The Bharat Tex 2026 Event App was released by the government on Wednesday with the goal of improving business matchmaking and AI-driven networking at India’s premier international textile event.

Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, introduced the digital platform, which aims to improve the experience of purchasers, foreign delegates, speakers, sourcing consultants, partners, exhibitors, and tourists, as well as the scope and goals of Bharat Tex 2026.

The government claims that the platform was created as a full digital partner and allows attendees to use a single interface to get event information, locate exhibitors, arrange meetings, find their way around the venue, collect leads, attend knowledge sessions, and receive real-time updates.

Additionally, it stated that the app’s AI smart assistant, which provides a 24×7 conversational guide for participants, is one of its main features.

Additionally, users may ask event-related questions in plain language and get immediate updates on schedules, location information, directions, and other essential details, catering to both local and international attendees.

Dedicated meeting modules in the app also facilitate organized networking and commercial interaction by allowing users to identify potential partners, arrange meetings, manage availability, accept requests, and monitor interactions.

Additionally, its QR-based lead capture system enables exhibitors and attendees to scan digital badges and save contact information for future follow-up.

Other features include exhibitor discovery tools with organized search and filtering, sophisticated navigation help throughout Bharat Mandapam with floor plans and booth location services, and live event schedules and information sessions.

Bharat Tex 2026, which is supported by the Ministry of Textiles and is inspired by the Prime Minister’s 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign—aims to establish India as a global hub for textile sourcing and investment.

It is organized by the Bharat Tex Trade Federation in collaboration with 11 textile export promotion councils and industry organizations.

The event, which is anticipated to showcase India’s whole textile value chain, will take place in the national capital between July 14 and 17 and is expected to bring in over 7,000 foreign buyers and more than 1,30,000 trade visitors, according to the government.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the significance of improving connection, particularly via significant projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which was established during the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, in light of Italy and India’s strategic geographic location across the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific, respectively.

Meloni stated during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “We are two peninsulas, two platforms… ” I’ll just mention platforms, which are planned for key locations around the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific. In our opinion, it is essential to improve the relationship between these two vital sectors.

Meloni stated that this is why we sought to further develop IMEC, the infrastructure corridor that connects Europe, the Middle East, and India economically, which was created during the G20 summit.

Since we think it has the potential to unleash a fantastic potential for our trade, our enterprises, and our relationships, it is an initiative that we fully support. Italy and India have a common perspective on several of the major issues facing the world today, including international stability, the preservation of rules, economic security, the resilience of value chains, the promotion of peace, and inclusive development, she said.

Additionally, she stated that the two leaders discussed important global security issues such the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, demonstrating a common awareness of the necessity of ongoing negotiations to promote peace and stability in areas that have been impacted by conflict.

“And we went over many of the challenging situations we face. We discussed Ukraine; we discussed our dedication to achieving a just and enduring peace. We shared our opinions about the Iranian crisis with the common desire that the peace talks would proceed and come to a successful conclusion within a framework that we understand to be both extremely important and precarious. Meloni said that Italy will continue to play the role in both scenarios because we are becoming more and more connected.

She emphasized the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation, highlighting that Italy and India will continue to work together to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. She also noted that both countries share the common vision of a free, inclusive, and open Indo-Pacific.

During their bilateral discussion in Rome on Wednesday, the two leaders also decided to raise India-Italy relations to a unique strategic alliance.

“The two leaders examined the progress in implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 and decided to strengthen and enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in fields like commerce, investment, technology, defense, the blue economy, connectivity, education, and interpersonal interactions, among others. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “They talked about geopolitical events and agreed to collaborate on global challenges of mutual concern. “

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by four wickets in match 65 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, thanks to the outstanding performances of Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell under pressure, which maintained their chances of making it to the playoffs.

Powell’s daring batting in the middle overs and Pandey’s steady 45 off 33 balls helped KKR cross the finish line after a few tense moments while attempting to reach a target of 148 on a difficult two-paced surface.

Despite an early setback, KKR began their innings with a strong attack. Finn Allen, the impact replacement who took Varun Chakravarthy’s spot due to injury, smashed two beautiful square-driven boundaries off Deepak Chahar before pulling the final delivery of the opening over into his stumps. After one over, KKR was 10/1.

Then, demonstrating the challenging batting circumstances, Jasprit Bumrah bowled a superb second over in which Ajinkya Rahane and Pandey collectively faced just two balls.

