Next Gen Consulting

Blog

  • Rolls-Royce to scale-up investment, jobs and supply chain sourcing in India

    NEW DELHI|Feb 12: Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) today announced its intention to scale-up its business in India to support future programmes and partnerships across defence, civil aviation and energy. The company’s ambition is to make India a strategic home market, supporting the country’s Viksit Bharat vision for national security and deterrence, energy resilience, infrastructure development and air connectivity.

    Rolls-Royce is currently exploring opportunities in India that include the potential co-development of a next-generation combat jet engine; as well as partnerships to localise and manufacture engines for the Indian Army, Navy and Coast Guard and potentially power solutions for critical infrastructure and industry. These initiatives could more than double the size of the workforce that supports Rolls-Royce and its partners, to approximately 10,000 people in India.

    Rolls-Royce believes the opportunities it is looking to secure could lead to a ten-fold increase in the company’s supply chain sourcing from India, a move which would nurture and benefit many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

    Tufan Erginbilgic, Rolls-Royce Chief Executive Officer, met the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi today to discuss the company’s desire to be part of Viksit Bharat and how its advanced technologies can support India’s growth plans and Atmanirbhar journey in critical sectors of the economy.

     

    Speaking about the company’s plans, Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce plc, said:

    “Our ambitions for India are built on the strong foundations of our decades-long presence in the country, our growing footprint, our deep industry partnerships, and our competitively advantaged technologies. As we grow our participation in programmes across India’s defence, aviation and energy sectors, we will expand our ecosystem in India, as we have done successfully in other countries.

    We are determined to partner India on its Atmanirbhar journey, by developing indigenous propulsion capabilities, providing sustained power to critical infrastructure and industry, and expanding local manufacturing for global supply chains. We believe our unique portfolio of advanced capabilities can help us grow our presence and partnerships further, to power, protect and connect India for decades to come.”

    Today’s announcement builds on a pivotal year for India–UK strategic cooperation and the India-UK Vision 2035 roadmap for deeper bilateral industrial and defence collaboration. As India advances its next generation military capabilities, Rolls-Royce with the UK Government, has offered to co-develop a 120 kN class combat jet engine core that could be India’s fastest route to an indigenous next-generation engine. The co-development will provide full technology transfer with IP ownership for India, supported by a dedicated design complex and manufacturing capabilities that will unlock significant job creation.

    Rolls-Royce in India

    • More than 1,400 Rolls-Royce engines are currently powering various defence platforms such as the Jaguar combat aircraft and Hawk trainers of the Indian Air Force and Navy; the Arjun Main
    • Battle Tanks of the Army, and a variety of vessels and submarines of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard including the prestigious Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercrafts and the P17 Alpha frigates
    • The company also provides mission-readiness support and service capabilities for its MTU engines and gensets, and works in close partnership with HAL to support in-service aero engines.
    • Today, more than 4,000 people work across the Rolls-Royce ecosystem in India, including 2,800 engineers who contribute to global programmes across its businesses. The company’s long-standing industrial footprint includes its manufacturing joint ventures with HAL and Force Motors as well as sourcing partnerships with over 100 different vendors including Tata, Bharat Forge, Godrej, Azad Engineering and many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)
    • Rolls-Royce recently inaugurated its newly expanded Global Capability and Innovation Centre in Bengalaru, which houses digital capabilities, enterprise services, and engineering teams supporting its Civil Aerospace and Defence divisions. Positioned to become the company’s largest capability hub, the centre serves global corporate functions while advancing digital and engineering expertise
    • Engineering talent in India is already supporting the drive for a self-reliant India, having helped design parts of the Trent XWB engines that power Airbus A350 aircraft, which were recently ordered by Air India and IndiGo. Teams in Pune have also done significant work to make Rolls-Royce’s portfolio of MTU marine engines compatible with alternate fuels
    • The company’s International Aerospace Manufacturing Private Limited (IAMPL) joint venture, meanwhile, is supporting the Government’s ‘Make in India for India and the world’ project with factories in Bengaluru and Hosur having developed the capability and competence necessary to manufacture 160 high precision aero-engine parts for the global market. IAMPL is likely to play a key role as Rolls-Royce scales up its supply chain requirements.

