The expo is hosting over 1,000 participants from 30 countries, including 250 startups across diverse segments associated with digitech and smart city solutions.

Over the next three days, India’s largest and most comprehensive technology show will be the focal point for the tech and infrastructure development industries.

The 31st Convergence India and 9th Smart Cities India expo organised by the Exhibitions India Group (EIG) and India Trade Promotion Organisation was inaugurated by Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, Hon’ble Governor, Government of Uttarakhand at Pragati Maidan. In his speech, the Hon’ble Governor stated, “In the advent of technology, innovation stands tall behind the Sustainability Revolution. This revolution revolves around inclusivity, so that the benefit of digitalisation serves all sections of society. The Smart Cities project in India is a beacon of hope illustrating that we can build cities that are not only fast but also sustainable.“

Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Hon’ble Governor, Govt. of Uttarakhand, Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Govt. of Moscow & teams from KPMG & Exhibitions India Group

Also present during the ceremony, Mr. Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Government of Moscow, Head of Department for External Economic & International Relations of Moscow, observed, “India and Russia share a common goal of providing state-of-the-art infrastructure and technological support in domains like Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Robotics, Healthcare, Digital Technologies, and Creative Industries at the helm of the Digital Revolution. India and Russia’s constructive and progressive dialogue revolves around prospects of new logistics, state support measures and the construction of green corridors.”

The 31st Convergence India is a showcase of emerging and disruptive technologies and innovations in IoT, AI, design applications, blockchain, Big Data & analytics, Telecom/Satcom, 5G/6G networks, E-commerce solutions, Cloud, Embedded Tech, Fintech, and more. Similarly, the Smart Cities India expo focuses on the latest technologies and solutions in green buildings, energy, transport, clean environment, etc. and explores their integration into urban development to make cities ‘smart’ and ‘sustainable’.

Speaking about the event, Ms. Chandrika Behl, Managing Director, Exhibitions India Group, stated, “For three decades, Exhibitions India has been setting the stage for opportunity and transformation in an effort to bridge the Digital, Social and Economic Divide in India. The expo is India’s premier Tech and Infra event and has served as an outstanding platform for brands to showcase their evolving contributions to digital and urban development.”

The expo is also host to 50 conference sessions during the three days to facilitate discussions among the Union/State governments, industry representatives, innovators, think tanks, and academia on the concerns, the latest innovations, and market trends impacting India’s digital revolution and the urban landscape. The first day was packed with 12 high-powered conference sessions and over 54 thought leaders. The inaugural session on ‘Building a sustainable future with 6G’ set the tone for the event, as RK Upadhay, CEO, C-DoT, observed, “The government has taken the decision to promote 6G in a big way by setting up a technology innovation group. The Bharat 6G Vision document has provided a framework on how India should move and become one of the important players in the 6G space. C-Dot has set up the Bharat 6G Alliance, which brings all stakeholders together.” Further sessions highlighted pertinent topics such as – AI-driven Telecom: The Next decade’s gamechanger for connectivity and customer experience; India: The Next Mobile Manufacturing Hub; India Smart Cities 2024: The Way Forward; Changing Cityscapes: Challenges & Opportunities, etc.

About Convergence India

Since 1992, Convergence India has heralded the telecom and digital revolution in India. It is the country’s largest technology and infrastructure expo, providing a platform to showcase ‘Brand India’ by supporting the ‘Make in India‘ and ‘Digital India‘ campaigns. Convergence India is at the forefront of promoting technological advancements in the fields of Telecom, Satcom, Broadcast, Wired & Wireless technologies, 5G & 6G networks, IT solutions such as Cloud, Big Data & Analytics, AI, smart solutions, M2M, Mobile & Accessories, IoT, Embedded tech, Blockchain, FinTech and Digital Gaming – the entire gamut of digital solutions.

About Smart Cities India

The Smart Cities India expo displays India’s emerging modernisation and development landscape that aims to deliver better citizen-centric services across the country. The expo showcases the integration of transformative technologies with the key pillars of urban development, i.e., green buildings, rooftop solar, renewable & clean energy, clean environment, clean water, water conservation, urban mobility, and the use of smart ICT solutions for optimising resources that make cities smart and sustainable.

