Henkel Appoints Pradhyumna Ingle As Country President For India

Henkel has appointed Pradhyumna Ingle as Country President for India, reinforcing the company's commitment to one of its fastest growing and most strategically important markets. Based in Navi Mumbai, Pradhyumna will be responsible for driving the company’s growth strategy, strengthening market presence, and advancing innovation across its businesses in the country. He will continue to serve in his global leadership roles as Global Head – Infrastructure Protection & Repair and IMEA Head – Manufacturing & Maintenance within Henkel Adhesive Technologies.

The appointment comes at a time when India is emerging as one of the world's most compelling growth stories. Supported by converging trends of large-scale infrastructure investments, accelerating industrialization, and the rapid expansion of an upwardly mobile consumer market, the country is creating unprecedented opportunities for innovation and business expansion.

With more than 25 years of leadership experience across India, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Middle East & Africa, Pradhyumna has built a distinguished track record. He has accelerated growth, built high-performance organizations, driven acquisitions and integration, and fostered digital business models.

Pradhyumna succeeds S. Sunil Kumar, who has successfully led Henkel India over the past five years. Sunil will relocate to Dubai to take on an expanded role leading strategic projects across the IMEA region, in addition to his current responsibility as Director Packaging – IMEA.

Commenting on the appointment, Ashraf Elafifi, IMEA President, Henkel, said: “India is a key growth engine for Henkel globally. Pradhyumna brings a unique combination of global perspective, deep market understanding, customer-centricity, and proven leadership in driving transformation and sustainable growth. His extensive experience across multiple regions and industries positions him exceptionally well to lead Henkel India’s next chapter of growth.”

Speaking on his appointment, Pradhyumna Ingle, Country President, India, Henkel, said: "India is at the forefront of a remarkable economic and consumer transformation. With accelerating investments in manufacturing, infrastructure, mobility, electronics, energy, and digital technologies, alongside a young and aspirational consumer base, the opportunities for innovation and value creation are significant. Henkel is uniquely positioned to contribute to this growth through our strong brands, leading technologies, deep customer and consumer understanding, and partnerships across both Adhesive Technologies and Consumer Brands."

"I am excited to work with our talented teams across India to further strengthen our market position, expand our local innovation capabilities, and deliver sustainable growth for our customers, employees, partners, and communities. Together, we will continue advancing solutions that help build, maintain, and improve the industries that power India's future," he added.

Pradhyumna holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering from Government Engineering College, Ujjain, and an MBA from the Institute of Management Studies, Indore.

About Henkel

With its brands, innovations and technologies, Henkel holds leading market positions worldwide in the industrial and consumer businesses. The business unit Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the market for adhesives, sealants and coatings. With Consumer Brands, the company holds leading positions especially in laundry & home care and hair in many markets and categories around the world. The company's three strongest brands are Loctite, Persil and Schwarzkopf. In fiscal 2025, Henkel reported sales of about 20.5 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of around 3.0 billion euros. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. Sustainability has a long tradition at Henkel, and the company has a clear sustainability strategy with specific targets. Henkel was founded in 1876 and today employs a diverse team of about 47,000 people worldwide – united by a strong corporate culture, shared values and a common purpose: "Pioneers at heart for the good of generations.” More information at www.henkel.com

About Henkel India

Henkel in India has two legal entities, namely, Henkel Adhesives Technologies India Private Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Henkel) and Henkel Anand India Private Limited (a joint venture company of Henkel and Anand Group). The adhesive technologies business operates primarily in the business-to-business realm in the country, while in the consumer brands business, Henkel is present in the “hair” category. Headquartered in Navi Mumbai, the adhesive technologies business has a footprint comprising five manufacturing sites, two innovation centers, a customer experience center, a flexible packaging academy and three application centers serving the footwear, consumer electronics and electronics industries, respectively. Its hair business has five Schwarzkopf Professional academies across the country. Further enhancing Henkel’s innovation ecosystem is its Global Technology Center, designed to help implement innovations quickly and build future-oriented digital competencies at the company. Henkel employs over 1,700 employees across these sites. More information at www.henkel.in.  

