AGP Executive Report

India–Japan Tech Push: PM Modi and Japan PM Sanae Takaichi signed a 16-point roadmap covering AI, economic security, clean energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, mobility and defence, including a first defence co-development pact for the UNICORN naval radio antenna and a push to modernise the CEPA. Regulation Update: India amended the Drugs Rules to bring stem cell, gene therapies and xenografts under the CLAA central licensing framework for tighter oversight. Cybersecurity Watch: India asked Meta/WhatsApp to pause its usernames rollout over fraud, phishing and impersonation risks, seeking a response within days. EV Safety: The Centre is set to introduce guardrails to curb battery tampering and block risky apps targeting imported e-rickshaws/e-scooters. AI Investment Momentum: India’s AI push got a boost as Big Tech committed nearly $80B for AI and cloud infrastructure. Civic Tech in Action: Delhi’s Delhi Next programme will pilot 60 civic-tech solutions after prototypes from 60 teams. Energy & Industry: Japan also announced 129 MoUs worth Rs 1 lakh crore with India, spanning advanced tech and clean energy. Local Tech Leadership: Flipkart appointed Vinay Vaidya as SVP Technology for supply chain, aiming for more AI-led logistics and trust/safety systems.

India-Japan Strategic Push: PM Narendra Modi and Japan’s Sanae Takaichi signed pacts on AI, energy, metals and defence, plus a roadmap for economic security and a first-ever defence co-development project. Cybersecurity: CERT-In issued a critical warning for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Safari users to update immediately after serious security flaws were flagged. WhatsApp Under Scrutiny: MeitY ordered Meta to pause WhatsApp usernames rollout in India over fraud and impersonation risks, seeking an explanation within days. Space & Startups: Skyroot Aerospace set its Vikram-1 “Aagaman” launch window (July 12–Aug 4) as India’s first private orbital-class rocket nears liftoff. Robotics Research: DreamVu’s Cosmos3 study claims wide-view training beats first-person-only results while using less data. Energy & Industry: Coal India won a 600MW solar project in Uttar Pradesh, while Infineon completed its ams OSRAM sensor acquisition to expand edge sensing. Clean Tech & Food Systems: ICAR and Seychelles signed an MoU for climate-smart agri research, and Khyber Group launched India’s largest RAS Himalayan trout facility in Kashmir. Digital Connectivity: Microsoft-led consortium plans a 3,600-km India–Malaysia–Singapore subsea cable to support AI-ready cloud growth.

Digital Security for Insurance: SBI Life and IIT Mumbai will set up a Bharat AI & Cyber Innovation Hub for Insurance to build homegrown AI and cyber defence for the sector. Cyber Safety & Fraud Controls: India has asked Meta to pause WhatsApp’s username rollout, warning it could fuel impersonation and scams. AI + Cyber in Defence: India and Malaysia reviewed military cooperation in New Delhi, with new focus areas including defence tech, cyber security, and HADR. Digital Cargo Bookings: Air India Cargo partnered with cargo.one so freight forwarders can discover, quote and book capacity via digital channels. Tech-Enabled Army: New Army chief Gen Dhiraj Seth unveiled the VIJAY vision—vigilance, innovation, jointness, self-reliance and soldier welfare—pushing a tech-enabled future force. Digital India Milestone: PM Modi marked 11 years of Digital India, citing digital payments, e-governance and public digital infrastructure expansion. Roche in Hyderabad: Roche picked Hyderabad for its second digital tech hub in India, going live in Q1 2027. Physical Intelligence Push: MEIL and Analog plan to deploy Physical Intelligence systems across India, with major investment plans. Energy & Markets: Gold slipped in Delhi as a stronger US dollar weighed on bullion; ICAR signed an MoU with Seychelles to boost climate-smart agricultural research.

