Škoda Auto Volkswagen India starts production of the new Škoda Kushaq at Pune Plant

Pune, Feb 24: Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has marked a key milestone in India with the start of production of the new Kushaq at its world-class Chakan plant in Pune. Built on the Group’s ‘Make in India, for India and the world’ vision, the SUV reflects the evolving aspirations of customers in India and markets around the world.

As a catalyst for the Group’s focus on high localisation, low ownership costs, and quick turnaround times, the Kushaq was the first model under the INDIA 2.0 strategy – designed specifically for India’s versatile driving conditions and diverse customer needs. The new Kushaq blends refined European driving dynamics, advanced equipment, passenger comfort, and safety with compelling value. 

Andreas Dick, Škoda Auto a.s. Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, “For us, the Kushaq holds a very special place as the first car developed specifically for a market outside Europe and born from true collaboration between India and the Czech Republic. The start of production of the new Kushaq in Pune in such a short span of time highlights how strongly India is integrated into our global manufacturing ecosystem. The robust production quality, combined with the continuous improvement in our processes, allows us to deliver feature-packed vehicles that meet domestic expectations and international standards. Kushaq’s continued success underlines how India is not only a key growth market but also an increasingly important production and export base for our global operations.”

Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited, said, “The new Kushaq is an evolution and continues to be a key pillar in our mission to bring European engineering excellence within reach of Indian families. This SUV embodies our DNA with its robust design, advanced features and uncompromising safety. Listening closely to our customers, we have added several premium features such as a Panoramic Sunroof, rear-seat massage function and a new 8‑speed automatic transmission option, making it an even more compelling offering. With the start of production, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to India and to positioning it as a strategic manufacturing hub. We are confident that the new Kushaq will continue to delight customers and increase its fanbase in India.” 

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said, “The Kushaq has been a transformative product for Škoda in India. As our first model under the INDIA 2.0 strategy, it marked the beginning of a new chapter, one that combined high localisation, world-class manufacturing at Pune, a deep understanding of Indian customers, and our commitment to democratising technology for the Indian market. With the new Kushaq, we are further building on that strong foundation, delivering European driving dynamics and 5-star safety that customers associate with Škoda. This is the start of our product offensive for this year, as we expand our product range in line with evolving customer demands. Alongside our product expansion, we will continue our focus on growing our network, maintaining a service-first approach, and establishing a differentiated brand, reinforcing our strategy of building trust and driving excellence.” 

Over the years, the Kushaq has built a reputation for driving dynamics, creature comfort and solid safety, making it a dependable choice in India and international markets. The SUV has played a pivotal role in SAVWIPL’s growth in India and is a key contributor to the Group’s record-breaking 117,000 units sold in 2025.

The new Kushaq made its world premiere in January 2026, with deliveries set to begin in March. The overwhelming pre-booking response to the new Kushaq further reinforces customer trust in the marque.

AD Ports Group Marks Groundbreaking of Strategic LPG Storage Terminal at Khalifa Port in Partnership with Nimex Terminals

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 24 February 2026: AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), a leading global enabler of trade, industry, and logistics solutions; and Nimex Terminals today marked the groundbreaking of the UAE’s first private-sector Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) terminal hub at Khalifa Port, reinforcing the nation’s position as a global energy logistics and trading hub.

 Announced in November 2025 in parallel with the LNG terminal hub development, the LPG terminal hub is being developed to accommodate large, long-haul gas carriers and will deliver large‑scale refrigerated storage and marine handling infrastructure for propane, butane, and LPG mix products.

 The development will further strengthen the UAE’s role in facilitating global LPG flows between major production centres and high‑growth demand markets across Asia, Africa and Europe.The facility will expand Khalifa Port’s energy infrastructure capabilities to meet the evolving demands of international energy trade.

 Saif Al Mazrouei, CEO, Ports Cluster – AD Ports Group, said: “The Nimex LPG terminal exemplifies the type of high‑quality strategic infrastructure investment that strengthens the port’s energy ecosystem and reinforces its position as a leading regional and international gateway. This development reflects a shared commitment to disciplined execution, operational excellence, safety and long‑term value creation.”

