Bharat Taxi Rolls Out in Rajasthan, Cooperative Mobility Gets a Boost

Aligned with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” and under the leadership of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, a major step was taken today to transform India’s mobility sector through cooperation, technology, and inclusive growth. Rajasthan Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma launched the Bharat Taxi service at the Harish Chandra Mathur Rajasthan State Institute of Public Administration in Jaipur.

The programme in Jaipur concluded with the flagging off of a Bharat Taxi fleet of 60 cabs, 20 bikes, and 20 autos, alongside MoUs with Rajasthan Police, Saras, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, and Jaipur Metro to integrate the service with public infrastructure.

Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform where drivers, called Sarathis, are not just service providers but co-owners, shareholders, and profit participants. It has already launched in Delhi NCR, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and most recently Rajasthan, with plans to expand to 500+ cities nationwide.

The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Murlidhar Mohol, Rajasthan Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Gautam Kumar Dak, Jaipur MP Smt Manju Sharma, Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Principal Secretary Dr. Samit Sharma, senior officials, cooperative representatives, and Sarathis of Bharat Taxi.

Speaking at the launch, Shri Murlidhar Mohol highlighted Bharat Taxi as one of the Ministry’s new initiatives that has expanded the reach of cooperation beyond credit societies into agriculture, dairy, fisheries, insurance, exports, digital services, and now transportation. He noted that Rajasthan has historically played a pioneering role in the cooperative movement, with nearly 42,000 societies and 1.35 crore members today.

Unlike private aggregator models, Bharat Taxi empowers drivers as Sarathis—members, shareholders, and co-owners entitled to board representation and profit-sharing. With nearly 8 lakh Sarathis and 41 lakh customers nationwide, the platform completes 11,000 trips daily, directly crediting earnings to drivers’ accounts.

After Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, Rajasthan marks the next phase of Bharat Taxi’s national rollout, with plans to expand to 500 cities. Shri Mohol expressed confidence that Rajasthan will set a benchmark for safe, reliable, and cooperative-based mobility.

Chief Minister Shri Bhajanlal Sharma called Bharat Taxi a transformative initiative that advances “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” by creating dignified livelihoods and local economic opportunities. He emphasized that Sarathis are not just drivers but co-owners, with accident insurance cover, profit-sharing, and a stake in the institution’s growth. He added that Bharat Taxi will also boost Rajasthan’s tourism sector by providing last-mile connectivity to metro networks, forts, palaces, wildlife sanctuaries, and desert destinations.

What is Bharat Taxi?

• Cooperative mobility model: Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, Bharat Taxi was officially launched in February 2026.
• Sarathi ownership: Drivers (*Sarathis*) are members and shareholders, with representation on the Board of Directors and entitlement to dividends.
• Zero-commission system: Unlike Ola/Uber, Bharat Taxi does not deduct commissions; fares go directly to drivers.
• Transparent fares: 10–15% lower than private aggregators, with no surge pricing even during peak hours.
• Driver welfare: Accident insurance cover up to ₹5 lakh, social security measures, and direct profit-sharing.
• Technology features: Mobile app with real-time tracking, SOS emergency button, multilingual support, and 24/7 customer service.

Where Has Bharat Taxi Been Launched?

Location	Details
Delhi NCR	Operational in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad
Gujarat	Active in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, Dwarka, Somnath, Vadodara
Maharashtra	Launched at Navi Mumbai International Airport; expanding across Mumbai, Pune
Rajasthan	Recently launched in Jaipur (July 2026), with 30,000 Sarathis and 7 lakh customers onboard

Expansion Plans

• Target: Rollout to 500+ cities within two years, including Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns.
• Integration: Partnerships with metro systems, municipal corporations, and cooperative banks for seamless transport and financial inclusion.
• Women drivers: Initiatives like Bike Didi and Sarathi Didi to increase female participation.

