2, Jul 2026
MPEDA Skill Olympiad Showcases India’s Seafood Processing Expertise
New Delhi, July 2: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) organized a Seafood Skill Olympiad to showcase India’s growing talent and capabilities in value-added seafood processing.
The event highlighted the skills of participants in modern seafood preparation, processing techniques, quality control, and value addition practices aimed at strengthening India’s position in global seafood markets. It also provided a platform to promote innovation, skill development, and industry best practices in the fisheries and seafood export sector.
Officials noted that such initiatives play a crucial role in enhancing employability, improving processing standards, and supporting the growth of India’s seafood export industry. The programme also reflects ongoing efforts to boost competitiveness and encourage higher value addition within the sector.
Overall, the Olympiad is seen as an important step towards building a skilled workforce and strengthening India’s presence in the international seafood trade.
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- By Neel Achary
2, Jul 2026
Policy Changes Expected to Shape Bullion Market Outlook in H2 2026
New Delhi, July 2: The bullion market is expected to remain sensitive in the second half of 2026 as recent tax revisions and customs duty adjustments begin to influence overall trade dynamics.
Market observers indicate that changes in fiscal policies may affect gold and silver demand, pricing trends, and import activity. Retail sentiment and investment demand are also likely to respond to the evolving tax structure and regulatory updates.
Industry experts are closely tracking both domestic policy developments and global economic conditions to assess their impact on bullion prices. Stability in taxation and customs policy is expected to play a key role in supporting market confidence in the coming months.
Overall, the bullion sector is likely to experience fluctuations driven by policy adjustments and international market trends through H2 2026.
2, Jul 2026
AFC Furniture Solutions Maharashtra Push Targets Nagpur’s MIHAN And Pune’s Hinjewadi Industrial Zones.
Mumbai , July 2 : AFC Furniture Solutions, India’s fastest-growing manufacturer of modular and ergonomic office furniture, has announced expansion beyond the established Mumbai market, targeting Pune’s technology corridors and Nagpur’s MIHAN zone.
The company is targeting 25–30% of its revenue from western India, driven by the strong demand from over 900 companies located across the Special Economic Zone and non-SEZ areas of Hinjewadi, as well as Nagpur’s Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport . AFC’s plans correlate to Pune’s Q1 2026 numbers that, according to Cushman & Wakefield, reported GCCs driving 69 percent of the city’s total office leasing demand, concentrated across Hinjewadi, Kharadi, and Baner. AFC is an early mover in Nagpur’s MIHAN zone. With many companies in various stages of operations and operational preparedness, the state plans to develop New Nagpur as a full-scale business and financial district on the lines of Mumbai’s BKC.
“The Maharashtra GCC Policy 2025 was the clearest signal yet of the state’s investment plans and industrial growth. The plan targets 400 new Global Capability Centres, 4,00,000 high-skilled jobs, and Rs 50,600 crore in investments across the state by FY 2029-30. The policy has put institutional momentum behind markets that AFC had already identified as the next wave,” said Maanoj Tomar, Founder, AFC Furniture Solutions.
AFC Furniture Solutions already has a large presence in Mumbai’s commercial real estate market. The company has delivered Trilegal, Emirates, Tata Capital, WNS Mumbai, HDFC Aeroli, Unity Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC Bank, and NPCI across the state, building on the systems and client relationships developed through its Mumbai operations. The company plans to scale this presence throughout the state through project acquisitions, deeper design consultancy, efficient executions, and stronger partnerships with developers and architects in the region.
AFC’s 4 lakh sq. ft. IGBC gold-rated manufacturing facility at Noida produces over 18,000 workstations and ergonomic seating systems every month. Its landmark fit-out at Noida International Airport, where AFC deployed over 6,000 low-emission furniture systems across nearly 1 lakh sq m with a recyclability rate of 66 per cent, reflects the kind of large-scale, ESG-compliant delivery that GCC operations in Maharashtra are increasingly demanding. As India’s first BIFMA Level 3 certified furniture manufacturer, AFC will bring that capability directly to the state’s growth markets in Pune and Nagpur.