But as KKR picked up speed, Rahane was able to regain his rhythm. In an uncommonly costly fourth over, Rahane and Pandey each struck boundaries, bringing KKR to 31/1 after four overs.

In the last over of the Power-play, when Corbin Bosch bowled out Rahane for 21 off 17 balls, the Mumbai Indians momentarily retaliated. Bosch expertly changed his length to induce an outside edge, catching Rahane off guard, after giving up nine runs in the first three pitches. At the conclusion of the Power-play, KKR was at 48/2.

In the eighth over, the hosts suffered another blow when Cameron Green only managed four runs in eight balls after mishitting a bad delivery from Allah Ghazanfar down the leg side directly to a fielder. Mumbai saw a chance at 54/3.

Powell, though, changed the game with a string of strong strikes, while Pandey skillfully steadied the innings. During the 10th over, Powell nearly got out when Deepak Chahar allowed a top-edged hook shot to pass through for Robin Minz at fine leg, but the opportunity was lost in the mayhem.

In the interim, Pandey maintained the innings’ momentum by punishing poor deliveries and switching the strike. After 49 balls of their encounters, Bumrah eventually caught him for the first time in T20 cricket when he was 45 years old. With the 15-over-old ball, Bumrah delivered an amazing offcutter that cut back severely between the bat and pad.

Earlier in the day, the KKR bowlers laid the foundation for the victory by holding the Mumbai Indians to a respectable 147/8 in 20 overs.

On a difficult surface, Mumbai’s top-order batter was taken apart by Cameron Green and Saurabh Dubey. Green first removed Naman Dhir for a three-ball duck, then took an amazing over-the-shoulder catch to send Rohit Sharma out for 15.

Mumbai lost four wickets after six overs, dropping to 46/4, as Dubey also hit twice during the Power-play, including the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav for 15.

The KKR spin combo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy increased their dominance over the game after a rain delay at 57/4 in eight overs. Despite suffering a hairline break in his foot, Varun gave a strong performance, recording 4-0-28-0, while Narine’s 4-1-13-1 performance, which included dismissing Hardik Pandya for 26 runs, was outstanding.

Tilak Varma had trouble with his rhythm, as he only managed to score 20 runs off 32 deliveries before Kartik Tyagi forced his dismissal with a bouncer. A mix-up with Bosch resulted in Will Jacks being dismissed for 13.

With Bosch hitting consecutive sixes in the last overs and Chahar hitting late, Mumbai was able to recover somewhat, with MI scoring 52 runs in the last four overs for a total of 147/8. The final sum, however, turned out to be insufficient.

Even after Pandey’s dismissal, Powell (40) kept up the onslaught, smashing Ghazanfar for a massive six over long-on. However, just as KKR’s victory seemed assured, Bosch once again excelled in the field, diving to his right at backwards point to grab an amazing catch and get rid of Powell.

Despite losing wickets late in the game, KKR crossed the finish line with four wickets in hand as Rinku Singh scored the winning runs with a boundary over long-on, maintaining their chances of making the playoffs.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 147/8 in 20 overs (Corbin Bosch 32 not out, Hardik Pandya 26; Cameron Green 2-23, Saurabh Debey 2-34)
Kolkata Knight Riders 148/6 in 18.5 overs (Manish Pandey 45, Rovman Powell 40; Corbin Bosch 3-40)

According to an report in The Korea Times, Lee Jae Myung, the president of South Korea, recently visited India and fostered closer economic ties between the two nations, but Seoul has to take advantage of the chance to forge a larger strategic alliance with India, which would aid in addressing its severe vulnerabilities in maritime security, supply chains, and technological resilience.

For its part, India considers South Korea to be a key provider of investment, cutting-edge technology, and industrial know-how in the areas of defense, semiconductors, steel, and shipbuilding. Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, summed up this complementarity nicely when he said that “from chips to ships, from talent to technology, and from environment to energy… ” According to the article, Korea plays a key role in India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ goal of transforming into a developed industrial country by 2047.

The article emphasizes how South Korea relies significantly on susceptible maritime routes for its imports and exports, as demonstrated by the supply chain disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz‘s closure. Similar disruptions might occur in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea as a result of escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

With substantial resources in the Indian Ocean, India has the capacity to assist Seoul in overcoming these obstacles.