SUNY Appointment: Indian-origin engineer Sriram Neelamegham named SUNY Distinguished Professor, recognised for systems glycobiology work linking engineering with biomedical research. Textile Tech Push: Voltas’ UMPESL signs with Danitech to bring advanced textile dyeing, finishing and automation solutions across India. Physical Intelligence in India: Analog and MEIL partner to deploy “Physical Intelligence” for intelligent infrastructure, robotics, smart cities and public safety. AI & Cybersecurity: Apple accelerates security updates as AI-powered attacks speed up phishing and vulnerability discovery; meanwhile Tata Electronics investigates a major breach tied to Apple/Tesla-linked data. Digital India Milestone: Modi Archive marks 11 years of Digital India with archival footage tracing e-governance push from 2003 to 2015. Delhi Clean Mobility: Delhi EV policy 2026 allows hydrogen fuel vehicle registration and plans hydrogen buses via NTPC CSR. Startup Landscape: Avendus Wealth–Hurun Under 30 List 2026 shows DeepTech/HardTech rising, with AI and engineering-led founders dominating. Space/Climate: Agnikul and ICEYE expand SAR satellite plans; AltCarbon begins enhanced rock weathering to cut CO2. Smart Devices & Deals: Sony launches Alpha 7R VI; Amazon Prime Day 2026 discounts kick off July 4-6.

Semiconductors Push: India’s Finance Ministry EFC has cleared a ~₹1.2 lakh crore outlay for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, aiming to cut import dependence and expand support across the full chip ecosystem. AI & Industry: Flytxt opened an AI research centre in Delhi to build “trusted AI co-workers,” while OpenAI hired Uber’s India/South Asia head Prabhjeet Singh as managing director. Digital Payments Abroad: UPI went live in Greece via Eurobank, with Piyush Goyal attending the launch—another step in India’s global payments expansion. India-Japan Tech & Mobility: Japan PM Sanae Takaichi’s India visit is set to focus on a biogas-powered vehicle framework, plus AI, mobility and maritime cooperation at the annual summit. Energy & Climate: Norway’s clean-tech leadership called India a key partner for hydropower, offshore wind and carbon capture, as India’s industrial output rose 5.1% in May. Mobility Infra: India’s delayed Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train is expected to open a Surat–Vapi section in 2027. Cybercrime: Mumbai police arrested six over a ₹10.4 crore WhatsApp impersonation scam, freezing ₹5.63 crore.

Semiconductors Push: India’s ISM 2.0 just got an EFC nod for a massive Rs 1.25 lakh crore outlay, aiming to scale chip equipment, materials, and homegrown IP while building a stronger supply chain and talent pipeline. Cybersecurity & Finance: The RBI flagged AI-enabled cyberattacks as the biggest near-term threat to India’s financial system, urging banks and NBFCs to lift readiness beyond “developing” levels. Digital Payments Abroad: UPI has gone live in Greece, cutting transfer costs and expanding India’s global payments footprint. Energy Storage Deal: Lineage Power (Pace Digitek) signed with Guangzhou Rongjie Energy Tech to buy 3 GWh of LFP battery cells, supporting utility-scale and C&I storage manufacturing in India. Coal R&D Boost: Coal India plans to invest about Rs 1,900 crore in R&D by FY2030, including clean coal and net-zero tech via IIT-linked centres. AI Governance in States: Maharashtra will form an expert panel to set SOPs for AI use after concerns over AI-enabled surveillance in the Vidhan Bhavan. Healthcare Growth: Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are emerging as the next healthcare growth hubs, driven by rising insurance coverage and demand for advanced care closer to home.

Sovereign Capital Boost: India’s NIIF gets an extra Rs 30,000 crore ($3.5b), taking its total allocation to Rs 60,000 crore to back infrastructure, energy, digital, urban and electric mobility. US-India Tech & Trade: US Ambassador Sergio Gor says the India-US trade deal is nearly done (final 1–2%) and that Washington has “absolute confidence” in India as a trusted partner, while officials tout deeper AI, chips and critical-tech cooperation. AI for Fraud: NPCI pilots an AI system to spot suspicious money movement across banks in real time, aiming to stop digital fraud before funds vanish through mule accounts. Digital Learning in War Zones: India pushes DIKSHA as a national safety net for children’s education during conflicts at a UN Security Council debate. EV Push in Delhi: Experts back Delhi’s EV Policy 2026 but warn charging infrastructure must scale fast for real pollution cuts. Climate Tech for Steel: Govt plans a Rs 5,000 crore scheme to promote clean technologies in secondary steel to cut emissions. Security Hardware: India receives the fourth S-400 system from Russia, with the next delivery expected in November. Sports Skills Pipeline: Team India wins 5 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) at Global Skills Challenge Australia, strengthening WorldSkills Shanghai prep. Local Tech & Water: Navi Mumbai tightens water conservation as Morbe Dam storage falls to 9.36%, while Hopae Connect integrates DigiLocker and PAN via a single API. Apple vs India Antitrust: Apple accuses India’s antitrust probe of “copy-pasting” rivals’ claims and seeks to quash findings.

