L&T Enters B2B Electronics Market With New Coimbatore Facility; Launches New Electronics Vertical LTEPS

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has officially entered the B2B industrial electronics segment with the launch of its new vertical, L&T Electronic Products & Systems (LTEPS), headquartered in Bengaluru and manufacturing operations based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

LTEPS will extend the capability to the development and manufacture of industrial electronic products and systems across several key domains — including power electronics, mobility, industrial robotics & automation, communication platforms and electronics systems design & manufacturing (ESDM).

Key Highlights of the Announcement

• Launch Date: 24 April 2026
• New Vertical: L&T Electronic Products & Systems (LTEPS)
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Manufacturing Hub: Coimbatore campus, Tamil Nadu
• Initial Setup: Two manufacturing lines commissioned, serving Indian and global clients
• Strategic Vision: Supports Lakshya 2031 roadmap to deepen technology leadership

Strategic Significance

• Diversification: Expands L&T’s portfolio into advanced electronics
• Domains Covered: Power electronics, mobility solutions, robotics & automation, communication platforms, ESDM
• Innovation Approach: In‑house R&D, technology partnerships, advanced testing infrastructure
• Future Expansion: Plans to scale across a 40‑acre zone in Coimbatore

Leadership Statement

The foray into industrial electronics is an important step towards our Lakshya 2031 aspiration of deepening technology leadership and enhancing India’s self‑reliance in critical manufacturing. With LTEPS, we are bolstering the nation’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem while expanding our presence across high‑growth, innovation‑driven domains.
— S N Subrahmanyan, Chairman & MD, L&T

Context & Impact

• National Policy Alignment: Supports Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives
• Global Competitiveness: Positions L&T to serve Indian and international clients
• Economic Impact: Boosts Coimbatore’s role as a hub for engineering and electronics talent.

LTEPS plans to progressively expand its footprint. Future expansions are envisioned across a 40-acre zone within the Coimbatore campus to cover the entire industrial electronics value chain — spanning R&D, in-house product development, ESDM, contract manufacturing, design and engineering support, sourcing, testing and validation services.

Vikram‑1: India’s First Privately Built Orbital Rocket Flagged Off

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, along with Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, has officially flagged off the flight hardware of Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram‑1 — India’s first privately developed orbital rocket. The ceremony at Skyroot’s Max‑Q campus in Hyderabad marks a turning point in India’s space journey, symbolizing the rise of private participation alongside ISRO’s legacy.

Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram‑1 is a three‑stage, carbon‑composite orbital launch vehicle designed to carry up to 350 kg of satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). It features 3D‑printed engines, solid and liquid propulsion stages, and is India’s first privately developed rocket headed for an orbital mission, with launch targeted for June 2026.

This marks a historic milestone in India’s space sector, symbolizing the rise of private participation alongside ISRO’s legacy. Vikram‑1 is designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit, offering cost‑effective and flexible launch options for global and domestic customers.

From India for the world! 🚀

Honoured to have the Hon. Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri. @revanth_anumula flag-off Vikram-1 to the spaceport today.

The journey now enters its most defining phase—kickstarting the integration and launch campaign of India’s first private orbital… https://t.co/Y5YqNNsa8x pic.twitter.com/iCAok6LWTC

— Pawan (@PawanKChandana) April 25, 2026

What Makes Vikram‑1 Special

• Payload Capacity: Can carry up to 350 kg of satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Design: A three‑stage rocket built entirely with carbon composites, making it lighter and faster to manufacture.
• Propulsion: Solid boosters for initial thrust, liquid engines for precision orbital insertion, and 3D‑printed indigenous engines reducing cost and assembly time.
• Launch Site: Final integration at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
• Launch Window: Targeted for June 2026, marking India’s first private orbital launch attempt.

Why This Milestone Matters

• Private Breakthrough: Skyroot becomes the first Indian private company to build and launch an orbital rocket.
• Policy Impact: Reflects India’s new space reforms encouraging private sector innovation under IN‑SPACe and ISRO oversight.
• Global Signal: Positions India as a competitive hub for small satellite launches, a market dominated by Rocket Lab and SpaceX.
• Local Boost: Telangana’s support highlights its ambition to be a space‑tech hub, creating jobs and fostering innovation.

Vikram‑1 vs ISRO’s PSLV

Feature	Vikram‑1 (Skyroot)	PSLV (ISRO)
Payload to LEO	350 kg	~1,750 kg
Structure	Carbon composite	Metal alloys
Engines	Solid + liquid, 3D‑printed	Solid + liquid conventional
Operator	Private (Skyroot)	Government (ISRO)
Target Market	Small satellites	Medium‑sized satellites

Key Technical Details of Vikram‑1

• Type: Multi‑stage orbital launch vehicle.
• Payload Capacity: Up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (160–2,000 km altitude).
• Structure: Built entirely with carbon composites, making it lighter and faster to manufacture compared to traditional metal rockets.
• Propulsion: Solid boosters for initial thrust, liquid engines for precision orbital insertion, and 3D‑printed indigenous engines reducing cost and assembly time.
• Fairing: Space‑ready payload fairing protects satellites during ascent.
• Integration Site: Final assembly and integration at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

Launch Timeline

• Flag‑off Date: April 25, 2026, from Skyroot’s Max‑Q campus in Hyderabad.
• Destination: Hardware dispatched to Sriharikota spaceport.
• Launch Window: June 2026, marking India’s first private orbital launch attempt.