75 Indian Students Awarded Erasmus+ Scholarships To pursue Higher Education In Europe

* 40 Indian Student Ambassadors selected to drive EU-India academic and people-to-people exchange; Deepening the people-centered dimension of the EU-India Strategic Partnership

The European Union has awarded 75 Indian students the prestigious two years-long Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) scholarships for the 2026–2028 academic cycle, cementing India’s position as the top recipient of these scholarships since 2004 and placing it among the top three countries globally for this year’s intake. With nearly 100,000 Indian students currently pursuing higher education studies across Europe, the continent continues to be a preferred destination for Indian students seeking world-class academic and research opportunities. To further strengthen academic and people-to-people connect, the EU also announced the launch of the EU-India Student Ambassadors’ Network, which will bring together 40 student ambassadors from 20 Indian universities. The network aims to raise awareness about European academic and research opportunities, while fostering deeper engagement about the EU-India partnership among youth across India.

To celebrate this year’s achievements, the Delegation of the European Union to India hosted a pre-departure ceremony in New Delhi, bringing together the selected scholars, EU Member State representatives, alumni, and key education stakeholders. The event served as a platform to prepare the students for their upcoming academic journey across Europe. The departing cohort will get an opportunity to study at leading universities in 15 European countries, including France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Poland, Austria, Hungary, the Netherlands, Greece, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Romania, and Lithuania, as well as affiliated institutions in other European and partner nations.

The 2026 cohort will pursue interdisciplinary master's programmes in cutting-edge fields that align with both the EU and Indian strategic priorities, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, smart urban development, renewable energy, nanosystems, vaccinology, pharmaceutical sciences, gender studies. Additionally, students have selected programmes in literature, cultural studies, and social sciences, reflecting the broad spectrum of academic exchange between the two regions. This year's selection also continues the positive trend of near-equal gender representation among Indian recipients, highlighting inclusive participation in higher education.

Congratulating the students, H.E. Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union, said, “Erasmus+ is more than a scholarship- it’s a passport to a first-class experience. This programme opens doors for Indian students to cutting-edge European education, to the richness and diversity of cultures, and to networks that bring our two continents closer. These students won’t just earn a degree; they will develop the skills and perspectives needed to facilitate the mobility of talent, which will power the India- Europe strategic partnership.” Reflecting on the EU-India Student Ambassadors Network, he added, “This initiative is about grounding our partnership at the people’s level and building a human bridge of knowledge and mutual understanding. Besides guiding them on opportunities to study in Europe and strengthening university collaborations, these ambassadors will be agents of positive change. They will inspire young minds across India to discover, connect, and engage with the EU, shaping a vibrant, shared future for our two regions."

AI Isn't Broken, The Way We Work With It Is: CambrianEdge.ai Launches In The UK At The House Of Lords To Prove It

Presented at the House of Lords, a sweeping global study of 775 professionals across 104 organisations reveals that collaboration infrastructure, not AI capability, is the defining variable between success and failure.

Millions of professionals now use AI daily, yet most organisations fail to translate individual experimentation into meaningful business productivity. A new global study released by CambrianEdge.ai, the world's first human-centred, AI-native marketing operating platform, reveals that 55% of professionals identify isolated solo use or the absence of a structured human-machine workflow as their primary operational bottleneck. This deficit represents a critical collaboration gap, the widespread lack of team workflows, quality standards, and formal handoffs required for people and AI to operate as a continuous system.

The preliminary findings from the AI AT WORK: THE COLLABORATION GAP 2026 survey were presented at the House of Lords, London, by Harjiv Singh, Founder and CEO of CambrianEdge.ai. This was followed by a panel titled "Working with AI: A Perspective on Organisational Transformation". The panel brought together Kristin Harlan, Head of Dean's Communications at Stanford Graduate School of Business; Dr. Siddharth Saxena, Research Professor at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge; Lord Raj Loomba CBE DL, Member of the House of Lords and Founder and Chairman of The Loomba Foundation; and Marcus Sigurdsson, Director at Typhoon 8, to discuss the research report and explore why collaboration remains the missing layer in how organisations are working with AI. The broader research was conducted in partnership with the Cambridge Central Asia Forum, Stanford SEED, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Gutenberg, Digimentors, and Brand Communion.

