Mahindra to pump Rs 45 Bn for new electric brands

02 Dec 2024 CW Team

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has highlighted opportunities for India and France to expand partnerships in key sectors such as aerospace, electric vehicles, agriculture, and food processing, benefiting both nations. Addressing the Asia Pacific Commission (APAC) 2024 Forum, organised by the French Foreign Trade Advisors, he stressed the importance of adopting sustainable practices to counter climate change globally. Bilateral trade between India and France stood at $15 billion in 2023-24, with Indian exports valued at $7 billion and imports at $8 billion. Goyal noted that France ranks as the 11th largest foreign direct investor in India, with over 750 French companies operating in the country and around 70 Indian firms established in France. On renewable energy collaboration, Goyal lauded the success of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), a joint initiative led by India and France, which now includes over 100 member countries. In the aerospace sector, Goyal pointed out India’s position as a burgeoning aviation market, with 1,500 aircraft already on order and the potential for orders to rise to 2,000. He urged the French aviation industry to explore manufacturing opportunities in India. Goyal also emphasised the potential for co-innovation in automobiles and electric vehicles, noting India's large base of first-time vehicle buyers. He remarked that offering sustainable mobility options to this demographic would be easier and impactful. Turning to digital technology, Goyal identified promising areas for collaboration, including fostering startups in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and quantum technologies. He further called for enhanced defence sector cooperation, highlighting India’s strong patent protection regime and its approach of not insisting on technology transfers, which makes it an attractive partner for defence innovation.

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..