IBM Launches Its First Infrastructure Innovation Center In India To Accelerate Enterprise-Scale AI

* Located at the new IBM India Systems Development Lab (ISDL) campus, the center will drive co-creation and innovation for India and for the world.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the launch of its first Infrastructure Innovation Center, the Sangam Infrastructure Innovation Center, housed within its new India Systems Development Lab (ISDL) campus. The center underscores IBM’s continued investment in India as a strategic hub for advanced infrastructure engineering and AI innovation serving both domestic and global markets.

Designed as a collaborative engineering hub, the center will bring together IBM’s systems architects and infrastructure specialists from ISDL to co-create AI solutions with clients, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Global System Integrators (GSIs), Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and ecosystem partners. By bringing together cutting-edge infrastructure technologies, hybrid cloud capabilities and AI solutions under one roof, the center is designed to accelerate the development and deployment of secure, scalable and responsible enterprise AI systems. The initiative supports enterprise transformation in India while contributing to global infrastructure innovation.

“India is at a pivotal moment in its AI journey, and infrastructure will define the pace and scale at which organizations can innovate,” said Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia. “Across industries, enterprises in India are modernizing mission-critical systems to become AI-ready. This Center reflects IBM’s long-term commitment to India and strengthens our ability to design, build, and scale infrastructure solutions locally; tailored to India’s unique market needs while contributing to global innovation. As India advances toward becoming a global AI leader, resilient, secure, and high-performance infrastructure will be the bedrock of that transformation.”

Subhathra Srinivasaraghavan, Vice President, IBM India Systems Development Lab, added, “AI is only as powerful as the infrastructure that supports it. From hybrid cloud platforms to data architectures and automation, the backbone of AI lies in robust, secure and scalable infrastructure. This center brings together deep systems engineering expertise and ecosystem collaboration to help clients operationalize AI at scale while ensuring performance, security, governance, and reliability across mission-critical environments.”

The launch builds on strong infrastructure investment trends highlighted in a recent study by the IBM Institute for Business Value, which found that 58% of Indian organizations have increased infrastructure investments due to rising AI demand. The study also projected a 19% growth in infrastructure budgets in 2025, with 43% of organizations establishing or planning AI Centers of Excellence. As enterprises move from experimentation to scaled deployment, infrastructure readiness is emerging as a strategic priority.

With the establishment of this center, IBM further strengthens India’s position as a critical engine for AI infrastructure innovation supporting enterprises in building secure, scalable and future-ready AI systems.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information. 

MAHE Establishes Quantum-Hub@MAHE To Advance India’s Indigenous Quantum Hardware Ecosystem

Manipal House of Quantum: Driving National Quantum Excellence

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed-to-be University, today formally instituted Quantum-Hub@MAHE (Q-HUB@MAHE) at Manipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, a university-led indigenous quantum hardware and open-architecture ecosystem aligned with the objectives of India’s National Quantum Mission.

Conceived as an integrated design-to-deployment platform, Q-HUB@MAHE brings together quantum hardware experimentation, Deep-Tech startup incubation, component innovation, workforce development, testing infrastructure, and translational research within a unified academic framework. The initiative is structured to strengthen India’s sovereign capability across the quantum value chain.

As part of this multi-campus deep-tech strategy, Manipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru (MIT-BLR) will serve as the operational anchor for advanced hardware experimentation, cryogenic and RF infrastructure, and structured quantum engineering education and training.

The facility will commence operations with a 25-qubit dilution refrigeration (DR) open-architecture system designed for advanced training and experimentation. This marks the first phase of a structured roadmap progressing from sub-50 qubit training systems to 50–150 qubit proof-of-concept platforms and ultimately toward 150–1,000+ qubit industrial-grade quantum product systems.

Unlike access-based or vendor-locked deployments, Q-HUB@MAHE has been designed as an open-architecture ecosystem supporting indigenous component development, calibration systems, hardware integration, and scalable manufacturing pathways. The long-term vision includes indigenous Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) development, system miniaturisation, and industry-ready quantum hardware platforms.

The initiative was formalised through Memorandums of Agreement (MoA) with QuantrolOx (Finland) in association with Bluefors (Finland), QBLOX (Netherlands), ConScience (Sweden), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

These collaborations establish a structured Year-1 roadmap focused on workforce development, hardware experimentation, IP co-development, and national testing infrastructure aligned with the strategic pillars of the National Quantum Mission.

