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AstraZeneca Expands Bengaluru Hub with 166 Crore Investment Creating 400 Jobs for R and D and AI Innovation

AstraZeneca expands Bangalore Global Hub in India with ₹166 Crore Investment, creating 400 Jobs to boost R&D, global services and AI innovation

AstraZeneca, a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company, today announced the expansion of its state-of-the-art Global Hub in Bangalore, strengthening its presence in India. The new facility will house nearly 1300 employees, including 400 new jobs, supporting the company’s capabilities in AI-powered innovation across Research and Development, Global Business Services, IT, and Digital Health operations.

This announcement represents AstraZeneca’s second major investment in India within a year, following the expansion of its Global Innovation and Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai. The combined workforce now at AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL) will reach close to 4,000 employees, strengthening company’s capability to deliver life-changing medicines to patients worldwide.

“Our Global Hub in Bangalore is a strategic investment that will play a vital role in advancing AstraZeneca’s bold ambition to deliver 20 new medicines by 2030 — by strengthening automated, scalable, data-driven, and patient-centric solutions. This step reflects our commitment to tapping into the world-class talent and ecosystem available in Karnataka to power the next generation of scientific innovation. We are equally committed to decarbonize our operations and value chain, and the hub supports our net zero ambition”, said Jackie Crockford, Vice President, Global Business Services, AstraZeneca.

 “This hub enhances our R&D capabilities by connecting us with India’s exceptional scientific and technological expertise. The expansion will accelerate the development of innovative medicines and help us deliver across R&D, ultimately benefitting patients around the world”, said Magnus Nord, Vice President, Global Patient Safety BioPharma, AstraZeneca.

 The new facility will serve as a dynamic hub dedicated to advancing AstraZeneca’s critical priorities:

• Advanced clinical research supporting AstraZeneca’s global therapeutic areas
• Development of AI-powered healthcare solutions and digital health technologies
• Centralized data analytics to enhance clinical trial efficiency and patient outcomes
• Specialized support for global regulatory compliance and pharmacovigilance

The Karnataka government has welcomed the expansion as a validation of the state’s position as a global innovation hub. “AstraZeneca’s investment reaffirms India’s leadership in science, technology, and healthcare, and is a testament to Karnataka’s robust life sciences ecosystem. This expansion aligns perfectly with our vision to create high-value employment opportunities while fostering innovation in critical sectors, making Bangalore a global hub for biotechnology and R&D,” said Honorable Minister Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

The Global Hub in Bangalore reflects AstraZeneca’s dedication to environmental sustainability and every aspect of this facility has been carefully planned to make a meaningful progress towards a healthier planet. The hub is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification and is currently powered by 75% green energy. It implements full waste-water recycling, IoT-enabled systems for optimized energy management and much more.

PhonePe and HDFC Bank partner to launch co-branded credit card

June 26, 2025: PhonePe and HDFC Bank today announced the launch of the ‘PhonePe HDFC Bank Co-Branded Credit Card’, marking PhonePe’s foray into the co-branded card segment. In partnership with HDFC Bank, this new line of co-branded RuPay Credit Cards is designed to meet the evolving financial needs of the Indian consumer by offering benefits on UPI spends especially on the PhonePe Platform.

This strategic partnership between HDFC Bank and PhonePe leverages their respective banking and fintech strengths to make credit cards accessible and user-friendly. Available in ‘Ultimo’ and ‘UNO’ variants, these cards offer rewards on popular spending categories like recharge, bill payments, travel, online shopping, groceries, and cabs. Additionally, the cards integrate seamlessly with UPI, allowing users to pay for their everyday spends via credit card while enjoying the rewards offered on the cards via the extensive merchant network enabled on UPI QRs.

Speaking on the launch, Sonika Chandra, Chief Business Officer, Consumer Payments at PhonePe said, “We are excited about our first co-branded credit card launch in partnership with HDFC Bank. This launch underscores our commitment to providing innovative financial solutions to our wide set of user base. This card is positioned to offer PhonePe customers value on their regular spends, by giving them 10% reward points across select categories like bill payments, recharges, and travel bookings. Additionally, consumers can use this card seamlessly across millions of UPI merchants. We are confident that our strategic partnership with HDFC Bank, coupled with the benefits that this card offers will redefine the credit card experience for millions of Indians.”