Thus, a forward-thinking alliance should include defense, maritime security, and important technologies as well as business. Over the years, South Korea has modified the criteria for aircraft carriers in line with its goal of developing an indigenous aircraft carrier capability.

In contrast, the paper notes that India has had aircraft carriers in operation since independence, and it currently has two, one of which was constructed in the country.

It highlights the Indian Navy’s extensive expertise in managing carrier combat groups and related activities, which might help speed up timetables, lower costs, and improve Seoul’s maritime capability to safeguard crucial sea lanes of communication.

Space presents a similar chance in this regard. India is a desirable partner for South Korea because of its demonstrated expertise in satellite launch vehicles, its native navigation system, and space-grade semiconductors.

President Lee’s trip to India has created a positive opportunity. Seoul must now have more ambitious strategic imaginations that extend far beyond trade goals.

The essay notes that a multifaceted collaboration with India, including joint naval exercises, co-development of technology, and coordinated strategies for maritime domain awareness, would not only lessen South Korea’s vulnerabilities in an unpredictable world but also establish both democracies as cornerstones of stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

As part of a massive reorganization effort to speed up its transition to artificial intelligence (AI), Meta Platforms, according to several reports, began laying off about 8,000 workers on Wednesday.

The Facebook-parent business began issuing layoff warnings in stages, with the layoffs and role shifts anticipated to impact about 10% of its workforce worldwide.

According to sources, an internal paper that was part of the reorganization exercise revealed Meta’s intention to shift about 7,000 employees into new AI-related positions.

Meta‘s HR Head, Janelle Gale, said in a message to staff that several teams were being restructured around AI-native ideas in order to create flatter hierarchies and smaller groups that could operate more quickly and with more ownership.

“Many of the org leaders integrated AI native design concepts into their new org structures as they worked on the changes,” Gale stated.

According to reports, Meta also required its North American workers to work from home on the day the layoffs went into effect, which is what the business has done in the past when announcing job cuts.

The reorganization coincides with a large rise in Meta’s expenditure on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Furthermore, the tech business has predicted that its capital expenditures for 2026 will range from $125 billion to $145 billion, with the majority going towards AI data centers, bespoke chips, and model training.

The data gathered, according to reports, was only intended to enhance AI systems and not for surveillance, CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly informed employees.

Several reports earlier this month had indicated that Meta will start laying off about 10% of its global workforce starting Wednesday, while also growing its AI projects as part of a wider restructuring effort to improve efficiency.

PepsiCo India, a major food and beverage company, will have invested up to Rs 5,700 crore in India by 2030 to increase the production capacity of its foods division, according to a top company executive.

The majority of the proposed investment, according to Jagrut Kotecha, CEO of PepsiCo India and South Asia, will go into three production plants located in Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

According to Kotecha, we have made investments of about Rs 5,700 crore between 2025 and 2030. He said that the majority of the investment will be used for a concentrates facility in Madhya Pradesh, as well as snack factories in Tamil Nadu and Assam.

“Some of this is going live in the next few months, like the concentrates plant in Madhya Pradesh and the Northeast plant in Assam,” he stated.

He also stated that the company would be able to increase its presence in the snack industry across South India as a result of a recent land acquisition in Tamil Nadu.

Kotecha says that India continues to be a significant growth market for PepsiCo due to rising incomes and a secure investment climate.

He mentioned that we have seen robust double-digit growth for the second year running on the growth front.

According to PepsiCo India and South Asia CFO Savitha Balachandran, the company’s foods business experienced strong expansion of about 11% in 2025, while the drinks industry faced headwinds due to weather-related softness and growing competition.

Nevertheless, she claimed that both areas had a solid performance and that the company had entered 2026 with a robust balance sheet and continuous momentum, including more than Rs 1,600 crore in cash.

The business stated that investment will continue to be a primary focus area, along with fiscal discipline to support long-term expansion.

India has become a world leader in the adoption of artificial intelligence, with 41% of workers utilizing AI almost daily, according to a report published on Tuesday.

According to an ADP Research report, India has the greatest rate of AI usage among workers in all markets examined, with almost 80% of them utilizing it at least twice a week.

Compared to the rest of the world, where just half of the workforce utilizes AI on a weekly basis, Indian use is considerably greater. In terms of daily AI usage, India was followed by Nigeria (39%) and Vietnam (36%).