Q-HUB@MAHE has set a target of training 100 quantum engineers by December 2026 through a structured certification programme combining online modules, assessments, and hands-on laboratory immersion. The centre will also function as a national testing and measurement gateway, enabling researchers, startups, and industry partners to access advanced infrastructure. The physical facility is scheduled for inauguration in September 2026.

-Leadership Perspectives

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE said:

“Q-Hub@MAHE reflects our commitment to building sovereign scientific capability aligned with the vision of the National Quantum Mission. By integrating research, hardware development, and workforce training within one ecosystem, we aim to contribute meaningfully to India’s leadership in advanced quantum technologies.”

Prof. (Dr.) Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Bengaluru added:

“With MIT Bengaluru serving as the operational centre, Q-HUB@MAHE will catalyse interdisciplinary collaboration, deep-tech entrepreneurship, and translational research. Our focus is to move from academic exploration to manufacturable quantum systems with real-world impact.”

Prof. Iven Jose, Director, MIT Bengaluru explained:

“Access to real quantum hardware, cryogenic systems, and RF infrastructure ensures that our students and researchers are not merely technology users but system builders. This is essential for developing India’s next generation of quantum engineers through the Manipal House of Quantum.”

-Partner Perspectives

Mr. Vishal, QuantrolOx

“We are pleased to collaborate with Q-Hub@MAHE in advancing calibration and automation capabilities within an open-architecture framework.”

Dr. Sudarshan, C-DAC

“The objectives of Q-Hub@MAHE align closely with the National Quantum Mission’s priorities of supporting supply chain, creating deep-tech entrepreneurs and workforce creation.”

Dr. David Gunnarson, CTO, Bluefors, Finland

“We are pleased to support Q-Hub@MAHE in establishing advanced cryogenic infrastructure for quantum hardware experimentation and scalable quantum systems.”

Dr. Niels Bultink, QBLOX

“This partnership supports scalable quantum control systems development in an academic-manufacturing ecosystem.”

Dr. Marcus Rommel, ConScience

“Q-Hub @ MAHE strengthens advanced quantum infrastructure with testing and characterization of different Quantum Processing Units (QPU) within India’s growing ecosystem.”  

Service Gaps Cost Indians 10.8 Hours A Year; 44% Ready To Switch Brands, Finds ServiceNow’s Third CX Report

Rising customer expectations, fragmented service platforms and gaps in empathy are fast emerging as the biggest threats to customer loyalty in India. ServiceNow’s Third Customer Experience (CX) Report, based on insights from over 5,000 Indian consumers and 425 customer service professionals, reveals that while automation is improving speed and convenience, structural gaps continue to undermine trust in India’s fast-growing, AI-powered service economy.

Customer Service in India At Its Inflection Point

One single poor experience can result in businesses losing more than 4 in 10 consumers. The study finds that Indians lose an average of 10.8 hours annually trying to resolve service-related issues. Even as AI adoption grows, service delivery remains complex. Customer service representatives are forced to juggle an average of four different systems to solve a customer query, which creates confusion, and delays in resolution, highlighting the need for unified service platforms.

“Customer experience in India is at an inflection point. Enterprises have invested in AI, but the underlying infrastructure, a chaos of fragmented systems, disconnected data and siloed workflows, is holding them back.” said Mr. Sumeet Mathur, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, ServiceNow India Technology & Business Center. “The opportunity is about unifying what you already have so AI and people can work together effectively. That's the transformation ServiceNow enables."

ServiceNow’s 2026 report highlights three structural shifts dominating the customer experience journey in India.

The Empathy Gap

Today’s Indian customers increasingly expect service that is quick, seamless and context-aware. Instead frustrations continue to dominate service interactions with:

o 48% of customers say service interactions lack empathy, often missing customer context and understanding, making it their top source of frustration.

o 45% of customers report being transferred between multiple people or departments, reinforcing perceptions of fragmented and impersonal service.

Bridging this gap will be key to transforming efficient journeys into meaningful customer relationships.

Says Dinesh Narayan, Global Chief Information Officer, TVS Supply Chain Solutions, “In the supply chain landscape today, customer experience isn’t just about service levels, it’s about how intelligently we respond to change. As networks become more complex, we need digital platforms that connect data, workflows and people in real time. Our experience with ServiceNow shows how AI-powered workflows can bring greater visibility and faster decision-making across global operations. The insights from this CX report strongly resonate with what we are seeing on the ground, organisations that embed intelligence into their workflows are better positioned to deliver consistent, resilient and customer-centric outcomes.”

