19, Mar 2026
Sridhar Patnala Honoured with Ugadi Puraskaram by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
Vijayawada, March 19: Sridhar Patnala was conferred with the prestigious Ugadi Puraskaram earlier today in a ceremonial event held at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram. The award was presented by N. Chandrababu Naidu, recognising Patnala’s contributions and achievements.
The Ugadi Puraskaram is awarded annually to individuals who have made notable contributions in their respective fields, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Ugadi, which marks the Telugu New Year.
Expressing his gratitude, Sridhar Patnala said he felt deeply honoured to receive the recognition from the Chief Minister. “It is a proud and humbling moment for me to be recognised on such a significant occasion,” he stated.
The ceremony at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram witnessed the presence of dignitaries, officials, and guests, celebrating excellence and contributions across various sectors.
The Ugadi Puraskaram continues to serve as an important platform to acknowledge and encourage individuals who have demonstrated dedication and excellence in their fields.
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- By Neel Achary
19, Mar 2026
Marine Phytoplankton Release “Chemical Currencies” That Drive Ocean Carbon Cycling
Woods Hole, Mass., Mar 19: A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Columbia University has identified a diverse set of molecules released by marine phytoplankton that fuel microbial life and help regulate Earth’s carbon cycle. The findings shed light on the previously hidden chemical interactions that move billions of tons of carbon through the surface ocean each year.
Phytoplankton, microscopic photosynthetic organisms, absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into organic carbon, supporting both oxygen production and microbial metabolism in the ocean. While scientists have long known that phytoplankton transfer carbon to microbial communities, the specific compounds involved—small, rapidly consumed molecules—have remained largely undetectable until now.
“For this study, we grew six representative phytoplankton species under controlled laboratory conditions,” said Yuting Zhu, co-lead author and former WHOI postdoctoral investigator, now at Old Dominion University. “Using a chemical-tagging method developed at WHOI, we quantified the biologically available small molecules released by these globally abundant microorganisms.”
Key findings include:
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Substantial contribution to dissolved organic carbon: The identified molecules account for up to 23% of the carbon released by phytoplankton, supporting a significant portion of microbial metabolism in the global ocean.
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Species-specific chemical “menus”: Different phytoplankton species release distinct combinations of metabolites, including carbon compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. These chemical variations help shape which microbial communities thrive in different ocean regions.
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Implications for carbon cycling models: Laboratory measurements combined with global ecosystem modeling suggest that phytoplankton-derived metabolites could supply up to 5% of the daily carbon needs of SAR11, one of the most abundant marine bacteria.
“The findings illuminate a long-standing mystery about the composition of the ‘chemical currencies’ that microbes use in the surface ocean,” said Sonya Dyhrman, co-author and professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. “By identifying these compounds, we can begin to build more accurate models of how microbial communities cycle billions of tons of carbon.”
The study was conducted with collaborators from MIT and the Marine Biological Laboratory as part of the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet, which investigates how small molecules govern microbial interactions across Earth’s ecosystems.
“Understanding these molecular exchanges is critical,” said Elizabeth Kujawinski, WHOI Senior Scientist and center director. “A huge portion of Earth’s carbon cycle passes through this microbial system, yet we still don’t fully understand it. By mapping which molecules phytoplankton release and which molecules bacteria consume, we can start to model the ocean’s microbial network and its role in global carbon cycling.”
Future research will examine how environmental changes—including nutrient availability, temperature fluctuations, and ocean acidification—affect the chemical compounds phytoplankton release and how microbial communities respond to these changes.
19, Mar 2026
India Emerges as a Leading Force in AI Applications
New Delhi: India is steadily establishing itself as a major force in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, driven by rapid adoption and widespread real-world applications across sectors.
AI in India is no longer confined to research labs or niche industries. Instead, it is becoming deeply embedded in everyday life, fueled by expanding digital access, affordable technology, and a vast base of tech-savvy users. The surge in AI-powered tools and platforms reflects a broader shift toward large-scale digital transformation.
AI Moves Beyond Experimentation
What sets India apart is the scale and speed of AI adoption. From virtual assistants and automation tools to advanced data analytics, AI technologies are now integrated into both consumer platforms and enterprise systems. This marks a clear transition from experimentation to mainstream deployment.
