Dassault and Tata to produce Rafale fuselage in Hyderabad
France's Dassault Aviation and India's Tata Advanced Systems have agreed to manufacture the fuselage of the Rafale fighter aircraft in India, the companies said on Thursday, the first time it will be produced outside France. India, the world's biggest arms importer, has been looking to step up domestic production and boost defence exports, which jumped 12% in the fiscal year to end-March, to $2.76 billion.
Tata will set up a production facility in the southern city of Hyderabad to manufacture key structural sections of the Rafale as part of the agreement, the companies said in a statement.
The first fuselage sections are expected to roll off the assembly line in the 2028 financial year, with the facility expected to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month, they said.
The statement did not say how much the deal was worth nor whether the finish products would be for domestic use or export, but Tata Advanced Systems said on X that the fuselage would be "for India and other global markets".
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters.
India also signed a deal in April with France - its second-largest arms supplier - to buy 26 naval versions of the jets for $7 billion, which are expected to be delivered by 2030.
US announces pick for NATO’s next Supreme Allied Commander
President Donald Trump's administration announced on Thursday its nomination for the next top US General in Europe and said the US military officer would also assume the traditional role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Trump's decision to nominate US Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich to both roles, which was first reported by Reuters, will relieve European NATO allies and even some of Trump's fellow Republicans amid concerns about a retrenchment in American military leadership of NATO. Grynkewich must be confirmed by the US Senate. The position of SACEUR, which oversees all NATO operations in Europe, has been filled by a U.S. general since its creation after World War Two. US Army General Dwight D Eisenhower became the alliance's first SACEUR in 1951.
Same sex couples can constitute a family: Madras High Court
Though the Supreme Court may not have legalised marriage between same sex couples, they can very well form a family, the Madras High Court has held and allowed a young woman to join her female partner and said the two women can constitute a family. A division bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan said the expression "family" has to be understood in an expanded sense. Hearing a writ petition seeking to produce before court a 25-year old woman and set her at liberty, the bench said: "To a specific question from us, the detenue (the 25-year old woman) replied that she is a lesbian and in relationship with the writ petitioner." She made it clear to the court that she wanted to go with the petitioner. She confirmed the allegation that she is being detained against her will by her natal family.
Corporate houses commit to circular biz model to reduce waste
On World Environment Day, leading corporate houses announced their commitments to a greener earth and a regenerative business model to minimise waste. On Thursday, many companies committed to moving towards plastic neutrality by reducing the usage in their packaging with sustainable innovations, increasing collection and scientific disposal of plastic waste and consumer engagement to increase renewable energy capacity. Companies, such as ITC, reaffirmed commitments to initiatives to manage, recycle and replace plastic packaging waste, with a three-pronged framework of 'No plastic, Better Plastic and Less Plastic'. It focuses on community-based waste management programmes and investments in sustainable packaging innovations.
'NamAIste': IIHM launches AI-powered knowledge engine for hospitality sector
Whether one is curious about the top 10 wines of Tanzania or exploring various coffee brewing techniques, the newly launched 'NamAIste' - the "world's first generative AI-powered knowledge engine" - claims to answer any hospitality industry-related questions within seconds. Going beyond a conventional AI chatbot, 'NamAIste', the hospitailty GPT, launched in the capital by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) and Entiovi Technologies, a Kolkata-based global deep-tech solutions provider, aims to empower AI-driven learning, decision-making, and innovation, ushering in a new era of hospitality intelligence. Unlike other GPTs that dive into the open web for information, 'NamAIste', according to those behind the project, deep dives into data, research, and knowledge curated from institutions and professional bodies specific to hospitality. The data, which is a curated collation across hospitality institutions from over 60 countries, will have more contributions expected from hotels and stakeholders.