The report highlights what it terms a "transformation illusion," referencing independent data from a concurrent BCG study of 300 global CMOs. While 96% of those executives claimed AI is driving end-to-end transformation, nearly half still limit its application to discrete, isolated tasks performed by individual employees.

"Most organisations spent the last two years asking which AI model to subscribe to, forgetting to ask how their teams were supposed to work with it," said Harjiv Singh, Founder and CEO of CambrianEdge.ai. "Adding AI to a system built for siloed work is like putting electric lights in a building designed for candles; the architecture needs to change, not just the bulbs. True economic value only materialises when companies abandon a fragmented stack of individual tools and build a shared, continuous workflow."

To compare survey perceptions with empirical data, the research tracked 775 users across 104 organisations, spanning enterprises, marketing agencies, startups, law firms, and educational institutions. The evidence reveals that the operational landscape shifts entirely when teams abandon disjointed tools for an AI-native collaborative platform. By consolidating research, creation, distribution, and analysis into a unified environment, organisations replace fragmented individual habits with a continuous team workflow. This transition yielded a 98% active engagement rate post-onboarding, causing foundational concerns regarding security, skills, and ROI justification to fade. Instead, 56% of these platform users report that their sole remaining obstacle is execution velocity, or how fast they can move.

"AI has arrived at a threshold where the technology is ready, but the organisational architecture has not kept pace," said Lord Raj Loomba CBE DL, Member of the House of Lords and Founder and Chairman of The Loomba Foundation. "If we do not address this through deliberate design, we risk reducing a transformative technology to a mere collection of individual tools. The conversations we must have now, in Parliament and in boardrooms alike, must ensure that as we shape this future, intelligence remains human."

The report also has direct guidance for enterprise executives and policymakers alike. Organisations must formally define how work moves from AI generation to human review and final deployment before attempting to scale adoption. Success depends on systematically introducing the missing layers of shared access, standardised prompts, and quality control, while national AI readiness metrics must evolve to measure workforce fluency over simple tool adoption rates.

Key Findings Include:

The Infrastructure Multiplier: Among organisations operating with no infrastructure layers, only 32% report significant impact from AI. That figure rises to 100% for organisations that have instituted all five critical layers: shared tool access, formal training, prompt libraries, quality standards, and mandatory review processes.

The Handoff Deficit: Defined handoff processes nearly double the likelihood of project success, driving significant outcomes at 71% compared to just 38% for unstructured workflows. Currently, 62% of organisations have no defined process for handing off AI-generated work to human review.

The Risk of Regression: The cost of failing to build this infrastructure is regression rather than stagnation. Eighteen per cent of surveyed organisations have already rolled back or abandoned AI initiatives entirely, citing severe quality collapses and systemic adoption failures.

The Collaboration Void: Twenty-seven per cent of organisations operate with zero collaboration infrastructure, lacking shared access, prompt libraries, training, or quality standards.

The full preliminary findings from the AI AT WORK: THE COLLABORATION GAP 2026 Survey are available at https://cambrianedge.ai/ai-at-work-collaboration-gap

About CambrianEdge.ai

CambrianEdge.ai is the world's first human-centred, AI-native marketing operating platform, built to replace the fragmented stack of tools most marketing teams have assembled over years with a single unified workspace where research, creation, distribution, collaboration, and analytics happen together. The platform is built on a single conviction: intelligence is human. AI does not think for organisations. It extends the reach of the people who do, so that the human sets direction and the platform executes with the speed and precision that modern marketing demands. For more information, visit www.cambrianedge.ai.  

KFC’s Double Chicken Dynamite Puts Noodles Between Crispy Chicken And We’re Not Questioning It

*Introducing the Double Chicken Dynamite - priced starting at just ₹299~

*Indulge in the all-chicken no bun burger, packed with Korean noodles, signature spicy mayo & cheese in the center, topped with bold spices~

Some things shouldn't make sense. And yet... somehow, they always do.

Chocolate samosas.

Paan ladoos.

Achar with ice-cream.

