9, Apr 2026
FSSAI Steps Up Food Safety, States Strengthen Inspections
New Delhi, Apr 9 (BNP): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) intensified its monitoring efforts in 2025-26, conducting nearly 3.97 lakh inspections across food businesses nationwide.
Pic Credit: Pexel
In partnership with state authorities, the agency tested 1,65,747 food samples up to the third quarter, finding 17.16% of them non-compliant with safety standards. These violations triggered swift regulatory and legal action to protect consumers.
State governments are actively supporting the enforcement drive, stepping up inspections, awareness campaigns, and guidance for food producers and retailers. Officials said the combined efforts aim to ensure safer food practices, improve compliance, and build public trust in food quality.
FSSAI’s strengthened approach highlights the government’s commitment to public health, encouraging businesses to prioritize hygiene and quality while maintaining accountability across the food supply chain.
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- By Neel Achary
9, Apr 2026
Africa Rising Music Conference announces Australia focus and PRS Foundation backing for its most internationally connected edition yet
Tickets
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Dates: 22nd – 23rd May, 2026
Uganda joins as second focus country as ARMC 2026 draws delegations from the UK, US, Germany, Sweden and Australia ahead of its Johannesburg return this May
Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) returns to Johannesburg on 22nd & 23rd May 2026 for its sixth edition, now backed by the PRS Foundation for the third time and welcoming Australia and Uganda as official focus countries for the first time. Bringing together artists, executives and cultural leaders from across Africa, Europe, the Americas and beyond, ARMC has established itself as the continent’s leading platform for cross-continental music industry dialogue.
A major focus for 2026 is the introduction of Australia and Uganda as official focus countries and bringing curated delegations of artists, executives and cultural leaders into the programme. The Ugandan delegation, led by Amplify Ugandan Music Expo (AUMEX), builds on connections formed at previous editions, while Australia’s inclusion signals ARMC’s growing ties beyond the African continent. Additional delegates from the UK are supported by the PRS Foundation while more from Germany, the United States and Sweden further strengthen the conference’s global reach.
With a growing network of international partners, delegates and speakers, ARMC 2026 is a key platform for cross-continental collaboration that spotlights emerging scenes while connecting them to established global markets. This year sees new strategic partnerships including with the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) alongside expanded international participation.
The speaker programme reflects this international outlook, with newly announced headline names including Grammy‑Recording Academy‑inducted producer and award‑winning artist TRESOR, alongside Janesh, Hitboss SA and Brenda Mtambo. Together, they represent a cross-section of artists and industry leaders shaping contemporary African music while engaging with global audiences through songwriting, production and cultural exchange.
Alongside its core programme, ARMC has introduced a Community Access Pledge in partnership with Bridges for Music, shesaid.so South Africa, The Cradle Crew and BTCH$ LUV – enabling brands and organisations to donate tickets distributed to aspiring artists and entrepreneurs who would otherwise be unable to attend.
As African music continues to gain global prominence, ARMC positions itself at the centre of that momentum by bridging scenes, industries and cultures through dialogue, collaboration and live experience. Further speaker and programme announcements are expected in the coming weeks. Phase 2 tickets are on sale now via Quicket.
9, Apr 2026
Government Considers Relief for MSMEs Affected by West Asia Crisis
Apr 9: The government is planning relief measures to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) facing financial stress due to the West Asia conflict.
Authorities may ask the Reserve Bank of India to extend timelines for classifying loans as Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and Special Mention Accounts (SMAs). This would give businesses more time before their loans are marked as stressed or bad.
Pic Credit: Pexel
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a similar step was taken, extending the NPA period from 90 days to 180 days. The government is considering doing something similar now to support MSMEs.
MSMEs are an important part of India’s economy, contributing about 30% to the GDP, 35% of manufacturing output, and nearly 45% of merchandise exports. Many MSME borrowers have approached banks seeking relief, and officials say timely action is needed to prevent short-term problems from becoming long-term challenges.
