Google Parent Alphabet Doubles Down on India with Mega Bengaluru Hub

Alphabet is making one of its biggest bets in India yet, with a massive Bengaluru expansion that could add up to 20,000 jobs and more than double its footprint in the country. The company has leased one office tower and secured options on two more in Alembic City, Whitefield, Bengaluru totaling about 2.4 million square feet.

Key Highlights of Alphabet’s Bengaluru Expansion

• Location: Alembic City, Whitefield technology corridor, Bengaluru
• Scale: ~2.4 million sq. ft. across three towers
• Jobs: Up to 20,000 new positions expected, significantly boosting India’s tech workforce
• Timeline: First tower opening to employees in the coming months; additional towers under option for future growth
• Strategic Context: Expansion comes as U.S. visa restrictions push Alphabet to grow talent bases abroad, with India emerging as a critical hub

Why Bengaluru?

• Tech Ecosystem Strength: Bengaluru is India’s leading tech hub, home to startups, IT majors, and global R&D centers.
• Talent Pool: Large base of engineers, developers, and AI specialists.
• Infrastructure: Whitefield corridor offers modern office complexes, connectivity, and proximity to other multinational campuses.
• Policy Environment: India’s push for digital transformation and AI adoption aligns with Alphabet’s global strategy.

Impact on India’s Tech Landscape

• Job Creation: 20,000 roles could range from engineering and AI research to cloud services and support.
• AI & 5G Integration: Expansion coincides with India’s 5G rollout, positioning Alphabet to lead in AI-driven workloads and edge computing.
• Global Strategy: Strengthens India’s role as a key offshore base for Alphabet amid tightening U.S. immigration policies.
• Local Economy: Boosts Bengaluru’s commercial real estate market and reinforces its status as a global innovation hub.

Comparison: Alphabet’s India Footprint vs. Global Strategy

Region	Expansion Focus	Scale	Strategic Driver
India (Bengaluru)	AI, Cloud, Workforce	2.4M sq. ft., 20K jobs	Talent availability, visa restrictions
US (HQ)	AI R&D, Cloud infra	Existing campuses	Core innovation, leadership
Europe (Dublin, Zurich)	Cloud services, Ads	Smaller expansions	Regulatory compliance, EU market
Asia (Singapore)	Regional HQ	Limited	Southeast Asia market access

Risks & Considerations

• Talent Competition: Bengaluru’s tech talent is in high demand; Alphabet will compete with Amazon, Microsoft, Infosys, and startups.
• Real Estate Costs: Large-scale leasing could drive up commercial rents in Whitefield.
• Policy Shifts: India’s evolving data protection and AI regulations may affect operations.
• Global Dependencies: Expansion partly driven by U.S. visa restrictions—future policy changes could alter strategy.

Fractal Analytics to Launch ₹28.3 Billion IPO on Feb 9, Price Band ₹857–₹900

Management of Fractal Analytics Limited -  Mr. Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-Founder, Group Chief Executive & Executive Vice-Chairman, Mr. Ashwath Bhat, Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Satish Raman, Chief Strategy Officer along with Mr. Jayasankar Venkataraman, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited and Mr. Pratik Loonker, Head Of ECM & Co-Head Of FSG, Axis Capital Limited at the press conference to announce their forthcoming Initial Public Offering

• Price Band fixed at ₹ 857 per equity share of face value ₹1 each to ₹ 900 per equity share of the face value of ₹1 each (“Equity Shares”) of Fractal Analytics Limited (the “Company”)
• Anchor Investor Bidding Date – Friday, February 06, 2026
• Bid /Offer Opening Date – Monday, February 09, 2026, and Bid/ Offer Closing Date –Wednesday, February 11, 2026
• Bids can be made for a minimum of 16 Equity Shares and in multiples of 16 Equity Shares thereafter
• Red Herring Prospectus (“RHP”) link: https://fractal.ai/docs/Investor-Relations/Offer-Documents/Fractal-RHP.pdf

Fractal Analytics Limited (the “Company”) proposes to open an initial public offering (“Offer”) of its equity shares of face value of ₹1 each (“Equity Shares”) on Monday, February 09, 2026. The Anchor Investor Bidding Date is one Working Day prior to Bid/Offer Opening Date, being Friday, February 06, 2026. The Bid/ Offer Closing Date is Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The Price Band of the Offer has been fixed from ₹ 857 per Equity Share of face value ₹ 1 each to ₹ 900 per Equity Share of face value ₹ 1 each. Bids can be made for a minimum of 16 Equity Shares of face value ₹ 1 each and multiples of 16 Equity Shares of face value ₹ 1 each thereafter.