And now – Korean noodles, placed right between two crispy chicken fillets.

India has always had a love for unusual food combinations – ones that feel unexpected (and shocking) at first and then win you over after the first bite. From streetside innovations to food experiments for YouTube, unlikely pairings have a way of finding their way into India’s hearts.

KFC India taps into this instinct with the launch of the all-new Double Chicken Dynamite, where two worlds collide to create a new menu offering that is pure madness.

The all-chicken no bun burger has two crispy Zinger fillets loaded with droolworthy Korean noodles, signature spicy mayo & cheese and is topped with bold spices, creating a mad combination that's crunchy, cheesy and unapologetically indulgent.

Whether you are a chicken lover, a noodle lover, or simply someone who believes great food happens when rules are broken, the Double Chicken Dynamite is here to prove that sometimes "Why not?" is the best answer.

29th June onwards, the all-new Double Chicken Dynamite will be available across all 1400+ KFC restaurants in India for dine-in & takeaway, as well as via the KFC app, website (https://online.kfc.co.in/) and via leading food delivery apps.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to indulge in the madness with the Double Chicken Dynamite!

About KFC

KFC, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM.), is a global chicken restaurant brand with a rich, decades-long history of success and innovation. It all started with one cook, Colonel Harland Sanders, who created a finger lickin’ good recipe more than 80 years ago, a list of secret herbs and spices scratched out on the back of the door to his kitchen. Today we still follow his formula for success, with real cooks breading and freshly preparing our delicious chicken by hand in more than 26,000 restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world.

For more information, visit https://online.kfc.co.in/ or contact Burson India BursonKFCBrandsteam@bursonglobal.com

Air India Express To Become The First Airline To Connect Northeast India Directly To West Asia

* Guwahati - Dubai and Guwahati - Abu Dhabi services to begin from 4th and 7th August 2026 respectively.

Air India Express today announced the launch of direct flights between Guwahati and Dubai, and Guwahati and Abu Dhabi, becoming the first airline to directly connect Northeast India with West Asia. The services will commence on 4 August and 7 August respectively, marking a significant milestone in expanding international travel options and strengthening global connectivity for the region.

Guwahati, widely regarded as the gateway to Northeast India, is one of the largest stations in the Air India Express network, with around 120 weekly flights. The launch of direct services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi marks the airline’s first international operations from the city, providing convenient access to two of the UAE’s leading economic and travel hubs. The new routes are expected to support tourism, trade, and cultural exchange, while bringing Northeast India closer to key global markets and opportunities.

Bookings for the new flights are now open on airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app, and other major booking channels.With the addition of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Air India Express continues to strengthen its presence across Northeast India, where it now operates over 290 weekly flights from four stations in the region: Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Guwahati, and Imphal. Beyond enhancing connectivity and supporting the region’s economic and tourism potential, the airline also celebrates the Northeast’s rich cultural heritage through its ‘Tales of India’ initiative. Among the distinctive art forms featured on its aircraft tail designs are Assam’s iconic Gamosa and Jaapi motifs, alongside Tsüngkotepsü from Nagaland, Akyobi, Moirang Phee and Saphee Lanphee from Manipur, Idu Mishmi from Arunachal Pradesh, Khneng from Meghalaya, and Puanchei from Mizoram. Through these flying symbols of regional identity, Air India Express showcases the stories, traditions, and craftsmanship of the Northeast to audiences across India and beyond.

About Air India Express

Air India Express is A Tata Enterprise, operating over 500 daily flights that connect 43 domestic and 16 international destinations across South, Southeast and West Asia. The airline has a fleet of over 100 Boeing 737s and Airbus A320 aeroplanes. As India’s most vibrant and inclusive airline, Air India Express embodies the spirit and confidence of India - warm, expressive, and proudly authentic. Encouraging travellers to ‘Xplore More, Xpress More’, the airline transforms flying into an experience that is personal and memorable.

With thoughtfully curated touches - from ‘Gourmair’ hot meals, comfortable seats, and refreshed interiors to exclusive loyalty benefits for over 20 million members, Air India Express blends smart technology with heartfelt Indian hospitality.   

