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New Delhi, June 18: Gold and silver prices declined in global and domestic markets as a stronger US Federal Reserve outlook and easing geopolitical tensions reduced demand for safe-haven assets.

Market sentiment remained under pressure after signals from the US Federal Reserve suggested a continued hawkish stance on interest rates, supporting the US dollar and putting downward pressure on precious metals. A stronger dollar typically makes gold and silver more expensive for buyers using other currencies, leading to reduced demand in international markets.

At the same time, easing geopolitical tensions in key global regions have reduced risk aversion among investors, further weakening demand for traditional safe-haven assets such as bullion. As a result, trading activity in gold and silver remained subdued.

Analysts said that expectations of tighter monetary policy in the United States, along with improving global risk sentiment, have together contributed to the recent weakness in precious metal prices. Investors are also repositioning their portfolios in response to changing macroeconomic conditions.

Despite the short-term decline, experts noted that gold and silver continue to hold long-term relevance as hedge assets against inflation, currency volatility, and broader financial market uncertainty.

Market participants are now closely watching upcoming US economic data releases and further commentary from the Federal Reserve for clearer signals on interest rate direction, which is expected to influence bullion price trends in the coming sessions.

New Delhi, India June 18: Living up to the commitment of delivering the best quality products, Gautam Solar Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s leading solar module manufacturers, has recently added advanced technologies in the , in-house Solar Module Reliability Testing Laboratory at its manufacturing facility in Bhiwani, Haryana. This new step aligns with the company’s aim to ensure optimal quality control in each product. The facility is one of the most comprehensive in-house module testing capabilities in the Indian solar industry — built to validate performance, ensure durability, and accelerate R&D across Gautam Solar’s full product range.

Objective of the Lab

The Reliability Lab has been established with three core purposes: independent accelerated lifetime testing of every module type in Gautam Solar’s portfolio before it reaches a project site; R&D support to test and validate new module architectures and cell technologies faster than external testing cycles allow; and durability validation under real-world Indian operating conditions — extreme heat, coastal humidity, UV intensity, and mechanical stress — for projects designed to run for 25 to 30 years.

Key Features — Testing Capabilities

The lab conducts 18 distinct module qualification tests across mechanical, thermal, environmental, electrical, and corrosion disciplines — all in-house, with parameters aligned to IEC and industry standards:

•       Visual Inspection & AI-Assisted EL Testing — detects micro-cracks and defects pre- and post-lamination using Gautam Solar’s patented AI system

•       Sun Simulator (Flash / IV Test) — verifies nameplate wattage and full IV curve for every module

•       Thermal Cycling (TC 50 & TC 200, IEC/UL) — -40°C to +85°C cycling to validate solder joint and interconnect durability

•       Damp Heat (DH 1000, IEC 60068-2-14) — 1000 hours at 85°C and 85% RH for encapsulant and delamination resistance

•       Humidity Freeze (HF 10, IEC 60068-2-38) — combined humidity and freeze cycling for high-altitude and northern environments

•       Pressure Cooker Test — 121°C at 100% RH for accelerated moisture ingress screening

•       Mechanical Load Testing — 5400 Pa snow load and 2400 Pa wind load, no frame deformation

•       Wet Leakage Test — confirms zero current leakage under wet conditions

•       Peel Test — validates encapsulant and glass layer adhesion against delamination

•       PID Resistance Testing (IEC 62804) — 60°C, 85% RH, 1000V DC for 96 hours

•       LETID Testing — 75–80°C for 162 hours, confirming degradation below 1–2%

•       UV Pre-Conditioning & UV Exposure — up to 5× sun intensity for encapsulant stability

•       Hail Impact Test (IEC 61215) — 25mm hailstone at 84 km/h for glass resilience

•       High Voltage / HiPot Testing — insulation and dielectric strength per IEC 61730

•       Salt Mist Corrosion Test — validates frame and connector durability for coastal installations

•       Sand & Dust Test (IEC 60068-2-68) — 4 positions, 90 minutes each at 9 m/s

•       Ammonia (NH₃) Corrosion Test — 6667 ppm over 480 hours across 20 cycles for agri-solar environments

•       Cell Test — individual cell EL screening before module assembly for defect-free production

Business Impact

The lab strengthens Gautam Solar’s product reliability by enabling every module to be validated against a full accelerated lifetime test programme before leaving the factory. For customers — developers, EPC contractors, and institutional lenders who require in-house testing capability alongside third-party certifications — the lab provides the quality infrastructure that long-term supply relationships are built on.

