India’s housing market is entering a more mature and geographically balanced phase, with growth being driven not just by the country’s largest metropolitan centres. While Delhi-NCR continues to dominate the luxury segment, the Tier-2 cities are emerging as the next growth frontier, aided by improving infrastructure, rising purchasing power and changing buyer expectations.

From Urban Expansion to Regional Growth: The Next Chapter of India’s Housing Story

Homebuyers are more discerning, with lifestyle, planning and long-term value influencing an increasing number of purchasing decisions. In response to shifting demand, developers are increasing their supply of premium and luxury units. The transition is most visible in Delhi-NCR. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s Delhi-NCR Residential MarketBeat Q4 2025, the region recorded 14,248 new residential launches during the quarter, up 39% sequentially and nearly 2.5 times year-on-year. Gurugram alone accounted for almost half of these launches, reinforcing its position as the country’s leading luxury residential market.

Reflecting this evolution, Kushagra Ansal, Director, Ansal Housing, says, “Gurgaon has emerged as one of India’s clearest luxury housing benchmarks because buyer behaviour here has become more confident, more selective and far more long-term in outlook. Today’s homebuyer is not just looking at ownership as a transaction, but as a decision tied to lifestyle, capital preservation and future relevance. That shift has strengthened interest from HNIs and other affluent buyers, who now view Gurgaon as a market where convenience, quality of life and strong infrastructure come together in a way few other places can match. What makes the city especially significant is that it is setting a template for premium housing across the country, showing how mature demand, market depth and connectivity can create lasting residential value.”

The momentum in Gurugram reflects a broader national trend. CBRE’s India Market Monitor Q4 2025 – Residential noted that residential sales and launches both crossed 270,000 units in 2025, while high-end housing overtook the mid-end segment to account for the largest share of residential sales. The sustained demand for premium homes signals that buyers are increasingly prioritising quality and long-term value.

The momentum is no longer confined to metropolitan markets. Cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Dehradun, Chandigarh and Rishikesh are emerging as the next growth engine for India’s housing market, aided by improving infrastructure and rising buyer confidence. Better infrastructure, expanding employment hubs and improved connectivity are accelerating demand across Tier-2 cities, where luxury housing is steadily gaining ground.

Umang Jindal, CEO, Homeland Group, says, “The luxury housing story in Tier-2 cities is being driven by a fundamental shift in buyer aspirations. Today’s buyers are not simply looking for larger homes; they want thoughtfully designed residences that deliver privacy, wellness, convenience and a superior living experience. We are also seeing demand become increasingly end-user led, with entrepreneurs, professionals and business families investing in homes that reflect their lifestyle rather than purely investment considerations. As infrastructure and urban ecosystems continue to improve, buyers are becoming more confident about choosing premium developments outside traditional metropolitan markets. Luxury is no longer defined by location alone—it is defined by the quality of the product, the strength of the community and the long-term value that a well-planned development can offer.”

Tejpreet Singh Gill, MD, GILLCO Group, says, “One of the most significant shifts we’re witnessing today is the growing confidence that homebuyers and investors are placing in India’s Tier-2 cities. Improved infrastructure, better connectivity and expanding economic opportunities are enabling these markets to build their own momentum while complementing established centres like Delhi-NCR. What stands out even more is the growing sophistication of homebuyers, who are making more considered choices and placing equal importance on quality, connectivity and long-term value, regardless of where they buy. This evolution is creating a more balanced housing landscape, where cities that combine economic opportunity with a high quality of life are emerging as enduring centres of residential growth.”

The numbers reinforce this shift. According to PropEquity’s Tier II Cities: Residential Overview, housing sales across the top 15 Tier-2 cities reached INR 40,443 crore in Q1 2025, up 6% year-on-year, while developers launched nearly 2.43 lakh residential plots between 2022 and May 2025. Higher-ticket homes priced above INR 1 crore also continued to gain traction, reflecting rising buyer confidence.

As expectations evolve, developers are adapting their projects to match changing preferences, placing greater emphasis on planning, amenities and integrated communities.

Reflecting this trend, Harvinder Singh Sikka, Chairman, Sikka Group, says, “The biggest shift we are witnessing is in what homebuyers expect from residential developments. Buyers today are looking beyond square footage and pricing to evaluate design, amenities, community living and long-term value. This evolution is encouraging developers to create projects that offer better planning, integrated lifestyles and higher-quality infrastructure. Whether in metropolitan markets or emerging cities, the focus has clearly moved towards homes that enhance everyday living while retaining strong investment potential. As aspirations continue to rise, premium features that were once limited to luxury developments are becoming increasingly important across a wider range of housing segments. This marks a fundamental shift in how residential projects are being planned and delivered.”