Vi Business MSME Growth Insights Study: 57% MSMEs view AI As A Vital Scale Driver; 25% Already Deploying AI Tools

• India's Digital Maturity Index Climbs to 60.8; Telangana and Karnataka Lead State Rankings, Andhra Pradesh enters the Top 10 for the first time in India Largest Digital Advisory for MSMEs –

Vi Business Ready for Next, Covering over 2.5 Lakh MSMEs

• Introduces Financial Readiness as the fourth pillar of assessment, beyond Digital Customer, Digital Workplace and Digital Operations

• Women-led MSMEs show strong digital progress, outperforming male led businesses

• 46.3% of Indian MSMEs have adopted cyber defence solutions to counter rising online threats

As India rapidly emerges as a global destination for AI adoption and a data centre hub, the growing MSME sector that contributes over 31 percent of the GDP, is accelerating its adoption. The latest edition of the VI Business MSME Growth Insights Study 2026, found that 57% of surveyed enterprises view AI as a core tool that can enhance and accelerate business growth, with 25% of enterprises having already integrated AI in their business practices and operational workflows.

The study maps insights from Vi Business's 'ReadyForNext' platform- India's largest digital advisory for small and medium businesses that engaged with over 2.5 lakh MSMEs across 16 sectors. This year, the Digital Maturity Index (DMI) increased to 60.8, up from 58.0 in 2025 and 55.9 in 2023. The study further identifies three technology vectors that will shape the next phase of MSME scale - AI to drive productivity and decision-making, SaaS-led workplace collaboration to enable scalable operations, and cybersecurity to build trust, resilience and business continuity.

Key highlights from the report include:

· Cybersecurity Adoption: Nearly half (46.3%) of Indian MSMEs have adopted cyber defence solutions to counter rising online threats, acting as a major driver for the country's overall DMI growth

· India's entrepreneurial landscape shows strong digital progress, with women-led MSMEs achieving a DMI of 61.6 and male-led businesses reporting 60.4. The sharp rise in digital maturity from 58 in 2025 to 60.8 in 2026 underscores how entrepreneurs are increasingly leveraging digital technologies to drive business growth, improve operational efficiency and build resilient enterprises.

· Digital Workplace has emerged as the fastest growing pillar of transformation, rising from 57.5 in 2023 to 65.7 in 2026, reflecting growing adoption of workplace collaboration platforms, productivity suites, HRMS solutions and digital ways of working. Digital Operations also recorded strong progress, increasing from 56.5 to 62.0 during the same period, as MSMEs increasingly leveraged technology to streamline processes, improve efficiency and strengthen business resilience.

To turn these digital gains into sustainable business growth, Vi Business has expanded its ReadyForNext assessment by introducing Financial Readiness. Serving as the fourth pillar alongside Digital Maturity, Digital Workplace, and Digital Operations, the Financial Readiness pillar will benchmark MSMEs funding readiness and risk coverage awareness. This strategic addition will allow next year’s study to map how effectively Indian enterprises are converting digital tools into financial strength.

Speaking on the occasion M P Sunil Kumar, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited. said "India's MSMEs are moving beyond basic digitisation towards building intelligent, secure, and future-ready enterprises. The growing adoption of AI, rising digital maturity levels, and increasing investments in workplace and operational technologies reflect a perceptible shift. By collaborating with global tech giants, Vi Business is scaling its capabilities to provide solutions across cloud, security, communication and other enterprise solutions leading to measurable, impactful outcomes. By introducing the Financial Readiness Pillar, we aim to provide an all-inclusive ecosystem blueprint that helps small and medium size businesses evaluate their resilience, secure funding, and scale sustainably in a highly competitive global market."

Addendum – Detailed insights of the Vi Business MSME Study:

Sectoral Rankings & Digital Evolution: Digital maturity continued to improve across sectors, although the pace of transformation varied significantly. Financial Services emerged as India's most digitally mature sector with a DMI of 67.3, overtaking IT & ITeS (66.2), while Transportation (63.6), Energy & Utilities (62.9) and Tourism & Hospitality (62.0) also ranked among the leading sectors.