Challenges Ahead

• Reliability: First‑time orbital launches carry high risk.
• Competition: Global players already dominate the small satellite launch market.
• Regulation: Must meet stringent safety standards set by ISRO and IN‑SPACe.

The Bigger Picture

Vikram‑1 is more than just a rocket — it’s a symbol of India’s private spaceflight era. With cost‑effective technology, government backing, and global ambitions, Skyroot Aerospace is positioning India as a serious contender in the commercial satellite launch market.

Beyond Skyroot’s Vikram‑1, India’s private space sector is rapidly expanding with several other rockets in development — including Agnikul’s Agnibaan, Bellatrix’s Chetak, and a privately manufactured PSLV variant — all aiming to capture the booming small satellitelaunch market.

Adani’s ₹2,500 Cr Defence Plant Marks India’s Leap Toward Self-Reliance

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced a ₹2,500 crore Adani Group defence manufacturing plant in Kolaras, Madhya Pradesh. The facility will be set up within two months and is expected to generate around 2,000 direct jobs while strengthening India’s defence production capabilities.

Key Details of the Defence Plant

• Location: Kolaras, about 70 km from Shivpuri, at the junction of Kota Highway and Mumbai–Gwalior Highway
• Investment Size: ₹2,500 crore by the Adani Group
• Timeline: Construction to begin within two months
• Jobs Created: Approximately 2,000 direct jobs
• Purpose: Manufacturing defence equipment to protect India’s borders and reduce reliance on imports

Strategic Significance

• Boost to Defence Manufacturing: Strengthens India’s push for self-reliance in defence production under Atmanirbhar Bharat
• Regional Development: Kolaras, traditionally known for agriculture and tomato production, will now emerge as a defence industry hub
• Industrial Growth: Addresses the long-pending demand for industrial development in the Shivpuri–Kolaras region

Impact Overview

Factor	Details
Investment	₹2,500 crore
Jobs	~2,000 direct jobs
Location Advantage	Junction of Kota & Mumbai–Gwalior Highways
Sector	Defence arms manufacturing
Regional Impact	Industrial growth in Kolaras, diversification beyond agriculture
National Impact	Strengthens border security, supports defence self-reliance

Risks & Considerations

• Execution Timeline: Large-scale defence projects often face delays in commissioning
• Local Infrastructure: Adequate power, logistics, and skilled workforce will be critical for smooth operations
• Geopolitical Sensitivity: Defence manufacturing hubs may attract strategic scrutiny and require strong security measures

Takeaway

This announcement marks a major milestone for Madhya Pradesh’s industrial landscape and India’s defence sector. For local communities, it promises job creation and economic diversification, while nationally it reinforces India’s defence self-reliance strategy.

Mahindra Finance PAT is Up by 55% for the Quarter at Rs. 873 Crore

The Board of Directors of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited(Mahindra Finance), a leading provider of financial services for Bharat at its meeting held today,announced the audited financial results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2026. The Boardhas proposed a final dividend of Rs.7.50 per fully paid equity share (375% of face value of Rs 2/- each)Vs Rs 6.50 per share in the last fiscal year.

Speaking on the results, Raul Rebello, MD & CEO, Mahindra Finance said: "This year's progress across growth, margins and risk was driven by disciplined execution and resultedin a tangible step-up in profitability. Continued investments in our core vehicle franchise, new growthcategories, and technology will support sustainable growth and profitability".

Quarterly Performance:

Mahindra Finance PAT up 55% YOY for the quarter, post Q4 management overlay. The Company'sAUM grew by 12% YoY and disbursements grew by 11% YoY. NIM expanded by ~101 bps YoY at 7.5%and credit cost stood at 1.5% for Q4F26 (including overlay) vs 1.4% Q4F25.

Yearly Performance:

For the full year PAT is up by 19% YoY, post labour code and management overlays. Annualdisbursements grew 6% YoY. NIMs expanded during the year supported by higher Fee Income andlower Cost of Funds. Asset quality continued to be within guided range, with GS3 at 3.4% and GS2+GS3at 8.2%, underpinned by enhanced sourcing standards & collection efficiency. The credit cost at 1.7%(including overlays), underscores prudent risk management practices.