Parag Rao, Country Head – Payments, Liability Products, Consumer Finance & Marketing, HDFC Bank, said, “As India’s leading card issuer, it is our constant endeavour to create impactful, tailored offerings for our customers, and expand access to credit in meaningful ways. Our partnership with PhonePe allows us to tap into a segment of digitally native consumers, making credit cards more rewarding and widely usable, especially via UPI—an interface that has become central to India’s digital payments ecosystem. With this co-branded card, users get the best of both worlds with our trusted credit card platform and PhonePe’s customer-centric digital experience.”

The ‘Ultimo’ variant offers customers significant reward points which includes:

• 10% reward points on PhonePe app spends across categories like bill payments, recharges, travel bookings via PhonePe and purchases on Pincode, a hyperlocal delivery app by PhonePe.
• 5% reward points on spending with leading online merchants.
• 1% reward points on all UPI Scan & Pay transactions using the card.
• Two domestic airport lounge accesses per quarter.

Eligible PhonePe users can apply for the co-branded credit card directly on the PhonePe Mobile App, the application process is fully digital. Once the card is issued by HDFC Bank, users can link the card on PhonePe and make payments to merchants via UPI. Users can also manage their card and pay their monthly credit card bill through the PhonePe app.

The card will be rolled out to eligible PhonePe users in a phased mann

Bessemer Venture Partners releases report on consumer trends in India

26 June, Bangalore: The India practice of Bessemer Venture Partners today released a report titled ‘Click, Watch, Shop: the consumer opportunity in India’. The report outlines the tech, demographic and policy tailwinds from the past decade that have fueled the rise of a $1 trillion digital opportunity and also talks about the user behaviours that will shape consumer offerings in the future.

A tailwind trifecta of internet penetration, evolving demographics, and policy changes are among the trends that have enabled the rise of new age consumer companies such as Swiggy, Urban Company, Boldfit, Vetic and more. Going forward, it is the evolution of commerce marketplaces, content platforms and changing consumer aspirations that will power newer companies to win in the Indian context.

Commerce will become quicker, better and more aspirational across channels

India’s burgeoning online commerce sector has witnessed an extraordinary expansion in recent years. Starting from a base of $30 billion in 2020 and is expected to get to $300 billion by the end of the decade in 2030, contributing to a $1 trillion dollar digital opportunity. This demonstrates it is no longer a niche phenomenon catering to a small segment but has firmly established itself as a dominant force within the Indian retail landscape for a significant and growing share of the population.

In addition, the recent rise of quick commerce (q-commerce) has introduced a new dimension to the online retail ecosystem, further revolutionizing the way consumers access goods. Platforms such as BigBasket, Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto have spearheaded this movement, demonstrating the viability and consumer appeal of rapid delivery services. This segment is seeing the further trend of verticalised q-commerce emerging, with startups like Snabbit, Swish and Slikk catering to niche needs.

Lastly, D2C brands are increasingly catering to an aspirational mass-premium audience – an audience characterized by the demand for newer, better priced, higher quality products.

Content: Entertainment comes home

India is experiencing a content revolution driven by consumers’ diverse appetites for entertainment, education, and gaming. Characterized by short attention spans and a multitude of accessible platforms across interests, languages, and budgets, user engagement is rapid, facilitated by frictionless microtransactions or autopay-led subscriptions.

Platforms are adapting to these shorter attention spans with quick and engaging content. Over the past five years, short-form video platforms in India have witnessed a 3.6X growth in daily active users, competing with mainstream digital platforms. Moreover, the rise of virtual tipping, UPI autopay and other micro-transactions is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2029 and exemplifies the growth of UPI-enabled microtransactions which allows companies to experiment with diverse monetisation models beyond just ads.

The rise of new lifestyle and consumption habits

The modern Indian consumer’s choices increasingly prioritise what were previously seen as lifestyle spending. These include previously thought “non-essential” spending in areas such as physical and mental health, financial wellness, and pet care. This expenditure has moved from being a good-to-have to a must-have for Indian consumers.

For instance, there is increased spending on organic food, protein, fitness gadgets, preventive healthcare, and wellness services.) Health-focused food and beverage (F&B) as a category has expanded from ~11% to ~16% of F&B spend and is expected to continue to increase as brands have been quick to adapt to this trend.

Similar trends can be seen in segments such as financial services (eg: personal finance offering such as Groww) and petcare.

The report concludes with the metrics and numbers that Bessemer tracks to evaluate the robustness of a business. These metrics, pertaining to TAM, acquisition, usage and retention are important for founders to track the health of their business.