Government initiatives promoting inclusive and responsible AI have further accelerated this momentum, helping ensure that technological advancements reach diverse segments of society.
Transforming Key Sectors
AI is actively reshaping critical areas of the Indian economy:
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Healthcare: Improving diagnostics, enabling early disease detection, and enhancing patient care.
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Agriculture: Empowering farmers with predictive insights, weather forecasting, and smarter crop management.
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Infrastructure and Transport: Boosting efficiency, safety, and operational planning.
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Governance: Streamlining public services and enabling faster, data-driven decision-making.
These developments highlight how AI is delivering tangible, scalable impact across both urban and rural ecosystems.
A Strong and Growing Ecosystem
India’s AI growth is underpinned by a large talent pool, a vibrant startup ecosystem, and increasing investments in technology. Its unique strength lies not just in innovation, but in the ability to deploy solutions at population scale.
Global technology companies are also expanding their footprint in India, recognizing its potential as a key hub for AI development and implementation.
Balancing Innovation with Responsibility
As AI adoption accelerates, there is a parallel focus on ethical use, transparency, and inclusivity. Policymakers and industry leaders are working to establish frameworks that ensure accountability while encouraging innovation.
Looking Ahead
India’s rise in AI applications reflects a broader transformation of its digital economy. The emphasis is not only on building advanced technologies, but on applying them to solve real-world challenges at scale.
While issues such as regulation, data privacy, and infrastructure remain, the trajectory is clear: India is positioning itself not merely as a participant, but as a global leader in the practical application of artificial intelligence.
19, Mar 2026
Time Running Out for USDA Section 515 Rural Housing Program: Study Highlights Urgent Need for Preservation
Mar 19: Georgia Tech reveals that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Section 515 program, the nation’s primary mechanism for affordable rental housing in rural communities, is rapidly approaching its end. Established in 1963, Section 515 has supported over 533,000 apartments, townhouses, and multifamily homes for low-income Americans. However, because the USDA stopped issuing new loans in 2011, the program is now phasing out as existing loans mature.
The study, published in Housing Policy Debate, analyzed nearly 15,000 Section 515 properties and found that by 2050, almost all remaining units will exit the program, potentially converting affordable homes to market-rate rentals. Currently, the program provides housing for roughly 750,000 Americans across nearly 13,000 properties, many of whom earn around $16,000 per year and include older adults or individuals with disabilities.
Key findings include:
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Ownership Matters: Nonprofit-owned properties are 30–40% more likely to remain affordable than for-profit-owned properties after loans mature. Small management companies or owner-managed properties are more likely to exit the program.
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Subsidies Help Preservation: Properties receiving additional federal support, such as Section 8 vouchers or low-income housing tax credits, are more likely to remain affordable even after loan restrictions expire.
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Local Market Conditions Influence Outcomes: Rural counties with high unemployment, low housing inventory, or economic pressures are at higher risk of losing affordable units.
The study underscores the urgent need for policy interventions. USDA efforts like the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization pilot program have provided grants and financing to maintain affordability, but these efforts are limited in scale. Researchers estimate that $5.6 billion in repairs would be required to preserve the current Section 515 portfolio.
Proposed reforms, including the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act, aim to modernize USDA rural housing programs and extend rental assistance contracts after mortgage maturity. However, as of early 2026, the legislation remains under consideration.
“Time is running out on the nation’s main affordable housing program in rural America,” said Wunder-Smith. “Without renewed federal support or interventions by property owners, much of rural affordable housing could disappear over the next two decades, leaving vulnerable populations at risk.”
The study highlights the critical role of nonprofit organizations, government subsidies, and strategic preservation efforts in ensuring that rural communities retain access to affordable housing in the coming decades.
19, Mar 2026
AVer Awarded 2025 Unified Communications Excellence Award from INTERNET TELEPHONY Magazine
Taipei, Taiwan – Mar 19: AVer Information Inc., an award-winning provider of AI audio-video solutions, announced today that TMC, a global, integrated media company, has named VB370A as a recipient of the 2025 Unified Communications Excellence Award presented by TMC’s INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine.
Now in its 17th year, the Unified Communications Excellence Awards recognize organizations that have delivered exceptional unified communications solutions proven to improve collaboration, productivity, and business performance. Winners were selected based on real-world customer deployments and demonstrated excellence across UC hardware, software, cloud services, and integrated platforms.