India-Seychelles Tech & Defence Push: PM Modi flew back to New Delhi after a high-profile Seychelles visit that included a $175 million economic package and new pacts spanning defence, digital payments and space. AI for Enterprise Sales: Tech Mahindra is partnering with Perplexity to give sales teams faster access to trusted, source-backed insights via Perplexity Enterprise Pro. Energy Storage Supply Deal: Lineage Power signed a Master Supply Agreement for 3 GWh of LFP battery cells with Rongjie Energy Tech, aiming to strengthen BESS manufacturing and global logistics. Nuclear Sector Opens Up: A YCP report says India’s SHANTI Act is shifting nuclear from a state-led model toward a market-oriented ecosystem, targeting 100 GW by 2047 and inviting private investment. Antitrust Clash: Apple escalated its fight with India’s Competition Commission, accusing investigators of “copy-pasting” rivals’ claims in the iOS app payments case. Monsoon Reality Check: IMD-linked reports warn June rainfall is down sharply (over 43% deficit), raising risks for kharif crops and food inflation, even as parts of the Northeast brace for heavy rain. Urban Tech & Infrastructure: Central Railway completed key monsoon waterlogging fixes across Mumbai’s suburban network, while Delhi’s EV Policy 2026 clears for rollout from July 1 with incentives for scrapping BS-IV vehicles.

AI & Security Market Pulse: New reports peg the global CCTV market at $220.5B by 2035 (15.1% CAGR), driven by AI video analytics and smart-city deployments, while thin clients are forecast to hit $12.08B by 2035 as zero-trust security pushes centralized, centrally managed endpoints. Digital Governance: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a pilot of the PM Family Care Tracker and Health Passport in Gujarat, pitching it as tech-led welfare delivery with common identity systems. Space & STEM Talent: A 14-year-old Chhattisgarh student, Mahima Rajput, was selected for the international ShakthiSAT space mission, highlighting India’s growing student pipeline for satellite tech. Climate & Food Risk: India braces for drought risk as El Niño looms, with farmers and officials watching monsoon uncertainty and contingency plans for kharif. India–Seychelles Tech & Defence: PM Modi’s visit delivered pacts on defence, UPI-based digital payments, and peaceful space cooperation, plus a Rs 1,250 crore line of credit and an extradition treaty. Health Tech: An AIIMS-led study backs a cost-effective, targeted annual flu vaccine for seniors (60+), prioritising those with chronic illnesses. Cyber-Physical Safety: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta joined Yamuna floodplain cleanup and pushed scientific recycling of puja waste via collection centres.

Aviation Safety Upgrade: India’s first satellite-guided jet landing using LPV/SBAS with the GAGAN navigation system is a big leap for precision approaches at secondary airports. Humanitarian Tech in Action: India’s Operation Amistad airlifts BHISHM modular field hospitals and medical teams to earthquake-hit Venezuela, showing faster disaster-response capability. Digital Education Push: DIKSHA is being positioned as “One Nation, One Digital Platform” for school learning, with curriculum-linked content and QR-enabled textbooks. Payments at Scale: NPCI says AI can help UPI jump from 750 million daily transactions to a billion via fraud detection, credit, and voice onboarding. Monsoon Risk: El Niño-linked dry spells have pushed India’s monsoon rainfall deficit to about 45%, raising food and water worries. Energy Security: Analysts say state-run oil firms remain crucial during floods and geopolitical shocks, despite privatisation talk. India-Seychelles Tech & Defence: Modi-Herminie talks unveiled 19 outcomes spanning UPI payments, space cooperation, healthcare and maritime security. AI Market Move: OpenAI appoints Uber’s Prabhjeet Singh as India MD to expand partnerships and adoption. Manufacturing Leap: UP’s Jewar push is framed as a shift from electronics assembly to core components like advanced multi-layer PCBs.