 Phase 1 of the development will comprise two full‑containment refrigerated storage tanks of 50,000 and 67,000 cubic metres for propane and butane respectively, together with four mounded LPG bullet tanks with an aggregate capacity of 21,000 cubic metres for mixed LPG products. A similar expansion is planned under Phase 2, bringing total terminal capacity to approximately 280,000 cubic metres.

 The project also includes the construction of dedicated LPG jetties with a 16‑metre depth, enabling efficient berthing and handling of large‑scale LPG carriers and supporting seamless maritime trade flows. Phase 1 is expected to be commissioned within 36 months from the commencement of construction.

 Azmat Mahmood, Chairman – Nimex Terminals, said: “Today’s groundbreaking represents a defining milestone for Nimex Terminals. Our vision is to build a resilient, world‑class LPG logistics platform that connects global supply with regional demand through Abu Dhabi. We are proud to work alongside AD Ports Group in delivering strategic infrastructure that supports trade growth, enhances energy connectivity, and underpins the UAE’s role as a trusted global energy hub.”

 The terminal will be developed and operated in accordance with the highest international standards for safety, environmental stewardship, and operational excellence. Safety has been embedded into the project from inception, with full-containment tanks and mounded LPG bullet storage selected to enhance protection, mitigate risk, and ensure long-term operational reliability.

 The Nimex LPG terminal will strengthen regional energy security and storage resilience, providing traders and industrial users with enhanced flexibility and optionality, while supporting the continued growth of Khalifa Port as a multi‑commodity gateway. The project reflects growing private‑sector investment in advanced energy infrastructure aligned with the UAE’s long‑term trade and logistics ambitions

RAKEZ marks groundbreaking of Indu’s logistics facility in Al Hamra Industrial Zone

Ras Al Khaimah, Feb24: Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) marked the groundbreaking of a new 5,839 m² warehousing facility by Indu, a multi-industry-focused logistics and warehouse solutions provider, at Al Hamra Industrial Zone.

The ceremony was attended by senior RAKEZ representatives, including Ian Hunt, Chief Experience Officer; Alia Rabbani, Key Accounts Director; and Mohamed Ismayil, Senior Manager – Key Accounts.

The new development will deliver advanced warehousing solutions with a projected capacity of 12,000 m³. Designed to serve fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), hotel supplies, and food supplies, the facility will primarily support the F&B sector across the Northern Emirates by providing specialised storage solutions.

Scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2026, the project forms a key part of Indu’s broader expansion strategy to evolve into a multi-industry-focused logistics provider, capitalising on Ras Al Khaimah’s accelerating economic growth and rising demand across key sectors.

Commenting on the milestone, Kush Kishore Lakhani, Managing Director at Indu, said, “Indu has always followed the ‘Build It and They Will Come’ approach. This strategic investment reflects the notable rise in activity across Ras Al Khaimah and the growing demand for advanced logistics solutions, particularly in the FMCG and F&B sectors. By establishing this facility, we are strengthening our footprint in the Northern Emirates and positioning ourselves to support the region’s continued economic and tourism-driven growth. The proactive support we received from RAKEZ, from application to construction permits, has been instrumental in helping us stay on track and execute this investment with confidence.”

Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, added, “Indu’s investment reinforces Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a growing logistics and distribution hub serving key sectors across the Northern Emirates. As demand rises across FMCG, hospitality, and food supply chains, scalable warehousing infrastructure becomes increasingly vital. At RAKEZ, we remain committed to providing investors with the industrial land, streamlined processes, and end-to-end support needed to accelerate their growth and deliver long-term value to the wider business ecosystem.”

The facility’s development comes amid sustained expansion in Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism and hospitality sectors, further strengthening the emirate’s supply chain capabilities and enhancing its industrial ecosystem.

