Ajinkya Kawale, Ashutosh Mishra, Peerzada Abrar &Amp; Ritwik Sharma

Stories by Ajinkya Kawale, Ashutosh Mishra, Peerzada Abrar &Amp; Ritwik Sharma

Ola unveils S1Z EV scooter with made in India battery tech

Ola unveils S1Z EV scooter with made in India battery tech

Rediff.com   22 hours ago

The new range brings Ola's 46-series LFP cells to its most affordable scooter lineup aimed at India's mass-market electric vehicle (EV) buyers.

Now you can contribute to Nepal flood relief from India via UPI

Now you can contribute to Nepal flood relief from India via UPI

Rediff.com   2 days ago

India's UPI International payment system is now playing a crucial role in humanitarian efforts, enabling seamless disaster relief donations from Indian users to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund, showcasing its growing global acceptance and utility beyond tourism. UPI IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Unsplash Key Points UPI International, initially for Indian tourists, is now facilitating disaster relief donations to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. The embassy of Nepal in India is actively encouraging Indian users to utilise their UPI apps for these contributions. This marks a significant shift, expanding UPI's cross-border use case beyond tourism to include inbound collection for foreign governments. The move positions UPI International alongside global payment giants like Alipay+ and UnionPay for international aid. Donors need to activate the UPI International feature on their apps to transact, with amounts converted from INR to NPR.

Blinkit extends lead in quick commerce, outperforming rivals beyond major cities

Blinkit extends lead in quick commerce, outperforming rivals beyond major cities

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2026

A new CLSA report indicates that Eternal's Blinkit is significantly widening its lead in India's quick-commerce sector, particularly beyond major metropolitan areas, by expanding its dark store network and securing a first-mover advantage in over 180 cities.

IIM Bangalore Incubator Creates 35,000 Jobs, $7 Bn In Value

IIM Bangalore Incubator Creates 35,000 Jobs, $7 Bn In Value

Rediff.com   17 Aug 2026

As NSRCEL enters its next phase, the incubator plans to focus on AI, deep technology and global partnerships as it looks to expand its reach.

Shiprocket to use IPO funds for AI push, eyes broader merchant operating system

Shiprocket to use IPO funds for AI push, eyes broader merchant operating system

Rediff.com   11 Aug 2026

Shiprocket plans to allocate a significant portion of its IPO proceeds towards artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to evolve its e-commerce enablement platform into a comprehensive operating system for merchants, enabling conversational commands and reducing manual tasks.

Why AI Agents Can't Go Fully Autonomous Yet

Why AI Agents Can't Go Fully Autonomous Yet

Rediff.com   3 Aug 2026

The biggest challenge to widespread deployment is no longer AI. It is the financial and commerce infrastructure that was built decades ago for deterministic software and human interactions -- not autonomous AI agents.

Why Have Flipkart, Netflix Tied Up?

Why Have Flipkart, Netflix Tied Up?

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2026

'GenZ today is close to 45 to 50 per cent of the overall shopping journeys in the country. They are also very content-first in terms of entertainment or otherwise, general gratification of content and discovery.'

Swiggy's Q1 Net Loss Shrinks 34% Amidst Strong Revenue Growth

Swiggy's Q1 Net Loss Shrinks 34% Amidst Strong Revenue Growth

Rediff.com   31 Jul 2026

Food and grocery delivery giant Swiggy has reported a significant narrowing of its net loss in the first quarter, down 34 per cent year-on-year to approximately 791 crore, while revenue from operations surged by 37 per cent to 6,812 crore. The company also achieved contribution margin break-even in its quick commerce segment, Instamart.

Indian Crypto Firms Applaud CBDT's New Reporting Framework

Indian Crypto Firms Applaud CBDT's New Reporting Framework

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2026

Indian crypto exchanges and companies have expressed strong support for the Central Board of Direct Taxes' (CBDT) new Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which mandates reporting and due-diligence obligations for crypto service providers on all transactions starting 2026.

Google Bets Big on India's AI Future

Google Bets Big on India's AI Future

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2026

The aim is to win over the country's enterprises, developers and startups as AI systems shift from answering questions to autonomously executing tasks.

Byju Raveendran Faces Singapore Jail Sentence

Byju Raveendran Faces Singapore Jail Sentence

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2026

'The order has no practical effect unless and until he chooses to enter Singapore.'

Assess Mythos Threat By June 30: RBI To Banks

Assess Mythos Threat By June 30: RBI To Banks

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2026

'...A new challenge has emerged in the form of Mythos.'

Digital Commerce: Why Indians Lose Rs 28,000 Crore

Digital Commerce: Why Indians Lose Rs 28,000 Crore

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2026

Dark patterns are no longer just a consumer protection concern, but a broader macroeconomic challenge affecting the long-term sustainability of India's digital commerce ecosystem.

Fintechs Seek Safe Harbour Shield

Fintechs Seek Safe Harbour Shield

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2026

'There has to be a safe harbour for licensed entities, which have followed all the norms prescribed by the RBI.'

ICICI Bank Demands Rs 100 Crore from Fintechs for Alleged Merchant Misclassification

ICICI Bank Demands Rs 100 Crore from Fintechs for Alleged Merchant Misclassification

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2026

ICICI Bank is seeking recoveries of at least 100 crore from fintech firms, alleging merchant misclassification of their business, a practice that has eroded the bank's interchange income. The dispute, lodged with global card network Visa, highlights growing discomfort among banks and intensified scrutiny from the Reserve Bank of India.

PharmEasy's parent has a new playbook: Profit first, growth second

PharmEasy's parent has a new playbook: Profit first, growth second

Rediff.com   27 May 2026

API Holdings, the parent company of online pharmacy PharmEasy, has significantly reduced its debt from 1,800 crore to 1,050 crore and refinanced it at lower interest rates under CEO Rahul Guha, shifting its focus from 'growth at any cost' to profitability and aiming for a debt-free balance sheet before a potential stock market listing.

Walmart's India Sourcing Crosses $40 Billion Mark, Bolstering Export Push

Walmart's India Sourcing Crosses $40 Billion Mark, Bolstering Export Push

Rediff.com   8 May 2026

Retail giant Walmart has announced that India has become one of its fastest-growing sourcing hubs globally, with the company having procured over $40 billion worth of goods from the country. This initiative aims to expand supplier capabilities, improve compliance standards, and help Indian manufacturers scale exports worldwide.

IRCTC Bets Big on Payments Play

IRCTC Bets Big on Payments Play

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2026

IRCTC is expanding its payments arm, IRCTC Payments, to handle transactions across its ticketing platform and tap government clients, aiming to scale its annual payment processing to approximately 1 trillion.

RBI UPI Delay Plan Gets Banker Backing

RBI UPI Delay Plan Gets Banker Backing

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2026

'It is a tradeoff between convenience and fraud prevention.'

India's e-retail aisles buzz again, market hits $66 billion

India's e-retail aisles buzz again, market hits $66 billion

Rediff.com   17 Apr 2026

India's online retail market concluded 2025 with electronic retail (e-retail) gross merchandise value (GMV) reaching $65-66 billion, a 19-21 per cent increase, according to a report by Bain & Company and Flipkart. This growth is significantly driven by GenZ shoppers and the rapid expansion of quick commerce, which has emerged as a global leader.