Tata Motors, Drivn Partner to Accelerate EV Fleet Adoption with Custom Leasing Solutions

The partnership will offer customised leasing solutions to speed up EV adoption across commercial fleets

Drivn, an EV leasing platform focused on heavy commercial fleets has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, to explore leasing-based deployment of electric commercial vehicles in India for fleet operators. Under this partnership, Drivn will offer customised leasing solutions for Tata Motors’ electric commercial vehicle portfolio, enabling fleet operators to transition to electric vehicles through simpler and customised financing solutions.

Drivn offers bespoke operating lease solutions tailored to commercial fleet operators. By bridging long-standing gaps across financing, deployment and charging infrastructure, it is helping make the shift to electric simpler and more practical, accelerating fleet electrification across India.

Tata Motors is leading the commercial mobility transition with the widest electric CV portfolio and an ecosystem that makes electrification both practical and profitable. The company works closely with fleet owners to optimise performance, uptime, charging and financing across the lifecycle. As adoption deepens, Tata Motors remains focused on delivering end-to-end solutions that help customers transition confidently to zero-emission mobility.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rajesh Kaul, Vice President & Business Head – Trucks, Tata Motors Ltd., said, “Tata Motors is committed to democratising clean mobility and accelerating India’s transition towards sustainable transportation. Together with Drivn, we aim to make electric trucks more accessible to our customers. Our electric trucks portfolio has been engineered to deliver performance, reliability and operating economics that meet the evolving needs of our customers, while helping them confidently transition to zero-emission technologies.”

Manav Bansal, CEO and Co-founder of Drivn, said, “Making electric fleets commercially viable is key to driving adoption at scale. While there is growing interest from operators, the shift ultimately depends on how practical and accessible these solutions are. Partnering with Tata Motors allows us to combine a strong vehicle portfolio with our leasing model, addressing key barriers such as upfront costs and deployment timelines. Through this partnership, we intend to deploy over 1,000 electric trucks over the next two years, offering fleet operators a clearer and more scalable path to electrification while contributing to the broader growth of the EV ecosystem in India.”

Alpna Jain, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Drivn, said, “Electric fleet adoption scales when the right ecosystem comes together for support. With Tata Motors’ strong market presence, fleet operators gain trust and access as we are getting the elements of maintenance of vehicles, uptime as a joint commitment from OEM and combining technology to monitor efficiencies.”

Tata Motors continues to lead the nation’s electric commercial vehicle transition with a robust portfolio. The company newly-introduced a comprehensive portfolio of electric trucks ranging from 7 to 55 tonnes, built on the new I‑MOEV (Intelligent Modular Electric Vehicle) Architecture under the Tata Trucks.ev brand. Engineered for sustainable, efficient and high‑performance operations, these trucks address a wide spectrum of applications including e‑commerce logistics, construction material movement and port operations. Backed by the rapidly growing EV charging infrastructure and a nationwide service network, Tata Motors remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing sustainable mobility and strengthening India’s green transportation ecosystem.

About Drivn:

Drivn is building India’s operational and financial backbone for commercial electric mobility. The company acquires, owns, and leases electric buses and trucks, supported by an integrated tech stack model that includes planning charging infrastructure, battery lifecycle management, fleet operations, and end-of-life solutions. Its OEM-agnostic approach is purpose-built for intercity transport operators, logistics providers, and asset-intensive industries transitioning to electric fleets at scale.

Backed by global institutional investors, Drivn combines institutional capital with deep tech capability. Its proprietary platform and on-ground operating data better asset utilisation, efficiency, and performance that large fleets demand, supporting customers across sectors such as intercity bus transportation, logistics, ecommerce, cement, and steel.

About Tata Motors Ltd (Formerly TML Commercial Vehicles Ltd):

Part of the USD 180 billion Tata Group, Tata Motors Ltd., (BSE: Scrip code 544569; NSE: Scrip code TMCV) is India’s largest and a globally renowned manufacturer of utility vehicles, pick-ups, trucks, and buses. With over eight decades of leadership in commercial mobility, the company is known for its innovation, reliability, and performance. Its advanced powertrains, connected technologies, and intelligent fleet solutions support a wide range of applications—from last-mile delivery to public transport while seamlessly driving the wheels of the nation’s economy. Guided by its brand promise Better Always, Tata Motors delivers future-ready solutions that enhance customer experience and drive sustainable growth. The company operates in India and South Korea, with a global presence across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and SAARC countries.

