• Mars conducted an extensive global research programme on pet adoption across 14 markets, alongside a Censuswide survey of 2000 adults aged 18 and above across India.

• Mars launches a new online Adoption Hub, giving prospective and current pet parents practical, expert guidance on the most common barriers and responsible pet ownership, so they can navigate the adoption journey with confidence.

• Mars expands 2026 Global Adoption Weekend to over 30 countries, supporting more local shelters than ever before. 

Key findings: What India really thinks about pet adoption

• 56% of Indians surveyed have had a shelter or rescue adoption experience, compared with 42% globally.

• 69% of 25–34-year-olds have adopted, making younger Indians the strongest adoption cohort; 23% of this age group say they are ready to adopt today.

• 44% say housing rules have prevented them from getting a pet: more than double the 20% global figure.

• 54% of working Indians say their work arrangement makes them more likely to adopt, versus just 34% globally; this rises to 66% among 25–34-year-olds.

• 89% of adopters in India change their pet’s food after adoption, compared with 71% globally; almost half switch immediately rather than transitioning gradually.

• 44% of Indian pet owners trust a veterinarian most for feeding advice, compared with 57% globally, highlighting an opportunity to strengthen access to trusted veterinary guidance, particularly during the crucial period after adoption. 

Mars Global Adoption Survey reveals that uncertainty about an animal’s background and a lack of expert advice can deter prospective pet adopters, highlighting a critical need for guidance throughout the adoption journey.

Mars Global Adoption Weekend drive across India

Launched ahead of the 2026 Mars Global Adoption Weekend, the study builds on findings from the 2023 Mars State of Pet Homelessness survey, which estimated that 69.3 million pets in India are homeless. The latest survey takes a closer look at the barriers that may prevent people from adopting pets and explores how to address these challenges so more pets can find loving homes and stay with their families for life. 

A survey of 2,000 people in India found encouraging potential for pet adoption: 25% of current pet parents who did not adopt said they would consider adoption in the future with the right guidance and support.

Navigating the Rescue Reality with Confidence
Among those considering adoption, the most common concerns stem from the unknown, including undiscovered medical history (34%), behavioral background (23%) and household compatibility (27%).

The study also highlights an opportunity for greater nutrition expertise and guidance. With 89% of adopters in India changing their pet’s diet after leaving the shelter, expert support can play an important role in helping pet parents navigate the transition and ensure their pets receive appropriate, complete and balanced nutrition in a safe and informed way.  

According to Manish Syag, Managing Director, Mars Pet Nutrition, India, said “Every pet deserves to be safe, healthy, and loved. Adoption is one of the most powerful ways we can help give animals that future. Our research shows encouraging momentum for adoption in India, with 56% of respondents having had a shelter or rescue adoption experience, compared with 42% globally. But creating a better world for pets goes beyond finding them homes; it requires sustained action across animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, and the communities in which pets and people live. At Mars, we are working across this ecosystem through animal birth control, vaccination, and community education programmes. This also includes supporting Humane World for Animals’ National ABC Training Centre in Lucknow through the Mars Impact Fund. Our efforts also include Adoption Weekend initiatives, feeding programmes in partnership with leading NGOs, and our Better Cities for Pets work in Bengaluru.  Through Mars Global Adoption Weekend, we want to build on this initiative by bringing more prospective pet parents and animals together, while helping adopters access the information and support they need to make adoption a confident, lifelong commitment.”

Clearing the Path to Responsible Adoption 
To help clear the path to pet adoption, the company launches a new online Mars Adoption Hub that offers expert-backed advice, drawing on the Waltham Petcare Science Institute’s extensive knowledge and practical resources for pre- and post-adoption support.

When the right support is in place, the reward of adopting a pet is clear: Pet parents cite seeing an adopted pet become relaxed and comfortable in their home (40%) and feeling like part of the family (43%) as the most fulfilling milestones of adoption.

Geeta Seshamani, Vice President, Friendicoes, said, “As more people open their homes to pets, it is important that adoption remains at the heart of the conversation. We were delighted to collaborate with Mars to encourage more people and families to consider adopting rescued pets and to understand the responsibility that comes with welcoming a pet into their lives. Through initiatives like these, we hope to create greater awareness around responsible pet parenting and help more animals find loving homes.” 

Veterinarian and Pet Nutrition & Health Science Expert – Esther Bijsmans, DVM, PhD Mars Pet Nutrition comments: “Adopting a pet is an exciting and rewarding experience, but practical guidance is key to building confidence and helping pets and their owners thrive together. 

“When welcoming home a new pet, we encourage pet parents to follow the 3-3-3 rule: the first three days are about helping a new pet feel safe, the first three weeks are about establishing routines, learning the household dynamic and building trust; and by three months, most pets will have begun to settle in. Patience and bond-building play a central role.

“Nutrition also plays a vital role in a pet’s overall well-being. A common mistake is switching food too quickly. Instead, gradually transition to a new diet over 7–10 days to support healthy digestion and help pets adjust comfortably.” 

Global Impact, Local Action
Building on the incredible success of last year, the 2026 Mars Global Adoption Weekend expanded to over 30 countries, supporting shelters around the world, helping more pets find homes.

