Arjun Nair
Technology Correspondent
99 articles · Writes about Technology, Opinion
Arjun Nair reports on technology, startups and digital India for The NE Times — covering everything from semiconductors and AI to UPI, data rules and the gadgets readers actually use.
Latest by Arjun Nair
India Ordered GitHub to Delete Jack Dorsey's Bitchat in Three Hours. The Code Is Still Up
India's I4C ordered a Bitchat GitHub takedown on 23 July 2026, giving three hours to disable Jack Dorsey's offline mesh app. Two days on, the repositories are still live.
HCLTech, Sarvam Sign Rs 14,257 Crore MoU for Odisha Sovereign AI Park Data Centre
The HCLTech-Sarvam Odisha AI data centre MoU, signed on 24 July 2026, plans Rs 14,257 crore for Bhubaneswar's Sovereign AI Park, plus a 5,000-seat HCLTech technology centre by 2028.
When the Signal Died at Jantar Mantar: The Law Behind a Brief Internet Blackout
As authorities briefly cut mobile internet near Jantar Mantar during the NEET-UG protests, here is the law on proportionality, transparency and the costs of a shutdown.
Fact-Check Toolkit: How to Read Past the Viral Noise Around the NEET and Ladakh Protests
As misinformation spreads around the NEET-UG 2026 leak protests and Sonam Wangchuk's fast, here are the recurring fake-post patterns and a practical verification toolkit for readers.
CBSE On-Screen Marking Controversy: Why It Became Part of the Student Protest
Concerns about digital marking widened the movement beyond a single leaked paper to the reliability and transparency of assessment technology
Mobile Internet Suspension Near Jantar Mantar: Security Measure or Disproportionate Restriction?
Temporary internet restrictions can disrupt coordination and misinformation alike, but they must be examined for legal authority, geographic scope,
Police Videography and Protest Surveillance: Evidence, Deterrence and Privacy at Jantar Mantar
Police recording can preserve evidence and protect against false claims, but broad identification of peaceful participants can also chill lawful dissent
From Meme Page to Mass Movement: The Complete Cockroach Janta Party Timeline
The CJP timeline shows how a deliberately absurd online identity became an organising brand capable of setting deadlines, negotiating with ministers
Misinformation Around the Protests: Foreign Accounts, Old Videos and Claims That Need Verification
The volume of viral content made verification a central public-safety issue, but official claims about coordinated misinformation also require evidence
CJP X Account Restored: What the Delhi High Court Decision Means for Digital Protest and Free Speech
The Delhi High Court’s restoration of CJP’s X account highlights how platform blocking, Section 69A and fast-moving protest movements collide online
How Social Media Made Sonam Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike a National Story – and Why Misinformation Is Growing
Social media turned the hunger strike into a national issue, but viral health claims, recycled images and personality-driven coverage can distort the movement’s demands
India Launches Its First Hydrogen-Powered Train on the Jind-Sonipat Route in a Major Green Rail Pilot
India's first hydrogen-powered passenger train is important less as a single service than as a test of an entire operating system.
Aadhaar’s 31 Million Downloads Are the Quiet Engine of India’s Payments Ambition
India’s digital payments push is really an identity project in disguise, and the country is scaling it faster than it is building the privacy guardrails to match.
Aadhaar’s Convenience Must Not Outrun Its Consent
Thirty-one million Aadhaar downloads and a relaunched Aarogya Setu prove Indians want digital identity — but adoption is not proof that consent is being honoured.
ISRO Tightens Exit Rules for Critical Missions as Scientist Departures Raise a Talent-Retention Question
The Department of Space has tightened the process for accepting resignations and voluntary retirement requests from senior scientific and technical personnel working on critical programmes, including…
IRCTC Launches Redesigned Beta Website With Fewer Steps, Cleaner Screens and Faster Booking Goals
The beta launch of a redesigned IRCTC website affects far more people than an ordinary commercial website update.
