Category: Business

New Delhi: The Development Commissioner (Handlooms), is organizing a Special Handloom Expo- “Vastra Sanskriti- The Timeless Weave”  at the Handloom Haat, Janpath. Scheduled from 21st to 30th April 2026. The ten-day exhibition will showcase the rich heritage, colors, and craftsmanship of India’s traditional handlooms.

Open daily from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm, the expo will feature 75 handloom weavers, self-help groups (SHGs), and cooperatives from across the country, offering a vibrant display of India’s textile traditions.

The event aims to promote traditional handlooms while connecting weavers directly with buyers, exporters, and wholesalers, providing them with better market access and recognition.

The expo celebrates the skill and dedication of Indian weavers, featuring handloom products and cultural stories from various states, making it a perfect opportunity for festival shopping. Visitors can explore a wide range of real handloom silks, cotton sarees, suit-dupatta sets, shawls, stoles, bedsheets, home furnishings, dhotis, kurtas, and rugs, all under one roof.

The exhibition underscores the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and National Design Centre’s joint efforts to empower weavers, preserve India’s weaving legacy, and promote sustainable growth of the handloom sector.

Event Details:

What: Special Handloom Expo: “Vastra Sanskriti- The Timeless Weaves”

When: April 21st to 30th, 2026

Time: 11AM- 8PM

Where: Handloom Haat, Janpath, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Access to Venue : Nearest Metro: Janpath Metro Station (Gate No. 2), nearby Janpath market area

Bhubaneswar, April 19 (BNP): In a major step towards strengthening India’s semiconductor ecosystem, the foundation stone for the country’s first advanced 3D semiconductor packaging unit was laid at Info Valley in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

The project, promoted by 3D Glass Solutions, marks a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in high-end electronics manufacturing under the vision of Narendra Modi.

The ceremony was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Majhi described the project as a “historic milestone,” noting that Odisha would host one of the world’s most sophisticated chip packaging technologies. He added that global technology players such as Intel, Lockheed Martin, and Applied Materials have shown interest in advanced packaging technologies, reflecting growing investor confidence in the state.

The facility, with an investment of nearly ₹2,000 crore, is expected to manufacture 70,000 glass panels annually along with 50 million assembled units and 13,000 advanced 3D modules. It will cater to emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, 5G/6G communications, defence electronics, and aerospace applications.

Vaishnaw said the project would significantly strengthen India’s semiconductor value chain and highlighted that the country’s electronics manufacturing sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade. He added that Odisha is evolving from a minerals-based economy into a hub for advanced technology sectors, including semiconductors and IT.

The project is being implemented through the Indian arm of 3D Glass Solutions and is expected to begin commercial production by August 2028, with full-scale operations targeted by 2030.

Officials said the initiative would generate large-scale employment for engineering graduates, diploma holders, and skilled workers, while positioning Odisha as a key player in India’s semiconductor and electronics manufacturing landscape.

CHICAGO, Apr 18: Geminii, Inc., a company developing bioelectronic medicines, today announced that it will present new data at the AACR Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego highlighting its non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) program. The poster, titled “Bioelectromagnetic reprogramming of tumor-immune metabolism to selectively destroy NSCLC,” will be presented on April 22, 2026.

The data to be presented show that Geminii’s bioelectronic therapy slowed tumor growth, extended survival, and enhanced the activity of chemoradiation in multiple preclinical NSCLC models without toxicity to healthy tissue. The studies also show increased markers consistent with tumor-cell damage and evidence of increased immune activation in the tumor microenvironment.

Geminii is developing a non-invasive bioelectronic therapy designed to work alongside existing cancer treatments. The company believes these findings support the potential of its platform to address cancer through a differentiated mechanism, expand the reach of its platform beyond metabolic disease into oncology, and potentially open a new avenue for home-based cancer treatment delivered during sleep.

