17, Jul 2026
India Advances Green Rail Mobility with Hydrogen-Powered Train Initiative
New Delhi, July 17: India is taking a significant step toward sustainable transportation with the development of its hydrogen-powered train initiative, reinforcing the country’s commitment to cleaner mobility and low-carbon infrastructure. The project is aligned with the government’s broader vision of accelerating green energy adoption and modernizing the national rail network.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal said the hydrogen-powered train reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for green mobility, emphasizing that the initiative demonstrates India’s focus on innovation-driven and environmentally sustainable transport solutions.
The hydrogen-powered train is expected to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and provide a cleaner alternative for rail operations, particularly on non-electrified routes. The initiative supports India’s long-term objectives of achieving sustainable economic growth, enhancing energy security and promoting the use of clean technologies across critical infrastructure.
The project forms part of the government’s ongoing efforts to transform Indian Railways through advanced technologies, improved operational efficiency and environmentally responsible practices. As investments in green transportation continue, hydrogen-powered rail systems are expected to play an important role in shaping the future of sustainable mobility in India.
The initiative highlights India’s commitment to building a modern, resilient and environmentally conscious transportation ecosystem while contributing to global climate goals and the country’s transition to a greener economy.
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- By Neel Achary
17, Jul 2026
Karcher Showcased Advanced Industrial Cleaning Technologies at INDUS-TECH Machine Tools & Automation Expo 2026
New Delhi, July 17: Kärcher India participated in the INDUS-TECH Machine Tools & Automation Expo 2026, held from 8–10 July at the ARK Hotel & Convention Center, Rudrapur, Uttarakhand. The exhibition brought together manufacturers, OEMs, MSMEs, and industry professionals to showcase the latest developments in machine tools, industrial automation, and smart manufacturing technologies.
During the exhibition, Kärcher India showcased a range of professional cleaning solutions designed for manufacturing plants, production facilities, warehouses, and industrial workshops. The display highlighted cleaning solutions that support efficient equipment maintenance, workplace cleanliness, and smooth day-to-day operations across industrial environments.
The showcased portfolio included:
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Ride-on Scrubber Dryer – B 90 R – Designed for efficient cleaning of large industrial floors, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities.
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Battery-operated Walk-behind Sweeper – KM 85/50 W Bp – Suitable for dust-free sweeping of production areas, factory premises, and outdoor industrial spaces.
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High-pressure Cleaner – HD 10/25 – Designed for heavy-duty cleaning of industrial machinery, equipment, production lines, and plant infrastructure.
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Industrial Vacuum Cleaner – IVR 100/22 – Engineered for continuous collection of heavy industrial dust, metal shavings, and production waste.
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Steam Cleaner – SG 6/5 – Used for chemical-free deep cleaning and sanitisation of machinery, equipment, and industrial surfaces.
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Walk-behind Scrubber Dryer – BD 50/50 – Designed for efficient cleaning and maintenance of factory floors, workshops, warehouses, and commercial facilities.
Live demonstrations enabled visitors to experience Kärcher’s professional cleaning solutions in action and understand their applications across manufacturing units, engineering workshops, fabrication facilities, and industrial production environments.
17, Jul 2026
Indian Equity Markets Open Higher as IT and Auto Stocks Drive Early Gains
Mumbai, July 17: Indian equity markets opened on a positive note on Friday, with benchmark indices advancing in early trade, led by strong buying interest in information technology (IT) and automobile stocks. The upbeat market sentiment reflected investor confidence amid ongoing corporate earnings announcements and expectations of stable domestic economic growth.
The benchmark BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty traded higher during the opening session as gains in leading IT companies and automobile manufacturers lifted the broader market. Technology stocks attracted investor attention on optimism surrounding quarterly earnings and improving global demand trends, while auto shares benefited from continued expectations of healthy domestic sales and improving consumer sentiment.
Market participants remained focused on the ongoing earnings season, with upcoming financial results from major listed companies expected to provide further direction to equity markets. Investors also continued to monitor global economic developments, crude oil prices and foreign institutional investor activity for additional cues.