Q4 and Full Year FY26 Standalone Results:

Results (₹ Crores)	Q4 FY26	Q4 FY25	YoY %		FY26	FY25	YoY %
Disbursements	17,184	15,530	11%		61,118	57,900	6%
Business AUM	1,34,096	1,19,673	12%		1,34,096	1,19,673	12%
Total Income	4,810	4,245	13%		18,500	16,075	15%
Net Interest Margins (NIM)	2,739	2,156	27%		10,108	8,176	24%
NIM Margin %	7.5%	6.5%			7.1%	6.5%
Pre-Provisioning Operating Profit (PPOP)	1,722	1,213	42%		6,231	4,765	31%
Credit Costs	560	457	23%		2,441	1,618	51%
Credit Costs %	1.5%	1.4%			1.7%	1.3%
Profit After Tax	873	563	55%		2,782	2,345	19%
ROA %	2.4%	1.7%			2.0%	1.9%

Capital Adequacy healthy at 18.8%, Tier-1 Capital at 16.7%. Prudent Provision Coverage on GS3 at 59%through creation of management overlay. Total liquidity buffer comfortable over ~ ₹ 9,100 crores.

Meta Launches One of World’s Largest CPU‑Based AI Expansions with AWS Graviton5

Meta has signed a landmark deal with AWS to deploy tens of millions of Graviton5 cores, marking one of the largest CPU‑based AI infrastructure expansions to date. This partnership reflects a strategic shift toward powering agentic AI workloads—real‑time reasoning, code generation, and multi‑step orchestration—on purpose‑built silicon.

It is considered one of the world’s largest CPU‑based infrastructure expansions because Meta is deploying tens of millions of AWS Graviton5 cores at once—making it one of the biggest single CPU deployments ever announced by a major tech company. This scale places Meta among the largest Graviton customers globally and signals a fundamental shift in AI infrastructure design.

Meta’s initial rollout already involves tens of millions of Graviton cores, with flexibility to expand further. Few companies have ever announced CPU deployments at this magnitude.

The infrastructure is designed to support billions of AI interactions daily, powering agentic AI workloads such as reasoning, orchestration, and code generation.

Meta is now officially one of the largest AWS Graviton customers worldwide, surpassing most other enterprises that use Graviton for cloud workloads.

Why This Deal Matters

• Scale: Meta becomes one of the largest Graviton customers globally, starting with tens of millions of cores and room to expand.
• Shift in AI Infrastructure: While GPUs remain critical for training large models, agentic AI workloads are CPU‑intensive—requiring chips optimized for reasoning and orchestration rather than raw matrix multiplication.
• Energy Efficiency: Graviton5, built on 3‑nanometer technology, delivers up to 25% better performance than its predecessor while reducing environmental impact.

AWS Graviton5: Technical Highlights

AWS Graviton5 is Amazon Web Services’ latest generation of custom‑built ARM‑based CPUs, designed specifically for cloud workloads. It delivers up to 25% better performance than Graviton4, packs 192 cores per chip, and features a cache five times larger—making it one of the most powerful and energy‑efficient CPUs available for large‑scale AI and enterprise applications.   

• 192 cores with a cache 5× larger than the previous generation.
• 33% faster inter‑core communication, enabling higher bandwidth and reduced latency.
• Built on the AWS Nitro System, ensuring high performance, availability, and security.
• Supports Elastic Fabric Adapter (EFA) for low‑latency, high‑bandwidth communication—critical for distributed agentic AI tasks.

Meta’s Strategic Goals

• Diversification of Compute: Expanding to Graviton allows Meta to run CPU‑intensive workloads efficiently at scale.
• Agentic AI at Scale: Infrastructure capable of handling billions of interactions and coordinating multi‑step agent workflows.
• Sustainability: Leveraging Graviton’s efficiency aligns Meta’s AI expansion with sustainability targets.

Industry Implications

• For AWS: Demonstrates AWS’s ability to deliver custom silicon integrated with its full AI stack.
• For Meta: Positions Meta as a leader in agentic AI infrastructure with a hybrid compute strategy.
• For the Market: Signals a broader industry trend—CPU‑optimized chips complement GPU‑driven training.

Comparison: GPU vs. Graviton CPU Workloads

Aspect	GPU (e.g., Nvidia H100)	AWS Graviton5 CPU
Best For	Training large AI models	Agentic AI workloads (reasoning, orchestration, code generation)
Core Count	Thousands of parallel cores	192 high‑performance cores
Latency	Higher for multi‑step tasks	Lower, optimized for reasoning
Energy Efficiency	High but power‑hungry	25% better than previous gen, built for efficiency
Scalability	Clustered GPU farms	Tens of millions of CPU cores, distributed workloads

Expert Voices

• Nafea Bshara, Amazon VP: “This isn’t just about chips; it’s about giving customers the infrastructure foundation to build AI that scales to billions worldwide.”
• Santosh Janardhan, Meta: “Expanding to Graviton allows us to run CPU‑intensive workloads behind agentic AI with the performance and efficiency we need at scale.”

In short: Meta’s massive Graviton5 deployment with AWS signals a new chapter in AI infrastructure—where CPUs, not just GPUs, become central to powering agentic AI systems at global scale.