The initial public offering by the Company comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to INR 10,235 million (the “Fresh Issue”) and an Offer for Sale of equity shares aggregating up to INR 18,104 million (the “Offer for Sale”, and together with the Fresh Issue, the “Offer”).

The Offer for Sale is being undertaken by existing shareholders including Quinag Bidco Ltd, TPG Fett Holdings Pte. Ltd., Satya Kumari Remala and Rao Venkateswara Remala, and GLM Family Trust (collectively, the “Selling Shareholders”). The Offer comprises of an Employee Reservation Portion aggregating up to INR 600 million for subscription by eligible employees.

The Offer is being made in terms of Rule 19(2)(b) of the SCRR read with Regulation 31 of the SEBI ICDR Regulations. The Offer is being made through the Book Building Process, in compliance with Regulation 6(2) of the SEBI ICDR Regulations, where at least 75% of the Net Offer shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Qualified Institutional Buyers (“QIBs”) (the “QIB Category”), provided that our Company in consultation with the BRLMs, may allocate up to 60% of the QIB Category to Anchor Investors, on a discretionary basis (the “Anchor Investor Portion”), of which 40% shall be reserved as under: (i) 33.33% for domestic Mutual Funds; and (ii) 6.67% for Life Insurance Companies and Pension Funds, subject to valid Bids being received from domestic Mutual Funds, Life Insurance Companies and Pension Funds at or above the price at which Equity Shares are allocated to Anchor Investors. Any under-subscription in the reserved category specified in clause (ii) above may be allocated to domestic Mutual Funds. In the event of under-subscription or non-allocation in the Anchor Investor Portion, the balance Equity Shares shall be added to the QIB Category (excluding the Anchor Investor Portion) ("Net QIB Category”).

Further, 5% of the Net QIB Category shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to Mutual Funds only and the remainder of the QIB Category shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to all QIBs, including Mutual Funds, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price. However, if the aggregate demand from Mutual Funds is less than 5% of the Net QIB Category, the balance Equity Shares available for allocation in the Mutual Fund Portion will be added to the remaining Net QIB Category for proportionate allocation to QIBs. If at least 75% of the Net Offer cannot be Allotted to QIBs, then the entire application money will be refunded forthwith. Further, not more than 15% of the Net Offer shall be available for allocation to non-institutional investors (“Non-Institutional Investors” or “NIIs”) (the “Non-Institutional Category”) of which one-third of the Non-Institutional Category shall be available for allocation to Bidders with an application size of more than ₹200,000 and up to ₹1,000,000 and two-thirds of the Non-Institutional Category shall be available for allocation to Bidders with an application size of more than ₹1,000,000 provided under-subscription in either of these two sub-categories of the Non Institutional Category may be allocated to Bidders in the other sub-category of the Non-Institutional Category in accordance with the SEBI ICDR Regulations, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price. Further, not more than 10% of the Net Offer shall be available for allocation to retail individual investors (“Retail Individual Investors” or “RIIs”) (the “Retail Category”) in accordance with the SEBI ICDR Regulations, subject to valid Bids being received at or above the Offer Price.

All Bidders (other than Anchor Investors) shall mandatorily participate in this Offer through the Application Supported by Block Amount (“ASBA”) process and shall provide details of their respective bank account (including UPI ID for UPI Bidders using UPI Mechanism) in which the Bid Amount will be blocked by the SCSBs or the Sponsor Banks, as the case may be. Anchor Investors are not permitted to participate in the Offer through the ASBA process.

