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Maha govt signs 31 MoUs for investment proposals worth Rs 6,25,457 crore at Davos

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Mumbai, Jan 22: The Maharashtra government has signed a record 31 MoUs with investment proposals worth Rs 6,25,457 crore in the field of steel, metals, renewable energy, infrastructure, cement, Lithium-Ion Batteries and Solar Modules on the sidelines of World Economic Forum summit at Davos.

The MoUs were signed on Tuesday in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior government officers.

CM Fadnavis said, “The MoU signed today paves the way for Maharashtra’s comprehensive growth and development.” He further stated that this marks a new record for securing such a significant investment amount in a single day. Similarly, several investment agreements are expected on the second day as well.

Of the Rs 6,25,457 crore, JSW will invest a record Rs 3 lakh crore for Maharashtra’s Green Transformation and Tata Group will also make an investment of Rs 30,000 crore in multiple sectors.

The Chief Minister met with key executives of several companies and invited them to invest in Maharashtra. Among these, Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran held discussions with CM Fadnavis during which it was confirmed that the Group would invest Rs 30,000 crore in the state. The CM also met Carlsberg Group CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen, who expressed interest in investing in Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister assured him of full cooperation for the group’s plans. Additionally, M.A. Yusuff Ali, Managing Director of the Lulu Group, conveyed interest in investing in Nagpur and expanding operations in Maharashtra.

CM Fadnavis held discussions with ReNew Power Chairman and CEO Sumant Sinha about a 15,000 MW pipeline and wind energy projects in the Beed district. Schneider Electric India’s Managing Director and CEO Deepak Sharma also met the Chief Minister. Discussions included the use of AI in the energy sector and strengthening ITIs in the state with assistance from the World Bank. Expansion plans in Ahilyanagar and Nashik were also hinted at. Mastercard APAC President Ling Hai held talks with CM Fadnavis, while Louis Dreyfus Company CEO Michael Gelchie discussed opportunities in agriculture, food processing, international shipping, and financial sectors. Emphasis was placed on enhancing collaboration in agriculture. The CM also met Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S. and discussed potential investments and opportunities.

“The series of meetings highlighted Maharashtra’s focus on attracting substantial global investments and fostering economic development,” said the Chief Minister’s Office in a release.

CM Fadnavis in his post on X said, “Extremely happy to witness the historic Rs 3,00,000 crore MoU signing between Govt of Maharashtra & JSW Group, with an employment generation of 10,000 in the regions of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Gadchiroli, and Nagpur. Very much thankful to Sajjan Jindal ji for being a part of this historic moment at Davos, which will give a huge boost to Maharashtra’s industrial environment. It will give a big boost to Maharashtra’s industrial environment. The areas of this investment like Renewable Energy, Infrastructure, Cement, Lithium-Ion Batteries, and Solar Modules will play a huge role in our mission ‘Green Maharashtra.”

The government signed an MoU with Waaree Energy with a total investment of Rs 30,000 crore in green energy and solar components. it will create 7,500 jobs. The company chairman Hitesh Joshi was present.

The government inked an MoU with Blackstone-Panchshil Realty for an investment of Rs 25,000 crore for the development of the data centre. It will generate 500 jobs. Further, Blackstone will invest Rs 25,000 crore in Information Technology in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It will create 1,000 jobs.

The government inked an MoU with Erulearning Solutions for an investment worth Rs 20,000 crore in education. The government signed an MoU with ZR2 Group for investment worth Rs 17,500 crore in automobiles and EVs in Pune region to generate 4,000 jobs.

The state government and Balasore Alloys Ltd signed an MoU for investment of Rs 17,000 crore in steel and metals. The venture will generate 3,200 jobs. The company was represented by Satish Kaushik at the time of the signing of the MoU.

The state government and Reliance Infrastructure Ltd signed an MoU for investment worth Rs 16,500 crore in the defence sector. It will generate 2,450 jobs. The company was represented by Sateesh Seth.

