News Broadcasting
Spikes Asia 2020 cancelled
MUMBAI: Spikes Asia has announced that The Festival of Creativity, Spikes Awards and Tangrams Strategy & Effectiveness Awards will not take place in October 2020 as planned. It will be held in 2021 in Singapore and new dates will be announced shortly.
The impact of the COVID-19 virus continues to affect the Asia Pacific region and the world. Health, economic, and societal concerns are determining the priorities of societies and businesses globally. Our community, across the creative marketing and media industries, is facing unparalleled challenges. The need to protect companies and people, and to support consumers, is taking precedence during this challenging time.
“The difficult decision to cancel Spikes Asia was made after in-depth consultations with partners and customers and in response to the unprecedented global situation. We, therefore, felt it important to remove uncertainty and provide clear communications to our community around the delivery of Spikes Asia Festival and the Awards, as quickly as possible,” said a press release.
Spikes Asia festival director Joe Pullos commented: "Spikes Asia celebrates the extraordinary creativity of the Asia Pacific creative community. We want to ensure that we respond to the needs of our customers and partners across the region and support the marketing and creative industries through this global crisis. We are announcing the change today so that we can bolster our community with clear communication and begin preparing for 2021. Spikes Asia, working alongside our customers and partners, will return next year stronger than ever. We look forward to celebrating and honouring the very best creative work with our community, as we all look ahead to a more positive future."
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