As part of Mars Global Adoption Weekend, a worldwide initiative to help pets find loving homes, adoption drives are being held across eight Indian cities: Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Ranchi and Hyderabad. In partnership with trusted local shelters and rescue organisations, including Friendicoes, Street Dogs of Ranchi, Humane Animal Society, Ubasti Cat Café, Help in Suffering and YODA, these drives connect prospective adopters with pets ready for adoption and provide expert guidance throughout the process. 
Ready to adopt? Visit the Mars Adoption Hub to find participating shelters in India during Global Adoption Weekend and access resources to help you prepare for life with your new pet.

References: 
Global: The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 26,002 General Consumers across the UK, USA, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico, India, Poland, Philippines, Canada, Italy, and Japan (18+). The data was collected between 16.07.2026 – 29.07.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.

India: ¹The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 General Consumers across India (18+). The data was collected between 16.07.2026 – 23.07.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.

L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF), one of the leading Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India has recorded consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 975 Crore, up 33% Year-on-Year (YoY) for the second quarter ended September 30, 2026 (Q2FY27). During the quarter, LTF achieved a milestone of highest-ever consolidated book of Rs. 1,36,635 Crore, up 28% YoY.  The retail book size during the quarter reached Rs. 1,34,600 Crore, up 29% YoY. The Company has recorded robust retail disbursement of Rs. 24,027 Crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2026, up 27% YoY, reflecting continued business momentum. Improving asset quality, lowering credit costs, and higher Return on Assets reinforce the Company’s focus on profitable, risk-calibrated growth. Concurrently, the Company has accelerated technology deployment to evolve into an AI-native lender.

Highlights of L&T Finance Ltd.’s financial performance in Q2FY27

L&T Finance continues to advance its Lakshya 2031 ambition of becoming a risk-first, technology-first and AI-native retail financial services institution. The Company is embedding intelligence across customer acquisition, underwriting, portfolio management, servicing and cross-selling.

In Q2FY27, the Company’s flagship PLANET app reinforced its status as a core digital engine for the Company – surpassing 2.7 crore downloads. The application now services 94% of the total service requests generated by its customers, and has driven collections of Rs. 2,168 Crore during the quarter, coupled with a business generating of Rs. 5,934 Crore in business.

Further strengthening its rural reach, PLANET app introduced a dedicated rural interface with a clear, intuitive and clutter-free UI, offering multilingual capabilities, including Hindi. This enables rural customers to navigate the app more easily, access services in a familiar language and complete transactions with greater convenience and confidence.

The Company’s Partner PLANET app has emerged as a dedicated digital platform designed to strengthen engagement with its dealer network by bringing key business information, retail performance insights and operational services onto a single interface. The platform enables dealers to access business metrics, monitor retail performance, manage Trade Advance requirements and track operational requests, enhancing transparency, convenience, and efficiency across the dealer ecosystem.

Commenting on the financial results Mr. Sudipta Roy, Managing Director & CEO, LTF, said, “Q2FY27 has been yet another strong quarter for L&T Finance with strong delivery across all business parameters, laying a solid foundation for our Lakshya 2031 journey with a sustained business momentum. These outcomes reflect the strength of our diversified retail franchise, the discipline of our execution and our continued focus on delivering sustainable, risk-calibrated growth. Despite uncertainties in the macroeconomic environment, inflation pressures, and seasonal headwinds, our resilient business model enabled us to navigate these macro dynamics effectively while expanding key focus verticals like Gold Finance, Micro Loan Against Property, Personal Loans, and Two-Wheeler Finance. Our approach will continue to be guided by disciplined underwriting, strengthened risk guardrails, granular portfolio monitoring and a strong collections framework. We believe that responsible growth and superior portfolio quality must go hand in hand.

As we progress on our Lakshya 2031 journey, we remain focused on strengthening our granular distribution channels, expanding our branch footprint and enhancing our digital acquisition capabilities. Our investments in artificial intelligence, particularly through our AI-powered credit administration and portfolio management frameworks are expected to further enhance credit decision-making, identify early warning signals and drive greater operational efficiency. These capabilities will help us build a more agile, scalable and resilient organisation.

Our priority remains to sustain profitable growth, improve returns and strengthen the quality of our franchise. We are confident that our investments in technology, distribution and risk management will help us navigate evolving market conditions while progressing towards our long-term strategic ambitions.”

Key Highlights:

Building a diversified retail franchise:

Retail disbursements for Q2FY27 stand at Rs. 24,027 Crore vs. Rs. 18,883 Crore in Q2FY26, a growth of 27% YoY. The Retail Book size for Q2FY27 stands at Rs. 1,34,600 Crore vs. Rs. 1,04,607 Crore in Q2FY26, registering a growth of 29% YoY. Growth was driven by all business segments across rural and urban geographies with a focus on high yielding loan products.

Rural Business Finance:

• Book size up 22% YoY to Rs. 33,465 Crore vs. Rs. 27,460 Crore in the quarter ended September 30, 2025 (Q2FY26)

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 6,356 Crore vs. Rs. 6,316 Crore, up 1% YoY

Farmer Finance:

• Book size up 9% YoY to Rs. 17,397 Crore vs. Rs. 15,943 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 1,643 Crore vs. Rs. 1,654 Crore, down 1% YoY

Two-wheeler Finance:

• Book size up 24% YoY to Rs. 16,158 Crore vs. Rs. 13,013 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 3,170 Crore vs. Rs. 2,512 Crore, up 26% YoY

Personal Loans:

• Book size up 72% YoY to Rs. 18,664 Crore vs. Rs. 10,878 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 4,233 Crore vs. Rs. 2,918 Crore, up 45% YoY