Anant Vidur Puri, Partner, said “India presents a $1 trillion dollar digital opportunity. The emergence of multiple consumer marketplaces, platforms and new-age brands in the past decade are a testament to the growing aspirations of an emergent India. This makes us exceptionally optimistic about the potential for many more consumer plays to emerge in the coming years.”

Vidya Balan Becomes the Face of Welspun’s Promise to Every Indian Home

Mumbai, 26 June: 2025: Welspun, one of India’s leading home textile brands, is proud to announce the onboarding of renowned actress Vidya Balan as its new brand ambassador. Known for her authenticity, strong values, and thoughtful choice, both on and off-screen. Vidya Balan perfectly embodies the brand’s ethos of quality, trust, and innovative products.

With a legacy of delivering innovative and quality home solutions, Welspun has consistently focused on enhancing the everyday lives of its consumers. In Vidya Balan, the brand finds a natural fit, someone who stands for integrity, reliability, and substance. Her grounded persona and belief in meaningful partnerships mirror Welspun’s own commitment to offering products that solve real-life problems with care and consistency.

As part of this association, Vidya Balan will be seen in upcoming 360-degree marketing campaign for the brand. The brand films will spotlight Welspun’s product promise of durability, comfort and innovation, and everyday relevance across its wide range of home textile offerings.

Saumil Mehta, President & Business head of domestic home textile of Welspun Global Brands, said – “Welspun’s vision of ‘Har Ghar Welspun’ is about making trusted quality accessible to every Indian home. As millions of consumers move from unbranded to branded choices, we see a powerful opportunity to lead with authenticity and value. Vidya Balan embodies that spirit—grounded, relatable, and inspiring—which makes her the perfect partner as we expand our reach and deepen our relevance across Bharat.”

Pradnya Popade, Head of Marketing – Domestic Home Textile, Welspun Global Brands., said –“Vidya Balan’s authenticity, grounded choices, and Pan India connect make her a natural fit. Her effortless storytelling and the way she connect with audiences at large meaningfully, reflect the kind of relationship we aim to build with our consumers. She resonates with the same values that define our brand trust, relevance, and purpose. At a time when Indian consumers are moving toward smarter, value-driven purchases, Welspun offers products that combine durability, functionality, innovation, making it worth their budget.”

Expressing her enthusiasm, Vidya Balan shared:“I have always believed in associating with brands that stand for something meaningful. Welspun’s focus on durability, comfort, and varied design really resonates with me. It’s a brand that understands people’s daily needs and delivers with sincerity—and I’m proud to be part of this journey.”

With this partnership, Welspun aims to deepen its engagement with the modern Indian consumer—one who values authenticity, substance, and a sense of well-being at home.

Sony India expands BRAVIA Lineup with the launch of the Next-Generation BRAVIA 5

New Delhi, 26^th June 2025: Sony India announces the launch of the highly anticipated BRAVIA 5, the latest addition to its iconic BRAVIA television lineup. The new launch is designed to redefine home entertainment, the BRAVIA 5 offers an immersive viewing experience like never before. The BRAVIA 5 is available in multiple screen sizes to suit diverse viewing preferences and living spaces, ensuring there’s a perfect fit for every home. Powered by Sony’s most advanced visual and audio technologies, this latest innovation setting a new benchmark for home entertainment in India.

1. With Advanced AI Processor XR, BRAVIA 5 delivers scenes with enhanced picture quality

The BRAVIA 5’s Advanced AI Processor XR combines artificial intelligence, which analyzes signals and data using machine learning, with cognitive intelligence that processes content based on how humans see and hear. This dual approach delivers unmatched realism and enhanced picture quality by making images appear more natural and lifelike.

2. Experience eye-popping visuals with BRAVIA 5’s XR Backlight Master Drive

With XR Backlight Master Drive technology, the TV uses advanced technology that delivers brighter highlights, deeper blacks, which makes the visuals appear more realistic, natural, and immersive with a wider dynamic range.

3. Experience cinematic HDR visuals and multidimensional surround sound with Dolby Vision and Atmos

With Dolby Vision and Atmos, BRAVIA 5 delivers a truly cinema like experience at home. Customers can now experience picture quality with richer colors, deeper contrast, and better brightness along with improved sound quality by creating immersive, 3D and spatial audio. Together, these technologies elevate both visuals and sound, making BRAVIA 5 an ideal choice for a complete cinematic experience at home.

