Author: Malavika Subramanyan

Prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist Vinod Khosla has issued bold predictions about the sweeping impact of artificial intelligence on the global economy and workforce. Speaking on the “Uncapped With Jack Altman” podcast, Khosla projected that within just five years, AI systems will be capable of performing 80% of economically valuable tasks currently done by humans. His comments represent one of the most accelerated timelines for AI integration voiced by a top tech investor. Khosla, co-founder of Khosla Ventures and an early backer of companies like Square and Instacart, described AI as the most disruptive force he has seen in decades.…

During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers gathering in Tianjin, China, on Tuesday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called upon member nations to increase their contributions to Afghanistan’s development and collaborate on fostering a stable, multipolar global order. Emphasizing India’s longstanding dedication to peace and prosperity in the region, Jaishankar highlighted Afghanistan’s crucial role in regional stability. He stressed that the SCO has long prioritized Afghanistan in its agenda and pointed out the urgent need for collective efforts to support the Afghan people. “The international community, especially SCO nations, must intensify development support for Afghanistan. India…

India witnessed a sharp decline in its retail inflation rate in June 2025, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) falling to 2.1%, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This marks the lowest inflation reading since January 2019, when the figure was recorded at 2.05%. In comparison, May 2025 saw inflation at 2.82%, reflecting a substantial month-over-month decline. The reduction in inflation was primarily driven by easing food and fuel prices, alongside favorable base effects. Food inflation, tracked through the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), actually slipped into negative territory. Rural food inflation dropped to -0.92%, while urban…

India has taken a bold step toward green freight transport by rolling out its first-ever incentive program for electric trucks, reinforcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to sustainable mobility. Spearheaded by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, Mr. Haradanahalli Devegowda Kumaraswamy, this initiative is part of the PM E-DRIVE program aimed at slashing transport emissions and transitioning India’s logistics sector to clean energy. Though diesel trucks account for just 3% of the nation’s total vehicles, they produce a staggering 42% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. To address this imbalance, the government has targeted electric trucks in the N2 and…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently emphasized that India is seeing a rapid decline in inequality and is steadily moving toward becoming one of the world’s most equitable societies. Speaking at the Rozgar Mela via video conference—where more than 51,000 job appointment letters were distributed—he cited a recent World Bank report to support his assertion. A substantial portion of the new appointments—over 40,000—came from the Indian Railways, reinforcing the government’s commitment to employment generation. PM Modi praised the foundational pillars of democracy, equality, and demographic strength as key drivers of the nation’s transformation. He recalled his recent five-nation tour and noted…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Thursday after concluding a significant five-nation diplomatic tour that spanned Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. The journey highlighted India’s proactive role in shaping a multipolar world and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to strengthening bonds with key nations, especially in the Global South. A central moment of the trip was Modi’s participation in the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he engaged with global leaders to deliberate on reforming multilateral institutions, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing global economic governance. In Argentina and Brazil, the Prime Minister…

India could be positioned as a key winner under the latest US tariff framework, according to a recent report by Arihant Capital, which suggests Washington may impose lower duties on India compared to several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This preferential treatment could help India attract increased foreign investment and drive momentum in its manufacturing sector. As global trade realigns, the report underscores India’s rising strategic appeal, highlighting that while countries like Brazil, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar face steep new duties, India might be spared the harshest penalties. This relative leniency could channel production shifts into India, especially as…

In a significant leap toward India’s maiden human spaceflight program, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted two hot-fire tests of the Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission. The tests were carried out on July 3 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The twin evaluations featured short-duration firings—one lasting 30 seconds, the other 100 seconds—and were aimed at verifying the configuration and functionality of the propulsion system. ISRO reported that the system performed flawlessly, with all engines operating within the expected parameters. Crucially, the 100-second trial showcased the simultaneous operation…

India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector continues to gain momentum, recording a 28.6% year-on-year (YoY) growth in total sales in June 2025, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Associations (FADA). This significant rise is credited to favorable government policies—particularly the Prime Minister e-Drive Scheme—along with expanding investments in domestic EV development and increasing public awareness about sustainability. In total, 180,238 EV units were sold during June, showcasing robust gains across all segments. Electric passengervehicles (e-PVs) experienced exceptional growth, with sales rising nearly 80% YoY—from 7,323 units in June 2024 to 13,178 units this year. Their market share within total EV…

Dr. Prateek Prasanna, an Indian-American assistant professor at Stony Brook University, has earned the prestigious CAREER Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). His groundbreaking project centers on leveraging how expert clinicians visually interpret complex medical images—specifically through their eye gaze—to improve artificial intelligence systems used in diagnostics. Titled “CAREER: Towards Gaze-guided Medical Image Analysis,” Prasanna’s work focuses on enhancing AI interpretability and accuracy by incorporating how radiologists and pathologists naturally view and assess radiology and pathology scans. This approach marks a significant step toward merging human cognitive behavior with machine learning, with the ultimate goal of improving patient…