India Extends Deadline for US LPG Import Tender

13 Oct 2025 CW Team

Indian state-owned refiners have extended by a week the closing deadline for their first joint long-term tender to import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the United States in 2026, trade sources said on Thursday. The deadline has now been moved to 17 October.

The move is part of India’s strategy to expand energy imports from the US and reduce its trade surplus with Washington — a key sticking point in past bilateral negotiations. Increasing American energy purchases is expected to support the prospect of a mutually beneficial trade agreement and help New Delhi avoid potential tariffs on Indian exports.

LPG, a mixture of propane and butane, is widely used as cooking fuel in India. It is primarily imported by state-run oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) — and sold to households at subsidised prices.

According to trade sources, the joint tender seeks the supply of around 48 very-large gas carriers (VLGCs), equivalent to 2 million metric tonnes of LPG in 2026.

The award of this tender could reduce India’s dependence on its traditional Middle Eastern suppliers and support the country’s fuel diversification drive. As of 2024, more than 90 per cent of India’s 20.5 million metric tonnes of LPG imports came from the Middle East.

India intends to source about 10 per cent of its cooking gas imports from the US starting in 2026, a move that underscores its efforts to diversify supply chains and strengthen energy security.

Infrastructure Transport

13 Oct 2025

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..