India

52 Articles

Startups

Runable Raises $21 Million to Expand AI Agents from Product Building to Business Growth

Indian startup Runable has raised a $21 million Series A and is seeking to develop an AI agent that does more than create websites and applications: it also helps small businesses reach customers and manage marketing. The expansion comes as the company faces negative gross margins and continues to rely on external advertising accounts to carry out some tasks.

2026-08-26

Startups

Indian startup Ringg raises $10 million to expand voice AI agents

Ringg secured $10 million from Peak XV Partners as an extension of its Series A round, bringing the round’s total to $15.5 million. The company is shifting from simple automated calls to executing more complex enterprise tasks through voice, WhatsApp, chat and browsers.

2026-08-25

Cloud Computing and Data Centers

Furukawa Electric to Invest Approximately ¥100 Billion to Increase Optical Fiber Production Linked to AI Data Centers

Furukawa Electric announced an investment of approximately ¥100 billion to strengthen the production of optical fiber and fiber-optic cables, responding to the expansion of data centers and demand related to artificial intelligence. Additional production is scheduled to begin gradually in fiscal 2028, raising total production capacity to approximately twice its fiscal 2025 level.

2026-08-25

Startups

Indian Startup Airbound Raises $37 Million to Develop Drones Competing with Trucking

Indian startup Airbound has raised $37 million in a Series A round to develop lightweight cargo drones after completing more than 13,000 autonomous flights. The company aims to build a network connecting three cities in Andhra Pradesh, but regulatory approvals—particularly for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights—remain the biggest obstacle to commercial expansion.

2026-08-24

Technology Companies

Flipkart Nears India’s Quick-Commerce Leaders After Reaching 1.2 Million Daily Orders

Orders on Flipkart Minutes have risen to about 1.1–1.2 million per day, compared with approximately 390,000–400,000 in November, as its network of micro-fulfillment centers expanded to more than 1,000 locations. The growth comes as Amazon strengthens its presence, while Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart remain at the forefront of the Indian market.

2026-08-22

Financial Technology

India’s Navi Raises $100 Million from Prosus in Its First Institutional Funding Round

Indian fintech company Navi has secured a $100 million investment from Prosus in a deal valuing the company at approximately $1.3 billion, as it reportedly prepares for an initial public offering.

2026-08-19

Artificial intelligence

Why “Japanese AI” Alone Is Not Enough: Sakura and Sakana AI Present a Practical Approach to Sovereignty

Interviews with Sakura Internet and Sakana AI conclude that building a completely domestic AI ecosystem is neither possible nor rational, and that the practical solution is to control data, operations, and models while diversifying sources of dependence. The approach includes running foreign models inside local infrastructure or adapting open models through post-training to meet Japanese requirements.

2026-08-18

Artificial intelligence

Perplexity’s Free Airtel Offer Doubled Its User Base in India and Increased Revenue Despite Falling Downloads

Perplexity Pro’s free one-year offer for Airtel subscribers led to a significant increase in app downloads and users in India. After the offer ended for new users, downloads fell by more than 90%, but in-app revenue increased, although the data has not yet established how many subscribers actually converted to paid plans.

2026-08-18

Cybersecurity

SIM Cards Registered with Incorrect Details Become a Global Digital Identity Crisis

Experiences in Egypt, India, Ghana and Kenya, along with a study covering seven countries, reveal that a mismatch between a mobile SIM user and its registration data goes beyond a customer service problem to become a regulatory and security challenge linked to fraud and digital identity.

2026-08-18

Startups

The Collapse of VideoVerse’s $250 Million Acquisition Deal Amid Fraud and Signature Forgery Allegations

The acquisition deal involving Indian company VideoVerse has turned from a $250 million exit into multiple legal disputes, as investors and creditors await amounts owed to them and the company and its founder face allegations that have not been resolved in court.

2026-08-12

Startups

India’s Yulu Raises $93 Million to Expand Electric Scooter Fleet

Indian electric mobility company Yulu has raised $93 million in a Series C funding round, benefiting from the growth of quick-commerce and delivery services. The company plans to increase its fleet from about 50,000 vehicles to 200,000 within two years, while introducing faster scooters for new logistics use cases.

2026-08-12

Startups

Aramco Ventures Leads $9.5 Million Round for Mitti Labs to Reduce Water Consumption in Rice Farming

Indian startup Mitti Labs has raised $9.5 million in a Series A round led by Aramco Ventures to expand a platform that uses satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and field operations to reduce water consumption and methane emissions on Asian rice farms. The company plans to begin operations in the Philippines this year, then expand to Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets in 2027.

2026-08-05

Financial Technology

India Paves the Way to Reshape the Revenue Model for the UPI Instant Payments Network

New Indian legislation lays the legal groundwork for potentially imposing fees on some merchant payments through the UPI network, after these payments remained free since 2020. The legislation does not specify the fees or covered transactions, but estimates suggest it could generate up to $1 billion annually by fiscal year 2028.

2026-08-04

Financial Technology

India’s Payments Chief: AI Will Drive the Next Phase of UPI Growth

Dilip Asbe, chief executive of NPCI, which oversees the UPI system, believes artificial intelligence will be central to attracting new users, combating fraud, and expanding access to credit as India seeks to surpass one billion daily transactions. He also called for clear regulatory frameworks to adopt AI-backed finance and for the development of specialized small language models within the country’s financial sector.

2026-06-28

Financial Technology

Revolut Begins Pilot Rollout of Services to Thousands of Users in India

British fintech company Revolut has begun making its services available to a limited number of users on a waiting list of about 450,000 people in India, as part of a controlled pilot program ahead of a broader launch. The current phase includes UPI payments, digital wallets and cards, while the company has not set a final date for general availability.

2026-06-01

Cybersecurity

Android Expands User Protection Trial Against Call Fraud in Financial Apps

Google has expanded an Android protection trial that warns users when they open a financial app while sharing their screen and speaking with an unsaved number, and lets them end the call and stop sharing with one tap. The trial began in the United States with financial institutions and apps such as Cash App and JPMorganChase, alongside its expansion in the United Kingdom and other trials.

2025-12-03