Indian space start-up GalaxEye has launched Mission Drishti, the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from California in the United States. Weighing 190 kilograms, Mission Drishti is the largest Earth observation satellite ever built by a private Indian company.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the successful launch of Mission Drishti satellite by GalaxEye, highlighting it as a major milestone in India’s space and innovation journey.

In his message, the Vice President said, Mission Drishti marks a significant step forward for India’s commercial space ecosystem with its advanced all-weather, round-the-clock Earth observation capability.

In a social media post, Prime Minister Modi said the successful launch of the satellite is a testament to youth’s passion for innovation and nation-building.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate a North Tech Symposium, on the theme ‘Raksha Triveni Sangam – Where Technology, Industry & Soldiering Converge’, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh today. The Ministry of Defence informed that the symposium will serve as a vibrant platform to showcase and integrate state-of-the-art indigenous technologies to overcome operational challenges. It added that the exhibition will feature an array of participants including MSMEs, private Defence Tech firms, start-ups and innovators in uniform from across the country.

More than two hundred eighty companies will be setting-up stalls showcasing their latest innovations and technologies. The three-day event is being jointly organised by the Northern Command and Central Command of the Indian Army and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday announced the launch of India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat-Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat, marking a big shift in highway tolling.

Gadkari, in a social media post on X, said the state-of-the-art system enables seamless toll collection without requiring vehicles to stop, using advanced technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and FASTag.

The highways minister noted that the introduction of Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) marks a major milestone in the digitisation of India's tolling ecosystem and the modernisation of National Highway infrastructure in line with global standards.

A 1990 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service Vishvajit Sahay, today assumed the charge as Secretary (Defence Finance) in the Ministry of Defence. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as the Controller General of Defence Accounts.

The Government of India has launched its Cell Broadcast System using indigenous technology for instant disaster alerting service for its citizens. As part of it, a notification with a siren alert was sent to the mobile devices of citizens around this noon to test the system. The message displayed during the test system reads-Alert citizens, safe nation and no action is required by the public upon receipt of this message as this is a test message.

In a social media post, Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia said that if people receive a message like this on their mobiles, there is no need to panic as this is a test message from India’s new mobile-based disaster communication system. He said, it has been developed by Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority using cell broadcast technology. Mr Scindia said, in the future, through this same system, instant alerts can be sent in the local language and according to the location in the event of a disaster or emergency. He said, this initiative is an important step towards further strengthening citizen safety and ensuring rapid information during disasters.

Shri Ravi K has assumed charge as the 22nd Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from Dr. D K Sunil, who superannuated on 30th April, 2026.

Shri Ravi K brings over 30 years of experience across various sectors such as A&D, manufacturing and electronics. Prior to this, he was the Director (Operations) at HAL, where he led strategic planning and played a key role in securing HAL's Maharatna status.

“My vision is to transform HAL into a globally competitive aerospace and defence enterprise, driven by innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), operational excellence, and people,” says Shri Ravi K.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has officially announced the passing of Shri Debasish Mukherjee, Executive Director (EO to Director HR).

The Maharatna PSU informed the BSE and NSE on April 30, 2026, that Shri Debasish Mukherjee passed away on the same day. The company expressed deep regret in its regulatory filing under Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, regarding the change in senior management one level below the Board.

The official intimation stated: “It is with regret to inform about the sad demise of Shri Debasish Mukherjee, Executive Director (EO to Director HR) on 30.04.2026. Accordingly, he ceased to be Executive Director of the Company.”

Southern Railway has formally forwarded the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the Railway Board, marking a decisive step forward in the long-awaited takeover of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) by Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL).

This development brings Chennai closer to integrating its two major rail systems, promising seamless connectivity, modern infrastructure, and a transformed commuting experience for millions of residents.

After extensive negotiations, Southern Railway has submitted the draft MoU to the Railway Board for final clearance. Once approved, the Tamil Nadu government and Southern Railway will sign the agreement, initiating the phased integration of the MRTS into the Chennai Metro network.

The Railway Board had granted in-principle approval for the takeover in July 2025. The submission of the draft MoU now moves the proposal into its final administrative stage.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has operationalised the Past Risk and Return Verification Agency (PaRRVA), aimed at enhancing transparency and investor protection in the financial markets.

CARE Ratings Limited has been granted recognition as the PaRRVA, while the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) will function as the PaRRVA Data Centre (PDC), as per the framework issued by SEBI on April 4, 2025.

The pilot phase of PaRRVA was launched in December last year. Following its successful completion, the agency will begin regular operations from May 4, 2026. PaRRVA will enable regulated entities such as investment advisers, research analysts, and algorithmic trading service providers to showcase their verified performance. This will also allow investors to access reliable and authenticated performance data, improving informed decision-making. Additionally, regulated entities will be permitted to use PaRRVA-verified performance in their advertisements, in line with SEBI’s regulatory provisions.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has exempted non-deposit-taking Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) with an asset size of less than 1,000 crore rupees and not availing public funds from registration and reserve fund requirements from July 1, 2026.

The Apex Bank issued a circular in this regard yesterday. The RBI also issued revised directions to Regulated Entities (REs) on Relief Measures in areas affected by Natural Calamities. As per the guidelines, which will come into effect from July 1, 2026, banks have been allowed to extend relief measures to borrowers in natural calamity-affected areas without waiting for individual requests.

It said that banks, at their discretion, may offer relief, such as waiver and reduction of fees and charges for customers in notified natural disaster-impacted regions for a period of one year.