Current Affairs - Business

The Ministry of Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google India Pvt. Ltd. to enhance the digital visibility of India's tourism destinations through advanced technologies. The partnership focuses on using artificial intelligence (AI), digital marketing, data-driven insights, and capacity building to improve visitor engagement and promote the Incredible India campaign. The agreement is non-commercial, non-binding, and has no financial implications for either party. By leveraging Google's digital ecosystem, the collaboration aims to showcase India's cultural, historical, spiritual, and natural attractions more effectively, strengthen global tourism outreach, and support the country's broader goals of digital transformation and sustainable tourism development.

Tata Motors signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on June 18, 2026, to support the replacement of old commercial vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region. Under the agreement, eligible buyers can receive discounts on new trucks and buses, encouraging the adoption of cleaner and more efficient vehicles. The initiative is complemented by central and state government incentives, including interest subsidies, fuel vouchers, tax concessions, and registration fee waivers. The programme aims to reduce vehicular pollution, modernise the commercial transport fleet, improve fuel efficiency, and promote sustainable mobility while supporting economic activity in the transportation sector.

SpaceX achieved a major milestone by becoming the world's fifth most valuable listed company on June 17, 2026. The company surpassed Amazon with a market valuation of $2.655 trillion (₹251.03 lakh crore). This achievement was supported by a strong stock market performance, with shares rising 4.8% in a single day to close at $201.80. The surge was largely driven by the launch of options trading, which saw more than 1 million contracts traded in a single day. In the global valuation rankings, SpaceX secured the fifth position behind Nvidia, Alphabet (Google), Apple, and Microsoft, while moving ahead of Amazon.

Skylark Drones entered into a strategic partnership with e2E Rail to enhance railway infrastructure monitoring and maintenance through the use of AI-powered drone intelligence. The collaboration focuses on integrating drones, aerial data collection, and AI-driven analytics to improve the inspection and management of rail assets. By adopting automated surveillance and digital twin models, the partnership aims to modernise railway safety protocols and enable real-time asset tracking. Skylark Drones, headquartered in Bengaluru, is recognised for its expertise in drone data analytics and aerial solutions for infrastructure, mining, and agriculture sectors.

Hexaware Technologies inaugurated a new delivery centre in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, as part of its expansion strategy to strengthen its presence in India's growing technology ecosystem. The facility is located in the Pragya-II building within the GIFT City campus and is expected to generate around 1,000 highly skilled jobs over the next three years. The centre will focus on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, automation, and digital transformation services. It will serve global clients across sectors including banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing, contributing to Gujarat's emergence as a hub for innovation and technology-driven investments.