Kudankulam-Linked Files Appear on Dark Web, but NPCIL Says Nuclear Safety Systems Were Not Breached
Reports that files linked to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project appeared on the dark web have understandably generated alarm.
Connected Car Rules: India Plans Vehicle Software Update Norms
With cars increasingly run by software, the government is reportedly preparing update and security norms aimed at preventing vehicle hijacking and governing how connected cars in India are patched and protected.
Gaganyaan Parachute Test Success Moves ISRO Closer to Crewed Flight
ISRO has completed successful integrated parachute tests for the Gaganyaan crew capsule, validating a critical part of the descent and recovery system as India's human spaceflight programme advances through key engineering milestones.
India AI Law: Regulation Debate Weighs Innovation Against User Safety
India's debate over artificial-intelligence regulation is shifting from broad principles to hard questions of liability, deepfake labelling and high-risk system obligations, as the government weighs how to protect users without stifling innovation.
National Drone Summit Puts Cooperative-Led Drone Model in Focus
India's National Drone Summit has spotlighted a cooperative-led drone platform, signalling a shift in the country's drone economy from startups and defence towards rural and commercial applications.
Chinese E-Rickshaw Apps Banned in India Over Remote Disable Risk
The Centre has ordered the removal of three Chinese apps — BAT-BMS, Lossigy and Epoch-i-ion — over fears they could remotely disable battery-run e-rickshaws, turning mobility software into a public safety concern.
IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur Launch Cybersecurity Degree With Field Training
IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur have jointly launched a practice-oriented Bachelor of Cybersecurity featuring two years of field deployment, a direct response to India's widening shortage of trained cyber defence professionals.
Chandrayaan-3 Data Tied to Earth's First Lunar Meteorite
New science coverage says findings from ISRO's Chandrayaan-3 mission reveal a link to Earth's first lunar meteorite, showing the landmark landing is still generating research long after touchdown.
OnePlus N6 Headlines a Crowded End-June Gadget Calendar in India
The OnePlus N6, with its 8,000mAh battery and sub-Rs 25,000 price tag, leads a busy late-June run of smartphone launches in India spanning OnePlus, Oppo and Samsung.
OnePlus N6 set for June 30 India debut as brand chases the budget crown with an 8,000mAh battery
OnePlus is opening a new front in India's most fiercely contested price band, launching its N Series with a phone built around a three-day battery and a sub-₹25,000 sticker.
Tata Readies Sierra EV Launch As Electric SUV Race Heats Up
Tata Motors is set to unveil the Sierra EV on 30 June, reviving an iconic nameplate as an electric SUV at a moment when the company has just posted record monthly EV sales.
OnePlus Returns to Budget Phones With the N6, Landing in India on 30 June
The revived N series targets the crowded sub-Rs 25,000 segment, with OnePlus teasing a giant 8,000mAh battery and a seven-year battery-health promise.
India-US AI Chips Roundtable Puts Critical Minerals in the Spotlight
Discussions between India and the United States on AI, semiconductors and critical minerals underline how technology cooperation is fast becoming a supply-chain and resource-security story, not just a software one.
Skyroot Vikram-1: Mission Aagaman and India's Private Space Race
Fresh updates on Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket and Mission Aagaman have renewed attention on India's private space ecosystem and the wait for the country's first private orbital-class launch.
Indian Firms Eye Asian AI Models as US Frontier Access Narrows
With access to some US frontier AI models growing harder, Indian companies are widening their supplier options toward Asian and Chinese alternatives, turning AI procurement into a strategic business decision.
Centre Warns Telegram on Piracy in Platform Accountability Drive
The government has issued a stern warning to Telegram over pirated films, books and exam material circulating on the app, sharpening India's push to hold digital platforms accountable for unlawful content.
I4C Warns Companies About Malware-Driven 'Boss Scam' Targeting Executives
India's cybercrime coordination body has flagged a 'Boss Scam' in which fraudsters impersonate senior executives, hijack WhatsApp sessions and push finance teams into urgent money transfers.