  • AAEON Announces the World’s Smallest, Lightest 13th Gen Intel Core-powered Embedded System

    Designed for deployment in space-constrained industrial robotic solutions, the de next-RAP8-EZBOX packs 13th Gen Intel Core processing into a system measuring just 95.5mm x 69.5mm x 42.5mm.

    (Taipei, Taiwan – Feb 12) Edge computing leader AAEON (Stock Code: 6579), today announced another breakthrough with the release of the de next-RAP8-EZBOX, the world’s smallest embedded PC powered by 13th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors.

    Measuring just 95.5mm x 69.5mm x 42.5mm with a heatsink, and 95.5mm x 69.5mm x 45.4mm with an active cooler, the de next-RAP8-EZBOX is designed for deployment in space-constrained autonomous systems or as the central controller within industrial robots.

    The system comes with the 10-core, 12-thread Intel® Core™ i7-1365UE processor (formerly Raptor Lake), Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics, and 16GB of soldered LPDDR5x system memory. Despite its small size and relatively high processing capabilities, the de next-RAP8-EZBOX provides a range of I/Os designed to connect and coordinate with various robotics subsystems. For example, the system comes with two LAN ports, one for GbE and one for 2.5GbE speed, joined by two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Rounding off its physical interfaces is an HDMI 1.2a port. Meanwhile, the de next-RAP8-EZBOX’s storage comes via an M.2 2280 M-Key slot.

    The de next-RAP8-EZBOX is available with both fan-assisted and passive heatsink cooling options, making it possible to integrate the system into fully sealed enclosures without the risk of overheating. Moreover, the system’s 15W performance hybrid architecture CPU and LPDDR5x system memory both minimize heat output and energy draw, preventing excessive thermal buildup during extended periods of operation.

    Despite it being a new release, the product has already seen a great deal of attention, winning a Taiwan Excellence Award for its innovative design and market potential, particularly with respect to its potential use in space-constrained autonomous systems or as a central controller within industrial robots.

    The system offers broad compatibility with operating systems, including Windows® 10 and Ubuntu 22.04.3 (Kernel 6.2).

  • AITMC Ventures and Victory International Join Hands to Build Pan-India EV Charging Infra and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

    Gurugram, Feb 12: Gurugram-based Startup Stairs Private Limited, AITMC Ventures Limited (AVPL) and Victory Electric Vehicles International Limited today announced a strategic partnership to build a nationwide, franchise-led ecosystem focused on electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, skilling, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

    The collaboration establishes a structured and exploratory framework to evaluate large-scale EV skilling, infrastructure deployment and employment-linked entrepreneurship initiatives across India. The partnership brings together Startup Stairs’ incubation and ecosystem-building platform, AVPL’s skilling and infrastructure footprint, and Victory International’s EV technology and manufacturing expertise.

    Strengthening EV Skilling Through ITIs and Centres of Excellence

    As part of the initiative, the partners will evaluate the establishment of EV-focused training centres across approximately 70 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and allied facilities nationwide. The objective is to equip youth and technicians with industry-aligned EV service, maintenance and charging infrastructure skills.

    AVPL will provide access to its existing and upcoming Centres of Excellence across states to support large-scale skilling delivery, while aligning training programmes with practical industry requirements. Pilot and proof-of-concept programmes will be rolled out in phases to assess scalability and regional demand.

    Skill-to-Income Pathways Through Franchise Enablement

    A core pillar of the partnership is to ensure that skilling translates into tangible livelihood outcomes. Upon successful completion of EV training programmes, candidates will be evaluated for participation in a structured franchise-led ecosystem designed to promote self-employment and first-generation entrepreneurship.

    The proposed franchise formats are being evaluated at ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh investment levels, enabling trained individuals to establish:

    ●       EV charging centres

    ●       EV dealer service centres

    ●       EV dealerships

    This integrated model is aimed at creating a clear pathway from training to income generation, addressing workforce readiness and unemployment within the rapidly expanding EV sector.

    Domestic Manufacturing at AVPL Future Tech Park

    Manufacturing of EV AC/DC chargers, batteries and allied components will be undertaken in phases at AVPL’s Future Tech Park in Sisai, Hisar. The facility will anchor domestic production capabilities aligned with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision while supporting the deployment of franchise-led EV infrastructure across multiple regions.

