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  • MPEDA Skill Olympiad Showcases India’s Seafood Processing Expertise

    New Delhi, July 2: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) organized a Seafood Skill Olympiad to showcase India’s growing talent and capabilities in value-added seafood processing.

    The event highlighted the skills of participants in modern seafood preparation, processing techniques, quality control, and value addition practices aimed at strengthening India’s position in global seafood markets. It also provided a platform to promote innovation, skill development, and industry best practices in the fisheries and seafood export sector.

    Officials noted that such initiatives play a crucial role in enhancing employability, improving processing standards, and supporting the growth of India’s seafood export industry. The programme also reflects ongoing efforts to boost competitiveness and encourage higher value addition within the sector.

    Overall, the Olympiad is seen as an important step towards building a skilled workforce and strengthening India’s presence in the international seafood trade.

  • Marshall Launches Milton A.N.C.: Premium On-Ear Headphones with Adaptive Noise Cancelling and Up to 80 Hours of Playtime

    Marshall Launches Milton A.N.C.: Premium On-Ear Headphones with Adaptive Noise Cancelling and Up to 80 Hours of Playtime

    New Delhi, India, July 02: Today, Marshall unveils the Milton A.N.C., a new wireless on-ear headphone that combines portability with long-lasting performance. Featuring 50+ hours of playtime with adaptive noise cancelling and 80 hours without, Milton A.N.C. is built to outlast the weekly commute and beyond.

    Created with maximum portability in mind, the durable, foldable design holds its shape no matter where it’s packed. Its memory foam ear cushions are designed for comfort and extended listening sessions. The square-shaped TPU molded ear caps with a textured leather surface, brass metal logo and powder coated metal arms create a premium look and feel, all wrapped into a classic and unmistakable Marshall design.

    Not just a design icon, Milton A.N.C. comes with smart features to take uninterrupted listening to a whole new level. Next-generation, adaptive ANC analyses the surroundings and adjusts noise cancelling in real time. That means it’s easy to block out noisy environments and stay locked into a playlist, movie, or a call, without distraction. And when it’s important to let the outside back in, a simple shift to Transparency mode ensures immediate surroundings can be heard.

    “If you compare Milton A.N.C. with our other on-ear headphones, like the beloved design of Major V, you’ll notice a few big differences. We’ve increased the ear cushion size to help keep the sound in and improve passive noise attenuation. Larger earpads and softer memory foam also mean the headphones are more comfortable to wear over longer periods. We’ve introduced an entirely new driver system tuned to improve bass and treble extension, delivering dynamic Hi-Res audio with rich details. On top of that, 6 microphones optimally placed for ANC and call complement the acoustic design for highly effective noise reduction.” says Nicolas Pignier Delafontaine, Senior Manager, Audio & Acoustic at Marshall Group

    Adaptive Loudness is another automated feature included with Milton A.N.C. This subtly adjusts audio playback tonality to the listening volume and environment, so whatever the volume, sound quality remains rich and full, and every detail can be enjoyed without constant fine-tuning. In addition, these headphones are equipped with Soundstage spatial audio, Marshalls in-house developed spatialization algorithm. The Soundstage feature can be activated in the app to add depth and width to any stereo track, putting the listener into the heart of the action.

    Built with longevity in mind, Milton A.N.C. comes with the latest technology including Bluetooth 6.0 with LE-Audio, compatible SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC codecs and is repairable with a replaceable battery.

    “With Milton A.N.C. we have created a premium, yet durable headphone that is easy to bring with you wherever life takes you. Our design and engineering teams have worked for years to bring the immersive feeling of Adaptive ANC into our beloved on-ear form factor, and we couldn’t be more proud of the results. Its portable design makes it a sleek contender to heavier over-ear alternatives, without compromising on features. The combination of adaptive ANC with 80 hours battery life is guaranteed to take on the go music listening sessions to the next level” says Evelina Lindström, Product Manager at Marshall Group, the Marshall Milton A.N.C. will be available for purchase starting 2 July via Marshall.com, major online platforms, and leading offline retail stores across India.

    Through Amplify, Marshall’s new loyalty program, Marshall commits an amount equal to 1% of member purchases to support grassroots music, starting with independent music venues. To sign up or find out more, visit marshall.com/amplify.

    MILTON A.N.C. KEY FEATURES

    MARSHALL SIGNATURE SOUND

    Marshall signature sound is built on more than 60 years of heritage that’s crafted for today. Each headphone is tuned with precision by in-house acoustic engineers to deliver a sound that has presence and demands attention.