However, the data also showed an increasing divide between the use of artificial intelligence and perceived productivity.

Thirty percent of daily AI users said they were completely engaged, but compared to non-users, they were four times more likely to feel less productive.

The report stated that as AI assumed mundane jobs, workers found it more difficult to measure and assess their contributions.

Although India is one of the top countries in the adoption of AI in the workplace, increased productivity is not simply assured by widespread adoption. According to Rahul Goyal, managing director of ADP India and Southeast Asia, “Many employees have a silent worry about the future of their careers, and whether AI is making their contribution harder to measure. ”

“In the end,” he said, “the organizations that succeed will be those that invest in making their people more adaptable, not just more efficient. ”

Daily usage of AI is also associated with increased engagement and decreased stress, with 23% of non-users and only 11% of AI users reporting mental stress.

Frequent users also felt their jobs were less at risk of being abolished than less frequent users, suggesting a significant correlation between consistent AI usage and job security.

Indian women are utilizing AI at a higher rate than males, with 44% of women using it almost daily in their jobs as opposed to 40%.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 in Jaipur, Rajasthan Royals (RR) successfully chased down the 221-run target set by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday, thanks to opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 93 and a cool but explosive 53 not out from Dhruv Jurel, with five balls remaining.

As RR’s batters broke apart LSG’s attack in a game that alternated between raw power and measured calm, they climbed to fourth place in the points standings, maintained their playoff hopes, and made sure there were no late stumbles.

RR started aggressively in pursuit of 221. In a 23-run opening over that established the tone for a powerplay that was controlled by the home team, Yashasvi Jaiswal immediately set the tone by carving and pulling Akash Singh for a series of boundaries.

With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was playing another brave innings, joining the assault with clean hitting over cover and mid-wicket, as RR sped to 84/1 in the first eight overs, the pace introduction merely stoked the aggression.

When Jaiswal edged Akash Maharaj Singh to Rishabh Pant for 43 off 23 balls, the harm had already been done. Despite a cautious beginning, Sooryavanshi ruled the middle overs, scoring another quick fifty in a season already notable for record-breaking strike rates. With 10 sixes in his 93 off 38 balls, RR was momentarily in command before Mohsin Khan brought him down against the flow of the game.

With remarkable composure, Jurel anchored the chase even as LSG tried to make up lost ground with disciplined spells from Digvesh Singh Rathi and Mohsin. He skillfully changed strikes, penalized poor pitches, and made sure that the necessary rate never got out of hand. After a few hiccups, RR stabilized thanks to his collaboration with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and later Donovan Ferreira.

But the game was anything but simple. The chase was made tense by a dramatic 16th over that saw Pretorius get run out sharply, while Sooryavanshi missed a century by a whisker and LSG hit at key times.

But RR remained calm and deep. Jurel assumed command and led RR through the closing stanza with controlled aggression as 33 were needed from the previous five overs. Before laying the groundwork for a calm conclusion, Ferreira gave a little but essential hand.

In the 19th over, the game-changing moment occurred. Donovan Ferreira exited the field and bowled a beautiful, commanding six over long-off to Shahbaz Ahmed to finish the chase in style, as RR only needed two runs from the last delivery.

Inconsistency hampered the bowling performance of LSG, with Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav exhibiting signs of talent but struggling to maintain control. Despite the opposition from Digvesh Singh Rathi and Mohsin Khan (1/24), the sum was insufficient to fend off RR’s relentless top order.

Words are inadequate; it’s difficult to describe. This young prodigy’s skill is beyond their ability to describe. At the very least, some of those shots were amazing. Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar said that it was remarkable to consistently hit over the cover boundary, regardless of pace, spin, or when the ball was dug in short.

Justin Langer, the head coach of the LSG, exclaimed, “My gosh, he’s so young. ” It’s a genuine pleasure to see him bat because he’s such an amazing talent. Throughout the entire season, we’ve seen it. He’s the top run scorer. I’ve seen some incredible players during my 35 years of cricket. It’s amazing to witness such behavior from a young man, not just tonight, but throughout the whole series.

Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants 220/5 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 96, Josh Inglis 60; Yash Raj Punja 2-35, Jofra Archer 1-39)
Rajasthan Royals 225/3 in 19.1 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 93, Dhruv Jurel 53, Yashasvi Jaiswal 43; Mohsin Khan 1-31)

The BrahMos missile is a representation of India’s expanding military prowess as the nation makes strides toward becoming a major exporter of weapons.

