Google to invest $6 billion in southern India data centre, sources say
The search giant's data centre will be the largest in capacity and investment size in Asia and is part a multi-billion-dollar expansion of its data centre portfolio across the region in countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
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Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Businesses Continue to Face Uncertainty After Latest U.S. Tariff Blitz, ICC Says
Businesses around the world are still seeking clarity on the barriers they will face as exporters to the U.S., with many pausing big decisions on investment and hiring, according to the deputy head of the International Chamber of Commerce. President Trump raised tariffs on scores of countries late Thursday, but delayed their implementation until Aug. 7. That came after his trade-deal deadline for many countries to clinch agreements or face tariff hikes expired. However, the tariff announcements lacked detail, adding to uncertainties that include decisions that have yet to be taken on key sectors, as well as continuing talks with China and others, and the legal status of the new duties. 'Last night's announcement provides confirmation that the administration is set on applying generally higher tariff rates,' said Andrew Wilson, deputy secretary-general of the ICC. 'But at a more practical level, we still see companies struggling to understand how the country specific rates will apply in practice.' Wilson said a particular issue is whether the new tariffs outlined in Trump's executive order will be added to existing duties—stack in trade jargon—or replace them. 'The Executive Order only states the headline tariff rate, with no specifics as regards their implementation aside from the E.U. deal,' he said. Uncertainty about the tariff framework dates back to Trump's victory in the November election, although it ratcheted up when he announced a series of huge increases on April 2 and then suspended those rises pending negotiations. The deadline for those talks was then extended, but, despite Thursday's announcements, questions remain. Still, figures released earlier this week showed the eurozone's economy avoided a forecast contraction during the second quarter, while the U.S. returned to expansion after a first-quarter contraction. Data published last month pointed to continued strong growth in China during the second quarter. 'We've certainly avoided the biggest risk that we saw several months ago, which was widespread tit-for-tat retaliation and a global rise in protectionism,' Wilson said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. But Wilson said it is likely too early to draw any firm conclusions about the impact of tariff rises on the global economy. 'There are still so many uncertainties, so many delays in decision making that it may be too early to tell,' he said. The uncertainty relates not just to the level at which tariffs will settle, but also whether they are legal. Federal appeals judges on Thursday pushed back against the president's claims that a 1977 law addressing economic emergencies gives him the ability to rewrite the tariff schedule. 'What we have heard major executives say is that, if you don't know what the tariff rate is going to be next week, let alone next month, let alone in three years' time, how on earth can you make an investment that will take eight to ten years, possibly even more, to pay off,' Wilson said. For the ICC, which represents 45 million businesses in 170 countries, it is at least clear that the Trump administration is determined to push tariffs sharply higher, and that the TACO jibe—which asserts that Trump Always Chickens Out—has little truth. 'The conclusion we've come to is that essentially this administration is looking at how far it can push the effective rate, in the first instance without freaking out the financial markets,' Wilson said. Equity markets fell back Friday in response to the new announcement of higher tariffs, but to a much smaller degree than after the April 2 surprise. Write to Paul Hannon at
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
NBCC to redevelop Air India colony in Vasant Vihar as modern commercial complex
Nearly two years after the last residents vacated the Air India Colony in Vasant Vihar following a protracted legal and emotional battle, the NBCC (India) Limited is set to begin redevelopment of the 30-acre plot into a modern complex—likely along the lines of the government's General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) projects that are reshaping Delhi's urban spine. The colony in Vasant Vihar (above), adjacent to some of Delhi's most upscale neighbourhoods, was built for employees of the erstwhile national carrier. But after the government privatised Air India in 2021, the colony remained under the Centre's ownership, triggering a contentious dispute with its residents. (HT Archive) NBCC has floated a tender to appoint a consultant for comprehensive design and engineering services, officials aware of the matter said. The selected agency will draw up a detailed construction blueprint, plan community and common-use infrastructure, and oversee the demolition of the existing structures—810 housing units built as ground-plus-three-floors originally occupied by Air India employees. 'The consultant will be asked to initiate the demolition process, shift utilities, and prepare a detailed plan for a multi-storeyed commercial complex. However, final plans will require government approval,' a senior official said. Though the redevelopment plans are still being formalised, the prime South Delhi government property is expected to be transformed into a multi-storey complex, equipped with contemporary infrastructure, integrated commercial facilities and green building features. According to the tender documents reviewed by Hindustan Times, NBCC has earmarked ₹13.67 crore for the demolition and design stage. The overall redevelopment has a projected budget of ₹2,735 crore. The land is owned by the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MHUA), and NBCC has been appointed the executing agency. The consultant's scope of work includes master planning, architectural design, structural and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineering, interiors, landscaping, and preparation of an exhaustive operations and maintenance (O&M) manual. The O&M plan will span firefighting systems, DG sets, solar lighting and water heating systems, solid waste management, horticulture, and 24/7 security. All necessary clearances, including statutory approvals and no objection certificates (NOCs) from central and state agencies, will also fall under the consultant's remit. 'A comprehensive topographical and soil investigation survey will be carried out before construction begins. The entire demolition and planning phase is expected to take up to 36 months,' the official said. The Vasant Vihar colony, adjacent to some of Delhi's most upscale neighbourhoods, was built for employees of the erstwhile national carrier. But after the government privatised Air India in 2021, the colony remained under the Centre's ownership, triggering a contentious dispute with its residents. Residents, including retired or serving Air India employees, were served eviction notices around late 2021. A high-pitched protest followed, with former employees staging demonstrations and challenging the decision in the court. In 2023, the Delhi high court upheld the government's claim, classifying the land as public property and clearing the way for redevelopment. The last families moved out by mid-2023, under police supervision, bringing an end to an emotional struggle that had stretched nearly two years. Officials said the upcoming development may follow the model of GPRA projects in Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Kasturba Nagar and Mohammadpur, or even the Naoroji Nagar redevelopment, which has a strong commercial orientation. All these projects are part of the Centre's broader plan to modernise government housing with integrated commercial zones and upgraded infrastructure. Sustainability is expected to be a cornerstone of the Vasant Vihar redevelopment. The project will incorporate solar lighting systems, efficient water and waste management systems, and environmentally sensitive landscaping. 'Once work begins, the consultant will get about six weeks for concept designs, another two months for architectural and technical drawings, and 30 months for structural proof checks,' the official added.