Meta Backs CRED With $900 Million As Kunal Shah Is Tapped To Lead WhatsApp Globally
Meta is investing about $900 million in Indian fintech CRED and has chosen founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp globally, a twin move that ties one of the world's biggest platforms ever closer to Indian consumer technology.
India Moves to Share Rocket Technology With Private Space Firms
The government is preparing to transfer proven rocket technology to local private space companies, a step that could deepen industry participation in launch vehicles, satellites and manufacturing while ISRO retains strategic oversight.
Aadhaar App Crosses 31 Million Downloads as Digital ID Use Expands
India's Aadhaar mobile app has passed 31 million downloads, underlining how QR-based digital identity is becoming part of everyday verification across welfare, banking, telecom and travel.
WhatsApp Usernames: Why Reserving a Handle Is a Big Privacy Shift
WhatsApp is letting users reserve unique usernames ahead of a wider rollout, giving Indians a way to be reachable on the app without handing out their personal phone number in every new interaction.
Centre Set to Summon Meta Over Instagram Ads Endangering Children
The government reportedly plans to summon Meta over Instagram advertisements alleged to promote child sexual abuse material, thrusting ad-review systems and platform accountability to the centre of India's tech-policy debate.
India Tech Funding Climbs to $7.2 Billion in H1 2026 Even as Deal Count Slumps
Indian tech startups raised $7.2 billion in the first half of 2026, up 12 per cent year-on-year, but the number of funding rounds fell sharply as capital concentrated in a handful of mega-deals.
Telegram Returns to India's Play Store After NEET-UG Re-Exam Block
Google has restored Telegram on India's Play Store after a short government-ordered block during the NEET-UG re-exam, reviving a charged debate over exam security versus digital rights.
I4C Warns Indian Companies of Rising 'Boss Scam' CEO-Impersonation Cyber Fraud
India's cybercrime coordination agency has flagged an emerging 'Boss Scam' in which fraudsters impersonate regulators and executives to push urgent, fraudulent money transfers at companies.
India Tech Layoffs 2026: Second Worst Hit as AI Reshapes Hiring
A new report places India second globally for tech job losses in 2026, with over 50,000 cuts worldwide and AI-driven restructuring forcing workers and companies to rethink roles, skills and career paths.
Digital India Turns 11: AI GPUs, Chips and the Harder Next Phase
Eleven years in, Digital India is being judged less by its early public-service wins and more by whether it can deliver semiconductors, AI compute and resilient payments infrastructure at scale.
Amazon Tests Alexa+ in India With Hindi Support and Local Features
Amazon is trialling its upgraded Alexa+ assistant in India with Hindi language support and India-specific features, betting on multilingual households to defend its lead in the AI assistant race.
X Outage Disrupts Indian Users Amid Wider Global Service Failure
A major X (formerly Twitter) outage hit Indian users alongside several other countries, with thousands of complaints logged before service recovered, reviving questions over platform dependence.
CG Semi Sanand Plant Opens, Boosting India's Semiconductor Drive
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated CG Semi's chip assembly and test facility in Sanand, Gujarat, giving India's semiconductor mission a working manufacturing milestone rather than another policy promise.
Vikram-1 Countdown: India's First Private Orbital Rocket Nears Lift-Off
Skyroot Aerospace has stacked its Vikram-1 rocket at Sriharikota with a launch window from July 12 to August 4, putting India's private space ambitions on the pad for the first time.
Kunal Shah Named WhatsApp Global CEO as Meta Leads $900 Million CRED Round
CRED founder Kunal Shah has been named global CEO of WhatsApp as Meta leads a $900 million round valuing the Indian fintech at about $4.5 billion, placing a homegrown founder atop one of the world's biggest apps.
Noise Launches ALT Ecosystem In India With Red Dot-Winning Smartwatch And Open-Ear Buds
Homegrown brand Noise has opened sales of its new design-led ALT range in India, leading with a rotating-crown smartwatch and open-ear earbuds that both carry Red Dot Design Awards.