“These findings are exciting not only because they highlight a differentiated approach in NSCLC, but also because they suggest our platform may extend beyond metabolic disease into oncology,” said Calvin Carter, PhD, CEO of Geminii. “We believe this work supports the broader potential of bioelectronic medicine and may help open a new avenue for at-home, sleep-compatible cancer therapy. These data support the advancement of our bioelectronic platform toward clinical development.”

 

A significant technical pain point in the Text-to-SQL task is the inherent bias in large language models (LLMs) that leads to logical errors or execution failures when handling complex queries. Current correction methods primarily rely on manually analyzing error cases to craft complex prompt rules or depend heavily on GPT-4 with few-shot learning, which incurs high computational costs. Furthermore, the lack of robust execution verification mechanisms often prevents models from correcting structural inconsistencies or semantic mismatches in unseen database schemas, limiting the practical deployment of these systems in enterprise environments.

In response to these challenges, the research team from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications developed the SEA-SQL framework. This innovation moves beyond expensive prompt engineering, focusing instead on a cost-efficient zero-shot refinement strategy. The architecture features two core mechanisms: Adaptive Bias Elimination (ABE), which identifies and corrects systematic model errors based on schema-linking logic, and Dynamic Execution Adjustment (DEA). DEA introduces an execution-feedback loop that captures runtime errors or empty results, allowing the model to adaptively refine the SQL structure until a valid and semantically aligned query is produced.

Research indicates that in experiments conducted on the Spider and Spider-Realistic benchmarks, SEA-SQL provides superior accuracy and robustness compared to standard zero-shot baselines. Data suggests that when utilizing open-source models like Llama-3, the framework achieves performance gains that rival much larger proprietary models while keeping latency and costs at a minimum. This work provides a reliable and flexible paradigm for natural language database interfaces, offering a robust technical roadmap for developing cost-effective, self-correcting AI systems capable of handling sophisticated data analysis tasks in real-world settings.

 

New Delhi, Apr 18 (BNP): The Government of India has taken a series of targeted reforms to improve trade facilitation and strengthen the functioning of Norms Committees under the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in line with its broader commitment to Ease of Doing Business for exporters.

Pic Credit: Pexel 

The reforms aim to make decision-making faster, more transparent, and more efficient for export-related processes. By improving the functioning of Norms Committees, the government seeks to reduce delays in approvals and simplify procedural requirements faced by exporters.

These committees play a key role in setting and reviewing input-output norms, which determine the quantity of raw materials required for producing export goods. Streamlining their functioning is expected to help exporters receive quicker clarifications and approvals, thereby improving operational efficiency.

The initiative is also intended to strengthen India’s export ecosystem by reducing compliance burden and improving predictability in trade procedures. This is expected to benefit businesses, especially small and medium exporters, by making processes more responsive and business-friendly.

Overall, the reforms reflect the government’s continued focus on improving trade facilitation, enhancing administrative efficiency, and supporting exporters in accessing global markets more effectively.

New Delhi, Apr 18 (BNP): The Government of India has announced that more than 55,200 startups were recognised in FY2025–26, marking the highest annual figure since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016.

Launched on 16 January 2016, the Startup India programme was designed to build a strong ecosystem for innovation, encourage private investment, and support entrepreneurs through targeted policy measures and financial incentives.

Strong expansion in jobs and ecosystem growth

Since its inception, the initiative has supported the creation of over 2.23 lakh recognised startups as of March 2026, which together have generated more than 23.36 lakh direct jobs across the country.

The latest data shows a sharp year-on-year rise, with startup recognitions increasing by 51.6% compared to FY2024–25. During the same period, direct employment generated by startups rose by 36.1%, reflecting their growing contribution to India’s job market.

Startups are now present across all States and Union Territories, with major hubs including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat leading in both startup numbers and employment generation.

Women-led participation and inclusivity

The ecosystem has also become more inclusive, with over 1.07 lakh startups having at least one woman director or partner, accounting for nearly 48% of all recognised startups, highlighting increasing participation of women in entrepreneurship.

