Crude oil futures rise on fears of imminent US-Iran clash

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 19, 2026 | Business

Crude oil futures traded higher on Thursday morning as markets feared that the US may attack Iran in the coming days.

At 9.59 am on Thursday, April Brent oil futures were at $70.63, up by 0.40 per cent, and April crude oil futures on WTI (West Texas Intermediate) were at $65.38, up by 0.51 per cent. February crude oil futures were trading at ₹5956 on Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹5903, up by 0.90 per cent, and March futures were trading at ₹5971 against the previous close of ₹5913, up by 0.98 per cent.

Iran has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) about its plans to launch rockets across its south on Thursday from 330 GMT to 1330 GMT. This follows navy drills by Iran earlier this week in the Hormuz Strait. Reports also said that Iran plans to conduct a joint naval exercise with Russia on Thursday.

It is to be noted that the US has been preparing for a military action in Iran, and it has already deployed aircraft carriers in West Asia region.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance said that the US is weighing options on whether to continue diplomatic talks with Iran or pursue other options.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said: “…Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous.”

March natural gas futures were trading at ₹269.70 on MCX during the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹263.80, up by 2.24 per cent.

On the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), March cottonseed oilcake contracts were trading at ₹3,275 in the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹3,258, up by 0.52 per cent.

February guargum futures were trading at ₹9,451 on NCDEX in the initial hour of trading on Thursday against the previous close of ₹9,705, down by 2.62 per cent.

Published on February 19, 2026

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India AI Summit 2026 Live:

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 19, 2026 | Business

New Delhi: An AI-driven robot serves food during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (PTI Photo)(PTI02_17_2026_000113A)
| Photo Credit:
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ndia’s AI Impact Summit 2026 Live: New Delhi is all set for the global spotlight on February 19 as the India AI Impact Summit 2026 moves into the high-voltage phase with the formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam.

What to expect on Feb 19 (Thursday – Main Summit Day 1):

The day is set to kick off with a high-profile inaugural ceremony and Leaders’ Plenary addressed by PM Modi, followed by a closed-door CEO Roundtable on investments and responsible AI priorities.

From ~11:00 AM onwards, Plenary Hall A will host a blockbuster lineup of keynotes and fireside chats featuring:

Mukesh Ambani
Sunil Bharti Mittal in conversation with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen
Bill Gates
Nandan Nilekani with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei
Sam Altman (OpenAI)
Rishad Premji (Wipro)
Yann LeCun (Meta)
Brad Smith (Microsoft)
Demis Hassabis (Google DeepMind)
…and several more, including Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch, Schneider Electric, and Adani Digital Labs in the afternoon.

Tech and business enthusiasts can expect sharp focus on enterprise AI adoption, sovereign AI infrastructure, frugal/small AI models for India-scale deployment, skilling & job creation, and big-ticket India-global tech collaborations.

The India AI Impact Expo (300+ exhibitors, 30+ countries) remains open all day for networking and live demos.

Main plenaries may have restricted physical access due to VIP presence, but full livestreams will be available on the official IndiaAI YouTube channel.

Follow our coverage for minute-by-minute updates, key quotes, deal buzz, and instant analysis as the biggest names in global tech take the stage

February 19, 2026 08:28

India’s sovereign push gathers pace as local firms roll out AI models

India’s push for sovereign AI took concrete shape on Tuesday as BharatGen, Gnani.ai and Sarvam unveiled new models spanning language, voice and real-world interfaces, signalling a shift from being a user of global artificial intelligence tools to building domestic AI infrastructure aimed at government services, healthcare, education and agriculture at population scale.

India’s sovereign push gathers pace as local firms roll out AI models

India’s AI Summit showcases BharatGen, Gnani.ai, and Sarvam’s innovative models, advancing the country’s sovereign AI ambitions across multiple sectors.
February 19, 2026 08:02

Qualcomm showcases humanoid robotics at AI Impact Summit

Qualcomm on Tuesday showcased its robotics technologies, including humanoid systems, at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. Qualcomm’s Marketing Lead for Robots and Automotive, Shrestha Jain said the company’s Robotics System is designed to accelerate the deployment of physical AI across a wide range of environments, from household robots to industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and full-size humanoids.

Qualcomm showcases humanoid robotics at AI Impact Summit

Qualcomm unveils advanced humanoid robotics at the AI Impact Summit, aiming to enhance physical AI deployment across various environments.
February 19, 2026 07:48

India gets first private-sector helicopter final assembly line

India gets first private-sector helicopter final assembly line

India inaugurates its first private helicopter assembly line, enhancing local manufacturing for civil and military Airbus H125 choppers.
February 19, 2026 07:45

Ambani, Adani scout engineers turning AI Summit into jobs fair

India’s two largest conglomerates are using the ongoing India AI summit as a recruiting ground to scout and handpick young engineers, as the race to build AI tools and applications has intensified in the country with global players ramping up investments.