The result is a broader premium housing market, where luxury is steadily expanding beyond India’s largest cities as incomes rise and urban ecosystems mature.

Commenting on this trend, Sanchit Jain, Director, Sarvottam India, says, “Tier-2 cities are becoming far more relevant in the luxury housing conversation because the buyer profile itself is changing. We are seeing a clear rise in purchasing power, stronger interest from end-users and investors, and a greater willingness to invest in homes that deliver long-term value. Luxury demand is no longer confined to the metros; it is steadily spreading into markets where planning, livability and future appreciation align with buyer aspirations. This reflects a more mature mindset, where people are not simply buying a house, but choosing a location and product that can hold value over time. For developers, that makes the market more compelling because it rewards quality, thoughtful design and a sharper understanding of what today’s buyers want.”

India’s housing market is no longer defined by a single growth centre. As premium demand spreads beyond Delhi-NCR and Tier-2 cities continue to mature, the next phase of residential growth will be driven by stronger fundamentals, evolving aspirations and higher-quality development.

DACE Athletic Club, a first-of-its-kind private multi-sport destination, has officially launched in RK Puram, introducing a contemporary recreational space that blends emerging sports, community-driven fitness, and experience-led wellness under one roof.

DACE Athletic Club Launches in RK Puram

Spread across nearly one acre, the facility features dedicated infrastructure for padel, pickleball, football, yoga, table tennis, and other recreational formats, positioning itself at the intersection of sport, lifestyle, and social engagement. Built within the DTEA campus in Delhi, the club also follows a unique access model where the infrastructure is made available free of cost to thousands of school students during the day, while operating as a private sports facility during early mornings and evenings.

DACE Athletic Club Launches in RK Puram

DACE enters the market with a clear focus on accessibility, community engagement, and experience driven recreation. While sports like pickleball and padel continue to gain popularity among younger audiences and working professionals, Delhi has lacked integrated spaces that bring multiple formats together within a premium yet community-oriented environment.

Conceptualised and privately funded by entrepreneur Puranjay Katara, DACE Athletic Club reflects the growing cultural shift towards social sports and immersive wellness experiences in urban India.

“Across global cities, sports infrastructure is increasingly evolving into community infrastructure,” says Puranjay Katara, Founder & Director, DACE Athletic Club. “India is now entering a similar phase where consumers are looking beyond conventional gyms and transactional fitness formats. The opportunity lies in creating spaces people consistently engage with socially, recreationally, and culturally. DACE was built keeping that long-term behavioural shift in mind.”

Unlike standalone courts or traditional sports clubs, DACE has been structured as a long-format recreational destination with extended operational hours from 5 AM to 8 AM and 2:30 PM to 1 AM for members. Bookings are available exclusively through Huddle.

The facility offers multiple sporting formats across varying group sizes and playing preferences, with off-peak padel court bookings starting at INR 2200 per hour, pickleball at INR 1100 per hour, and football box formats beginning at INR 2400 per hour for 7v7 games.

As Delhi’s wellness landscape continues to evolve beyond routine workouts and conventional fitness spaces, DACE Athletic Club enters the city as a modern sporting destination built around movement, culture, and community.

About DACE Athletic Club
DACE Athletic Club is a next-generation private sports and wellness destination redefining how urban India experiences recreation. Built around the philosophy of community-led movement, the club brings together emerging sports, fitness, and social experiences within a premium, inclusive environment. Located in RK Puram, New Delhi, DACE seamlessly blends world-class sporting infrastructure with a unique community-first model, making movement, connection, and active living more accessible for both members and young students alike. 
 

FACT SHEET | DACE Athletic Club
Address: DACE Athletic Club,DTEA Campus, RK Puram, New Delhi

Operating Timings:

• Private Members Access: 5:00 AM to  8:00 AM & 2:30 PM to 1:00 AM

• DTEA School Student Access: 8:00 AM to  2:30 PM

Pricing Structure:

Padel Courts

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 2200 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 2400 per hour

Pickleball Courts

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 1100 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 1300 per hour

Box

7 vs 7

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 2400 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 2700 per hour

8 vs 8

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 2800 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 3100 per hour

9 vs 9

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 3200 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 3500 per hour

10 vs 10

• Off-Peak Hours: INR 3600 per hour

• Peak Hours: INR 4000 per hour

Bookings Available Via:
Huddle

Glimmer Technologies Private Limited (“Glimmer”) and Fikra Ventures, a global AI-native venture studio, today announced a commercial partnership to bring Glimmer’s FinomeAI suite, already live in production across financial services, to banks, lenders and enterprises across the Gulf.

