Author: Neel Achary

India–EU Trade Deal: A Gateway to Strategic Growth

By:  Mr. Dinesh Kanabar, Chairman & CEO, Dhruva Advisors, on the India–EU Trade Deal

“Great leadership, it is often said, lies in the ability to convert external challenges into strategic opportunities. In that spirit, it is heartening to see how India has responded to the headwinds created by higher tariffs imposed by the United States—not by retreating, but by accelerating its global economic integration through trade agreements with the UK, New Zealand, and now, most significantly, the European Union.

The India–EU Free Trade Agreement opens up one of the most important trading corridors in the world. For India, long a global leader in services, this pact expands access to the European market for its skilled professionals, technology services, and knowledge-based industries, at a time when human capital and digital capabilities are becoming central to global competitiveness. 

For the European Union, India represents both a vast consumer market of 1.4 billion people and a fast-growing economy with rising demand for advanced manufactured goods, green technologies, pharmaceuticals, and capital equipment. Reduced tariffs and clearer market access will allow European firms to participate more deeply in India’s growth story.

Beyond trade, the agreement strengthens strategic partnership between two major democratic blocs, promotes investment, technology collaboration, and resilient supply chains. In that broader sense, this is not merely a trade deal, but a platform for long-term economic partnership—rightly being hailed as the “mother of all deals.”

IEEMA and DTU Sign MoU to Strengthen Industry: Academia Collaboration

New Delhi, Jan 27: The Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with Delhi Technological University (DTU) to strengthen industry, academia collaboration in the electrical and electronics sector. 

The MOU was signed by Binod Doley, Registrar, DTU and Charu Mathur, Director General, IEEMA, on behalf of the two organisations, here in Delhi today.

Highlighting the significance of academia, industry engagement, the Dr Prateek Sharma, Vice Chancellor of DTU said,

“This partnership is an important step towards bridging the gap between industry and academia. While many engineers today move towards software roles, strong industry exposure during college is essential to build self-reliance in core sectors. Academia is the best space to experiment, innovate, and learn from failure. The participation of the private sector and R&D investment will drive better outcomes. Continuous industry engagement will ensure students graduate as industry-ready professionals.”

Emphasising the sector’s growth and global competitiveness, Shri Vikram Gandotra, President, IEEMA said,

“India has significantly reduced its import dependence, emerging as a strong global supplier of high-quality products. As the sector continues to witness exponential growth, strengthening industry, academia collaboration is essential to sustain and accelerate this momentum, and this partnership is expected to deliver meaningful and fruitful outcomes.”

Outlining the key focus areas of the collaboration, Charu Mathur, Director General, IEEMA said,

“The collaboration will focus on clear, outcome-driven areas such as supporting startup expansion and identifying specific industry challenges for DTU to work on. Dedicated slots will also be provided for DTU in technical conferences and research papers, ensuring defined and quantifiable outcomes from this partnership.”

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IEEMA and DTU is set to institutionalise a long-term partnership under the Industry-Academia Engagement Initiative. This strategic collaboration aims to bridge the divide between theoretical academia and real-world application, fostering a robust ecosystem for innovation and manufacturing excellence. 

This comprehensive review for curriculum upgrade by integrating industrial insights into academic programs will ensure that students are equipped with market-relevant skills in high-growth areas such as clean energy, digital grids, sustainable material and power electronics. Beyond education, the alliance focuses on joint research, startup mentorship, and policy advocacy to align with India’s national goals for decarbonisation and energy transition. 

With IEEMA joining the DTU Industry Academia Council, this partnership serves as a model for sustained knowledge creation and the development of industry-ready professionals to lead India’s electrical and electronics sector.

A Joint Working Group of DTU and IEEMA experts will oversee the partnership. Meeting bi-annually, the group will approve action plans and monitor progress to ensure the collaboration hits measurable goals.

The DTU and IEEMA alliance stands as a national blueprint for practice-based engineering education. Aligned with the National Education Policy, it serves as a catalyst for India’s manufacturing excellence and energy transition.

Honeywell Partners with SAF One & Tata Projects for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

DELHI, India, Jan 27:   Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) today announced that SAF One Energy Management Limited (SAF One) will use Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ process technology to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Tata Projects Limited (TPL), the Tata Group’s engineering and construction arm, has been appointed as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner for the project. Together, Honeywell and TPL will deliver an integrated solution tailored to SAF One’s project requirements.

Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process technology, developed in collaboration with Eni S.p.A., offers a capital- and cost-effective solution for processing waste fats, oils and greases into renewable diesel and SAF.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in SAF One’s plans to develop multiple SAF production units globally, including one in India. Through the deployment of Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process technology, SAF One will convert used cooking oil (UCO) and other waste oils and fats into SAF, helping the aviation industry reduce lifecycle emissions and advance its decarbonization goals.