For export markets, the lab reinforces Gautam Solar’s credibility with international buyers in Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia where in-house testing capability is increasingly a prerequisite for premium supply partnerships. Combined with Gautam Solar’s existing IEC, UL, CE, CEC, and ALMM certifications, the lab positions the company at the global frontier of Made-in-India solar quality.

Location Details

Facility: Gautam Solar Reliability Testing Laboratory

Location: Bhiwani, Haryana — co-located with Gautam Solar’s manufacturing plant

Status: Fully operational — all 18 test stations commissioned and validated

Standards: IEC 61215  ·  IEC 61730  ·  IEC 62804  ·  IEC 60068-2-14  ·  IEC 60068-2-38  ·  IEC 60068-2-68  ·  UL 61215  ·  UL 61730  ·  BIS

Statement from Leadership

“At Gautam Solar, quality is not a claim — it is a system. The Upgrade of our Reliability Lab takes that commitment to a fundamentally new level. We can now conduct the full suite of accelerated lifetime tests in-house, at our own facility, with our own engineering team. That means we catch problems before they reach the field, accelerate new product development with confidence, and give every customer, lender, and partner detailed, internally verified reliability data alongside our third-party certifications. It signifies our 29+ Years of Experience, Excellence and Trust. India is building the world’s largest solar programme. This lab is our commitment to ensuring every Gautam Solar module is worthy of that responsibility.”

— Mr. Gautam Mohanka, Director, Gautam Solar Pvt. Ltd.

Chennai, India | June 18: MRF Limited has been awarded the prestigious Three-Star level of the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s sustainability journey and its continuing presence in global motorsport.

The certification, awarded recently, follows an audit conducted under the FIA Environmental Accreditation framework. The FIA audit recognised MRF’s structured approach to environmental management, continual improvement and responsible manufacturing practices across its motorsport tyre operations.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr Arun Mammen, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Limited, said: “MRF’s global motorsport journey is powered by performance and responsibility. This FIA Three-Star accreditation reinforces our commitment to sustainable innovation, environmental stewardship and continuous improvement across our operations worldwide today.”

With this recognition, MRF is the only Indian Tyre Company and also joins a select group of global motorsport tyre manufacturers to have achieved the FIA’s highest environmental accreditation.

MRF manufactures motorsport tyres at its manufacturing locations, which are certified to ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System standards. The audit also noted that these manufacturing locations maintain ISO 50001 Energy Management System certification.

The audit further recognised MRF’s SMART environmental objectives across its manufacturing locations, covering areas such as reducing specific power consumption, fuel consumption, water consumption and waste generation. Monitoring and measurement systems were documented across key environmental impact areas, including energy use, waste management, water consumption, biodiversity, air quality, noise, materials and procurement, transport, and Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions.

The FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation is the highest level within the programme and reflects MRF’s continued commitment to integrating sustainability into its motorsport operations while maintaining the performance standards associated with the MRF brand globally.

June 18: Some expressions of love are spoken, while others are carried quietly through everyday actions. This Father’s Day, ITC Sunfeast Baked Creations unveils ‘A Briefcase of Love’, a heartfelt tribute to fathers whose love has always been reflected through responsibility, resilience, and unwavering presence.

At the heart of the campaign is the briefcase, an everyday companion that, over time, came to symbolize everything a father carried: responsibilities, aspirations, sacrifices, and the quiet promise of showing up, day after day.

Bringing the campaign’s central symbol to life is the Father’s Day Couverture Chocolate Briefcase Cake, a handcrafted creation designed as a chocolate briefcase that embodies the love, responsibility, and dedication fathers carry every day. The cake features layers of chocolate sponge, caramel diplomat cream, and a delightful crunchy layer, making it as meaningful as it is indulgent.

The Father’s Day collection also includes Dad’s Favourite Pistachio Chocolate Pastry, a delightful combination of rich chocolate sponge and velvety pistachio mousse finished with an edible moustache, alongside the Belgian Chocolate Brownie (No Added Sugar), which delivers deep chocolate flavour and a dense fudgy crumb with zero added sugar for those seeking a mindful indulgence.

Extending beyond the product range, the campaign comes alive through an emotional digital film, social media storytelling that explore what a father’s briefcase truly held, not just essentials, but memories, values, and acts of love that often went unnoticed.

With ‘A Briefcase of Love’, Sunfeast Baked Creations invites people to look beyond the ordinary and recognize that sometimes, the things fathers carried every day were carrying their love all along. This is now available across Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai & Hyderabad on Swiggy and Zomato.