    Victory International will lead the technical design, manufacturing setup, quality systems and franchise operations in line with applicable regulatory norms. Startup Stairs will support ecosystem structuring, institutional coordination and entrepreneur onboarding.

    Dr Preet Sandhu, Founder and Managing Director, AITMC Ventures Limited (AVPL), reflecting on this partnership, said “At AVPL, we believe skilling must translate directly into employment and entrepreneurship aligned with real industry demand. Having built strong capabilities in drone skilling and infrastructure, we are now expanding this vision into the EV and battery sectors. Through Startup Stairs, we aim to create structured skill-to-income pathways that enable youth and innovators to build sustainable ventures in EV charging and allied infrastructure. This partnership strengthens our commitment to developing future-ready talent while supporting India’s clean energy and Aatmanirbhar Bharat goals.”

    Phased Rollout and Implementation Framework

    The collaboration will be implemented in phases, beginning with pilot programmes, institutional alignment and franchise onboarding in selected regions. All infrastructure deployment, commercial arrangements and operational activities will be subject to separate definitive agreements and regulatory approvals, in line with the structured MoU framework

    Mr. Sanjay Poply, Managing Director, Victory Electric Vehicles International Limited, also added

    “Skill development must lead to tangible economic outcomes. Through this collaboration, we are focused on building a job-ready EV workforce trained in service, maintenance and charging infrastructure, while also enabling entrepreneurship through structured franchise models. By integrating ITI-based training with real business opportunities, we aim to accelerate India’s electric mobility transition and create sustainable livelihood pathways at scale.” The collaboration will be rolled out in phases, with pilot programmes, franchise onboarding and manufacturing activities expected to commence in the coming months, subject to definitive agreements and regulatory approvals.

  • AirConsole Launches with Škoda, Introducing a Škoda-Exclusive In-Car Tetris® Experience

     

    The new partnership introduces smartphone-controlled multiplayer gaming to Škoda EVs, including Tetris® as a six-month Škoda-exclusive title, delivering a smarter, more social in-car gaming experience.

     Zurich, Switzerland – Feb 12; AirConsole, the in-car gaming platform by N-Dream, today announced a new partnership with Škoda, bringing its gaming experience to the brand’s battery-electric vehicles in Europe. The rollout includes the Škoda Enyaq with Software Version 4.0 and higher (produced from October 2023, Model Year 2024) and Škoda Elroq model, allowing drivers and passengers to play games directly on the vehicle’s infotainment display using their smartphones as controllers.

     Designed specifically for the car environment, AirConsole turns parked moments, such as charging stops, road-trip breaks, or waiting times, into shared entertainment experiences, without requiring any additional hardware.

     Tetris reimagined for the in car experience

    Launching alongside the partnership is one of gaming’s most recognizable titles: Tetris. Designed specifically for the in-car environment, with smartphone-controlled gameplay on the vehicle’s infotainment screen, Tetris will be available as both a solo and multiplayer experience, allowing drivers and passengers to play together without relying on touch-only dashboard interaction. Tetris will launch exclusively for Škoda drivers for six months.

     Why Tetris®? One of top evergreen of the industry

    As one of gaming’s most timeless franchises, Tetris® transcends age, culture, and experience level. Its simple mechanics, depth of play, and iconic soundtrack make it uniquely suited for shared moments in the car, aligning with AirConsole’s vision of turning parked time into meaningful, social experiences.

     Anthony Cliquot, CEO of N-Dream (AirConsole), said: “Welcoming Škoda to AirConsole is a natural fit. As one of the Volkswagen Group’s fastest-growing brands, Škoda understands how digital experiences can make time spent in the car more engaging and more human.” He continues “Games deserve to be thoughtfully integrated into the car; not hidden away in app stores no one uses. That’s exactly why Tetris® is joining AirConsole: a platform with the scale and user experience focus needed to do justice to games in the automotive environment.”

