Business Bureau

Akasa Air’s onboard meal service, Café Akasa, has introduced its first Durga Puja Special Meal, bringing traditional Bengali flavours to passengers during the festive season. Available throughout October, the limited-edition meal features Radhaballabhis served with DhokarDalna, Baked Rasgullas and a beverage of choice. The meal can also be prebooked through Akasa Air’s website or mobile app. The airline said the initiative is part of its effort to reflect India’s diverse cultural traditions through curated onboard culinary offerings. Café Akasa has introduced limited-edition meals for occasions including MakarSankranti, Holi, Eid, Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas since Akasa Air began…

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50 per cent on Wednesday, while shifting its stance from “neutral” to “calibrated tightening”, signalling that further rate action could be on the table amid persistent inflation risks. The rate hike was in line with market expectations, while the change in stance emerged as the key surprise from the policy review. Reacting to the RBI’s decision, Upasna Bhardwaj, Chief Economist, Kotak Mahindra Bank, said, “The MPC delivered a 25bp rate hike in line with expectations, with a surprise shift in stance…

Myntra’s Big Fashion Festival, beginning October 8, is set to provide a fresh boost to India’s fashion and lifestyle consumption, with the platform bringing more than 8 million styles, 100-plus new launches and 21,000 emerging brands and labels to the festive market. The scale-up reflects growing opportunities for both established and emerging businesses, particularly as Myntra expects stronger demand from metro and non-metro markets. As many as 13,000 emerging brands will make their BFF debut, gaining access to Myntra’s 80 million-plus monthly active users through technology, business insights and its creator ecosystem. The assortment spans ethnic and western wear, beauty,…

ICICI Bank has brought back its annual ‘Festive Bonanza’, offering discounts and cashback across online shopping, mobile phones, electronics, travel, fashion, furniture and quick-commerce platforms as the festive season gathers pace. The bank said customers using its credit and debit cards, internet banking, cardless EMI and no-cost EMI options can access the offers. Its partnership with Flipkart will provide a 10% discount during the Big Billion Days sale beginning October 8. The bank is offering cashback of up to ₹7,000 on the new iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, while discounts of up to ₹30,000 are…

Indian MSMEs must accelerate the adoption of quality processes across design, manufacturing and delivery to strengthen their global competitiveness, industry leaders said at the second day of the IFQM Symposium 2026 in New Delhi. The two-day symposium brought together around 50 CEOs, 200 CXOs and more than 400 participants from industry, government, academia, global quality institutions and MSMEs to discuss quality, innovation, technology and productivity. IFQM announced plans to launch a leadership programme for MSMEs, followed by a similar initiative for large industries, aimed at sharing best practices, reducing waste and promoting innovation. Civil Aviation Minister KinjarapuRammohan Naidu, delivering the…

Škoda Auto India has announced prices for the new Slavia, with the updated sedan starting at ₹9.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and deliveries set to begin next week. Built on the India-specific MQB-A0-IN platform, the new Slavia is offered in six trims — Classic, Classic+, Signature, Sportline, Prestige and Monte Carlo. The 1.0 TSI engine is available with a six-speed manual and a new eight-speed torque converter automatic, claimed as a first-in-segment offering, while the 1.5 TSI is paired with a seven-speed DSG. The car gets refreshed styling with new LED headlamps and taillamps, sequential rear indicators, revised bumpers, a horizontal chrome…

KAI India, the Indian subsidiary of Japanese kitchen and beauty tools brand KAI, has introduced its Shun Sora Santoku Knife as a premium kitchen tool aimed at making festive cooking and everyday food preparation more convenient. Priced at ₹14,000, the knife is handcrafted in Seki City, Japan, and is available through KAI India’s online platform and other leading e-commerce channels. Designed for slicing, dicing and mincing vegetables, fruits, meat and other ingredients, the Santoku knife features hollow-ground indentations that help reduce food sticking to the blade. Its composite construction combines a VG10 high-performance cutting core with a Japanese 420J stainless…

Amazon has launched its delivery-in-minutes service Amazon Now in Nadia, offering customers access to tens of thousands of products across groceries, personal care, fashion, beauty, home and kitchen, small appliances and other daily essentials. The company said popular products ordered through Amazon Now in Nadia include fruits and vegetables, milk, bread, cooking oil, ghee, biscuits and confectionery. Demand is also showing a growing preference for premium products, particularly chocolates, personal care and home care items. In Nadia, the launch marks an expansion of rapid-commerce options in the district, with demand spanning both routine household necessities and premium consumer products. The…

India’s rapidly expanding data centres ector is facing a growing range of risks as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud adoption and rising digital service demand drive capacity expansion, according to Aon. Industry estimates suggest installed data centre capacity could increase more than fourfold by 2030, increasing pressure on power, water and supporting infrastructure. Power availability is emerging as a key factor influencing data centre development and commissioning timelines. Rising AI workloads are increasing power density, prompting developers to consider behind-the-meter generation, battery storage and hybrid energy systems. While these solutions can improve resilience, they also introduce operational, maintenance and fire risks.…

Malabar Group, parent company of Malabar Gold & Diamonds, has signed a Letter of Intent with the West Bengal government to strengthen CSR partnerships and align corporate investments with state development priorities. The Group has earmarked ₹20 crore for West Bengal during FY 2026-27. The agreement, exchanged with Finance Minister Dr Swapan Dasgupta by Thahsil Ahammed, Regional Head (East India), along with Sajid N K, Manufacturing Head, and Shabeer P K, Senior Manager, CSR, comes under West Bengal’s integrated CSR framework involving the Finance Department, State CSR Council, CSR Portal and Projects Facilitation Unit. Malabar Group’s existing footprint includes 297…