News on Indian Economy
The Saras Mk-II is being developed by CSIR-NAL, Bengaluru, as a multi-role light transport aircraft suited for short regional routes, smaller airports and difficult operating environments. It is expected to support passenger movement, air taxi services, air ambulance operations, executive transport, light cargo, border patrol and other community services.
The pilot train has been developed for the Jind-Sonipat section of Northern Railway in Haryana, where dedicated hydrogen production, storage and refuelling infrastructure has also been established. Unlike a conventional diesel train, the new trainset will generate electricity onboard using hydrogen fuel cells, producing only water vapour and heat as by-products, thereby eliminating tailpipe carbon emissions.
Speaking at the India Energy Storage Week on Wednesday, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed link aligns with the government’s “One Sun, One World, One Grid” initiative, which envisions an interconnected global electricity network powered by renewable energy.
The tariff relief covers components that are important for high-value electronics manufacturing, including wireless charging modules for smartphones, lithium-ion cells and display-related components used in sectors such as medical devices and automobiles. Duties of 5% and 7.5% on several such items have been removed, giving manufacturers a clearer cost advantage as they scale local assembly and component integration.
The Mixshield TBM is among the largest rail-tunnelling machines deployed in India. It has a 13.6-metre-diameter cutterhead, weighs approximately 3,100 tonnes and stretches around 96 metres. The machine will construct nearly six kilometres of single-tube tunnel, wide enough to accommodate both the upward and downward bullet-train tracks. Its route passes beneath densely built parts of Mumbai, major roads, existing infrastructure and the Mithi River.
According to Cirium’s June 2026 On-Time Performance report, Air India achieved an on-time arrival rate of 86.85 per cent across 15,135 flights during the month. The airline also recorded an 86.23 per cent on-time departure rate and a 99.7 per cent completion factor, indicating that nearly all scheduled flights were operated.
The partnership is aimed at bringing modular and scalable BESS solutions to India. Pixii, headquartered in Norway, specialises in modular battery energy storage platforms built around power conversion, energy management and scalable cabinet-based systems. Its PowerShaper product family is designed as an all-in-one energy storage solution that integrates converter modules, battery modules and a gateway controller for on-grid and off-grid applications.
UPI is now operational in 10 countries outside India: Bhutan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, France, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Cambodia and Greece. This expansion marks a major milestone in India’s digital public infrastructure journey and strengthens the country’s presence in the global payments ecosystem.
A major part of Tata Power’s strategy is renewable energy. The company plans to deepen its solar manufacturing capacity by setting up a new 10 GW solar equipment manufacturing facility in Odisha. This proposed unit will add to its existing manufacturing base and support India’s goal of building a strong domestic solar supply chain.
The industry recorded a turnover of ₹7.60 lakh crore, equivalent to around US$ 85.9 billion, registering 12.7 percent growth in rupee terms over the previous financial year. This performance shows the sector’s expanding role in India’s manufacturing economy and its growing importance within the global automotive supply chain.