     “Tetris has captivated players for decades because its gameplay is simple, intuitive, and accessible to everyone regardless of age, culture, or gaming experience,” said Maya Rogers, CEO, The Tetris Company. “By expanding Tetris to AirConsole and Škoda we’re meeting players in everyday moments and transforming parked time into shared entertainment, continuing our mission to make Tetris easy to pick up, fun to play, and meaningful to experience together.”

     A Curated Game Library Built for the Car

    Beyond Tetris®, Škoda drivers will have access to a curated catalog of 14 casual game titles spanning genres such as party, trivia, arcade, sports, puzzle, and others. Highlights include UNO® Car Party and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

     The service will be available in EU countries and supports up to five players, depending on the game and vehicle configuration. The app is pre-installed and drivers can access it through their Media Streaming package.

     Petr Kabelka, Connectivity & New Businesses Lead, at Škoda Auto said “Our goal is to enrich the everyday mobility experience with meaningful digital services. With AirConsole, we are opening a new chapter in in-car entertainment at Škoda, allowing customers to explore new forms of digital experiences directly in the vehicle as part of our Media Streaming package.”

    The Škoda launch reflects how in-car gaming is evolving from a novelty into a designed, social experience that fits naturally into everyday electric vehicle use.

  • District by Zomato Launches Valentine’s Day Campaign with Ishaan Khatter, Celebrating Thoughtful Romance

    New Delhi, Feb 12: District by Zomato, the going out platform, has launched a charming Valentine’s Day campaign that puts the spotlight on what truly matters in romance: genuine effort. Featuring actor Ishaan Khatter, the film delivers a refreshing take on modern dating by championing thoughtfulness over the casual “something chill” approach.

    The campaign opens with Khatter engrossed in ‘The Green Flag Handbook,’ setting the stage for a masterclass in Valentine’s Day planning. “How to find out what your girl wants to do this Valentine’s Day?” he asks, before launching into a step-by-step guide that hilariously deconstructs the classic dating dilemma.

    The film addresses a universal truth: when she says “something chill,” she doesn’t actually want something chill. Through Khatter’s narration, the campaign illustrates that being a “green flag” partner means taking initiative, from handwritten letters and curated playlists on cassette tapes to coordinated salon appointments and thoughtfully reserved tables. The narrative flows through brunch, movies, shopping, drinks, and dancing, with each moment showing that real, tangible effort is the ultimate romantic gesture.

    District by Zomato makes thoughtful planning effortless. From VIP tables at over 100 of the country’s most coveted restaurants, complete with flowers, dedicated concierge service, and complimentary drinks and desserts, to curated culinary experiences at luxury dining destinations, the platform turns romantic gestures into seamless reality.

    With reservations available at 40,000 restaurants nationwide and the ability to book up to 14 days in advance, District ensures you’re never scrambling for last-minute plans. And for those moments that deserve something extra, “On The House” benefits at 500+ restaurants add complimentary touches that transform a good evening into an unforgettable one.

  • On World Unani Day, Discovery Channel Premieres ‘Unani Ki Kahaani’ Documentary Narrated by Actor Jim Sarbh

    Chandigarh, Feb 12: Marking World Unani Day, Unani Ki Kahaani, a new documentary narrated by actor Jim Sarbh, is set to premiere today exclusively on the Discovery Channel at 7:00 PM. The film showcases Unani medicine not merely as a traditional system, but as a philosophy of health that continues to hold relevance in a modern world grappling with chronic illness, lifestyle disorders, and fragmented approaches to care.

    Produced in collaboration with Hamdard Laboratories, Unani Ki Kahaani traces the evolution of Unani medicine, from its origins in ancient Greece to its development and practice on Indian soil. Through this journey, the documentary raises fundamental questions: What does it really mean to be healthy? Why are symptoms being managed but not cured?

    At its core, the film explores Unani’s foundational belief in the balance of body, mind, spirit, and environment rather than viewing disease in isolation. The documentary also reflects on moments such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when India looked not only towards modern medicine, but also inward, towards its own long-standing systems of care and preventive wisdom.

    Jim Sarbh’s narration lends a contemporary tone to the storytelling, guiding viewers through complex ideas with curiosity, and allowing the subject to unfold with clarity and depth.