Today, when India is becoming a major center of global trade, we are focusing on increasing the countrys maritime strength

Many reforms have been carried out in the last 10 years to enhance Ease of Doing Business in the sectors of ports, shipping and inland waterways

The world is recognizing India’s potential and position in global trade

Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision presents a roadmap to reinforce India’s maritime prowess for Viksit Bharat

New dry dock at Kochi is the national pride of India

Kochi Shipyard is playing an important role in modern and green water connectivity in the cities of the country

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated three major infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 4,000s crore in Kochi, Kerala today. The projects being inaugurated today include New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of CSL, and LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Puthuvypeen, Kochi. These major infrastructure projects are in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to transform Indias ports, shipping, and waterways sector, and build capacity and self-sufficiency in it.

Inauguration of International Ship Repair Facility at Kochi

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister talked about his Darshan of Bhagwan Guruvyurappan at the temple this morning. He also recalled the mention of the holy temples of Kerala which are associated with Ramayan in his speech at the recent inauguration of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport at Ayodhya Dham. He expressed gratitude for being able to perform darshan at the Ramaswamy temple just a few days before the Pran Pratishtha at the Ayodhya Dham. He said that the beautiful presentation by the Kerala artists this morning brought about the feel of Awadh Puri in Kerala.

Emphasizing the role of every state in the journey of making India ‘Viksit Bharat’ during the Amrit Kaal. PM Modi recalled the role of ports in India’s erstwhile prosperity in earlier times and envisaged a similar role for ports now when India is taking new strides and becoming a major center of global trade. In such a scenario, the Prime Minister said that the government is engaged in improving the strength of port cities like Kochi. He listed an increase in port capacity, investment in port infrastructure, and improved connectivity of ports under the Sagarmala Project.

He mentioned the country’s largest dry dock that Kochi received today. Other projects like shipbuilding, ship repairing and LPG import terminal will also give momentum to development in Kerala and the southern region of the country. He also noted the honour of building ‘Made in India‘ aircraft carrier INS Vikrant with the Kochi Shipyard. New facilities will enhance the capabilities of the shipyard many times.

The Prime Minister highlighted the reforms made in the ports, shipping and waterways sector in the last 10 years and said that it has brought new investments in India’s ports and created new employment opportunities. He informed that the reforms of rules related to Indian Seafarers led to an increase in the number of seafarers in the country by 140 percent. Within the country, the Prime Minister said that passenger and cargo transport got a major boost by making use of inland waterways.

“Sabka Prayas yields better results“, the Prime Minister remarked highlighting that Indian ports have achieved double-digit annual growth in the last 10 years. Till 10 years ago, the Prime Minister recalled that ships had to wait quite long at the ports and the unloading took very long. “Today, the situation has changed“, Shri Modi said, informing that India has surpassed many developed nations when it comes to ship-turnaround time.

“The world is recognizing India’s potential and position in global trade“, PM Modi said, throwing light on the agreements made during India’s G20 Presidency regarding the Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Shri Modi underlined that the Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor will further strengthen the creation of Viksit Bharat by giving a boost to the coastal economy of India. The Prime Minister also touched upon the recently launched Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision which presents a roadmap to reinforce India’s maritime prowess for Viksit Bharat. He reiterated the government’s efforts to build mega ports, shipbuilding and ship-repairing infrastructure in the country

PM Modi said that the new dry dock is the national pride of India. This will not only enable big vessels to dock but also make shipbuilding and ship repair work possible here, reducing dependence on foreign countries and will also save foreign exchange.

Referring to the inauguration of the International Ship Repair Facility, the Prime Minister said that it will transform Kochi into India and Asia’s largest ship repair center. Drawing the analogy of multiple MSMEs coming together in the manufacturing of INS Vikrant, the Prime Minister expressed confidence in the creation of a new ecosystem of MSMEs with the inauguration of such huge shipbuilding and repair facilities. He further added that the new LPG Import Terminal will meet the LPG needs of Kochi, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Calicut, Madurai, and Trichy while also supporting industries, other economic development activities and creation of new jobs in these areas.

