India loses an estimated 4. 3% of its GDP each year—or around Rs 14. 1 trillion—due to corrosion, and implementing improved corrosion management practices may raise GDP by roughly 1. 5%, or Rs 5 trillion.

According to the Nomura Research Institute (NRI), the risks of corrosion have increased due to rapid infrastructure development, urbanization, and industrial growth.

It has increased maintenance expenses and decreased the lifespan of assets in every industry, with infrastructure, transportation, electricity, and telecommunications being the most impacted.

The business said that corrosion caused an average loss of 3. 4% of GDP worldwide.

The corporation suggested shifting the focus of public infrastructure tender bids to life cycle cost analysis rather than focusing solely on upfront construction costs.

It advocated strengthening Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations to comply with international durability standards and include exposure-based durability criteria.

It proposed implementing modern testing methods, upgrading maintenance and inspection procedures for assets with extended lifespans, and incorporating corrosion-resistant materials in sectors that are vulnerable to severe environmental factors, such as infrastructure for renewable energy.

Another important proposal was to mandate increased corrosion protection for steel-intensive industries like transportation, telecommunications, and public infrastructure.

India should prioritise asset endurance as it increases spending in roads, railroads, housing, and renewable energy, the report said, adding that corrosion is a policy and economic problem, not just an engineering one.

The power generation and transmission industry was identified as having the greatest corrosion intensity, with estimated losses of 10. 1% of sectoral GDP.

The report recommended long-term protection systems in addition to periodic repainting, and yearly corrosion-related losses in railways were estimated at $3 billion.

The telecom industry experiences significant corrosion intensity due to its over 8. 13 lakh telecom towers that support 2. 948 million base transceiver stations in India.

Additionally, the study stated that engineering standards and maintenance procedures must advance in tandem with India’s growing infrastructure base.

Google, a US-based technology giant, named 20 AI-powered firms from a variety of industries, including education, healthcare, gaming, agriculture, finance, e-commerce, productivity, lifestyle, and entertainment, as members of its 2026 Play Accelerator India cohort.

The three-month, equity-free program will provide participating startups with hands-on support in AI integration, app quality, security, growth, and monetization.

According to the technology giant, the project helps Indian app developers create reliable, scalable, and globally relevant products by integrating Google Play’s product expertise with the larger Google technology ecosystem.

It further stated that the selected startups are leveraging AI to tackle a variety of issues, such as expanding access to healthcare, aiding farmers, tailoring exam preparation, elevating sports coaching, assisting small businesses in getting paid quicker, and developing fresh gaming and entertainment experiences.

With artificial intelligence at its core, India’s next generation of app innovation is being created. Aditya Swamy, Managing Director of Google Play Partnerships, stated, “We want to help entrepreneurs through Google Play Accelerator India during the whole journey, from product quality and AI integration to growth, security, monetization, and worldwide scale. ”

The program aims to give app and game firms with high potential practical support at a crucial point in their growth, according to Paul Ravindranath, Google’s Regional Lead for Developer and Startup Programs.

He stated that we would collaborate closely with these founders over the next three months on product quality, responsible AI integration, security, growth, and monetisation, assisting them in enhancing their apps for users in India and worldwide markets.

Twenty-six startups have been selected for the 2026 cohort: Zave AI, Urban Pro, Swipe, Regain, Plutus Labs, MrMed, MindYourLogic Studios, MetaShot, Machaxi, LUZO, Lingopanda, Kisanwala, HeyDoc AI, Grape, GAPE Labs, Frontier Markets, Dalvoy, Chennai Games, Chaupal and Zet.

The initiative aims to aid businesses in enhancing product quality, reinforcing security protocols, broadening user reach, and exploring international markets by harnessing AI-driven innovation, according to Google.

Google Play Accelerator India aims to assist deserving Indian gaming and app companies through coaching and instruction in monetization, growth tactics, product creation, and AI integration.

