New Delhi, Feb 11: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Tuesday reported a 13.7 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit to Rs 341 crore for the October-December quarter of the current financial year compared to the corresponding figure of Rs 300 crore in the year-ago period.

The total revenue from operations increased 10 per cent to Rs 1224.7 crore during the quarter under review from Rs 1,115.5 crore in the year-ago period, IRCTC said in an exchange filing.

The board of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) approved a second interim dividend of Rs 3 per share along with its financial results for the third quarter of the financial year 2024-25 (FY25) on Tuesday.

“The Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held today (Tuesday, l1th February 2025), has inter-alia declared 2nd interim dividend at the rate of Rs 3/- per equity share of the face value of Rs 2 each i.e. @150 per cent for the Financial Year 2024-25,” IRCTC said in an exchange filing.

The public sector undertaking (PSU) has fixed Thursday, February 20, as the record date for determining the eligibility of shareholders for receiving the said interim dividend.

A segment-wise breakup of the revenue stream shows that the catering segment earnings grew to Rs 554.81 crore in Q3 FY25 from Rs 507.76 crore in Q2 FY25, recording a growth of 9.26 per cent. Meanwhile, the packaged water drinking segment Rail Neer saw a 15.02 per cent YoY to Rs 96.35 crore.

The internet ticketing revenue recorded a 5.4 per cent growth to Rs 353.72 crore in the December quarter. The tourism segment revenue was up 16 per cent YoY to Rs 223.73 crore.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation reported a 4.5 per cent increase in standalone net profit to Rs 307.8 crore for the quarter ending September 30, 2024. Net profit in the year-ago period stood at Rs 294.7 crore. Revenue from operations during the period under review stood at Rs 1064 crore, up 7.3 per cent y-o-y. In the year-ago period, standalone revenues were Rs 992 crore.

Vespa has unveiled its updated 2025 scooter lineup in India, introducing the new Vespa 125 with prices starting at Rs 1.32 lakh (ex-showroom). The 125cc range consists of four variants, with the top-spec ‘S Tech’ version priced at Rs 1.96 lakh. While the company has announced pricing for the 125cc models, details for the 150cc versions are expected at a later date.

The latest lineup brings subtle design refinements while maintaining Vespa’s signature retro styling. The scooters now come in fresh colour options, including both single and dual-tone shades. The base Vespa 125 retains its classic appeal with an oval headlamp and smooth, flowing bodywork, while the Vespa S features a more dynamic look with a trapezoidal headlamp. Despite the visual updates, Vespa continues to use its durable monocoque metal body, ensuring longevity and a premium feel.

The Vespa S 125 has been launched in India at Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom), making it Rs 4,000 costlier than the standard model. This premium variant enhances the riding experience with a more stylish appeal and a wider range of colour options. Buyers can choose from eight distinct shades, including Pearl White, Matte Verde Ambizioso, Oro, Matte Nero Black, Red & Pearl White, Matte Giallo Yellow, Arancio Impulsivo, and Black & Pearl White.

Among these, the ‘Oro’ shade stands out with its elegant gold finish, reflecting India’s cultural affinity for gold. Meanwhile, the standard Vespa 125 is available in seven colour choices, such as Rosso Red, Pearl White, Nero Black, and Azzurro Provenza, giving buyers plenty of options to match their style.

Vespa has refined its 125cc and 150cc engine lineup, bringing subtle yet meaningful improvements in performance. The updated 125cc engine now delivers 9.3bhp at 7,100rpm and 10.1Nm of torque at 5,600rpm, while the 150cc variant produces 11.4bhp at 7,500rpm and 11.66Nm at 6,100rpm. These upgrades result in a slight increase in power and torque over the previous models, enhancing the riding experience.

In addition to mechanical updates, Vespa has introduced two new premium variants—the Vespa Tech and Vespa S Tech. These models feature updated styling and come equipped with modern features such as a 5-inch TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and keyless ignition. The Vespa Tech, priced at Rs 1.92 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra), is available in three distinct colours: Energico Blue, Grigio Grey, and the India-exclusive Qala, which incorporates Mehendi-inspired graphics on the body and seat. Meanwhile, the Vespa S Tech, offered in Nero Black (Matte) and Pearl White, sits at the top of the range with a price tag of Rs 1.96 lakh.

Paris, Feb 11: India is developing AI applications for the public good and has one of the world’s largest AI talent pools, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Tuesday, adding that the country is ready to share its experience and expertise to ensure that the “AI future is for Good, and for All”.

Addressing the ‘AI Action Summit’ here, PM Modi said India is also building its own large language model (LLM), considering its diversity.

“We also have a unique public-private partnership model for pooling resources like computing power. It is made available to our start-ups and researchers at an affordable cost,” informed the Prime Minister.

PM Modi further stated while the positive potential of AI is absolutely amazing, there are many biases that we need to think carefully about.

“We must build quality data sets, free from biases. We must democratise technology and create people-centric applications. We must address concerns related to cyber security, disinformation, and deepfakes. And, we must also ensure that technology is rooted in local ecosystems for it to be effective and useful,” PM Modi emphasised.

AI is developing at an unprecedented scale and speed and being adopted and deployed even faster. There is also a deep inter-dependence across borders.

“Therefore, there is a need for collective global efforts to establish governance and standards, that uphold our shared values, address risks, and build trust,” said the Prime Minister.

The country last month announced to launch its safe and secure indigenous AI model within six months at an affordable cost. Aligning with India’s broader vision to become a global artificial intelligence (AI) hub, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Union Budget speech, announced the creation of three Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in AI for education.

According to PM Modi, governance is not just about managing risks and rivalries.

“Governance is also about ensuring access to all, especially in the Global South. It is where the capacities are most lacking – be it compute power, talent, data, or the financial resources,” he mentioned.

“AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and so much more. It can help create a world in which the journey to Sustainable Development Goals becomes easier and faster,” the Prime Minister added.

To do this, the world must develop open-source systems that enhance trust and transparency.

On the debate of job losses due to AI, the Prime Minister said history has shown that work does not disappear due to technology.

“Its nature changes and new types of jobs are created. We need to invest in skilling and re-skilling our people for an AI-driven future,” he noted.

India has successfully built a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for over 1.4 billion people at a very low cost. It is built around an open and accessible network. It has regulations, and a wide range of applications to modernize our economy, reform governance and transform the lives of our people.

“We have unlocked the power of data through our Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture. And, we have made digital commerce democratic and accessible to all. This vision is the foundation of India’s National AI Mission,” said PM Modi.

Today, India leads in AI adoption and techno-legal solutions on data privacy.

“We are at the dawn of the AI age that will shape the course of humanity. Some people worry about machines becoming superior in intelligence to humans. But, no one holds the key to our collective future and shared destiny other than us humans,” the Prime Minister told the gathering.