The plan is part of a larger ₹2.5 trillion relief package, including credit guarantees, to help MSMEs stay strong during global uncertainties.
9, Apr 2026
Indium launches The Lifter to ease Tech Debt
India, Chennai, Apr 09: Indium, an AI services company, today announced the launch of The Lifter, an agentic AI platform designed to address the substantial “Reverse Engineering Tax” that currently constrains innovation within enterprises. The Lifter enables organizations to automate the understanding of legacy systems with its’ “Archaeology before Architecture” methodology, that compresses months of manual discovery into mere weeks.
An Invisible Tax
In the world of modern software engineering, two things are certain: debt and taxes. For the average US enterprise, 40% of the IT balance sheet is consumed by technical debt. This “Reverse Engineering Tax” forces developers to spend 58–70% of their time simply trying to understand their own existing code rather than writing new features.
Archaeology Before Architecture – using Agentic AI to read code and documentation
The Lifter is a fundamental shift in how modernization is viewed. It rejects the industry norm of “modernize now, pay taxes later” in favor of automated system archaeology with ‘Engineers in the loop’. The platform uses Agentic AI to build a complete, deep-layer understanding of an enterprise’s entire estate—including applications, data, and testing—before a single line of code is moved or refactored.
“For 20 years, modernizing legacy systems has been a high-risk guessing game that impacts productivity. We built The Lifter to change that with a ‘read before you write’ philosophy—understanding what you have before you try to change it,” said Ram Khizamboor, COO at Indium. “The platform is built with Claude as its primary foundation, yet it is architected to be LLM-agnostic, ensuring it can seamlessly integrate with any large language model an enterprise prefers”.
“In industries such as Insurance, Financial Services, Technology, and Healthcare, companies that have been burdened by technical debt are finally achieving value realization and unlocking the full potential of their systems,” said Ritesh Khanna, CRO at Indium. “Our platform is already seeing remarkable results from our first few global implementations across North America and Europe. The Lifter is helping these organizations transform their technical debt into a foundation for rapid, modern innovation”.
The Three Pillars of Modernization
The Lifter provides a unified intelligence layer across three critical surfaces of the enterprise:
- Legacy Lifter: Automates code archaeology across undocumented codebases, mapping dependencies and extracting embedded business logic. It reduces assessment cycles from months to weeks and improves engineering productivity by up to 5x.
- Data Lifter: Analyzes legacy schemas and hidden data dependencies to ensure semantic integrity during migrations. This allows teams to migrate faster by up to 5x while ensuring the “meaning” of data survives the journey.
- Test Lifter: Replaces “deploy with hope” with evidence through AI-driven test generation and impact-based regression. Teams can cut test cycles by up to 70% while ensuring that changes hold up under real-world production stresses.
Enterprise-Fit: Secure & Auditable
Designed for highly regulated industries such as Financial Services and Healthcare, The Lifter is built with an “Engineer-in-the-Loop” governance model. It can run entirely on-premises with private and open-source LLMs, ensuring that sensitive codebases and data never leave the client’s control. Every AI-generated insight is inspectable and reviewable by human engineers, providing full auditability and traceability.
9, Apr 2026
SLR launches enhanced Digital Services following acquisition of leading climate-modelling and analytics platforms
London – UK, 09 April 2026
SLR today announced the launch of its enhanced Digital Services following the acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems – two of the market’s most advanced climate‑modelling and analytics platforms. The move significantly strengthens SLR’s digital climate-intelligence capabilities and responds to growing demand from investors, businesses and public sector organisations to understand and address climate risk and associated value at risk with greater accuracy.