President Droupadi Murmu praised the Indian team on Monday for their superb performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, especially women athletes, noting that women won eight of the 13 gold medals.

India placed fourth in the medal standings and concluded their run at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with a total of 39 medals, consisting of 13 gold, 17 silver, and nine bronze.

I am pleased that Indian athletes performed admirably at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The President wrote that he is particularly pleased to state that India’s 13 gold medals include eight brought by women.

President Murmu also offered her congratulations to all 39 medalists and every member of the squad who helped the nation succeed on the international stage.

I extend my sincerest congratulations to each of the 39 medallists and to every member of the delegation who gave their all throughout the Games. “I am certain that India’s athletes will bring even more renown to the nation in forthcoming international competitions,” she said.

India took over as hosts for the centenary edition of the Games, which will be held in Ahmedabad in 2030, marking the official conclusion of the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow on Sunday.

India’s road to hosting the centennial edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030 officially started with the ceremonial transfer of the Games flag to Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

India will become just the second country after Australia to host the Commonwealth Games twice, making the 2030 version historically important since it will mark the 100th anniversary of the event.

Sanjay Kumar Kar, Professor of Management and former Head of the Department of Management Studies and former Dean of Faculty Affairs at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, stated that India’s E20 ethanol blending programme is a big step towards cleaner energy, energy security, and sustainable development, and is in line with global climate objectives.

Sanjay Kumar Kar stated that India’s biofuel policy was created via a planned and collaborative approach involving numerous stakeholders, rather than being introduced unexpectedly, when discussing the country’s Ethanol Blending Programme.

In my opinion, the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s leadership has made major progress in this intriguing sector. He added, “The ethanol blending program is the way forward. ”

“This program is well aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, if you look at their clean energy and clean fuel development projects. ” Kar stated that what he would call an outstanding accomplishment has resulted from the ambitious goals established by the 2018 National Policy on Biofuels and the subsequent revisions in 2022.

He asserted that long-term preparation, scientific progress, and ongoing policy support are all reflected in the advancement made in reaching the lofty E20 objective.

He said, “It has been a slow process to get to 20% ethanol blending, which has been aided by scientific advancements and sustained government policy incentives over the years. ”

Kar emphasized the importance of comprehending the program’s scientific foundations and wider advantages in response to worries and incorrect information regarding ethanol-blended gasoline.

I don’t really pay attention to the rumors, but from the community’s perspective, it’s crucial that we understand the science behind it and the benefits for all the stakeholders. Is that right? When you consider the advantages for stakeholders such as farmers, automobile owners, and the environment and climate, which are far greater than what we currently see, aren’t they?

He said, “So, from that angle, I believe that vehicle owners and the general public need to realize that it is a bigger objective than our personal goals. “

The majority of privacy breaches will come from AI-generated inferences about people by 2029 rather than from direct exposure of personally identifiable information (PII).

According to a Gartner, Inc. report, developments in generative AI and machine learning allow attackers to glean private information from data that appears to be innocuous, anonymized, or aggregated, including health problems or behavioral patterns.

Because regulatory and cost constraints are pushing companies to save less personal information, threat actors may now execute inference-based attacks using their access to AI.

Gartner Vice President Analyst Bart Willemsen stated, “There is a fundamental shift occurring from data exposure to insight exposure. ”

“Traditionally, groups have concentrated on safeguarding sensitive personal information, but AI can now recreate highly private knowledge without ever breaking conventional data controls. He continued, “Privacy concerns are more and more arising from what AI algorithms infer about people rather than what data is immediately exposed. ”

According to Willemsen, inference attacks are especially dangerous since they frequently avoid conventional detection measures. “Individuals may be subjected to privacy concerns via AI-generated findings rather than leaked records, which compromise data integrity and are difficult to identify, explain, and mitigate,” he stated.

According to the study, expenditures on data integrity protections will reach parity with investments in data confidentiality by 2028 as companies address the hazards posed by biased, inaccurate, or unauthorized AI-generated profiles.