According to a report released on Monday, India’s “Defence Atmanirbharta” is being strengthened by its growing knowledge of missile production and its greater outreach, notably in the Global South, which is simultaneously improving the country’s standing in the world.

As India aims to establish itself as a major player in the world and increase its diplomatic clout and international alliances, defense exports have become a crucial instrument of its foreign policy, according to a story in India Narrative.

The Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, is optimistic that by 2030, India’s defense exports will be worth 50,000 crore rupees. India wants to increase its influence in areas that are consistent with its strategic and geopolitical interests as its defense market grows, with the Global South playing a more significant role in its strategic perspective.

The article highlighted the growing importance of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile exports as a driver of this trend. Over time, India’s ties with Southeast Asia have evolved, and with the region now viewed as New Delhi’s newest defense market, this relationship has taken on a new dimension.

The BrahMos missile is the primary focus of this defense trade. Because of its speed, precision strike capability, and adaptability, this supersonic cruise missile, which was jointly produced with Russia, has generated interest.

This makes it a potent weapon for land, sea, air, and submarine-based assaults. The missile is capable of hitting targets more than 400 kilometers away and may be launched from land, sea, or airborne platforms, with speeds ranging from Mach 2. 8 to Mach 3, which is much quicker than many traditional cruise missiles utilized by naval forces worldwide, according to the report.

It emphasized the increasing popularity of the missiles as the littoral states of the South China Sea, such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, intensified their efforts to strengthen their deterrent capabilities.

The report highlighted China’s aggressive maritime stance in asserting its territorial claims over the South China Sea, where it overlaps with those of other coastal countries, noting that the policy aims to counter such actions.

It also noted that bolstering anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities continues to be one of the most important strategies for improving defensive capabilities in the area.

The decision by Indonesia to purchase the BrahMos missile from India may prove to be one of the most significant coastal defense purchases in Southeast Asia, as the country is about to make its own A2/AD breakthrough.

As a coastline of the South China Sea, Vietnam is another possible buyer of India’s BrahMos missile.

During President To Lam of Vietnam’s trip to India from May 5–7 of this year, India and Vietnam talked about the BrahMos agreement. The report stated that it is a component of the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

“The Philippines became India’s first customer of the missile when it received the first batch of the BrahMos missiles in 2024, while India delivered the second batch of the missile in April 2025,” it stated.

To promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is now on a two-nation trip to Vietnam and South Korea to discuss deepening strategic military ties, defence industrial partnerships, and maritime security cooperation.

In a statement on X, Singh stated that he would concentrate on fostering stronger defense industrial alliances, enhancing strategic military cooperation, improving maritime cooperation, and fostering peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific area.

According to a study published on Monday, women users are the most powerful drivers of digital interaction in metropolitan India, spending more time than men in sectors like entertainment, messaging, and e-commerce or quick commerce.

With the largest discrepancies evident in commercial platforms, the joint study conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and the VTION consumer behavior analytics platform revealed that women spent more time than men in the majority of categories.

It was emphasized that the average amount of time that women spend on entertainment-related material is 82. 4 minutes each day.

With 86. 3 minutes of daily use, women between the ages of 25 and 34 had the highest consumption in this group.

The 25–34-year-old urban female group in megacities spent an average of 35. 2 minutes each day on e-commerce and quick commerce, whereas urban male users spent 24. 8 minutes, indicating a 42% increase in engagement.

As a new daily digital habit in urban India, AI apps are being adopted at a fast rate, with the category experiencing growth of more than 100% between April 2025 and March 2026. Urban users spent an average of 11. 3 minutes each day using AI applications.

Currently, AI applications are used mostly by people in the 18–34 age range and by wealthier urban families.

The report stated that conversational AI is becoming more and more popular as a way for consumers to learn about brands and products online, with users relying on AI tools before visiting traditional search or e-commerce sites.

Social media is driven by young, mass-market urban India, with an average daily usage of 120 minutes compared to the total category of 97. 9 minutes.

The entertainment industry was dominated by urban consumers over the age of 35, who spent 77 to 78 minutes each day taking in its products.

With urban users spanning higher, middle, and lower income urban household categories, payment app use trends remain fairly constant across income groups.

Data from over 100,000 agreed smartphones, representing more than 407 million urban Indians, was examined in the report.