4. Experience true cinematic visuals with Studio Calibrated Mode, presenting content exactly as the creators envisioned

BRAVIA 5 equipped with Studio Calibrated Mode that reproduce the image quality intended by film content creators in a home setting. In addition to the existing established Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode and Sony Pictures Core Calibrated Mode, Prime Video Calibrated Mode is a new mode designed to provide customers with even more ways to experience premium entertainment through the lens of the creator. With Prime Video Calibrated Mode, customers can enjoy optimum picture quality that is automatically calibrated across movies, series and for the first time, live sports.

5. SONY PICTURES CORE, allows customers to access a vast library of movies in near 4K Blu-ray quality, including IMAX Enhanced titles

With SONY PICTURES CORE feature, BRAVIA 5 offers Sony Pictures movies in the highest image quality and more enhanced formats at home. Whether it’s the latest blockbusters or timeless classics, Sony Pictures Core ensures that viewers can enjoy high-quality content with stunning detail and depth, making the most of the TV’s advanced display and sound technologies.

6. XR Contrast Booster 10 offers improved black levels, brightness, as well as natural contrast

Experience high picture quality with the new BRAVIA 5’s XR Contrast Booster 10 technology. The device elevates both brightness and black levels to produce a more lifelike and immersive viewing experience for the audiences. Whether it’s a dimly lit medieval drama or a high-definition moonlit scene, this feature brings out the subtle gradations and vibrant clarity that define premium picture quality.

7. Witness stunning colours with XR Triluminos Pro and remarkable clarity with XR Clear Image technology

XR Triluminos Pro in the BRAVIA 5 reproduces over a billion colours, capturing subtle differences in saturation and hue that enable natural shades in every detail. This technology ensures that every hue and shade is rendered accurately, making images appear true to life. With XR Clear image’s all new AI algorithm, the new BRAVIA 5 delivers amazingly realistic Picture quality. With this technology, customers can now experience improved and expanded color quality along with better clarity experience.

8. With XR Motion Clarity technology, the new BRAVIA 5 offers smooth action scenes like never before

With XR Motion Clarity technology, the new BRAVIA 5 delivers ultra-smooth and crisp action scenes, even during fast-paced sequences. It is also packed with Sony’s Intelligent XR processor which uses the AI-driven scene recognition to optimize motion handling in real time. Whether it’s high-speed sports, action films, or dynamic gaming, BRAVIA 5 makes sure to provide realistic textures, offering a truly immersive and cinematic viewing experience for everyone

9. With Acoustic Multi-Audio feature, BRAVIA 5 comes with improved Sound Positioning Tweeters and dual down-firing full range speakers to offer immersive audio quality

BRAVIA 5 comes with the Acoustic Multi-sound technology, that offers immersive and spatially accurate sound quality. With the improved Sound Positioning Tweeters and dual down-firing full range speakers, you can experience immersive audio with clear dialogue and wider surround sound.

10.Voice Zoom 3™ for Clearer Dialogue

Powered by AI, Voice Zoom 3™ analyses audio in real time to detect and isolate human voices, automatically adjusting their volume for better clarity. Whether you’re watching a dramatic film or a lively talk show, dialogues remain crisp and easy to follow, even over background music and sound effects.

11.Advanced Gaming Features – HDMI 2.1 with 4K@120 Hz, VRR, ALLM and PS5 optimization including Auto HDR Tone Mapping

The new BRAVIA 5 comes with a Game Menu 2 feature, making gaming more streamlined and intuitive than ever before. Gamers can adjust the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) or toggling Auto HDR Tone Mapping at a fingertip for a smoother, more immersive experience.

PLI, EVs, and Skills at the Core of India’s Auto Future: Dr. Qureshi, Add Sec, MHI at ASDC Event

ASDC Hosts Annual Partners Forum 2025: “Stronger Together, Transform Tomorrow”

New Delhi: Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) successfully hosted its Annual Partners Forum 2025 at The Grand Hotel, New Delhi, bringing together over 250 leading industry stakeholders, government representatives, and academic leaders. This year’s theme, “Stronger Together, Transform Tomorrow,” underscored the urgent need for collaborative action to shape the future of India’s dynamic automotive industry.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries; Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE; and Dr. Rodney Riviere, Cluster Coordinator, GIZ India, as Guest of Honour. Also present was Dr. Suhas Deshmukh, Director, NCVET, as Special Guest.

In his keynote address, Dr. Qureshi highlighted the significant role of the automotive industry in India, contributing over $240 billion to the economy and accounting for 42% of manufacturing output.