• Looking at the longer-term trend since the study's inception in 2023, Financial Services recorded the strongest improvement since 2023, gaining 14.3 points, driven by widespread adoption of digital payments, online onboarding, customer engagement platforms and cybersecurity solutions. Retail emerged as the second-most improved sector, recording a 9.9-point increase in DMI from 52 to 61.9, reflecting growing adoption of omnichannel engagement, digital payments and online customer acquisition channels. IT & ITeS (+7.2 points), Tourism & Hospitality (+7.0 points) and Energy & Utilities (+6.9 points) also registered strong gains, supported by increasing adoption of AI, cloud technologies, workplace collaboration tools, smart infrastructure and digital service platforms.

• Despite this progress, digital transformation remains uneven across sectors. Manufacturing, Agriculture, Telecom, Logistics, Mining, Media & Entertainment and Professional Services continue to lag in digital maturity growth, highlighting opportunities for deeper technology adoption, capability building and digital enablement across India's MSME ecosystem.

Regional and State Highlights: The study points to an uneven digital transformation landscape across the country. While South and West India continue to dominate the digital maturity rankings, no Eastern state features among the top ten digitally mature MSME ecosystems, underscoring the need for greater technology adoption, digital enablement and ecosystem support across emerging business centres in the region.

• Andhra Pradesh entered the Top 10 rankings for the first time, a significant marker of digital adoption spreading beyond established tech hubs into emerging MSME markets

• Telangana (68.3) and Karnataka (65.7) emerged as India's most digitally mature MSME ecosystems, followed by Maharashtra (65.2), Kerala (63.7) and Gujarat (62.8)

• Maharashtra recorded the highest digital maturity among women-led MSMEs

• Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi emerged as the top states for AI adoption and intent among MSMEs

• Karnataka, Kerala and Telangana reported the highest adoption of cybersecurity solutions

• Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala led in the use of digital payments for business transactions

• Telangana recorded the highest Digital Maturity Index in Manufacturing, while Maharashtra led in Financial Services and Haryana topped the rankings in IT & ITeS

Among the overall key takeaways from the report, it was found that four-fifths of MSMEs are now online in some form, with over 35% having their own websites. However, there exist certain gaps, such as one-fifth of MSMEs still being fully offline and a significant chunk without a website presence.

To read more Download the ReadyForNext MSME growth Insights Study 2026: https://www.myvi.in/content/dam/vodafoneideadigital/business/msme/RFN5.0-Vi.pdf

To Take the ReadyForNext assessment please click here: https://www.myvi.in/business/enterprise-segments/smb/msme-readyfornext-digital-assessment

About Vodafone Idea Limited

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is amongst India’s leading telecom service providers. The company holds a large spectrum portfolio including mid band 5G spectrum in 17 circles and mmWave spectrum in 16 circles. The Company provides Voice and Data services across 2G, 4G and 5G platforms and is expanding 5G services across 17 circles. To support the growing demand for data and voice, the Company is committed to delivering delightful customer experiences and contributing towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company’s equity shares are listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the BSE in India. For more information, please visit: www.MyVi.in

About Vi Business:

Vi Business, the enterprise arm of Vodafone Idea Limited, is committed to providing innovative Telecom solutions that empower businesses across India. With a focus on connectivity, cloud, IoT, communication and security, Vi Business aims to be at the forefront of technological advancements that drive growth and efficiency. For more information, visit: www.myvi.in/business  

Air India Launches ‘Easy Connect’ Flights – Bringing The World Closer To Every Indian

· Operationalises Government’s Hub-and-Spoke model from Varanasi

· ‘Easy Connect’ flights to soon begin from 11 additional cities: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Patna, Vadodara, Visakhapatnam

Air India today marked a defining milestone in the Indian aviation industry with the inauguration of its first 'Easy Connect' flight under the Government of India's new hub-and-spoke framework, launching the transformative model aimed at linking the length and breadth of India seamlessly with the world, and vice versa.

The inaugural Easy Connect service, flight AI1111, departed Varanasi at 09:23 AM today, with international passengers on the flight connecting onward from Delhi to 9 destinations outside of India, such as Dubai, Colombo, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kathmandu, Phuket.

