NEW DELHI: Google is ramping up its AI efforts in India with some big plans in agriculture, education, and small businesses. On October 15, 2026, they rolled out a bunch of new programs: research for hardier crops, wider access to farming tools powered by AI, teacher training sessions, and a $15 million boost for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Instead of just building more chatbots, Google wants AI to tackle real-life problems. Farmers, for example, can get better info on crops and weather. Teachers get help with planning lessons. Small businesses can use AI to find new customers and…
Author: Riddhi Jain
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NEW DELHI: Snapchat just rolled out new AI features for its Lens+ subscription, aiming to make chats more fun and maybe convince more people to pay for the extras. Now, subscribers can turn messages into short songs, touch up awkward photos, and give their Snaps a creative twist without leaving the app. It’s a clear sign of where social media is headed. Instead of living off ads alone, these platforms want users to pay for exclusive features that keep them coming back. So, what’s actually new in Lens+? Snap announced five AI-powered tools for subscribers. Probably the most attention-grabbing one…
NEW DELHI: A weaker rupee can help Indian exporters by making their goods cheaper for buyers abroad. That’s a real advantage if your main costs aren’t imports and you can still deliver on price, quality, and timing. But there’s more to the story. According to the Financial Express, as of October 20, 2026, India’s real effective exchange rate (REER) sat below 100 for 13 months in a row. Basically, this means the rupee is undervalued compared to the currencies of India’s main trading partners, after adjusting for inflation. When the REER is below 100, Indian products look even more attractive,…
NEW DELHI: Online dating apps are stepping up their game on privacy and account verification because people want safer ways to meet online especially in India. Here, worries about private photos getting shared, fake profiles, and scams are pushing dating apps to rethink how they work. Match Group the folks behind Tinder and Hinge are rolling out safety features for Indian users. They’re adding tools like screenshot protection, blocking contacts, and video selfie verification to make sure accounts are real. Business Standard spotlighted this in a report from October 21, where Yoel Roth, Match Group’s senior vice president and head…
NEW DELHI: India’s gold demand is picking up as the country rolls into its busy festival and wedding season. Falling gold prices gave families and buyers some breathing room, and jewellers are doing their part rolling out lighter designs, new collections, and exchange programs for old gold to keep customers interested. The World Gold Council’s latest India market update, from October 20, 2026, says manufacturers are seeing strong orders as retailers stock up before this seasonal buying spree. Foot traffic in jewellery stores is also getting better, so it looks like shoppers are getting back into the spirit. Still, high…
NEW DELHI: Rahul Agarwal’s Polygons turns the usual measuring spoon set on its head. Instead of juggling six separate spoons, you get two foldable tools that do it all—and that simple tweak has opened a whole new business path. Agarwal, an industrial designer from India, landed a $350,000 deal on Shark Tank USA for this invention. His product folds flat when you’re done with it and bends into the size you need when you’re cooking. No more cluttered drawers, and no digging around for the right spoon. He walked away from Season 18, Episode 4 with a deal from Lori…
NEW DELHI: India’s exports across both goods and services jumped nearly 14% in the first half of FY27, thanks to stronger demand for manufactured products and steady growth in services. Between April and September 2026, total exports reached about $476.2 billion. That’s up from $418.3 billion over the same stretch last year. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry highlighted gains in electronics, engineering goods, petroleum products, and chemicals. This growth comes as Indian businesses push harder to make their mark overseas. More exports open doors for manufacturers, suppliers, logistics firms, and service providers connected to cross-border trade. Still, the flip…
NEW DELHI: Infosys is deepening its partnership with Truist, a US financial services player, to help expand Truist’s AI-focused centre in Hyderabad. This move says a lot about how global banks are getting serious about bringing tech, data, and operations together and it shows why India keeps popping up on the radar for these big, strategic projects. India’s become the go-to place for tech in banking, and this new step adds another layer. On October 19, 2026, Infosys and Truist announced they’re growing their alliance to ramp up Truist’s Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad. What does that actually mean?…
NEW DELHI: The proposed changes in GST compliance may impact how Indian businesses deal with invoices, avail of input tax credit and file returns. In particular, for small manufacturers, traders and service providers, the focus is on how the proposed changes may streamline the process to avoid paperwork, avoid mismatch in credit and facilitate ease of tax compliances. Recently, at its 57th meeting held on 10 October 2026, the GST Council recommended a new set of process reforms covering invoice management, return reconciliation, registration and refunds. Not all announcements are immediately mandatory. You are required to adhere to the existing…
NEW DELHI: A stronger US dollar is not just a forex market issue. It could mean higher costs for Indian companies importing goods or larger budgets for people looking at studying abroad. Also, it means a second look at which companies can deal with higher costs. On 20-Oct-26, the US dollar was at around ₹95 in the forex market. It has bounced from lower levels earlier in the month. As per Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India, the RBI reference rate was ₹94.7691 on 19-Oct. In India, where businesses use imported oil, machinery and so on, a change in the currency…