Key Challenges & Trade-offs

• Competition: Ola, Uber, and Rapido may temporarily lower fares to counter Bharat Taxi’s entry.
• Digital literacy: Some drivers face onboarding challenges with app-based systems.
• Scaling logistics: Ensuring cooperative governance across hundreds of cities requires strong institutional support.

Govt Boosts Digital & Free Legal Aid for Persons with Disabilities

India is modernising its judicial system with a dual focus on digital accessibility and free legal aid for PwDs, ensuring that justice is not only a constitutional right but also practically reachable for all.

For this, Narendra Modi government is rolling out a nationwide push to make courts digitally accessible and ensure free legal aid for persons with disabilities (PwDs), combining reforms under the Legal Services Authorities Act, NALSA’s specialised schemes, and the e‑Courts Mission Mode Project. The initiative strengthens both physical court infrastructure and digital platforms, ensuring justice is inclusive, affordable, and speedy.

Digital Courts Go Accessible Nationwide, Free Legal Aid for PwDs

Legal Aid Framework

• Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 guarantees free and competent legal services to weaker sections, including persons with disabilities.
• Section 12(d) explicitly entitles persons with disabilities to free legal aid.
• NALSA Scheme 2024 focuses on persons with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, with Manonyay Units (LSUMs) established across States/UTs (except Lakshadweep).

Reach & Impact

• PwDs assisted under LSA Act:

Financial Year	Number of PwDs Assisted
2023–24	11,591
2024–25	8,313
2025–26	15,280

Judicial Infrastructure Boost

• ₹810 crore allocated for district & subordinate court infrastructure.
• ₹1,200 crore allocated for e‑Courts Project Phase III (digitisation, training, capacity building).
• Infrastructure must comply with disabled‑friendly design standards set by CPWD and DEPwD.

Digital Justice: e‑Courts Project

• Overseen by the Supreme Court’s eCommittee.
• 24 components under Phase III to build robust, inclusive digital infrastructure.
• ₹27.54 crore allocated for accessible ICT facilities.
• ₹6.35 crore allocated for S3WaaS platform to make court websites accessible for visually challenged citizens.
• Services include e‑Filing, e‑Pay, Virtual Courts, video conferencing, and National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).

Challenges Ahead

• Uneven implementation: Lakshadweep lacks Manonyay units.
• Digital literacy gap: PwDs may need training to fully benefit from ICT tools.
• Monitoring & evaluation: Ensuring budget translates into real accessibility.

The information was given by the Union Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal Ji, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

India’s Startup D-Propulse Ignites Detonation Future — TRL-5 Breakthrough in Supersonic Propulsion

Indian startup D‑Propulse has marked a significant propulsion milestone by successfully testing a 5 kN air‑breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) integrated with an aerospike nozzle, achieving Technology Readiness Level‑5 (TRL‑5) at a government test facility.

D-Propulse Aerospace was co-founded by defense journalist Saurav Jha and aerospace scientist Dr. V. Ramanujachari, with former DRDO chief Dr. V.K. Saraswat serving as chief mentor.

This breakthrough is directly useful for supersonic missiles and UAVs as it solves long‑standing propulsion challenges while opening new tactical possibilities.

First announced by the D-Propulse Co-founder & CEO Saurav Jha, and followed by Navbharat Times report, the D‑Propulse’s breakthrough took on 21-22 July 2026, confirming the successful TRL‑5 test of its 5 kN air‑breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) with an aerospike nozzle at a DRDO facility.

For an uninitiated, TRL‑5 means a technology has moved beyond lab validation and is now tested successfully in a relevant environment with realistic supporting systems. For D‑Propulse, this confirms its RDE prototype works under real‑world aerospace test conditions, not just in controlled lab setups.

This breakthrough could be a game‑changer for India’s aerospace ambitions, complementing DRDO’s scramjet work and ISRO’s reusable launch vehicle efforts.