Mr Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, inaugurated the first ‘Easy Connect’ flight from Varanasi’s Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport. At the occasion, he said: “Today we take a major step forward towards realising our vision of making air travel more accessible and building a future-ready, self-reliant Indian aviation industry that is efficient, inclusive, and globally competitive. Our new hub-and-spoke model paves the way for a monumental shift in how our citizens travel - where regardless of the city one lives in India, one can begin their international journey from their home city and travel across the globe with ease and confidence, on India’s own wings.”

At the launch, the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, presented the first passenger to check-in for the inaugural Easy Connect flight with a commemorative boarding pass. Also present at the occasion were Mr Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Mr. Puneet Kansal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Mr Vipin Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India; Mr Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India; Mr P. Balaji, Group Head – Governance, Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India; among other senior officials from government agencies and Air India.

Nationwide rollout

As the first airline to begin the hub-and-spoke services, Air India is leading a phased nationwide rollout that will progressively connect more domestic “spoke” cities in addition to Varanasi to the airline’s primary hubs in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, unlocking seamless, end-to-end international travel for millions of Indians.

Over the next few months, Air India aims to introduce ‘Easy Connect’ services from several other Indian cities progressively, including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Patna, Vadodara, and Visakhapatnam, thus fundamentally changing the way Indian travellers access destinations around the world.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “India is a major force in global aviation, and yet, for decades a meaningful share of Indian travellers flying abroad have routed their journeys through overseas transit points - often at the cost of comfort and convenience. Air India’s ‘Easy Connect’ flights is a response to that reality, and we are grateful to the Government of India for its vision and support in enabling this framework.”

Wilson added: “In today’s India, a family in Varanasi, Amritsar, or Vishakhapatnam should not have to navigate unfamiliar transit environments to reach the world. They should be able to begin their international journey from their home city, on their own soil, feeling confident, comfortable, and proud as they connect seamlessly to global destinations.”

Nearly 25 million passengers travel long-haul to and from India annually, of which close to 20 million are connecting travellers – and around 85% (approximately 17 million) of whom currently transit through overseas hubs rather than Indian airports.

More about Easy Connect flights

Air India’s ‘Easy Connect’ services are flights from spoke airports to hub airports, earmarked to provide seamless connectivity to international destinations beyond the hub airports. This means travellers from cities that do not have direct flights to many international destinations can now begin their international journey from their home city with unprecedented ease:

· Through check-in to final destination at the origin airport

· Immigration clearance at the point of departure instead of doing so at the hub airport

· Seamless international transit through the hub airport, without having to re-check baggage

This enables travellers to fly via Delhi or Mumbai as international transit passengers, eliminating the need for repeated processes and significantly reducing travel complexity and unfamiliarity usually associated with the transit experience at a foreign hub.

Passengers travelling on Air India’s ‘Easy Connect’ flights are required to complete certain pre-departure and transit processes to ensure a seamless journey, including mandatory DigiYatra enrolment for Indian nationals. Indian passport holders connecting internationally on ‘Easy Connect’ flights are required to enrol in DigiYatra and ensure their boarding passes are uploaded on the app prior to departure. Web check-in and Customs declaration are not available at spoke airports.

Bookings for Air India’s Easy Connect flights under the new hub-and-spoke model are now open across all channels, including Air India’s website, mobile app, contact centre, and travel agents.

Flight AI1111 from Varanasi-Delhi offers seamless connections to 17 international destinations within four hours of arrival at Delhi, including London, Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, Zurich, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, among others.

About Air India Group

The Air India Group – comprising full-service global airline, Air India, and value carrier, Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India Group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries travellers to 60 domestic and 51 international destinations across five continents.

Returning to Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India Group is in the midst of a five-year transformation programme, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed orders for 600 new aircraft. In addition to taking new aircraft deliveries, Air India is progressively retrofitting all its legacy aircraft.

The Air India Group operates South Asia’s largest aviation training academy in Gurugram, India. The construction of a new flying school and a greenfield maintenance base is in progress.

With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India’s rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart.

For more news on Air India, visit http://www.airindia.com/newsroom