Startup
Reliance Infra’s Rs.10,000 Crore Boost to India’s Defense Hub
In a bold move to bolster India’s defense manufacturing sector, Reliance Infrastructure Limited, led by the Anil Ambani family, has announced a massive ₹10,000 crore investment in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district. This project, slated to unfold over the next decade, will establish the largest integrated facility for manufacturing explosives, ammunition, and small arms in the country. The sprawling 1,000-acre site in the Watad industrial area, named the Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City (DADC), promises to redefine the landscape of India’s defense industry.
A Strategic Leap in India’s Defence Landscape
Reliance Infrastructure’s ambitious project is not just a domestic boost but also an export-driven initiative aimed at enhancing India’s footprint in the global arms market. With an extensive range of ammunition, from small-caliber to terminally guided munitions (TGM), and a portfolio of small arms targeted for both civilian and military use, the DADC project underscores India’s growing stature as a defense exporter.
In recent years, the Indian government has significantly emphasised Indigenous defense production as part of its “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) mission. This initiative complements the broader goal of reducing reliance on foreign imports in defense and promoting home-grown solutions, making India a key player in the global defense supply chain.
Key Highlights of the Project:
- Scale: The facility will be the largest greenfield defense initiative ever undertaken by a private sector company in India. The export-oriented focus marks a significant step towards India becoming a leading defense exporter globally.
- Advanced Manufacturing Capabilities: The range of products to be manufactured includes a comprehensive spectrum of explosives, small arms, and advanced munitions, leveraging cutting-edge technology.
- Collaborations: Reliance Infrastructure plans to partner with up to six leading global defense companies to bring the latest technologies to the DADC project, though the names of these firms have not yet been disclosed. However, the company’s previous collaborations with Dassault Aviation and Thales, which have already resulted in successful joint ventures in Nagpur, hint at the potential for high-level partnerships.
- Job Creation: Over the coming years, the DADC is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, contributing to both local and national economic growth.
India’s Defence Sector: A Growing Market
India’s defense market has been on a steady rise, with the government recently opening the sector to 74% foreign direct investment (FDI) under the automatic route. The Defence Ministry has earmarked a significant portion of its budget for domestic procurement, sending a clear signal to private sector players like Reliance Infrastructure that the country is serious about building its domestic defense capabilities.
Maharashtra, already a hub for defense manufacturing, will benefit immensely from this project. The state’s strategic location and established infrastructure make it a natural choice for a venture of this magnitude.
Economic Impact: Fueling Growth in Maharashtra
Reliance Infrastructure’s investment is also poised to stimulate local economies in Maharashtra. The planned DADC facility will be instrumental in attracting auxiliary industries, fostering technological innovations, and spurring infrastructure development in the region. With the Maharashtra state government’s support, the project could also lead to enhanced industrial growth in Ratnagiri and surrounding areas, thereby contributing to the broader goal of economic decentralisation.
A Vision for the Future
The project aligns perfectly with India’s vision of becoming a global defense hub by 2040. With advanced manufacturing capabilities, export potential, and the ability to support military modernisation, Reliance Infrastructure’s DADC project will play a pivotal role in driving the country’s defense capabilities forward. As India navigates the complex geopolitical environment, building such capabilities in-house offers not only strategic advantages but also strengthens national security.
Startup
Juspay cuts losses by 7.7% as revenue surges 49.6% in FY24
Payments startup Juspay Technologies saw its losses narrowing in FY24 as revenue growth outpaced expenditure. It narrowed its total loss for the period to Rs 97.54 crore, down 7.76% from Rs 105.75 crore in FY23.
According to the consolidated financial statements accessed from the Registrar of Companies, the SoftBank-backed fintech firm’s revenue from operations surged 49.64% to Rs 319.32 crore, up from Rs 213.39 crore in FY23.
Juspay’s primary revenue source—payment platform integration fees—brought in Rs 286.52 crore. Additional operating revenue from services like product implementation and support added Rs 32.80 crore.
Total expenses rose by 29.52% to Rs 443.74 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 342.59 crore in the previous year. This increase was largely driven by employee benefit expenses, which saw a 41.73% jump to Rs 303.36 crore, while other expenses increased slightly over 3.56% to Rs 123.76 crore.
Juspay, founded in 2012 by Vimal Kumar and Ramanathan RV in Bengaluru, specialises in developing payment orchestration solutions that act as a technology layer over traditional payment gateways.