“We have had a strong run in Greater Mumbai, and that gave us a good read on Maharashtra’s market. When we saw the GCC Policy come through, and when the Pune and Nagpur numbers started aligning with what we had anticipated, the decision to push harder was straightforward. We are not reacting to this market. We saw it coming, and we are ready for it,” added Tomar.
2, Jul 2026
India and Japan Deepen Strategic Partnership with New Collaboration and Investment Commitments
New Delhi, July 2: India and Japan have further strengthened their strategic partnership following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The meeting concluded with several key initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation in technology, manufacturing, trade, and economic development.
One of the key outcomes was the signing of the first bilateral agreement for the joint development of advanced industrial and strategic technologies, reflecting the growing trust and collaboration between the two countries. The initiative is expected to promote innovation, research, technological advancement, and stronger industrial partnerships.
The discussions also highlighted Japan’s continued confidence in India’s growth story, with Japanese companies expected to announce investments of around $12.5 billion across multiple sectors. The proposed investments are anticipated to support manufacturing, infrastructure development, clean energy, and emerging technologies while creating employment opportunities and strengthening industrial growth.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation and building stronger economic and strategic ties. The talks focused on promoting innovation, enhancing business partnerships, improving regional connectivity, and fostering sustainable growth for the mutual benefit of both nations.
The outcomes of the summit reflect the continued progress of the India–Japan partnership and underscore the shared vision of both countries to build a stronger, future-ready relationship founded on mutual trust, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
2, Jul 2026
Assam Targets 10 Lakh Litres of Daily Milk Production
July 2: Assam has set a target of producing 10 lakh litres of milk per day to strengthen its dairy sector and boost rural livelihoods.
The initiative aims to increase milk production by improving dairy infrastructure, expanding milk collection and processing facilities, and promoting modern dairy farming practices. The government also plans to support farmers through better breeding programmes and enhanced animal healthcare services.
Officials believe the initiative will help reduce dependence on milk imports, generate employment, and improve the income of dairy farmers, while contributing to the long-term growth of Assam’s livestock and agricultural sectors.
2, Jul 2026
PM Modi, Japan PM to Inaugurate Maruti Suzuki Plant in Haryana
Haryana, July 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are set to jointly inaugurate Maruti Suzuki’s fourth manufacturing plant in Kharkhoda, Haryana, marking a key milestone in India–Japan industrial cooperation.
The new facility is expected to strengthen India’s automobile manufacturing capacity under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, featuring advanced production systems, improved efficiency, and large-scale employment opportunities.
The Kharkhoda plant is part of Maruti Suzuki’s broader expansion strategy aimed at increasing production output and meeting growing domestic and global demand for automobiles. The inauguration also highlights the deepening economic and strategic partnership between India and Japan in the manufacturing sector.
2, Jul 2026
Neat Introduces Thinking Rooms with Agentic Deployment Management and Intelligent Framing
LAS VEGAS, NV, July 02 – Neat, the industry’s first AI-native hardware and software platform for workplace collaboration, announced two next-generation distributed AI capabilities designed to transform passive meeting rooms into thinking environments:
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Neat Pulse MCP: Bridges the Neat Pulse management platform with large language models to usher in the era of agent-driven IT administration. Currently available as a locally-hosted beta to Neat customers.
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Intelligent Framing: This AI-on-the-edge capability ensures clear visibility and engaged, relevant, and equitable meeting experiences for all participants. Currently in beta, Intelligent Framing is scheduled for general availability in H2 2026.
Both innovations were demonstrated live at the InfoComm 2026 exhibition.
“Agentic AI should solve practical problems, providing real answers to the hard, everyday headaches of hybrid work,” says Javed Khan, CEO of Neat. “We’re making fleet management easier and offering far-end participants more engaging meeting experiences. This is about giving organizations—and the people in them—the power to solve these operational challenges at scale, ensuring every room is always ready and every meeting is seamless.”
