Top Headlines: Trump announces $3-bn defence deal; Nadella's tech talk

From US President arriving in India for a two-day visit to Microsoft CEO urging the need to build their own inclusive tech solutions, here are top headlines of the day

LIVE: India, US to sign $3 billion-worth defence deal, says Trump at Motera

US President Donald Trump on Monday asserted that relations with India hold a special place for his country, saying that America "loves" and will always be "loyal" to India. Addressing the 'Namaste Trump' event at the Motera Stadium in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, Trump also announced that the US will seal defence deals worth $3 billion on Tuesday. Follow LIVE Here

Police officer killed in anti-CAA protest in Jaffrabad, Sec 144 imposed

A Delhi Police head constable was killed when protests against the controversial Citizenship Act turned violent in Jaffrabad on Monday. Ratan Lal was attached to the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gokulpuri, an official told PTI. Several police personnel including Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, Amit Sharma were injured during clashes. According to the official, Sharma suffered injuries to his head and hand. Section 144 has been imposed in the area. Read More Here

Time for bidders to pose queries on Air India sale extended till March 6
 

The government has extended the time till March 6 for bidders to pose additional queries regarding sale of its 100 per cent stake in Air India. Read More Here

Indian CEOs need to build their own inclusive tech solutions: Nadella

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella on Monday urged Indian business leaders to build technology capabilities that are inclusive in nature. Beginning his three-day visit to India, Nadella was addressing Microsoft's Future Decoded CEO Summit here. "Indian CEOs need to build own tech capability and ensure that the solutions are inclusive," he said. Read More Here

Bharti Infratel extends deadline for merger with Indus Towers by 2 months

Bharti Infratel on Monday extended the deadline for its merger with Indus Towers by two more months to April 24, but cautioned that final call on scheme implementation will be taken by the board based on assessment of telecom crisis and its impact. "The final decision to implement the scheme will be taken by the board keeping in mind the best interest of the company and its stakeholders including the assessment of the current crisis facing the telecom industry and the extent of its impact on the company's major customers," Bharti Infratel said in a regulatory filing. Read More Here

GAIL to invest Rs 1.05 trn to create infrastructure for gas-based economy

GAIL India Ltd, the country's largest gas utility, will invest Rs 1.05 trillion over the next five years to expand pipelines, lay city gas distribution network and raise petrochemical production capacity, its new chairman and managing director Manoj Jain said on Monday. Gas pipelines are planned to take the fuel to the east and northeast regions as well as to consumers in the south as part of the government push to raise the share of natural gas in India's energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from the current 6.2 per cent, he said. Read More Here

AGR: Nobody wants to kill telecom sector, says SBI's Rajnish Kumar

With the telecom firms staring at a massive Rs 1.47 trillion of AGR dues, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar on Monday said "nobody wants to kill the sector". The state-owned bank is yet to hear from the government on the issue, he said, when asked if it has sought views from bankers. Read More Here

India will become premier digital society: Mukesh Ambani at CEO Summit

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Monday said India is at the cusp of becoming a premier digital society, and will be among the top three economies of the world. In conversation Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella at the Future Decoded CEO Summit here, he said the big change driving this transformation is the deepening of mobile networks which are working at a much faster pace than before. Read More Here

CRISIL downgrades PNB Housing Finance's deposits rating to 'AA+' from 'AAA'

Rating agency CRISIL downgraded ratings for PNB Housing Finance Ltd’s (PNB Housing) fixed deposits from “AAA” to “AA+” over weakening of asset quality after many big-ticket developers defaulted on payments. Also, the size of equity raising planned is lower than earlier envisaged. The rating agency in a statement said the long-term rating was downgraded from “AA+” to “AA”. It also revised the outlook on the long-term ratings to 'Stable' from 'Negative'. Read More Here
 

Hughes India arm fears closure over dues; banks may be at risk: Letter

U.S. satellite broadband provider Hughes Network Systems may have to shut its Indian operations due to unpaid levies owed to the government, which could put thousands of banking services at risk, a company letter seen by Reuters showed. India's Supreme Court late last year ordered a number of telecom companies, including Hughes and larger firms like Vodafone, to pay billions of dollars owed to the government. Read More Here