As per the Composite Scheme of Arrangement sanctioned by the Hon’ble National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench—amongst Tata Motors Limited, TML Commercial Vehicles Limited (the Company) and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Limited—the Company’s name was changed to Tata Motors Limited from TML Commercial Vehicles Limited (effective 29 October 2025), and its equity shares are listed on the BSE Ltd and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited.

Khyber Aquaculture Partners with J&K Government to Modernise Trout Farming

Progressive farmers trained in sustainable aquaculture and fish health management

Khyber Aquaculture, in partnership with the Jammu & Kashmir Department of Fisheries, has launched a specialised training programme to equip local trout farmers with modern, sustainable aquaculture practices. The initiative, part of the Project No 22 Implementation of Trout Cluster Programme covering Ganderbal and Anantnag, under Holistic Agriculture Development Plan (HADP) designed to transform traditional trout farming into a more scientific, efficient, and resilient industry.

The training brought together progressive farmers from Ganderbal, Bandipora, and Srinagar for an intensive session on “Sustainable Trout Aquaculture and Fish Health Management.” Experts guided participants through practical modules on biosecurity, water-quality management, responsible aquaculture, early disease detection, and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). A key focus was shifting from reactive treatment of fish diseases to proactive prevention - emphasising routine water monitoring, stress reduction, and early warning systems to safeguard fish health.

The interactive format also allowed farmers to share real-world challenges and explore practical solutions to improve survival rates, growth, and overall farm efficiency.

Mr Umar Tramboo, CMD, Khyber Aquaculture stated “Capacity building is the cornerstone of a resilient trout sector. By fostering collaboration between farmers, government institutions, and technical experts, we can build a sustainable cold-water aquaculture ecosystem that supports livelihoods, food security, and rural enterprise development in Jammu & Kashmir.”

With its natural mountain conditions, Jammu & Kashmir is uniquely positioned to become a hub for cold-water trout production. By equipping farmers with modern scientific tools, this initiative aims to boost productivity, strengthen value chains, and create new opportunities for rural communities.

This effort reflects Khyber Aquaculture’s broader vision to advance India’s cold-water fisheries sector through innovation, robust biosecurity systems, and internationally aligned best practices - ultimately positioning India on the global trout and salmon aquaculture map.

About Khyber Aquaculture

Khyber Aquaculture is a leading player in cold-water fisheries business. Founded in 2022, Khyber Himalayan Trout brings premium, nutrient-rich trout from the pristine Himalayan mountain waters of Kashmir. The company integrates scientific farming practices, modern infrastructure, and environmental stewardship to deliver premium-quality aquaculture products for domestic and international markets. For further details please visit www.khyberaquaculture.com

World of Microbiome 2026: Bengaluru Conference by Leucine Rich Bio on Precision Nutrition, Clinical Innovation, and Global Microbiome Trends

Third edition of the pioneering conference by Leucine Rich Bio to explore microbiota in health, precision nutrition, clinical innovation and global trends

Leucine Rich Bio Pvt Ltd, South Asia’s first microbiome company and the force behind the BugSpeaks brand, will host the 3rd edition of World of Microbiome 2026 on 21 August 2026 at Hotel GreenPark, Bengaluru. The one-day flagship conference will bring together clinicians, researchers, nutritionists, biotech leaders, entrepreneurs, investors and wellness professionals to advance microbiome science and its applications in preventive healthcare and precision wellness.

Building on the success of previous editions, the 2026 event will feature focused sessions on microbiota in health and wellness, intellectual property and clinical trials in the wellness domain, and precision nutrition and the microbiome. Panel discussions will examine enablers of next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics as well as microbiome trends outside India. The schedule of the event is from 10:00 am - 5:30 pm and will consist of inauguration, presentations by experts, networking sessions, and a quiz for the participants.