EV Policy Pushback: Delhi’s revised electric vehicle draft faces auto-industry opposition as it targets a faster switch away from ICE three-wheelers and two-wheelers, aiming to cut winter pollution where transport is a major contributor. Heat & Public Safety: New research links hotter days with higher rates of violent, impulsive crime, raising fresh concerns for vulnerable communities during India’s extreme summer. Hydrogen Rail Milestone: India’s first hydrogen-powered train completes a 120 kmph speed trial in Haryana, moving closer to passenger service with dedicated hydrogen facilities and safety systems. Frontier Tech Ambition: Union Minister Jitendra Singh says AI, quantum, space and nuclear will shape India’s next growth and security phase, while Digital India’s 11-year push now pivots to AI and semiconductors with large investments and compute capacity. Semiconductor Supply Chain: India backs the US-led Pax Silica push to strengthen trusted AI and semiconductor supply chains, with South Korea and others coordinating policy and industry steps. Corporate AI Deal: Persistent Systems plans to acquire Nagarro, creating a $2.9 bn AI-led digital engineering group. Energy & Climate: Adani Green leaders claim India is on track to beat Paris climate goals via deep electrification. Local Tech & Environment: Studies warn polluted creek water threatens Navi Mumbai’s flamingo wetland, while Mumbai police arrest a man allegedly trying to distribute zinc phosphide capsules during Muharram. Trade & Diplomacy: US officials signal a push to finalise the India-US trade deal soon and work toward an early-2027 presidential visit.

Space Tech: ISRO chief V Narayanan says India has mastered cryogenic engine tech “once denied” and is pushing ahead with uncrewed Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return, and Chandrayaan-5 with Japan—while targeting an Indian space station by 2035 and a Moon landing by 2040. Digital Health: Union Health Minister J P Nadda is set to launch Aarogya Setu 2.0 and new digital health platforms to expand ABHA-based personal health records, “scan and share” registration, and interoperable claims/data standards. AI & Security: India plans a centralized “Data Fusion Center” in Delhi to link facial recognition camera feeds from six major airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata) and connect them with NATGRID for real-time surveillance. Energy & Industry: PM Modi reiterates BRICS 2026 focus on Global South energy security; meanwhile, Jewar’s solar cell plant is pitched as a boost for exports and self-reliance. Markets/Policy: SEBI rejects Reliance Infrastructure and Anil Ambani settlement bids in a ₹6,526 crore case, sending it to standard adjudication. Global Tech Economy: Nasscom says AI will expand India’s tech services role via enterprise modernisation, data readiness, cybersecurity and governance. US-India Ties: Marco Rubio says Trump’s India visit is being planned for early next year as the trade deal nears finalisation.

India-UK CETA Push: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will kick in July 15, aiming to boost innovation and investment, as he also received a UK-India leadership award in London. Startup Pulse: India ranks 4th globally with 61 unicorns in Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2026; Bengaluru leads (25) and Mumbai follows (13), with AI and fintech driving valuations. US-India Tech Supply Chains: US Under Secretary Jacob Helberg backs India as a “comprehensive partner” under Pax Silica, focusing on semiconductors, critical minerals processing, and resilient supply chains. AI Leadership Move: OpenAI appoints Prabhjeet Singh (ex-Uber India head) as Managing Director for India from September, targeting enterprise adoption and regulatory engagement. Clean Energy Tech: India’s first hydrogen-powered train completes final high-speed trial at 120 kmph, while DAE inaugurates a nuclear-heat hydrogen facility using the Cu–Cl cycle at IGCAR. Industry & Power: Indo Tech Transformers approves ₹360 crore CAPEX to scale high-voltage transformer capacity toward 50,000 MVA; India also starts anti-dumping probes on electrical steel imports (CRGO/amorphous) from China, Japan, Korea and Russia. Climate & Safety Watch: Europe’s heatwave forces France to cut nuclear output, a warning for India’s energy planners as nuclear expansion continues. Urban Tech & Resilience: Mumbai sees extreme rainfall over 300 mm in hours, renewing questions about flood-proofing despite years of spending.

