India's GST collections in April surged to a record Rs 2.10 lakh crore, showcasing a 12.4% rise from April last year when collections stood at Rs 1.87 lakh crore, the Government data showed. The previous record was achieved in April 2023, with collections hitting Rs 1.87 lakh crore.

The notable upsurge in GST collections was mainly driven by a 13.4% growth in domestic transactions and an 8.3% increase in imports, as per the Finance Ministry.

As per the data, the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) totaled Rs 43,846 crore, while the State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) stood at Rs 53,538 crore.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Wednesday tested a next-generation torpedo release system aimed at boosting the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the Defence Ministry said.

The Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system has been designed and developed by the DRDO. This missile-based mechanism to launch lightweight torpedoes can target submarines hundreds of kilometres away — far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoes. It will be particularly employed in the absence of other assets for immediate action when an enemy submarine is detected.

The system, which can be launched from both coasts and warships, was successfully flight-tested at around 8.30 am from a ground mobile launcher from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast, according to the ministry.

The Israeli embassy and Indian security forces conducted a joint security drill in New Delhi to assess the readiness of security forces for countering potential future threats, the Israeli embassy in India said in a press release.

While addressing the event, Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon emphasised the significance of the security drill.

"This joint security drill with Indian security forces marks a significant milestone. We extend our gratitude for their efforts. These collaborative exercises strengthen our nations' cooperation in security and defence and reinforce our shared commitment to global stability. We remain steadfast in our determination to foster continued collaboration for a safer world." he said.

The ePlane Company, a Chennai-based startup, is expected to develop a certifiable prototype of a flying taxi by March 2025 aiming to alleviate urban congestion.

With this, the company which was incubated out of the IIT-Madras, aims to commercialise its drones in the coming months. The drones have a payload capacity of 206 kg.

Satya Chakravarthy, founder and CEO of The ePlane Company said that it is developing an eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft and to begin with, it will be a three or four-seater plane which can be converted into an air ambulance. “By March next year is when we expect to develop the first certifiable prototype. It will take another couple of years to get the certification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” Chakravarthy added.

In a remarkable achievement, the Indian Institute of Technology-Patna (IIT-P) has been awarded a patent on its indigenously developed lightweight, compact and easy-to-carry inverter from the Patent Office, govt of India.

Informing this here on Monday, IIT-P’s academic dean A K Thakur said the patented technique would go a long way in making the country self-reliant in the field of portable power module (inverter/UPS).

“IIT-P will have a copyright on the commercial use of this technique for 20 years,” he said.

The number of people in jobs grew nearly 5% to 580 million in the financial year 2022-23, according to estimates being prepared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), two persons aware of the development said.

The growth numbers, quite likely the outcome of the low base of the pandemic years, will form part of the RBI's KLEMS database, based on an analysis of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for the same period.

The KLEMS data, which provides insights into five key inputs in production—capital (K), labour (L), energy (E), materials (M) and services (S)—is expected to be released by the RBI in a couple of months.

Pratima Singh (IRS) has been selected for the appointment as Director in the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on Wednesday. According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT).

She has been selected for the appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier.

Singh is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of 2009-batch. She was recommended for the Central deputation by the Department of Revenue. “She may kindly be relieved of her duties immediately with instructions to take up her new assignment in Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,” the order further reads.

India on May 1 said it looked forward to strengthening bilateral economic cooperation with the Maldives as its envoy held discussions with a senior minister of the archipelagic nation.

Mohamed Saeed, Maldives’ Minister of Economic Development and Trade, met with Munu Mahawar, Indian High Commissioner to the archipelago nation on Tuesday.

The meeting comes weeks after India allowed the export of certain quantities of essential commodities for the year 2024-25 at the request of the Maldivian government and ahead of the May 10 deadline imposed by President Mohamed Muizzu for the complete repatriation of 88 Indian military personnel from his country.

A study has revealed evidence for enhanced possibility of water ice occurrence in the polar craters of the Moon, according to ISRO.

The study was carried out by the scientists of Space Applications Centre (SAC)/ISRO, in collaboration with researchers at IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

The recent study suggests that the amount of subsurface ice in the first couple of metres is about five to eight times larger than the one at the surface in both poles, an ISRO statement said.

Logistics service provider Delhivery has launched its second all-women's hub in Sikar, Rajasthan. This follows the Moga facility in Punjab, which was transformed into a 100 percent women-managed centre in March this year.

At Sikar, women will be responsible for all the functions, including administration, operations, and security, Delhivery said in a statement, adding that the company provides diversified opportunities for women even in non-traditional roles like driving battery-operated pallet trucks (BOPTs), loading and unloading trucks.

The company claims that it has scaled women's participation at its gateways across locations, including in Tauru, Haryana, and Bhiwandi, Mumbai – women now make up 66 percent of the workforce at the Tauru processing centre.