The Equity Shares of the Company are proposed to be listed on BSE Limited (“BSE") and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”) (BSE and NSE together, the “Stock Exchanges”).

Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, Morgan Stanley India Company Private Limited, Axis Capital Limited, and Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Private Limited are the Book Running Lead Managers (“BRLMs”) to the Offer.

All capitalised terms not defined herein would have the same meaning as attributed to them in the RHP.

Disclaimer: FRACTAL ANALYTICS LIMITED is proposing, subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offering of its Equity Shares and has filed the RHP with RoC and the Stock Exchanges on February 2, 2026. The RHP shall be available on the website of Sebi at www.sebi.gov.in, and is available on the websites of the Stock Exchanges i.e. BSE and NSE at www.bseindia.com and www.nseindia.com, respectively, on the website of the Company at www.fractal.ai and the websites of the BRLMs, i.e., Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, Morgan Stanley India Company Private Limited, Axis Capital Limited and Goldman Sachs (India) Securities Private Limited at https://investmentbank.kotak.com, www.morganstanley.com, www.axiscapital.co.in and www.goldmansachs.com respectively. Any potential investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to such risk, see ‘‘Risk Factors’’ beginning on page 36 of the RHP. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP filed with SEBI and the Stock Exchanges, and should instead rely on their own examination of our Company and the Offer, including the risks involved, for making any investment decision.

The Equity Shares offered in the Offer have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any other applicable law of the United States and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold within the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. Accordingly, the Equity Shares are being offered and sold (a) within the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act) in transactions exempt from, or not subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and (b) outside the United States in offshore transactions as defined in and in compliance with Regulation S and the applicable laws of the jurisdiction where those offers and sales are made. The Equity Shares have not been and will not be registered, listed or otherwise qualified in any other jurisdiction outside India and may not be offered or sold, and Bids may not be made by persons in any such jurisdiction, except in compliance with the applicable laws of such jurisdiction.

Varaha Raises $45M to Expand High-Integrity Carbon Removal Projects Worldwide

• The new program (VIPP) invites industrial partners worldwide to join Varaha’s carbon removal platform

Varaha, Asia’s largest developer of high-integrity carbon removal projects, today announced its Series B financing round of ~$45M, and close of the initial tranche of $20M, led by WestBridge Capital.

The new capital will accelerate Varaha’s geographic expansion, strengthen its scientific and MRV capabilities, and scale a new industrial partnership model that extends its capabilities to partners worldwide.

Founded in India, Varaha develops carbon removal projects across four pathways: Biochar, Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation (ARR); Regenerative Agriculture, and Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW).

The company has built strong commercial traction, executing long-term carbon offtake agreements with U.S. technology leaders Google and Microsoft, as well as a major U.S.-based aviation company. Varaha has also delivered one of the highest volumes of durable carbon removal credits of any project developer globally as on date.

This investment marks WestBridge Capital’s first climate tech investment.

Varaha Founders

Speaking on the investment Sandeep Singhal, Co-founder and Managing Partner, WestBridge Capital said, “Varaha has built what very few companies globally have: deep scientific credibility in a nascent industry alongside a commercially viable business model. We believe Varaha is uniquely positioned to build a global carbon-removal platform from India, combining integrity, scale, and impact. This investment reflects our conviction in the team and their potential to shape the next phase of climate infrastructure worldwide.”

As part of its next phase of growth, Varaha is launching the Varaha Industrial Partners Program (VIPP), a biochar-focused partnership model for industrial operators globally. Through VIPP, partners with gasification capabilities and access to sustainable biomass can leverage Varaha’s expertise in digital Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV) and carbon credit origination. Varaha trains partner staff, installs sensors, implements its MRV system, and brings the resulting credits to market, either as offsets or as insetting credits for their partner’s own decarbonization goals.

Speaking on the recent funding and launch of VIPP, Madhur Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Varaha said, “This round reflects the continued confidence of investors and customers in Varaha’s science-led carbon removal solutions and our ability to scale them globally. Climate solutions only matter if they scale with integrity. With VIPP, we’re opening our platform to industrial partners worldwide. If you have biomass and gasification capabilities, we can help you generate verified carbon removal credits. We invite operators globally to join us in scaling climate impact.”

