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Virgin Atlantic has significantly expanded its services to India, increasing capacity by 250% since 2019, now offering over 500,000 seats annually between the UK and India. In response to strong passenger demand, the airline will boost its flights from London Heathrow to Bengaluru from seven to 11 per week during the first quarter of 2026. This enhancement follows the launch of daily services to Bengaluru in March 2024 and complements existing double daily flights to Delhi and Mumbai. With India now its third-largest market globally, Virgin Atlantic aims to provide nearly one million seats in the region and is exploring partnerships to connect India with Europe and North America. The airline's codeshare agreement with IndiGo has expanded to cover 34 Indian cities, reflecting robust demand. Virgin Atlantic recently celebrated 25 years of operations in India, highlighting its commitment to the growing market. 
Published: Dec 26 2025, 6 pmeznews.inIndia's major reservoirs are experiencing a significant decline in water storage, with levels dropping to 80.1% of their total capacity this week, marking the seventh consecutive week of decrease. The Central Water Commission reported that the current storage stands at 147.04 billion cubic metres, which is nearly 7% higher than last year but 23% above the normal levels of the past decade. Rainfall has been severely deficient, with the country receiving only 1 mm last week compared to 2.8 mm a year ago, and the India Meteorological Department noted a 65% shortfall in precipitation. While some regions, like Maharashtra and Goa, maintain high storage levels, others, including Gujarat and Karnataka, are below 70%. With no rain forecasted in the coming days, further declines in reservoir levels are anticipated, raising concerns about water availability across the country.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 8 pmeznews.inIndia and Canada are poised to initiate formal negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) early next year, with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expected to visit Canada in February 2026. Initial discussions have indicated that Canada will consider concessions India has made to other countries with existing trade agreements, such as the UK and Australia, to expedite negotiations. Both nations aim to establish a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that encompasses a wide range of sectors, with a target of doubling bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. Following a pause in talks due to political tensions in September 2023, relations have improved under Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took office in March 2025. Chief negotiators have been appointed, with Brij Mohan Mishra representing India and Bruce Christie for Canada, as both sides prepare to finalize preliminary formalities ahead of the upcoming ministerial visit.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 9 pmeznews.inIndia, the world's leading producer and exporter of agarbattis, is poised to gain from a new standard aimed at enhancing consumer confidence and ensuring safer products. Announced by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on National Consumer Day 2025, the Bureau of Indian Standards has introduced regulations prohibiting harmful insecticides and synthetic fragrances in incense sticks, which are linked to health and environmental risks. The standard categorizes agarbattis into machine-made, hand-made, and traditional masala types, detailing requirements for raw materials and quality. Products meeting these standards will bear the BIS Standard Mark, empowering consumers to make informed choices. This initiative, developed through extensive consultations with experts and industry stakeholders, is expected to promote ethical manufacturing practices, protect traditional livelihoods, and improve access to global markets, further solidifying India's ₹8,000 crore agarbatti industry, which exports approximately ₹1,200 crore to over 150 countries.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 9 pmeznews.inIndia is working closely with the United States to address significant disruptions faced by its nationals due to the cancellation and rescheduling of H-1B visa interviews. Since December 15, the US government has implemented online social media reviews for all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants to combat program abuse, resulting in thousands of postponed interviews. This has led to extended family separations and negatively impacted the education of children enrolled in American schools, as many applicants are stranded in India without valid visas to return to their jobs. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has expressed concern over the hardships faced by families and highlighted the financial strain caused by cancelled travel and temporary housing costs. While the Indian government has raised these issues with US officials, experts note that each country retains the right to establish its own immigration policies, limiting India's ability to influence the situation.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 8 pmeznews.inA New Delhi-based start-up, Agsure Innovations Pvt Ltd, is revolutionizing coffee grading in India with a digital device that employs image processing and artificial intelligence. Showcased at the Central Coffee Research Institute's centenary celebrations, the portable machine vision-based analyzer allows users to assess coffee quality by simply spreading beans on a tray and capturing a high-resolution image. Proprietary algorithms then quickly identify defects and grade the beans, significantly reducing the time and human error associated with traditional manual sorting. Priced at Rs 1 lakh plus taxes, with an annual subscription for software updates, the device has attracted interest from large corporate buyers and international clients in Turkey, Dubai, and Indonesia. Founded by BITS Pilani graduates, Agsure is also developing similar devices for rice and plans to expand into spice grading, leveraging the same hardware with tailored software solutions.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 8 pmeznews.inA committee established by India's civil aviation safety regulator has submitted a confidential report investigating the recent operational disruptions at IndiGo Airways, which resulted in significant flight cancellations. The four-member panel, led by Joint Director General Sanjay K Bramhane, was tasked with analyzing various factors contributing to the crisis, including planning, crew management, and regulatory oversight. Initially given a 15-day deadline, the committee requested an extension due to the extensive data provided by the airline, which required thorough examination. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation granted this request, allowing the report to be finalized by December 26, 2025. The findings include recommendations aimed at preventing future incidents, highlighting the importance of addressing operational challenges within the airline industry.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 8 pmeznews.inOnion farmers in Nashik, Maharashtra, have raised concerns that not all those affected by recent adverse weather conditions have received government assistance. Between February and October 2025, unseasonal rains and floods devastated onion crops across 2.99 lakh hectares in the state, prompting the Maharashtra government to allocate ₹809.19 crore in relief. The central government has also earmarked ₹4,176.80 crore for the 2025-2026 financial year under the State Disaster Response Fund, with the first two installments of ₹1,566.40 crore already released. Despite these measures, farmers claim that many have yet to receive the promised aid. In response, State Agriculture Minister Dattatraya Bharne assured that assistance has been provided to all eligible farmers and that any pending payments will be addressed promptly. The situation highlights ongoing challenges in delivering timely support to those in need.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 6 pmeznews.inIFFCO has inaugurated its fourth nano-fertiliser production plant in Bengaluru, which is set to produce approximately 200,000 bottles daily. The new facility boosts IFFCO's total production capacity to 950,000 bottles per day, complementing its existing units in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. This plant is expected to enhance the availability of nano-fertilisers across South India, thereby strengthening the agricultural supply chain and supporting farmers with innovative inputs. Kiritkumar J Patel, IFFCO's managing director, emphasized that this initiative embodies the spirit of Swadeshi innovation and aligns with India's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, promoting self-reliance and reducing import dependency. He highlighted the plant's role in fostering cooperative growth and prosperity for farmers, reinforcing IFFCO's commitment to the cooperative movement and its philosophy of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi," which translates to prosperity through cooperation.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 7 pmeznews.inSyama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMPK) and Cochin Shipyard Ltd have reaffirmed their collaboration to enhance India's ship repair ecosystem, sharing a profit of ₹5.94 crore from their joint venture. During a visit to Cochin Shipyard's repair facility, SMPK chairman Rathendra Raman received the cheque from CSL chairman and managing director Madhu Nair. This profit stems from the Cochin-Kolkata Ship Repair Unit (CKSRU), highlighting the commercial viability of indigenous ship repair capabilities. Raman emphasized that this partnership not only showcases the strategic potential of local facilities but also aligns with the 'Make in India' initiative. He expressed SMPK's commitment to further expanding ship repair operations in Kolkata, indicating a positive outlook for the sector's growth.
Published: Dec 26 2025, 7 pm
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