New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday that India’s energy sector is rising through global uncertainty with the reforms that have been rolled out in the oil and gas sector.”While the world faces fuel volatility, India is moving ahead with reforms. Oil refining capacity in the country has increased from 215 to 258 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), and Jamnagar is now Asia’s largest refinery, exporting petroleum products to 100+ cou…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed new rules to make it easier and faster to settle claims on the bank accounts and lockers of customers who have passed away. The central bank has issued a draft circular, “Reserve Bank of India (Settlement of Claims in respect of Deceased Customers of Banks) Directions, 2025”, and invited public feedback on it by August 27.Under the proposal, banks will have to use standardised forms to receive claims and related documents from…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Air India on Sunday began the retrofit of its widebody aircraft and is accelerating the refurbishment of its narrowbody fleet as part of a large-scale modernisation drive worth over $400 million. The initiative is aimed at improving passenger comfort, enhancing operational efficiency, and giving the airline’s fleet a fresh, modern look.The retrofit programme for the widebody fleet marks a significant milestone in Air India’s transformation plan.The airline is upgradi…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s recent call for American tech giants to stop hiring foreign workers presents India with a rare opening to leap from the world’s outsourced back office to the commanding heights of global technology leadership.India’s government is already moving decisively. The IndiaAI Mission, launched in 2024, focuses specifically on homegrown solutions in agriculture, healthcare, and language models – sectors crucial to India’s unique context and mass…

Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS) India is now the largest supplier of smartphones to the United States, Union Railways & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday.At the inauguration of Metro projects in Bengaluru, the minister said India’s electronics production has grown sixfold in the last 11 years, reaching a value of Rs 12 lakh crore. Electronic exports have increased eightfold to Rs 3 lakh crore during the same period, he added.“India has become the second-largest manufacturer of mobile pho…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) In a rare and alarming case, a man in the United States developed life-threatening bromide poisoning after following diet advice given by ChatGPT. Doctors believe this could be the first known case of AI-linked bromide poisoning, according to a report by Gizmodo.The case was detailed by doctors at the University of Washington in ‘Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases’.They said the man consumed sodium bromide for three months, thinking it was a safe substitute …

Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS) Six of the top ten most valued firms in India lost Rs 1.361 lakh crore in market capitalisation last week, with Reliance Industries suffering the biggest loss. Markets fell for the sixth straight week following US President Donald Trump’s unexpected announcement of a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. The Nifty and Sensex fell by nearly one per cent, closing at 24,363 and 79,857, respectively.From the top ten firms in Nifty pack, Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airt…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) India has now graduated to becoming a “preferred security partner” in the Indo-Pacific region, forming defence partnerships that not only include joint exercises and capacity building but also exports of defence equipment either as a grant or under a defence Line of Credit at the request of the partner state, according to former Indian diplomat Suchitra Durai. Trilateral maritime security cooperation with Sri Lanka and the Maldives, which began in 2011, has extended to o…

Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS) As India prepares for its 79th Independence Day next week, its digital governance ecosystem has made citizens more independent in accessing services and participating in governance. Tech-enabled citizen-centric governance has led to the empowerment of citizens and inclusive development.The Digital India initiative, launched in 2015, transformed India into a digitally enabled society and knowledge economy. Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) platforms, including Aadhaar, UPI…

New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) The Indian Railways has expanded its modern train fleet, with 144 Vande Bharat services now running across the country’s broad gauge electrified network. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the update in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha recently — highlighting the government’s push to modernise the nation’s rail infrastructure.Vande Bharat trains are semi-high-speed services designed and developed by Indian Railways to offer passengers a faster, safer, and…