Consumers are No Longer Willing To Compromise

Indian consumers no longer tolerate friction, with service experiences directly shaping trust and brand choice. When service falls short, disappointment travels fast and shows up in the following actions consumers take against poor-performing businesses:

o 34% post public reviews or complaints, amplifying reputational impact

o 37% share negative experiences with family and friends, extending the impact beyond the immediate interaction

o 53% report frustration with unclear explanations, signalling rising expectations for both accuracy and emotional awareness in service interactions.

The Platform Imperative

Seamless customer experiences aren’t accidental—they’re powered by connected platforms, not patchworks of point solutions. With service reps spending just 48% of their time on customers, fragmentation is quietly eroding value. Simplifying and connecting service operations is the single most important step toward delivering intelligent, seamless experiences at scale. Top challenges faced by service reps are:

o Resolving complex issues, on average, takes up to 39 hours

o 30% say too many tools slow them down

“For businesses to compete in today’s experience economy, closing these gaps is not optional, it’s strategic,” added Mr. Mathur. “Empathy, speed and intelligence are the new currency of loyalty, and enterprises must invest in the platforms that make them possible.”

Inside the Agent Experience

Customer service reps see AI as the path forward

53% of reps say AI is critical to delivering next-generation CX.

52% say AI has reduced workload and stress

Yet operational challenges remain. Service representatives spend only 48% of their time on actual customer issues, with the rest consumed by administrative tasks and navigating disconnected systems.

CX as a Productivity Multiplier

ServiceNow’s Customer Experience report 2025 estimated that Indians collectively lose 15 billion hours annually to service delays—representing a $55 billion productivity opportunity for businesses. With 66% of consumers expressing trust in AI and 80% already using chatbots, CX modernisation is increasingly viewed as a lever for economic efficiency and national productivity for businesses and citizens alike.

The Future of CX in India: Fast, Empathetic , Empowered

India’s next customer experience frontier will be defined by how effectively organisations unify AI and human intelligence into a single, connected operating model:

AI handles complexity, scale and speed

Human representatives deliver empathy, judgment and trust

Unified platforms orchestrate predictive, connected service journeys

When service failures cost Indians 10.8 hours annually and drive nearly half of customers away, CX becomes an economic priority. The next generation of business leaders will be those who deploy AI alongside people on unified platforms to help prevent any kind of service failures.

ServiceNow continues to support this journey by unifying service platforms, deploying AI responsibly, and helping enterprises deliver customer experiences that are faster, smarter and more human.

Research Methodology:

To examine how AI is reshaping customer experience, ServiceNow partnered with research firm ThoughtLab to conduct a comprehensive global study spanning 18 countries and eight industries. The India edition is based on insights from 5,000 Indian consumers and 425 customer service professionals.

ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is the AI control tower for business reinvention. The ServiceNow AI Platform integrates with any cloud, any model, and any data source to orchestrate how work flows across the enterprise. By unifying legacy systems, departmental tools, cloud applications, and AI agents, ServiceNow provides a single pane of glass that connects intelligence to execution across every corner of business. With more than 75 billion workflows running on the platform each year, ServiceNow helps organizations turn fragmented operations into coordinated, autonomous workflows that deliver measurable results. Learn how ServiceNow puts AI to work for people at www.servicenow.com.

Gauri Khan Headlines “Celebrity Life” Campaign For Urbanrise Whispers Of Sky

Urbanrise, one of South India’s largest real estate developers, has unveiled its latest advertising campaign, “Welcome to the Celebrity Life,” for its newly launched luxury project, Whispers of Sky. The campaign features celebrated designer Gauri Khan and is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon.

With a visual language crafted for high-impact storytelling, the campaign unfolds through a two-film series that presents the two defining avatars of Gauri Khan.

The first film captures her as a celebrated designer — deeply immersed in materiality, spatial composition and detail — bringing her signature aesthetic sensibility to life. The second reveals her as a celebrity icon, embodying the glamour, confidence and elevated lifestyle that the project represents.

Together, the films create a seamless narrative bridge between design and celebrity — showing not just a space imagined by Gauri Khan, but a lifestyle endorsed and personified by her. The storytelling foregrounds mood, aspiration and spatial depth, placing visual craft and star presence at the centre of communication.

Speaking about the collaboration, Gauri Khan says "The design vision for Whispers of Sky focused on refinement and timeless appeal. The campaign captures that through its detailing and visual treatment.”

Speaking about this Mr. Manoj Namburu- Chairman & Managing Director, Urbanrise said “Customer delight is the benchmark we hold ourselves to. By partnering with the best in design and execution, we ensure our customers are proud owners of homes that exceed expectations. Our collaboration with Gauri Khan Designs is in that direction. The design values and aesthetics that Gauri Khan Designs brings to the table match our organization’s ethos. I am confident that the discerning customers of Chennai will love this creation by Gauri Khan” added Mr. Namburu.