Hexagon’s Xwatch Safety Solutions and RodRadar Unveil Industry- First Safety-Grade System for Utility Strike Prevention

LAS VEGAS, NV – Feb 24 – Xwatch Safety Solutions, part of Hexagon, a leader in excavator safety systems, and RodRadar, developer of the field-proven Live Dig Radar (LDR), today announced the industry’s first safety-grade solution for preventing underground utility strikes. The integrated system, set to be demonstrated at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 (March 3-7, Las Vegas), automatically stops excavator bucket movement when subsurface utilities are detected during active excavation, making RodRadar’s Zero-Strike vision a reality.

Underground utility strikes remain among the most persistent safety and financial challenges in construction. In the United States, one to two strikes occur every minute, with over 400,000 incidents reported annually, costing the economy approximately $30 billion each year and contributing to thousands of injuries and hundreds of fatalities over the past two decades.

Nearly 50% of strikes occur because utilities were not located or were mis-located, and in 64% of incidents the buried infrastructure was more than two feet outside the marked area.

RodRadar’s AI-driven Live Dig Radar digging system uses the first-ever ground-penetrating radar (GPR) embedded directly in an excavator bucket to detect underground utilities in real- time, during excavation, without reliance on pre-project utility data. Through the RodRadar- Xwatch integration, LDR detected utilities trigger an automatic bucket stop via Xwatch’s safety- grade hydraulic control system to prevent it from hitting the utility.

The integration represents a fundamental step in excavation safety. The approach is analogous to the automotive industry’s evolution from Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that merely warn drivers, to autonomous emergency braking that actively prevents collisions: the integrated system takes direct action, delivering what RodRadar terms Stop-Before-Strike (SBS), while operators retain override capability.

Xwatch Safety Solutions brings long-standing experience in safety-grade excavator control to this partnership. With over 6,500 systems installed worldwide, the company is a global leader in excavator safety technology, providing height and slew control through proportional hydraulic intervention. Acquired by Hexagon AB in April 2024, Xwatch operates within Hexagon’s Safety, Infrastructure & Geospatial division, alongside Leica Geosystems and IDS GeoRadar.

“RodRadar has solved the detection problem during excavation,” said Dan Leaney, Director of Sales at Xwatch Safety Solutions. “By integrating their Live Dig Radar technology directly into our safety-grade hydraulic control, we can physically stop the machine before a strike occurs. That’s the difference between warning about a risk and actually preventing it.”

“Xwatch’s proven track record in safety-grade hydraulic control makes them an ideal partner to bring our Zero-Strike vision to reality,” said Yuval Barnea, VP of Sales and Marketing at RodRadar. “The integration further closes the safety gap, transforming LDR detections into automatic strike prevention and delivering the industry’s first-ever SBS solution. We envision this to be recommended and mandated by leading industry stakeholders, project owners, and contractors.”

Construction safety remains a critical industry concern, with 1,075 fatalities recorded in U.S. construction in 2023, the highest figure since 2011; struck-by incidents account for approximately 15.4% of those fatalities. The integrated solution aims to establish Zero-Strike Excavation as the new industry standard, with the potential to become mandated on job sites where underground utilities are present.

Utkarsh Small Finance Bank and Kotak Life Announce Strategic Partnership to Drive Life Insurance Penetration || Press Release

Mumbai, Feb 24: Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited (“Utkarsh SFBL”) today announced a strategic partnership with Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Ltd (“Kotak Life”), marking a significant milestone in the Bank’s product expansion strategy. This collaboration significantly strengthens Utkarsh SFBL’s life insurance vertical, integrating Kotak Life’s comprehensive suite of products across the Bank’s 1105 banking outlets spanning 27 states and union territories.

The tie-up plans to benefit 51.4 lakh customers of Utkarsh SFBL that will offer a wide range of tailor-made life insurance products and solutions provided by Kotak Life, including protection, savings, unit-linked and retirement.

Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Govind Singh, Managing Director & CEO, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited, said:

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to delivering holistic financial solutions to our customers. By collaborating with Kotak Life Insurance, we are creating a robust platform that offers access to a wide array of Life Insurance products from leading insurers. This enables our customers to choose solutions that are best suited to their individual needs, preferences and life stages, while enhancing financial security that best suits their unique needs and financial goals”.

