India Energy Stack v0.3: One-stop digital platform for electricity data

The Ministry of Power has rolled out Version 0.3 of the India Energy Stack (IES), marking a significant step in building a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for India’s electricity sector.

For an uninitiated, the India Energy Stack (IES) is a government-led initiative to build a digital public infrastructure for India’s power sector. Think of it as the "UPI for energy" — a unified, secure, and interoperable digital backbone that allows all stakeholders in the electricity ecosystem to exchange data and interact seamlessly.

Here’s a clear breakdown of what Version 0.3 of IES means:

Key Highlights of IES v0.3

• Unified Digital Framework: Designed to standardize and unify electricity data across utilities, system operators, market participants, innovators, and consumers.
• Secure & Interoperable Exchange: Enables seamless, secure data sharing through standardized protocols and shared data models.
• Consumer Empowerment: Aims to give both consumers and prosumers (those who produce and consume electricity, e.g., rooftop solar owners) more control and visibility into their energy usage.
• National Rollout Goal: The framework is being refined and tested, with a target for full-scale national deployment by 2026.
• Transparency & Efficiency: Expected to improve coordination across the energy ecosystem, reduce inefficiencies, and foster innovation in energy services.

Why It Matters

• For Consumers: Easier access to consumption data, better billing transparency, and potential for personalized energy services.
• For Innovators & Startups: A standardized data backbone opens opportunities for new apps, analytics, and smart energy solutions.
• For Policy & Governance: Strengthens India’s push toward digital public infrastructure, aligning with initiatives like India Stack in finance and health.
• For Sustainability: Facilitates integration of renewable energy sources by improving grid visibility and balancing supply-demand more effectively.

The India Energy Stack project is scheduled for completion by July 2026, with phased national adoption expected to strengthen digital coordination across India’s power sector.

AI Startup Anthropic Shakes IT Sector, Infosys and Wipro ADRs Drop

American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of Indian IT majors Infosys and Wipro declined this week after Anthropic, the AI startup backed by Amazon and Google, announced its entry into legal and data services automation.

Infosys ADRs slipped about 3%, while Wipro ADRs fell nearly 5% in U.S. trading. The sell-off extended to other IT consulting firms, with Accenture and Cognizant also registering losses.

Analysts noted that the declines were sharper in companies heavily exposed to legal process outsourcing (LPO) and data management contracts.   

What Happened

• Anthropic launched an AI product that automates contract review and legal briefings, raising investor concerns about disruption in IT services outsourcing.
• Infosys and Wipro ADRs fell 3–5%, extending losses from earlier in the week.
• Other IT consulting firms like Accenture and Cognizant also saw declines, with some data-focused firms dropping 9–10%.

Why It Matters

• Legal and data services are a lucrative segment for IT majors, often tied to long-term enterprise contracts.
• Anthropic’s move signals that AI-first companies are directly entering areas traditionally dominated by Indian IT service providers.
• Investors fear margin compression and reduced demand for human-led outsourcing as automation scales.

Market Context

• The sell-off coincided with broader weakness in the Nasdaq Composite, adding pressure to tech stocks.
• Indian IT equities also reflected overnight ADR declines, though some recovery was noted in domestic trading.

Ashok Leyland and PT Pindad Ink Landmark MoU for EVs and Defence Vehicles in Indonesia

Ashok Leyland, the Indian flagship of the Hinduja Group and one of the world’s leading Commercial and Defence Vehicle manufacturers, today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT Pindad, Indonesia’s premier state-owned defence and industrial equipment manufacturer. The agreement, signed at Pindad’s headquarters in Bandung, marks a major milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in sustainable mobility and advanced defence technologies.

The MoU outlines a strategic collaboration for the joint development and manufacturing of Electric Buses (EVs) and Defence Vehicles tailored for Indonesia’s growing mobility and national security requirements. The partnership aims to leverage Ashok Leyland’s global expertise in Commercial EV platforms and Defence mobility solutions together with Pindad’s deep engineering capabilities, local manufacturing strength, and longstanding contribution to Indonesia’s defence ecosystem.

The agreement was formalised in the presence of Prof. Sigit P. Santosa, Chief Executive Officer, PT Pindad, Mr. Amandeep Singh, President – International Operations, Defence, LCV & PSB, Ashok Leyland and Lord Tariq, Advisor to the Board, Hinduja Auto.