With Whispers of Sky, Urbanrise continues to redefine luxury real estate in South India. Strategically located in Sholinganallur, Urbanrise Whispers of Sky, designed by Gauri Khan, is envisioned as a landmark address that brings celebrity-inspired living to Chennai.

Spanning approximately 6.09 acres, this next-generation luxury enclave comprises 623 premium residences rising across an elegant high-rise skyline. The development features meticulously planned 3 BHK residences and an exclusive 4 BHK tower crafted for celeb-like privacy — all corner homes, no shared walls, and expansive layouts that offer discretion and spatial freedom.

Elevating the celebrity quotient further, the project introduces one of the city’s first dedicated Pickleball academies — a sport favoured by global celebrities — alongside a lavish clubhouse featuring a sky pool, salon, fitness studio, and private mini theatre. Every element is curated to echo the privileges, privacy, and prestige associated with a true celebrity lifestyle.

Video Link 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSoKLK8L9hA

Video Link 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMkww6t9UQw

Punjab National Bank Launches “PNB Digi Shrestha” Digital Loan Scheme Towards Accelerating Women-Led Rural Entrepreneurship

Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of India’s leading public sector banks, marked its initiative towards International Women’s Day by reaffirming its commitment to women’s financial empowerment with the launch of the “PNB Digi Shrestha Digital Loan Scheme.” This initiative is designed exclusively for existing women customers who are members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).

Aligned with the national vision of creating ‘Lakhpati Didis’ and fostering rural entrepreneurship, the Digi Shrestha scheme promotes digital banking adoption while ensuring seamless, transparent, and fast access to institutional credit. The scheme offers loan amounts of up to ₹5 lakh, a fully digital sanction and account opening process, minimal documentation, and a simple, user-friendly application journey.

By leveraging technology, PNB is strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in rural India, supporting women-led enterprises, and advancing financial inclusion. On this Women’s Day, the Bank celebrates the resilience, ambition, and leadership of women across the country, reiterating its commitment to stand by them at every step of their growth journey.

For more details, visit: https://pnb.bank.in

The Only Gifting Guide You Need This Women’s Day During 2026

With Women’s Day around the corner, spotlight the women who shape your world, in ways big and small, through pieces that reflect their individuality and style. From playful accents to refined essentials, this curated edit featuring Fossil, Michael Kors, Armani Exchange and Emporio Armani is designed for every aesthetic, the minimalist who leans into clean lines and quiet polish, the maximalist drawn to bold details and statement silhouettes, the trend-forward dresser who loves a modern edge, and the woman who marks her own milestones with something special just because. Whatever her vibe, her pace or her signature look, there’s a piece that feels like an extension of her, effortless, expressive and entirely her own.

Fossil

ES5471

INR 11,995

ES5471

This Women’s Day, celebrate playful confidence with the ES5471 watch ring - a lip-shaped statement piece featuring a glossy black dial and whimsical detailing. Finished with a gold-tone expansion bracelet, it makes for a standout gift for someone who owns her individuality, or a fun self-gift that brings personality to power dressing.

ES5454

INR 7,995

ES5454

Blending charm with style, the ES5454 pairs a heart-shaped gold-tone case with a soft pink dial and leather strap. Wear it as a watch or style it onto a bag for added flair. It’s a thoughtful Women’s Day pick for someone who embraces every side of herself, sweet, strong and unapologetically expressive.

Michael Kors

MK7578

INR 16,495

MK7578

The Petite Lexington, featuring a luxe tiger’s eye dial set against a classic gold strap, is designed for women who lead with quiet confidence. Timeless and refined, it makes for a meaningful Women’s Day gift, one that reflects strength, grace and enduring style.

MK7600

INR 22,995

MK7600

With its rich green dial and rose gold-tone finish, the Bryant is polished yet expressive. A modern classic, it is an elegant way to mark Women’s Day, whether gifted to someone who inspires you or chosen as a reminder of your own individuality.

Armani Exchange

AX5737

INR 10,995

AX5737

The AX5737 features a gold-tone rectangular case paired with a pink sunray dial and blush leather strap for a warm, polished finish. Understated yet impactful, it makes for a refined Women’s Day gift, perfect for celebrating soft strength and everyday confidence.

AX5619

INR 13,995

AX5619

With its soft pink dial and gold-tone finish, the AX5619 is an easy, elegant choice for Women’s Day. Whether gifted to the women who inspire you or chosen as a well-deserved treat for yourself, it is a timeless piece that celebrates meaningful moments.

