Lift off for India; US visa vs privacy
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Lift off for India; US visa vs privacy
NPCI registers strong growth; reports 42% profit jump in FY25. Indian students applying for F-1, J-1 and M-1 visas to the US are now required to make their social media accounts publicly visible. Hitesh Goswami, cofounder of 4baseCare, describes the relationship between AI and healthcare as that of ‘star-crossed lovers’ Walmart CEO flags policy gaps in ecommerce regulations. After 40 years, India returns to human spaceflight. The Axiom-4 mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew is expected to dock by Thursday evening IST. The trip, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, is India’s debut on a commercial human space flight and includes experiments in plant biology, microgravity, and muscle loss. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India’s tech and business leaders.
Also in the letter:
India’s back in orbit: Shukla heads to space on Axiom-4 mission
Also Read:
Why it matters:
Also Read:
No more private profiles, US student visas now demand public social media
Why it’s happening:
What students are doing:
Sponsor ETtech Top 5 & Morning Dispatch!
Why it matters:
The opportunity:
Reach a highly engaged audience of decision-makers.
Boost your brand’s visibility among the tech-savvy community.
Custom sponsorship options to align with your brand’s goals.
What’s next:
NPCI registers strong growth; reports 42% profit jump in FY25
No MDR, no problem (yet):
Also Read:
The pressure is building:
Also Read:
Chart-ed: AI in healthcare: ‘Star-crossed Lovers’
Tell me more:
According to a Crunchbase report, AI healthcare startups attracted over $7.5 billion in funding, with $1.68 billion already raised by February 2025. Yet, the sector is still trailing its 2021 peak of $13.7 billion.
Hitesh Goswami, cofounder of 4baseCare, describes the relationship between AI and healthcare as that of ‘star-crossed lovers’.
Also Read:
Walmart CEO flags policy gaps in ecommerce regulations
Tell me more:
Sourcing push continues:
After multiple delays, Axiom-4, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others, lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.■ NPCI’s profit surge■ AI in healthcare■ Walmart pushes fairness: CEOAfter 40 years, India returns to human spaceflight The Axiom-4 mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew is expected to dock by Thursday evening IST.Shukla becomes the first Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. The trip, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, is India’s debut on a commercial human spaceflight and includes experiments in plant biology, microgravity, and muscle loss — laying groundwork for India’s Gaganyaan programme.Indian students applying for F-1, J-1, or M-1 visas to the US are now required to make their social media accounts publicly visible . While applicants have long listed their handles, this is the first time they’re being asked to disable privacy settings altogether.The move is part of a broader tightening of US visa scrutiny, especially after a 41% rejection rate for Indian F-1 visa applicants last year. Immigration lawyers say this could lead to longer wait times and added anxiety around what students have posted online.Most are complying, while some are deleting old posts or switching destinations to Canada or the UK. Experts say this signals a shift in how visa applicants are being assessed — not just for credentials, but for their entire digital footprint.ETtech Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India’s tech and business leaders, including startup founders, investors, policy makers, industry insiders and employees.Interested? Reach out to us at spotlightpartner@timesinternet.in to explore sponsorship opportunities.NPCI, the operator behind UPI, IMPS, AePS and BBPS, reported a Rs 1,552 crore surplus for FY25 — up 42% year-on-year — on revenues of Rs 3,270 crore. Total transactions surged 33% to 21.3 billion during the year.Despite the government’s decision to keep UPI free for consumers and merchants, NPCI continues to grow through ecosystem fees paid by banks and fintechs. Its subsidiaries, NIPL and NBBL, are driving expansion in international markets and bill payments.With UPI adoption flattening in urban centres and service outages like the April API slowdown triggering concern, NPCI is under pressure to scale infrastructure and diversify its offerings.Artificial intelligence (AI) is being rapidly adopted across healthcare , from diagnostics and drug discovery to clinical trials.Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said the company wants consistent rules across countries — especially in India, where Flipkart (which it owns) is barred from holding inventory or selling directly to consumers, unlike Reliance Retail and Tata.McMillon said Walmart will continue complying with India’s policies but called for transparency and predictability in ecommerce rules. He added that policy clarity would help companies like Flipkart plan long-term and improve local operations.“The more things can be clear and transparent, the better it is from a business point of view,” McMillon said. “Businesses like consistency and predictability, whether it’s in this country or around the world.”Walmart is on track to meet its $10 billion India sourcing target by 2027 and may raise that target soon. The comments come as the US and India work toward a bilateral trade agreement where ecommerce access is a key issue.