Companies that continue to see privacy as just a data protection problem will be increasingly prone to privacy incidents brought on by AI-generated conclusions.

The business advised security professionals to incorporate AI governance into their privacy policies, utilize privacy-enhancing technologies like differential privacy and synthetic data, and reinforce data lifecycle and reduction controls.

It said that to lower the amount of information that might be utilized for inference-based assaults, data collecting should be restricted to necessary business needs and that data should be promptly deleted and access control strictly enforced.

Senior India batsman Ajinkya Rahane has declared his retirement from international cricket, capping off a career in which he played in 20 T20Is, 90 ODIs, and 85 Tests for India, as well as 212 IPL matches for six clubs.

Ajinkya Rahane, who last played for India in the 2023 away Test series against the West Indies, is well-known for guiding the team to a stunning Border Gavaskar Trophy series triumph in Australia in 2020–21.

He released a video on social media with the remark “Cap 278 signing off” to announce his resignation. I am grateful for all of your support over the years. I’ll never forget it.

The truth of existence is that everything has a beginning and an end. It’s just a matter of respecting it and continuing when the moment arrives. I have always relied on timing in my batting and have always understood its importance. I believe the time is ripe for me to move on and declare my retirement from international cricket and all forms today. Rahane, who played on the domestic circuit and led Mumbai until the 2024-25 season, said in a video, “From those early days, traveling from Dombivli as a young boy just to practice, I gave this game everything I had. ”

During the tour of England in 2011, Ajinkya Rahane played his first match for India, and he also has 2962 runs in ODIs. In 144 innings of his Test debut in 2013, he scored 5077 runs with 12 hundreds and 26 fifties.

Every day, every inning, every chance I had to bat, I always aspired to don the India cap. My one uncomplicated rule was to prioritize my nation and my squad above myself. I played this game with utmost integrity and always held the conviction that if one’s intention is pure, the game will always look out for them.

Since I started playing first-class cricket, Indian cricket has come a long way, and I’m very proud to have been involved in it for the past two decades, he continued.

“Although my chapter as an Indian cricketer is over, my adventure with the game is not,” he said. I’m eager to help the next generation, share the values I’ve learned from this sport, and give back to the game that has given me everything. From a young player in Mumbai to representing India, it has been a true privilege. Although there have been many successes and failures throughout the course of my career, the immense pleasure I have received from playing cricket, being a member of several teams, and making unforgettable memories has been my greatest fulfillment.

Since the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008, Rahane has been involved. Rajasthan Royals was Rahane’s team from 2011 until 2015. Rahane played for the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016 and 2017 while RR was outlawed.

Prior to joining Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022, Ajinkya Rahane was moved to Delhi Capitals in preparation for IPL 2020. When Chennai Super Kings, his sixth IPL franchise, won the trophy in IPL 2023, Rahane’s IPL career received a boost. Rahane also won his first IPL championship.

After Shreyas Iyer, who was kept on as KKR captain for IPL 2026, left, KKR purchased him once again for Rs 1. 5 crore for a second stint before IPL 2025 and made him the captain.

Despite the fact that Ajinkya means unbeatable, cricket has taught me how to lose several times. We fail more often than we succeed as cricketers. My team has lost games. I’ve made mistakes, but your hearts were the one place I was never conquered. I appreciate your trust, love, and support. He ended by saying, “This is Cap 278, signing out. “

India’s growth momentum is still on solid ground due to strong domestic demand, even with the global issues caused by the West Asia crisis.

According to the Finance Ministry’s July monthly economic review, industrial activity was more robust, with revised Index of Core Industries data showing a 5% year-on-year increase in June 2026, driven by cement, steel, iron ore, and electricity.

Among other things, it emphasized numerous policy and manufacturing activities conducted over the month, such as the new Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme, Semicon 2. 0, advances in shipbuilding and critical minerals, regulatory relief for manufacturers of Special Economic Zone (SEZ), and the debut of India’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered train.

