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Reliance Jio Infocomm and Bharti Airtel are once again at odds over waiving the licence fee for direct-to-home (DTH) operators, with the former advocating for retaining the fee and the latter calling for its eventual phase-out. Both companies presented their views to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) during its consultation on the 'Framework for Service Authorisations for the Provision of Broadcasting Services under the Telecommunications Act, 2023'. Airtel has called for the complete removal of the licence fee, arguing for parity between DTH and other TV distribution platforms, which are exempt from such charges.

certificates of deposit (CD) to finance demand for credit, as mobilising traditional deposits remains a challenge. Funds raised by issuing these typically short-term financial instruments grew 57% till November 15 this fiscal year to more than ₹6 lakh crore, compared with around ₹3.9 lakh crore a year earlier, according to Reserve Bank of India data. Outstanding CDs at the end of November 15 totalled ₹4.89 lakh crore. In the first 15 days of November, banks issued CDs worth ₹46,552 crore. «This increase is to meet banks' funding requirements to manage the gap between the credit offtake and deposit growth,» said Saurabh Bhalerao, associate director-BFSI research at CARE Ratings.

The centre, which promoted several local talents, was burnt down by Islamists after the then PM Sheikh Hasina's ouster and no action has been initiated against perpetrators, senior sources pointed out. The Indian diplomats in Dhaka have also faced life threats in the days after Hasina's ouster, following which Bangladesh Army had to provide protection, a source recalled. Security had to be beefed up near the residences of the diplomats and chancery as local police failed to act and some staff from the Indian diplomatic mission in Dhaka were also recalled.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has scheduled a board meeting on December 9 to consider upto a Rs 2,000 crore fundraise via issuance of equity shares and or convertible securities on a preferential basis to co-promoter, Vodafone Group Plc. The late night exchange filing came even as UK’s Vodafone announced plans earlier today to invest a portion of its residual 3% Indus Towers stake sale proceeds in Vodafone Idea (Vi) against fresh shares to help its Indian telecom joint venture with the Aditya Birla Group clear a portion of its old dues to Indus. “…a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled on December 9, 2024, inter-alia, to consider a proposal for raising of funds not exceeding Rs 2,000 crore, by way of issuance of equity shares and / or convertible securities on a preferential basis to one or more entities belonging to Vodafone Group,” Vi said in a late evening exchange filing.

As Rohit Sharma’s men get ready for the pink ball Test starting on Friday, ET Sport goes back in time to relive 5 key moments at the Adelaide oval.

Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday urged the country's politicians to keep differences at bay and put up a united front to counter "Indian aggression". The Muslim-majority nation saw a student-led uprising in August, toppling autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina and ending her 15-year rule. India — Hasina's biggest international patron and the destination of her exile — has accused Yunus' administration of failing to protect minority Hindus, straining ties between the neighbours.

Nir Barkat has expressed profound gratitude to India for its unwavering support, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s prompt solidarity following the October 7 terror attacks. Speaking to ET on a visit to India to push investment and technology partnership Barkat elaborated on Israel’s innovative economic model, which identifies six key clusters driving exports. These include advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and high-tech and desert-tech sectors. The approach involves aligning infrastructure to these clusters, creating specialized facilities like labs that cater to multiple startups. For instance, shared laboratories for agri-tech companies not only reduce costs but also foster a collaborative ecosystem, Barkat noted.

cash reserve ratio (CRR) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) later in the week. The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex gained 110.58 points or 0.14% to settle at 80,956.33, while the broader Nifty 50 index closed at 24,467.45, higher by 10.30 points or 0.04%.

Department of Telecom (DoT) has sought views on norms for allocating satellite spectrum from sector regulator Trai, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. The government has decided to allocate spectrum for satellite communication services through an administrative mechanism while telecom operators are required to purchase the radiowaves through auction. Minister of State for Communications, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said that spectrum assigned administratively are also chargeable and hence contribute to revenue.

Annapurna Studios, established in 1976 by Naga Chaitanya’s grandfather, the legendary Akkineni Nageswara Rao, provided a fitting backdrop for this momentous occasion. The 22-acre property in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, is not only a symbol of cinematic legacy but also a cherished part of the Akkineni family’s history. The venue was adorned with traditional decor, reflecting the couple’s deep-rooted respect for their heritage.

Indian Beverage Association (IBA), which counts Coca-Cola, Dabur, PepsiCo, Reliance Consumer Products and RedBull as members, said it is “concerned” over a likely further increase in the goods and services tax (GST) rate on aerated drinks. “We have zero-sugar products taxed at 40% today. We have made representations at all levels to the government, including to the GST Council, but taxation remains a bottleneck at all levels,” C.K. Jaipuria, chairperson of the IBA, said at a National Beverage Conclave on Wednesday. According to media reports earlier this week, a group of ministers (GoM) has recommended increasing GST rates on carbonated beverages, cigarettes and tobacco to 35%. As of now, all carbonated drinks are taxed at 28% and an added compensation cess of 12%, which takes the overall tax on the category to 40%.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for the city, warning of more rains in the coming days due to Cyclone Fengal. Despite the adverse weather conditions, there has been no official announcement regarding school closures in Bengaluru for Thursday.