Microsoft unveils seven in-house MAI models at Build 2026, loosening its grip on OpenAI
With a reasoning model, a coding flash variant and image generators trained on its own licensed data, Microsoft is signalling it wants to build at the frontier rather than rent it.
Anthropic puts a Mythos-class model in public hands with Claude Fable 5
The company is releasing its most capable widely available model yet, paired with a locked-down sibling reserved for cybersecurity work, in a careful balancing act between power and safety.
India VPN Rules: Stricter Provider Norms Weigh Privacy vs Compliance
The government is reportedly weighing stricter rules for VPN providers, including a mandatory India office and compliance officers, reigniting the debate between cyber enforcement and digital privacy.
PSLV Technology Transfer Opens a New Chapter for India's Private Space Firms
India's plan to hand proven PSLV rocket technology to private space companies could reshape the country's space economy, moving industry from parts supply to full launch capability.
India and ESA Deepen Human Spaceflight Ties, Eye Joint Work on Space Station
ISRO and the European Space Agency are advancing cooperation on human spaceflight, astronaut training and lunar science, opening the door to European involvement in the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
India's Chip Ambitions Take Shape As Tata Fab And Micron Plant Advance
With a notified SEZ for the Tata fab in Dholera, Micron's assembly plant operational and 13 projects cleared under the national mission, India's semiconductor build-out is moving from paper to silicon.
IndiaAI Mission Pushes Toward 100,000 GPUs As Foundational Model Race Heats Up
With more than 34,000 GPUs already onboarded at subsidised rates and over 500 model proposals received, the government is scaling its compute backbone to anchor a homegrown AI ecosystem.
IndiaAI Mission Backs Eight New Foundational Models and Expands AI Data Lab Network
The government's IndiaAI Mission has greenlit eight new indigenous foundational model projects and rolled out 30 fresh AI Data Labs, deepening the push for sovereign, India-built artificial intelligence.
BharatNet's Last-Mile Gap Puts India's Rural Broadband Delivery Under Scrutiny
Fresh data on BharatNet shows active rural connections lagging far behind the fibre laid, sharpening the question of whether India's flagship village internet scheme is being used, not just built.
Kalshi Bars India Users as Prediction-Market Crackdown Widens
US event-contract platform Kalshi has added India to its restricted jurisdictions, barring Indian users from trading as MeitY tightens its squeeze on offshore betting and prediction-market platforms.
OpenAI Makes GPT-5.5 the Heart of ChatGPT as Older Models Retire
OpenAI has rolled GPT-5.5 into ChatGPT as the new default and begun phasing out GPT-5.2, while pushing personalisation upgrades to free and lower-tier users in June.
Kunal Shah Named to Lead WhatsApp as Meta Backs CRED
CRED founder Kunal Shah is set to become global head of WhatsApp after Meta announced a major investment in the Indian fintech, placing a homegrown founder at the heart of a platform central to India's digital life.
India Monitoring Telegram After Report Flags Illegal Content Risks
A government report cited by Reuters says authorities are proactively tracking Telegram groups over concerns about child abuse material and financial scams.
Bajaj Auto Says Ransomware Attack Hit Company Systems
Bajaj Auto has disclosed that a ransomware attack affected systems at the company and its subsidiary Bajaj Auto Technology, intensifying concern over cyber risk across India's increasingly digital manufacturing sector.
iQOO Z11 Heads To India With A Massive 9,020mAh Battery As Brand Doubles Down On Mid-Range
iQOO is preparing to launch its Z11 in India this month with a battery reportedly crossing 9,000mAh, a striking pitch to power users in the budget-to-mid segment.
OpenAI Eyes Gigawatt-Scale India Data Centre As Local Users Cross 100 Million
With India now its second-largest market and weekly ChatGPT users past 100 million, OpenAI is scouting partners for a one-gigawatt facility under its Stargate infrastructure push.