    80 HOURS OF WIRELESS PLAYTIME

    One charge. More than three entire days and nights of playtime. Several weeks of the commute’s soundtrack covered. Milton A.N.C. removes battery life from your daily concerns, offering up to 80 hours of wireless playtime, or 50+ hours with ANC enabled.

    ADAPTIVE ANC & TRANSPARENCY MODE

    With multiple microphones analysing the environment, Milton A.N.C. reacts to and blocks noise without action needed to be taken. Let the surrounding sounds back in with just one press.

    DURABLE & FOLDABLE DESIGN

    Perfectly portable and tough enough to withstand the heaviness of life in constant motion. Fold them, pack them, drag them out and still get maximum performance and comfort.

    SOUNDSTAGE SPATIAL AUDIO

    Feel sound expand naturally and enjoy a listening experience that places the listener front and centre, right at the heart of the action.

    ADAPTIVE LOUDNESS

    Keep the music alive even when the volume is low. If surrounding noise starts to creep in, this feature raises the bass and lower mids to energise listening sessions – no matter what.

    CUSTOMISABLE M-BUTTON

    One button, multiple functions. Toggle between ANC and Transparency mode or turn soundstage spatial audio on and off. Switch between preferred EQ settings. Go directly to a Spotify playlist or take a call using voice assistant without the need to pick up the phone.

    TECHNICAL INFO MILTON A.N.C.

    DRIVERS: 32 mm

    DRIVER SENSITIVITY: 99.3 dB SPL (1mV @ 1 kHz)

    DRIVER IMPEDANCE: 32 ohm

    FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40 kHz

    WEIGHT: 200.15 g

    PLAYTIME:80 hours of wireless playtime without ANC, 50+ hours of wireless playtime with ANC

    TIME TO FULL RECHARGE: 120 min

    MAKING OUR PRODUCT LAST LONGER 

    Milton A.N.C contains 42% recycled material by weight¹, reducing the need for virgin resources and helping lower environmental impact. Recycled materials typically have a smaller carbon footprint than virgin materials, though actual savings vary by material and process.

  • Policy Changes Expected to Shape Bullion Market Outlook in H2 2026

    New Delhi, July 2: The bullion market is expected to remain sensitive in the second half of 2026 as recent tax revisions and customs duty adjustments begin to influence overall trade dynamics.

    Market observers indicate that changes in fiscal policies may affect gold and silver demand, pricing trends, and import activity. Retail sentiment and investment demand are also likely to respond to the evolving tax structure and regulatory updates.

    Industry experts are closely tracking both domestic policy developments and global economic conditions to assess their impact on bullion prices. Stability in taxation and customs policy is expected to play a key role in supporting market confidence in the coming months.

    Overall, the bullion sector is likely to experience fluctuations driven by policy adjustments and international market trends through H2 2026.

  • India and Japan Deepen Strategic Partnership with New Collaboration and Investment Commitments

    New Delhi, July 2: India and Japan have further strengthened their strategic partnership following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The meeting concluded with several key initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation in technology, manufacturing, trade, and economic development.

    One of the key outcomes was the signing of the first bilateral agreement for the joint development of advanced industrial and strategic technologies, reflecting the growing trust and collaboration between the two countries. The initiative is expected to promote innovation, research, technological advancement, and stronger industrial partnerships.

    The discussions also highlighted Japan’s continued confidence in India’s growth story, with Japanese companies expected to announce investments of around $12.5 billion across multiple sectors. The proposed investments are anticipated to support manufacturing, infrastructure development, clean energy, and emerging technologies while creating employment opportunities and strengthening industrial growth.

    Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation and building stronger economic and strategic ties. The talks focused on promoting innovation, enhancing business partnerships, improving regional connectivity, and fostering sustainable growth for the mutual benefit of both nations.

    The outcomes of the summit reflect the continued progress of the India–Japan partnership and underscore the shared vision of both countries to build a stronger, future-ready relationship founded on mutual trust, collaboration, and shared prosperity.

  • Assam Targets 10 Lakh Litres of Daily Milk Production

    July 2: Assam has set a target of producing 10 lakh litres of milk per day to strengthen its dairy sector and boost rural livelihoods.

    The initiative aims to increase milk production by improving dairy infrastructure, expanding milk collection and processing facilities, and promoting modern dairy farming practices. The government also plans to support farmers through better breeding programmes and enhanced animal healthcare services.

    Officials believe the initiative will help reduce dependence on milk imports, generate employment, and improve the income of dairy farmers, while contributing to the long-term growth of Assam’s livestock and agricultural sectors.

