iWorld
India-UK strengthen ties in telecom, AI, and emerging technologies
MUMBAI: India’s push for technological leadership just got a major boost. Strengthening its global partnerships, India has expanded its collaboration with the United Kingdom in key areas, including telecommunications, artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies. This move underscores India’s determination to shape the future of digital infrastructure and network security.
During his visit to the UK, Telecom secretary of India Neeraj Mittal engaged with the department of science, innovation and technology (DSIT), discussing next-gen advancements in 5G, 6G, and digital security. He met with national scientific adviser Chris Johnson and national technology adviser Dave Smith to explore policy and technical frameworks aimed at fostering deeper cooperation.
Mittal also met Govt of Scotland digital directorate director Geoff Huggins to discuss Scotland-India collaboration in digital transformation, telecom security, and emerging communication technologies. A field visit to one of the Federated Telecom Hubs (FTH) in the UK offered insights into cutting-edge research in 6G distributed cloud, AI for 6G, and green 6G solutions.
In a significant step forward, Sonic Labs and India’s centre for development of telematics (CDOT) signed an MoU on Open RAN policy and technical cooperation, covering 5G Open RAN and AI-driven advancements in 4G/5G networks. This partnership signals an ambitious plan to push Open RAN innovation, bringing flexibility and efficiency to telecom infrastructures.
India’s telecom delegation also met Alan Turing Institute CEO Jean Innes to explore collaboration in digital twins, AI-driven telecom security, and ethical AI. The discussions focused on fostering an AI-powered startup ecosystem, aiming to build robust, trustworthy, and scalable digital solutions.
The visit also saw engagement with Scotland’s 5G centre at the University of Strathclyde and the 6G research centre at the University of Glasgow. These meetings opened doors for joint research, student exchange programmes, and collaborative work on 6G innovation and future sensing technologies.
Building on the UK-India technology security initiative (TSI), a telecom roundtable brought together DSIT officials, business leaders from BT and Ericsson, and innovation hubs including UK Telecom Labs, Sonic Labs, and Titan. The High Commission of India (HCI) partnered with UKTIN (UK Technology Innovation Network) to organise the event, reinforcing India’s leadership in next-generation telecom development.
During the discussions, key areas of Indo-UK collaboration were identified:
1 Joint centres of excellence focused on telecom cybersecurity, AI in telecom, and digital twins.
2 Partnerships with British telcos to leverage mobile data for urban infrastructure planning.
3 Joint contributions to ITU’s 6G standards (IMT 2030).
4 Mutual recognition of telecom testing labs and the creation of new facilities.
5 Advancing quantum communication and submarine sea cable security.
6 Promoting India’s indigenous 4G/5G telecom stack, developed by CDOT.
7 Collaboration on space technology communication (TN-NTN) between Bharat 6G Alliance and UK entities.
This visit cemented India’s role as a key global player in telecom innovation, reinforcing the country’s commitment to AI-driven connectivity and digital inclusion. By fostering strategic alliances with the UK, India is positioning itself at the forefront of 6G research, telecom security, and space communications.
Mittal summed it up, “India’s telecom sector is at the cutting edge of global advancements. Strengthening our collaboration with the UK will further accelerate innovation in 6G, AI-driven security, and digital infrastructure, ensuring a resilient and connected future.”
With this partnership, India and the UK have laid the groundwork for a digitally secure, AI-enhanced, and globally competitive telecom landscape. The future of connectivity just got brighter.
Gaming
Bluestone FY26 revenue rises to Rs 2,436 crore, turns profitable
Q4 profit at Rs 31 crore, full-year profit at Rs 13 crore vs loss last year.
MUMBAI: From sparkle to numbers, Bluestone seems to be polishing more than just jewellery this year. Bluestone Jewellery and Lifestyle Limited reported a sharp turnaround in FY26, with revenue from operations rising to Rs 2,436 crore (Rs 24,364 million), up from Rs 1,770 crore (Rs 17,700 million) in FY25. The company posted a full-year profit of Rs 13 crore (Rs 131.79 million), a significant recovery from a loss of Rs 222 crore (Rs 2,218 million) a year ago.
Total income for the year stood at Rs 2,486 crore (Rs 24,860 million), compared to Rs 1,830 crore (Rs 18,300 million) in the previous year, reflecting both topline growth and improved operational momentum.
The March quarter, however, told a more nuanced story. Revenue from operations came in at Rs 681 crore (Rs 6,814 million), down from Rs 748 crore (Rs 7,486 million) in the year-ago period, though higher than Rs 461 crore (Rs 4,613 million) in the preceding December quarter. Net profit for Q4 stood at Rs 31 crore (Rs 311.81 million), compared to Rs 68 crore (Rs 688 million) a year earlier, but a clear reversal from a loss of Rs 51 crore (Rs 512 million) in Q3.
Margins were shaped by higher input costs, with raw material consumption rising to Rs 2,204 crore (Rs 22,043 million) for the full year, alongside employee benefit expenses of Rs 282 crore (Rs 2,824 million) and finance costs of Rs 210 crore (Rs 2,104 million). Other expenses came in at Rs 371 crore (Rs 3,715 million), slightly lower than Rs 393 crore (Rs 3,938 million) in FY25.
On the balance sheet front, total assets expanded to Rs 4,961 crore (Rs 49,610 million) as of March 31, 2026, from Rs 3,532 crore (Rs 35,322 million) a year earlier, driven largely by a surge in inventories to Rs 2,672 crore (Rs 26,718 million). Equity also strengthened to Rs 1,803 crore (Rs 18,030 million), nearly doubling from Rs 911 crore (Rs 9,107 million).
Cash flows reflected the cost of growth. Net cash used in operating activities stood at Rs 199 crore (Rs 1,990 million), while investing activities saw an outflow of Rs 239 crore (Rs 2,392 million). Financing activities, however, generated Rs 497 crore (Rs 4,971 million), helping the company end the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 108 crore (Rs 1,075 million), up from Rs 49 crore (Rs 487 million).
Earnings per share for FY26 came in at Rs 1.10, a sharp improvement from a negative Rs 79.74 in FY25, underlining the shift from losses to profitability.
With revenue scaling up, costs still glittering on the higher side, and profitability finally back in the black, BlueStone’s FY26 performance suggests a business mid-transition less about shine alone, and more about sustaining it.
