The Shri Amarnath Yatra, one of the most significant religious pilgrimages in India, will be held from July 3 to August 9, 2025, with a reduced duration of 38 days. This year, the government has ramped up security, deploying 581 companies from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and implementing state-of-the-art safety measures, including jammers and surveillance drones. In addition, new age and health restrictions have been introduced for pilgrims. The Yatra will also coincide with the launch of the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, enhancing connectivity to the pilgrimage site.

In the aftermath of a devastating stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL victory celebrations on June 2, several key individuals have been arrested. Nikhil Sosale, the Head of Marketing and Revenue at RCB, along with Kiran Kumar and Sunil Mathew from DNA Entertainment Network, were taken into custody by Bengaluru Police.

COVID-19, now classified as an endemic virus, continues to circulate with milder symptoms over time, say global health experts. While recent surges in cases are being observed, particularly in parts of India, scientists assure that the disease no longer poses the same threat as it did during the peak of the pandemic. Factors like waning immunity and seasonal changes are contributing to the uptick, but experts emphasize that the virus’s evolving nature leads to less severe illness overall.

After months of speculation, Nintendo has officially unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2, marking the next chapter in its hybrid gaming console lineage. The new device maintains the signature versatility of its predecessor while introducing significant hardware upgrades, including a larger 7.9-inch HDR10-compatible display, a custom Nvidia processor supporting DLSS and ray tracing, and enhanced Joy-Con controllers. Priced at $449.99 for the standard model and $499.99 bundled with Mario Kart World, the Switch 2 is currently available in limited markets such as the US and Japan.

The Reserve Bank of India's recent 50 basis point reduction in the repo rate has been widely welcomed by CREDAI, India’s premier real estate body, as a decisive move to invigorate the residential property market. The cut enhances home loan affordability, particularly benefiting mid-income and affordable housing segments that have struggled amid subdued demand. This monetary easing arrives as the real estate market gains traction across metros and emerging Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Genpact, a leading global technology services provider, has made a strategic move to enhance its data and AI expertise with the acquisition of XponentL Data, a provider of advanced data products and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. This acquisition will empower Genpact to accelerate AI transformation for its clients, offering comprehensive services from strategy to implementation.

Dell Technologies has appointed Manish Gupta as the new President and Managing Director for India, effective immediately. A seasoned executive with over 25 years in the IT industry—including a decade in senior roles at Dell—Gupta succeeds Alok Ohrie, who steps down to pursue personal interests. Gupta’s mandate is clear: to spearhead growth, deepen customer relationships, and steer the company’s Indian operations through the next wave of digital transformation.

India’s passenger vehicle retail market saw a 3% year-on-year decline in May 2025, as geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the India-Pakistan conflict, along with softening demand for entry-level cars, weighed heavily on consumer sentiment. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), customer hesitancy in key northern and western states delayed purchase decisions, despite healthy booking volumes. Meanwhile, two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments showed resilience, aided by rural demand and seasonality.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are no longer peripheral experiments in Indian manufacturing—they have become central to strategic decision-making. According to the latest edition of Rockwell Automation’s State of Smart Manufacturing Report (2025), 99% of Indian manufacturers surveyed have either adopted or plan to adopt AI technologies. This surge reflects the sector’s maturing understanding of Industry 4.0, driven by long-term value creation, cybersecurity priorities, and sustainability goals.

The global airline industry continues to grapple with structural imbalances that have historically capped profit margins below 5%, underscoring the sector's inherent financial fragility. According to Marie Owens Thomsen, Chief Economist of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), this skewed value chain results from legacy policies and concentrated market power held by aircraft manufacturers and oil companies.