India to ink Rs 630 billion Rafale-M deal with France on April 28

23 Apr 2025 CW Team

India is set to sign its biggest-ever defence deal with France on April 28 for the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine jets for the Navy, with the agreement valued at over Rs 630 billion. French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu will be present for the signing, which is likely to take place outside South Block.

Senior officials from both nations will represent the two sides at the event, sources told ANI. Lecornu is scheduled to arrive in India on Sunday evening and return the next day.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had cleared the Rafale-M deal on April 9 under a government-to-government framework. The contract includes 22 single-seater and four twin-seater jets, as well as a full maintenance and logistics package, training for personnel, and provisions for domestic component manufacturing.

The Rafale-Ms will operate from aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and complement the Navy’s existing MiG-29K fleet.

The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets acquired through a 2016 deal. These are deployed at bases in Ambala and Hasimara. With the addition of the Navy’s 26 Rafale-Ms, India’s Rafale fleet will expand to 62 aircraft, strengthening the country’s 4.5-generation fighter capabilities.

Meanwhile, the IAF is preparing to float a new tender for multirole fighter jets, though it has shown a preference for specific platforms to address near-term requirements.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..