     

  • PM Modi, Japan PM to Inaugurate Maruti Suzuki Plant in Haryana

    Haryana, July 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are set to jointly inaugurate Maruti Suzuki’s fourth manufacturing plant in Kharkhoda, Haryana, marking a key milestone in India–Japan industrial cooperation.

    The new facility is expected to strengthen India’s automobile manufacturing capacity under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, featuring advanced production systems, improved efficiency, and large-scale employment opportunities.

    The Kharkhoda plant is part of Maruti Suzuki’s broader expansion strategy aimed at increasing production output and meeting growing domestic and global demand for automobiles. The inauguration also highlights the deepening economic and strategic partnership between India and Japan in the manufacturing sector.

  • 100X100 Launches Dollar 100 Million Fund II to Back 50 New Climate Startups Across India and Southeast Asia

    Delhi,July 2: 100×100, a climate company builder and venture capital fund, launched by the team that co-founded Wavemaker Impact, today announced the launch of its second fund targeting US$100 million. The firm will deploy this capital to create and scale 50 more high-impact, high-growth companies designed to address the planet’s most pressing emissions challenges.100x100 Launches $100 Million Fund II to Build 50 New Climate Companies Across India & Southeast Asia

    Energy, food, materials and supply chains are being reshaped by rising demand, geopolitical fragmentation, resource constraints and the need for national self-sufficiency. 100×100 aims to close the gap between readiness of low-emissions technologies and large-scale commercial deployment. Rather than funding existing startups, 100×100 works alongside experienced entrepreneurs to build companies from the ground up in Southeast Asia and India. Every 100×100-built company has the potential to abate 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and achieve US$100 million in revenue.

    “India is where climate urgency, economic momentum and exceptional entrepreneurial talent converge, and where companies that can deliver on that promise are still waiting to be built. That convergence is exactly what our venture building model is designed for. Together with Southeast Asia, we can target 10% of global emissions and through our venture building pathway we want to create some of the most compelling investment opportunities which can scale. In the Indian context, being the first dedicated climate venture builder, we see the opportunity to make a difference in a real sense for a market that has so much to offer.” added Subhadeep Sanyal, Partner, 100×100.

    The launch of Fund II follows the success of the firm’s initial fund, which hit its hard cap at US$60 million in 2023, and attracted backing from institutional, strategic and family office investors, including the US Development Finance Corporation Singapore Economic Development Board , British International Investment , Triple Jump, Qarlbo Energy, JG Digital Equity Ventures, Kajima Corporation and Beacon Ventures. Since then, the firm has co-founded 27 companies across eight countries, maintaining a portfolio survival rate nearly double the median venture capital average.100×100 holds significantly higher equity stakes than traditional VCs, while its portfolio companies operate at 1.5x greater capital efficiency, positioning Fund I to be on track for top-quartile performance.

    As one of the fastest growing economies of the world, India is also the third-largest emitter, contributing 4.1 Gt of CO₂ equivalent annually across energy, agri, mobility, manufacturing and build environment. India has already surpassed its 2030 NDC target of reaching 50% non-fossil installed power capacity, but renewables contribute to only 15% of power generation; opening opportunities for more ventures to bridge this gap – and such inefficiencies exist across sectors like agri, mobility, supply chains.

    Marie Cheong, Founding Partner, 100×100 said,

    “We believe that solving the world’s most pressing emissions challenges also represents a significant economic opportunity. Our name reflects our conviction that profit and carbon reduction are not a trade-off, but a multiplier. With Fund II, we are doubling down on a demonstrated strategy with a platform that is ready-to-go.”

    The firm’s unique operating model involves a structured venture-building process to identify “white spaces” in high-emissions sectors. Every venture is intentionally built to capture a ‘green discount’, delivering cost or economic advantages while driving down emissions. This is especially relevant in price sensitive markets like India where the green discount is not a marketing position; it is a commercial survival condition. To execute this, the firm speaks to over 1,000 founders per year to identify entrepreneurs with the expertise and track record required to build and scale businesses from day one.

    To date, 100×100’s Fund I portfolio companies have raised over US$28 million from 16 external investors, and the majority have generated revenue in less than six months of launch. A prime example of this scaling velocity is a portfolio company Rize, which reduces methane emissions in rice cultivation and serves smallholder rice farmers. The company successfully generated US$11 million in revenue in 2025, growing at an extraordinary 550% year-on-year growth rate whilst improving the livelihood of over 40,000 farmers. India is also home to around 100 million smallholder farmers who grow paddy across 51 million acres.

    The Fund has also co-build and launched 3 companies in India over the past 10 months, targeting critical areas like bioenergy, efficient cooling and logistics, and is currently working with founders across themes in energy transition and agriculture. The firm’s India operations aim to leverage the talent pool of the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world, with India’s climate commitments and economic transformation.