Neat Pulse MCP: Agent-Driven Device Management for the Enterprise
Neat Pulse MCP gives agents the tools to act on any management objective. Administrators can issue an instruction or question, and the agent reasons through how to respond. The MCP can also be used to set up autonomous routines that run without manual involvement. Examples include:
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Room readiness: Ask “Is my meeting room ready?” and the agent determines what to check, queries the relevant devices, and either confirms readiness or fixes any open issues. Or run a scheduled routine that runs the same checks automatically every morning before the work day begins.
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Autonomous fleet management: Define a policy once and let the agent monitor continuously—identifying offline devices, attempting recovery, escalating only what it cannot resolve, and broadcasting maintenance alerts to affected spaces.
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Room Messages: Push messages to any Neat-enabled room at the moment they matter. Send a welcome message displayed as a guest check-in or a notice when a room becomes unavailable. Room Messages are a new feature coming soon to Neat Pulse and will also be available to demo at InfoComm.
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Local client compatibility: The Neat Pulse MCP beta is running locally and therefore works with local MCP clients, such as Claude Code and Gemini CLI.
“By taking fleet management out of siloed platforms and making it accessible to AI systems through MCP, Neat Pulse is helping redefine how collaboration environments are orchestrated,” said Tormod Ree, Chief Product & Engineering Officer of Neat. “MCP enables intelligent agents to interact with Neat Pulse and manage devices across their environments. This is a foundational step toward agent-driven workplace operations.”
Intelligent Framing: AI at the Edge for Equitable Meetings
Intelligent Framing uses dedicated, on-device AI to continuously analyze spatial data across Neat devices in the room to ensure the most relevant participants are clearly visible to remote viewers. This technology moves beyond standard framing by sensing, identifying, and presenting the most relevant activity to far-end participants. By intelligently interpreting the ebb and flow of meeting interactions, the system dynamically adjusts the view to highlight the most active participants, with a commitment to continuous intelligence growth as the technology evolves.
To deliver maximum flexibility and meeting equity, Neat is introducing more intelligent options for framing meeting participants:
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Equal (Existing Default): Standard framing that delivers consistent, identical screen real estate to every individual in the room.
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Highlights (New): Features three, six, or eight participants in large, prominent tiles. The set is dynamic, continuously adapting to present the most relevant participants while keeping everyone else visible in smaller tiles.
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Highlights + Room (New): Features three, four, or five highlighted participants in large tiles, while remaining participants appear in a full-room view, preserving spatial context alongside conversational clarity.
2, Jul 2026
DriveX Mobility Accelerates Karnataka Expansion with new Store in Bengaluru’s Ganga Nagar
Bengaluru, July 02: DriveX, a pioneering pre-owned two-wheeler platform, today announced the launch of its newest Company-Owned Company-Operated (COCO) outlet in Ganga Nagar, Bengaluru. The new facility further strengthens the company’s retail footprint in Karnataka and marks its seventh COCO store in Bengaluru, underscoring DriveX’s continued focus on scaling its organised retail network and making trusted, high-quality pre-owned mobility solutions more accessible to customers.
The launch represents another important milestone in DriveX’s ongoing expansion strategy as it continues to expand its network of more than 50 outlets through a combination of company-owned and franchise-led models.
Strategically located in one of North Bengaluru’s rapidly developing corridors, the Ganga Nagar store is designed to cater to the increasing demand for reliable and affordable pre-owned two-wheelers. The outlet will provide customers with a transparent and hassle-free buying experience, backed by quality assurance, financing solutions, warranty support, and post-purchase assistance.
Customers visiting the new store will have access to a curated portfolio of quality-verified pre-owned two-wheelers spanning multiple brands and models. Every vehicle undergoes comprehensive inspections and quality checks before being offered for sale. The outlet also offers DriveX Finance solutions to make ownership more accessible, along with exchange options and customer support services that simplify the purchase journey.