Indonesia has been accelerating its transition toward sustainable transportation and modernised defence capabilities. This MoU is aligned with the nation’s push for energy-efficient mobility, electric vehicle adoption, and locally produced defence platforms.

Key focus areas under the MoU is to carry out cooperation in the field of Joint Development of Electric Buses and Defence Vehicles.

Mr. Amandeep Singh, President – International Operations, Defence, LCV & PSB, Ashok Leyland, said: “Ashok Leyland has a longstanding legacy of delivering reliable commercial and defence mobility solutions worldwide. Our subsidiary, Switch Mobility has now developed a wide range of electric buses with global appeal. Our partnership with Pindad allows us to jointly develop products uniquely suited to Indonesia’s terrain, infrastructure, and operational needs.”

Adani Group Bets Big: ₹70,000-Cr Clean Energy Project Near Nagpur

Jeet Adani has announced a ₹70,000 crore integrated coal gasification and chemical project at Linga in Kalmeshwar near Nagpur, unveiled during the Advantage Vidarbha 2026 summit.

The ₹70,000 crore investment is part of a long-term roadmap to make Vidarbha a hub for clean energy, industrial manufacturing, and integrated logistics.        

• Scale & Investment: ₹70,000 crore in the first phase, with plans for a second phase of equal investment.
• Employment Impact: Around 30,000 direct jobs expected.
• Outputs: The plant will produce syngas, ammonia, and hydrogen, strengthening India’s clean energy and chemical manufacturing base.
• Strategic Importance: Positions Nagpur as a global hub for advanced chemical manufacturing and clean-energy technologies.
• Regional Development: Vidarbha’s central location and resource base make it a natural choice for industrial expansion, logistics, and technology growth.
• Policy Backing: Adani credited central and state government initiatives, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda.

This project is being described as one of the largest clean-energy-linked investments in central India, potentially transforming Nagpur into a strategic hub for energy independence and advanced manufacturing.

Global Milestone: Qualcomm Completes 2nm Tape‑Out with Engineering Strength from India

Qualcomm Technologies has announced the successful tape‑out of its 2nm semiconductor design, marking a breakthrough in advanced chip engineering and positioning India at the forefront of global semiconductor development. The announcement was made at Qualcomm’s Bengaluru facility during the visit of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who hailed the achievement as a testament to India’s growing importance in the global chip ecosystem.

The tape‑out stage represents the final step in semiconductor design before fabrication begins. Achieving this at the 2nm node is a significant milestone, as it enables higher transistor density, improved performance, and reduced power consumption compared to existing 3nm and 4nm technologies. Qualcomm’s design is expected to power next‑generation workloads in artificial intelligence, 5G networks, edge computing, and advanced mobile devices, aligning with the company’s roadmap for high‑efficiency, high‑performance processors.

India played a central role in this achievement. Qualcomm’s engineering teams across Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad collaborated on the design, making India home to the company’s largest engineering workforce outside the United States. This milestone underscores India’s transition from being primarily a software powerhouse to becoming a critical hub for hardware and semiconductor innovation.

Union Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that the tape‑out reflects India’s rising capabilities in semiconductor design, complementing the government’s ongoing push to establish commercial fabrication facilities under the Semicon India program. With India’s telecom networks already achieving nearly 90% 5G coverage nationwide, the focus is shifting toward preparing infrastructure for AI‑driven workloads, where chips designed at 2nm will play a pivotal role.

Technological Significance of 2nm Chips

• Transistor scaling: 2nm technology allows billions more transistors to be packed into the same chip area, enabling faster processing speeds.
• Energy efficiency: Lower leakage currents and optimized architectures reduce power consumption, critical for mobile devices and edge computing.
• AI acceleration: Qualcomm’s design is expected to integrate specialized cores for machine learning, enhancing performance in generative AI and real‑time inference tasks.
• 5G and beyond: With telecom operators preparing for AI‑driven networks, 2nm chips will support ultra‑low latency and high‑bandwidth applications.

India’s Strategic Role

This milestone is not just about Qualcomm’s achievement but also about India’s emergence as a global semiconductor design hub. The collaboration across multiple Indian cities highlights the country’s engineering depth and positions it as a key player in the global supply chain. As fabrication facilities come online in the coming years, India could evolve from design to full‑scale production, strengthening its role in the global semiconductor economy.