Mahesh Balasubramanian, Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Limited, said,

“At Kotak Life, we firmly believe that life insurance is a necessity for every Indian. We are committed to IRDAI’s vision of ‘Insurance for All’ and our collaboration with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank is a step in that direction. Through this partnership, we aim to extend our reach to untapped segments of the population by leveraging the bank’s customer network and our life insurance expertise to provide financial security to Utkarsh SFBL’s customers.”

This partnership will enable Utkarsh SFBL’s customers to access a wider range of life insurance offerings, which can be delivered through multiple channels such as branches, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, UPI and assisted-digital platforms.

Kotak Life has secured over 5 crore active lives, reflecting its consistent track record of delivering financial security to policyholders, an assurance that will now extend to the customers of Utkarsh SFBL.

Censys appoints Meriam ElOuazzani as META Vice President to expand growth in the region

ElOuazzani will lead Censys’s expansion and position it as the region’s trusted internet intelligence partner, along with Rajaee Al-Dalgamouni and Ahmed Ehlayel

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 24 February 2026: Censys, the authority for internet intelligence and insights, has appointed Meriam ElOuazzani as its first dedicated Vice President for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region. In her new role, Meriam will lead the company’s end-to-end regional growth strategy, including revenue expansion, partnerships and ecosystem building, as well as establishing the organization’s position as the default external attack surface intelligence layer for organizations across the region.

“We are delighted to welcome Meriam ElOuazzani as Vice President for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. This deepens our investment in a region where Censys has established strong momentum and is strategically positioned for accelerated growth,” said Sarah Ashburn, Chief Revenue Officer at Censys. “Meriam’s proven track record of scaling cybersecurity markets across META, combined with her deep regional insight, makes her the right leader to grow our market presence and meet rising demand for trusted internet intelligence.”

 With over two decades of extensive experience in cybersecurity and enterprise technology, Meriam ElOuzzani has consistently built and scaled markets across the region, assembling the teams, channel ecosystems, and marketing blueprints. Her career trajectory reflects her strong regional leadership through her roles as Senior Regional Director at SentinelOne, where she established the regional go-to-market operation and multiple leadership roles at VMware across MENA, strengthening the channel, security, and distribution networks to accelerate growth. She has also led the Regional Product Sales for Mobility across the Middle East at Cisco Systems. At Censys, Meriam will focus on expanding strategic partnerships across government and enterprises, including channels, MSSP, and hyperscaler alliances, to scale efficiently across diverse markets.

“The META region is at an inflection point in cybersecurity maturity. Across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, governments and commercial organizations are moving beyond perimeter defense and demanding real-time threat detection and operational visibility into their digital footprint,” said Meriam ElOuazzani, VP META, Censys. “Over the past two decades in this region, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the right intelligence transforms the security operations entirely. Censys’s internet intelligence platform equips security teams with authoritative, real-time insight into exposure and adversary activity, replacing assumptions with actionable confidence. My mission is to establish Censys as a trusted partner across META, enabling the shift from reactive defense to proactive intelligence.”

Censys helps security teams identify exposures, monitor changes, and detect threats before they are exploited by continuously mapping internet-facing assets, services, and critical infrastructure. Its platform enables governments and enterprises to make confident decisions by delivering accurate, comprehensive insights into their digital footprint.

Recognized for pioneering internet-scale attack surface mapping and advancing ICS/OT threat intelligence, Censys has earned industry acclaim and built strong partnerships across the cybersecurity ecosystem globally. In the Middle East, Censys has already partnered with Rilian Technologies to bring its internet intelligence and ICS/OT capabilities to sovereign nations and critical infrastructure. With this new appointment, the company is further reinforcing its commitment to supporting national cybersecurity priorities and driving long-term regional growth.

As part of the regional expansion plans, Censys has also appointed Rajaee Al-Dalgamouni as Regional Sales Lead (META) and Ahmed Ehlayel as Solutions Engineer at Censys to strengthen the regional team under Meriam’s leadership.