    Speaking on the documentary, Mr. Abdul Majeed, Chairman and Managing Trustee, Hamdard Laboratories, said, “Unani Ki Kahaani is an attempt to reflect on healing as a larger idea that looks beyond symptoms to balance, prevention, and long-term wellbeing. On World Unani Day, the documentary invites viewers to revisit a system of medicine that has quietly evolved with time, while staying rooted in nature and human understanding. Through Unani medicine, we are committed to help everyone improve their overall health and understand that healing is not just about fixing what is broken, but restoring harmony.”

    Talking about his experience, Actor Jim Sarbh said, “Narrating Unani Ki Kahaani was a learning experience. I was struck by how this system of medicine connects history, culture, and the idea of living in balance.”

    The narrative weaves together historical figures such as Hippocrates and Ibn Sina, alongside Indian pioneers including Hakim Ajmal Khan, Hafiz Abdul Majeed, and Hakeem Abdul Hameed, highlighting how Unani evolved as a living, adaptive system shaped by multiple civilizations and cultures.

    The documentary features voices from across modern medicine, Ayurveda, Unani practice, academic research, and public health institutions of national importance. Through this, it brings together diverse perspectives to examine how traditional knowledge and contemporary healthcare can coexist with each other. The documentary aims to make these ideas accessible to today’s audiences, particularly younger viewers seeking context, depth, and holistic healing to all their health issues.

    Unani Ki Kahaani premieres today, February 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM, exclusively on the Discovery Channel.

  • BASF to further strengthen Global Business Services through global Hub setup

    Feb 12: BASF advances the transformation of its Global Business Services organization, aiming to take the next step to secure long-term cost competitiveness, resilience, and consistent service delivery for its businesses worldwide.

    To better meet the evolving needs of BASF’s businesses and significantly improve cost efficiency, Global Business Services intends to bundle Finance and HR services in a new global Hub in India. Supply Chain-related services are intended to be consolidated at the established Hub in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Activities that must remain close to operations will continue to be delivered regionally or locally. This initiative is part of a broader transformation aimed at creating a consolidated service portfolio, driving standardization and automation more effectively, and leveraging cost-efficient locations.

    “With this step, we plan to systematically strengthen Global Business Services to support BASF’s strategy with the most competitive services structures,” says Dr. Dirk Elvermann, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Digital Officer, BASF SE. “Bundling services into scalable global Hubs is targeting to be a cornerstone for reliable internal service delivery while ensuring long term cost competitiveness.”

    The existing regional Hubs in Berlin (Germany), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and Montevideo (Uruguay) will continue to deliver services where bundled on a regional level. “Global Business Services has always thrived on an entrepreneurial spirit – finding smart solutions, adapting quickly, and supporting BASF with a strong service mindset. As we take this next step, early and transparent communication is essential to us,” says Tobias Dratt, President of Global Business Services, and adds: “The upcoming project gives us the opportunity to build a more agile, fit-for-purpose organization that continues to unlock value for BASF’s businesses.” Further details are being developed. The involvement of the respective employee representatives will be ensured timely in accordance with local laws and regulations.

    BASF’s Global Business Services consists of around 8,500 employees and delivers services out of various legal entities and three regional Hubs (Berlin/Germany, Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia and Montevideo/Uruguay) to BASF’s businesses worldwide, including Finance, Logistics, Human Resources, Communication, Regulatory and Intellectual Property as well as EHSQ.

  • Wallapop and Albatross Sign Strategic Partnership to Bring Real-Time AI Discovery to the Future of Consumer-to-Consumer Commerce

    Barcelona, Spain & Zurich, Switzerland , Feb 12: Wallapop, the leading platform for conscious consumption in Spain, today announced a strategic partnership with Swiss AI company Albatross to deploy real-time AI discovery across its platform, advancing user engagement and seller visibility at unprecedented scale.

     With Albatross, Wallapop becomes one of the first C2C marketplaces globally to move beyond static, history-based recommendation systems toward in-session, adaptive discovery that understands user intent as it unfolds.

     In practice, this means discovery on Wallapop becomes more pro-active and responsive. For instance, when a user explores a second-hand sofa and then starts browsing rugs or floor lamps, the system understands the shift from evaluating a single item to furnishing a living space. Instead of continuing to surface more sofas, as traditional recommenders do, discovery adapts in real time to reflect the user’s evolving intent, highlighting relevant complementary items across categories, including products the user didn’t know existed.