The Prime Minister noted the foremost position of Kochi Shipyard’s green technology capacities and its primacy in making ‘Make in India’ vessels. The Prime Minister also praised the electric vessels made for the Kochi Water Metro. Electric hybrid passenger ferries for Ayodhya, Varanasi, Mathura and Guwahati are being made here. “Kochi Shipyard is playing an important role in modern and green water connectivity in the cities of the country,” he said. He also mentioned zero-emission electric cargo ferries being made for Norway and the work in progress on the world’s first hydrogen-fueled feeder container vessel. “Kochi Shipyard is further strengthening our mission of taking India towards hydrogen fuel-based transport. I am confident that very soon the country will also get indigenous hydrogen fuel cell ferry,” PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister highlighted the role of the fishermen community in the blue economy and port-led development. Shri Modi credited the manifold increase in fish production and exports in the last 10 years to the development of new infrastructure projects under PM Matsya Sampada Yojna, subsidy provided by the central government for modernized boats to carry out deep sea fishing and Kisan Credit Cards for fishermen along the lines of farmers. He said that the government is giving impetus to boosting India’s contributions in the seafood processing sector which will lead to a huge increase in the income of fishermen and make their lives easier. The Prime Minister concluded by wishing for continued rapid development of Kerala and congratulated the citizens for the new infrastructure projects.

Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.

Background

The New Dry Dock, built at a cost of about Rs 1,800 crores at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, is a flagship project reflecting New Indias engineering prowess. This one-of-a-kind 310-meter-long stepped dry dock, with a width of 75/60 meters, depth of 13 meters and a draught of up to 9.5 metres, is one of the largest marine infrastructures in the region. The New Dry Dock project features heavy ground loading which will position India with advanced capabilities to handle strategic assets like future aircraft carriers up to 70,000T displacement as well as large commercial vessels, thus eliminating Indias dependency on foreign nations for emergency national requirements.

The International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) project, built at a cost of about Rs 970 crores has a ship lift system with a capacity of 6000T, a transfer system, six workstations and a berth of approximately 1,400 metres which can accommodate 7 vessels of 130-metre length simultaneously. The ISRF will modernise and expand the existing ship repair capabilities of CSL and will be a step towards transforming Kochi into a global ship repair hub.

The Indian Oil’s LPG Import Terminal at Puthuvypeen, Kochi, built at the cost of about Rs 1,236 crores boasts state-of-the-art facilities. With a 15400 MT storage capacity, the terminal will ensure a steady supply of LPG for millions of households and businesses in the region. This project will further strengthen Indias efforts towards ensuring accessible & affordable energy for all.

With the commissioning of these 3 projects, the nation’s shipbuilding and repair capacities and the growth of energy infrastructure including ancillary industries will get a boost. The projects will also boost EXIM Trade, reduce logistics costs, drive economic growth, build self-reliance and create numerous domestic and international business opportunities.

Bajaj Finserv AMC has introduced two new fund offerings, namely Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 ETF and Bajaj Finserv Nifty Bank ETF, which became available for subscription on January 15, 2024. Marking the companys foray into the ETF market, this strategic initiative aims to provide investors with a more cost-effective avenue for investment.

Bajaj Finserv AMC Enters ETF Market

These ETFs are designed to mirror the performance of significant benchmark indices in the Indian stock market, making them an attractive option for long-term investors seeking exposure to securities within the Nifty 50 Index and the Nifty Bank Index, thereby tracking the market leaders.

NFO: Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 and Nifty Bank ETF

The funds management will be jointly overseen by Sorbh Gupta and Ilesh Savla. The subscription window for this new fund offer opened on January 15, 2024, and is set to close on January 18, 2024. Following this, both ETFs will be available for continuous sale and repurchase until January 29, 2024, on the BSE and NSE platforms.

Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 ETF and Bajaj Finserv Nifty Bank ETF aim to replicate the performance of Nifty 50 and Nifty Bank indices, subject to tracking errors. These indices are widely recognized as indicators of the Indian equity market, encompassing large-cap companies from various sectors.

The goal of introducing these index-linked ETFs is to provide investors with a diversified and transparent investment option aligned with market movements. The benchmark indices for the fund are Nifty 50 TRI and Nifty Bank TRI.

Benefits of Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 ETF and Bajaj Finserv Nifty Bank ETF

Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 ETF and Bajaj Finserv Nifty Bank ETF come with benefits such as consistent liquidity facilitated by market maker on the exchange and real-time tracking of Net Asset Value (NAV) or Indicative NAV (iNAV). These funds boast ample liquidity owing to a substantial number of buyers and sellers for the securities included in the benchmark index, addressing concerns related to Securities Transaction Tax (STT) and brokerage.

The primary objective of these funds is to replicate the benchmark indexs performance, with Bajaj Finserv Nifty 50 ETF aligned with the Nifty 50 Index and Bajaj Finserv Nifty Bank ETF tracking the Nifty Bank Index, striving to approximate the respective index returns, accounting for tracking errors.

Ganesh Mohan, CEO, Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Limited (Bajaj Finserv AMC) said “We are pleased to offer our first 2 ETFs – Nifty 50 ETF and Nifty Bank ETF. The Nifty 50 ETF reflects our commitment to providing large-cap investment options, while the Nifty Bank ETF, comprising leading banking stocks, provides an opportunity to invest in a sector that is the backbone of the Indian economy. Both the schemes symbolise our dedication to offering diverse products that cater to the diverse needs of investors.”

About Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Ltd.

Bajaj Finserv Asset Management Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Limited, has announced its presence in the investment solutions industry. Backed by one of India’s most respected and oldest brands, it offers a host of innovative products and solutions to every Indian. With a future-focused and differentiated investment strategy, its ambition is to help every Indian achieve his/her financial goals.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.

NeoNiche Integrated Solutions Pvt. Ltd., an India-based agency, proudly announces the grand opening of its new office in Singapore today, signifying a significant leap forward in its transformation from an Experiential Marketing Specialist to a comprehensive, global service provider. Mr. Prateek N. Kumar, Founder & CEO of NeoNiche, unveiled this momentous development.

The inauguration of the Singapore office, a crucial move for the company established in 2011, underscores NeoNiches emergence as global Full Services Marketing player capable of surpassing clients’ expectation in every industry and geographical location through its renowned marketing products like “NeoFlo“, “Nsynk“, and its Managed Marketing Services which takes care of Account Based Marketing and Drip Marketing, etc apart from Value driven Experiential Marketing Services.

Mr. Prateek N. Kumar, Founder & CEO of NeoNiche

Mr. Prateek N. Kumar expressed, “Twelve years ago, our journey commenced with a vision to craft extraordinary experiences. Today, NeoNiche emerges as a full services marketing powerhouse, offering end-to-end solutions encompassing brand strategy, experiential marketing, B2B digital expertise, content creation, Marketing automation, Numerus Marketing Products ,virtual and hybrid events, and managed marketing services. Our Singapore office signifies more than a mere expansion; it symbolizes our ambition to cater to global clientele by seamlessly amalgamating our diverse skill sets to deliver impactful solutions resonating with audiences worldwide and driving ROI for our Clients.”

This strategic expansion follows a period of exceptional growth for NeoNiche. Having already established offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi, the agency has consistently pushed boundaries, earning accolades not only in India but also in international destinations.

Prateek also added, “Singapore, with its vibrant economy and strategic positioning, serves as the perfect springboard for our global aspirations, Our Singapore team, equipped with local insights and global experience, will collaborate with our international network to deliver unparalleled value to clients across the region and beyond.”

Key Takeaways

Grid Dynamics secures the AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization, building on top of its recently awarded Analytics on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization. This new status in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner program expands its engagement in the Microsoft Azure Innovate program to encompass advanced AI and ML workloads.