• Partnered with Pine Labs to introduce Agentic Commerce and Payments on L&T Finance PLANET App

Housing Loans and Loan Against Property (LAP):

• Book size up 20% YoY to Rs. 32,846 Crore vs. Rs. 27,407 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 2,926 Crore vs. Rs. 2,713 Crore, up 8% YoY

SME Finance:

• Book size up 27% YoY to Rs. 9,495 Crore vs. Rs. 7,465 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 1,820 Crore vs. Rs. 1,468 Crore, up 24% YoY

Gold Finance:

• Book size up 242% YoY to Rs. 5,043 Crore vs. Rs. 1,475 Crore in Q2FY26

• Quarterly disbursements for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, at Rs. 3,237 Crore vs. Rs. 983 Crore, up 229% YoY

• Launched an integrated marketing campaign featuring brand ambassador Jasprit Bumrah under the tagline “Koi Bhi Sapna Hold Mat Karo, L&T Finance Gold Loan Karo,” covering key markets across eight states and one union territory, and reaching consumers through approximately 150 LTF branches

About L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF)

L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF) ( www.LTFINANCE.com ), is a leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), offering a range of financial products and services. Headquartered in Mumbai, the Company has been rated ‘AAA’ — the highest credit rating — by four leading domestic rating agencies. LTF is also rated by International Rating Agencies. S&P Global Ratings has affirmed LTF with long-term Issuer Credit Rating at “BBB/Stable” and short-term issuer credit rating at “A-2”. Fitch Ratings has affirmed LTF Long-Term Foreign and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings of “BBB-” with a Stable outlook. It has also received leadership scores and ratings by global and national Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) rating providers for its sustainability performance. The Company has been certified as a Great Place To Work® and has also won many prestigious awards for its flagship CSR project – “Digital Sakhi”- which focuses on women’s empowerment and digital and financial inclusion. Under Right to Win, being in the ‘right businesses’ has helped the Company become one of the leading financiers in key Retail products. The Company is focused on transforming into a Risk-first, Technology-first, AI-native Retail financial services institution as part of the Lakshya 2031 plan. The Company has over 3 Crore customer database, which is being leveraged to cross-sell, up-sell, and identify new customers.

World Food Day is observed annually on October 16, marking the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. World Animal Day is celebrated on October 4 every year in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, as conceived by Heinrich Zimmermann. The first week of October is celebrated as Wildlife Week in India. On these multiple occasions concerning wild animals, domestic animals, and farm animals, World Animal Protection renews calls for humane treatment for animals that are suffering in factory farms and in captivity for entertainment. These include the elephants that are routinely abused for rides in Amer Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
 

Elephants in Haathi Gaon in Jaipur in Rajasthan Photograph Credit : Shubhobroto Ghosh

“As the global community observes World Food Day on October 16, 2026, under the guiding theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.” attention turns intensely toward building truly sustainable food and agricultural systems. In India, achieving comprehensive food security requires looking far beyond food availability to address the profound confluence of agriculture, animal welfare, and ecosystem conservation. True food security cannot exist in isolation from how we treat sentient creatures and the fragile natural networks that sustain all life on Earth,” says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India.
 

Livestock farming for food is also linked to the destruction of pristine forests, and World Animal Protection has been promoting plant-based diets for a more responsible and environmentally friendly footprint. Proper labelling of vegetarian, non-vegetarian, and vegan products also goes a long way toward making consumers aware of their impact on the planet. The recently concluded BRICS Summit in India declaration mentions zoonotic diseases and includes cooperation on zoonotic threats and global health security, as well as biodiversity conservation, conservation of rare species and big cats, and sustainable livestock development. The government of India has very kindly informed World Animal Protection that animal welfare and wildlife trade will be addressed in future BRICS gatherings, where appropriate.
 

The government of India is positive toward embracing the concept of One Health, which encompasses animal welfare, human health, and environmental protection. Factory farming exacerbates the risk of zoonoses and the risks of epidemics. In the wake of coronavirus, it has become an imperative to treat animals humanely in all situations and to make systemic changes to animal rearing processes that are utilised to produce meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. World Animal Protection has welcomed the second Anti-Microbial Resistance Plan of the Government of India to address the damage to animal welfare, harm to human health, and the destruction of the environment that accompanies the irresponsible use of antibiotics in the chicken and livestock rearing industries. World Animal Protection continues to engage with various stakeholders on both wildlife and food systems to eliminate cruelty to animals.
 

Engaging with important stakeholders on the occasion of World Animal Day and Wildlife Week, World Animal Protection conducted a sensitisation programme with over two hundred and fifty students, parents, and teachers during an NGO gathering organised by the Cambridge School, Srinivaspuri on the occasion of the Parent-Teacher meeting. The occasion was a very fruitful one that resulted in many memorable interactions that brought to light many instances of animal abuse in food, fashion, and wildlife in entertainment. Several individuals expressed their interest in finding humane alternatives to cruel animal products like fur, leather, feathers, and silk, and also resolved not to patronise animal abuse in the wildlife entertainment sector by avoiding elephant rides and refusing to attend close-contact sessions with big cats in captive tiger venues in countries like Thailand.
 

As part of the ongoing corporate engagement, five tour companies, UnBound Expeditions, Going Wild Tours, Hetalbon Resort , North East Travels and Wild Paw Adventures have taken the wildlife friendly pledge of World Animal Protection and do not offer elephant rides in their itineraries. Engagement continues on developing humane food systems with relevant government and non government agencies as well.
 

