19 Feb 2026

India must scale up its artificial intelligence investment beyond the current USD 1.2 billion to stay competitive globally, according to a senior NVIDIA executive. While the Union Budget 2026-27 has introduced a 20-year tax holiday up to 2047 for foreign companies using Indian data centres, creating a strong base for AI infrastructure, the overall funding remains limited. With 1,800 global capability centres operating in India and employment set to rise, higher AI spending is seen as essential to support large-scale innovation and global deployment.Read more

19 Feb 2026

Yotta Data Services is set to build one of Asia's largest AI hubs, investing over USD 2 billion and using Nvidia's Blackwell Ultra chips. As part of a four-year, USD 1 billion partnership, Nvidia will deploy one of the region's largest DGX Cloud clusters within Yotta's infrastructure. The initiative reflects India's growing role in AI computing, supported by global cloud providers like Microsoft and Amazon. With operations expected by August, the hub will be located near New Delhi, supplemented by Yotta's Mumbai campus, strengthening India's AI capabilities amid global chip supply shifts.Read more

19 Feb 2026

Bihar's Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit recently chaired a meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to discuss investment proposals exceeding USD 1 billion for the state's multi-sector development. Officials from finance, education, agriculture, water resources, health, and urban development departments participated. The discussion focused on projects including a Buddhist tourism circuit, water and agriculture transformation, renewable energy expansion, urban infrastructure resilience, skill development, and health system improvements. The state government will examine these proposals in detail and develop an action plan to move forward with priority projects.Read more

19 Feb 2026

NHAI has accepted an INR 6,220.90 crore offer from National Highways Infra Trust for monetising two national highway stretches spanning over 310 kilometres in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The deal forms part of NHAI's broader asset monetisation strategy aimed at unlocking value from existing highways to fund new infrastructure projects. With this transaction, total assets monetised through NHIT have reached INR 49,858 crore, while overall monetisation during the current financial year stands at around INR 28,077 crore.Read more

19 Feb 2026

India's residential housing market in 2025 showed a clear shift towards higher-value homes, with premium properties priced above INR 1 crore making up about 50 % of total annual sales, according to a Knight Frank India report on the real estate sector. In contrast, sales of affordable homes defined as those priced under INR 50 lakh fell roughly 17 % year-on-year, reflecting weaker demand and limited new launches in the lower ticket categories. The overall market remained broadly stable in volume terms, but mid- and lower-tier segments recorded contraction, while higher-end homes recorded moderate growth. Analysts said the divergence points to structural realignment in buyer preferences and developer focus amid macroeconomic strength and affordability challenges in key cities. The trend was evident across major urban centres including the National Capital Region, Mumbai and Bengaluru.Read more

19 Feb 2026

CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions, a leading commercial and industrial renewable energy provider, has announced a Rs 3,100-crore initial public offering (IPO), with a price band of INR 1,000-1,053 per share, valuing the company at INR 12,325 crore at the upper end. The IPO includes a fresh issue of INR 1,200 crore and an offer-for-sale of INR 1,900 crore by promoters and early investors. CleanMax serves clients in multiple sectors, operates over 2.5 GW of capacity, and reported a net profit of INR 27.84 crore in FY25.Read more

19 Feb 2026

UPSIDA has launched a comprehensive e-auction for commercial and industrial plots in multiple districts of Uttar Pradesh to accelerate industrialisation and investment. The auction includes plots for offices, BPOs, schools, hospitals, workshops, hotels, warehousing, group housing, and multipurpose facilities across districts like Mathura, Amethi, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Fatehpur. The online auction process is fully transparent, with registration and document submission already underway, and e-bidding scheduled in the coming week. This initiative is positioned to provide a structured, investor-friendly opportunity to expand industrial and commercial development in the state.Read more

19 Feb 2026

The Union Cabinet has approved a INR 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to support urban infrastructure projects through a reform-linked and market-based financing approach. The fund will provide up to 25% central support for projects that raise at least 50% of their cost from market sources, with the aim of unlocking nearly INR 4 lakh crore in overall investment over five years. A separate INR 5,000 crore credit guarantee has also been cleared to help smaller cities access loans and bonds for development works.Read more

18 Feb 2026

The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) has approved the development of 474 new residential layouts across the city, officials said on Tuesday, as part of efforts to increase regulated housing supply. The sanctioned layouts will be developed across multiple zones, with planning permissions granted subject to prevailing norms. However, the move has drawn concerns from homebuyer groups and local activists over the delay in issuance of completion certificates (C.C.) for earlier projects, which has left many buyers waiting for possession despite finishing construction. VDA authorities have stated that pending C.C. issues are being addressed through coordination with relevant departments, while new layout approvals will follow strict compliance checks. The development comes amid sustained demand for formal housing options in Varanasi, driven by urbanisation and local economic growth.Read more

Mumbai News Desk

18 Feb 2026

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority has approved an outlay of INR 48,072.5 crore for 2026-27, with nearly 87 per cent of the budget committed to infrastructure development across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The plan reflects a clear shift towards transport-led growth, metro expansion and decentralised urban development. A key highlight is the allocation of INR 4,000 crore for the Mumbai 3.0 programme aimed at developing new growth centres. The budget also records the authority's first surplus in nearly ten years, indicating improved financial management.Read more