Business - The Purbottar

12 Jan

Ai+ expands wearables portfolio with NovaWatch smartwatch series

Business BureauBusiness

Ai+ Smartphone on Tuesday unveiled NovaWatch, a new smartwatch lineup aimed at strengthening its connected devices portfolio across health, safety and personal style. Scheduled to launch nationwide in Q1 2026, the series reflects the brand’s push to blend practical utility with fashion-forward design for a connected generation. The NovaWatch range includes Active, Wearbuds, Kids Geo Fencing 4G Watch, and an industry-first Rotatecam 4G LTE Watch with a rotating camera. Each model is designed for a specific use case, spanning everyday health tracking, family safety and style-led personal expression. While Active focuses on essential wellness metrics in an easy-to-use format, Wearbuds…

12 Jan

Hindustan Zinc, Silox India deepen ties to push low-carbon manufacturing with EcoZen

Business BureauBusiness

Hindustan Zinc Limited and Silox India have strengthened their long-term partnership as Silox India adopts Hindustan Zinc’s low-carbon zinc brand, EcoZen, across its manufacturing operations, marking a key step toward industrial decarbonisation in India. Under the collaboration, Silox India will integrate EcoZen into its zinc-based chemical production, helping lower embedded carbon emissions while maintaining global performance and quality standards. EcoZen is Asia’s first low-carbon zinc produced entirely using renewable energy, with a verified carbon footprint of under one tonne of CO₂ per tonne of zinc—around 75 per cent lower than the global industry average. In downstream applications such as galvanising,…

12 Jan

84% of Indian professionals feel unprepared for 2026 job market as AI reshapes hiring: LinkedIn study

Business BureauBusiness

A large majority of professionals in India are feeling unprepared to search for a new job in 2026, even as most are actively looking for one, according to new research released by LinkedIn. The study found that 84 per cent of Indian professionals feel unready for the job market, while 72 per cent say they are planning to change roles this year. The report highlights growing anxiety caused by intense competition, fast-changing skill demands and the increasing use of artificial intelligence in hiring. Around 76 per cent of job seekers said finding a new role has become tougher in the…

12 Jan

Arudha SIF, by Bandhan Mutual Fund, unveils maiden SIF strategy through Arudha Hybrid Long-Short Fund

Business BureauBusiness

Arudha SIF, by Bandhan Mutual Fund, has announced the launch of its maiden SIF strategy, - Arudha Hybrid Long-Short Fund, an interval investment strategy aims to deliver optimal returns with a focus on risk management and post-tax efficiency. The strategy intends to allocate up to 65% in short to medium term debt and money market instruments while maintaining a minimum 35% allocation to fully hedged, market-neutral equity positions. Commenting on the launch, Vishal Kapoor, CEO, Bandhan AMC Limited, said, “Arudha Hybrid Long-Short Fund has been designed for sophisticated investors such as HNIs, institutional investors, family offices, etc., looking for optimal…

12 Jan

Uncertainty Grips Markets as Executive Pressure Tests Federal Reserve Autonomy

Preeti SinghBusiness

The dollar declined and U.S. equity futures fell on Monday following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell about threats from the Trump administration regarding a potential criminal indictment, raising concerns over the Fed's independence. The Swiss franc strengthened by 0.4% to 0.7979 per dollar, and the euro rose 0.17% to $1.1656, although traders noted uncertainty regarding the implications for interest rates. Fed funds futures indicate a slight increase of about three basis points in expected interest rate cuts this year, suggesting a potential for the Fed to act more aggressively. Gold prices reached a record high of over $4,600…

12 Jan

Marwadi University to host Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference; proposes Rs 1,000 cr education investment

Business BureauBusiness

Marwadi University will host the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences (VGRC) from January 11 to 12, 2026, as part of the Government of Gujarat’s efforts to boost global engagement and investments across the state. The conference will focus on strengthening the education ecosystem and supporting economic growth in Gujarat. The university has proposed a ₹1,000 crore investment MoU to the state Education Department. The plan includes new academic infrastructure, advanced laboratories, modern sports facilities, upgraded hostels, and a 10,000 sq ft innovation centre for start-ups. A separate academic block will also support continuing education for working professionals and entrepreneurs. VGRC…

10 Jan

India–Bhutan sports partnership powers high-performance shooting camp in Siliguri

Business BureauBusiness

Thirteen national shooters from Bhutan have begun a two-week high-performance training camp in Siliguri, West Bengal, under the India–Bhutan cooperation framework. The programme, scheduled from January 7 to 20 at Olympian Jitu Rai’s Shooting Academy, is being seen as a strategic investment in sporting excellence, aimed at improving Bhutan’s competitive standing at the international level. The initiative is funded through the Indo-Bhutan Partnership Programme, reinforcing New Delhi’s Neighbourhood First policy, which extends support across infrastructure, education, health, and sports. The Indian Embassy in Bhutan said the collaboration reflects strong bilateral engagement in youth and sports development. The Bhutan Shooting Federation…

10 Jan

Renault tests new Duster for over 1 million km across 3 continents

Business BureauBusiness

Renault India has announced that the upcoming new Renault Duster SUV has completed over 1 million kilometres of testing across three continents, covering temperatures from –23°C to 55°C. The company said the SUV was tested in a wide range of difficult environments to ensure strength, safety and long-term durability for real-world road conditions. The Duster also proved its capability in high-altitude terrain, including Leh-Ladakh, where it completed a test run at Khardung La at 18,379 feet, one of the world’s highest motorable passes. Renault said the vehicle went through dust tunnel testing, water-wading, steep climbs, city traffic drives and highway…

10 Jan

Jio Platforms May Enter Public Markets Without Heavy Equity Give-Up

Preeti SinghBusiness

Jio Platforms Ltd. intends to sell a 2.5% stake in its planned IPO for 2026, potentially establishing it as India's largest IPO at over $4 billion. Led by Mukesh Ambani, the parent company of Reliance Jio, which boasts over 500 million users, this IPO is the most anticipated in the country for the year. In November, Jefferies estimated Reliance Jio's valuation at $180 billion, meaning a 2.5% stake sale could generate $4.5 billion, surpassing Hyundai Motor India's $3.3 billion IPO. Over six years, Jio has diversified into AI and attracted investments from KKR, General Atlantic, Silver Lake, and the Abu…

09 Jan

India launches second phase of BIMSTEC cancer care training in Visakhapatnam

Business BureauBusiness

The second phase of a specialised cancer care training programme for BIMSTEC countries has begun at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre of the Tata Memorial Centre in Visakhapatnam. Organised in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the four-week programme will train 35 cancer care specialists from BIMSTEC member nations, underscoring India’s expanding role in regional healthcare capacity building. The programme was formally inaugurated on January 5 by C. S. R. Ram, Joint Secretary (BIMSTEC & SAARC), MEA. He said cancer experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are participating, and highlighted the…