As momentum behind long‑term climate commitments fluctuates globally, climate‑related risks continue to intensify. Decision‑makers across sectors are increasingly focused on understanding how physical impacts – such as flooding, shifting rainfall patterns, heat, and wildfire – create both risks and opportunities for how business and governments operate. With physical impacts accelerating alongside heightened regulatory expectations, the financial implications are increasingly material across almost every sector. Organisations face growing pressure to base decisions on robust, science-driven climate intelligence. Traditional risk models – built on historical data – are increasingly unable to capture fast-moving transition dynamics and asset level climate shocks, leaving many businesses exposed. As a result, companies across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, real estate, financial, consumer markets and the public sector are turning to science-based climate modelling for clearer foresight. These analytics – grounded in decades of validated research and high-resolution climate projections – equip organisations to make more confident investment and planning decisions, strengthen risk management, and build long term resilience into their operations and portfolios.
Strengthening SLR’s digital, technical and advisory capabilities
The acquisition of Planetrics and ClimSystems enhances SLR’s strategic advisory, climate and technical expertise, significantly advancing its digital climate analytics and modelling capabilities to create a powerful foundation for the next generation of climate intelligence. These acquisitions build on SLR’s long-standing investment in advanced digital tools and data driven‑intelligence that help organisations to understand, quantify and respond to climate-related risks and opportunities.
Planetrics, acquired from McKinsey & Company, delivers advanced climate scenario modelling through its PlanetView platform, widely trusted by leading banks, insurers, asset owners, managers and corporates. PlanetView converts complex physical and transition risks and opportunities into clear financial metrics – including changes in earnings, asset value shifts and portfolio-level impacts. It also enables organisations to assess how different transition pathways – such as an accelerated energy transition or policy developments could influence operational and financial performance, and impact long-term value. Planetrics data and analytics are used for risk management, stewardship and engagement activities, investment research, opportunity identification, regulatory climate stress testing exercises, such as those conducted by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, and are commonly featured in climate disclosures, such as TCFD, ISSB, CSRD and CA SB 253 (forthcoming). Planetrics and SLR will continue to collaborate with McKinsey through an ongoing alliance, bringing a world class suite of capabilities to help organisations address critical sustainability challenges while ensuring continuity for clients. SLR is excited to deepen this relationship and to work alongside McKinsey’s board level networks and transformational business leadership.
Building on the strategic partnership established in 2022, and now formalised as a full acquisition, ClimSystems brings 20 years of market-leading physical climate intelligence to SLR, delivering detailed, science-driven modelling that quantifies how climate-related hazards could impact asset values, infrastructure resilience and supply chain exposure. ClimSystems supports a global client base, including market leaders in agriculture, mining, infrastructure and financial services. Its product suite include interactive, tailored dashboards that integrate with business, risk and financial oversight functions – enabling business owners to engage and interact access high-resolution physical hazard risk assessments at an individual asset or portfolio level, crop-specific yield modelling to identify risks, and opportunities of changing climate, residential and commercial real-estate climate risk assessments, and rapid-response due-diligence physical climate risk support.
Together, these technologies set a new standard for accuracy, transparency and usability. By translating complex climate signals into clear, actionable intelligence, SLR enables organisations to make future-proof decisions to price risk more accurately, anticipate regulatory shifts, protect asset value and uncover new opportunities.
Bradley Andrews, Chief Executive Officer at SLR, noted, “Our clients are navigating a new level of complexity – balancing transition opportunities, physical climate impacts, and the transformation required for long-term risk, resilience and reward. In this environment, confidence is only possible with robust scientific evidence. For more than 30 years, SLR has been Making Sustainability Happen by combining deep technical expertise, strategic advisory and cutting‑edge digital intelligence to give clients not only clarity and assurance, but science‑based foresight and insight they can act on.
Today marks a major milestone in SLR’s digital journey. With the integration of Planetrics and ClimSystems, we have two of the most advanced climate platforms enabling organisations to quantify climate risks, explore multiple futures, and understand how physical and transition impacts translate into operational outcomes and financial value-at-risk across assets and portfolios.”