State-wise startup distribution highlights

Leading states continue to dominate the startup landscape:

• Maharashtra leads with over 38,000 startups
• Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh each have over 21,000 startups
• Delhi and Gujarat also remain key innovation hubs

These states also account for a large share of employment generated by startups, reinforcing regional centres of innovation.

Government support and funding push

The government continues to strengthen the ecosystem through flagship schemes such as:

• Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS)
• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)
• Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)

Under FFS, over ₹7,000 crore has been disbursed to Alternative Investment Funds, which have further invested in more than 1,420 startups. A new expanded fund with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore has also been introduced to sustain long-term startup financing.

Under SISFS, over ₹605 crore has been approved for more than 3,400 startups, while CGSS has facilitated loans worth over ₹1,250 crore to improve access to credit for emerging businesses.

Innovation and intellectual property growth

Startup-led innovation has also accelerated significantly, with more than 19,400 patent applications filed. Patent filings have seen strong growth, rising sharply in FY2025–26 compared to the previous year, reflecting increasing focus on technology and intellectual property creation.

Outlook

The rapid expansion of India’s startup ecosystem underscores its growing role as a key driver of economic growth, innovation, and employment generation. With continued policy support and rising entrepreneurial activity, startups are increasingly shaping India’s transition toward a knowledge-driven and innovation-led economy.

Amity University Uttar Pradesh Noida campus organized a Panel Discussion on “Nari Shakti Vandan Act 2023: Road Map for Women’s Political Representation in India”, as part of the awareness campaign on the “Nari Shakti Vandan Act 2023” (Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023). 

Addressing the gathering during the Panel Discussion, Ms Kummu Joshi Bhatnagar, Chairperson, Mohan Chandra Joshi Industries, Founder and President at Jagriti Leela Memorial Foundation, averred, “The Act recognizes the role of women and is a great step towards women empowerment. This is one of the most important decisions of the 21st century with the provision of giving 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Sabha., which is crucial to increase the participation of Indian women in politics. The Act will come into force after the new delimitation, under which the participation of women in local bodies will increase, all political parties will have to give tickets to 33 percent women, along with organizing more training programs for young and aspiring women. This Act will bring balance in the political system, including steps towards inclusive democracy and the development of the country.”

Dr Seema Nath, Assistant professor, Computer Science, Vivekananda College, University of Delhi, said, “The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023 is a historic step that will enhance women’s participation in democracy. Educational institutions should inform girl students about their constitutional rights, honour women scholars and alumni and promote women leadership. Students must cast their vote and should be aware of their constitutional rights. In addition, they must come forward and work for the society.”

Prof. (Dr.) Sanjeev Bansal, Addl. Pro Vice Chancellor, said, “The Act represents a meaningful step towards advancing women’s empowerment and encouraging their active participation in nation-building. At Amity, women leadership is always promoted and more than 50% of the Head of Institutions and faculty members are women.”

Ms Sejal Jhakmola, Senior Policy Associate, Manthan, stated, “Women are not given their due in many places, specially in the rural areas and even today, the concept of Sarpanch Pati is prevalent in many rural areas, where all the decisions of the female Sarpanch are taken by her husband. It must be ensured that the avenues open to women under this Act increase their participation in the decision-making process. Today, the share of women in Parliament is 10 to 15 per cent, which needs to be increased. The country can become develop when women participation increases in various areas and they play their role as  policy-makers.” 

Welcoming the guest, Prof. (Dr.) Laxmi Ahuja, Officiating Dean Students Welfare, AUUP, said, “The Panel Discussion will help in promoting awareness and understanding of the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act and highlight its significance in strengthening women’s political representation in India.”

New Delhi, Apr 18 (BNP): Gold demand in India is expected to remain resilient ahead of Akshaya Tritiya, supported by cultural traditions, shifting consumer preferences, and continued interest in precious metals as a safe-haven asset amid global uncertainty.

