Expansions, layoffs, funding, leadership moves, and policy shifts — with our take on what it means for hiring in India, today and over the next five years.
A Pune-based startup is developing compact robotic rovers designed to handle spraying tasks in vineyards and horticulture farms, targeting progressive and co-operative farmers. The sub-20 horsepower machines are built to operate in the narrow spaces between crop rows where conventional equipment cannot reach. This marks a notable step in the commercialisation of agricultural robotics within India's farming sector.
Meine Electric, a Chennai-based startup, is developing long-duration energy storage technology using iron, air, and water to hold solar power generated during the day for use after sunset. The innovation targets electricity grids that struggle with the gap between peak solar generation and peak evening demand. This positions the company at the intersection of India's renewable energy push and the growing need for affordable grid-scale storage solutions.
Omspace, a Gujarat-based aerospace startup, is developing Infinity-One, a reusable launch vehicle designed to carry nano and small satellites into orbit. Alongside its core engineering operations, the company also runs a space education programme, signalling an intent to build local talent pipelines. The venture represents one of India's emerging private space companies operating outside the traditional Bengaluru-Hyderabad tech corridor.
A Pune-based startup has developed AI-powered optical grading machines that sort onions and potatoes by quality — not just size — specifically calibrated for Indian crop varieties. The equipment is aimed at packhouses, filling a gap that imported sorting technology has long struggled to address. This represents a growing push to bring precision automation into India's post-harvest agricultural supply chain.
Tsalla Aerospace, incubated at the Indian Institute of Science, has developed an autonomy software stack for unmanned systems that operates without GPS. The Bengaluru-based startup is already collaborating with the Indian Navy and Army on reconnaissance and logistics use cases, marking a significant step in India's homegrown defence-tech ecosystem.
Wealth management firm Neo Group, backed by Peak XV Partners and TVS Capital, is moving into investment banking by applying for a merchant banking licence. The company has brought on a senior hire from Ambit to spearhead this new business vertical. This expansion comes as India's capital markets continue to see strong activity, prompting several non-traditional players to broaden their financial services offerings.
Nexus Select Trust, India's sole listed retail REIT, is actively pursuing acquisitions of eight retail properties, with a focus on eastern and southern Indian markets. The company has strong cash flows backing this push, along with nearly $1 billion in debt capacity earmarked for deals. This signals a significant acceleration in organised retail real estate expansion across the country.
DLF saw its Q1 sales bookings fall sharply due to a deliberate pause in new project launches rather than weakening demand. The company maintains strong cash reserves and has a substantial pipeline of launches planned for the rest of FY27. Management has signalled that annual targets remain intact, with activity expected to pick up significantly in coming quarters.
Ather Energy has become the first new-age electric two-wheeler company in India to achieve EBITDA breakeven, a significant financial milestone for the startup. The company saw its sales surge 81% to over 83,000 units in the June quarter, partly fuelled by global supply chain shifts tied to West Asia tensions boosting EV demand. This marks a turning point where domestic EV makers are moving from burn-heavy growth to sustainable operations.
Airtel's chairman has signalled that the pace of network investment will remain high as technology continues to evolve rapidly, with the company committing to billions in annual capital expenditure. The telecom giant is focused on growing its post-paid subscriber base and expanding Fixed Wireless Access as its primary levers to turn 5G infrastructure into real revenue. This sustained investment cycle points to continued operational and technical build-out across India.
Diageo India's United Spirits has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging a regulatory directive from FSSAI targeting flavouring and labelling practices in the Indian Made Foreign Liquor segment. The move signals a widening enforcement push by the food safety regulator that is now drawing legal pushback from major players. The dispute puts the entire IMFL industry on notice as compliance requirements potentially tighten.
Jio Financial Services is charting a deliberate path into lending, starting with secured loans before moving to unsecured credit. The company is also preparing to enter the reinsurance space through a joint venture with global insurer Allianz, signalling a broad expansion of its financial services footprint in India.