D‑Propulse, incubated at IIT‑Madras, tested its 5 kN air‑breathing RDE at a DRDO government test rig. The engine achieved TRL‑5, meaning it has moved beyond lab validation into prototype maturity.

The engine produced stable 5 kN thrust even at reduced air mass flow, equivalent to a small cruise missile engine.

Key Highlights

• Rotating Detonation Engine: Uses continuous detonation waves for combustion, offering higher efficiency than conventional gas turbines or scramjets.
• Aerospike nozzle: Maintains efficiency across varying altitudes, unlike traditional bell nozzles.
• 5 kN thrust: A meaningful scale for tactical UAVs, small launch systems, or future hypersonic demonstrators.
• TRL‑5 achievement: Demonstrates validation in a relevant environment, bridging lab innovation with operational readiness.
• Government test facility: Adds credibility, ensuring rigorous evaluation under controlled conditions.

Thought I'll give you guys a sneak peek. Here's a video of one of the short duration runs conducted by @dpropulse with its air-breathing rotating detonation prototype at a government facility during July 21-22, 2026. 5 kN burn with reduced air mass flow and reduced fuel flow as… pic.twitter.com/wx6da8LWZ5

— Saurav Jha (@SJha1618) July 23, 2026

Close-Up Video

This breakthrough is highly useful in both supersonic missiles and UAVs because it directly addresses propulsion efficiency, adaptability, and compactness.

For supersonic missiles, an air‑breathing Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) allows extended range since it doesn’t require carrying oxidizers, reducing weight and increasing payload capacity. Continuous detonation waves sustain thrust at supersonic speeds, enabling faster cruise missiles than current scramjet‑based systems. The aerospike nozzle ensures efficiency across altitudes, which is vital for missiles that must fly low to evade radar or high to maximize range. With a compact thrust class of 5 kN, the engine is well‑suited for tactical cruise missiles, balancing destructive power with deployability.

For UAVs, the RDE’s fuel efficiency extends endurance, making long‑duration surveillance or strike missions more feasible. Its compact size allows integration into smaller UAVs without compromising payload capacity. The high thrust‑to‑weight ratio enables UAVs to carry heavier sensors or weapons while still achieving supersonic dash capability. Additionally, air‑breathing RDEs could power reusable UAV demonstrators or spaceplane concepts, reducing operational costs and opening new possibilities for reusable platforms.

Overall, D‑Propulse’s TRL‑5 RDE is a dual‑use breakthrough: it strengthens India’s missile deterrence by enabling lighter, faster, longer‑range supersonic cruise missiles, while also enhancing UAV endurance and speed, a rare combination globally.

Why It’s Considered “Most Advanced”

Calling D‑Propulse’s 5 kN RDE with aerospike nozzle the “world’s most advanced supersonic missile engine” rests on several disruptive features that set it apart from conventional propulsion systems:

• Rotating Detonation Combustion: Unlike scramjets or turbojets, RDEs harness continuous detonation waves, yielding higher thermal efficiency (up to 25–30% more) and reduced mechanical complexity.
• Aerospike nozzle integration: Maintains thrust efficiency across altitudes, solving the bell‑nozzle limitation. This is rare even in global RDE prototypes.
• Air‑breathing capability: Enables sustained supersonic flight without carrying oxidizers, critical for long‑range cruise missiles.
• TRL‑5 validation: Tested in a relevant environment at a DRDO facility, proving real‑world readiness beyond lab experiments.
• Compact thrust class: 5 kN is ideal for tactical supersonic missiles and UAVs, making it deployable rather than just experimental.

Global Context

• U.S. & Russia: Have demonstrated RDE prototypes, but most remain at TRL‑3/4 (lab scale).
• China: Focused more on scramjets; RDE work is less public.
• India (D‑Propulse): Achieving TRL‑5 with aerospike integration places it ahead in practical supersonic missile propulsion.