According to the report, these programs are bolstering domestic production capabilities, increasing supply chain resistance, and reducing reliance on concentrated import sources in important sectors.

The report did, however, point out that some high-frequency indicators, such as e-way bill generation and the manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), displayed moderation, while the services sector expanded more quickly as a result of strong domestic and international demand.

The paper stated that India must constantly adapt to changing global concerns, along with internal reforms and cautious macroeconomic management, in order to maintain a strong growth trajectory and retain investor trust.

Implementing and acting on policy responses more quickly is essential to attracting foreign and domestic capital into the Indian economy. The last few years have been a period of battening down the hatches and hunkering down. The report indicated that the upcoming years would follow suit.

Additionally, it stressed that West Asia’s geopolitical conflicts have reappeared, raising worldwide energy costs and increasing unpredictability surrounding the worldwide inflation and growth prospects. Although the increase in crude oil prices has not reached the peak seen during the conflict’s early stages, the global economic situation is still clouded by renewed tensions.

The report cautions that higher global crude oil prices and increased West Asian tensions may jeopardize the fiscal deficit objective, which is scheduled at 4. 3% of GDP, and put strain on the current account balance.

The study indicates that global growth is expected to decline to 3. 0 percent in 2026 from 3. 2 percent in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund’s July 2026 World Economic Outlook update. It also emphasized that fresh Middle East conflict and difficulties to international trade are significant risks to the downside.

The producers of Krishnakumar Ramakumar‘s eagerly awaited period film “GDN,” starring actor Madhavan as the lead, on Wednesday unveiled the appearance of actor Teejay Arunasalam in the movie and disclosed that he portrayed the younger G D Naidu.

The picture, which depicts the life of G D Naidu, a well-known Indian inventor, agronomist, and humanitarian, is scheduled for release globally on August 7 of this year.

The producers published a poster of Teejay Arunasalam from the movie with the caption: Introducing Teejay Arunasalam as the young G. D. Naidu. A young dreamer. An inquisitive psyche. The beginning stages of an amazing adventure. From August 7th, G. D. N will be shown in cinemas.

Fans and film enthusiasts have high expectations after the trailer, which the producers released earlier this month, caused a stir.

At a special event hosted at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, the birthplace of the legendary inventor, the trailer was actually released.

The trailer launch event was attended by the whole cast and crew of the movie, as well as by the families of the outstanding inventor and philanthropist who was known as the Edison of India.

The released teaser begins with a guy declaring that G. D. Naidu was insane in his old age since he had blown up his own house. Then, the trailer shows an Englishman asking, “Who in the world is this fakir? ”

GD Naidu’s persona is then skillfully brought to life. He is making millions through his transport network UMS, and his opponents are envious of that. In addition, we know that he has founded a polytechnic engineering institution.

Jayaram appears in the teaser as Krishnan, a strong and very evil figure. Does he consider paying tax to be a bitter pill to swallow, despite the fact that GDN charges enormous fees?

The British understand that GDN is operating within the system and that his records are tidy. His rivals, though, are determined to ruin his fame and fortune by any means necessary. Vinay Rai’s persona is heard instructing an English official to stain the publications.

By accusing GDN of made-up charges, those in authority attempt to limit his expansion. Jayaram’s persona may be seen giving instructions to police to raid GDN’s facilities, alleging that they had received information that GDN had created equipment for manufacturing fake currency.

From the trailer, it is eventually revealed that GDN was an honest tax payer who consistently paid his taxes on time and only began to challenge the government after they started unjustly taxing him.

The British government then accuses GDN of treason in the trailer, claiming that he was working with the Nazis and that this was detrimental to the crown’s interests.

Krishnan’s character threatens GDN, saying that from then on, he won’t be able to get a single night of undisturbed sleep. GDN’s bravery is summarized by Aditi Balan’s character at the conclusion of the trailer.

According to her, the definition of courage itself will alter if the story of a hunt is written by the lion and does not include the hunter.

