News on Indian Economy
The BITS Hyderabad students developed a visual navigation system that reached the finals of the ISRO robotics competition. Their work subsequently attracted the attention of defence personnel, who recognised its potential application to military operations where satellite navigation signals may be unavailable, degraded or deliberately disrupted.
The principal improvement in the upgraded T-72 Ajeya is its higher-output engine, which provides substantially greater power than the 780 HP diesel engine fitted to the existing configuration. The additional power is intended to improve the tank’s mobility and responsiveness, particularly during demanding battlefield manoeuvres and operations involving steep gradients, uneven surfaces and difficult terrain.
CFF Fluid Control’s Board of Directors approved the proposal to enter into a binding joint venture agreement during a meeting held on November 6, 2026. The company subsequently disclosed the proposed shareholding structure and the principal objectives of the partnership to the stock exchanges.
India’s merchandise exports reached approximately ₹39.02 lakh crore (US$441.5 billion) during the financial year 2025–26, providing the reference point for assessing the coverage of existing and proposed free trade agreements. Of this total, exports worth US$120.9 billion were directed towards markets covered by preferential trade arrangements, representing 27.4% of merchandise exports.
NMDC’s mining operations in Chhattisgarh continued to account for the largest share of its iron ore production during the first seven months of FY2026–27. Cumulative production from the state increased to 22.28 MT, compared with 17.84 MT during April–October 2025, representing growth of approximately 24.9%.
An aircraft ejection seat is a sophisticated safety system incorporating multiple mechanical, structural and electronic components. Depending on its design, the system may include propulsion mechanisms, seat stabilisation equipment, parachute deployment arrangements and automatic sequencing technologies that enable the pilot to separate safely from an aircraft during an emergency.
According to the Ministry of Power, the additional capacity supported under the scheme will be equivalent to approximately 170% of India’s existing grid-scale energy storage capacity. The programme will also contribute towards meeting the country’s projected requirement of 411 GWh of grid-scale energy storage by 2031–32, reflecting the substantial infrastructure expansion needed to accommodate increasing renewable electricity generation.
Domestic demand emerged as the principal driver of services sector growth during October, with companies reporting increased customer enquiries, new client acquisitions and stronger business orders. Survey participants attributed the improvement to favourable market conditions, successful advertising campaigns and increased demand for services across several industries.
The proposed five-acre manufacturing facility in Bengaluru’s ITIR area would focus on the development and production of High-Power Microwave systems and associated technologies. This represents a significant technological direction for Tonbo Imaging, which has established expertise in electro-optical and infrared systems, thermal imaging, advanced sensors and autonomous defence platforms.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approvals in New Delhi on Friday while launching the Semicon 2.0 Web Application Portal under the India Semiconductor Programme.