The list of confirmed speakers include : Dr. Debojyoti Dhar, Co-founder & Director, Leucine Rich Bio; Mr. Kumar Sankaran, Founder & CEO, BugSpeaks; Dr. Astha Agrawal; Dr. Yugandhar Reddy from Unilever India; Dr. Kiran Ambatipudi from IIT Roorkee; Dr. Lipika Sahoo; Dr. Mukul Maurya; Dt. Rohini Prasad of BugSpeaks; and other leading voices from clinical practice, industry and academia.

“World of Microbiome is not merely a conference but a platform which facilitates translation of microbiome research into clinical and wellness benefits in South Asia and beyond,” stated Dr. Debojyoti Dhar, Co-Founder & Director, Leucine Rich Bio. “As we meet in the third edition of the conference, we look forward to furthering collaborations to expedite precision nutrition, diagnostics, and healthcare through the microbiomes of our communities.” Stated Mr Kumar Sankaran, Founder and CEO, Leucine Rich Bio Pvt Ltd. Mr Prabhath Manjappa, Co-founder and CPO opined “This is a platform that enables discussion around new age science of microbiome, AI in healthcare, precision healthcare etc”.

Conducted by Leucine Rich Bio, founders of the first clinically validated gut microbiome test in South Asia named BugSpeaks, the conference aims at continuing the vision of the company to facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration and practical applications of microbiome research. Leucine Rich Bio has a decade-long legacy of working alongside over 100 clinical and 50 industrial partners in 15+ countries around the world.

About Leucine Rich Bio

Leucine Rich Bio Pvt Ltd is South Asia’s pioneering microbiome company, headquartered in Bengaluru. Its flagship brand, BugSpeaks, offers advanced microbiome testing (gut, skin and expanding panels) powered by next-generation sequencing, proprietary algorithms and curated databases. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, NABL and NABH accreditations and has supported clinical research demonstrating the impact of microbiota-based personalised nutrition. Through initiatives such as World of Microbiome, Leucine Rich Bio advances scientific dialogue and practical applications in precision health and wellness.

SAVE Microfinance Receives ₹70 Crore in Funding in FY 2026–27, Including ₹55 Crore under CGSMFI-2.0

SAVE Microfinance Private Limited, a microfinance institution focused on advancing responsible and inclusive finance across India, has received ₹70 crore in total funding during the current financial year (FY 2026–27).

Of the total funding, ₹55 crore has been received under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Microfinance Institutions (CGSMFI-2.0), comprising ₹25 crore from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) received in June 2026 and ₹30 crore from State Bank of India (SBI) received in August 2026.

The company has also received ₹15 crore through other institutional funding facilities, including funding from Northern Arc Capital, further strengthening and diversifying its institutional funding base.

The latest funding milestone reinforces the continued confidence of leading banks and financial institutions in SAVE Microfinance’s business model, portfolio quality, governance standards and disciplined approach to sustainable growth.

The funds will support the company’s lending operations, strengthen its ability to meet the growing demand for responsible credit, and expand access to formal financial services across underserved and semi-urban and rural markets.

Strengthening Institutional Confidence

Commenting on the funding milestone, Mr. Pintu Kumar Singh, Chief Financial Officer, SAVE Microfinance Pvt. Ltd., said: "The receipt of ₹70 crore in funding during the current financial year, including ₹55 crore under CGSMFI-2.0, is a significant milestone for SAVE Microfinance. We are grateful to our banking and financial institution partners for their continued confidence in our financial discipline, portfolio quality and governance framework. The additional funding will strengthen our lending capacity while enabling us to maintain a balanced approach to growth, risk management and responsible finance.”

He added: “As we continue to explore additional institutional funding opportunities, our focus remains on building a diversified funding base and ensuring sustainable access to credit for underserved households and micro-entrepreneurs.”

Supporting Responsible and Inclusive Growth

Commenting on the milestone, Mr. Ajeet Kumar Singh, Managing Director & Co-founder, SAVE Solutions Private Limited (SAVE Group), said: "At SAVE, we view financial inclusion as an important enabler of sustainable social and economic progress. The continued support from leading financial institutions is a strong endorsement of our approach to responsible finance, disciplined growth and institutional governance. The ₹70 crore funding received during FY 2026–27 will further strengthen our ability to serve underserved communities and support livelihoods through timely and responsible access to credit.”

