From scanning hospital entrants to disinfecting hospital areas and floors, robots are being roped in for tasks considered high-risk, says Peerzada Abrar.

India's telecom sector has been through dizzying peaks, troughs, policy U-turns, court battles, brutal competition, and daily controversies.India could go back to a private sector duopoly with just Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel surviving the mayhem. The third player, Vodafone Idea, could be history.

As Mahindra readies to unveil its latest version of the Jeep that is so beloved of adventure enthusiasts, the urban crowd as well as the countryside, Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com traces the vehicle's journey through the decades.

The keenly-awaited Mahindra Thar 2020 was finally unveiled on August 15, 2020. Here are the first images of one of the finest off-roaders!

With Mitsubishi pulling the plug on it the days of the Pajero maybe over, but nobody who ever owned one will forget it. Some even learnt life-long lessons from it, says Pavan Lall.

With the Thar, M&M has come full circle. In a market where every other vehicle has an SUV tag, the company plans to stick to its core competence of making rugged, true-blue, all-terrain SUVs, and marks a fresh beginning for the 75-year-old firm that enjoyed an indomitable position in the SUV segment till 2012, reports Shally Seth Mohile.

The compact segment where Sonet will be launched is crowded with the Maruti Vitara and Brezza, which top the sales' list, and a bevy of models from Mahindra & Mahindra apart from Hyundai's offering.But volumes in this are slightly higher than those in the mid-segment, making it attractive, says Surajeet Das Gupta.

At the heart of the Duster 1.3 Turbo X-Tronic is a turbocharged engine paired to a 7-speed CVT, the same engine that also powers the Mercedes A-Class, CLA and GLA-Class entry-level models!Now if only Renault had put some thought into the all-new Duster's interiors and driver comfort as they did in the engine...Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com test-drives the old beast with a new heart.

The 2-door vehicle may finds its way back in India with the launch of the all-new Thar by Mahindra and Mahindra, says Rajesh Karkera.

Chinese mobile brands are deeply entrenched in the Indian market. A move to bar them may send a bold diplomatic message. But its cost for the local industry is anybody's guess.In the event that Chinese brands face curbs, two handset makers - Samsung and Apple - squarely stand to gain.

It's got the looks, it's got the features, but the Magnite's success will depend on its pricing, says Rajesh Karkera.

Uniqueness of the first-ever BMW X3 M lies in a newly developed powerful engine and sophisticated chassis technology.

German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday said it has commenced the local production of its AMG portfolio in India, and rolled out its first-ever locally made GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe.The company rolled out AMG GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe, tagged at Rs 76.7 lakh (ex-showroom), from its Pune facility on Tuesday.

When Jawa Motorcycles owner Jiri Gerle sold the legendary but defunct brand to Classic Legends (part-owned by Mahindra & Mahindra), he had one request to the new owners: Please do bring the brand back to its homeland -- the Czech Republic.

Higher exports will also drive up volumes, as the company seeks to avail of the benefits under the government's recently announced production linked incentive scheme.

There are a whopping 10 sedans slated for a launch in India this year. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com gives the lowdown.

With all the safety equipment that it features, the S60 could be the smarter, more mature sedan alternative that consumers in this price category want, says Pavan Lall.

If the small cars and sedans are here, can the big boys be far behind? Rajesh Karkera offers a checklist of the SUVs and MUvs coming to India this year.

As part of the ritual, ''halwa'' is prepared in a big ''kadhai'' (large frying pot) and served to the entire staff involved in the Budget making exercise of the ministry.Halwa was served while maintaining COVID protocol with all present in mask and those distributing sweets were wearing gloves.

Mercedes-Benz India, BMW India and Audi India have lined up over 50 new model launches as they seek to recoup previous year's loss in volumes, reports Shally Seth Mohile.

A new user-friendly app to control the beast. Automatic transmission with petrol engine. Electronic sunroof. Plus, of course, the safety elements. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com on what makes the new XUV300 special.

Automaker Jeep India on Wednesday launched a locally assembled version of its premium SUV Wrangler in the country with introductory prices starting at Rs 53.9 lakh (ex-showroom).The company had started the production of the model at its Ranjangaon plant near Pune in February and is now ready for retail across the country.The locally-assembled Jeep Wrangler is available in two variants - the Unlimited and Rubicon, priced at Rs 53.9 lakh and Rs 57.9 lakh, respectively.Both variants come with a BS-VI compliant 2-litre turbo petrol powertrain, which produces 268 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque and comes mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Wrapped in blue and orange wax paper, it's a familiar sight on the shelves of kirana stores across the country.Given how well travelled and mobile it is - starting its journey in Chennai, then turning to Singapore and now landing in Mexico - you could say it lives up to its name: Modern.Modern Food Enterprises, the company that manufactures and sells the bread in question as well as other bakery products under the "Modern" brand name, has recently been sold to the world's largest baking company, Grupo Bimbo, for an undisclosed amount.This latest transaction is the second change of guard at Modern within five years and third since the government divested the company at the turn of the century.At a time, when the National Democratic Alliance government has decided to privatise, or shut down, public sector enterprises except for those deemed strategic, Modern makes for a promising case study of how divestment led to the brand's growth, both in revenue and reach.

