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Business Standard
3 minutes ago
- Business Standard
India set to join top William Grant markets with Balvenie Fifty launch
India is a high priority market for the leading Scotch whisky and premium spirits maker William Grant & Sons, with potential to become one of its top five markets globally in the coming years, a top company official has said. The family-owned premium spirits company, which owns various brands, including Glenfiddich, Monkey Shoulder, Balvenie and Hendrick's Gin, entered India 10 years ago. And the growth in the country has been very promising, William Grant & Sons India Managing Director Sachin Mehta told PTI. The Scotland-based premium spirits maker has unveiled 'The Balvenie Fifty', a 50-year-old ultra-rare Speyside single malt scotch whisky in the Indian market. Only one bottle of The Balvenie Fifty First Edition' aged in a European oak refill cask, filled in 1973, has been made available in India, offering a unique opportunity for collectors and connoisseurs to own a piece of whisky history. When asked about its price, Mehta said: "Balvenie Fifty is probably going to be in the range of Rs 70 lakh thereabouts". William Grant & Sons India operates in the premium alcoholic beverage segment, where its portfolio includes Glenfiddich, Monkey Shoulder, Balvenie, Grant's and Hendrick's Gin. "And our latest addition is a brand called The Famous Grouse," which has been added since July, he noted. According to Mehta, India is among the top ten markets for William Grant & Sons and one of the few markets where it has established its own distribution company. "It is one of the top priority markets within the global network of William Grant & Sons," he said. India is the largest whisky market globally, where the market is witnessing premiumisation, supported by various factors, like a growing economy, rising middle-class income, growing numbers of millennials and white collar professionals. When asked whether India has the potential to become one of the top 5 markets for William Grant & Sons, Mehta said: "India certainly has a very large potential. The story of the potential that India has is not hidden, and everybody knows about it. And that is true across all categories. And so much so, even for the single malts and Balvenie. So surely, it can be one of the top markets". Moreover, factors like the recent free trade agreement between the governments of India and the UK, which, according to Mehta, is an "achievement" and the policies of the state governments in India are becoming "more and more progressive and consumer-friendly", with an increasing ease of doing business. India is already a leading market for major global spirits makers. It is now the largest market for French spirit maker Pernod Ricard by volume and the second largest by value. It is also a key contributor to the British premium spirits maker Diageo. On its single malt brand Glenfiddich, Mehta said, "It's one of the top-selling single malts in the country". "Similarly, India is one of the top priority markets for that brand (Glenfiddich) as well, like it is for the Balvenie and it is for the rest of our portfolio," he added. Besides, Mehta also expects growth from Balvenie, which operates in the premium side of single-malt whisky. "India is a large whisky market, and there has been a lot of premiumisation. It really goes on to give us the confidence that our Indian consumer is now really looking for great value, and that value comes from aspirational brands like the Balvenie," he said. Earlier, Balvenie was available in selected cities only, as it is an allocated product to specific markets. However, with increased allocation, it is now available in more cities across India. "We are able to increase the stock availability in India, and we are looking to make it available in more and more cities," he said. Besides, 50-year-old single malt scotch whisky, it has also amplified its play in the super premium segment - The Balvenie Thirty and The Balvenie Twenty-Five, both of which are available in a highly exclusive and limited release.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Turkey unveils world's first sea-skimming combat drone, a stealthy, production-ready WIG craft unlike anything US, Russia or China has
In the 1960s, the Soviet Union stunned Western intelligence with the Caspian Sea Monster, a massive, winged ship that skimmed just above the water's surface, hidden from radar. Now, Turkey has revived and modernized that concept with TALAY, the world's first sea-skimming multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicle . Ankara-based defense innovator Solid Aero's webpage states that this cutting-edge craft is production-ready and the first of its kind. It blends the stealth of a low-flying drone with the aerodynamic efficiency of a Wing-in-Ground (WIG) effect vehicle, creating a new category of maritime strike and reconnaissance platforms. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Unlike traditional UAVs that operate high above the surface, TALAY can skim the sea from 30 cm to 100 m, staying beneath typical radar horizons. This low profile enables it to infiltrate contested zones without detection, making it ideal for harbor attacks, reconnaissance, and rapid-response maritime operations. As per the manufacturer its foldable wings allow for quick deployment, and its low radar cross-section paired with a lightweight stealth-focused design keeps it virtually invisible until it's too late for an adversary to react. Live Events Power, payload, and precision Despite its compact 9.84-foot wingspan and 9.19-foot length, TALAY can carry up to 66 pounds (30 kg) of payload, whether advanced sensors or munitions comparable to smaller conventional anti-ship missiles. Powered by an electric engine and Li-Po battery, TALAY reaches 200 km/h (124 mph) and operates for up to three hours with a 200 km (124-mile) range. Its operational versatility covers: Normal Attack, Top Attack, Harbor Attack, Patrol and Reconnaissance Missions, Cargo Transport. Advanced AI-assisted flight control ensures both autonomous and operator-guided missions remain accurate and adaptable, even in sea state three conditions. The 'Caspian Sea Monster' connection While TALAY is groundbreaking for drones, it isn't the first craft to harness the Wing-in-Ground effect . The Cold War's Soviet Union's massive KM ekranoplan , nicknamed the Caspian Sea Monster, dominated military headlines in the Cold War era. That behemoth, however, was a crewed vehicle weighing hundreds of tons and designed for troop and missile transport. By contrast, TALAY miniaturizes the concept into a nimble, stealth-oriented UAV, offering precision strikes and reconnaissance without risking crew lives, a leap in both survivability and cost efficiency. Small size Although its payload is modest compared to large naval missiles, the potential for swarm tactics makes TALAY a serious maritime threat. Multiple drones could overwhelm a warship's defenses, targeting corvettes, inshore patrol craft, or even larger vessels. With production-ready models already showcased at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul, TALAY signals a new era in low-altitude maritime warfare. According to the Greek Reporter, serial production of TALAY will begin in October 2026, with the first production units to be delivered to the Turkish Navy in early 2027. Other powers The United States is developing the Liberty Lifter for rapid resupply in the Pacific theater, while China has floated speculative concepts for low-altitude maritime drones. Russia has hinted at modern patrol and missile-launch adaptations, but no production-ready model exists. Iran has teased smaller coastal-defense WIG craft. In Europe, Germany and the UK have researched WIG transport concepts, mostly for civilian or search-and-rescue roles, while Australia has trialed small-scale prototypes for island-hopping logistics. In a geopolitical moment where contested coastlines define the future of warfare, these platforms are gaining renewed relevance. But what sets Turkey's TALAY apart from its American, Russian, Chinese, European, Australian, and Iranian counterparts is simple: it's ready. Specs at a Glance: Maximum Speed: 200 km/h (124 mph) Operational Ceiling: 30 cm – 100 m above sea level Payload Capacity: 30 kg (66 lbs) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 60 kg (132 lbs) Endurance: 3 hours Range: 200 km (124 miles) Propulsion: Electric engine + Li-Po battery Flight Modes: Day/Night Economic Times WhatsApp channel )


New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
IIT-Madras to develop realtime info system to curb accident fatalities in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: In a move towards building safer roads through data and community participation, the Odisha government in collaboration with IIT-Madras is developing a realtime road safety dashboard for road awareness and traffic harmony. This was announced after a high-level meeting chaired by principal secretary of Commerce and Transport department Usha Padhee here on Friday. 'Road safety remains a top priority for the government and the state has undertaken several landmark initiatives, including the observance of zero accident day every month, launch of the 'come home safe' campaign, deployment of the Surakhya mascot for community engagement, and technical capacity-building programmes in partnership with premier institutions like IIT-Madras,' she said. The dashboard is being developed as a comprehensive digital solution to provide realtime data, analytics and visual insights for proactive road safety interventions. It will act as a central platform for policymakers and citizens alike, bridging technology and public participation. A key component of the dashboard is the citizen-centric module 'Sahayaka', which will allow people to report road accidents and help reduce emergency response times significantly. Citizens can also nominate Raahveers (Good Samaritans), local heroes and first responders who support road safety at the grassroots level. Sources said the integration of the dashboard with platforms such as the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and eDAR-CCTNS is nearing completion. IIT-Madras is also integrating its 'Sanjaya' road safety super app into the dashboard ecosystem to make it a one-stop solution for all road safety stakeholders in the state. 'The development of the dashboard will unify these efforts under a powerful, data-driven platform to enhance impact,' Padhee said. Head of RGB labs at IIT-Madras Prof Venkatesh Balasubramanian said the dashboard brings together citizens and administrators on a single platform. It is about democratising road safety and enabling timely action through seamless integration, he added. Transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur, Crime Branch IG Sarthak Sarangi and other senior officials were present.