Akash Systems, backed by global investors Peter Thiel and Vinod Khosla on Wednesday said it signed a $27 million (approximately Rs 225 crore) contract with India’s largest sovereign cloud provider NxtGen Datacenter and Cloud Technologies, to deliver its ‘diamond cooled’ AI servers across India. “The collaboration will position NxtGen as the world’s most energy-efficient AI compute solutions provider by using Nvidia and AMD GPUs (graphic processing units) that are ‘diamond cooled’ by Akash. The new servers will support NxtGen’s mission to provide energy-efficient and cost-effective AI compute services to enterprises of all sizes across India,” both the companies said in a joint statement. “We are collaborating with Akash to set an industry benchmark for sustainable AI. Through a combination of Akash’s diamond cooling, waterless liquid cooling, and advanced GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD, we are able to double the performance per watt,” said AS Rajgopal, CEO & MD of NxtGen.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The genomic testing market in India, still at a nascent stage, is poised for big growth in the coming years as demand increases on the back of changing disease patterns, more awareness, and falling prices. Companies like Strand Life Sciences, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, and MedGenome are increasing their footprint through organic and inorganic routes, with a focus on the smaller cities and towns.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Kota-based Allen Career Institute, a prominent coaching centre that prepares students for medical and engineering entrance tests, has started retrenching faculty members and administrative staff as enrolments decline, people aware of the development said. The institute, which runs classroom coaching in more than 60 cities in India, has laid off more than 200 employees, and more are expected to be shown the door.

Indus Towers through a block deal and fully exiting the Indian tower company, which is now a Bharti Airtel subsidiary. “Vodafone Group Plc announces it has launched a placing of its remaining 79.2 million shares in Indus, and such shares, representing 3% of Indus' outstanding share capital through an accelerated book-build offering,” the British telco said in an official statement Wednesday.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha brought attention to a series of ongoing issues with air travel in India, stating that the government has failed to deliver on its promise of affordable domestic airfares. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday during a discussion on the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, Chadha highlighted the numerous challenges passengers face, from rising ticket prices to overcrowded airports and high baggage charges. Chadha began by emphasising that economy class, once regarded as an affordable option for the average traveller, is no longer economically viable. Quoting his own experience, Chadha pointed out that airfares for domestic flights have reached unreasonably high levels. «Economy class is no longer economical. Before coming to the debate in this house today, I was checking flight rates on my phone. If I have to travel from Delhi to Mumbai tomorrow, the ticket costs 14,000 rupees. The cheapest one-way ticket from Delhi to Patna is 12,000 rupees, and from Delhi to Bangalore, it’s 16,000 rupees,» Chadha said. He added, «And forget that, just the day before yesterday, I travelled from my region Punjab to Delhi. I took a flight from Mohali Airport to Chandigarh Airport and reached Delhi. The ticket for that flight was 14,500 rupees.»

cyberattacks are anticipated to become increasingly prevalent in 2025 with sectors like healthcare and finance most prone targets, according to a recent report. The India Cyber Threat Report 2025 by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Seqrite, spotlighted the evolving tactics of cybercriminals and the rise of AI-driven attacks as a major concern. «Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be used to develop highly sophisticated phishing campaigns utilising deepfake technology and personalized attack vectors, making them harder to detect. AI-driven malware will adapt in real-time to evade traditional security measures, while data poisoning attacks will compromise the integrity of critical AI systems in sectors such as healthcare and autonomous transportation,» the report noted. Deepfake technology will create compelling malicious content, including fake video or audio messages from trusted sources. This will facilitate more effective social engineering attacks, making it easier for cybercriminals to deceive users into executing malware or revealing sensitive information, it added.

nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) provide the third leg of the nuclear triad. He added that the next SSBN will be commissioned in the «coming months». «As far as the nuclear weapons are concerned, our stated policy is of no first use. And therefore the government had decided about the nuclear triad. The SSBNs provide that option for the third leg of the nuclear triad, which some people feel is the most reliable because it remains underwater and therefore not likely to be detected easily,» Tripathi told on the occasion of Indian Navy Day. «We have obviously commissioned the second ship in August, and it is carrying out various trials, and then we'll do whatever she's supposed to do. And similarly, next one, in the coming months and years, it will be a part of our navy and provide the nation with an alternative for deterrence as also the second strike capability as part of a nuclear triad,» he added.

Zo Indigenous Identity Card prepared by the Zo Reunification Organisation (ZoRO) in Aizawl was inaugurated on Wednesday. Mizoram state assembly speaker Lalbiakzama on Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Zo Indigenous Identity Card’. Though divided into 3 countries and states, the brotherhood and link of the Zo people continue which demands that all of them help each other, he said.

Vivo X200, is expected to appeal to the majority of buyers considering its pricing is expected to be much less than the flagship, the X200 Pro. That said, the X200 faces stiff competition from its sister company Oppo’s Find X8, which shares several similarities, including the chipset, camera setup, and more. That said, while the Oppo Find X8 is already available in India, the Vivo X200 is scheduled to launch on 12 December.