The VIPP is already operational with a project with a large cashew company in West Africa, multiple agribusiness partners in India, and a major Indian steel company with decarbonization goals.

RTP Global, which led Varaha’s Series A, has also joined the round with a super pro-rata investment. Galina Chifina, CEO & Partner at RTP Global added, "From the very first meeting, Madhur’s vision and the Varaha team’s dedication to execution stood out. It’s rare to see business potential and real impact come so naturally aligned — and it’s a privilege for us to support Varaha at every step of this journey. We genuinely believe this team has what it takes to build a game-changing climate solution, and we’re proud to be part of that story"

The round also saw participation from Omnivore who were among the early-stage investors in Varaha. Mark Kahn, Managing Partner at Omnivore, added, “Our decision to double down reflects strong confidence in the team’s long-term vision and their potential to build a leading global carbon removal company. The strength of this fundraise, along with long-term offtake agreements with companies like Google and Microsoft, reinforces Varaha’s credibility and the momentum behind its trajectory”

About Varaha

Varaha is Asia’s largest developer of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) projects, with a mission of scaling smallholder farmer-led climate solutions to remove carbon from the atmosphere and strengthen rural livelihoods. Specializing in regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, biochar, and enhanced rock weathering projects across South Asia, Varaha has pioneered a technology- and science-driven approach to carbon project development since its founding in 2022. Varaha is headquartered in Gurgaon, India, and operates over 20 carbon projects across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Ivory Coast.

About WestBridge Capital

WestBridge Capital is a global investment firm with over $7 billion in assets under management and has offices in Bangalore, Silicon Valley and Mauritius. Over the last 25 years, WestBridge has partnered with transformative entrepreneurs at every stage across both private and public markets, with a significant nexus to India. WestBridge has a long-standing track record of leading investments and advising companies as their largest institutional partner. Some notable investments in India include Rapido, Meesho, Physics Wallah, Star Health and IndiGo Airlines. For the full portfolio and more information, visit www.westbridgecap.com.

Amazon India Teams with IIT Roorkee to Curb Stubble Burning Through Crop-Waste Packaging

• Research collaboration develops strong, durable paper mailers from agricultural waste to reduce reliance on virgin wood pulp and address stubble-burning challenges

Amazon India today announced a collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee to develop innovative packaging materials from agricultural waste. This project aims to create non-wood paper technology that diverts agricultural waste from burning while reducing pressure on virgin wood pulp. These lightweight yet strong packaging materials offer recyclable and home-compostable alternatives to traditional wood pulp paper or plastic bags.

The research will focus on converting crop residues such as wheat straw and bagasse into high-quality pulp for paper mailers with performance comparable to conventional paper packaging. This helps reduce stubble burning in India by turning agricultural waste into valuable packaging material. It also reduces dependency on imported virgin wood pulp and could create additional income for farmers by providing a market for agricultural residues.

The collaboration with IIT Roorkee’s Department of Paper and Packaging Technology will begin with lab-scale development and testing over a 15-month period. Subject to successful performance tests, Amazon will provide support to progress to industrial trials, process validation, and commercial production by mid to late next year.

Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations at Amazon India said “At Amazon, we are building and managing India’s fastest, safest, and most reliable operations network, and we’re committed to making it more sustainable. As part of this effort, we’re partnering with IIT Roorkee to develop innovative packaging from crop residue. India generates nearly 500 million tons of this waste annually, and by repurposing it into packaging, we can support a more circular economy while reducing reliance on conventional materials."

Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director IIT Roorkee said, "Sustainability is no longer a choice, it is an urgent national priority. This collaboration between IIT Roorkee and Amazon is a step towards realizing India’s vision of a circular economy, aligned with government missions such as Swachh Bharat, Startup India, and the National Resource Efficiency Policy. By transforming agricultural residues into biodegradable packaging materials, we are addressing the twin challenges of stubble burning and a reliance on virgin materials in India, while creating scalable solutions that can benefit industries, farmers, and society at large. This initiative showcases how academic research and industry partnerships can accelerate India’s journey towards a more sustainable, and self-reliant future.”