“This recognition emphasizes AVer’s commitment to delivering intelligent and reliable collaboration solutions that address the evolving needs of today’s hybrid workplaces,” said Marc Happes, Senior Product Manager for AVer Information Inc. USA. “The VB370A was designed to simplify meeting experiences by providing the user flexibility, audio visual clarity, and reliability organizations need to collaborate more effectively.”
AVer’s VB370A is an all-in-one 4K dual lens Android™ video conferencing bar designed to elevate enterprise communications. Built for mid-to-large meeting spaces, it delivers exceptional visual clarity, intelligent automation, and superior audio performance for a seamless virtual collaboration experience. At its core is an innovative dual-lens system that combines an 18X hybrid zoom PTZ camera with a 120° wide-angle fixed camera, and 92° medium angle camera allowing organizations to capture both expansive room views and detailed close-ups with remarkable clarity up to 10 meters — all in a single solution.
The VB370A features AI-powered intelligence that automates camera adjustments and optimizes video framing. Smart Composition ensures a balanced view of participants, Auto Framing dynamically adjusts based on attendee count and location, and intelligent Voice Tracking keeps the camera focused on active speakers. These capabilities make the VB370A ideal for hybrid meetings, helping maintain strong connections between in-room and remote participants.
Complementing its video performance, the VB370A includes a 14-microphone beamforming array with a pickup range of up to 10 meters. Noise-blocking, audio fencing, and echo cancellation work together to deliver clear, distraction-free audio, ensuring conversations remain focused and professional in any meeting environment.
“Every year, I am amazed by the innovation and quality represented on the Unified Communications Excellence Award winners list. And I am so impressed with AVer’s commitment to addressing the real needs of the marketplace,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “It’s inspiring to see such commitment to excellence and I look forward to seeing future innovation from AVer.”
19, Mar 2026
India’s Capital Surge: INR 1 Lakh Cr DeepTech Push, 6x Rise in Domestic Investment
New Delhi, Mar 19: At a time when India’s capital landscape is being reshaped by shifting global dynamics and rising domestic conviction, TiE Delhi-NCR hosted the second edition of Capital Connect 2026 atthe Leela Ambience, Gurugram. With 300+ curated participants, including investors, policymakers, family offices, LPs, global funds, regulators, and HNIs, the forum brought together the key drivers of capital in India. The discussions centred on capital allocation trends, deeptech opportunities, and the growing importance of domestic and sovereign capital in the innovation ecosystem.
Featuring a strong lineup of leaders at the forefront of India’s capital and innovation ecosystem, the second edition included Manoj Mittal (CMD, Small Industries Development Bank of India); Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation); Sanjeev Aggarwal (Co-Founder, Fundamentum Partnership & Helion Ventures); Mohit Dhawan (President, Hero Enterprises); Sudhir Rao (Senior Partner, Celesta Capital); Vikram Gupta (Founder & Managing Partner, IvyCap Ventures); Sandeep Sinha (Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Oister Global); Jyoti Sharma (Department of Science & Technology, Government of India); Padmaja Ruparel (Co-Founder, Indian Angel Network), among others.
Speaking on India’s evolving capital landscape, Shri Manoj Mittal, CMD, SIDBI, said,
“We are witnessing the foundations of India’s next growth era being laid, where domestic capital is not just participating, but leading. With a 6x rise in domestic capital since 2016 and transformative instruments like Fund of Funds 2.0, the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund, and targeted SME growth capital, the scale of ambition is unprecedented. Yet, to fully unlock this opportunity, the ecosystem must evolve in tandem. We need a significant expansion in AIFs, stronger and more capable incubators, and a robust talent pipeline to power the next wave of innovation. As AI, spacetech, deeptech, and defence emerge as defining sectors, this moment calls for coordinated action. This is more than momentum; it’s the beginning of India’s innovation-led growth decade.”
Capital Connect’s second edition brought together conversations that matter, from decoding where smart capital is flowing and how top investors are allocating in a shifting market, to exploring emerging sectors, new fund strategies, and the evolving role of family offices. The agenda delved into policy signals, institutional capital trends, and founder–investor alignment, offering a clear lens on how India’s investment landscape is being reshaped, and what it means for the road ahead.