Analysts noted that the resilience of India’s macroeconomic fundamentals, coupled with sustained domestic investor participation, continues to support market sentiment despite global uncertainties. Selective buying in large-cap stocks helped benchmark indices maintain positive momentum during early trading.
Looking ahead, market experts expect stock-specific movements to dominate trading in the near term as investors assess corporate earnings, economic data and global market trends. The performance of the IT and automobile sectors is likely to remain a key driver of market sentiment in the sessions ahead.
17, Jul 2026
The Next Evolution of AI Is Future-Ready Intelligence
Swagat Sarangi, Co–founder, Smytten & PulseAI Research
“AI is not replacing human judgment; it is fundamentally changing how that judgment is formed. For decades, businesses have relied on historical data to predict what consumers might do next. The next frontier is future-ready intelligence: AI that continuously learns from real consumer behaviour, validates signals and helps businesses move from hindsight to foresight.
Consumers are already using AI to learn, explore and make more informed decisions. This gives brands an opportunity to move beyond assumptions and build on real behavioural intelligence. At PulseAI Research, we are transforming billions of consumer signals into validated, decision-ready intelligence, helping businesses identify emerging trends, anticipate changing preferences and act with greater speed and confidence.
The companies that win will not simply have more data, but better intelligence. The future of AI will be defined not by how much information we collect, but by how responsibly we use it to create better products, experiences and outcomes.”
17, Jul 2026
Petals Preschool & Daycare’s Six-Year Association with AWWA Little Angels Supporting Army Families
New Delhi, July 17: Petals Preschool & Daycare, one of India’s trusted early childhood education providers, has been running three early childhood education and daycare centres inside Delhi Cantonment in association with AWWA Little Angels, an initiative under the Army Welfare ecosystem, since 2020, offering over 500 children of serving officers, defence personnel, and Army widows something their families rarely get: consistency, structure, and a place that stays the same even when everything else changes.
The three centres, located across Arjan Vihar, Kabul Lines, and Shankar Vihar within Delhi Cantonment, were established to address a gap that is specific to Army life. Postings shift, locations change, and the search for reliable, safe childcare starts over every time. Petals was selected through a formal evaluation process, assessed on child safety protocols, quality of teaching staff, hygiene standards, and its ability to communicate with parents in real time. Each centre runs on the EYFS curriculum framework, with CCTV monitoring, trained educators, nutritionally managed meals, a structured daycare programme and the SED Connect platform that keeps parents informed and involved regardless of where duty takes them. Child counselling and developmental support are woven into the programme as well, because the need extended beyond the classroom from the very beginning.
At the Kabul Lines centre, Petals has also been providing subsidised access to early education as part of its CSR commitment, making sure that families with fewer resources receive the same quality of care as everyone else.
“This association was never planned on a whiteboard. It grew because the need was in front of us and we had the means to address it. Army families are not looking for sympathy or special programmes. They are looking for the same quality and reliability that any parent would want for their child. That is what we have tried to show up with, every single day, for six years,” says Preeti Kwatra, Co-Founder & CEO, Petals Preschool & Daycare.
With additional centres in the pipeline, the initiative is set to extend its reach to more Army families across cantonments. For Petals, the next phase is a continuation of what has already been built, not a new beginning.
17, Jul 2026
Blackstraw Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Recognized for Data Foundation Excellence at ET Edge AI Summit and Awards 2026
Blackstraw has built its business around perfecting the groundwork since its inception in 2018. Even before generative and agentic AI reached enterprise floors, the company was cleaning and connecting data, setting up governance, and making sure its AI systems held up in production. Over the years, it has delivered more than 200 successful AI implementations for 60+ global customers, with work spanning data engineering, enterprise AI platforms, genAI and agentic AI solutions, computer vision, and legacy modernization. The recognition from Economic Times validates an approach the company has stood by from the start, and it reflects the results that approach has delivered consistently for clients.
