India reclassifies coking coal as critical mineral to secure steel supply chains
India has formally designated coking coal as a critical and strategic mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, a move aimed at addressing the country’s growing dependence on imports for its steel sector. The notification, issued by the Ministry of Coal on 29 January 2026, follows recommendations from a high-level committee […]
Indian scientists develop high-voltage graphene supercapacitor promising faster EV acceleration and higher energy storage
Indian researchers have developed a high-voltage supercapacitor using a dual-functional porous graphene carbon nanocomposite electrode that could significantly improve electric vehicle performance and renewable energy storage systems. The new supercapacitor, developed at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, operates at […]
Indian Railways dedicates WAP-7 locomotive ‘Mukhi’ to mark India’s cheetah conservation milestone
Indian Railways has dedicated a WAP-7 class electric locomotive, named ‘Mukhi’, at the Howrah Electric Loco Shed under Eastern Railway, paying tribute to India’s progress in wildlife conservation. The locomotive has been specially liveried to reflect the speed, agility and elegance of the cheetah. The dedication honours Mukhi, a cheetah born in India as part […]
₹16,491 crore, 464 km Raipur-Visakhapatnam corridor to cut travel time from 12 hours to 6-7 hours
Travel time between Raipur and Visakhapatnam is set to reduce by nearly half with the development of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor, a 464-kilometre, six-lane access-controlled highway being built at a total investment of ₹16,491 crore. Designed for speeds of up to 100 kilometres per hour, the project aims to significantly enhance regional connectivity by directly […]
India rationalises regulatory framework to accelerate setting up of common effluent treatment plants
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has rationalised the regulatory framework governing Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) to accelerate their establishment across industrial clusters while retaining robust environmental safeguards and regulatory oversight. The reform is aimed at strengthening pollution control infrastructure and supporting sustainable industrial growth. CETPs are collective pollution abatement facilities that […]
India records 7.8 per cent growth in industrial production in December 2025, highest level in over two years
India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded a growth of 7.8 per cent in December 2025, marking its highest level in over two years, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation. The index had grown 7.2 per cent in November 2025. The growth in December 2025 was driven by an […]
India amends uniform consent guidelines under Air and Water Acts to streamline industrial approvals
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has amended the Uniform Consent Guidelines notified under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to streamline the industrial consent mechanism across States and Union Territories. The amendments are aimed at reducing procedural delays while […]
DRDO likely to create separate wing for high-risk, high-impact research
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh has called upon the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to move decisively beyond established and relatively low-risk technology domains, urging the organisation to take bold bets in areas where success is uncertain but strategically transformative. Addressing DRDO’s best performing scientists and technical personnel in New Delhi, Singh stressed that India’s […]
Indian Railways Plans 24-Coach Vande Bharat Sleeper With 1,224 Berths, Prototype Targeted For Roll Out By End Of 2026
Indian Railways has planned the manufacture of a 24-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trainset in response to growing demand for premium long-distance overnight rail services and encouraging passenger feedback from the first sleeper variant currently in operation. The first Vande Bharat Sleeper rake was flagged off by the Prime Minister on 17 January 2026 from Malda […]
Indian Airports Handle Over 22.2 Crore Domestic And 5.34 Crore International Passengers In April-November 2025: Govt Data
Passenger traffic at India’s major airports recorded steady year-on-year growth during the April-November 2025 period, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s Monthly Review of Infrastructure Performance. Domestic terminals handled 2219.92 lakh passengers during the period, achieving 94.13 per cent of the target and registering a 2.61 per cent increase compared to the […]