As spiritual tourism rises, hotels and resorts queue up to pay obeisance with properties, aartis, meditation, and more Second-generation entrepreneur Tarun Gulati has never been more excited about being in the hospitality business. His family-run 30-year-old hotel, Ganga Kinare, in Rishikesh, organises morning and evening aartis at its private ghat for the guests, who can also meditate inside centuries-old caves..... More https://bit.ly/3KbO3DK Via business-standard.com

PM wants to ensure robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, says Ajay Piramal; several other business leaders laud Modi’s comments Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forceful defence of entrepreneurs and wealth creators in his mega exclusive interview with the India Today Group has spurred business leaders across the spectrum, who showered fulsome praise on the Prime Minister for backing those creating wealth and employment in the country....

Before announcing its Q4 results, the company said it has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Delhivery Robotics Pvt Ltd, to conduct research and development in drone technology and manufacturing. Logistics firm Delhivery reported a rise in fourth-quarter revenue on Friday as it clocked strong volumes in segments such as part truckload (PTL) freight, and truckload services.

In the present geopolitical situation, the cargo through Chabahar is likely to be consistent with a growing trend in the future, said the Minister Escalating geo-political tensions in West Asian region are unlikely to impact Indian operations at Chabahar port in Iran. Rather, in the current geo-political situation, the cargo throughput is likely to be consistent, “with a growing trend in future”, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterway, Sarbananda Sonowal told businessline....

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently credited Pune boy Prafulla Dhariwal for creation of ChatGPT 4o, a new AI model that has become talk of the town since its launch. He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “GPT-4o would not have happened without the vision, talent, conviction, and determination of Prafulla Dhariwal over a long period of time. That (along with the work of many others) led to what I hope will turn out to be a revolution in how we use computers”.....

TCI is looking to expand its overseas operations in the Middle East and add Sri Lanka to its operational map later this year or early next year Logistics and supply chain management company Transport Corporation of India (TCI) plans to acquire two cargo ships worth $35-40 million in the current fiscal to bolster its seaways business.....

Zoho’s co-founder Sridhar Vembu had hinted at creating a semiconductor venture in March Looks like Sridhar Vembu, co-founder and CEO of the Chennai/US based Zoho, is all set to enter the chip making business, with an investment plan of around $700 million (as quoted by Reuters). The company declined to comment on the development, but, an official said it could be a cue from what Vembu had mentioned in Marchx, about his interests in semiconductors.....

Country's 6 leading airports see near doubling of foreign transit traffic in a year Major Indian airports are increasingly becoming global connecting hubs, with international transit traffic for Indian carriers nearly doubling over the past year.  The number of international passengers on Indian carriers passing through six major Indian airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad — to reach their final destinations increased by 97.09 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to…

The IPO of Awfis Space Solutions includes a fresh share sale of Rs 128 crore and an offer-for-sale of up to 1,22,95,699 equity shares amounting to Rs 490.72 crore. The initial public offering (IPO) of Awfis Space Solutions will open for bidding on Wednesday, May 22. Price band for the issue has been fixed at 364-383 apiece and bids can be made for a minimum of 39 equity shares and its multiples thereafter. The three-day bidding for the issue closes on Monday, May 27 as the Indian stock markets o…

Pichai said Google is committed to bringing AI tools to India in line with global markets, emphasizing that the future of AI will require more involvement from social scientists and philosophers India's potential to shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) is significant, with the country “well positioned" to influence global AI development, said Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google and Alphabet, at a roundtable during Google’s annual conference, Google I/O.....

The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (“Aramco” or “the Company”) today announced the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading American companies to advance the development of potential lower-carbon energy solutions. The MoUs were signed yesterday in the presence of Minister of Energy for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al Saud, and US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm.  The MoUs signed by Aramco include:AerosealFollowing a successful tr…

British Airways has announced it will resume flights to Jeddah later this year, ending a five-year hiatus. The announcement was made during the GREAT FUTURES expo in Riyadh, a premier event aimed at fostering business ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia. Tickets are now available for the service, which commences on November 4, 2024. The flights will operate year-round from London Heathrow to Jeddah, using the Boeing 787 fleet. This route, operating four times a week, will complement the existin…

- The UAE Chairmanship of the UN-mandated Kimberley Process concluded its Intersessional Meeting in Dubai on Friday, 17 May, including historic Special Plenary - Progress was made in key areas that will have bearings on the global trade in natural diamonds - The Intersessional gathered hundreds of representatives of diamond industry, global governments, and civil society ahead of the full Plenary meeting in November The UN-mandated Kimberley Process (“KP”) Intersessional and historic special…

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) offers investment opportunities for school bus operators by permitting the display of advertisements and promotional campaigns of Dubai’s business community on school buses.  “This initiative provides an additional revenue stream for school transport operators by utilising advertising spaces inside and outside school buses. However, these advertisements must adhere to stringent standards and requirements to ensure they promote products and offer…

With this influx of funds, Keyper is set to further digitize the UAE's rental ecosystem, while also allocating some amount towards innovating its rent-now-pay-later solution. Keyper, a UAE-based rent-now-pay-later (RNPL) platform, has raised US$4 million in a pre-series A equity round led by BECO Capital, a UAE-headquartered early-stage venture capital (VC) firm, and Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), a Middle East-focused VC firm that invests in early and growth stage tech startups....