He further added: “The ₹55 crore received under CGSMFI-2.0 is particularly significant as we continue to deepen our institutional partnerships and diversify our funding sources. With further opportunities in the pipeline, we remain committed to strengthening our financial capabilities and expanding the reach of inclusive financial services across India.”

Diversifying the Funding Base

SAVE Microfinance continues to engage with banks, financial institutions and development-focused lenders to build a well-diversified and sustainable funding base.

The company remains focused on responsible credit delivery, technology-enabled operations, prudent risk management and sustainable portfolio growth, with the objective of expanding access to formal finance for low-income households, women borrowers and micro-entrepreneurs across its operating geographies.

The company will continue to leverage institutional partnerships and initiatives such as CGSMFI-2.0 to strengthen its financial capacity and support the evolving credit needs of underserved communities.

About SAVE Microfinance Private Limited

SAVE Microfinance Private Limited is part of SAVE Solutions Private Limited (SAVE Group) and is focused on expanding access to responsible and inclusive financial services for underserved communities. The company works towards enabling access to formal credit while maintaining a strong focus on responsible lending, disciplined growth, prudent risk management and sustainable impact.

Palo Alto Networks Launches Frontier AI Critical Defense Program to Shield Infrastructure at AI Speed

A collaboration of leading technology providers to protect critical infrastructure against the rapid rise of AI-discovered vulnerabilities

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW) today announced the Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative to protect critical infrastructure from AI-driven exploits. Through the program, leaders across operational technology (OT), healthcare, commercial software and open-source communities coordinate with Palo Alto Networks to deploy proactive "virtual patches,” neutralizing vulnerabilities at the network-level before attackers can exploit them.

Palo Alto Networks recently used Frontier AI models to uncover more than 14,000 previously unknown vulnerabilities in open source software, underscoring how AI could enable threat actors to automate cyberattacks and shrink attack timelines. Yet, critical infrastructure operators, constrained by strict uptime and safety testing, cannot patch at AI speed. This mismatch creates a significant exposure gap, leaving essential systems vulnerable long before software fixes can be safely deployed.

​​True defense at AI speed requires joint action. This program builds on our existing collaborations with IBM and Red Hat (as part of Lightwell), Microsoft (as part of MAPP) and OT leaders like Siemens and the Idaho National Laboratory (as part of the OT Threat Research Lab).

Today, the collaboration is expanding to include Anthropic, OpenAI, OT leaders like Mitsubishi and Axis Communications, industry consortiums for sharing risk information like Analysis and Resilience Center for Systemic Risk and Health-ISAC, OT research organizations like the independent, non-profit Energy R&D Institute (EPRI) and OSS initiatives like Akrites (an initiative from the Linux Foundation).

Palo Alto Networks Frontier Virtual Patching puts these insights into action to deliver proactive protection for joint customers. By combining Frontier AI threat discovery with trusted vulnerability intelligence, it delivers rapid network-level patches while safeguarding sensitive vulnerability details from attackers.

Lee Klarich, Chief Product Officer, Palo Alto Networks, “In the age of Frontier AI, the traditional, reactive race to build and deploy software patches before adversaries exploit a flaw is a losing battle. Protecting critical infrastructure requires a structural shift from isolated patching to collective, proactive intelligence. Through initiatives like our Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, we can neutralize threats at the network layer before they are weaponized.”

Help safeguard critical infrastructure by joining the expanding Frontier AI Critical Defense Program, today. Visit the website to learn more on how to get involved, or explore Palo Alto Networks broader Frontier AI Defense Initiative.

Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), the global AI cybersecurity leader, protects our digital way of life with a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and platforms across Network, Cloud, Security Operations, AI and Identity. Trusted by 70,000+ customers and powered by Unit 42 threat intelligence, our AI-driven platforms eliminate complexity, empowering enterprises to modernize with confidence and securing the speed of innovation. Explore the future of security at www.paloaltonetworks.com.

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