General Awareness

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY - January 2026

Jan 2026

Nov 04, 2026

Five Singareni mines win national five-star rating for 2024–25

Five Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) mines have won the Ministry of Coal Five‑Star Rating for 2024–25, announced 2 November 2026 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The mines RKNT, RK‑6 Incline (Srirampur), JVR OC‑2 (Sattupalli), Khairigura OC (Bellampalli) and RGOC‑1 (Ramagundam‑3) scored above 91 out of 100 on 84 parameters covering safety, management, infrastructure, environment and worker welfare. SCCL also won first prize in the underground category at the Annual Star Rating Awards 2024–25. Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Satish Chandra Dubey presented the awards, with officials receiving praise for strong safety practices.

SCCL mines awarded Five‑Star Rating for 2024–25
mines: RKNT, RK‑6 Incline, JVR OC‑2, Khairigura OC, RGOC‑1
score above 91/100 on 84 parameters
recognition for safety, environment, welfare and governance
first prize in underground category at Star Rating Awards

Nov 02, 2026

Jatin Kumar Nayak appointed CMD of IREDA

Jatin Kumar Nayak assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) on 30 October 2026. Nayak previously served as Executive Director (Finance) at REC Limited and has over 34 years of experience in the power and industrial sectors. IREDA is a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, financing renewable-energy and sustainable-development projects across India. His appointment signals governance continuity and strengthened capacity to fund growth in renewable energy, including wind, solar, and hydro projects.

Date of assumption: 30 October 2026.
New CMD: Jatin Kumar Nayak; former ED (Finance) at REC Limited.
IREDA status: Navratna CPSE under MNRE.
Role: Financing renewable energy and sustainable development.
Expected impact: governance, finance, and project-growth acceleration.

Oct 31, 2026

Bahram Vakil appointed Chairman of Trent Limited

Trent Limited appointed Bahram Vakil as its next Chairman, effective 12 November 2026, succeeding Noel N. Tata. Tata will retire as Chairman and Director on 11 November 2026 after nearly 29 years with the company and will become Chairman Emeritus. Vakil is the co-founder of AZB & Partners, a prominent Indian law firm. Trent Limited, part of the Tata Group, operates major fashion and lifestyle brands including Westside and Zudio. The leadership transition comes as the retailer seeks growth in a competitive market, leveraging Vakil’s legal expertise and corporate leadership experience.

Bahram Vakil to become Chairman on 12 November 2026.
Noel N. Tata retires on 11 November 2026 after 29 years.
Vakil is co-founder of AZB & Partners.
Trent Limited operates Westside and Zudio brands.
Part of the Tata Group; leadership change supports growth strategy.

Oct 30, 2026

Vijay Sankar Appointed FICCI President-Elect for 2026–27

On 29 October 2026, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) named Vijay Sankar, chairman of the Sanmar Group, as President‑Elect for 2026–27. The decision was announced at the association's National Executive Committee meeting. Sankar will succeed Anant Goenka as President after the Annual General Meeting and Convention scheduled for 18–19 November 2026 in New Delhi. FICCI is a leading industry body representing Indian businesses and promoting growth and investment. The appointment places Sankar at the helm of policy advocacy and industry collaboration during a period of high domestic demand and export opportunities for the coming year.

Announcement on 29 October 2026
Vijay Sankar chairs the Sanmar Group
Sankar to succeed Anant Goenka after AGM on 18–19 November 2026
FICCI role: policy advocacy and industry collaboration
Context: strong domestic demand and export opportunities

Oct 28, 2026

Wabtec Secures $94 Million Vande Bharat Sleeper Order

Wabtec Corporation, a US‑based railway technology company, secured orders worth about $94 million (₹839 crore) from Indian Railways in October 2026. The contract covers braking systems, doors and gangway solutions for 24‑coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trains built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. The project aims to enhance passenger safety, reliability and maintenance efficiency as part of India’s railway modernisation programme. The deal highlights growing collaboration between Indian Railways and global suppliers to upgrade rolling stock and accelerate project timelines.

Wabtec won orders worth roughly $94 million from Indian Railways.
Contract covers braking systems, doors and gangway solutions for 24‑coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trains.
Built by ICF in Chennai, India.
Goal: improve safety, reliability and maintenance efficiency as part of railway modernisation.

LTTS Signs Five‑Year R&D Pact with Nokia

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) signed a five‑year engineering and R&D agreement with Nokia in October 2026. The deal includes establishing a dedicated Offshore Development Centre (ODC) in India to support Nokia’s global R&D operations. The collaboration will cover 5G networks, artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, software development, product engineering and system integration. The partnership strengthens India's role in advanced telecommunications research and creates opportunities for engineers and startups in the country. The ODC will enable closer cooperation with Nokia and speed up new product development for telecom networks worldwide.

Five‑year engineering and R&D agreement between LTTS and Nokia.
ODC to be established in India to support Nokia’s global R&D.
Focus areas: 5G, AI, intelligent automation, software development, product engineering, system integration.
Aims to strengthen India’s position in telecom R&D and industry collaboration.

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