The outlook comes as gold prices have risen significantly over the past year, with industry estimates indicating an increase of around 14–16% year-to-date and a much sharper rise compared to the same festive period last year. Despite higher prices, demand has not weakened, but has instead adjusted in form and buying patterns.

Market participants note that Akshaya Tritiya continues to be one of the most important gold-buying occasions in India, symbolising prosperity and long-term value creation. While volatility in global markets has influenced short-term sentiment, periods of price stability and mild corrections are encouraging steady retail participation.

Industry voices highlight a clear shift in consumer behaviour. Traditional jewellery demand remains strong, but buyers are increasingly opting for lightweight jewellery, coins, and bars, where value is closely tied to purity and metal content. Investment demand is also expanding, with growing interest in digital gold and gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), reflecting a more structured approach to wealth creation.

Silver is also gaining attention, supported not only by investment demand but also by industrial usage in sectors such as renewable energy and electronics, adding a new layer of long-term demand strength.

Platforms are also leveraging festive sentiment to engage consumers. Financial services companies such as BharatPe have introduced campaign-based initiatives like the ‘Akshaya Tritiya Gold Mahotsav’, offering rewards and incentives on digital gold purchases, reflecting the increasing digitisation of gold investment.

Experts expect near-term price fluctuations to continue, influenced by global macroeconomic conditions, currency movements, and geopolitical developments. However, the broader outlook for precious metals remains supported by sustained central bank buying, portfolio diversification trends, and gold’s continued role as a hedge against uncertainty.

Overall, the market outlook suggests that while buying patterns are evolving, gold and silver continue to hold a strong position in both cultural and investment portfolios across India.

New Delhi, Apr 18 (BNP): Jefferies has projected a significant expansion in India’s renewable energy capacity, estimating it could reach around 359 GW between FY25 and FY30. The outlook reflects a growing emphasis on energy security, evolving demand patterns, and continued policy support for clean energy development.

According to the report, India’s power demand is expected to recover strongly, with growth potentially reaching around 6% by FY27, supported by improving industrial activity and broader economic normalization. Seasonal and climatic factors are also expected to influence consumption trends in the coming years.

Weather conditions linked to a likely El Niño phase during the upcoming monsoon season could further impact electricity usage. Lower rainfall typically increases demand from households and agriculture, where electricity is widely used for cooling, irrigation, and pumping activities.

While renewable energy remains a central pillar of India’s long-term energy strategy, the country continues to expand thermal capacity to ensure grid stability and meet rising demand. Additional thermal power projects are planned over the next decade to support a balanced and reliable energy mix.

The report also highlights strong momentum in domestic solar manufacturing, supported by government-led initiatives such as rooftop solar programs and agricultural solar pump schemes. These initiatives are increasing installed capacity while encouraging greater use of locally manufactured components.

Policy measures aimed at strengthening domestic production of key solar materials, including ingots and wafers, are expected to further deepen backward integration in the renewable energy supply chain. However, the capital-intensive nature of these investments may favour companies with strong financial capacity.

Overall, the report suggests that India’s energy transition will be shaped by a combination of rising demand, policy support, manufacturing growth, and the need to maintain energy security in a changing global environment.

New Delhi, Apr 18 (BNP): India and Austria have jointly introduced a bilateral fast-track mechanism aimed at improving investment flows and strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.

The newly launched system is designed to support businesses and investors by providing a structured platform to address challenges, streamline processes, and enhance the overall ease of doing business. It will enable companies from both countries to raise concerns, seek quicker resolutions, and engage directly with relevant authorities.

The mechanism is expected to reduce procedural delays and create a more efficient and predictable investment environment. It also encourages the exchange of suggestions between the two sides to further improve regulatory frameworks and business conditions.

A fast-track mechanism refers to a dedicated system that accelerates approvals and resolves issues faced by investors in a timely manner. By simplifying procedures and improving coordination, it helps businesses operate more smoothly and with greater confidence.

This initiative marks a significant step toward deepening bilateral economic ties and fostering greater collaboration between businesses in India and Austria.