News Broadcasting
Air India and UNEP come together to protect the environment
Mumbai, September 5, 2005: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has found a strong Indian ally in the form of Air India, India’s flagship carrier. Air India has established a corporate Environment Core Group under the Chairmanship of Mr. V. Thulasidas, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India. The Group will act as the focal point with whom UNEP would interact on various environmental issues. The Group is meeting in Mumbai starting today till the 8th of September, 2005 at Air India headquarters, Nariman Point, Mumbai to address environmental and social responsibility issues.
This new development has received a boost by this meeting of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) partners. GRI is an international multi-stakeholder process to develop guidelines for companies on how to do environmental and sustainability reporting (similar to their annual financial reporting). The GRI Guidelines is currently undergoing its 3rd revision process.
The working group comprises of about 30 participants, which includes global players like, Hewlett Packard, British Petroleum and Price Waterhouse Coopers, Shell and Indian companies like Tatas, ITC, Rallis, Essar, KPMG, Ambuja Cement, Ernst and Young, Confederation of Indian Industries. This will provide an ideal opportunity for Air India and other Global Compact company participants from India to be introduced to Corporate Social Responsibility management, reporting and the GRI.
In this regard, Mr. Thulasidas said, “As India’s national carrier, we are a part of our country’s effort to ensure ecological stability and environmental well-being of our country, and the world as a whole. As responsible global citizens, we have teamed up with UNEP to ensure sustainable development and progress of mankind.”
UNEP is a world body that is at the forefront of protecting the global environment. It works with governments, industry, non–governmental organizations and the public to set a flight path towards a sustainable future for all. Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director, UNEP, said, “UNEP commends Air India for taking a proactive role in raising awareness of environmental sustainability. The invention of the airplane remains one of humankind’s greatest achievements. With ingenuity and commitment, humankind broke free of gravity. With the same creative energy, we can overcome the challenges of environmental sustainability.”
This association with UNEP will give Air India the opportunity to meet other leading companies in the world and understand the environmental issues that they are addressing.
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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.