The Accel-backed startup has also developed Namma Yatri, a mobility app focusing on ride-hailing services, leveraging Juspay’s strengths in payments and open-source protocols. Namma Yatri is built on the Beckn Protocol and aligns with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), aiming to provide low-cost ride-hailing options and open access to digital mobility services.
Recently, Juspay decided to spin off Namma Yatri as an independent entity to attract separate investors and scale further. In February, the company said it acquired LotusPay in an all-cash deal to strengthen its offerings to the BFSI segment and merchants.
LotusPay, founded in 2016, pioneered NACH Debit technology with cloud-based software for merchants and banks. Using NPCI’s NACH Debit, it facilitates recurring payments for loans, insurance, and subscriptions.
Startup
Flipkart selects five startups for third cohort of Flipkart Leap Innovation Network
Flipkart Leap Innovation Network (FLIN).
has selected five innovative startups for the third cohort of its flagship startup accelerator programme,The cohort is introducing startups that are driving advancements across GenAI, omnichannel, analytics, and video commerce, the company said in a statement.
The selected startups— Intelligence Node, Invenzo Labs, StoryBrain, Phyllo, and D-ID— are set to run pilot programs with Flipkart to develop solutions.
“The selected startups get access to mentorship, resources, and the opportunity to execute pilot projects within the Flipkart ecosystem, scaling their solutions to meet the demands of India’s digital economy and e-commerce growth,” the company said.
Since its launch in 2022, the accelerator programme aims to accelerate the growth of the startup ecosystem in India, driving collaboration, and championing cutting-edge retail innovations.
“Through the FLIN programme, Flipkart continues to expand its role as a catalyst for innovation within India’s startup ecosystem, providing a collaborative platform for startups to test, refine, and deploy solutions that can shape the future of e-commerce in India,” said Naren Ravula, Vice President and Head – Product Strategy and Flipkart Labs.
The programme is designed to engage with startups through commercial partnerships in Flipkart’s areas of interest. Successful startups get the opportunity to scale up to a business partnership.
Over 20 startups from the initial two cohorts have concluded pilots working closely with the Flipkart Product and Engineering teams.
The company added that four startups from the previous cohort— Anagog, Speedsize, Sangti, and Vtion— have recently concluded successful pilot projects with Flipkart.
Startup
Thesys secures $4M funding led by Together Fund
AI startup Thesys bags $4 million funding in a round led by Together Fund. The round also saw participation from 8VC, the company said in a statement.
The startup will use the funding to bridge the gap of user experience with AI agents. As a visual collaboration tool, the company will also provide a platform that will enable businesses to ideate, visualise, and ship intelligent experiences at scale.
“The way we engage with technology is changing faster than ever. Static interfaces simply don’t meet the demands of today’s AI-capabilities…At Thesys, we’re building tools that make it possible for businesses to adapt and thrive in this new era,” said Parikshit Deshmukh, Co-founder, Thesys.
This evolution is about unlocking the full potential of AI-driven interactions and delivering unparalleled user experiences, he added.
“The future of AI relies as much on intuitive, adaptive interfaces as it does on backend capabilities. Thesys’ vision for Generative UI aligns perfectly with Together Fund’s commitment to enabling founders who are redefining the user experience,” said Manav Garg, Co-founder and managing partner of Together Fund.
“By empowering teams to create real-time, personalized interactions, Thesys is setting a new standard for AI-driven interfaces. We’re excited to support their journey in transforming the role of design and development tools for the next generation of AI applications,” he added.
The company, founded by Rabi Shanker Guha and Parikshit Deshmukh this year, emerged from the understanding of the need to provide support in the shift towards AI-driven interfaces, it said.
“Thesys envisions a future where all interfaces dynamically adjust to each user’s behavior, preferences, and needs—driven by what the company calls “Generative UI”. Unlike traditional static interfaces that rely on predefined paths, Generative UI uses AI to create unique, adaptive user interfaces on-the-fly, allowing businesses to provide truly personalized digital experiences,” the company added.
The company plans to launch a UI SDK that is set to enable developers to seamlessly integrate Generative UI into their applications. Additionally, post its closed beta launch, the company plans a general availability (GA) with its product within the next quarter positioning itself as the go-to product toolkit for businesses looking to stay ahead in the AI revolution.
“Thesys is pioneering a transformative shift in UI design workflows by integrating AI-driven adaptability… Their Generative UI approach aligns with our commitment to investing in technologies that drive innovation in user experiences,” said Bhaskar Ghosh, partner at 8VC.
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