This achievement validates Grid Dynamics deep knowledge, technical proficiency, and delivery excellence in enabling client adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning across the entire Azure Data, Analytics, and AI domain.

With broader participation in the AI and Machine Learning parts of the Microsoft Azure Innovate program, Grid Dynamics has amplified its value to clients and the company anticipates these efforts will create larger deal pipelines and reduce time to closure, especially for Generative AI, copilots, and other Large Language Model (LLM) initiatives.

Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:GDYN) (Grid Dynamics), a leader in enterprise-level digital transformation services and solutions, today proudly announced it has earned the AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization from Microsoft. This milestone broadens Grid Dynamics participation in the Microsoft Azure Innovate for AI Apps program, showcasing the companys exceptional technical capabilities in designing, building, deploying, and running cloud-based AI solutions. The program helps accelerate clients development and adoption of AI solutions by providing training, services, financial assistance, and a strategic framework for deeper engagement with existing clients and new prospects, fostering collaborative growth opportunities. As a member of this exclusive program, Grid Dynamics enables its clients to accelerate time to value on AI programs-freeing up investment for more advanced, value-creating, AI projects with Grid Dynamics, leveraging traditional AI and ML or curing edge Generative AI and LLMs along with MLOps.

Grid Dynamics Earns the AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization

The AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization is a major achievement for Microsoft AI Cloud Partners and demonstrates Grid Dynamics deep expertise in helping customers modernize their applications and generate business-changing value using AI and Machine Learning automation and enhanced ways of working. This advanced specialization is only awarded to partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success, staff skilling, and technical certifications, while also passing a third-party audit. This accomplishment marks the 5th new Microsoft Specialization for Grid Dynamics in the past eight months and continues the accelerating collaboration between Grid Dynamics and Microsoft.

“Securing the AI and Machine Learning Advanced Specialization on Microsoft Azure is not just a reflection of our expertise and commitment to AI and ML innovation, but also a symbol of our robust partnership with Microsoft. Our focus remains on consistently providing exceptional value to our customers through advanced AI solutions,” said Eugene Steinberg, Technical Fellow at Grid Dynamics. “The inclusion of Azures cutting-edge AI capabilities in our toolkit marks a significant milestone, and we are thrilled about the expansive opportunities presented by Generative AI.”

The AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization underscores the dynamic and growing alliance between Grid Dynamics and Microsoft, fostering closer collaboration on complex cloud AI platforms leveraging Azures AI Studio, Azure OpenAI, the newly announced Microsoft Copilot Studio platform, MLOps, and Microsofts broader Azure AI portfolio. Visit this page to learn more about Grid Dynamics partnership with Microsoft.

About Grid Dynamics

Grid Dynamics (NASDAQ: GDYN) is a digital-native technology services provider that accelerates growth and bolsters competitive advantage for Fortune 1000 companies. Grid Dynamics provides digital transformation consulting and implementation services in omnichannel customer experience, big data, analytics, search, artificial intelligence, cloud & DevOps, and application modernization. Grid Dynamics achieves high speed-to-market, quality, and efficiency by using technology accelerators, an agile delivery culture, and its pool of global engineering talent. Founded in 2006, Grid Dynamics is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices across the US, Mexico, Jamaica, the UK, Europe, and India.

To learn more about Grid Dynamics, please visit www.griddynamics.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of Grid Dynamics to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, quotations and statements regarding our AI and Machine Learning on Microsoft Azure Advanced Specialization and participation in the Microsoft Azure Innovate for AI Apps program, our product capabilities, and our companys future growth including with customers.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside Grid Dynamics control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, any factors limiting our partnership with Microsoft, our product capabilities, the benefits of our products, and our companys growth and growth strategy.

Grid Dynamics cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Grid Dynamics cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Grid Dynamics does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Further information about factors that could materially affect Grid Dynamics, including its results of operations and financial condition, is set forth under the “Risk Factors” section of the Companys quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed November 2, 2023, and in other periodic filings Grid Dynamics makes with the SEC.