Business

Instamart is expanding its Northeast India sourcing network, opening new consumer markets for distinctive regional fruits and vegetables while seeking to strengthen demand for farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). The initiative has started with premium Meghalaya pineapples, sourced through Jirang Organic Agro Farmer Producer Company and air-freighted to Bengaluru. The move gives growers access to markets beyond the Northeast and traditional wholesale markets in Delhi. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has recognised the initiative as a step towards strengthening market linkages for the state's farmers and showcasing Meghalaya's agricultural identity nationally. Instamart Chief Business Officer GautamSwaroop said the company's reach could help bring the Northeast's ...

Himalaya Wellness Company has set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title after 66,928 doctors and healthcare practitioners across India participated in its month-long sustainability initiative launched on Doctors’ Day, July 1. The participation exceeded the previous benchmark of 53,201. The record, under “The Largest Online Photo Album of People Holding a Sign”, saw healthcare professionals submit photographs displaying the message “United for Wellness, United for a Greener Tomorrow”. Each entry was reviewed and verified under GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ guidelines before the final count was confirmed. For Himalaya, the initiative also reinforces its broader sustainability positioning and long-term stakeholder engagement strategy. CFO and COO Jayashree Ullal said the achievement reflects t...

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is planning to manufacture rare-earth permanent magnets in India as the country seeks to build a domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on imports, particularly from China. People familiar with the matter said L&T is preparing a bid for the government’s ₹7,280-crore incentive programme aimed at boosting domestic production of rare-earth magnets. The company is expected to seek a technology partner with specialised expertise in the high-precision manufacturing process. The government programme has reportedly received 15 bids so far, including a consortium involving Japan’s Proterial and two Indian automakers. India aims to establish annual domestic production capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes through the seven-year programme, which includes ₹6,450...

GIGABYTE has launched its first Made in India gaming laptop, the GIGABYTE GAMING A16, as the global high-performance computing and gaming technology company expands its local manufacturing footprint. Manufactured in partnership with Dixon Technologies, the laptop is aimed at India’s growing base of gamers, creators, students and technology professionals. The Gaming A16 is powered by AMD Ryzen™ processors and is designed to deliver high-performance gaming alongside AI-ready computing capabilities. GIGABYTE said the locally manufactured laptop combines its global engineering and quality standards with Dixon’s manufacturing capabilities, helping strengthen supply-chain resilience and improve responsiveness to the Indian market. GIGABYTE Vice President–Global Sales Sinclair Hsiao, who v...

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is looking to significantly expand its presence in India’s defence sector, with defence electronics emerging as a key area of focus. The company plans to invest around ₹5,000 crore in electronics over the next five years as it seeks to strengthen its capabilities in advanced defence technologies. L&T has already established a presence across several strategic areas, including self-propelled artillery systems, naval close-in weapon systems and other national defence programmes. Radars are among its major growth priorities, following the company’s breakthrough in the segment with a ₹5,700-crore High-Power Radars (HPRs) contract awarded by the Indian Air Force in March 2024. The HPR programme marks a significant expansion of L&T’s role, with the company ...

Global Swedish beauty and wellbeing company Oriflame has launched its latest whitepaper, *Beyond Anti-ageing: How Longevity Science Is Changing Beauty*, outlining how advances in longevity science are expected to reshape the skincare industry by shifting the focus from combating visible signs of ageing to promoting lifelong skin health, resilience and wellbeing. The whitepaper comes at a time when the United Nations projects that the global population aged 80 years and above will triple by 2050, while many children born today are expected to live well into their 90s. Against this demographic backdrop, Oriflame said the beauty industry is increasingly focusing on improving healthspan alongside lifespan through science-led and preventive skincare solutions. The publication highlights ...

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has reported a notable improvement in operational efficiency after reducing its savings cost-to-premium ratio to 13.6 per cent in the first quarter of FY2027, a decline of 50 basis points year-on-year. The development reflects the insurer’s continued investments in technology, automation and digital infrastructure, positioning it for sustainable and profitable growth in the competitive life insurance market. The company said digital transformation initiatives have accelerated policy issuance, strengthened claims processing and improved customer servicing. During the quarter, around 58 per cent of policies were issued using digital Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, while nearly 54 per cent of savings policies were issued on the same day. AI-powered unde...

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has expanded its prepaid portfolio through an exclusive partnership with Spotify, launching three recharge plans that bundle Spotify Premium at no additional cost, a strategic move aimed at increasing customer retention and driving higher engagement in India's fast-growing digital entertainment economy. The new offerings include the Rs. 435 Non-Stop Hero prepaid plan with unlimited 4G/5G data, unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day, JioHotstar (Mobile) and Spotify Premium for 28 days. The Rs. 250 prepaid plan provides 2GB data, unlimited calls, 300 SMS and Spotify Premium, while the Rs. 230 add-on pack offers 30GB high-speed data along with Spotify Premium and access to over 20 OTT platforms, including JioHotstar, ZEE5, SonyLIV, FanCode and Lionsgate Play, all with 2...

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has introduced a new 10-year life cover option under its ICICI PruiProtect Smart Plus plan, aimed at customers seeking affordable protection against short-term financial commitments such as home loans, children's education expenses and business loans. The insurer said the new policy enables customers to opt for a higher life cover at a lower premium during periods when financial responsibilities are at their peak. The plan also offers complimentary health and wellness services worth up to ₹67,100, an instant claims payout of ₹3 lakh and a 100 per cent payout upon the diagnosis of a terminal illness. Announcing the launch, ManikandanRajamani, Chief of Distribution at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, said customer expectations around financial protection a...

Flipkart has officially announced its upcoming Freedom Sale, scheduled to kick off on August 8, 2026, with early access starting a day prior for Flipkart Plus members. Ahead of the shopping event, platform teasers have revealed aggressive price cuts and lucrative bank offers across Apple’s smartphone lineup. Among the most anticipated highlights, promotional indicators suggest that the base Apple iPhone 17 will be available for under Rs 80,000 when combining seasonal discounts and partner bank promotions. Meanwhile, buyers looking for more budget-friendly options can secure the popular iPhone 15 for well below Rs 60,000, with effective prices hovering around Rs 55,900 alongside exchange bonuses. The sale event will also feature major reductions on premium flagships, including the iPhon...