Highlighting the role of institutional innovation in deeptech growth,Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman- CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) said,
“ANRF is being built as a catalyst for India’s rise as a Research and Innovation powerhouse, creating the field where deep science discoveries happen, deep tech ideas emerge and these can to be funded and scaled via an ecosystem of investors. As a statutory body of the Government of India, ANRF is not just a grant-making institution but an institutional innovation designed to aggregate academia, industry, and startups with autonomy and neutrality.
Through a dual approach, early-stage de-risking and deep science, mission-mode programs and early translation funding via grants and patient capital deployment through mechanisms like the RDI fund to spark an asset class and ecosystem for research-intensive innovation financing, we are building a pipeline from deep science to investable opportunities. With mission-mode MAHA programs, translational initiatives such as ATRI centres, and catalytic partnerships contributing 10–20% of funding to create new non-government research institutions, what we have seen so far is only a trailer of what lies ahead,” he added.
A key highlight of the forum was the Exclusive Startup Showcase at Capital Connect 2026, featuring Talkfever, Olbrain, and Gabify. Three early-stage startups pitched to a curated room of active investors, including VCs, family offices, angel investors, and HNIs, followed by sharp Q&A and focused engagement. With curated introductions facilitated by TiE Delhi-NCR, the showcase enabled meaningful investor-startup connections and set the stage for potential growth partnerships.
Speaking on advancing India’s research and innovation landscape, Dr. Jyoti Sharma, Head – RDI Cell, Department of Science & Technology, GoI, said,
“The RDI Fund represents a significant step towards strengthening India’s deep technology ecosystem, with a proposed outlay of ₹1 lakh crore. It is designed to support high-risk, high-impact projects and to help de-risk early-stage and deep-tech investments that often face constraints in accessing capital. By providing support of up to 50% of project costs, the Fund aims to crowd in private investment and accelerate the progression of technologies from research to deployment. Early traction has been encouraging, with multiple projects at advanced stages of consideration and a strong pipeline under review.”
Capital Connect 2026 marked the unveiling of the GP Watchlist 2026, a curated recognition in partnership with Oister Global, honouring India’s most promising fund managers. Mitin Jain of India SME Fund has been announced as a honouree, building on last year’s cohort spanning deeptech, SaaS, and growth-stage investing.
Speaking on the significance of the platform, Geetika Dayal, Director General, TiE Delhi-NCR, said,
“Capital Connect 2026 reflects a clear shift in how capital is engaging with India’s innovation ecosystem, moving beyond short-term momentum to back long-term institutions, deeptech, and founders solving complex global problems. At a time when India is entering a decisive decade for innovation, such platforms enable meaningful dialogue between investors, policymakers, and founders.”
The event was supported by SIDBI and Khaitan & Co. Through curated discussions, investor-only sessions, and founder showcases, Capital Connect 2026 reinforced the expanding role of private capital in shaping India’s startup ecosystem.
19, Mar 2026
Ariel University to Confer Honorary Doctorate on Grandmaster Boris Gelfand
The Ariel University Senate has resolved to confer an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor Honoris Causa) upon Grandmaster Boris Gelfand, recognizing a career defined by world-class competitive performance, intellectual leadership, and enduring contribution to Israeli and international chess.
Gelfand is a Chess World Cup winner and a World Chess Championship finalist, widely regarded as one of Israel’s most accomplished chess figures and a leading representative of Israeli excellence on the global stage.
The conferral ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, at Ariel University.
Professor Ehud Grossman, President of Ariel University, said:
“Boris Gelfand is a benchmark for sustained excellence, disciplined preparation, clear decision-making under pressure. By awarding this Honorary Doctorate, the University is recognizing not only extraordinary achievement, but the broader public value of a life that elevates Israel’s standing in the global arena.”
Professor Albert Pinhasov, Rector of Ariel University, added:
“For me personally, as a chess player, it’s a great privilege to honor Grandmaster Boris Gelfand, not only for what he has achieved, but for how he has achieved it. Across decades his outstanding results while representing Israel in international arena have inspired both established players and young talents, setting and maintaining the highest standards of this intellectual game. In recent years, Boris has become a close friend of the University, supporting our Annual Memorial Chess Championship. His presence reinforced what chess at its best represents: character, responsibility, and the commitment to carry a heritage forward. Ariel University is proud to confer this Honorary Doctorate in recognition of a legacy that continues to inspire.”