“The focus is shifting from experimentation to execution, and the success of any AI initiative depends on the quality of the data foundation beneath it,” said Atul Bansal, Head of AI at Blackstraw. “Generative and agentic AI keep expanding what is possible, but sustainable outcomes require infrastructure and processes that can support AI at enterprise scale.”
Commenting on the broader enterprise AI landscape, Hemendhira Muralidharan, VP Marketing at Blackstraw, said, “The enterprise AI conversation has evolved significantly over the past 12-18 months. Organizations are increasingly moving beyond pilot programs and proofs of concept to focus on measurable business outcomes. We are also seeing enterprises test and validate AI capabilities within their own operations before deploying them more broadly across customer facing and business critical functions. In that environment, strong data foundations, governance frameworks, and operational readiness become strategic priorities. This recognition reflects the growing industry understanding that long term AI success is built on these core, non-comprising fundamentals.”
17, Jul 2026
The R&S IMAGER from Rohde & Schwarz uses millimeter wave imaging to inspect the quality of packaged goods in real time
With its new quality and inspection millimeter wave scanner, Rohde & Schwarz will simplify the industrial inspection of packaged products. The system sees through common packaging materials at production speed without using X-rays, protecting both products and operators. The high-contrast 3D images are used as digital twins and can be automatically integrated into AI-powered fault detection systems.
The R&S IMAGER allows the inspection of common packaging materials using millimeter waves.
With the new R&S IMAGER, Rohde & Schwarz is expanding its real-time millimeter wave inspection portfolio. The R&S IMAGER uses innovative imaging technology to penetrate materials with invisible millimeter waves, analyze the return signals using a sensor array and convert them into razor-sharp images that reveal any hidden structures or material defects.
Use in the pharmaceutical industry
The non-ionizing radiation of the R&S IMAGER does not affect the efficacy of pharmaceutical substances in any way. Thus, the new system fills a long-standing gap in the camera-based or weight-based inspection of pharmaceutical packaging. Multi-layer secondary packaging, cardboard boxes and laminated seals are transparent to millimeter waves, allowing the sensor to detect syringes, needles and autoinjectors inside. The system generates a three-dimensional representation of each package at production speed, which ensures all components and their correct assembly can be fully inspected. By using artificial intelligence to evaluate the volumetric images, production lines can automatically detect missing or misaligned parts without affecting throughput. The applied millimeter waves eliminate any risk of radiation-related damage to sterile products, help ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and reduce costly recalls.
Logistics applications
The penetration capabilities of the R&S IMAGER also offer logistics advantages. Weight scales and conventional surface inspections cannot confirm that the correct, high-quality product is inside sealed packaging, and X-ray methods raise both safety and regulatory concerns. The R&S IMAGER projects millimeter waves through plastics, cardboard and composite materials, producing an internal view that reveals missing parts, misplaced objects or damage. When integrated into a conveyor belt system, the R&S IMAGER provides a continuous stream of images that are analyzed by AI algorithms to inspect the contents and detect anomalies in real time. This reduces the need for manual checks, improves inventory accuracy and ensures complete documentation of the entire supply chain for each shipment. The technology also promotes the use of more environmentally friendly packaging – even when manufacturers use more sustainable, but potentially opaque, materials, contents can still be monitored reliably.
Support for the food and beverage sector
The unit provides a non-invasive method for inspecting sealed cartons, multipacks and glass containers in the food and beverage sector. Millimeter waves easily penetrate standard packaging to reveal missing items, damaged products or sealing defects that would otherwise remain hidden. This makes it possible to detect even the smallest deviations, such as a loss of vacuum in glass bottles. Operators can implement strict safety and quality standards even with production lines running at full speed. Since the non-ionizing radiation affects neither food quality nor employee health, the solution complies with all safety regulations. By detecting defects early on, manufacturers reduce waste, extend shelf life and improve their brand image.
Summary
In all three application areas, the R&S IMAGER stands out for its technical strengths. The system’s architecture also means the scanner can be integrated into existing production control software, allowing engineers to expand inspection capabilities with no need for fundamental redesign of the manufacturing environment. The transition from surface-based inspection to volumetric millimeter wave imaging marks a quantum leap in quality assurance. Given increasingly complex supply chains and stricter regulatory requirements, the ability to quickly inspect each individual unit is becoming a decisive competitive advantage.