    The fund is led by six partners – Guillem Segarra, Marie Cheong, Paul Lam Wai, Quentin Vaquette, Steve Melhuish, and Subhadeep Sanyal – with experience spanning venture creation, climate technology and institutional investing across Asia. Collectively, the team has built 58 companies, invested in 73 climate businesses and realised 19 exits.

  • Neat Introduces Thinking Rooms with Agentic Deployment Management and Intelligent Framing

    LAS VEGAS, NV, July 02  – Neat, the industry’s first AI-native hardware and software platform for workplace collaboration, announced two next-generation distributed AI capabilities designed to transform passive meeting rooms into thinking environments: 

    • Neat Pulse MCP: Bridges the Neat Pulse management platform with large language models to usher in the era of agent-driven IT administration. Currently available as a locally-hosted beta to Neat customers. 

    • Intelligent Framing: This AI-on-the-edge capability ensures clear visibility and engaged, relevant, and equitable meeting experiences for all participants. Currently in beta, Intelligent Framing is scheduled for general availability in H2 2026. 

    Both innovations were demonstrated live at the InfoComm 2026 exhibition. 

    “Agentic AI should solve practical problems, providing real answers to the hard, everyday headaches of hybrid work,” says Javed Khan, CEO of Neat. “We’re making fleet management easier and offering far-end participants more engaging meeting experiences. This is about giving organizations—and the people in them—the power to solve these operational challenges at scale, ensuring every room is always ready and every meeting is seamless.” 

    Neat Pulse MCP: Agent-Driven Device Management for the Enterprise 

    Neat Pulse MCP gives agents the tools to act on any management objective. Administrators can issue an instruction or question, and the agent reasons through how to respond. The MCP can also be used to set up autonomous routines that run without manual involvement. Examples include: 

    • Room readiness: Ask “Is my meeting room ready?” and the agent determines what to check, queries the relevant devices, and either confirms readiness or fixes any open issues. Or run a scheduled routine that runs the same checks automatically every morning before the work day begins. 

    • Autonomous fleet management: Define a policy once and let the agent monitor continuously—identifying offline devices, attempting recovery, escalating only what it cannot resolve, and broadcasting maintenance alerts to affected spaces. 

    • Room Messages: Push messages to any Neat-enabled room at the moment they matter. Send a welcome message displayed as a guest check-in or a notice when a room becomes unavailable. Room Messages are a new feature coming soon to Neat Pulse and will also be available to demo at InfoComm. 

    • Local client compatibility: The Neat Pulse MCP beta is running locally and therefore works with local MCP clients, such as Claude Code and Gemini CLI. 

    “By taking fleet management out of siloed platforms and making it accessible to AI systems through MCP, Neat Pulse is helping redefine how collaboration environments are orchestrated,” said Tormod Ree, Chief Product & Engineering Officer of Neat. “MCP enables intelligent agents to interact with Neat Pulse and manage devices across their environments. This is a foundational step toward agent-driven workplace operations.” 

    Intelligent Framing: AI at the Edge for Equitable Meetings 

    Intelligent Framing uses dedicated, on-device AI to continuously analyze spatial data across Neat devices in the room to ensure the most relevant participants are clearly visible to remote viewers. This technology moves beyond standard framing by sensing, identifying, and presenting the most relevant activity to far-end participants. By intelligently interpreting the ebb and flow of meeting interactions, the system dynamically adjusts the view to highlight the most active participants, with a commitment to continuous intelligence growth as the technology evolves. 

    To deliver maximum flexibility and meeting equity, Neat is introducing more intelligent options for framing meeting participants: 

    • Equal (Existing Default): Standard framing that delivers consistent, identical screen real estate to every individual in the room. 

    • Highlights (New): Features three, six, or eight participants in large, prominent tiles. The set is dynamic, continuously adapting to present the most relevant participants while keeping everyone else visible in smaller tiles. 

    • Highlights + Room (New): Features three, four, or five highlighted participants in large tiles, while remaining participants appear in a full-room view, preserving spatial context alongside conversational clarity. 

  • Fairmont Mumbai and Le Florence India to present Longevity Summit India: India Vows for Longevity

    Fairmont Mumbai and Le Florence India to present Longevity Summit India: India Vows for Longevity

    Mumbai, July 02: As India witnesses a growing shift towards preventive healthcare, personalised medicine, biohacking, and evidence-based longevity, the focus is rapidly moving beyond simply extending lifespan to enhancing healthspan and human performance. This evolution is creating demand for platforms that bring together global experts, pioneering research, emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration to shape the future of longevity.

