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Adani Group unveils $100 bn plan for AI data centres

The Adani Group announced a $100 billion investment to build AI-ready data centres across India by 2035, a move aimed at creating a sovereign AI and computing infrastructure powered entirely by renewable energy. Following the announcement, shares of Adani Enterprises jumped over 2%, reflecting strong investor confidence in the group’s long-term technology vision.

The plan will expand Adani’s existing 2-gigawatt (GW) data centre capacity to 5 GW, positioning it among the world’s largest integrated AI and cloud computing networks. These centres will handle high-density workloads including artificial intelligence, large language models, and cloud services, giving India a strategic advantage in next-generation technology.

Adani’s strategy combines renewable energy generation, storage systems, transmission networks, and high-performance computing hardware into a single ecosystem. The project complements the group’s ongoing 30 GW solar and wind initiative at Khavda, Gujarat.

The rollout will include global tech partnerships, with Google setting up a major AI campus in Visakhapatnam, Microsoft establishing facilities in Hyderabad and Pune, and talks underway with other international firms to expand AI campuses nationwide.

According to the Adani Group, nations that control both energy and compute resources will lead the next wave of innovation, and this investment positions India as a creator and exporter of AI technology, strengthening economic growth and job creation.

Also Read: India team to visit US to finalise trade pact

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HiLITE rewards employees with 47 luxury cars

Kozhikode-based HiLITE Group celebrated its 30th anniversary by gifting 47 cars worth around ₹20 crore to its employees, recognizing their role in the company’s growth.

The cars included luxury models like Range Rovers, Audi Q8s, and Land Rover Defenders, as well as popular SUVs such as Tata Harrier, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, and Skoda Kodiaq.

The gesture was part of a larger anniversary event where the group also announced plans to develop 50 million sq. ft. of new projects across Kerala by 2030, aiming to create jobs and boost economic activity in the state.

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Anthropic launches Bengaluru office, expands India partnerships

Anthropic has officially opened its Bengaluru office, marking its second Asia-Pacific hub after Tokyo. India is now Claude.ai’s second-largest market, with usage spanning software development, enterprise solutions, and education.

The company is partnering with organizations like Air India, Razorpay, Pratham, and Central Square Foundation to apply AI in sectors such as aviation, fintech, education, agriculture, and legal access. Efforts also focus on improving AI fluency in 10 major Indian languages and creating open-source tools for developers.

The new office will hire local talent to support partnerships and scale Claude-powered solutions nationwide.

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Technology

Apple sets March 4 global launch event

Apple has announced a global event on March 4 called the “Special Apple Experience.” The event will have in‑person gatherings in New York, London, and Shanghai, starting at 9 am ET. Unlike the usual big keynote, this event is expected to be more interactive, letting the media get hands-on with new products.

While Apple hasn’t confirmed the lineup, industry reports point to several updates. The highlight could be the iPhone 17e, a budget-friendly addition to Apple’s latest smartphone series. Mac fans may see refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models powered by the new M5 chips, alongside a possible low-cost MacBook aimed at first-time users.

iPads could also get upgrades. The base iPad may feature a faster A18 chip, while the iPad Air is expected to get the M4 processor, boosting performance and AI features.

Apple has not yet confirmed if the event will be streamed online, but with multiple product launches likely, March 4 is shaping up to be one of the company’s key launch events this year.

Also Read: Elon Musk’s $850 bn fortune nears trillion mark

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Infosys climbs 3% after AI deal with Anthropic

Shares of Infosys advanced nearly 3% after the company unveiled a strategic partnership with Anthropic to deliver next-generation artificial intelligence solutions for global clients.

The collaboration will combine Anthropic’s Claude models with Infosys’ Topaz platform and establish a specialised Centre of Excellence to build sector-focused AI applications, initially targeting telecom and later expanding into other industries.

Chief executive Salil Parekh said the move will help enterprises modernise systems, automate complex processes and adopt responsible AI at scale. The announcement strengthened investor confidence and pushed the stock among the day’s key gainers in the IT pack.

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Beyond

India team to visit US to finalise trade pact

India will send a high-level delegation to Washington next week to give the proposed interim trade agreement with the United States its final legal shape, a key step that could lead to the deal being signed as early as March. The visit signals that negotiations have moved into the last and most technical phase after both sides agreed on the broad contours of the pact.

The delegation will be led by India’s chief trade negotiator along with senior commerce ministry officials. They will hold in-person meetings with their US counterparts to convert the agreed terms into a formal and legally binding document. Officials from the two countries are already holding virtual discussions to resolve technical issues before the face-to-face talks begin.

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the framework of the agreement has been largely settled and the upcoming meetings will focus on finalising the legal language. The benefits under the pact will come into force only after the agreement is signed.

The interim trade deal is expected to provide tariff relief and improved market access for select goods traded between the two countries. For India, this is particularly important for labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and other export-oriented industries that depend heavily on the US market.

The United States is one of India’s largest trading partners, and the proposed agreement is seen as a step towards deepening economic engagement. It is also expected to reduce trade barriers and make it easier for companies in both countries to do business.

Officials believe the limited pact could eventually pave the way for a broader and more comprehensive bilateral trade agreement in the future. If the legal text is finalised on schedule, the deal will mark a significant milestone in India-US trade ties and open new opportunities for exporters while strengthening overall economic cooperation.

Also Read: Summit marks India’s big play in AI

 

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Technology

Nokia patent win stops Acer, Asus PC sales in Germany

Direct sales of Acer and Asus laptops and desktop PCs in Germany have been suspended after a patent ruling in favour of Nokia. The decision, delivered by the Munich I Regional Court, found that the two PC makers used the company’s video-coding technology without a valid licence.