17, Jul 2026
Real, Raw, Unfiltered: Why Lock Upp Season 2 Contestants Are Winning Hearts Across India
From heated arguments and emotional breakdowns to unexpected friendships and fierce gameplay, Lock Upp Season 2 has become a favourite among viewers for one simple reason, the contestants aren’t afraid to be themselves. In an era where audiences crave authenticity over perfection, the inmates of Lock Upp have struck a chord by wearing their emotions on their sleeves and letting their real personalities shine through. This honest and unfiltered approach has not only fuelled conversations across social media but has also translated into impressive viewership, with the show recently entering the Ormax StreamView Top 10 Rankings with 3.2 million views.
Unlike conventional reality shows where contestants often play it safe, Lock Upp Season 2 has embraced raw, unfiltered human behaviour. Whether it’s Ram Kapoor’s composed yet strategic gameplay, Shivangi Joshi’s fiercely independent approach, Harshad Chopda’s emotional honesty, Akanksha Chamola’s fearless opinions, or the unpredictable dynamics created by Shreya Kalra, Sufi Motiwala, Varun Yadav (Laila), Dheeraj Dhoopar, and Yogesh Rawat, every contestant has brought something unique to the table. Their genuine reactions and unapologetic personalities have made every episode feel real and relatable.
The show’s format has further encouraged contestants to shed their guarded personas, resulting in moments that have resonated deeply with audiences. From vulnerable conversations and heartfelt confessions to explosive confrontations and surprising reconciliations, viewers have witnessed every shade of human emotion unfold inside the Lock Upp. These unscripted moments have become some of the biggest talking points across social media, with fans passionately discussing their favourite contestants and memorable incidents after every episode.
What has particularly worked in the show’s favour is that there are no fixed heroes or villains. Contestants have constantly evolved, made mistakes, redeemed themselves, and surprised audiences with their choices. This unpredictability has kept viewers invested, allowing them to connect with individuals beyond the game and appreciate them for their authenticity rather than carefully crafted images.
Say Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms Limited has once again demonstrated its understanding of evolving audience preferences by creating a reality format that celebrates honesty, individuality, and real human emotions. Instead of manufactured drama, Lock Upp Season 2 thrives on genuine interactions, making every alliance, rivalry, and emotional moment feel organic and impactful.
As the competition intensifies, the contestants continue to reveal new facets of their personalities, making it increasingly difficult for viewers to predict what lies ahead. With every passing episode, audiences are not just watching a game unfold, they’re witnessing personal journeys filled with resilience, vulnerability, ambition, and transformation.
As Lock Upp Season 2 moves closer to its finale, it is the authenticity of its contestants that continues to set it apart. Their willingness to be unapologetically themselves has become the show’s biggest strength, helping drive widespread audience engagement, 3.2 million views in the latest Ormax StreamView Rankings, and a coveted spot in the Top 10. In a reality television landscape often driven by strategy and image, Lock Upp Season 2 is proving that being real is what truly wins hearts.
17, Jul 2026
Flir Announces Participation in Gas India Expo 2026
Flir, with its local partner, Hi-Tech, will be showcasing its best-in-class intelligent imaging and sensing solutions at Gas India Expo 2026
July 17: Flir is set to participate in Gas India Expo 2026 at the India Expo Center (booth 74B), Greater Noida, U.P., from 23-25 July. Bringing together global leaders, innovators, policymakers, and industry professionals, the event will showcase the latest advancements in production, processing, refining, and gas technologies.
Along with its local partner, Hi-Tech, a power equipment and engineering solutions company, Flir will be showcasing its diversified portfolio of Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) and Condition Monitoring solutions.
Product Highlights:
Flir G-Series
The Flir Gx320, G620, and Gx620 are innovative Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras designed to detect hydrocarbons, methane (CH₄), and other Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from multiple stages of the oil and gas supply chain, as well as other industrial markets.