Highlighting the importance of keeping wild spaces in India and free from the impacts of factory farming needs robust research and investigation. In this regard it is notable to read the book, ‘Rewilding India: The CWS Story’ written by Deepa Padmanaban and edited by Dr. Krithi K. Karanth. There is considerable work to do in India to determine how rearing animals for food impacts our wild spaces and this book gives us food for thought on the importance of wild areas in India and beyond.
 

Today we are witnessing unprecedented cases of wildlife trade all over the world, and India has become a hotbed of wild animal seizures that point to a growing demand for non-native exotic pets. World Animal Protection is also grateful to influencers like Bhagyashree and Koneenica Banerjee for promoting compassion to animals in all walks of life. Our campaign for humane treatment of all sentient beings continues in all possible ways.
 

For more information, please contact

Contact Person: Mr. Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India

Email: gajenderksharma@worldanimalprotection.org.in

Mobile Phone: +91 9313333283

Ai+ Smartphone is strengthening its customer-first approach by incorporating real user feedback into product and service improvements. Drawing insights from customer reviews, everyday device usage and after-sales interactions, the brand is addressing concerns related to camera stability, connectivity and performance through software updates, enhanced testing and more responsive customer support. This approach reflects Ai+ Smartphone’s commitment to building not just for its users, but with them.

Real Feedback, Real Improvement, A better Ai+ Experience

Across its smartphone portfolio, customers have appreciated Ai+Smartphone for its design, camera capabilities, battery life, performance and value for money. The Nova 2 Neo 5G has received positive feedback for its battery performance and accessibility, while the Nova 2 Power 5G has been appreciated for its overall experience and dual-tone design, particularly the Blue Fusion colour. The Nova 2 Ultra 5G has been recognised for its photography experience, performance and AMOLED display. Similarly, the Nova 2 5G and Nova 2 Pro 5G have received encouraging responses for their overall experience and value, while the Ai+ Pulse 2 has been appreciated for its battery, display and design.

Beyond positive reviews, Ai+Smartphone is actively using customer feedback to identify and address areas for improvement. Concerns related to camera stability, connectivity and device performance have been shared with product and technical teams, informing targeted over-the-air (OTA) updates and product refinements. The Nova 2 Ultra 5G, for instance, has received software updates aimed at improving camera stability. These insights are also being considered during product reviews and pre-launch testing to strengthen the experience offered by future devices.

Ai+ Smartphone has also made independent pre-launch evaluations an integral part of its product development approach through Project Open Review, inviting external feedback on its devices before they reach consumers. As of now we have over thousand registrations, from reviewers, creators, journalists, tech enthusiasts and, for the first time, ethical hackers to independently evaluate our devices. The initiative enables the brand to gather honest, unscripted feedback and incorporate necessary refinements into its products ahead of launch, reinforcing its commitment to Trust through Transparency.

Commenting on the approach, Archi Gogoi, Head of Brand, Marketing & Growth at Ai+ Smartphone, said, “At Ai+ Smartphone, we believe that building better technology starts with listening to the people who use it. Customer feedback helps us understand what we are getting right and where we need to improve. Whether through software updates, stronger product testing or more responsive after-sales support, our focus is on translating these insights into meaningful action. As we grow, we want our customers to know that their voices play an important role in shaping the Ai+ experience.”

The brand is also strengthening its after-sales operations through daily feedback collection, improved case tracking and closer coordination between customer support and technical teams. Dedicated teams conduct pre-launch testing to identify potential concerns, while software-related issues identified through customer interactions are being addressed. Where spare parts availability affects repair timelines, handset replacements are arranged wherever required and feasible to minimise customer inconvenience.

To make customer support more responsive and personalised, Ai+ Smartphone has strengthened its social media feedback and escalation process. Dedicated teams regularly monitor customer messages, comments and mentions, ensuring concerns are reviewed, prioritised and coordinated with Customer Service for timely action. The process focuses on proactive engagement, structured follow-ups and tracking cases through to resolution, helping deliver a more consistent and accountable customer experience. Ai+ Smartphone currently aims to resolve most service concerns within three to four days, depending on the nature of the issue and spare parts availability.

Ai+ Smartphone also plans to introduce customer experience videos following service resolution to better understand customer satisfaction and identify opportunities for improvement. Alongside product reviews and service feedback, these insights will help the brand refine its support processes, improve turnaround times and incorporate customer learnings into future product and service decisions.

As Ai+ Smartphone continues to expand its portfolio, customer feedback will remain central to how the brand evolves. By connecting real-world experiences with product development, software enhancements and after-sales improvements, Ai+ Smartphone is reinforcing its commitment to building technology not just for its users, but with them.

About Ai+ Smartphone

Ai+ Smartphone is a next-generation brand built in India, delivering reliable and high-performance mobile experiences. Powered by NxtQuantum OS, India’s first sovereign mobile operating system. The brand focuses on delivering a clean design, ensuring long battery life, and maintaining trusted software performance, all while keeping prices accessible without compromising the user experience.

From redefining smartphones to pioneering AIoT products as part of the company’s Connected Ecosystem, Ai+ Smartphone is creating a new standard for trust, immersive experience, and accessibility. Rooted in a privacy-first architecture and a commitment to equitable access, Ai+ Smartphone stands for more than specs — it stands for India’s next era of user-owned, future-ready technology.