Czech automaker Skoda on Thursday globally unveiled its all new SUV Kushaq which would take on the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the fastest growing mid-sized SUV segment in the domestic market.The model is the first production car as part of the company's India 2.0 project.Under the lead responsibility of Skoda Auto, Volkswagen Group is investing 1 billion euros in its model campaign in the Indian subcontinent to strengthen its presence.

Why is the Mini the only "lifestyle" auto badge that seems to be growing and staying strong? Pavan Lall finds out.

As a tech services company, Ola has never been in hardcore manufacturing.And unlike in ride hailing, which is a two-player market (Uber is the only other competitor), in two-wheelers it faces many entrenched players.But most of all, rivals say Ola's targets are out of sync with most, even ambitious, projecti­ons.

Smooth engine, plush interiors, great suspension that handle dodgy roads with ease, futuristic design elements that have little by way of competition in the market -- it's all there, says Pavan Lall.

Step on the gas and the power that propels the compact four-seater will take you by surprise as it hurtles to­wards the 80 kmph like a racing thoroughbred, never compromising any stability thanks to its rigid chassis and solid 1,600-kg kerb weight that gives it a well-planted feel along straights, corners and tricky lanes and roads, says Pavan Lall.

India has the third highest number of billionaires in the world after the US and China, according to a new list by the prestigious Forbes magazine, which said Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani reclaimed his spot as Asia's richest person, dethroning Chinese business tycoon Jack Ma who was the richest person in the region a year ago.

Citroen drives in its SUV late, but it's worth the wait, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.

What will it take for Tesla to plug and play in India? Sector pundits say it's a mix of strategy, getting the price right, timing, the right talent, and above all, patience.

The new car market is estimated at around 30,000 units a year in sales in a good year, whereas the used car market for luxury vehicles is estimated at around 60,000 cars annually.

The Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC is the first-ever SUV offering in the company's ultra-luxurious 'Mercedes-Maybach' range. It is the only second Maybach model to be rolled out in the Indian market, following the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.

Maruti is not an online outlier, of course; other heavyweights have rolled out similar services. But as an analyst pointed out, Maruti's all-India roll-out has significant impact given that it accounts for over half of all cars sold, reports, reports Pavan Lall.

The Navi Mumbai international airport will boast three interconnect­ed multi-level terminals with a lotus-inspired design, according to the master plan prepared by its outgoing developer.The GVK group, which completed 15 years of airport business, shared the first look of the Navi Mumbai airport.The group in 2018 had comm­iss­ioned British firm Zaha Hadid Architects to design the main terminal and air traffic control tower.The master plan of the airport was approved by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in 2019.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India on Thursday launched the imported version of its new generation flagship sedan S-Class with a price starting at Rs 2.17 crore while it prepares to introduce a locally-produced variety of the model in the fourth quarter this year.The new 7th generation S-Class comes in two variants -- diesel S 400d 4MATIC priced at Rs 2.17 crore and petrol S 450 4MATIC tagged at Rs 2.19 crore.

Close to half a dozen more three-row premium mid-size models are expected to hit the road over the next two years.

'It says, we are not just an overseas player -- we are Kia India and here for good'

Czech automaker Skoda on Monday forayed into the midsize SUV segment in India with the launch of its new offering Kushaq, priced between Rs 10.5 lakh and Rs 17.6 lakh (ex showroom Delhi).

Tata Motors recently announced the launch of 'Dark' edition models of the Harrier, the Nexon, the Nexon EV and its premium hatchback, the Altroz.The 'Dark' editions add a premium touch to its existing models.In 2019, Tata Motors launched the Harrier in its 'Dark' avatar to customers looking for a bold, sophisticated and stylish SUV.

The Thar. A vehicle that has always been a capable off-roader with its go-anywhere attitude.One which hated being on the tarmac as a lifestyle vehicle, as the second car in your parking space. But this new generation Thar -- can it change that? Can it be one's first car? Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com finds out.

The car is built in a manner that stands tall and rugged on the city streets, without ever being uncomfortable, says Pavan Lall.

Fancy your chops are a designer? Skoda Auto India has a challenge for you. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com brings us the lowdown.

Hyundai Motor India expects its SUV range to gain further traction in the domestic market with demand for personal mobility gaining momentum post the second wave of COVID-19, according to a senior company official.The company, which already leads the SUV space with models like Venue, Creta, Tucson and recently launched Alcazar, is looking to maintain its lead in the segment which is growing with each passing month.

The Battista hyper GT delivers a unique dynamic experience that can be tailored to suit every journey and the pure-electric model will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than two seconds - faster than a current Formula 1 car.

The Tiago NRG is available in a single fully loaded variant that has all the features from a start-stop button to a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, says Rajesh Karkera.