Under the agreement, Fikra Ventures is Glimmer’s exclusive commercialisation, marketing and distribution partner in the Gulf region. Fikra Ventures will use that position to build a new portfolio company to deploy Glimmer’s FinomeAI suite for enterprises across the region.

The new company will develop Arabic-language and regionally compliant solutions on top of Glimmer’s products, reducing the localisation and compliance burden on customers and shortening deployment timelines. Fikra Ventures will provide the venture-building, capital, and commercial infrastructure, with Glimmer providing the underlying technology.

Glimmer’s products already operate at production scale, processing more than 1,000,000 loan applications each month across live financial services deployments. To date, the suite has delivered:

• Fraud investigation turnaround reduced from one to two days to 20–30 minutes per case at a financial institution, with an audit-ready log trail generated automatically

• An 8% lift in onboarding conversion for a non-bank lender, with customer acquisition spend held flat

• A ~6% improvement in portfolio collection rate at low incremental cost per asset

Glimmer’s enterprise AI platform supports a broad range of complex and regulated workflows, spanning document intelligence, decisioning, conversational journeys, voice automation, personalised video, model development, policy intelligence and enterprise knowledge access. Its products include Data Quotient for explainable, audit-ready decisioning; ConvFlow for guided conversational journeys across customer acquisition, onboarding and servicing; Klaris for end-to-end voice automation across high-volume customer interactions; SynthVid for personalised video at scale; and Meridian for faster model development and deployment.

The new company will run regional go-to-market and customer support, from pilots through production deployment. Early focus areas span collections, customer acquisition, onboarding, servicing, marketing outreach, underwriting, fraud investigation and regulatory workflows.

“Fikra turns proven global technology into regional companies. Glimmer’s platform processes over one million loan applications a month, giving us the foundation to build a significant Gulf business,” said Wael Aburida, Founder & Managing Partner of Fikra Ventures. “Banks, lenders, telecom operators and large enterprises here are actively looking for solutions that improve conversion, reduce costs and deliver better customer outcomes at scale. This partnership gives us the technology, venture-building structure and commercial access to pursue that opportunity.”

The initial commercialisation effort will focus on financial services and lending, where institutions face pressure to modernise collections, customer communication, underwriting and operating workflows without compromising governance or control. Over time, the companies see scope to extend these capabilities to other high-volume enterprise environments facing similar challenges around automation, decision-making and customer engagement.

“Our partnership with Fikra Ventures gives us the regional relationships, market understanding and commercial platform to take our capabilities to enterprises across the Gulf,” said Saurabh Nigam, Chief Executive Officer of Glimmer Technologies. “Enterprise AI creates real value when it moves beyond experimentation and becomes part of the workflows that businesses depend on every day. We have built and proven our technology in complex, high-volume environments where accuracy, governance and measurable outcomes matter. Together, we can help enterprises use AI to make better decisions, automate critical processes and deliver more intelligent customer experiences at scale.”

The companies will begin with Arabic-localised product demonstrations and market-specific pilots for enterprise customers in the Gulf, with plans to extend into the greater MENA region. Initial demonstrations will include Arabic and bilingual use cases across collections, marketing outreach, conversational onboarding, voice automation and document-led decisioning.

The partnership extends Fikra Ventures’ model of turning commercially relevant AI into companies with clear pathways to regional adoption and international scale.

About Glimmer Technologies

Glimmer Technologies is an enterprise AI company building the future of financial intelligence. Operating at the intersection of deep AI capability and real-world enterprise workflows, Glimmer develops intelligent platforms that help businesses interpret complex data, make faster decisions, automate operations, and deliver better customer journeys.

Its ecosystem brings together FinomeAI, a GenAI intelligence platform for document processing, risk insights, compliance, customer journeys, and operational automation; Flo, a configurable lending stack for digital credit operations across LOS, LMS, and modular workflows; and ZestMoney, one of India’s widely known Buy Now, Pay Later platforms.

To know more, please visit: www.glimmertech.in

About Fikra Ventures

Fikra Ventures is a global AI-native venture studio that builds and scales applied AI companies. The studio combines venture ideation, technical execution, strategic partnerships, founder development, and commercialisation support to create ventures with clear market relevance.

Fikra Ventures works with founders, technical leaders, corporates, governments, universities, investors, and strategic partners to turn commercially relevant AI opportunities into scalable companies. Fikra Ventures Holdings Limited is registered in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

For more information, visit www.fikra.ventures and follow us on @fikraventures #fikraventures.