Moody’s Ratings (Moody’s) has today affirmed the Government of Kuwait’s long-term local and foreign currency issuer ratings at A1. The outlook remains stable. The rating affirmation reflects Moody’s assessment that Kuwait’s balance sheet and fiscal buffers will remain extremely strong for the foreseeable future and preserve macroeconomic and external stability....

The Kingdom’s seaport activities and logistics sector are set to improve, with the Saudi Ports Authority issuing new licenses in multiple areas of operation.  In a press statement, the authority, also known as Mawani, said that issuing these permits aligns with its goal of developing port business in the Kingdom with high efficiency and quality.....

The Net-Zero Producers Forum has concluded its second Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh, bringing together ministers from the six participating countries: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, the US, Norway, and Canada, representing three continents.The discussion centered on the crucial topic of net-zero and climate plans, aiming to accelerate just energy transitions and help achieve net-zero emissions while supporting sustainable development and energy security. Ministers welcomed the outcomes of the 28th UN…

Emirates has announced expanding its operations in Vietnam by adding a second daily flight between Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City starting from 15 January 2025. Originally planned for 1 February 2025, this additional flight is strategically timed to meet the surge in demand around the Lunar New Year festival, which falls on 29 January 2025. The new service demonstrates Emirates' commitment to the Vietnamese market as it gears up to serve the growing interest for international travel to/ from the ci…

“We are continuing to step up our efforts to attract international companies and investors to the emirate, while advancing the expansion of local companies into promising global markets.” “The chamber’s growing network of 31 international representative offices plays a central role in promoting Dubai as an ideal city for global talent, high-net-worth individuals, and companies of all sizes across diverse sectors.” Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem - Dubai International Chamber achieved 60% YoY …

The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee to advance the development of Thailand's first Circular Industrial Estate. This initiative aligns with sustainable and environmentally friendly development principles. The collaboration focuses on efficient resource utilization, promoting recycling, and minimizing waste to achieve sustainability.  Veeris Ammarapala, Governor of IEAT, stated that t…

With an impressive growth rate of 5.66% in the first quarter of 2024 amidst global economic challenges, Vietnam’s economy received positive assessments from international experts, becoming one of the most attractive investment destinations in the region. Vietnam is an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) amid global economic fluctuations and increasing political instability, Paulo Medas, head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team to Vietnam, said in an interview w…

Increased trade and financial cooperation envisaged under 'strategic partnership’ between Phnom Penh and Seoul. Cambodia will consider setting up a special economic zone (SEZ) for South Korean investors with a focus on small and medium-sized companies and high-tech industries....

Traveloka, the leading travel platform in Southeast Asia, has announced a strategic partnership with Filipino low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) to attract more foreign tourists to visit the Philippines by implementing an application programming interface that will allow inbound travellers to explore CEB flights through the travel app. Aligned with Traveloka’s commitment to helping the tourism industry in Southeast Asia recover from the pandemic, this initiative is expected to positively cont…

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has issued a safety alert due to a surge in bird strikes at Malaysia's airports, prompting aerodrome managers to enhance awareness of this hazard.  Chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud said CAAM had ecorded a total of 66 bird strike reports at various airports nationwide in the first quarter of 2024.....

Two-thirds of the built-up space in Punggol Digital District (PDD) has been pre-committed, noted business park developer JTC Corporation. The incoming tenants largely hail from four sectors: cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, fintech, and smart living.....

Emirates has announced expanding its operations in Vietnam by adding a second daily flight between Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City starting from 15 January 2025. Originally planned for 1 February 2025, this additional flight is strategically timed to meet the surge in demand around the Lunar New Year festival, which falls on 29 January 2025. The new service demonstrates Emirates' commitment to the Vietnamese market as it gears up to serve the growing interest for international travel to/ from the ci…

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is looking to enter into a lease agreement with a European operator to boost its fleet in the heat of supply chain disruptions that are causing delays in aircraft deliveries. The STAR learned from industry sources that PAL is eyeing a wet lease arrangement with a reputable carrier from Europe to prepare its fleet for the expected demand bump starting July.....

GLOBAL leading provider of information and communication technology solutions ZTE Corporation announced the success of the "Unfolding the Intelligent Future 2024" event, which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur on May 13. The event, which has been held annually over the last decade, was graced by the presence of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). It featured a comprehensive showcase of ZTE’s cutting-edge innovations in 5G technology.....

About 20 names have been touted as potential candidates for Jakarta governor in November’s local elections. The city will no longer be Indonesia’s capital, so why is the role still so prized? Heavyweights in the mix include former presidential candidate and Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok, several current ministers including finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and rising political star and former West Java governor Ridwan Kamil....…