     As the session continues, the experience keeps evolving: a user who then clicks on a vintage coffee table may start seeing lighting, paintings, décor, or storage pieces that match the same style, even if they never looked for them explicitly. This allows users to uncover highly relevant listings that feel like genuine finds, rather than variations of what they’ve already seen. Crucially, this allows discovery to keep pace as interests change (even within the same session) and helps the right listings surface at the right moment.

     The announcement follows Albatross’ recent $12.25 million fundraise to deploy its real-time perception layer; a technology designed to understand what users want in the moment. Forbes recently described this approach as the “second pillar of AI.” While generative AI has transformed how content is created, Albatross focuses on how content is discovered in environments where scale and choice overwhelm traditional personalization.

     Early production deployments have shown significant impact, beyond what is possible with traditional recommenders. In a four-week A/B test on 10% of Wallapop’s traffic, measuring performance across the entire homepage experience, the platform yielded:

    • Increase in User Engagement: +118.9%
    • Increase in Favorites & Interactions: +104.8%
    • Increase Purchase Intentions: +46.9%

     Importantly, the system surfaced previously unseen items to qualified buyers, demonstrating its ability to unlock latent supply rather than simply amplify already popular listings. These gains have remained remarkably stable – and continued to improve – over an extended four-month production period, underscoring the robustness of the approach beyond short-term experimentation.

     For Wallapop, the shift goes beyond buyer relevance. The partnership introduces algorithmic seller discovery as a core capability, dynamically matching live buyer intent with relevant, shippable listings and addressing one of recommerce’s hardest challenges: ensuring quality supply doesn’t get lost in volume.

     “At Wallapop, we are moving toward a system that understands what users want in real time, helping buyers find the right items faster while giving sellers more effective visibility for their listings,” says Rob Cassedy, CEO of Wallapop. “Our collaboration with Albatross represents another step forward in our mission to empower people to participate in a more conscious consumption model that creates economic opportunities for people.”

     Unlike conventional recommenders built on past behavior and popularity signals, Albatross’ technology continuously interprets live user interactions. Every action within a session updates the system’s understanding of user intent and the catalog, allowing discovery to adapt instantly to changing behavior, supply dynamics, and context. This approach is particularly helpful for second-hand marketplaces, where millions of unique items with inconsistent metadata make traditional popularity- or similarity-based methods ineffective.

     For Albatross, Wallapop represents a demanding real-world environment for AI discovery. With a constantly evolving catalog of one-of-a-kind items and high listing velocity, Wallapop provides an ideal setting to validate and scale in-session perception models under real marketplace constraints.

     “Together with Wallapop, we’re delivering an online discovery experience comparable to the best in-store journey; one where users uncover products that feel like true hidden gems, tailored just for them, in real time” said Dr. Kevin Kahn, CEO of Albatross AI. “While large language models make sense of words, Albatross’ perception model makes sense of the sequence and context of user actions as they happen. This partnership demonstrates a radical shift in discovery, search, and personalization, which have seen little innovation for more than a decade.”

     The partnership represents one of the earliest large-scale commercial deployments of adaptive, in-session AI discovery in recommerce, reinforcing Wallapop’s ambition to lead the next phase of marketplace evolution.

     

  • Synergy Marine Group Assumes Technical Management of Yang Ming’s LNG Dual-Fuel Container Vessels

    New Delhi, Feb 12: Synergy Marine Group has assumed technical management of YM WILLPOWER and YM WORTHINESS, two newly delivered 15,500 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessels owned by Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea, the sister vessels form part of Yang Ming’s fleet modernisation programme and reinforce the liner’s long-term operational and environmental objectives.

    Under Synergy’s technical management, the vessels are supported by experienced global shore teams and seafarers trained in LNG-fuelled operations. The scope of management includes crewing, maintenance, safety management systems and performance monitoring, with a clear focus on safe fuel handling and regulatory compliance.