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London on 22 July 2026, marking a major shift for the company’s foldable lineup. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra retains the familiar book style design, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) introduces an all new wider, landscape first form factor, Samsung’s lightest book style foldable yet at 201g. Both premium foldables are now available for preorder in India, with shipping set to begin from 4 August 2026.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is priced from Rs. 1,99,999, while the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at Rs. 1,79,999. You can explore both foldables at your nearest Bajaj Finance partner store across 4,000+ cities in India.

Experience their design, displays, and performance in person, then purchase them on Easy EMIs from Bajaj Finance for a more convenient buying experience.

A Quick Breakdown

Samsung’s 2026 flagship foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide), share core DNA but target entirely different audiences.

The Shape: Tall Book vs. Passport Style

The Ultra keeps the classic book style form with an 8.0 inch main display and a 6.5 inch cover screen. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 breaks the mold with a shorter, passport like 7.6 inch inner screen (4:3 aspect ratio) and a compact 5.5 inch cover screen (10:16 aspect ratio), designed for media consumption and side by side multitasking.

Performance: Two Configurations, One Chipset

Both devices pack the identical Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, ensuring top tier speed. Both also now scale up to the same top configuration — 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage — with the Ultra additionally offered at 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB tiers, and the Fold 8 offered at matching 12GB+256GB and 12GB+512GB tiers below its top variant.

Cameras: Pro Grade vs. Sleek Dual Setup

For photography enthusiasts, the Ultra stands out with a triple lens system featuring a 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultra wide, and a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom (up to 30x Space Zoom). The design forward Fold 8 cuts the zoom lens entirely, relying on a leaner dual 50MP main and 50MP ultra wide setup, along with 10MP cameras on both its inner and outer displays.

Battery, Build, and Software

Keeping these giant screens lit takes plenty of juice, with the Ultra housing a larger 5,000 mAh battery compared to the Fold 8’s 4,800 mAh cell. Both support 45W wired fast charging plus 20W wireless charging. On the software front, the two are identical twins, launching with Android 17, One UI 9, and full Galaxy AI support, including new features like Now Nudge.

Physically, the Ultra relies on Samsung’s traditional aluminum and glass armor, while the Fold 8 debuts a fresh design language and Flex Titanium Alloy screen tailored to its landscape layout. Both models carry an IP48 dust and water resistance rating.

Which Samsung foldable should you pick in 2026?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 have now launched in India and are available for preorder. While both foldables share Samsung’s premium foldable engineering, they target different users through their shape, cameras, and pricing. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra focuses on delivering a refined, camera first flagship experience for power users, whereas the Galaxy Z Fold 8 brings an entirely new widescreen form factor for users who want something different from the traditional book style foldable.

Prices in India

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra:

• 12GB + 256GB: Rs. 1,99,999

• 12GB + 512GB: Rs. 2,19,999

• 16GB + 1TB: Rs. 2,59,999

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide):

• 12GB + 256GB: Rs. 1,79,999

• 12GB + 512GB: Rs. 1,99,999

• 16GB + 1TB: Rs. 2,39,999

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is well suited for users who want the most advanced cameras, largest storage options, and a familiar tall foldable design for productivity and content creation. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide), on the other hand, appeals to users who want a fresh, landscape first foldable experience better suited for video, gaming, and widescreen multitasking.

Both devices offer a premium foldable experience, with the final choice depending on your budget and the shape of foldable that suits your lifestyle.

Shop for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Series on Easy EMIs from Bajaj Finance

Buying a premium foldable smartphone becomes more convenient when you do not have to pay the full amount upfront. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide) are now available in India on Easy EMIs from Bajaj Finance. Whether you prefer the flagship focused Fold 8 Ultra or the all new Fold 8, flexible payment options can help make your purchase more affordable. You can also check the latest offers available on eligible smartphones at the time of purchase.

Steps to shop on Easy EMIs

1. Visit a nearby Bajaj Finance partner store.

2. Enquire about Easy EMI options for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold 8 (Wide).

3. Check the available offers and benefits.

4. Choose a repayment tenure that suits your budget.

5. Complete the purchase and take home your new foldable smartphone with convenient monthly payments.

MRG Group, a diversified business conglomerate, has announced its strategic collaboration with Arica Pharmaceutical, reinforcing its commitment to supporting India’s rapidly growing healthcare sector while fostering innovation, quality, and community well-being.

MRG Group Announces Strategic Collaboration with Arica Pharmaceutical, Marking Its Expansion into the Healthcare Ecosystem

The partnership brings together MRG Group’s vision for diversified growth and Arica Pharmaceutical’s expertise in delivering quality healthcare solutions. Established in 2023, Arica Pharmaceutical has built its presence in the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on anti-diabetic, neurosciences, and cardiovascular therapies and is now gearing up to expand into multiple therapeutic categories as part of its long-term growth strategy.