    Against this backdrop, Fairmont Mumbai and Le Florence India have announced Longevity Summit India 2026: India Vows for Longevity, a first-of-its-kind platform dedicated to advancing conversations around longevity science, biohacking, preventive healthcare, and human performance. Scheduled to take place on 15th–16th August 2026 at Fairmont Mumbai, the summit aims to position India at the forefront of the global longevity movement.

    Bringing together leading scientists, clinicians, biohackers, wellness pioneers, medical experts, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and luxury brands, the summit will explore the evolving intersection of science, technology, medicine, wellness, hospitality, and lifestyle, while showcasing breakthrough ideas and innovations shaping the future of healthy ageing.

    The summit marks a natural evolution of Fairmont Mumbai‘s commitment to redefining wellness through its pioneering Fairmont Spa & Longevity and Blu Xone, India‘s first luxury-integrated longevity hub. By combining advanced therapies, preventive healthcare, biohacking protocols, and personalised longevity experiences, Fairmont Mumbai has established itself as one of the country’s few hospitality destinations with a dedicated focus on healthspan optimisation.

    “The conversation around wellness is evolving rapidly, and longevity is increasingly becoming one of its most important pillars,” said Rajiv Kapoor, General Manager, Fairmont Mumbai. “Longevity Summit India is a natural extension of our vision at Fairmont Mumbai. Through Fairmont Spa & Longevity and Blu Xone, we have been building experiences centred around preventive wellness and long-term vitality. The summit allows us to take that conversation beyond the hotel and create a meaningful platform that brings together global perspectives, scientific innovation, and expertise.”

    Presented in partnership with Le Florence India, a name synonymous with curating some of India‘s most distinguished luxury experiences, the summit reflects a shared commitment to creating transformative platforms rooted in credibility, expertise, and meaningful collaboration.

    “Longevity Summit India is envisioned as a movement rather than a moment,” said Vikramjeet Sharma, Managing Director, Le Florence India. “Our ambition is to create a future-facing platform that inspires dialogue, collaboration, and innovation around one of the most important conversations of our time—how we can leverage science, technology, and preventive healthcare to help people live healthier, longer lives.”

    As the summit‘s Chief Scientific Curator, Dr. Arpit Bansal is leading the scientific direction of the programme, curating a two-day agenda alongside an international faculty of experts to ensure the discussions remain rooted in scientific rigour while advancing the global dialogue on longevity and human performance.

    “India has the opportunity to become a global leader in longevity by combining cutting-edge science with its rich heritage of preventive health and holistic well-being,” said Dr. Arpit Bansal, Chief Scientific Curator, Longevity Summit India 2026. “Our objective is to create a platform where leading researchers, clinicians, innovators, and biohackers come together to exchange knowledge, challenge conventional thinking, and shape the future of human healthspan. Longevity Summit India is designed to establish India as an important contributor to the global longevity ecosystem.”

    Further details regarding the summit programme, experiences, partnerships, and participating experts will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Longevity Summit India 2026: India Vows for Longevity will take place on 15th–16th August 2026 at Fairmont Mumbai.

  • India Achieves Key Milestone in Conservation of Wild Rice Genetic Resources

    New Delhi, July 2: The Government of India has achieved a significant milestone in the conservation of wild rice genetic resources, marking an important advancement in the country’s efforts to safeguard agricultural biodiversity and strengthen future food security.

    Wild rice species are considered a critical reservoir of genetic traits such as resistance to pests and diseases, tolerance to drought and floods, and adaptability to changing climatic conditions. Conserving these genetic resources is essential for developing improved rice varieties that can sustain productivity under environmental stress.

    The initiative involves systematic identification, collection, documentation, and long-term preservation of wild rice germplasm across different agro-climatic regions of the country. These genetic materials are being conserved for use in scientific research and crop improvement programmes.

    Officials stated that the conserved genetic diversity will play a vital role in supporting plant breeding efforts aimed at developing high-yielding, climate-resilient, and disease-resistant rice varieties. This is expected to benefit farmers by improving crop stability and reducing losses due to unpredictable weather patterns and biological threats.

    The government highlighted that this achievement reflects strengthened coordination between agricultural research institutions, conservation agencies, and scientific bodies engaged in plant genetic resource management. Continuous efforts are being made to expand the national gene pool and ensure its accessibility for future research and development.

    Experts noted that preserving wild rice diversity is crucial at a time when climate change poses increasing risks to global food systems. India’s progress in this area is seen as an important contribution to long-term agricultural sustainability and global food security goals.