India's Deeptech Bet Deepens as Funding Tops $8 Billion for 2026
With 112 unicorns and a surge of AI and robotics startups, India took 120 deeptech firms to France's Bharat Innovates 2026 showcase.
NASA names its Artemis III crew, with a record-holding astronaut among the four
Commander Randy Bresnik will lead a four-person crew on a two-week orbital flight to test the technology that will eventually put astronauts back on the Moon.
UPI Goes Cross-Border In Cambodia As India Builds Out Global Payments Corridor
Indian travellers can now scan and pay at millions of Cambodian merchants, while a new India-Nepal remittance link extends UPI's footprint to its tenth international market.
Infosys Says AI Will Amplify Its Services, Not Replace the Company
Infosys leadership says artificial intelligence will not displace the IT major but will demand new skills, learning and operating models, reframing India's services sector around reskilling and proven productivity.
Kunal Shah Named WhatsApp Global Head, Putting India at Centre of Meta's Strategy
CRED founder Kunal Shah has been named global head of WhatsApp as Meta deepens its India bets, placing an Indian fintech entrepreneur in charge of the platform's largest market.
Meta Buys Stake in CRED and Names Kunal Shah WhatsApp Head, Reports Say
Reports that Meta has acquired a stake in CRED at an $8.8 billion valuation and tapped founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp thrust Indian fintech leadership into a global spotlight.
Telegram Faces Growing India Scrutiny After Home Ministry Cybercrime Report
Telegram is under sharper scrutiny in India after a Home Ministry cybercrime report flagged the platform's alleged use for child sexual abuse material and financial fraud across its largest market of 150 million-plus users.
Telegram Faces Fresh India Scrutiny Over Illegal Content and Exam-Security Risks
Indian officials are again examining Telegram over exam-leak misinformation, channels sharing child sexual abuse material and piracy, reopening the debate on encryption, platform accountability and user safety.
India's Satellite Internet Race Stalls as Operators Await Final Spectrum Rules
Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES backed Orbit Connect India hold licences but cannot switch on services, awaiting security clearances and a dedicated spectrum framework for low-earth-orbit constellations.
India Moves To Operationalise Consent Managers As DPDP Enforcement Era Begins
With the data-protection rules now notified, the government is rolling out the consent-manager framework that will let citizens grant, review and withdraw data permissions across services.
AI Chip Demand May Push Up Smartphone and Laptop Prices in India
Surging demand for memory and storage chips from AI data centres is squeezing global supply, threatening to make smartphones, laptops and gaming devices costlier for Indian consumers.
Summer Game Fest 2026 brings back Resident Evil: Code Veronica and a TMNT swan song
From a surprise Until Dawn sequel to a Platinum-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, the year's biggest games showcase leaned hard on horror, nostalgia and a few genuine surprises.
Xiaomi 17T Goes On Sale In India At Rs 59,999 With Triple Leica Cameras And 6,500mAh Battery
Xiaomi has put its 17T on shelves across India, betting that a Leica-tuned triple camera, a silicon-carbon battery and a sub-Rs 60,000 price can revive its premium ambitions after a four-year gap.
Xiaomi Revives Its T-Series in India With the Leica-Tuned 17T
After a four-year gap, Xiaomi's T line returns with a 5x periscope telephoto camera, a 6,500mAh silicon-carbon battery and a Rs 59,999 starting price.
Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ Lands in India With Thin Periscope Camera and 5,200-Nit Screen
Motorola's new flagship arrived in India on 4 June priced at Rs 47,999, pairing a slim 7.34mm body with a triple 50MP camera system and 50x AI Super Zoom.
ISRO Fires Semi-Cryogenic Engine Power Head at 175 Tonnes in Landmark Hot Test
ISRO successfully ran its indigenous semi-cryogenic engine power head at 175 tonnes of thrust, clearing a key hurdle toward powering the LVM3 upgrade and the Next Generation Launch Vehicle.
AI and Climate Deals Power a Busy Week for Indian Startup Funding
Indian startups raised roughly $400 million across about 20 rounds in a busy mid-June week, with sovereign AI, verifiable AI and climate technology emerging as the dominant investment themes.