Dr. Anurag Kulshreshtha from the INNOPAP Lab (Innovations in Paper and Packaging) at the Department of Paper and Packaging Technology at IIT Roorkee, Saharanpur Campus will be leading this research project.

As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce packaging, Amazon ships more than 50% of all customer orders in India either in their original packaging or with reduced packaging. The company ships customer orders in product packaging to more than 300 cities across the country. Since 2019, Amazon India has eliminated 100% of single-use plastic from its packaging across fulfillment centers.

Amazon India is committed to powering our operations more sustainably. The Climate Pledge is Amazon’s goal to reach net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040. We’ve worked fast and made impactful progress over a short period of time, including through investments in carbon-free energy, packaging innovations, electrification of our transport network, circularity improvements, and AI. Amazon has set a goal to return more water to communities in India than it uses in its direct operations by 2027.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfilment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit aboutamazon.in and follow @AmazonNews.

India’s Defence Push: Adani and Italy's Leonardo to Manufacture Copters in India

Leonardo AW169M Copter

Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed a strategic partnership with Italian aerospace major Leonardo to establish a helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India, focusing on military helicopters like the AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM. The deal strengthens India’s defence indigenisation push, with plans for phased local production, maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO), and pilot training.

Key Highlights of the Partnership

• Parties involved: Adani Defence & Aerospace (India) and Leonardo (Italy)
• Date signed: February 3, 2026
• Scope: Develop, manufacture, and sustain helicopters in India
• Models included: AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM
• Focus areas:
  • Phased indigenisation of production
  • Strong MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) capabilities
  • Comprehensive pilot training programs
• Strategic context: Signed shortly after the Indo-EU trade and defence deal

Why This Matters for India

• Defence self-reliance: Reduces dependence on imported helicopters
• Military readiness: Provides advanced platforms for the Indian armed forces
• Civil aviation potential: May expand to serve domestic civilian demand and global supply chains
• Policy support: Customs duty removed on aircraft components, boosting local manufacturing

Comparison of Helicopter Models

Leonardo AW169M Copter

Leonardo AW109 TrekkerM

Feature	AW169M (Military Variant)	AW109 TrekkerM
Role	Multi-role military ops	Light utility, training, surveillance
Capacity	~10 passengers	~6 passengers
Range	~820 km	~932 km
Special Features	Advanced avionics, mission flexibility	High agility, cost-effective operations
Target Use in India	Armed forces missions	Training, light transport, reconnaissance

Risks & Challenges

• Technology transfer: Ensuring meaningful indigenisation
• Supply chain readiness: Building local component ecosystems
• Geopolitical sensitivities: Past restrictions on Leonardo require regulatory clearance
• Execution timeline: Defence projects often face delays

Outlook

• Positions India as a future hub for helicopter manufacturing
• Aligns with *Make in India* and *Atmanirbhar Bharat* initiatives
• Strengthens military capabilities and opens civil aviation/export opportunities

Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Defence & Aerospace, stated: "This alliance with Leonardo is a pivotal stride toward a resilient, future-proof helicopter ecosystem in India. Merging global excellence with our industrial momentum, we will drive enduring value, high-skill employment, and alignment with Aatmanirbhar Bharat to position India as a global aerospace powerhouse."

Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO, Adani Defence & Aerospace, added: "With the Indian Armed Forces projecting demand for over 1000 helicopters in the coming decade, this partnership realizes our vision for sovereign manufacturing. It will accelerate indigenization, strengthen supply chains, and establish India as a world-class production base."

Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director, Leonardo Helicopters, affirmed: "We’re extremely pleased to join forces with Adani to provide our contribution to India’s vision for an even stronger and growing role of their rotorcraft industry, and to enable the country to access the level of modern technology and operational capability it deserves. We look forward to making progress in this endeavour, leveraging our complementary expertise to deliver the best solutions."

This strategic partnership redefines India's aerospace landscape, strengthening defence autonomy and position the country as a trusted global hub for helicopter manufacturing and sustainment.