Commenting on the launch, Devesh Taparia, CEO, DriveX Mobility, said: “Every new store reflects our broader vision of making trusted and organised pre-owned mobility accessible to more customers. As demand for reliable and value-driven transportation continues to grow, we are focused on building a strong omnichannel ecosystem that combines quality-assured vehicles, financing, exchange, and after-sales support. Our expansion strategy is centred on delivering superior customer experience while strengthening DriveX’s leadership position in the organised pre-owned two-wheeler market.”
The inauguration of the Ganga Nagar outlet further reinforces DriveX’s vision of bringing greater structure and trust to India’s largely unorganised pre-owned two-wheeler market. As the company continues its retail expansion across key urban centres, it remains focused on enhancing accessibility, affordability, and customer confidence through a consistent and technology-enabled ownership experience.
2, Jul 2026
India Achieves Key Milestone in Conservation of Wild Rice Genetic Resources
New Delhi, July 2: The Government of India has achieved a significant milestone in the conservation of wild rice genetic resources, marking an important advancement in the country’s efforts to safeguard agricultural biodiversity and strengthen future food security.
Wild rice species are considered a critical reservoir of genetic traits such as resistance to pests and diseases, tolerance to drought and floods, and adaptability to changing climatic conditions. Conserving these genetic resources is essential for developing improved rice varieties that can sustain productivity under environmental stress.
The initiative involves systematic identification, collection, documentation, and long-term preservation of wild rice germplasm across different agro-climatic regions of the country. These genetic materials are being conserved for use in scientific research and crop improvement programmes.
Officials stated that the conserved genetic diversity will play a vital role in supporting plant breeding efforts aimed at developing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and disease-resistant rice varieties. This is expected to benefit farmers by improving crop stability and reducing losses due to unpredictable weather patterns and biological threats.
The government highlighted that this achievement reflects strengthened coordination between agricultural research institutions, conservation agencies, and scientific bodies engaged in plant genetic resource management. Continuous efforts are being made to expand the national gene pool and ensure its accessibility for future research and development.
Experts noted that preserving wild rice diversity is crucial at a time when climate change poses increasing risks to global food systems. India’s progress in this area is seen as an important contribution to long-term agricultural sustainability and global food security goals.
2, Jul 2026
Avantor India Appointed as Exclusive Distributor for Sartorius Filter Papers to Serve India’s Laboratory Consumables Sector
GURGAON, India, July 02 - Avantor, a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to the life sciences and advanced technology industries, announced it has been appointed the exclusive distributor of Sartorius Filter Papers in India. This partnership strengthens Avantor India’s filtration portfolio and enhances access for customers across academic research, quality control, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food & beverage, and industrial laboratories.
Sartorius filter papers are widely recognized for their consistent performance, precise pore structures, and suitability for a broad range of qualitative and quantitative laboratory and industrial filtration applications.
Through this partnership, customers can procure Sartorius filter paper through Avantor’s established distribution network, supported by reliable customer service and expert guidance on product handling, storage, and selection across common laboratory environments.
“This association with Sartorius reinforces our commitment to delivering trusted, high-quality laboratory consumables to the Indian scientific community,” said Puneet Pant, Managing Director and Lab Solutions Leader, India at Avantor. “By combining Sartorius’ filtration expertise with Avantor’s strong market reach and customer support, we aim to deliver a seamless experience and enhanced value to our customers.”
The Sartorius filter paper range addresses routine laboratory filtration needs, including sample clarification, gravimetric analysis, environmental testing, and process quality control. With Avantor as the exclusive distributor in India, customers can expect reliable supply, strong product availability, and technical support backed by a global life sciences organization.
This appointment further underscores Avantor focus on strengthening its partnerships with globally respected manufacturers and expanding its consumables portfolio to meet evolving customer requirements.