Clients can now make investment, planning and risk decisions with far greater accuracy and confidence – with clear financial insight into climate risks and precise visibility into which assets, crops, facilities or supply‑chain links are exposed, and how that exposure will evolve. To understand what these enhanced capabilities mean for your organisation’s risk, value and long‑term performance, connect with SLR’s Digital Services team: www.slrconsulting.com/digital
9, Apr 2026
World Bank Raises India’s FY27 Growth Outlook, Warns of Inflation Pressures
Washington, Apr 9 (BNP): The World Bank has revised India’s economic outlook, projecting GDP growth of 7.6% for FY26 while raising its forecast for FY27 to 6.6%. The updated estimate marks an improvement from its earlier projection of 6.3% made in October.
Despite the upward revision, the global lender expects growth to moderate in FY27 compared to FY26. This anticipated slowdown is attributed in part to external uncertainties, including the ongoing tensions in West Asia, which could weigh on global economic conditions.
Pic Credit: Pexel
The report also highlights potential inflationary pressures. Strong domestic demand, along with stabilizing food prices and rising energy costs, may push inflation higher in the coming months.
India’s growth continues to be supported by resilient consumption and steady economic activity. However, the World Bank cautions that managing inflation and navigating global risks will be crucial to sustaining momentum.
Overall, while India remains one of the fastest-growing major economies, the outlook suggests a balance between strong fundamentals and emerging challenges in the year ahead.
9, Apr 2026
Global Indian Workforce to Push Remittances Near Dollar 137 Billion by FY27
New Delhi, Apr 9 (BNP): Money sent home by Indians working abroad is expected to rise steadily, with remittances projected to reach nearly $137 billion by FY27, according to estimates by the World Bank.
India has long remained the world’s top recipient of remittances, reflecting the strong global presence of its workforce—from skilled professionals in advanced economies to workers in the Gulf region. These financial flows continue to play a vital role in supporting millions of families across the country.
Pic Credit: Pexel
For many households, remittances are more than just income—they help cover everyday expenses, fund education, improve healthcare access, and even support small businesses. In rural and semi-urban areas especially, this inflow often acts as a financial lifeline.
The projected growth is being driven by stable employment conditions in key destination countries, rising wages in certain sectors, and the increasing migration of skilled Indian workers. Digital payment systems have also made it faster and easier to send money home, further supporting the upward trend.
At a broader level, these inflows strengthen India’s external position by boosting foreign exchange reserves and helping balance the current account.
Even as global economic uncertainties persist, the resilience of Indian migrants and their continued connection to families back home remain at the heart of this steady rise in remittances.
9, Apr 2026
Sleepyhead launches stain & water-repellent BITE sofa, proves comfort can be loud, messy & unhinged with a strong pop culture approach
New Delhi, Apr 09: Sleepyhead, the modern furniture and sleep solutions brand, has unveiled its latest offering – the BITE Sofa, through a bold, culture-led campaign that merges music, movement, and modern design. At the heart of the campaign is an offbeat music video that captures the unfiltered, unhinged side of everyday life, with the sofa seamlessly stepping in as both prop and protagonist. The campaign leans into irreverence, using music and movement to move away from predictable formats and bring in a more playful, culture-first energy.
Speaking on the launch, Mr. Ullas Vijay, Chief Marketing Officer, Duroflex, said: “With BITE, we set out to create something culturally alive by collaborating with new-age artists who are shaping how young India expresses itself today. Drawing from the popular social media discourse of ‘use of free will’ we brought together movement, and storytelling to reflect a generation that is expressive, unfiltered, and effortlessly at ease.”
9, Apr 2026
Bangalore International Airport Limited, Indigo and Digi Yatra Successfully Conduct Technical Trials of Contactless International Travel Project with IATA
April 09: Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), in partnership with IndiGo, Digi Yatra Foundation, and International Air Transport Association (IATA), successfully demonstrated integrated international travel flow from ticketing, managing bookings to seamless, biometric-enabled journey in technical trials at the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport). This first-of-its-kind initiative in India was part of IATA’s global campaign of conducting Proofs-of-Concept (PoCs) for International Contactless travel journeys in key markets across the globe.