Lift off for India; US visa vs privacy
NPCI registers strong growth; reports 42% profit jump in FY25. Indian students applying for F-1, J-1 and M-1 visas to the US are now required to make their social media accounts publicly visible. Hitesh Goswami, cofounder of 4baseCare, describes the relationship between AI and healthcare as that of ‘star-crossed lovers’ Walmart CEO flags policy gaps in ecommerce regulations. After 40 years, India returns to human spaceflight. The Axiom-4 mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew is expected to dock by Thursday evening IST. The trip, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, is India’s debut on a commercial human space flight and includes experiments in plant biology, microgravity, and muscle loss. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India’s tech and business leaders.
Also in the letter:
India’s back in orbit: Shukla heads to space on Axiom-4 mission
Also Read:
Why it matters:
Also Read:
No more private profiles, US student visas now demand public social media
Why it’s happening:
What students are doing:
Sponsor ETtech Top 5 & Morning Dispatch!
Why it matters:
The opportunity:
Reach a highly engaged audience of decision-makers.
Boost your brand’s visibility among the tech-savvy community.
Custom sponsorship options to align with your brand’s goals.
What’s next:
NPCI registers strong growth; reports 42% profit jump in FY25
No MDR, no problem (yet):
Also Read:
The pressure is building:
Also Read:
Chart-ed: AI in healthcare: ‘Star-crossed Lovers’
Tell me more:
According to a Crunchbase report, AI healthcare startups attracted over $7.5 billion in funding, with $1.68 billion already raised by February 2025. Yet, the sector is still trailing its 2021 peak of $13.7 billion.
Hitesh Goswami, cofounder of 4baseCare, describes the relationship between AI and healthcare as that of ‘star-crossed lovers’.
Also Read:
Walmart CEO flags policy gaps in ecommerce regulations
Tell me more:
Sourcing push continues:
After multiple delays, Axiom-4, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others, lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.■ NPCI’s profit surge■ AI in healthcare■ Walmart pushes fairness: CEOAfter 40 years, India returns to human spaceflight The Axiom-4 mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station. The crew is expected to dock by Thursday evening IST.Shukla becomes the first Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. The trip, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, is India’s debut on a commercial human spaceflight and includes experiments in plant biology, microgravity, and muscle loss — laying groundwork for India’s Gaganyaan programme.Indian students applying for F-1, J-1, or M-1 visas to the US are now required to make their social media accounts publicly visible . While applicants have long listed their handles, this is the first time they’re being asked to disable privacy settings altogether.The move is part of a broader tightening of US visa scrutiny, especially after a 41% rejection rate for Indian F-1 visa applicants last year. Immigration lawyers say this could lead to longer wait times and added anxiety around what students have posted online.Most are complying, while some are deleting old posts or switching destinations to Canada or the UK. Experts say this signals a shift in how visa applicants are being assessed — not just for credentials, but for their entire digital footprint.ETtech Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India’s tech and business leaders, including startup founders, investors, policy makers, industry insiders and employees.Interested? Reach out to us at spotlightpartner@timesinternet.in to explore sponsorship opportunities.NPCI, the operator behind UPI, IMPS, AePS and BBPS, reported a Rs 1,552 crore surplus for FY25 — up 42% year-on-year — on revenues of Rs 3,270 crore. Total transactions surged 33% to 21.3 billion during the year.Despite the government’s decision to keep UPI free for consumers and merchants, NPCI continues to grow through ecosystem fees paid by banks and fintechs. Its subsidiaries, NIPL and NBBL, are driving expansion in international markets and bill payments.With UPI adoption flattening in urban centres and service outages like the April API slowdown triggering concern, NPCI is under pressure to scale infrastructure and diversify its offerings.Artificial intelligence (AI) is being rapidly adopted across healthcare , from diagnostics and drug discovery to clinical trials.Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said the company wants consistent rules across countries — especially in India, where Flipkart (which it owns) is barred from holding inventory or selling directly to consumers, unlike Reliance Retail and Tata.McMillon said Walmart will continue complying with India’s policies but called for transparency and predictability in ecommerce rules. He added that policy clarity would help companies like Flipkart plan long-term and improve local operations.“The more things can be clear and transparent, the better it is from a business point of view,” McMillon said. “Businesses like consistency and predictability, whether it’s in this country or around the world.”Walmart is on track to meet its $10 billion India sourcing target by 2027 and may raise that target soon. The comments come as the US and India work toward a bilateral trade agreement where ecommerce access is a key issue.