists to win approval from the US Food & Drug Administration. Umbralisib, created by its 50% JV Rhizen Pharma, is an anti-cancer drug that works by inhibiting phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) delta […]

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