Category: News

Apr 10 (BNP): In a key leadership move, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the appointment of Sanjay Khanna as its new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). The decision was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet following recommendations from the selection panel under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Currently serving as Director (Refineries), Khanna brings years of hands-on experience in refinery operations and large-scale project execution. He will take charge from the date he assumes office and is set to lead the company until his retirement on May 31, 2029, unless directed otherwise.

His elevation comes at a time when BPCL is navigating a rapidly changing energy landscape. With a strong technical and operational background, Khanna is expected to steer the company toward greater efficiency, expansion in petrochemicals, and a sharper focus on value-added products.

Beyond strategy, his leadership is likely to play a crucial role in balancing business growth with sustainability goals—an increasingly important priority for energy companies in India and globally.

As BPCL continues its transition amid evolving energy demands, Khanna’s appointment signals continuity in expertise while aiming for forward-looking growth and long-term energy security.

India is working on a plan to reduce carbon emissions from its steel industry by around 25%, as part of its broader efforts to decarbonise one of the country’s most energy-intensive sectors.

The steel sector is a major contributor to industrial emissions, and the proposed reduction is expected to be achieved through improved energy efficiency, greater use of cleaner technologies, and a gradual shift towards low-carbon production methods.

Officials said the initiative aligns with India’s long-term climate commitments and its goal of balancing rapid industrial growth with environmental sustainability. The focus will also be on promoting greener manufacturing practices without affecting production capacity or economic expansion.

The move is seen as a significant step toward transforming the steel industry into a more sustainable and climate-resilient sector in the coming years.

Chennai, Apr 10 (BNP): Former India Test cricketer C D Gopinath, the last surviving member of India’s first-ever Test victory team, passed away in Chennai at the age of 96.

Gopinath was India’s oldest living Test cricketer and the second oldest in the world after Australia’s Neil Harvey. Born on March 1, 1930, he was part of India’s early Test journey and remains closely associated with one of Indian cricket’s most historic milestones.

He represented India in eight Test matches and also featured in 83 first-class games for India and Madras. A right-handed batter, Gopinath played during a formative era of Indian cricket and contributed to the team’s early development on the international stage.

He was part of the Indian squad that secured the country’s first-ever Test win against England, a landmark achievement in Indian cricket history.

Gopinath’s passing marks the end of an era, closing a chapter linked to the very beginnings of India’s Test cricket legacy.

New Delhi, Apr 10 (BNP): Kenya is adopting elements of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including UPI-style instant payments and DigiLocker-like digital document storage systems, in a move aimed at improving governance efficiency and expanding digital services, according to a report.

The initiative seeks to address long-standing challenges in Kenya’s administrative system, including bureaucratic delays and fragmented identity records. The adoption of these digital systems is expected to speed up public service delivery and boost digital commerce in the country.

Under pilot projects running between 2023 and 2026, Kenya is integrating India-inspired payment and document verification systems to improve government-to-citizen services, education platforms, and small business transactions. The framework is also designed to work alongside existing mobile money systems such as M-Pesa.

The pilots combine instant payment mechanisms similar to India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with digital identity-linked systems like Kenya’s “Maisha Namba,” enabling faster verification and reducing paperwork in areas such as education, healthcare, and public services.

A report noted that early results indicate faster processing of identity documents and reduced administrative delays, with potential for broader rollout in the coming years. The system is also expected to improve transparency and reduce instances of fraud.

Kenya formalised its engagement in early 2026 by signing an implementation framework for a DigiLocker-style pilot, customised with technical support from India’s National e-Governance Division (NeGD).

India’s DPI ecosystem, which includes Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker, has been widely recognised for enabling large-scale digital inclusion and efficient service delivery, and is increasingly being studied and adapted by other countries.

Paradip (Odisha), Apr 10 (BNP): The Paradip Port Authority (PPA), in partnership with CEMS, has successfully completed the first batch of its CSR-supported skill development initiative focused on training youth from Odisha for industry-ready careers.

Under the programme, 25 participants were awarded certificates in Supply Chain Management, gaining practical skills relevant to the maritime and logistics sectors. The training aims to improve employability and prepare candidates for opportunities in key logistics centres such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.

Officials said the initiative is designed to strengthen job readiness by providing focused, industry-aligned training and bridging the gap between academic learning and workforce requirements.

The certificate distribution event was attended by Paradip Port Authority Chairman P.L. Haranadh, along with senior port officials. Commander Gopi Krishna Sivvam (Retd.), Chief Operating Officer of CEMS, also participated in the programme.

The initiative is aimed at building a skilled talent pool to support the growing needs of India’s logistics and maritime sectors, while also contributing to youth empowerment in the region.

Mumbai, Apr 10 (BNP): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a set of enhanced security measures aimed at strengthening the safety of digital payment systems amid a sharp rise in fraud cases driven largely by social engineering tactics.

According to the proposal, the central bank is considering layered safeguards, including delayed processing of certain transactions, stronger authentication mechanisms for vulnerable users, and tighter monitoring of bank accounts to detect suspicious activity more effectively.

The move comes as digital payment frauds have increased in recent years, with criminals often exploiting users through deceptive calls, messages, and online manipulation rather than technical hacking.

Under the proposed framework, banks and payment service providers may also be required to adopt more proactive fraud detection systems and improve real-time monitoring of high-risk transactions.

The RBI said the objective is to strike a balance between convenience and security, ensuring that the rapid growth of digital payments is not undermined by rising fraud risks.

The proposed measures are part of the regulator’s broader efforts to strengthen trust in India’s fast-expanding digital payment ecosystem.

Apr.10 (BNP): Iran has announced that no more than 15 vessels per day will be permitted to pass through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, following a ceasefire agreement reportedly reached with the United States.

According to TASS, which cited an unnamed senior Iranian official, the restriction will be implemented as part of controlled maritime operations aimed at maintaining stability in the region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway approximately 34 km wide between Iran and Oman, serves as a vital global shipping route connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. It facilitates the transit of nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies, along with essential commodities such as fertilisers and other goods.

The imposition of a daily vessel cap is expected to significantly impact global shipping traffic and energy markets, with industry stakeholders closely monitoring the situation. Experts warn that any prolonged restriction could disrupt supply chains and lead to volatility in global oil prices.

While the move signals a partial easing of tensions under the ceasefire framework, the controlled access highlights the continued strategic sensitivity of the region and its importance to global trade and energy security.

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), Apr 10 (BNP): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, marking another important milestone in India’s crewed space programme.

The test was conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and focused on validating the crew module recovery system, a critical safety mechanism that ensures the safe return of astronauts during re-entry and landing.

The crew module is the capsule that will carry astronauts during the mission, and the air drop tests are designed to simulate real landing conditions. These trials help engineers assess parachute deployment, stability of the capsule, and overall performance under different emergency scenarios.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO on the achievement, noting it as a key step forward for India’s first human spaceflight mission, which is targeted for next year.

The second test follows the successful completion of the first Integrated Air Drop Test conducted in August 2025 at the same facility.

Air drop tests are an essential part of mission validation, where a dummy crew module is dropped from an aircraft or helicopter to replicate the final phase of spacecraft descent. These experiments test critical systems such as parachute deployment, controlled descent, and safe splashdown under varied conditions.

With the success of IADT-02, ISRO has further strengthened the reliability of its crew safety systems, bringing the country closer to launching astronauts into space under the Gaganyaan programme.