Emporio Armani

AR11761

INR 18,495

AR11761

The AR11761 stands out with its rich green dial and gold-tone stainless steel case and bracelet, offering refined elegance with everyday confidence. Thoughtful and timeless, it is a beautiful way to mark Women’s Day, as a meaningful gift or a personal keepsake to celebrate the occasion.

Hostinger Posts Fourth Consecutive Year Of 50%+ Growth Driven By Platform-Wide AI Agent Use

Revenue ~4X since 2022 (€69.6m → €275.4m), a 58% CAGR, placing it among Europe’s most consistently high-growth tech companies

Customer base grew 35% to 4.6 million small businesses and solopreneurs across +150 countries

Hostinger, a no-code AI-driven platform for building and growing online businesses, today reported 51% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, reaching €275.4 million. This marks the company's fourth consecutive year of over 50% revenue growth and positions it among Europe's most consistently high-performing technology companies.

Hostinger’s customer base expanded 35% to 4.6 million businesses worldwide across more than 150 countries. The company attributes these results to steady demand for its core hosting and cloud infrastructure services alongside accelerating adoption of AI-driven tools designed to simplify how businesses build, manage, and scale their online operations.

Hostinger's 2025 performance extends a remarkable multi-year growth trajectory. Since 2022, the company has grown revenue from €69.6 million to €275.4 million, a compound annual growth rate of 58%, while expanding its customer base from approximately 1.5 million to 4.6 million users. Over this period, Hostinger added €205.8 million in cumulative new revenue and 3.1 million net new customers.

Year	Revenue	YoY Growth	Customers	Milestone
2022	€69.6M	+64%	1.5M	Market expansion
2023	€110.2M	+57%	2.4M	First EBITDA profit (€2.4M)
2024	€182.4M	+65%	3.5M	AI product launches
2025	€275.4M	+51%	4.6M	Agentic AI at scale

"Our customers don't want to manage infrastructure or tools – they want to run their businesses," said Hostinger CEO Daugirdas Jankus. "AI allows us to take more of that complexity off their hands, whether that's building something new or keeping existing services running smoothly. The results we're seeing reflect how strongly that approach resonates across markets, from New York to Mumbai and from São Paulo to Jakarta."

Agentic AI drives operational transformation

Hostinger has increasingly embedded autonomous AI agents into everyday workflows across its platform, allowing users to perform tasks that previously required technical expertise through a simple chat interface.

One such agent, Kodee, which started life as a chatbot and has made the leap to AI agent, can perform more than 350 different admin-level tasks – some of which include access to and control of users' IT systems. These tasks include website migrations and backups, store management, configuring DNS, checking server health, and handling billing – areas that historically created technical friction for small and medium-sized businesses operating online.

By year-end 2025, Kodee handled 81% of customer support interactions across Hostinger's 4.6 million users, up from 50% at the start of the year, saving the company around €9 million for the year.

The company's AI-powered web-application platform, Hostinger Horizons, which launched in early 2025, attracted more than 800,000 customers by year-end, enabling them to build functional web applications without writing code. Hostinger Reach, the AI-powered email marketing service that allows users to draft professional campaigns and create customer segments through conversational AI, reached 150,000 users by December 2025. Collectively, these innovations have driven strong customer satisfaction, evidenced by a Net Promoter Score of +59, a metric indicating how likely customers are to recommend the product to others.

Sustained recognition as Europe's growth leader

In 2025, Hostinger was listed among the FT 1000 of Europe's fastest-growing companies for the sixth consecutive year and ranked second in the Financial Times & Statista Long-term Growth Champions: Europe 2026 report. The Long-term Growth Champions ranking specifically recognizes companies demonstrating sustained revenue growth over a decade, distinguishing companies that maintain momentum at scale from those experiencing short-term spikes.

The company's consistent performance across multiple years and market conditions reflects both the resilience of its business model and the compounding advantages of operating at scale. Founded in 2004, Hostinger benefits from a mature, geographically diverse customer base spanning India, Brazil, the United States, Indonesia, and France. This established foundation has enabled it to roll out new AI capabilities across millions of users simultaneously, a structural advantage unavailable to newer, AI-native startups.

About Hostinger

Hostinger is a global all-in-one operating layer for businesses building and running online products. The company combines web hosting, domains, email, website and web-app creation, and business tools in a single environment, with artificial intelligence embedded across its products and operations. Hostinger develops its AI capabilities in-house, enabling rapid product iteration, automation of complex technical tasks, and AI-driven customer support.