Earlier this year, IndiGo and Digi Yatra Foundation had successfully implemented cutting-edge Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) based ecosystem utilising biometric technology for contactless passenger processing at airports and an app-to-app integration enabling seamless sharing of boarding passes between their-mobile applications. Building on the successful model, IndiGo and Digi Yatra Foundation, in association with BIAL, have demonstrated the viability and scalability of this technology to enable international travel. This marks a significant step towards full‑scale deployment and ushers in the next phase of digital travel.
BLR Airport has been at the forefront of implementing Digi Yatra, setting benchmarks for seamless and secure domestic passenger processing. As international passenger volumes continue to grow, the airport is now advancing the next phase of biometric enabled travel for international passengers. This positions BLR Airport as the only airport in India participating in this IATA-led global initiative alongside leading airports and airlines worldwide.
George Fanthome, Chief Technical Officer, Bangalore International Airport Limited, said:
“At BLR Airport, we have taken a phased approach to building a biometric led travel ecosystem, supported by continued investments in seamless, technology enabled passenger flows. These new trials align with the airport’s broader vision of enabling contactless travel at scale, where passenger-controlled data, interoperability, and seamless experiences converge. As the ecosystem evolves, the focus will be on driving standardisation and enabling contactless journeys that can scale across other airports.”
Neetan Chopra, Chief Digital and Information Officer, IndiGo, said
“At IndiGo, we are committed to shaping the future of travel through innovation and customer‑centric solutions. These successful technical trials clearly demonstrate the feasibility and scalability of leveraging digital identity and biometric technologies to deliver seamless, contactless airport experience. We are pleased to have collaborated with IATA, Digi Yatra and BIAL to take this initiative a step ahead from the concept stage, and look forward to it playing a meaningful role in the evolution of global air travel.”
“India is emerging as a global leader in digital and contactless travel, and the work being done by IndiGo, Digi Yatra and Bangalore International Airport Limited clearly demonstrates what is possible when innovation, scale and collaboration come together. This proof‑of‑concept shows how India’s digital identity ecosystem can be extended beyond domestic travel to enable seamless international journeys, built on globally aligned standards. The success of these trials reinforces India’s role in shaping the next phase of passenger experience transformation, with solutions that can be replicated across the world,” said Kim Macaulay, IATA’s Chief Information and Data Officer.
Suresh Khadakbhavi, CEO Digi Yatra Foundation, said
“What we have demonstrated with IndiGo, BLR Airport, and IATA goes beyond a successful PoC, it is a glimpse into the future of international travel. We enabled a seamless, end-to-end digital journey where a passenger’s identity is securely established in advance and verified across airport touchpoints using only their face. Built on Digi Yatra’s privacy-first, consent-led framework, this approach ensures minimal, purpose-bound data usage. By aligning with IATA’s One ID standards, we have also demonstrated true interoperability with other global travel ecosystems, paving the way for faster, more secure, and globally trusted travel experiences at scale”
9, Apr 2026
US Dollar Weakens Sharply, 2026 Gains Vanish on Geopolitical Concerns
Apr 9: The U.S. dollar weakened sharply, with the US Dollar Index falling by more than 1 percent amid rising geopolitical tensions, erasing all the gains it had built up earlier in 2026.
The decline reflects increasing caution among investors, who are reacting to global uncertainties by shifting away from the dollar. This change in sentiment has put pressure on the currency, reversing its earlier upward trend.
The US Dollar Index tracks the dollar’s performance against a basket of six major currencies. Among these, the Euro carries the highest weight, followed by the Japanese Yen, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Swedish Krona, and Swiss Franc.
A fall in the index typically indicates a broad-based weakening of the U.S. currency against its global peers. The latest drop highlights how sensitive currency markets are to geopolitical developments and shifting investor confidence.
Analysts note that if uncertainty persists, the dollar could remain under pressure in the near term, with investors likely to continue seeking safer or alternative assets.