The case centres on patents tied to High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), a widely used format that enables high-quality video streaming and playback on modern devices. The court said the vendors failed to meet FRAND obligations, allowing an injunction that blocks them from selling directly to customers in the country.

Following the order, Acer has shut its German online store, while Asus has listed several models as unavailable. The restriction applies only to their own sales channels, so consumers can still purchase devices through third-party retailers as long as stocks last.

The ruling is part of a broader global dispute over Nokia’s standard-essential patent portfolio. Industry analysts say the short-term impact on buyers will be limited, but prolonged supply disruptions could reduce product availability in one of Europe’s largest PC markets.

Both companies are expected to appeal the decision or negotiate a licensing deal that could restore normal sales. The outcome will be closely watched across the tech industry, where compliance with core multimedia patents has become a critical requirement for hardware makers.

Also Read: Summit marks India’s big play in AI

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Beyond

Summit marks India’s big play in AI

India sharpened its pitch to global technology companies and investors on the second day of the India AI Impact Summit, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi projecting the country as a trusted and scalable destination for artificial intelligence development, deployment and manufacturing.

Addressing delegates at Bharat Mandapam, Modi said India’s digital public infrastructure, expanding talent base and vast data ecosystem provide a ready foundation for building affordable AI solutions for both domestic use and export to emerging markets. The messaging was aimed at positioning India not just as a consumer market but as a full-stack AI economy spanning compute, models, applications and governance.

A key highlight of Day 2 was the emphasis on sovereign AI capabilities, with domestic large language models and multilingual platforms showcased as strategic assets for government deployment and regulated sectors. This aligns with policy efforts to build local compute capacity and reduce reliance on overseas ecosystems while continuing to invite global partnerships.

The summit also functioned as a deal-making and collaboration platform, drawing participation from more than 100 countries, global CEOs and ministerial delegations. Several countries signalled interest in joint research, talent development and market access partnerships, underlining the role of the event in India’s technology diplomacy.

India’s scale as an AI deployment market emerged as a central theme in the discussions, with its rapidly growing user base expected to drive demand for data centres, cloud infrastructure and enterprise AI solutions. Sectoral case studies in healthcare, agriculture, education and energy pointed to immediate commercial applications, particularly in public service delivery and productivity gains.

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reiterated plans to expand the domestic AI talent pool and support product development through the proposed “Create in India” mission, a move seen as critical for attracting long-term investments.

The 70,000-sq-m expo, featuring hundreds of startups, country pavilions and global technology firms, provided a live marketplace for customer acquisition, government-enterprise engagement and capital flows.

 India is leveraging its data scale, digital infrastructure and policy push to move up the global AI value chain, positioning itself as both a high-growth market and a strategic innovation base for companies looking to build for the world.

Also Read: Gold at ₹1.55 lakh, Silver near ₹2.41 lakh as prices slide

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Beyond

Gold at ₹1.55 lakh, Silver near ₹2.41 lakh as prices slide

Gold and silver prices declined on Tuesday, tracking weak global trends and a stronger US dollar. In the domestic futures market, gold was trading around ₹1.54–₹1.55 lakh per 10 grams on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), while silver slipped to nearly ₹2.40–₹2.41 lakh per kilogram.

In the retail market, 24-carat gold was priced at about ₹15,600 per gram and 22-carat gold at around ₹14,300 per gram. Prices showed only small differences across major cities as local taxes and making charges vary.

The fall in bullion prices comes after recent gains, as traders booked profits and global trading remained muted due to holidays in some Asian markets. A strong US dollar also made gold and silver less attractive for investors, putting further pressure on prices.

Silver saw a sharper drop than gold, losing several thousand rupees per kilogram during the session. Gold and silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs) also declined in early trade, reflecting the weakness in the underlying metals.

In the international market, both metals moved lower, which affected domestic sentiment. Gold, which is considered a safe-haven asset, tends to weaken when the dollar strengthens and interest-rate concerns rise, as it does not offer regular returns like fixed-income investments.

Market experts said the current correction is mainly due to profit-booking and global factors rather than a fall in long-term demand. They advise investors not to rush into bulk buying during volatile phases and instead invest gradually to manage price fluctuations.

Also Read: Sensex slips 100 pts, Nifty near 25,700

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Corporate

KPMG partner fined for AI ethics cheat

A senior partner at KPMG Australia has been fined A$10,000 (around US$7,000) for using artificial intelligence to cheat on an internal AI ethics course, highlighting the tricky balance between technology and professional responsibility. The partner reportedly fed the mandatory training questions into a generative AI tool to generate answers, breaking company rules and raising concerns about integrity in AI use.

The breach, which occurred in July 2025, was detected through KPMG’s internal monitoring system, designed to ensure employees follow proper procedures while using AI. As part of the disciplinary action, the partner must retake the training and will face a reduction in future pay. The individual has also reported themselves to Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, which is investigating the case.

The case drew attention during an Australian Senate inquiry into industry oversight. Greens senator Barbara Pocock called current regulations “toothless,” noting that professional misconduct often goes unreported unless individuals come forward. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has been notified but will await the accounting body’s findings before taking further action.

KPMG revealed that this incident is part of a larger trend: so far this financial year, 28 staff members, from junior employees to managers, have misused AI to bypass mandatory training tests. KPMG’s chief executive, Andrew Yates, acknowledged the difficulty of policing AI misuse, given its rapid adoption in workplaces, and stressed that the firm is refining its policies and education programs to prevent future incidents.