In addition to Madhavan, the film also stars Jayaram, Priyamani, Dushara Vijayan, Sathyaraj, Aditi Balan, Vijay Rai, and Teejay Arunasalam in important roles. Aravind Kamalanathan handles cinematography for the movie, and Govind Vasantha wrote the soundtrack.

India is in a prime position to benefit from the growing biopharma acquisition trend, which is being driven by a global genomics revolution and an impending $300 billion patent expiration wave.

According to the Vallum Capital report, India has more WHO-certified pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities than any other nation in the world, and for three decades, the approach has been consistent: science developed in the West, scaled and supplied by India.

Indian producers will have their best growth opportunities due to the massive wave of patent expirations, and the medications that are set to expire include biologics, gene treatments, and precision oncology drugs rather than small molecules.

The report stated that India is enhancing its capabilities in these areas with programs like the Biopharma Shakti scheme and the Genome India Project, which maps 10,000 genomes across 99 ethnic groupings.

The firm stated that India’s domestic genomics market is growing at over 16% annually and is working hard to prepare for this period.

Artificial intelligence is shortening the time it takes to find new drugs from ten years to less than 18 months, and machine learning and clinical genomic data are generating commercial income that supports faster development.

Companies in the genomics industry are now using clinical genomic data to accelerate target identification at a scale that no conventional research institution can match.

Using machine learning, certain platforms are conducting more than a million biological trials every week.

Biopharma M&A totaled $106 billion across 201 transactions in the first six months of 2026 alone, putting it on track for its best full year since before the pandemic.

Biotech IPOs in the first half of 2026 brought in more money than the whole industry did in all of 2025, a year in which just 11 companies made their global debut. In 2025, venture capital spent in biotech increased by 28% year over year, reaching $38 billion.

Amieyra Khoslla, a 15-year-old speed climbing prodigy from India, made history at the IFSC World Youth Climbing Championships 2026 in Arco, Italy, by setting a new Indian National Youth Record in speed climbing with a time of 7. 60 seconds, good enough for sixth place in the world.

She previously shattered her personal record in the qualifying round with a timing of 7. 74 seconds before topping it again in the finals with 7. 60 seconds, setting a new personal record twice in one competition.

Amieyra said of her accomplishment, “Representing India at the World Youth Climbing Championships has been one of the proudest moments of my life. Coming in sixth in the world and creating a new Indian National Youth Record is a fantasy. I’m confident I can compete with the world’s best after improving my personal best twice at the World Championships.

Her performance, one of the greatest ever by an Indian at the World Youth Championships, competes with the top young speed climbers in the world and marks another step forward for Indian sport climbing on the global stage.

Amieyra, Rudra Karandikar, Neil Warke, and Shlok Dadukar were among the Indian delegation members at the World Youth Climbing Championships.

Karandikar placed 44th with a time of 8. 47 seconds, Dadukar came in 27th with a time of 6. 76 seconds, and Warke finished 35th with a time of 7. 33 seconds in the championships.

“Amieyra has made genuinely world-class progress in only a few weeks,” stated Coach Albert Ok, a highly regarded Olympic speed climbing coach who has mentored international athletes and world record holders. Watching a 15-year-old athlete make such incredible progress and compete on a global scale is a tribute to her remarkable skill, drive, and resolve. More significantly, she might become a trendsetter and create the path for the future generation of Indian speed climbers. ”

According to her personal coach, Abhishek Mehta, “Watching her represent India at the World Youth Championships in Arco, Italy, and clock an outstanding 7. 60 seconds is a proud moment—not just because of the result, but because it reflects years of relentless hard work, trust, and commitment. ”

At the SGFI National School Games 2024, Amieyra placed second in the 100 meters, and at the Junior National Athletics Championships 2025, she placed fifth in the 60 meters with a time of 7. 76 seconds.

She has been the Delhi State Champion in the 60 meters for three years in a row (2024, 2025, and 2026), and she set a personal best in the 100 meters at the National School Games 2025 with a time of 12. 57 seconds.