About Ai+ and NxtQuantum Shift Technologies

NxtQuantum Shift Technologies is a deep-tech Indian company building secure, sovereign digital platforms for a digital-first world. Founded by Madhav Sheth, the company develops NxtQuantum OS, India’s first sovereign operating system, and is committed to building technology that is designed, engineered and developed in India while remaining globally competitive.

Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory (SFIT) has ranked first in Asia-Pacific and second globally in the Rising Star category of fDi Intelligence’s Global Free Zones of the Year Awards 2026, becoming the first financial hub from Central Asia to win.

Tamchy SFIT Named Asia-Pacific’s Top Rising Star in fDi’s Global Free Zones of the Year Awards 2026 

The judging panel highly praised Tamchy SFIT’s long-term strategy for attracting residents across its priority sectors. The judges also highlighted the jurisdiction’s extensive package of business incentives, including a zero corporate income tax rate for 49 years and unrestricted profit repatriation.

fDi Intelligence is the Financial Times’ specialist division for foreign direct investment (FDI). Its annual Global Free Zones of the Year Awards benchmark free zones around the world across a number of key categories.

The Rising Star category, in particular, recognises the strongest newly established zones, judged on their potential, early evidence of investor interest and the strategic advantages they offer investors.

Ayaz Baetov, First Deputy Chairman of Tamchy SFIT’s Management Council, welcomed the recognition as a significant milestone for the project.

“Being ranked first in Asia-Pacific and second globally so early in Tamchy SFIT’s development is an important international endorsement of our vision. We are creating a next-generation financial jurisdiction that combines the certainty of established international legal practices with the speed, flexibility and digital infrastructure that global businesses increasingly expect,” Baetov said.

Established by law in July 2025, Tamchy SFIT was formally inaugurated by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on 3 July 2026, less than a year later. Built from the ground up, the jurisdiction operates on the principles of English common law, with its own financial regulator, an International Dispute Resolution Centre and a single-window digital registrar. A special tax regime guarantees a 0% rate on profits, dividends, capital gains and VAT for 49 years, and allows 100% foreign ownership. The model is designed to accommodate a wide range of businesses, from funds, family offices and holding companies to international trading firms, fintech businesses and other innovation-driven enterprises.

The 6,000-hectare territory on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul is being developed as an integrated ecosystem that brings together business, living and wellness. A Grade A business centre is already operational, offering modern office spaces and meeting facilities. Issyk-Kul International Airport is within walking distance of the business district. Five more buildings, including a second business centre for residents and two office buildings, are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The first residents that registered at Tamchy SFIT at its launch included companies from Switzerland, South Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates. More than 30 further companies are currently completing registration, fully benefitting from the digital one-stop-shop system.

About Tamchy SFIT

Tamchy Special Financial Investment Territory (SFIT) is a new international financial jurisdiction on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul in the Kyrgyz Republic, inaugurated in July 2026. Built on the principles of English common law, with its own financial regulator, an independent court and a digital one-stop shop, it offers a special tax regime for 49 years and 100% foreign ownership. Positioned at the intersection of the five EAEU economies and the Eurasian corridor, Tamchy SFIT aims to host around 4,000 resident companies and create more than 10,000 jobs by 2035.

SecureKloud Technologies Limited, a global provider of AI-powered digital transformation, cloud managed services, and cybersecurity solutions, today announced the introduction of “Hey, I’m DG”, a new conversational AI feature within its flagship DocuGenie.AI Intelligent Document Automation (IDA) platform.

Meet “Hey, I’m DG”, the Digital Genie and new conversational AI feature within DocuGenie.AI, designed to make enterprise information easier to access

Positioned as the Digital Genie, the new feature allows enterprise users to interact with documents and connected business information through natural-language questions. Instead of manually searching lengthy records, reviewing multiple files or navigating different systems, users can ask questions and receive relevant answers, summaries and supporting references.

The launch also marks a step towards SecureKloud’s vision of an AI-powered digital workforce, where intelligent assistants work alongside people to simplify everyday enterprise operations.

From Document Processing to Conversational Intelligence

Enterprises manage large volumes of information across financial statements, loan files, customer records, operational documents and business applications. Finding specific information often requires teams to review multiple sources, compare details and interpret complex data.

DocuGenie.AI already helps enterprises ingest, classify, extract and validate information from structured and unstructured documents. With “Hey, I’m DG”, SecureKloud extends these capabilities to conversational AI, allowing users to explore processed information through simple, everyday questions.

The feature is designed to help users move beyond document search towards contextual understanding. Responses can be traced to underlying source information, supporting more informed review and decision-making.

Making Enterprise Information Easier to Access

“Hey, I’m DG” supports document-intensive business workflows across industries. In banking and financial services, users can ask questions about factors contributing to loan defaults, identify applications awaiting review or examine missing documentation and pending legal checks. These use cases complement DocuGenie.AI capabilities in Bank Statement Analysis and Loan Against Property (LAP) Automation.

When connected to relevant enterprise systems, the feature can help bring together information from documents and lending platforms such as Loan Origination Systems (LOS) and Loan Management Systems (LMS).

In logistics, teams can use conversational queries to investigate shipment exceptions, review supporting documents and understand operational discrepancies without manually searching through multiple records.

By making information easier to retrieve and interpret, the feature aims to reduce repetitive investigation and help teams focus on the decisions that require their attention.