Executives from Reliance Industries Ltd. and the Adani Group are hunting for talent as applicants line up with their resumes and GitHub profiles to show off their projects.

It is a great place to find talent, said Priyanshi Bavishi, a marketing executive at AdaniConnex Pvt. Ltd. “Industry is still niche, so the qualified people have great prospects.”

The week-long summit has some of the most influential leaders from the tech world, like Alphabet Inc’s Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman from OpenAI Inc. delivering lectures. French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver the keynote. – Bloomberg
February 19, 2026 07:35

Encourage children to be creators, not just consumers of AI: Official

India’s AI framework and guardrails should ensure that Indian children are not just users of AI but also creators of it, said Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, at the AI Impact Summit on Monday.

Speaking as part of the panel on AI and Children: Turning Principles into Practice for Safe, Inclusive, and Empowering AI, Sood noted that it was the policymakers’ responsibility to ensure that children are protected from AI while benefitting from it.
February 19, 2026 07:34

Over $200 billion AI investment expected in 2 years: Vaishnaw

India is expecting more than $200 billion in investments over the next two years, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday at the India AI Impact Summit, highlighting strong global interest in the country’s AI and deep tech ecosystem.

“There are two types of interest. The first type is investment. There is an expectation of more than 200 billion dollars in investment over the next two years. The second type is deep tech funding by VC. And the third type is India’s innovativeness and India’s digital public infrastructure,” Vaishnaw told ANI on the sidelines of the Summit at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.

Elaborating on the role of technology frameworks in driving adoption, he added, “Because of the digital public infrastructure, there is a very good technology framework under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Because of this framework, the diffusion of AI in India can be accelerated. This is what everyone believes.” – ANI
February 19, 2026 07:30

AI has the potential to wipe out Indian IT services and BPO sector by 2030: Vinod Khosla

AI has the potential to wipe out Indian IT services and BPO sector by 2030: Vinod Khosla

Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla warns that AI could eliminate India’s IT and BPO sectors by 2030, urging adaptation.
February 19, 2026 07:10

AI will not kill jobs but will unbundle them; Next 3 years to see 1000x growth: Microsoft India’s Puneet Chandok

AI will not kill jobs but will unbundle them; Next 3 years to see 1000x growth: Microsoft India’s Puneet Chandok

Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, on Monday said Artificial Intelligence models are improving at an unprecedented pace and predicted exponential growth in the sector over the next three years.
February 19, 2026 07:06

Galgotias asked to leave AI Summit after showing Chinese robot as its own

Private university Galgotias has been asked to vacate its stall at the AI Impact Summit after a controversy over display of a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation.

Following the controversy, IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government does not want any exhibitor to showcase items that are not their own.

“We do not want such exhibits to continue,” he said, after organisers asked Galgotias University to vacate its stall.
February 19, 2026 06:56

Army had used AI tool to anticipate Chinese aggression in Arunachal: Lt Gen Rana

Army had used AI tool to anticipate Chinese aggression in Arunachal: Lt Gen Rana

India’s Army leverages AI to counter Chinese aggression and enhance national security, showcasing innovative technologies at the AI Summit.

Published on February 19, 2026

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उत्तर प्रदेश या राजस्थान नहीं, यह है देश का सबसे अमीर राज्य; गरीब राज्यों की भी देख लें लिस्ट

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 19, 2026 | Business

Rich and Poor States of India: करीब 140 करोड़ की आबादी वाला देश भारत जापान को पीछे छोड़ते हुए दुनिया की चौथी सबसे बड़ी इकोनॉमी बन गया है. साल 2028 तक जर्मनी को पीछे छोड़ते हुए भारत 5.7 ट्रिलियन डॉलर के साथ दुनिया की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी इकोनॉमी बनने के अपने सफर पर है. इसी के साथ कारोबारी साल 2025-26 के लिए भारत की रियल GDP ग्रोथ 7.4 परसेंट रहने का अनुमान लगाया गया है. देश को इस मुकाम तक पहुंचाने में इसके राज्यों के योगदान को नकारा नहीं जा सकता है.