Flir A500f/A700f
Flir A500f and A700f Advanced Smart Sensor Thermal Cameras are ideal for users who want built-in, on-camera analytics and alarm capabilities for outdoor condition monitoring and early fire detection applications.
Flir ADGiLE
The Flir ADGiLE™ system is an advanced methane detection solution designed to provide continuous and autonomous monitoring of gas leaks.
Flir Axxx-Series
The Flir Axxx-Series Thermal Smart Sensor Camera has the features automation solution providers need for complex monitoring applications, including critical infrastructure, product quality, and early fire detection.
Flir A50/A70
Flir A50 and A70 smart sensor cameras are ideal for users who want built-in, on-camera analytics and alarm capabilities for condition monitoring and early fire detection applications. (https://www.flir.com/en-in/products/a50_a70-smart-sensor/)
Visit Flir at Gas India Expo 2026
• Date: 23-25/Jul/2026
• Venue: India Expo Center, Greater Noida, U.P., India
• Booth #: 74B
17, Jul 2026
Polycab India Posts Record Q1 FY27 Revenue and Profit; PAT Rises 33%
Polycab India Posts Record Q1 FY27 Revenue and Profit; PAT Rises 33%
Mumbai, July 16, 2026: Polycab India Limited, India’s largest manufacturer of wires and cables, reported its highest-ever first-quarter financial performance, with consolidated revenue rising 39% year-on-year to ₹8,209.7 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. The company also posted a 33% increase in Profit After Tax (PAT), reflecting robust demand across its core businesses.
The strong performance was driven by sustained momentum in the Wires & Cables (W&C) business and exceptional growth in the Fast-Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) segment.
Wires & Cables Continue Strong Growth
The Wires & Cables business recorded 39% year-on-year growth, led by a 43% increase in domestic revenues. The company attributed the performance to healthy market demand and improved execution under its Project Spring transformation programme.
Within the segment, the wires business outperformed cables, while channel sales registered stronger growth than institutional sales. Although the international business declined 13% year-on-year, Polycab said its diversified global presence and healthy order book provide confidence for future growth.
The company also reported sequential improvement in EBIT margins, supported by a better product mix and operational efficiencies.
FMEG Business Registers Outstanding Quarter
Polycab’s FMEG business delivered an impressive 71% year-on-year revenue growth, with broad-based demand across product categories.
The solar products portfolio remained the largest contributor, recording more than double the revenue compared to the same period last year.
The segment’s EBIT margin expanded to 8%, driven by operating leverage, premium product offerings and continued efficiency improvements. The performance aligns with the company’s long-term objective under Project Spring of achieving 8–10% EBITDA margins by FY2030.
EPC Business Remains Well Positioned
Revenue from the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) business declined 11% year-on-year, primarily due to the timing of project execution. However, the segment maintained an EBIT margin of 11% and continues to be supported by a healthy order backlog and a strong project execution pipeline.
Profitability Remains Strong
For the quarter, EBITDA increased 32% year-on-year, with the consolidated EBITDA margin standing at 13.8%.
Profit After Tax (PAT) grew 33% year-on-year, while PAT margin remained healthy at 9.7%, underscoring the company’s operational strength and disciplined cost management.
Management Commentary
Commenting on the results, Inder T. Jaisinghani, Chairman and Managing Director, Polycab India Limited, said the company entered FY2027 with strong momentum, achieving its highest-ever first-quarter revenue and profit.
He said the Wires & Cables business continued its robust growth trajectory, supported by healthy domestic demand and execution excellence, while the FMEG business strengthened profitability through premiumisation, operational efficiencies and an expanding product portfolio.
Jaisinghani added that the company’s international business remains an important long-term growth driver, backed by a strong order book, while the EPC business continues to benefit from a healthy project pipeline.
He also expressed confidence that sustained government infrastructure spending, ongoing investments in manufacturing capacity, product innovation and distribution expansion will help Polycab strengthen its market leadership and deliver sustainable long-term growth.