Bringing AI Closer to Everyday Enterprise Work

“Hey, I’m DG” reflects SecureKloud’s approach to making enterprise AI more accessible within existing business workflows. Rather than requiring users to learn complex search methods, the feature introduces a conversational interface for working with document intelligence.

It builds on the capabilities of DocuGenie.AI, which supports document automation across lending, onboarding, logistics and manufacturing workflows.

With this addition, SecureKloud continues to expand DocuGenie.AI from intelligent document processing towards more interactive, decision-ready enterprise intelligence.

“Enterprises have invested heavily in digitising information, but accessing the right insights at the right time remains a challenge. With ‘Hey, I’m DG’, we want to change that. Whether in banking, lending, logistics, legal services or healthcare, teams should spend more time making decisions, not searching for the information behind them. That is the value we aim to deliver with our Digital Genie. It also marks an important step towards our vision of an AI-powered digital workforce, where intelligent assistants work alongside people to simplify operations and improve productivity,” said Venkateswaran Krishnamurthy, Chief Revenue Officer and Whole-Time Director, SecureKloud Technologies Limited.

As the Digital Genie evolves, SecureKloud aims to explore new ways for AI-powered assistants to support enterprise workflows, making business information easier to access, understand and act upon.

About SecureKloud Technologies

SecureKloud Technologies Ltd. is a global technology company with over 17 years of expertise in AI-powered digital transformation, cloud-native SaaS enablement, intelligent cloud managed services, and intelligent automation. Its portfolio spans Intelligent Document Automation through DocuGenie.AI, AI and data engineering, cloud transformation, FinOps, SaaS delivery, and 24×7 operational support.

Backed by industry-recognised certifications and compliance frameworks, including SOC 2, ISO 27001:2022, DPDP, GDPR, ISO 9001, ISO 20000, and CMMI Level 3, SecureKloud delivers secure, scalable, and compliant digital operations for modern enterprises.

For more information:

Website: www.securekloud.com.

DocuGenie.AI™: www.docugenieai.com.

Sthanika, the applied AI research lab of the PurpleTalk group, today announced that its Sieve 31B model has ranked second globally on the Jev Decision Index, an open benchmark hosted on Hugging Face for AI models built to make rapid decisions. Sthanika’s decision models ranked ahead of Jev and Perplexity Decider v1.1

Indian Lab Sthanika’s Sieve 31B decision model ranks second in the Jev Decision Index

Sieve 31B recorded a Full score of 63.8, combining the public test suite with private tests run by the benchmark’s maintainers. It ranked second on the public tests with a full score of 62.5.

Sthanika’s Sieve 31B is a cost-efficient decision model that agents can call as one component in a larger system, and it makes decisions more reliably than general-purpose large language models. Many AI agents today send every task to an LLM, including planning and routine decisions that a decision model can handle more cheaply. That cost grows as agents take on more of the work people used to do. General-purpose LLMs are tuned to converse with people, which makes them the right tool for language and an expensive one for choosing between defined options thousands of times a day. Comparatively, a decision model is extremely inexpensive for those tasks.

PurpleTalk

The wider Sieve family includes Sieve 2B Plus, Sieve 4B and Sieve 9B Plus each placed among the top in their size classes on the same leaderboard. Developers can run smaller models on their own on-premise GPUs for everyday tasks that need privacy and handle large volumes of work, and switch to bigger, more powerful models when tasks require more advanced capabilities.

Most AI conversations are about models that write, summarise and converse. Much of the AI inside real software does something less visible: it makes small decisions, thousands of times a day. Sieve is built for that decision-making. It reads the question and the available choices as they are presented, then returns a defined answer with a confidence score that software can inspect and act on. That suits applications where consistency, speed and the ability to audit each decision matter as much as accuracy.

“Sieve 31B shows that a focused model fine-tuned in India can perform among the best in the world at this work. The private tests matter most to us. They come from domains outside the public suite, and Sieve generalised better than most of the field. It learned the task, not the test.” said Sridhar Muppidi, Co-founder of PurpleTalk.

Sieve builds on Sthanika’s earlier work on compact, confidence-aware decision models, which already run inside PurpleTalk products including Ello and Mina. There they handle routine judgements faster and more economically than general-purpose generative models. The lab also expects to create a new category of agentic systems which have higher reliability, more granular control, as well as low latency in areas like voice, customer experience, and robotics.

“We believe decision models will open up a new category of agentic systems: more reliable, more controllable and fast enough for voice, customer experience and robotics. We are publishing everything needed to reproduce our results, and we invite the research community to test it, challenge it and build on it,” said Bharat Lingam, CEO & Co-founder, PurpleTalk.

Models and evaluation artifacts: link.

Full results: Jev Decision Index.

About Sthanika
Sthanika is a Hyderabad-based AI research lab that builds open-weight models for problems the general-purpose models were never built to solve. Its name is Sanskrit for “local.” Sthanika is part of the PurpleTalk group. Learn more at sthanika.ai.

About PurpleTalk

Founded in 2008, PurpleTalk builds AI companies and services. The group has worked across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, financial services and retail. Its portfolio includes (x)cube LABS, Sthanika, Ello and Mina.

As Bigg Boss 20 moves deeper into the competition, speculation about the eventual winner is intensifying. This season has brought together contestants from television, music, gaming and digital entertainment, each bringing a different personality and approach to the house.

Bigg Boss 20 Winner Prediction Showdown

While the final result will depend on audience voting and what happens in the coming weeks, ScoutOP, Yung DSA and Kanika Mann have emerged as three contestants worth watching closely.

