Development Watch – Week #4 Mar’26

Development News

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Shift to RE amid West Asia crises

Energy intensive industries in Pakistan and India are rapidly shifting to solar power, reducing reliance on expensive imported liquefied natural gas. It offers significant cost savings and insulates from geopolitical disruptions like the Iran conflict. India and Africa are also boosting their energy partnership. Leaders met at the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 to focus on executing energy transition projects. They emphasized grid planning, new financing methods, and working together across the electricity sector. India’s experience in building power infrastructure and renewable energy systems offers a model for African nations.

In India, Suzlon Group has bagged a 100 MW wind energy project from GAIL. Suzlon will supply, erect and commission 47 turbines. This project will be located in Nandurbar, Maharashtra. It aims to support GAIL’s petrochemical plant’s decarbonization efforts. India is set for a massive renewable energy boost. Solar power capacity is expected to quadruple, and wind energy capacity to triple over the next decade. This will significantly reduce the nation’s reliance on coal for electricity. Non-fossil fuel capacity will reach 786 gigawatts by 2035-36. Solar energy will form the largest part of this clean power mix.

Drive to build integrated industrial townships

Recently, the Union cabinet approved Rs 33,660 crore for the BHAVYA scheme, which proposes the setting up of 100 industrial clusters, as announced in the recent budget. Property developers are sharpening focus on integrated industrial townships to capitalise on the government’s aim to grow the share of manufacturing to 25% of GDP by 2035. Experts say this would drive demand for industrial plots as an alternative investment avenue. Leading developers such as M3M, Signature Global, Reliance, and LML Realty are currently building industrial townships in NCR. In the South, Brigade Group recently launched Brigade Industrial Park, a 25-acre industrial development in Devanahalli, North Bengaluru, as part of its expansion into industrial real estate. Reliance Model Economic Township is an 8,250-acre integrated smart city and global manufacturing hub in Jhajjar, Haryana. Government-led initiatives such as PCPIR (Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region) have played a pivotal role in driving this momentum.

Growth in MRO services in India

Demand for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services in India is expected to grow to USD 5.7 billion by 2030 from USD 4.4 billion in 2025, a 5.4 per cent growth per annum, according to a Singapore-based consultancy. Engine MRO demand is expected to contribute almost half of this demand, with airframe and modifications slated to grow the fastest in this five-year period, according to a study report by Alan Lim and Joshua Ng, Directors of Alton Aviation Consultancy and aviation industry veterans. Special economic zones, including GIFT City, are being positioned to anchor aircraft leasing and related financial services, while policies such as the ratification of the Cape Town Convention, liberalised foreign direct investment rules, and reductions in GST and customs duties on aviation components are lowering barriers for global aerospace players.

JICA loan for Bengaluru Metro Phase 3

Japanese government agency Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Tuesday has signed a loan agreement with India to provide financial aid worth nearly Rs 6,100 crore (102,480 million Japanese yen) for the Bengaluru Metro Rail Project Phase 3 (I). The agreement was signed in Delhi between department of economic affairs joint secretary Alok Tiwari and JICA India office chief representative Takeuchi Takuro. The project aims to address growing traffic demand in Bengaluru metropolitan region by expanding the city’s mass rapid transportation network. The project covers civil and architectural works for approximately 44.65 km of metro lines with 31 elevated stations, comprising the Outer Ring Road section (Corridor 3-1) and the western growth corridor (Corridor 3-2).

NHAI to deploy AI-enabled cameras for monitoring

The National Highways Authority of India will deploy advanced AI powered dashcam analytics services (DAS) on around 40,000 km of the National Highway network to enable timely maintenance, improve road safety and enhance overall user experience across the National Highway network. The idea is to enhance remote tracking and road condition assessments using high-resolution imagery and video data. The initiative leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for high-tech and data-driven operation and maintenance of national highways (NHs) in the country. The plan is to mount specialized dashboard cameras on Route Patrol Vehicles (RPVs) to conduct weekly surveys on all the stretches comprehensively while deploying advanced AI/ML trained models for identification of over 30 types of defects and anomalies automatically.