He said, “Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the government is committed to building a resilient, future-ready sector with a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2070. The ₹26,000 crore PLI scheme is driving innovation in electric and hydrogen mobility, with over 12 companies already meeting the 50% domestic value addition benchmark—marking a strong push toward indigenization.” Emphasizing the growing demand for a skilled automotive workforce, Dr. Qureshi added, “Skilling initiatives are vital to align with global manufacturing timelines and to boost India’s current 3% share in the $700 billion global auto components market. While ASDC’s efforts in automotive skilling are commendable, there is an urgent need to skill and reskill in emerging domains to bridge the talent gap and prepare for a larger role in next-generation technologies.”

Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, said, “This is indeed a golden period—what the Hon’ble Prime Minister calls the ‘Amrit Kaal’. It’s the right time to build globally competitive, innovation-led products for Viksit Bharat 2047. Skilling participation must rise, especially in robotics and emerging technologies. I commend ASDC for its vital role in preparing a future-ready workforce aligned with industry needs, powering India’s global leadership in automotive and EV sectors.”

Dr. Suhas Deshmukh, Director, NCVET, in his remarks, spoke about the transformative potential of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, especially in making technical education more inclusive and industry-integrated. “We are committed to embedding hands-on skilling, flexibility, and multidisciplinary learning across institutions to ensure our youth are both job-ready and future-proof,” he noted.

Mr. F. R. Singhvi, President, ASDC, reiterated the forum’s importance: “This gathering reflects the synergy between government, industry, and academia in driving workforce transformation. ASDC is dedicated to preparing a workforce that can adapt to the challenges and opportunities of this decade.”

He further emphasized that beyond technical skills, it is essential to nurture students in areas such as human values, positive attitudes, communication skills, and a sense of responsibility toward their work. “We must aim to develop professionals who not only meet but exceed global standards in quality and performance. Only then can we shape future leaders and position India as a global leader in the automotive sector,” he added.

Echoing this vision, Dr. Rodney Riviere remarked, “AI won’t replace our mechanics, trainers, or engineers—it will augment them. It will accelerate training, enhance diagnostics, streamline logistics, and even personalize customer service. The future of our industry isn’t about man or machine—it’s about man and machine working together, like a driver in a high-performance car.”

The event featured several key moments, including the recognition of CSR partners, convocation ceremony of female candidates under Project Saksham supported by HeroMoto Corp, MoU signings between ASDC and HCL Foundation, Lucas Indian Services Ltd, Victora Foundation, and Hero MotoCorp Ltd – Haridwar, and two insightful panel discussions – “Classroom to Career: Reimagining Vocational Education under NEP” and “Unlocking Potential: Sustainable Livelihood Skilling through CSR.”

Sponsors for the event included George Telegraph & Vision India, ISIE India (Imperial Society of Innovative Engineers), and Ascensive Educare.

The forum concluded with a shared resolve to advance India’s skilling ecosystem and position the nation as a global hub for automotive talent. ASDC reaffirmed its commitment to developing innovative and inclusive skilling pathways for a thriving, future-ready India.

Rangriti’s Monsoon Collection 2025: A Celebration of Color, Culture and Comfort

Rangriti brings a refreshing wave of style with its monsoon collection, curated for the modern woman who embraces tradition with a contemporary twist. This collection promises breezy silhouettes, joyful prints, and unmatched comfort. The garments are crafted using lightweight and breathable fabrics, allowing you to stay at ease and move freely while embracing the beauty of the rainy season. Kurtas starting at just ₹799/- make this stylish comfort even more accessible.

From mix-and-match, stylish ethnic, all-time classics, dresses, festive wear, and matching bottom wear, Rangriti offers a variety of options curated for a stylish blend of traditional and urbane choices that raise the bar of ethnic styling!

Comfort and Style

Embrace style and functional ease with Rangriti’s Off-White and Maroon Kurta Set. Adorned with unique and traditional Jamdani motifs, these outfits ensure an effortlessly sophisticated look all day long. Perfectly balancing everyday comfort with timeless style, these sets offer an ideal choice for both casual, professional and refined looks.

Collection of Elegance

Rangriti’s vibrant teal kurta in big modern floral print provides relaxed, contemporary, and fashionable look. Its breathable fabric allows you to stay fresh and youthful as you step down the rainy weather.Curated for travel and outdoor activities, these outfits are quintessential for hot and humid days.