The collaboration is expected to create opportunities for innovation, business expansion, and initiatives aimed at improving healthcare accessibility while strengthening the pharmaceutical ecosystem in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajjath Goel, Managing Director, MRG Group, said, “At MRG Group, we believe meaningful growth is driven by partnerships that create lasting value for society. Our collaboration with Arica Pharmaceutical reflects our commitment to supporting sectors that have a direct impact on people’s lives. We look forward to working together to drive innovation, encourage responsible growth, and contribute towards building a healthier future for India.”

The leadership of Arica Pharmaceutical expressed confidence that the collaboration with MRG Group will further strengthen the company’s expansion plans and accelerate its vision of becoming a trusted healthcare partner through quality products, innovation, and patient-centric solutions.

The partnership reflects the shared vision of both organizations to promote healthier lifestyles, strengthen communities, and contribute to India’s evolving healthcare landscape.

As India’s pharmaceutical sector continues to witness robust growth, the collaboration between MRG Group and Arica Pharmaceutical is expected to lay the foundation for future strategic initiatives focused on healthcare innovation, expansion, and sustainable value creation.

About MRG Group
MRG Group is a diversified business conglomerate with interests across multiple sectors. The Group is committed to delivering excellence through innovation, integrity, and sustainable growth while creating long-term value for customers, partners, and communities.

About Arica Pharmaceutical
Established in 2023, Arica Pharmaceutical is an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on anti-diabetic, neurosciences, and cardiovascular therapies. The company is expanding its portfolio across multiple healthcare categories with a vision to deliver innovative, high-quality, and accessible healthcare solutions that improve patient outcomes.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, hosted the 4^th Edition of the UK-India HealthTech Accelerator Programme (2026-2028) in Manipal. Organised in partnership with the UK Government and supported by the Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC) as the Knowledge Partner, the three-day programme (July 22-24) convened Indian HealthTech startups, UK mentors, healthcare specialists, investors, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to boost innovation and enhance India-UK collaboration in healthcare technology.

Dr. H S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor of MAHE, presents a memento to Mr. Chandru Iyer, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka, during the programme’s inauguration

Twenty-five innovative HealthTech startups across India, along with policymakers, healthcare experts, researchers, investors, and industry leaders from India and the United Kingdom. Designed to accelerate innovation and promote cross-border partnerships, the accelerator supports Indian startups developing solutions to address key challenges faced by the global health ecosystem and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS). At the conclusion of the programme, six startups will be selected for a fully funded immersion visit to the United Kingdom, where they will engage with the UK’s healthcare ecosystem, investors, and NHS stakeholders.

The Programme was inaugurated in the presence of Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE; Dr Sharath K. Rao, Vice Chancellor, MAHE; Mr Chandru Iyer, British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka and British Deputy Trade Commissioner for Investment, South Asia; and Dr Mrutyunjay Suar, Chairman, Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC) on Wednesday.

Reflecting on the success of the programme, Chandru Iyer, British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka, said: “The MAHE accelerator has been three days of innovation in action, connecting Indian innovators with the UK’s healthcare, research, investment and innovation ecosystem to build international partnerships and expand their global footprint. With the recently implemented UK-India Free Trade Agreement and Double Contribution Convention creating new opportunities for innovation-led enterprises, cross-border investments, professional mobility and deeper collaboration, this programme reflects the growing momentum in UK-India economic and innovation partnerships.”

Mr Iyer also acknowledged MAHE’s continued promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration, while recognising the contribution of the programme’s Knowledge Partner, the Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC), in strengthening the accelerator’s innovation ecosystem.

Since its inception, the UK-India HealthTech Accelerator Programme has emerged as a leading platform for bilateral healthcare innovation. Across four editions, the initiative has attracted nearly 1,000 applications, supported more than 75 HealthTech companies, facilitated tailored UK market immersion programmes for 23 companies and enabled seven startups to establish operations in the United Kingdom. The programme has also generated approximately Pound 32 million in investment activity, while creating employment opportunities and promoting sustained international collaboration to address global healthcare challenges.

Speaking on the significance of hosting the programme, Dr Sharath K. Rao, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said, “The UK-India HealthTech Accelerator reflects MAHE’s commitment to building an innovation ecosystem where academia, healthcare, industry, government, and entrepreneurs work together to address real-world healthcare challenges. Over the past three days, we have witnessed outstanding innovation, meaningful collaborations, and valuable knowledge exchange that will help Indian startups develop globally relevant healthcare solutions. We are proud to partner with the British High Commission and BCKIC in creating opportunities that strengthen India-UK collaboration while advancing healthcare innovation for global impact.”