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Here's How Quantum Computing Could Change the World
With commercial grade quantum computers inching closer to reality, industries are already investigating their impact on everything, from food to medicine to streaming football games. Quantum computers are expected to power certain computations that would take today's conventional computers years to solve, if they could at all. Several companies promise commercial systems in the coming years, including IBM, which plans to deliver the world's first full scale fault-tolerant machine by 2029. 'Quantum today is kind of where GPUs were in 2012,' said IBM Chief Executive Arvind Krishna, referring to the chip that powered the AI boom. 'In 2012, nobody was counting on GPUs as a big business. But I think it's going to go faster.' Companies today are working to figure out which of their business cases are best suited for quantum computing, even rewriting some scenarios as quantum software designed for future machines. But even as they look forward to the business and societal value quantum promises, they're preparing for the risks that come with it: primarily the threat that quantum computers could break encryption and lay bare all our sensitive data. Here are five ways quantum could change the world: Faster internet Comcast said quantum could help it deliver the fastest internet to the largest number of customers who need it at any given time. The company operates over a million miles of fiber and cable that deliver internet to 31.5 million homes and businesses. That means that for any piece of data to travel from Point A to Point B, there's a near infinite number of combinations, said Elad Nafshi, Comcast's chief network officer. Data going into New York for example, could travel along the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel or the Amtrak train tracks, he said. And the fastest route also depends on other factors like, if there's a fiber cut somewhere or a big surge of data into New York while everyone streams the Giants game. Being able to calculate, in real time, all those variables to determine the optimal flow of data and deliver it at the fastest speeds for the highest number of people is something conventional computers struggle with. But, 'that's something that Quantum could do extremely well,' Nafshi said. Better medicine Moderna is looking into whether quantum could help it develop medicines that would work effectively in smaller doses, with fewer side effects and be more cost effective to produce. Moderna makes medicine by producing mRNA molecules that teach the body how to make a specific protein. Those proteins then help the immune system target certain diseases. But for each given mRNA molecule it's looking to create, there's a countless number of possible combinations of nucleotide building blocks and sequences, according to Wade Davis, head of Digital for Business at Moderna. How many combinations exactly? For the Covid-19 vaccine there were 10 to the power of 623 different options just for a fragment of an mRNA molecule, Davis said. So it's virtually impossible to brute force calculate what an optimal nucleotide sequence would be, he said. 'All computers currently existing today going for a trillion years couldn't produce that result.' But it's a problem Moderna is investigating with early tests on IBM's small-scale quantum computer, and results are promising, Davis said. More affordable insurance Allstate CEO Tom Wilson said quantum computing could help his company insure more properties at better prices. Allstate already has digital images of nearly every roof in America, and quantum could simulate the impact of certain weather on each specific property over a period of years or decades, offering much more specific prices, he said. Today's pricing models are simpler and don't take into account every possible risk factor, the company said. But Quantum could be poised to help. 'It would just run billions of simulations,' he said. 'Quantum computing could help us get the right price for every house…And that's impossible to do with today's algorithms.' More sustainable food production Startup PsiQuantum said it was investigating whether quantum computing could help find more energy-efficient methods for producing nitrogen fertilizer, a critical component in the world's food production. Traditionally, producing nitrogen-based fertilizer has required huge amounts of heat and energy, said PsiQuantum CEO and co-founder Jeremy O'Brien. Nature has a more efficient way of making it — one that requires less heat and uses an enzyme called nitrogenase. 'We cannot simulate even a small part of that enzyme on any conventional computer that we have, nor on any conventional computer that we could ever build,' O'Brien said. Now PsiQuantum is building the quantum algorithms that could ultimately reverse engineer that enzyme. The underlying goal, he said, is simple: feeding the world. And…some big risks Quantum computers also have the potential to break the cryptography we use today to secure our data. Businesses are now working to implement new quantum-safe encryption standards, at the guidance of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Still a threat known as 'harvest now, decrypt later,' means bad actors could already be collecting encrypted data they plan to decrypt at a later point once quantum computers become capable. According to former Director of Naval Intelligence Matthew Kohler, there's not a whole lot we can do about that. Kohler is now a senior counselor at consulting firm the Cohen Group. 'The horse is really literally out of the barn on this,' he said. 'Quantum has so often been spoken about as something that was always coming in the next five or 10 years,' Kohler said. 'The conversations are changing dramatically because it's now no longer 10 years down the road. It's much closer.' Write to Isabelle Bousquette at