इसी क्रम में RBI हैंडबुक ऑफ स्टैटिस्टिक्स ऑन इंडियन स्टेट्स ने भारत के सबसे अमीर और सबसे गरीब राज्यों की लिस्ट जारी कर दी है. डेटा के मुताबिक, महाराष्ट्र एक बार फिर ग्रॉस स्टेट डोमेस्टिक प्रोडक्ट (GSDP) में देश में सबसे आगे है, जबकि अरुणाचल प्रदेश इस मामले में सबसे आखिरी पायदान पर है. इस डेटा से आपको पता चल जाएगा कि भारत की ओवरऑल इकोनॉमी के साथ-साथ राज्यों की इकोनॉमी का क्या हाल है. इस रैंकिंग में राज्यों को उनके इकोनॉमिक आउटपुट के हिसाब से बिठाया गया है, जिसे मौजूदा कीमतों में मापा जाता है. इससे यह पता चलता है कि इकोनॉमिक एक्टिविटी कहां ज्यादा और कहां कम है.

देश के सबसे अमीर राज्यों/केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों की लिस्ट

1. महाराष्ट्र – 45.32 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

2. तमिलनाडु – 31.19 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

3. उत्तर प्रदेश – 29.78 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी की इकोनॉमी

4. कर्नाटक – 28.84 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी की इकोनॉमी

5. पश्चिम बंगाल – 18.15 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

6. राजस्थान – 17.04 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

7. तेलंगाना – 16.41 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

8. आंध्र प्रदेश – 15.93 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

9. मध्य प्रदेश – 15.03 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

10. दिल्ली – 12.15 लाख करोड़ की इकोनॉमी

इससे साफ है कि महाराष्ट्र सबसे बड़ी स्टेट इकोनॉमी बना हुआ है. यानी कि यह राज्य इंडस्ट्री से लेकर सर्विसेज और फाइनेंस हर किसी में आगे है. मैन्युफैक्चरिंग और सर्विसेज के दम पर तमिलनाड़ु दूसरे पोजीशन पर बना हुआ है. टेक और सर्विसेज के बलबूते कर्नाटक चौथे पायदान पर है. देश की आर्थिक गतिविधियों में इन राज्यों व केंद्र शासित प्रदेशों का भी अहम योगदान होता है.

सबसे कम GSDP वाले 10 राज्य (नीचे से ऊपर)

1. अरुणाचल प्रदेश – 4,423 करोड़ रुपये की इकोनॉमी के साथ सबसे नीचे

2. त्रिपुरा – 8,968 करोड़

3. हिमाचल प्रदेश – 23,169 करोड़

4. जम्मू और कश्मीर – 26,246 करोड़

5. उत्तराखंड – 37,824 करोड़

6. झारखंड – 51,626 करोड़

7. छत्तीसगढ़ – 56,788 करोड़

8. असम – 64,367 करोड़

9. पंजाब – 83,864 करोड़

10. ओडिशा – 89,004 करोड़

ये भी पढ़ें:

2100 करोड़ रुपये से भी ज्यादा का दांव… फ्रांस की कंपनी ने भारत में बड़े निवेश का कर दिया ऐलान

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Galgotias University faces backlash for passing off Chinese robodog, Korean drone as in-house innovations

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 18, 2026 | Business

Visitors at the Galgotias University’s stall during the AI Impact Summit, at Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. The private university was asked to vacate its stall at the summit after a controversy over display of a made-in-China robotic dog as its own innovation
| Photo Credit:
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The government on Wednesday asked Galgotias University to vacate the premises of AI Impact Summit after it was found to be passing off a Chinese-made robodog and a Korean-made drone as innovations developed in-house by its Centre of Excellence. What surfaced as a sideshow over misleading claims on Tuesday snowballed into a full-fledged controversy on Wednesday, hitting international headlines and overshadowing other discussions about the summit on social media.

#WATCH | Delhi | Galgotias University staff and officials vacate their stall at India AI Impact Summit expo, following row over display of Chinese-made robodog.

As per sources, the govt had asked Galgotias University to vacate the stall at the expo. pic.twitter.com/cqN5vBcgcN

— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2026

viral topic

From social media to the mainstream and Opposition parties, the Galgotias University controversy remained the main topic of discussion connected to the AI Summit. On Tuesday, a university representative, identified as Neha Singh, told DD News that a robotic dog being displayed at the stall was called ORION and that it had been developed in-house at the University’s Centre of Excellence. In a video that later became viral, she was seen as claiming that the university has also developed a soccer drone, which was also displayed at the expo. She claimed that from end-to-end engineering to application of the soccer drone, everything was done in-house at the university.

Soon, social media users flagged that the robodog has been made by Chinese firm Unitree and is commercially available for sale. Later, it was also pointed out that the soccer drone is known as Striker V3 ARF with origins in South Korea. Reacting to the issu, on Wednesday morning, the government asked the university to vacate the premises.