As the Host Institution for the UK-India HealthTech Accelerator Programme (2026-2028), MAHE continues to strengthen its commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, translational research, and international collaborations.

About Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University. MAHE offers over 400 specialisations across the Health Sciences (HS), Management, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences (MLHS), and Technology & Science (T&S) streams through its constituent units at campuses in Manipal, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, and Dubai. With a remarkable track record in academics, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and significant contributions to research, MAHE has earned recognition and acclaim both nationally and internationally. In 2020, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, awarded MAHE the prestigious Institution of Eminence status. Currently ranked 3^rd in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 rankings, MAHE is the preferred choice for students seeking a transformative learning experience and enriching campus life, as well as for national and multinational corporations seeking top talent.

Indians love doing the maths before making a big purchase. Before buying a car, we compare prices, watch countless reviews and ask everyone from our friends to our neighbourhood car expert if we’re making the right choice.

The VinFast VF 6 shows why Total Cost of Ownership matters more than ever for Indian buyers

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s now another number being discussed: Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO. But for good reason. After all, the biggest expenses don’t always arrive on delivery day. It’s what your car asks of you over the next five or seven years that often makes the biggest difference.

For India’s growing community of EV buyers, that conversation is becoming even more important. Lower running costs may be what gets people interested in electric vehicles, but what keeps them happy is everything that comes after. And that’s where the VinFast VF 6 makes its strongest case: over five years, buyers could save nearly 87% on their energy costs alone. Here’s how the numbers add up.

The Cost Saving You See 
Using a VinFast standard EMI calculator model with 80% to 85% loan funding at an average interest rate of 8.5% to 9.5% over five years, buyers can expect monthly EMIs of approximately INR 29,500 to INR 31,000 for the base VF 6 Earth variant. The estimated upfront down payment ranges between INR 250,000 and INR 300,000, while VinFast dealerships also offer flexible financing solutions, including longer loan tenures and zero down payment schemes for eligible customers.

But monthly ownership costs don’t stop with the EMI.

For most Indian families, fuel remains one of the biggest recurring expenses of owning a car. Assuming a monthly driving distance of 1,500 km, a midsize petrol SUV delivering 12 km per litre at a fuel price of INR 102 per litre would cost approximately INR 12,750 every month in fuel expenses. Over five years and 90,000 km of driving, that adds up to nearly INR 765,000.

Now let’s look at the VinFast VF 6. With an efficiency of approximately 16 kWh per 100 km, covering the same 1,500 km requires around 242 kWh of electricity. At typical home charging rates, that translates to an estimated monthly charging cost of just INR 1,694 and approximately INR 101,640 over five years.

The difference? More than INR 660,000 in energy cost savings over five years. It’s enough to pay for a lot of family road trips, or if we’re being honest, quite a few weekend biryanis too. 

And that’s before considering VinFast’s complimentary charging programme at V Green charging stations until 31 March 2029 and EV transition support of up to INR 154,000 for eligible customers switching from an ICE vehicle.

The Costs You Stop Thinking About
There are some ownership costs that never appear on your monthly bank statement, but you’ll certainly notice them when they’re gone. Case in point—maintenance. Conventional petrol vehicles require routine engine oil changes, spark plug replacements, fuel filter swaps and more complex powertrain servicing over time. Electric vehicles do away with much of that.

Routine annual service costs for the VF 6 are estimated at approximately INR 3,500 to INR 5,000, covering items such as cabin air filter replacements, brake fluid top ups, wheel alignment and software diagnostics. Regenerative braking also reduces wear on mechanical brakes, helping extend brake pad life to more than 80,000 km.

VinFast further strengthens the ownership proposition with complimentary maintenance for three years or 36,000 km, whichever comes first, alongside a seven year or 160,000 km vehicle warranty and a ten year or 200,000 km battery warranty.

After all of that, there’s something buyers rarely put a price on before purchasing an EV: peace of mind.

One Indian VF 6 owner recently reflected on his ownership experience after driving more than 8,000 km. Interestingly, he admitted that he was more anxious about range and public charging before buying the car than after.

Home charging proved sufficient for most of his needs, while the vehicle returned an overall efficiency of 14.8 kWh per 100 km over more than 4,000 km of driving. And what stood out most was how quickly charging became part of his routine and how little he found himself thinking about it.

His verdict? The VF 6 was “light on the pocket to run”¹.

Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., India’s leading packaged drinking water company, under its flagship sustainability initiative Bottles for Change, implemented a plastic waste management and awareness campaign during the Pune Wari, one of Maharashtra’s largest and most respected annual religious pilgrimages. Part of a three-year waste management and awareness partnership with the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the initiative promoted responsible plastic waste management through citizen awareness, community participation, clean-up drives, and recycling interventions.

Bisleri’s Bottles for Change volunteers assemble for waste collection during the Pune Wari Pilgrimage, 2026

The campaign reached over two lakh devotees across key locations within the PCMC jurisdiction, including Akurdi, Pimpri, Dapodi and other stretches along the Wari route. Through on-ground information, education and communication (IEC) activities, volunteers encouraged devotees to adopt responsible waste-disposal practices, segregate plastic waste at source, and understand the importance of recycling. Around 300 volunteers participated in cleaning a 15 km stretch during the three-day campaign, helping collect approximately 6 metric tonnes (MT) of plastic waste, all of which will be channelled for recycling, supporting the circular economy. The initiative helped create a cleaner and safer pilgrimage experience for an estimated 2 lakh + devotees.

Bottles for Change volunteers collected 6 MT of plastic waste for recycling during the 3-day pilgrimage

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. K. Ganesh, Director – Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., said, “The Wari is not only a celebration of faith but also an opportunity to inspire collective action towards environmental responsibility. Through Bottles for Change, we continue to work with local authorities, volunteers and citizens to demonstrate that large public gatherings can successfully adopt responsible plastic waste management practices. Our focus is on creating long-term behavioural change while ensuring that recyclable plastic is brought back into the circular economy.”

Hon’ble Shri Ravi Babasaheb Landge, Mayor, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, said, “The ‘Nirmal Wari, Swachh Wari’ initiative which conveys the message of cleanliness through action amidst the sacred atmosphere of Jagadguru Santshreshtha Tukaram Maharaj’s Palkhi procession is highly commendable. The efforts undertaken by Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd. and 300 volunteers will certainly help keep the city of Pimpri-Chinchwad clean. Cleanliness is a collective responsibility, and such social initiatives will foster greater awareness among citizens regarding the conservation of Mother Earth.”

The Pune Wari campaign builds on Bisleri’s long-term commitment to strengthening plastic circularity in Maharashtra. Under its association with PCMC, Bottles for Change has collected and sent over 310 metric tonnes (MT) of plastic waste for recycling between April 2024 and June 2026. The initiative has also sensitised more than 40,000 citizens on responsible plastic waste management and installed 25 Benches of Dreams across the city.

Bisleri’s Bottles for Change initiative has reached over 12.4 lakh citizens through awareness programmes and enabled the collection and recycling of 13,905 MT of plastic waste through its CSR initiatives across Maharashtra. The Pune Wari campaign reinforces Bisleri’s commitment to make responsible recycling and plastic circularity a community-led movement.

About Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd.

With a legacy of over 50 years, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd has grown to become one of the largest premium beverage businesses in India. Being the makers of the country’s largest-selling packaged drinking water, Bisleri follows a stringent process of 114 quality tests and a 10-stage purification. It remains true to its core value of providing consumers with pure, safe and healthy water.

Bisleri International has a strong presence with 128 operational plants and a robust distribution network of over 6,000 Distributors and 7,500 Distribution Trucks across India and UAE market. It offers a range of beverages that are produced for all occasions. Whether it is the promise of goodness, trust, and purity with Bisleri packaged drinking water, or a daily dose of health offered through Vedica Himalayan Spring Water. Besides, Bisleri International has ventured into fun-filled refreshments with a diverse range of carbonated drinks available in multiple flavours, such as Bisleri Limonata, Bisleri Rev, Bisleri Spyci Jeera, Bisleri Pop and Bisleri Soda. These Bisleri products are also available on the e-commerce platform – Bisleri@Doorstep. This D2C platform reassures customers that they will receive a safe and uninterrupted supply of their most trusted brand at their doorstep.

The core values of Bisleri International lie in yielding growth and embedding sustainability by being responsible in all aspects of the business. The organization has unveiled Sustainability 2.0 with Bisleri Greener Promise that focuses on creating greener future for all through implementing initiatives under the program of recycling, water conservation and sustainability.

For more information on Bisleri International, our people, brands, and OSR initiatives, visit www.bisleri.com.

