Vizhinjam Port to be inaugurated on May 2, Kerala eyes global trade hub status

26 Apr 2025 CW Team

Kerala is set to mark a major milestone on May 2 with the formal inauguration of the Vizhinjam International Port—an event that Ports Minister VN Vasavan called a "historic moment" set to elevate the state’s role in global maritime trade.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officiate the launch, with a high-level reception committee formed to ensure a grand, public-focused ceremony. Minister Vasavan chaired a meeting to finalise plans for community engagement and parallel events to highlight the occasion’s significance.

The deep-sea port, whose construction wrapped up in December, has already demonstrated strong potential during its three-month trial run—handling over 500,000 containers from more than 265 vessel calls.

While the port is operationally ready, key infrastructure projects are still catching up. A 10.7 km rail link—9.2 km of which will run underground—has been greenlit by the Railways Ministry, with land acquisition to begin post-impact studies. On the road front, a 1.6 km temporary access road is nearing completion, and the state has reached a consensus with NHAI to fast-track connectivity issues.

The launch of the first phase will also set the stage for Phase 2 construction, Vasavan confirmed.

At a planning session for the inauguration, General Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty called on local bodies and institutions to actively promote the event and ensure maximum participation. “This is not just a state-level project—it’s a national milestone with global impact,” he said.

Image source:deshabhimani

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..