Based on their current gameplay, audience engagement, public profile, and astrological indicators, astrologers currently see ScoutOP as the strongest contender for the Bigg Boss 20 trophy.

Three Contestants of BB20 Who Could Go All the Way

1. ScoutOP: The Digital Star With a Competitive Edge

Tanmay Singh, popularly known as ScoutOP, entered Bigg Boss 20 with an advantage that few contestants can match – a large and highly engaged digital audience.

The gamer and streamer has built his career through esports, livestreaming and digital content, giving him a strong connection with India’s gaming community. Reports around his entry into the show have highlighted his substantial social media following, including around 4.4 million Instagram followers.

His competitive background could also play an important role inside the Bigg Boss house. Esports requires:

• Quick decision-making

• Strategic thinking

• Performing under pressure

• Adapting to opponents

• Maintaining focus during competition

These qualities can translate well into Bigg Boss, where contestants have to constantly respond to changing alliances, tasks and house dynamics.

An unofficial Bigg Boss fan leaderboard currently places ScoutOP among the leading contestants in terms of fan engagement. However, these numbers are not official voting figures and should only be viewed as an indication of online interest.

2. Yung DSA: The Contestant Willing to Take Charge

Harsh Machare, better known as Yung DSA, represents a different kind of threat.

The rapper and hip-hop artist has already demonstrated that he is willing to take responsibility and put himself in competitive situations. His victory in the first captaincy task gave him an early opportunity to establish his presence inside the house.

His strengths include:

• A strong and outspoken personality

• Willingness to participate in house dynamics

• Competitive temperament

• Ability to take responsibility

• Strong screen presence

His challenge, however, will be maintaining a balance between being outspoken and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

In a show where public perception can change quickly, how a contestant handles disagreements can be just as important as how they perform in tasks.

3. Kanika Mann: Experience Meets a Strong Television Connect

Kanika Mann brings a different advantage to the competition.

Having already established herself through television and reality programming, she entered the Bigg Boss house with familiarity among a significant section of the Hindi television audience.

Her previous experience could help her understand the demands of a reality-show environment, while her willingness to express her opinions has kept her involved in the house’s major conversations.

• Her key strengths include:

• Existing television fan base

• Previous reality-show experience

• Strong communication skills

• Ability to express her opinions

• Familiarity with the entertainment audience

She also recently received public support from actress Mouni Roy, who praised her Bigg Boss journey and the way she has been conducting herself in the house.

ScoutOP vs Yung DSA vs Kanika Mann: Who Has the Edge?

The three contestants bring different strengths to the competition.

Based on these factors, ScoutOP currently has an interesting combination of digital reach, competitive experience and visibility.

But there is another factor that makes his candidature particularly interesting for astrology apps like Neo Astro from an astrological perspective.

What Does Astrology Say About ScoutOP?

ScoutOP was born on July 30, 1996, according to publicly available profiles, making him a Leo according to Western Sun-sign astrology.

Leo is traditionally associated with qualities such as:

• Confidence

• Leadership

• Self-expression

• Determination

• Visibility

• Competitive spirit

These characteristics can be relevant in a reality-show format where contestants need to establish a distinct identity and remain visible throughout the season.

However, astrology also suggests that strong personalities need to manage their reactions carefully. In a confined environment like Bigg Boss, disagreements and emotional reactions can quickly influence public perception.

Therefore, ScoutOP’s ability to combine his competitive nature with patience, emotional control and relationship management could become an important factor in his journey.

Why ScoutOP Could Win Bigg Boss 20

When the different factors are considered together, ScoutOP currently has a particularly strong winning profile.

His biggest advantages are:

• A large existing audience: His popularity was established long before entering Bigg Boss, particularly among gaming and digital audiences.

• Competitive experience: His esports background has exposed him to pressure, strategic decision-making and high-stakes competition.

• Strong visibility: A Bigg Boss winner needs to remain part of the audience conversation. ScoutOP’s personality and digital following give him an advantage in this area.

• Leadership-oriented personality: His Leo Sun sign is traditionally associated with confidence, leadership and a desire to stand out.

• Online audience momentum: Unofficial fan-poll indicators currently show significant interest around his candidature, although these should not be confused with official Bigg Boss voting results.

Neo Astro’s Bigg Boss 20 Winner Prediction: ScoutOP

After considering gameplay, audience momentum, digital following, competitive experience and astrological indicators, Neo Astro astrologers currently give the edge to ScoutOP.

This astrology prediction isn’t based on astrology alone. His existing digital community gives him a potentially strong voting base, while his competitive background could help him handle tasks and strategic situations.

At the same time, his biggest challenge could be managing the intensity that makes him competitive in the first place. Maintaining relationships, avoiding unnecessary conflicts and staying consistent with viewers will be crucial as the competition becomes tougher.

If he manages to combine his competitive instincts with emotional balance and continues building a genuine connection with the audience, ScoutOP could emerge as one of the strongest candidates to lift the Bigg Boss 20 trophy.

Yung DSA and Kanika Mann remain serious contenders, and the dynamics of the Bigg Boss house can change rapidly. But based on the factors available at this stage, ScoutOP has the edge in Neo Astro’s winner prediction.

Disclaimer

This prediction is based on publicly available information, contestant performance, audience trends and astrological interpretations. It is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be considered a guaranteed prediction of the Bigg Boss 20 winner. The final result will depend on the contestants’ performance, nominations and the show’s official voting process.