Earthquakes are among the greatest global challenges for the safety of structures. Existing buildings constructed before the introduction of modern earthquake standards are particularly vulnerable, as they are often unable to withstand seismic loads. This raises an urgent question: how can such buildings be retrofitted to improve their earthquake resistance? Unternehmensgruppe fischer and Purdue University (USA) carried out full-scale tests on reinforced concrete structures. These tests enabled the definition of new approaches for the seismic retrofitting of existing buildings.

fischer earthquake-proof retrofitting test

The earth is a dynamic planet; it rotates, orbits the sun and is always in a tumultuous state under the surface. Approximately 500,000 earthquakes are registered across the globe every year (source: US Geological Survey (USGS)). Regions in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, Central America and the Caribbean are particularly at risk due to regular tectonic movement. However, human activity, such as the extraction of oil and gas, fracking, geothermal drilling and the construction of large reservoirs, can also trigger seismic activity. When building structures in regions prone to earthquakes, structural designers and engineers must not only ensure the building’s load-bearing capacity, but also guarantee that non-load-bearing components don’t fail or fall down, such as pipes, cables, suspended ceilings, cable runs, air conditioning units or facades. However, many of those who live in seismic areas live in existing buildings that were built before modern earthquake standards were introduced. These buildings are often unable to withstand seismic activity.

Full-scale earthquake tests

The fixing specialist fischer and one of its partner universities, Purdue University, therefore carried out a large-scale research project. An innovative solution for retrofitted seismic structural reinforcement was verified through extensive tests on full scale reinforced concrete structures. The behaviour of beam column joints was of particular interest to the researchers. “These node points in supporting structures are subjected to particularly high stresses and significant force caused by horizontal loading during an earthquake”, explains Dr Margaritis Tonidis, a former PhD Candidate at Purdue University and leading Project Engineer of the project. These joints represent critical points of the supporting structure. If they fail, the entire system can collapse.

New reinforcement solution for beam-column joints

A system consisting of bonded anchors and haunch elements was successfully tested for the retrofitting of beam-column joints, using fischer injection mortar in combination with threaded rods. The bonded anchor system barely deforms under loading and can reliably absorb and transfer forces, ensuring that the haunch retrofit solution can efficiently protect the joints under seismic stress. This results in a safe and controlled load-bearing behaviour, even in the event of an earthquake. The reinforcement solution modifies the force flow between the beam and column. Loads acting on the joint area are redistributed into adjacent structural elements. Defined failure mechanisms prevent the system from collapsing entirely.

“The injection mortar proved to be a highly reliable adhesive anchor for post-installed strengthening even under very high seismic demands and led to achieving ground breaking results during the tests”, emphasises Prof Akanshu Sharma, Associate Professor at Purdue University and former Endowed Professor at the Institute of Materials Science at the University of Stuttgart. “We were able to demonstrate a significantly improved performance of the strengthened structure under seismic loading”. During the comparative test, the structural system without strengthening demonstrated major damages in beam-column joints, while the structure strengthened with the fischer system displayed superior performance. “The fischer bonded anchor system can also be installed while the building is in use, without causing any major interruption,”Prof Sharma adds.

“The project was a fantastic and unique opportunity to review and test the results and concepts we gained in our previous research under realistic conditions,” emphasises Dr Erik Johannes Stehle, Head of Development FiXperience at fischer. “This once again demonstrated that the success of a seismic reinforcement solution such as this highly depends on the performance of the anchorage. This is where our bonded anchor system was able to achieve impressive results at both the structural level and within the beam-column joints, demonstrating high rigidity and low deformation at high-load levels.”

International research partnerships drive innovation

Dr Erik Stehle emphasises, “We need international research collaboration. By communicating with each other, we gain inspiration, ideas and impetus for new innovations while strengthening our position as a global innovator.” Prof Sharma meanwhile highlights the importance of international cooperation between the scientific community and businesses, “At Purdue University, we’re proud to have already conducted several groundbreaking research projects with the fischer Group of Companies, including the world’s first seismic test using full-scale structures with a post-installed reinforcement solution for joints with haunch elements.” This successful scientific validation is now being translated into practical application for existing buildings. The results offer hope: they show that realistic and affordable ways exist to make older buildings more resilient – and thereby save lives and protect infrastructure in the event of an earthquake.

Commenting on the significance of this innovation for India, Mayank Kalra, Managing Director, fischer India, said, “India is among the fastest-growing infrastructure markets in the world and has several regions that are vulnerable to seismic activity. While modern construction follows advanced earthquake-resistant design standards, strengthening existing buildings remains equally important. This validated seismic retrofitting solution demonstrates how innovative fixing technologies can enhance structural safety, extend the life of existing infrastructure and contribute to more resilient cities.

At fischer India, we are committed to bringing globally proven engineering solutions to the Indian market and supporting safer, more sustainable infrastructure development.”