Comparative Edge

Engine type	Efficiency	Altitude adaptability	Current maturity
RDE + Aerospike	Highest	Excellent	India TRL‑5
Scramjet	Moderate	Limited	India TRL‑5 combustor
Turbojet	Low	Poor	Mature, outdated for hypersonics

Why “World’s Most Advanced”

• Unique integration: No other startup or nation has publicly demonstrated an air‑breathing RDE with aerospike nozzle at TRL‑5.
• Efficiency + adaptability: Combines detonation efficiency with altitude‑independent thrust.
• Deployment potential: Represents the closest step toward deployable supersonic missile propulsion globally.

It combines efficiency, adaptability, and validated readiness in a way unmatched worldwide, making D‑Propulse’s RDE a benchmark in supersonic missile engine technology.

Strategic Significance

• Efficiency leap: RDEs can reduce fuel consumption while sustaining high thrust‑to‑weight ratios.
• Hypersonic potential: Air‑breathing RDEs with aerospike nozzles could power next‑gen cruise missiles or reusable spaceplanes.
• Startup ecosystem: D‑Propulse’s success highlights India’s growing private‑sector role in advanced aerospace propulsion.
• Global context: Few nations have demonstrated RDEs beyond lab scale; TRL‑5 positions India among early movers in this disruptive technology.

Contextual Comparison

Propulsion type	Efficiency	Scalability	Current Status
RDE	High (detonation‑based)	Compact, modular	Emerging, TRL‑5 in India
Scramjet	Moderate (supersonic combustion)	Large scale	India tested 1,200s combustor
Conventional turbojet	Lower	Mature	Widely deployed

This breakthrough could be a game‑changer for India’s aerospace ambitions, complementing DRDO’s scramjet work and ISRO’s reusable launch vehicle efforts.

India’s Green Rail Tech Breakthrough, Covering 1,200 km with Zero Emissions and Saving 3,200 Litres of Diesel

This month, India entred into the circle of nations like Germany, Japan, China, and the U.S. that are pioneering hydrogen transport, while highlighting the indigenous innovation and sustainability impact. It’s concise, authoritative, and optimized for a worldwide readership.

India’s first hydrogen train, flagged off on July 17, 2026, between Jind and Sonipat, has now covered 1,200 km while saving over 3,200 litres of diesel. This milestone places India alongside Germany, Japan, China, and the United States in pioneering hydrogen rail mobility, each advancing unique models of clean transport.

India’s hydrogen train covering 1,200 km is vital because it demonstrates sustained, real‑world reliability and efficiency comparable to or exceeding benchmarks set by Germany, Japan, China, and the U.S., where ranges vary widely from 70 km in Japan’s prototype to 1,200 km in China’s CINOVA H2.

Global Benchmark

India’s hydrogen train covering 1,200 km places it firmly among the world’s leaders in clean rail mobility. In Germany, the Coradia iLint has been in commercial service since 2018, achieving ranges of 800–1,000 km per refuelling, proving hydrogen’s viability for regional routes. Japan’s HYBARI prototype, developed by JR East, currently manages 80–140 km per charge, reflecting its early‑stage trials with commercial rollout expected by 2027. China’s CINOVA H2 hydrogen train, unveiled by CRRC, boasts an impressive 1,200–2,000 km range, making it the longest‑range hydrogen rail project globally. Meanwhile, the United States is funding pilots through the Federal Railroad Administration, with Stadler’s FLIRT H2 offering 380–460 km range and setting a Guinness World Record of 2,803 km in testing.

Global Comparison

• India: Hydrogen train has already covered 1,200 km seamlessly, saving 3,200 litres of diesel. Matches China’s advanced intercity hydrogen trains and surpasses Germany’s rollout.
• Germany: Coradia iLint hydrogen trains in commercial service since 2018, achieving ranges of 800–1,000 km per refuelling.
• Japan: HYBARI prototype developed by JR East, currently achieves 80–140 km per charge, with commercial rollout expected by 2027.
• China: CINOVA H2 hydrogen train unveiled by CRRC, boasting 1,200–2,000 km range, the longest globally.
• United States: Stadler FLIRT H2 (ZEMU) offers 380–460 km range, but set a Guinness World Record of 2,803 km in testing.