Healthy soil is the foundation of food security. Soil degradation threatens agricultural productivity, disrupts farming cycles, and reduces crop yields. This World Food Day, promoting sustainable farming practices is essential to protecting soil health and ensuring food security for future generations.

JagPaavani, offered by The Art of Living – Sri Sri Naisargik, is a fermented plant-based extract designed to support plant nutrition, enhance soil fertility, and improve crop productivity. Enriched with beneficial microorganisms, essential nutrients, organic acids, and bioactive metabolites, it supports soil biological activity and plant growth. By encouraging efficient nutrient utilisation and reducing dependence on chemical inputs, JagPaavani aims to support resilient farming systems and the gradual restoration of soil vitality.

From Chemical Inputs to Natural Growth: JagPaavani Empowers Farmers, Revives Soil, and Nurtures Tomorrow’s Harvests

Modern agriculture has significantly improved crop productivity, but prolonged dependence on synthetic fertilisers and chemical inputs has raised concerns about soil health and long-term farm sustainability. Repeated chemical applications can affect soil organic carbon, beneficial microorganisms, and natural nutrient cycles, gradually increasing farmers’ dependence on external inputs to maintain yields.

JagPaavani by Sri Sri Naisargik: Reviving Soil, Nourishing Plants, Enriching Harvests Naturally

Healthy soil is a living ecosystem that depends on organic matter, balanced nutrition, and microbial diversity. As awareness of sustainable agriculture grows, natural farming solutions are gaining attention for their potential to restore soil vitality, improve nutrient availability, and support resilient crop production.

JagPaavani, a fermented plant-based formulation offered under Sri Sri Naisargik, is designed to support plant nutrition, enhance soil fertility, and promote crop growth through natural biological processes. Rich in beneficial microorganisms, essential nutrients, organic acids, and bioactive metabolites, the formulation serves as a natural fertiliser and plant growth promoter, supporting farmers seeking sustainable approaches to cultivation.

Supporting Plant Growth Through Soil Biology

JagPaavani’s effectiveness lies in its biologically active composition, which supports multiple processes involved in plant development. Natural growth-promoting substances, including auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins, play important roles in root development, flowering, and fruit formation.

Beneficial microorganisms help improve nutrient availability by supporting processes such as atmospheric nitrogen fixation and the solubilisation of minerals, including phosphorus, potash, and zinc. Organic acids contribute to soil structure, moisture retention, and microbial activity, while enzymes support the decomposition of organic matter and composting processes.

Together, these biological mechanisms help create favourable conditions for plant growth and contribute to soil fertility. Such formulations can complement balanced nutrient management practices, particularly for farmers looking to gradually reduce their dependence on synthetic agricultural inputs.

Strengthening Soil Vitality and Crop Resilience

Regular use of JagPaavani as part of an appropriate crop nutrition programme can support nutrient absorption, root development, and overall crop vigour. By encouraging beneficial microbial activity, the formulation supports natural nutrient cycling and the long-term improvement of soil quality.

Improved soil structure and moisture retention can also help create better growing conditions, while healthy root systems support more efficient nutrient uptake. These benefits are particularly relevant as farmers face challenges associated with changing climatic conditions, water availability, and declining soil fertility.

Biological inputs also play a role in supporting ecological balance by encouraging natural soil processes. Their integration into farming practices can contribute to more sustainable nutrient management and help farmers transition towards cultivation methods that prioritise soil health alongside crop productivity.

Integrating Natural Solutions into Farming Practices

JagPaavani can be incorporated into existing farming systems as part of a balanced soil and crop management approach. Its application across cereals, pulses, fruits, and vegetables offers farmers a natural biological input that can complement other sustainable farming practices.

Under Sri Sri Naisargik, JagPaavani forms part of a broader approach to promoting agricultural solutions rooted in natural processes and an understanding of soil biology. The initiative focuses on improving soil vitality, supporting nutrient availability, and encouraging cultivation practices that work in harmony with nature.

By integrating biological formulations with appropriate agronomic practices, farmers can work towards improving soil health while maintaining productive agricultural systems. Results may vary depending on crop type, soil conditions, climate, and application practices.

Building a Sustainable Agricultural Future

Sustainable agriculture begins with recognising soil as a living resource that requires continuous care. Restoring microbial diversity, strengthening soil organic matter, and improving nutrient cycling are important steps towards building resilient farming systems.

Through JagPaavani, Sri Sri Naisargik seeks to support this transition by promoting natural biological processes that nurture soil health and plant development. By placing soil vitality at the centre of agricultural decision-making, such solutions contribute to the broader goal of productive, environmentally responsible, and future-ready farming.

About The Art of Living – Sri Sri Naisargik

As a flagship initiative of The Art of Living, Sri Sri Naisargik is an innovation-led enterprise developing sustainable, nature-based and technology-enabled solutions for environmental protection, resource recovery, rural development and climate resilience. Its portfolio addresses land, water, air and odour pollution mitigation, along with solid waste management through practical solutions that combine innovation with measurable environmental, economic and social impact.

Web: srisrinaisargik.com 

Email: executiveoffice@projects.artofliving.org  

Phone: +91 9036 254 532

Follow: www.instagram.com/artofliving.ssn

Like: www.facebook.com/srisrinaisargikssn

Message: www.linkedin.com/company/sri-sri-naisargik

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SriSriNaisargikSSN