Solar Scale-Up: Lauritz Knudsen says its electrical and digital tech has powered 50+ GW of solar across India and global markets, with growth now shifting from big parks to rooftops, farms and homes. Frontier Tech Push: Science & Tech Minister Dr Jitendra Singh flags AI, quantum, space and nuclear as the next growth engine, citing progress under the National Quantum Mission. India–Seychelles Security & Culture: Ahead of PM Modi’s June 27–29 Seychelles visit, India highlights a deeper maritime defence partnership and long-running people-to-people ties. AI Model Talks: The US and India continue “sensitive” discussions on releasing advanced frontier AI models like Anthropic’s Fable, with a gradual, measured approach. Renewables Execution: Mercom India’s Renewables Summit will focus on the next bottleneck—matching new clean capacity with transmission, storage, land and skills. Telecom Growth: TRAI reports India’s telecom base crossed 134.31 crore in May, with Airtel and Jio leading new additions. Education Policy: NCERT’s revised Class 9 Social Science text adds an Emergency chapter and removes the Preamble/secularism references. Health Tech: Sarvodaya Hospital in Faridabad rolls out North India’s first hip navigation for more precise hip replacements. EV & Industry Moves: Ampere crosses 4 lakh scooters sold in India; Foxconn approves $37.2M more investment in its India unit.

Amazon Investment Push: Amazon says it will add $13bn by 2030 to expand AI and cloud infrastructure in India, taking its total planned spend to $48bn through 2030 after CEO Andy Jassy met PM Modi, with the money earmarked for Mumbai and Hyderabad. AI for Public Services: Delhi is set to use an IIT-Kanpur-backed AI Decision Support System to forecast air pollution 48–72 hours ahead, flag hotspots, and help authorities act earlier. Cybersecurity Governance: Delhi IT officials held a consultative workshop to strengthen cyber security frameworks for state data, feeding into a broader NCT cyber security plan. Tech, Consumer Costs: Apple has hiked prices of several products in India (MacBooks, iPads, Apple TV, HomePod) as memory and storage costs rise with AI data-centre demand. Healthcare Tech Access: Mumbai’s BDBA Hospital in Kandivali performed its first free robotic knee replacement surgeries for economically weaker patients. E-waste Worker Safety: A report highlights informal e-waste dismantling in India where workers often lack gloves or masks and earn about $8 a day while inhaling toxic fumes. Defence Systems: India’s indigenous Netra AEW&C got Final Operational Clearance, boosting airborne and maritime situational awareness for the IAF. Policy & Learning: NCERT’s new Class 9 Social Science textbook includes the Election Commission’s SIR exercise and a section on the Emergency as part of “Challenges to democratic practices in India.” Ecosystem & Energy: India used BRICS to push smart grids and energy storage cooperation, launching a digital centre of excellence for knowledge-sharing.

Big Tech Push: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy met PM Narendra Modi and confirmed a record $48B investment in India through 2030, with $13B earmarked for AI and cloud infrastructure, expanding AWS data-centre capacity in Mumbai and Hyderabad and aiming to support 3.8M jobs and $80B in e-commerce exports by 2030. AI in Public Life: BMC approved an AI crowd-monitoring pilot for Mumbai’s major tourist and religious spots ahead of Ganeshotsav, using real-time footfall analytics to improve safety and civic services. Defence Tech: Tashi Network and DroneVerse completed India’s first live autonomous drone swarm field trial in Delhi, demonstrating resilient, self-organising operations under electronic warfare conditions. Energy & Climate Tech: MIT-WPU researchers unveiled a solar thermal “battery” that stores heat in a phase-change material to provide hot water for up to ~14 hours after sunset. Health & Research: AIIMS Delhi issued new social media rules for students and staff, restricting unauthorised use of its name/logo and patient-related sharing. Trade Tensions: WTO set up a dispute panel after China challenged India’s solar incentives and IT tariffs, escalating the solar trade fight. Circular Economy: Recykal raised a $23M bridge round to scale its waste-management tech, including Deposit Return System deployments. STEM & Education: IIT Madras and Herbalife India launched a plant cell fermentation centre to boost plant-based innovation.