India’s achievement of 1,200 km is therefore vital—it matches China’s advanced intercity hydrogen trains, surpasses Germany’s commercial rollout, and far exceeds Japan’s prototype stage. It signals that India is not only catching up but positioning itself as a credible global contender in zero‑emission rail technology.

India’s Hydrogen Train Milestone

• Launch Date: July 17, 2026, flagged off between Jind and Sonipat.
• Route: Covered 1,200 km seamlessly, saving over 3,200 litres of diesel.
• Train Specs: 10 coaches, 2 Hydrogen Driving Power Cars delivering 2,400 kW total power.
• Fuel & Storage: Green hydrogen stored at 500 bar, dispensed at 350 bar, with a 3,000 kg facility at Jind.
• Safety: Leak, flame, and smoke detectors; automatic shut-off; continuous ventilation; international standards validation.
• Impact: Zero tailpipe emissions, only water vapour released.

Global Hydrogen Rail Developments

Country	Key Project	Highlights
Germany	H2goesRail (DB + Siemens)	Mireo Plus H trains, range up to 1,000 km, refuelling time equal to diesel.
Japan	HYBARI (JR East)	Hydrogen hybrid train, commercial service planned by 2027, 70 km per charge.
China	CRRC Changchun	Urban hydrogen train tested at 160 km/h, range over 1,000 km.
United States	FRA-funded pilots	$97M grants for hydrogen locomotives in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania.

Why This Matters

• India’s Position: Launching a fully indigenous hydrogen train places India among global leaders.
• Global Leadership: Germany leads commercial rollout, Japan advances hybrid systems, China scales urban hydrogen trains, U.S. funds pilots.
• Strategic Value: Crucial for non-electrified routes, reducing fossil fuel reliance, aligning with net-zero targets.

Challenges & Trade-offs

• Hydrogen Production: Sustainability depends on renewable electrolysis, not fossil fuels.
• Infrastructure Costs: High-pressure storage and refuelling facilities require major investment.
• Safety Concerns: Hydrogen’s volatility demands rigorous detection and validation.
• Global Lessons: Germany’s refuelling innovation, Japan’s hybrid approach, China’s long-range testing offer pathways for India.

In short, India’s 1,200 km hydrogen train trial is vital because it proves indigenous technology can perform at par with global leaders, offering a scalable, zero‑emission solution for long non‑electrified routes.

L&T Heavy Engineering Secures Global Orders, Delivers World’s Largest FCC Reactor and Key Process Equipment Across 5 Continents

L&T Heavy Engineering, the hi-tech manufacturing arm of Larsen & Toubro, has secured a series of international orders across Asia, Africa, North America, South America and Europe, reinforcing its position as a global leader in process plant equipment.

The business has secured orders from Africa’s largest industrial conglomerate, Dangote Group, for a mega refinery and multi-train fertiliser expansion projects in Nigeria and Ethiopia. The scope includes the supply of critical process equipment, comprising the world’s largest Fluid Catalytic Cracking Reactor Regenerator Package, all critical urea and ammonia equipment.

Additionally, the business has won a repeat order from a Japanese customer for the manufacture and supply of Heat Exchangers and Absorbers for an LNG project in Canada. The business has also secured orders for its core equipment including Coke Drums, Fractionator Columns and Heat Exchangers from customers in Spain, US and Brazil.

Commenting on this, Anil Parab, Whole-time Director & Sr Executive Vice President - Manufacturing, L&T) said: “These orders reaffirm the trust and confidence that customers place in L&T’s world-class manufacturing capabilities and its consistent track record of delivering high-quality process equipment to global clients”.