Powerin Urjaa will invest Rs 15,299 crore in green energy and generate 4,000 jobs. Open Origin India Inc will invest Rs 15,000 crore in green energy to create 1,000 jobs.

Viraj Profiles Pvt Ltd and the state government inked an MoU for the investment of Rs 12,000 crore in steel and metals to generate 3,500 jobs. Neeraj Raja Kochhar, Chairman and MD of Viraj Profiles was present at the time of the signing of the MoU.

Avani Power Batteries will make investment of Rs 10,521 crore in electronics to generate 5,000 jobs in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. H2e Power will invest 10,750 crore in green energy to create 1,850 jobs in Pune region.

The government signed an MoU with Rural Enhancers for investment worth Rs 10,000 crore in social sectors including hospitals.

The government inked an MoU with Welspun for an investment worth Rs 8,500 crore in logistics to generate 17,300 jobs.

Essar in partnership with Blue Energy will invest Rs 8,000 crore in green energy to create 2,000 jobs.

Further, United Phosphorus will make an investment of Rs 6,500 crore in green energy to generate 3,000 jobs. The government signed an MoU with Olectra EV for investment worth Rs 3,000 crore in automotive and EV to generate 3,000 jobs.

Kalyani Group will invest Rs 5,250 crore in defence, steel and EV. It will create 4,000 jobs. The MoU was signed in the presence of CM Fadnavis and Vice-Chairman & Joint MD of Bharat Forge Limited Amit Kalyani. “Thank you Amit Kalyani for joining this MoU signing at Davos! This investment is special because it is coming to Gadchiroli, which will give better lives to so many,” said the chief minister.

Gensol will invest Ra 4,000 crore in electronics in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to create 500 jobs. The government inked an MoU with & El Mont for the investment of Rs 2,000 crore in infrastructure. It will generate 5,000 jobs. The company director Kabir Bhandari was present.

BookMyShow will invest Rs 1,700 crore in the entertainment sector to generate 500 jobs. Further, the government signed an MoU with Tembo for an investment worth Rs 1,000 crore in the defence sector. It will create 300 jobs. The company director Shabbir Merchant was present on the occasion.

The government also inked an MoU with AB InBev in the F&B segment for investment worth Rs 750 crore. Kartikeya Sharma, President, India & South East Asia of AB InBev was present on the occasion.

Moreover, the government inked an MoU with CEAT Limited for investment worth Rs 500 crore in automotive and EC to generate 500 jobs.

Bisleri International will invest Rs 250 crore in food and beverages in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to create 600 jobs. The MoU signed paves the way for Maharashtra’s comprehensive growth and development.

Business

India’s solar module manufacturing capacity set to touch 165 GW by March 2027

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Mumbai, Nov 6: India’s solar photovoltaic module manufacturing capacity is projected to increase to over 165 GW by March 2027 — up from approximately 109 GW currently, a report said on Thursday.

The strong government support in the form of the approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM), basic customs duty on imported cells and modules, and the production-linked incentive scheme drove the growth, the report from ratings agency ICRA said.

The report forecasts annual solar capacity installations at 45–50 gigawatt direct current (GWdc), while annual module production is expected to reach 60–65 GW, and this discrepancy may lead to a supply surplus, potentially prompting consolidation among smaller and pure-play module players.

The ALMM List-II for cells, effective June 2026, has encouraged OEMs to increase cell manufacturing to approximately 100 GW by December 2027, up from the current 17.9 GW listed under ALMM, the report noted.

Further, the recent imposition of US tariffs have redirected the supply from the export market to the domestic market, it noted.

However, the report anticipated that the vertically integrated manufacturers will benefit over the long term due to greater control over the supply chain.

Ankit Jain, Vice President and Co-Group Head-Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said that operating profitability for domestic solar OEMs at 25 per cent in FY25 is likely to moderate due to competitive pressures and overcapacity build-up.