However, representatives of the Greater Noida-based University kept defending their claims as a “mere misrepresentation”, and claimed that their statements were misconstrued. The university representatives did not move out of the venue, claiming they had received no instruction to do so. The whole issue turned into a big drama at the venue with the electricity to the university pavilion being cut off as their representatives tried to brazen out the storm.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed the government on the social media, saying: “Instead of leveraging India’s talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle — Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased.”

Eventually, the university contingent moved out of the venue. By evening, it released a fresh statement apologising profusely for the confusion created at the summit and pinning the blame on its representatives. “One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the products, and in her enthusiasm to be on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press,” the university stated.

Published on February 18, 2026

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EU launches European Legal Gateway Office in India to connect students and professionals

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 18, 2026 | Business

In this image posted on Feb. 18, 2026, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
| Photo Credit:
DrSJaishankar/X via PTI Photo

The European Union on Wednesday launched its first ever European Legal Gateway Office, a one-stop hub for Indian students and professionals seeking opportunities in EU member states.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the new initiative is a reflection of growing depth, confidence and maturity of the India — European Union strategic partnership.

The European Legal Gateway Office in India is the first of its kind in a partner country and will facilitate safe, legal, and well-informed migration and mobility from India to EU member states in the information and communication technology sector (ICT), the 27-nation bloc said.

It will support Indian students, researchers, and professionals in the ICT sector by providing clear and reliable information on mobility pathways and their various skills and qualification requirements, across all the EU member states, it said.

It will also support EU-based employers and higher education institutions to engage with Indian talent.

The launch event was attended by Jaishankar and Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty and security.

In his remarks, Jaishankar highlighted India’s contributions to global talent pools, especially in digital, scientific and emerging technologies, thanks to the country’s young population and growing skills base.

“We are living through a period of profound transformation in the global economy. De-risking is a growing priority. Supply chains are being reconfigured,” he said.

“Technology is reshaping work. Demographics are diverging sharply across geographies. The concept of a global workforce is an emerging reality.” The external affairs minister said that countries that can connect talent flows with seizing opportunities, while ensuring legality, transparency and fairness, will be best positioned to navigate this transition.

“With one of the world’s youngest populations, a rapidly growing skills base, and strong capabilities in digital, scientific and emerging technologies, India is increasingly a major contributor to global talent pools,” he said.

“We believe in mobility with a purpose ‘ mobility that is legal and regular, mobility that empowers individuals, strengthens partner economies, and contributes to development at home,” he noted.

Jaishankar said the European Legal Gateway Office must be appreciated in this larger context.

“It will serve as an enabler — one that brings predictability and clarity to mobility pathways across the European Union. As a trusted interface, it will help students, researchers and professionals understand opportunities, pathways and qualification frameworks,” he said.

Virkkunen highlighted India’s role as a global leader in digital skills, and said Indians make up the largest group entering the EU for study and research.

“Indian students, researchers and professionals are already making an enormous contribution to Europe’s universities, laboratories and companies. And we want this exchange to be in a structured, transparent and mutually beneficial way,” she said.

“With the physical presence here at New Delhi and Brussels, and also through job fairs, study visits and targeted outreach, this initiative will create a trusted and practical talent corridor between India and Europe,” Virkkunen said.

Published on February 18, 2026

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Baroda BNP Paribas launches ESG Best-in-Class Strategy Fund

by Hansraj Agrawal | Feb 18, 2026 | Business

Research by Baroda BNP Paribas MF shows that ESG indices have delivered higher rolling returns with lower volatility.

Baroda BNP Paribas Mutual Fund on Wednesday launched Baroda BNP Paribas ESG Best-in-Class Strategy Fund, which will be benchmarked to the Nifty 100 ESG Index.

The investment approach will combine ESG ratings (provided by an external SEBI-registered ESG Ratings Provider) with in-depth fundamental analysis and ESG research to identify high-quality investment opportunities, the fund house said in a statement.

This will enable investors to align long-term wealth creation, while getting exposure to companies with strong ESG performance.

Historical data support this approach, as over the past decade, the Nifty 100 ESG Total Return Index has annually outperformed the Nifty 100 TRI in seven of the last 10 years, the statement added. Research by Baroda BNP Paribas MF also shows that ESG indices have delivered higher rolling returns with lower volatility, with the volatility of the benchmark Nifty 100 ESG Index lower than the Nifty 100 Index for about 85 per cent of the market days over the past two years.

“Investors in India are increasingly welcoming thematic strategies, particularly those rooted in sustainability, as we have seen over the last few years. The growing appetite for ESG-aligned solutions reflects a broader shift toward long‑term, purpose-driven investing. This trend underscores how investors are not only seeking competitive returns but also looking to participate in themes that shape a more resilient future,” said Sanjay Grover, CEO, Baroda BNP Paribas Asset Management (India).

Published on February 18, 2026

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