19, Mar 2026
Indigo Appoints Ilex Content Strategies as its Marketing and Communications Agency of Record
London, UK, March 19 – Indigo Telecom Group, a strategic partner for critical digital infrastructure, has appointed Ilex Content Strategies, a global B2B marketing and communications agency, as its marketing and communications agency of record. Ilex will support brand and messaging development, account-based marketing, content creation, internal communications, and Borderless PR as Indigo drives global growth.
Indigo serves critical digital infrastructure providers, from hyperscalers, subsea networks, cloud and OTT players, carriers and fixed and mobile network providers. It designs, deploys, supports and scales critical digital infrastructure through a unified global operating model that delivers consistency, control and assured performance across operations.
“Indigo has a proven model for delivering critical infrastructure right first time and at scale. As we accelerate our global growth, it’s essential that our story reflects the quality, maturity and operational excellence our customers experience every day,” said Michel Robert, CEO at Indigo. “Ilex understands complex, technical businesses and how to position them with clarity and confidence. Together, we will sharpen our messaging, strengthen our brand presence, and ensure Indigo is recognised not just for what we do, but for the strategic value we bring to hyperscalers, carriers and digital infrastructure leaders worldwide.”
Ilex will work closely with Indigo’s leadership team to undertake a brand and messaging refresh, undertake international media relations and support account-based marketing and sales enablement. Using its Borderless PR model, Ilex will ensure consistent messaging and maximum return on investment across priority markets, without the need for multiple local agencies.
“Indigo Telecom plays an important role in the global digital infrastructure landscape, and communicating the scale and complexity of that work requires deep sector understanding,” said Lucia Barbato, CEO and Co-Founder at Ilex Content Strategies. “We’re proud to have been selected as Indigo’s agency of record and look forward to helping the business strengthen its market position, support sales and build momentum internationally.”
Founded in 2012, Ilex Content Strategies works with telecoms, cloud, cybersecurity, data centre and digital infrastructure organisations at key moments of growth, repositioning and market expansion. Its clients range from fast-growing regional specialists to billion-dollar global enterprises. It enables organisations to build credibility, visibility and sustained momentum through strategic communications that ultimately drives sales
19, Mar 2026
Shipsy Launches AgentFleet, an AI Workforce for Logistics Operations
Mar 19th: Shipsy, a leading provider of end-to-end AI-native solutions for logistics, today announced AgentFleet, a fleet of purpose-built AI agents designed to work alongside logistics teams and execute operational tasks across planning, execution, customer experience, and financial operations.
AgentFleet introduces a digital workforce for logistics operations—a fleet of AI agents organized around operational roles such as customer experience, driver operations, and finance. Each agent is designed to execute specialized operational tasks across logistics workflows while working in coordination with human teams.
Despite decades of digitization, logistics operations remain deeply manual. Every day, operations teams coordinate hundreds of repetitive tasks—calling drivers stuck in traffic, chasing vendors for documents, responding to customer delivery queries, reconciling freight invoices, and escalating shipment exceptions across teams.
Logistics operations are fundamentally coordination-heavy. Customer experience teams, drivers, vendors, hubs, and finance departments must constantly exchange information to keep shipments moving. As shipment volumes grow, this coordination complexity increases—historically requiring organizations to scale operational headcount to keep pace.
Most transportation management systems and visibility platforms can identify what’s wrong in operations. But turning those insights into action still requires humans to investigate issues, coordinate stakeholders, and resolve them manually. At scale, this gap between insight and execution leads to operational cost leakage, delayed settlements, and poor customer experiences.
AgentFleet closes that gap.
With AgentFleet, enterprises deploy AI co-workers across logistics functions—agents that observe operational signals, make decisions within defined guardrails, and execute tasks across systems. Instead of spending their time firefighting operational issues, operations managers become supervisors of an AI workforce—monitoring agent activity, approving exceptions, and focusing on higher-value decisions.
This represents a shift from traditional systems of record to a system of action, where software doesn’t just surface operational problems but actively helps resolve them.
The emergence of enterprise-grade AI models, combined with increasing operational complexity and workforce constraints across logistics networks, is making it possible to automate coordination tasks that previously required large operational teams.
AgentFleet introduces AI agents aligned with real operational roles within logistics teams.