Rajesh Gattupalli, President, Honeywell UOP, said:

“Our Ecofining process technology broadens the potential feedstock base for SAF and enables producers to adapt to shifting market conditions and resource availability. By leveraging our experience and continuous advancements in process engineering, we aim to make SAF production more economically feasible. The installation of our Ecofining process technology with SAF One and TPL demonstrates our leadership in SAF production and ability to help produce renewable fuels at scale.”

Rajiv Menon, President & COO – Energy & Industrial Business, Tata Projects Limited, said:

“Our collaboration with Honeywell and SAF One highlights the value of early engineering integration and disciplined execution in delivering scalable SAF projects. Together, we are enabling solutions that blend technology excellence with constructability and lifecycle efficiency.”

Commenting on this significant milestone, Deepak Munganahalli, cofounder and CEO of SAF One, said:

“We are delighted to work with Honeywell and Tata Projects Limited. Their techno-commercial expertise supports SAF One’s ‘design one build many’ approach across our pipeline of SAF projects. This collaboration strengthens our platform and enables us to work with our customers on scalable long-term decarbonization solutions.”

Honeywell and TPL are jointly optimizing the technology configuration to maximize capital expenditure, enhance project timelines, and deliver a solution aligned with SAF One’s global deployment strategy.  The companies’ collaboration supports the ambitions of both India and the larger world for climate change mitigation and reinforces Honeywell’s leadership in developing SAF technologies for global markets.

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Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited announces USFDA Final Approval for Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion

 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited (Alembic) today announced that it has received final approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion, 0.05%.

The approved ANDA is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug product (RLD), Durezol Ophthalmic Emulsion, 0.05%, of Sandoz Inc. (Sandoz).

Difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion is indicated for the treatment of inflammation and pain associated with ocular surgery and also indicated for the treatment of endogenous anterior uveitis. Refer label for a detailed indication.

Alembic has a cumulative total of 233 ANDA approvals (213 final approvals and 20 tentative approvals) from USFDA.

Raymond Lifestyle Reports Resilient Q3 FY26 Performance with INR 1,883 Cr Total Income and Strong Domestic Growth

New Delhi, Jan 27: Raymond Lifestyle Limited today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended 31st December 2025, reporting Total Income of INR 1,883 Cr, a 5% YoY growth, driven by robust domestic demand across Branded Textile and Apparel segments. Despite strategic increases in marketing spend to enhance brand equity, the company achieved EBITDA of ₹271 Cr at a margin of 14.4%, reflecting operational efficiency, optimized product mix, and a rationalized retail footprint.

While domestic performance remained strong, international operations faced headwinds due to U.S. tariffs, affecting B2B exports and global competitiveness. Nevertheless, domestic growth effectively offset these challenges. Gautam Hari Singhania, Executive Chairman, stated, “Our Q3 performance remains resilient, underpinned by domestic growth in lifestyle categories and proactive strategies to navigate global economic uncertainties, ensuring consistent stakeholder value.”

Segmental Highlights (Q3 FY26 vs Q3 FY25):

• Branded Textile: Revenue up 11% to ₹951 Cr; EBITDA rose 35% to ₹207 Cr, margin at 21.8% vs 18% due to strong volume growth and improved product mix.

• Branded Apparel: Revenue at ₹482 Cr, up 5%; EBITDA at ₹35 Cr, margin 7.3% vs 9.6% impacted by higher marketing spend and new store ramp-up.

• Garmenting: Revenue ₹258 Cr, down 17% YoY; EBITDA ₹11 Cr, margin 4.2% vs 7.8%, affected by US tariffs and scale deleverage.

• High Value Cotton Shirting: Revenue ₹205 Cr, up 2%; EBITDA ₹23 Cr, margin 11.1% vs 10.3%, driven by improved product mix.

The company ended the quarter with 1,675 stores, up from 1,653, and continues to optimize its retail network to sustain long-term growth momentum.

Novotel Hyderabad & HICC Appoint Subin Venugopalan as Director of Food & Beverage

Hyderabad, Jan 27: Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) have announced the appointment of Subin Venugopalan as Director of Food & Beverage. Bringing over a decade of experience in luxury hospitality and large-scale F&B operations, Subin previously served as Food & Beverage Manager at Sheraton Grand Whitefield, Bengaluru, leading diverse outlets, banqueting, and high-volume events with a focus on guest experience, operational excellence, and revenue growth.

In his new role, Subin will oversee the F&B portfolio across Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC, including signature restaurants, bars, banqueting, conventions, and bespoke culinary experiences. His mandate includes enhancing culinary innovation, elevating service standards, driving sustainability, and reinforcing the destination’s position as one of India’s premier convention and events hubs.

Rubin Cherian, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, said,

“Subin’s deep expertise and passion for excellence make him a valuable addition to our leadership team, poised to strengthen our culinary and convention offerings.” Subin Venugopalan added, “I am excited to join Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and HICC and look forward to creating distinctive culinary journeys, elevating guest experiences, and contributing to the property’s growth.”