Author: Malavika Subramanyan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated a landmark occasion as Startup India reached its tenth anniversary, coinciding with National Startup Day. On this special day, he extended his congratulations to all stakeholders driving India’s startup ecosystem. Posting on social media, PM Modi highlighted the decade-long journey of Startup India, praising the courage, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of India’s youth, who have played a pivotal role in establishing the country as a global startup hub. He emphasized that the movement has empowered young innovators to take risks, solve problems, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic progress. The Prime Minister also spoke…

Seattle University, in collaboration with the Consulate General of India in Seattle, hosted a briefing session on the upcoming AI India Impact Summit 2026, highlighting India’s vision of using artificial intelligence to promote social good, sustainability, and inclusive economic development. Held on January 12 at the Casey Commons Conference Hall on the Seattle University campus, the event attracted a strong turnout of students and senior faculty members. Discussions revolved around the summit’s central theme, “People, Planet, and Progress,” and offered insights into India’s rapidly expanding artificial intelligence ecosystem. Organizers explained that India’s AI strategy is being shaped around national development…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the Pongal festival in New Delhi by joining a vibrant celebration hosted at the residence of Union Minister L Murugan. The gathering brought together members of the Tamil community, senior government officials, and well-known personalities from the cultural and film fraternity. During the event, the prime minister described Pongal as more than a regional harvest festival, calling it a global celebration that reflects the values of one of the world’s oldest living civilizations. In his address, Modi underlined that Pongal is deeply connected to agriculture and honours the dedication of farmers whose labour sustains society.…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar held a detailed phone discussion on Tuesday, covering several strategic areas, including civil nuclear energy, trade negotiations, critical minerals, and regional security in the Indo-Pacific. The conversation underscores the growing importance of US-India cooperation across economic and security dimensions. Following the call, EAM Jaishankar highlighted on X that the discussion included trade, critical minerals, nuclear cooperation, defence, and energy, and confirmed that both sides agreed to stay closely engaged on these and other issues. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described the conversation as constructive, noting that…

India’s mobile phone manufacturing industry is on track to achieve a major milestone, with total production expected to reach seventy-five billion dollars by the end of the current fiscal year, according to estimates from the India Cellular and Electronics Association. Exports alone are projected to cross thirty billion dollars, reflecting the country’s growing importance in the global smartphone supply chain. This rapid expansion is largely attributed to India’s steadily strengthening manufacturing base. Government-backed initiatives, particularly the Production-Linked Incentive program for mobile phones, have played a crucial role in scaling up domestic capabilities. The scheme has encouraged leading global smartphone brands…

The Indian Space Research Organisation has confirmed that its PSLV-C62 mission is set for launch on January 12, with liftoff scheduled at 10:17 AM IST. The mission will take place from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. ISRO officially shared the update through its social media channel, reaffirming the organization’s upcoming launch calendar. This announcement comes shortly after ISRO’s recent achievement on December 24, when it successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite for AST SpaceMobile, a company based in the United States. The launch was conducted from the same Sriharikota facility at 8:55…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described the commissioning of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s Residue Upgradation Facility at the Visakh Refinery in Andhra Pradesh as a major step towards strengthening India’s energy security and advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In a message shared on social media, the Prime Minister said the state-of-the-art facility adds fresh momentum to India’s efforts to become self-reliant in the energy sector. The project enhances the country’s ability to maximise output from crude oil while reducing dependence on external energy sources. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said the successful commissioning of…

India marked a historic milestone in 2025 by emerging as the world’s largest rice-producing nation, overtaking China for the first time. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that India produced a record 150.18 million tonnes of rice during the year, surpassing China’s output of 145.28 million tonnes. The achievement reflects the steady transformation of India’s agricultural sector from food scarcity to global leadership in grain production and exports. The minister attributed the milestone to sustained policy reforms, farmer-centric initiatives, and the adoption of modern agricultural practices. India now holds the single largest share of global rice production, reinforcing its…

New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS) — The government on Thursday reported significant progress under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), stating that 3.86 crore houses have been sanctioned and 2.92 crore houses completed against the cumulative target of 4.14 crore homes allotted to states and union territories as of December 9, 2025. PMAY-G, a flagship programme of the government, aims to achieve the objective of ‘Housing for All’ in rural India by providing 4.95 crore pucca houses with basic amenities by 2029. The scheme focuses on aiding houseless households and those living in kutcha or dilapidated houses through convergence with…

 Indian-origin Ricky Gill, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, has emerged as a prominent figure following his recognition by the National Security Council for his alleged involvement in the India-Pakistan ceasefire after Operation Sindoor earlier this year. The development has reignited diplomatic debate, particularly in India, where officials have repeatedly dismissed claims of external mediation in the truce announced on May 10. Gill received the NSC’s Distinguished Action Award from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a move that has been widely interpreted as reinforcing President Trump’s assertion that Washington played a role in easing tensions between the…