As the ALMM requirement for solar cells is effective from June 2026, a significant scale-up in the cell manufacturing capacity along with its stabilisation in a timely manner remains critical in the near term, he added.

Dependence on China for wafers, ingots poses significant risks for the industry’s transition, given China’s dominance in global supply and the potential geopolitical restrictions for backward integration, the report noted.

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Centre throws open booth bookings for startups in ‘Waves Bazaar’ at IFFI Goa 2025

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New Delhi, Nov 6: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced the opening of bookings for WaveX booths, the exclusive startup showcase zone in Waves Bazaar at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa 2025, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

The initiative aims to provide a platform for emerging startups in the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) and entertainment sectors to connect with global industry leaders, investors, and production studios.

Scheduled from November 20-24 2025, ‘WAVES Bazar’ will be located in the vicinity of Film Bazaar, the prime networking hub of IFFI known for its dynamic participation from filmmakers, producers, and media professionals from across the world.

Each booth will be available at a nominal cost of Rs. 30,000 per stall on sharing basis. The facilities being provided to participating startups include two delegate passes, lunch and high tea, evening networking opportunity and direct visibility among global film, media and tech professionals, the statement said.

“Interested startups can register at wavex.wavesbazaar.com. Limited stalls are available, and allocation will be on a first-come, first-served basis,” the statement added.

WaveX is a national startup accelerator and incubation initiative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting dedicated to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship in the AVGC-XR and media-tech ecosystem.

Through collaborations with leading academic, industry, and incubation networks, WaveX empowers creators and startups to scale their ventures, contributing to India’s growing creative economy.

The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is one of Asia’s most significant film festivals, celebrating excellence in world cinema and serving as a meeting ground for filmmakers, artists, and cine enthusiasts. Held annually in Goa, IFFI attracts participation from across the global film fraternity and acts as a catalyst for creative collaboration and opportunities.

The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is set to take place from 20th to 28th November 2025 in Panaji, Goa, the statement added.

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India Q2 FY26 earnings exceed expectations led by midcaps: Data

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Mumbai, Nov 6: The FY26 earnings season in the second quarter (Q2) exceeded expectations, driven by strong midcap performance, despite some weakness in select smallcap pockets, industry data showed.

Brokerage Motilal Oswal Financial Services reported a 14 per cent year-on-year earnings rise among companies that have declared results so far, broadly in line with expectations.

Large-cap earnings rose 13 per cent, in line with the broader universe, while mid-caps again outperformed expectations with a 26 per cent surge, supported by technology, cement, metals, PSU banks, real estate and non-lending NBFCs.

Smallcaps lagged at 3 per cent growth as private banks, non-lending NBFCs, Technology, Retail and Media weighed on performance. Even so, 69 per cent of small-caps met or beat forecasts, compared with 84 per cent of largecaps and 77 per cent of mid-caps, the data showed.

Sectoral performance analysis showed that oil and gas and cement sectors showed highest sectoral gains as state-run fuel retailers led with a 79 per cent increase in profits, while cement profits surged by 147 per cent.

Along with these sectors, technology profits rose by 8 per cent, capital goods by 17 per cent, and metals by 7 per cent, collectively accounting over 80 per cent of incremental profit growth.

Earnings for 27 Nifty firms that have reported results increased by 5 percent year-on-year, driven by HDFC Bank, TCS, JSW Steel, and Infosys while Coal India, Axis Bank, HUL, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Eternal dragged performance. Seven Nifty constituents fell short of estimates, five exceeded forecasts, and 15 met expectations.

“Earnings upgrades outnumbered downgrades for the first time in several quarters, signalling a healthier market backdrop and improving confidence in India Inc.’s profitability trajectory,” the MOFSL report said.

While headline indices remain range-bound after a muted year, underlying fundamentals are improving — supported by moderating earnings cuts, diversified sectoral leadership, and robust midcap resilience, it added.

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