Apple Rebuilds Siri From the Ground Up, and Quietly Hands the Brains to Google
At WWDC 2026 Apple unveiled 'Siri AI', a top-to-bottom overhaul powered by Google's Gemini models under a reported $1 billion-a-year deal.
India Steps Up Telegram Monitoring Over Cybercrime And Fraud Concerns
India's cybercrime agencies are proactively monitoring Telegram groups and channels linked to fraud and illegal content, as the government balances citizen safety against lawful digital communication.
Tata Electronics Cyber Incident Raises Supply-Chain Data Questions
Tata Electronics has confirmed a cybersecurity incident after a ransomware group claimed to post over 200,000 files allegedly tied to Apple and Tesla component designs, spotlighting India's electronics supply-chain security.
Telegram Restored in India After Temporary NEET-Linked Block
Telegram is available again for many Indian Android users after a temporary nationwide restriction tied to NEET-UG re-exam integrity, reopening debate on exam security and digital limits.
Aum Ventures raises a ₹750 crore bet on India's deeptech founders
The early-stage firm's second fund will back 25 to 30 startups across space, semiconductors, AI and defence, the latest sign that capital is flowing into India's hard-tech ambitions.
ISRO Pushes Toward First Uncrewed Gaganyaan Flight With Humanoid Vyommitra Aboard
ISRO has confirmed that flight integration for its first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission is underway, with the humanoid robot Vyommitra set to ride an LVM3 rocket ahead of a crewed launch in 2027.
Instagram refreshes Reels, Stories and Notes in a busy June update
New fonts, a global rollout of Trial Reels and a redesigned Notes experience headline a month of incremental changes aimed at keeping creators engaged.
India Backs Homegrown Space Tech With First Technology Adoption Fund Grants
Space regulator IN-SPACe has picked TakeMe2Space, SatSure and Astrobase for its maiden funding round, spotlighting an AI-powered star tracker built in Hyderabad.
YouTube Premium Gets Pricier as the Grace Period Ends
Existing subscribers are now feeling YouTube's first major US price rise since 2023, with the family plan jumping $4 a month.
Nintendo Confirms an Ocarina of Time Remake for Switch 2
After months of rumours, Nintendo closed its June Direct by reviving its most revered N64 classic with overhauled visuals for Switch 2.
TCS And Anthropic Forge Global Premier Partnership To Scale Claude Across Regulated Industries
India's largest IT services firm will deploy Claude to 50,000 of its own associates and build a dedicated business unit to take Anthropic's models to banks, hospitals and government clients worldwide.
ISRO Successfully Launches Next-Generation Navigation Satellite
The mission strengthens India's homegrown positioning system, with applications spanning aviation, disaster response and everyday navigation.
TikTok's '2026 Summer Anthem' Trend Turns a Madonna Remix Into Instant Virality
A seven-second lip-sync set to Josh Fawaz's remix of 'Like a Prayer' has become TikTok's easiest viral entry point of the season, with small creators racking up millions of views.
WhatsApp begins its shift from phone numbers to usernames, with India in the firing line
The messaging giant is rolling out optional handles that let people connect without sharing their number, a change that quietly rewrites how its largest market communicates.
IISc Quantum-Safe Chip Points To India's Defence Against Tomorrow's Hackers
Researchers at IISc have demonstrated a quantum-resilient security chip for IoT devices, presented at the world's premier semiconductor forum, as India accelerates its National Quantum Mission.
Google's Gemini 3.5 Flash Powers Its AI Push as the OpenAI Race Intensifies
Google's fastest agentic model is now the default brain for over 900 million Gemini and Search users, claiming to beat last year's Pro tier on coding and multimodal tests.
Marvel's Wolverine Steals PlayStation's State of Play With Brutal New Gameplay
Insomniac's long-awaited Wolverine game opened Sony's June State of Play with an extended gameplay look ahead of its 15 September PS5 launch.