    YM WILLPOWER commenced her inaugural voyage on 8 February, joining Yang Ming’s MD2 service connecting Asia and the Mediterranean. Both vessels are managed in accordance with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code under a Document of Compliance held by Synergy Onyx in Pune. Operational oversight is provided from India on a 24/7 basis, supported by Indian shore teams and Indian seafarers trained for LNG dual-fuel operations, aligning with Yang Ming’s strategy to lower emissions while maintaining high service reliability across its global network.

    Ajay Chaudhry, Co-CEO – Ship Management, Synergy Marine Group, said,

    “Managing LNG dual-fuel container vessels requires preparation, technical competence and sound judgement. India is strengthening its capabilities across training, systems and oversight to support modern fleets. As the sector looks ahead over the coming decades, including India’s broader Amrit Kaal horizon, these strengths across people and infrastructure will remain important to global shipping.”

    Jesper Kristensen, Group CEO, Synergy Marine Group, added,

    “India’s role in global shipping today extends well beyond crewing. The combination of skilled seafarers, strong shore-based oversight and growing technical infrastructure is supporting some of the most advanced vessels in service. For us, this reflects how India’s maritime capability has evolved and why it will continue to play a meaningful role in global ship management.”

    Each vessel is equipped with high-pressure LNG dual-fuel main engines, enabling operation on liquefied natural gas as well as conventional marine fuel. In addition to dual-fuel propulsion, the vessels feature energy-efficient hull forms and advanced automation and monitoring systems, supporting Yang Ming’s focus on operational efficiency and environmental performance.

    Headquartered in Singapore, Synergy Marine Group has a significant operational presence in India, with offices across seven cities. More than 70% of its 28,000 seagoing workforce and nearly 85% of its 3,000 shore-based employees are Indian nationals. The Group is also the largest third-party manager of Indian-flagged vessels. Its maritime training infrastructure includes Centres of Excellence in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, supporting technical development and operational readiness across sea and shore roles.

    The addition of YM WILLPOWER and YM WORTHINESS further strengthens Synergy’s presence in alternative-fuel vessel management, while aligning with Yang Ming’s measured approach to modernising its global container fleet.

  • CleverTap Recognized as a Leader in Latest Gartner Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines

    The evaluation was based on specific criteria that analyzed the company’s overall Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute.

    SAN FRANCISCO / MUMBAI, Feb 12 - CleverTap, the all-in-one customer engagement platform, announced that they have been positioned by Gartner® as a Leader in their 2026 Magic Quadrant™ for Personalization Engines.

    We believe this recognition underscores the progress we are making alongside our customers, a growing ecosystem of forward-looking brands and partners dedicated to delivering relevant, responsible, and effective personalization.

    Our approach to hyper-personalisation, individualized to each customer, is built around agentic AI capabilities from CleverAI™ designed to deliver “Experience of One” through 1:1 engagement at scale. We believe the CleverAI™ Decisioning Engine plays a central role in interpreting customer intent, enabling brands to connect customers with the right message, on the right channel, at the right moment. Combined with a comprehensive suite of personalization capabilities, we believe these capabilities are helping brands drive measurable outcomes, including up to 35% higher conversion rates across key use cases in industries like financial services, retail, ecommerce, media, telecom, and many others.

    At the core of this approach is CleverAI™, our enterprise-grade agentic intelligence and decisioning engine. Designed for autonomous real-time orchestration, it enables continuous experience optimization across the customer lifecycle. We believe this focus on unified intelligence, real-time decisioning, and scalable hyper-personalization has contributed to our broader market momentum.

    “We consider our positioning in the Leaders Quadrant by Gartner as confirmation of our capability that enables customers to improve business outcomes with the power of CleverAI™,” said Anand Jain, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, CleverTap.

    “We continue to innovate while we execute on our product roadmap. With CleverAI™, we are delivering a truly revolutionary AI-First Customer Engagement Platform that will change the face of the martech and customer engagement industry, further enhancing our market position”.

    (Gartner, “Magic Quadrant for Personalization Engines,” by Penny Gillespie, Jason Daigler, Michael Ro, Ross Cosner, 3 February 2026.)

    Gartner and Magic Quadrant are trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.

    Gartner does not endorse any company, vendor, product or service depicted in its publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s business and technology insights organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this publication, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.