Clara — Customer Experience AI Co-worker
Nearly 40% of inbound logistics support queries are simple delivery status requests, handled today by call center teams responding to repetitive inquiries.
Clara eliminates this burden by proactively communicating delivery updates and resolving customer queries across channels that customers prefer in local languages that they understand. The co-worker can coordinate directly with drivers when needed and maintain real-time two-way communication with customers.
Early deployments show 30–40% reductions in inbound support volumes, alongside measurable improvements in customer satisfaction.
Astra — Driver Experience AI Co-worker
For enterprises managing outsourced fleets, drivers represent the last mile of operational control—and often the least connected part of the technology stack.
Astra provides drivers with real-time route guidance, delivery insights, parking intelligence, and transparent payout visibility, transforming the driver app into a tool that actively supports their work.
Early deployments show 18–20% improvements in driver productivity, with stronger engagement and lower attrition across third-party fleets.
Nexa — Finance AI Co-worker
Freight settlement is one of the most labor-intensive processes in logistics finance. Teams manually validate proof-of-delivery documents, calculate charges, match invoices, and resolve discrepancies across emails and spreadsheets.
Nexa automates this process end-to-end. The agent extracts data from freight documents—including handwritten PODs—validates charges against contracts, computes settlements, and performs four-way matching across vendor claims, execution data, GPS records, and delivery confirmations.
Organizations using Nexa achieve 20–25% faster settlement cycles, up to 50% reduction in manual workload, and significant reductions in freight billing leakage.
Vera — Dispute Resolution AI Co-worker
When financial disputes arise with carriers and vendors, operations teams often spend weeks coordinating across departments to resolve them.
Vera ingests disputes from multiple channels—including dashboards, email, and messaging platforms—collects relevant shipment and contract data, validates claims, and drives disputes to resolution.
Organizations using Vera see 20–25% faster dispute resolution cycles, reduced operational backlogs, and stronger vendor relationships.
AgentFleet operates within a centralized operational layer that continuously monitors logistics workflows and coordinates agent activity across systems. This orchestration layer enables agents to collaborate across functions—such as customer support, driver operations, and finance—to resolve operational issues end-to-end.
AgentFleet is designed to work within existing enterprise technology environments. The agents integrate with existing TMS platforms, ERPs, and third-party logistics systems, allowing enterprises to deploy AI co-workers as an augmentation layer rather than requiring a full technology replacement.
Each agent operates through a defined trigger-and-action framework, executing tasks within pre-approved guardrails covering role-based access, approval workflows, and enterprise data security policies. Human supervisors can monitor all agent activity in real time through web and mobile task views, with full auditability of actions and decisions.
Enterprises can begin with a single use case and expand across additional workflows over time. Initial deployments can scale quickly using templated rollout models that accelerate expansion across geographies.
“Supply chains are under more pressure than ever—from cost and sustainability expectations to rising customer demands,” said Soham Chokshi, Co-Founder and CEO at Shipsy.
“AgentFleet enables enterprises to augment their teams with AI co-workers that continuously observe operations, identify risks, and take action. Our vision is for every logistics team to upskill and amplify outcomes with a fleet of agents that execute at scale, learn continuously, and keep humans in control of what matters most.”
You can talk to Shipsy’s first AI-native sales executive and learn more about AgentFleet at agentfleet.shipsy.ai.
19, Mar 2026
Vikram Doraiswami Named New Envoy to China
New Delhi: The Government of India has appointed senior diplomat Vikram Doraiswami as the next Ambassador to China, marking an important diplomatic posting at a time when both countries are working to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations.
Doraiswami, a 1992-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service, is currently serving as the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He is expected to assume his new role in Beijing shortly, according to an announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
He will succeed Pradeep Kumar Rawat, who previously held the post.
The appointment comes at a sensitive and significant phase in India–China relations, which have been strained in recent years following the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Both sides have since engaged in gradual diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring dialogue and improving cooperation.
By assigning a seasoned diplomat with extensive international experience, India signals its intent to maintain steady engagement with China while addressing key strategic and economic concerns through diplomatic channels.
Doraiswami’s earlier postings and experience in key global capitals are expected to play an important role as he takes charge of one of India’s most crucial diplomatic assignments.
The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that he will take up his new assignment shortly.
