China’s President Xi Jinping said that the “reunification of our motherland, a trend of the times, is unstoppable” in his 2026 New Year message, delivered just hours after Beijing announced the conclusion of large-scale live-fire military drills around Taiwan. Xi’s remarks came as China’s military said it had “successfully completed” exercises designed to simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island and strikes on maritime targets. While Xi did not mention Taiwan directly in his address, his language echoed long-standing claims over the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory despite never having ruled it.

Xi also used the speech to frame 2025 as a landmark year, marking the completion of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. He said China’s economic strength, technological capabilities, defence capacity and overall national power had all reached “new heights”, adding that these developments were “rallying a mighty force for the great rejuvenation of our nation”.

Military pressure and Taiwan’s response

The drills, code-named “Justice Mission 2025”, involved missiles, fighter jets, bombers, navy ships and coastguard vessels operating around Taiwan over two days. China’s People’s Liberation Army said the exercises tested sea-air coordination, integrated blockade capabilities and joint strike operations, including live-fire training in waters north and south of the island.Taiwan condemned the manoeuvres as “highly provocative and reckless”. Its defence ministry said some Chinese live rounds landed closer to the island than in previous exercises, with several rockets falling within Taiwan’s 24-nautical-mile zone. President Lai Ching-te warned that the drills were “not an isolated incident” and posed “significant risks” to regional stability, global shipping and trade.Taipei said Chinese warships and coastguard vessels began withdrawing on Wednesday, though Taiwan’s coastguard maintained deployments at sea, citing the need to remain vigilant. Taiwanese authorities also reported major disruption to civil aviation, with hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled due to temporary danger zones declared during the drills.China accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of pursuing separatism and relying on foreign support, particularly arms sales from the United States. Beijing has vowed to seize the island by force if necessary and continues to send aircraft and naval vessels towards Taiwan on a near-daily basis.

International criticism and Beijing’s rebuttal

The exercises drew sharp criticism from several countries. Japan said the drills increased tensions across the Taiwan Strait, while Australia described them as “destabilising”. The Philippines said it was deeply concerned about actions that could undermine regional peace and stability.Beijing dismissed the criticism as “irresponsible”. Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian accused other countries of ignoring what he called separatist attempts in Taiwan while condemning China’s “necessary and just actions” to defend its sovereignty. He said such criticism distorted facts and was “utterly hypocritical”.

In a hiring market crowded with polished résumés and rehearsed answers, effort has become the real differentiator.That is the blunt message from Scott Tannen, founder and CEO of Boll & Branch, who has personally interviewed and hired hundreds across roles ranging from interns to C-suite executives. Speaking to CNBC, Tannen says he always begins interviews with the same, deceptively simple question: What do you know about Boll & Branch?It is not a warm-up. It is a filter. “I think when people have not done their homework, that is the biggest red flag,” Tannen has been quoted saying in the CNBC interview. “You don’t have to know every answer, but you have to have done your homework,” he added. Tannen does not expect encyclopaedic recall, but he does expect signs of effort — time spent reading, understanding the business, and thinking about how the company works. “If they can’t at least give me back what’s on our Wikipedia page, we probably are not starting off on the best foot,” he shared. What Tannen is really diagnosing here is not ignorance, but indifference. In an era when candidates have unlimited access to information, failing to learn even the basics about a prospective employer signals something deeper: A casual attitude towards opportunity. The question works because it collapses pretence. Confidence, charm and fluency cannot compensate for the absence of preparation. Within minutes, the employer knows whether a candidate has shown up curious, or merely hopeful.And this is where most interview advice quietly falls apart. Candidates obsess over answers — how to explain weaknesses, how to negotiate salary, how to sound passionate — but neglect the far more consequential mistake: Walking into a conversation without context. Employers are not testing memory; they are testing intent. Here are 7 ways you are inadvertently telling employers that you’re not serious.

You describe the company in vague, catch-all language

Saying a company is “into tech,” “does consulting,” or “makes products” is not neutrality, it is a tell. It signals that the candidate has skimmed, not studied. When you cannot articulate what a company actually builds, sells, or stands for—even in broad strokes—you are telling the interviewer that this organisation could have been swapped with ten others. Employers hear that as a lack of intent, not a lack of information.

Your enthusiasm is generic

“I’m excited to learn.” “I’m looking for growth.” “I want to challenge myself.”These lines are not wrong. They are just empty.Tannen’s emphasis on preparation exposes how quickly employers now discount generic enthusiasm. Passion that is not anchored to the specific business, product, or role sounds rehearsed, not sincere. It tells the interviewer you prepared for interviews, not for this interview.Curiosity only counts when it has a direction.

You cannot explain why this role exists

Many candidates can describe what they want to do. Fewer can explain why the role they are applying for exists inside the company.When asked about responsibilities, candidates often repeat the job description or talk about skills they hope to gain. What employers listen for instead is whether the candidate understands the problem the role is meant to solve. A failure to do so quietly signals surface-level preparation.Walking in without that understanding suggests you have not thought seriously about what you are signing up for.

You have no questions, or only safe ones

Lack of questions is not politeness. It is passivity.Equally revealing are questions that sound interchangeable: “What does success look like?” or “What is the culture like?” These are acceptable starting points, but when they are the only questions asked, they reveal a candidate who has not engaged deeply enough to go further.In the CNBC interview, Tannen adds that preparation is not limited to reading up about the company. It also means walking into the interview with questions of your own, along with confidence, enthusiasm for the role and a clear sense of what you hope to achieve by taking it.Tannen’s insistence on questions underscores a shift: Employers now read questions as evidence of preparation. No questions—or default ones—signal that the candidate is waiting to be impressed rather than choosing deliberately.

You talk only about what you want, not what you can offer

Candidates often frame interviews as extraction exercises: What they will learn, how they will grow, where this role might take them. When candidates speak only in terms of personal gain, they appear casual about contribution. Employers are not allergic to ambition. They are wary of asymmetry.Preparation shows up when a candidate has thought about reciprocity.

You rely on confidence to compensate for context

Confidence without context is increasingly easy to spot.Candidates who speak fluently but inaccurately, or confidently but vaguely, trigger the very red flag Tannen describes. In an age of polished communication, confidence alone is no longer proof of readiness. Employers are looking for grounded assurance and confidence that rests on understanding. Charm cannot compensate for not knowing where you are.

You treat the interview like a performance, not a conversation

Perhaps the clearest cue of casualness is when an interview feels scripted. Candidates move mechanically from one answer to the next, rarely responding to the room, the interviewer, or the company’s specifics.In his CNBC interview, Tanne shared the example of an intern who spoke about building her own brand. It stood out precisely because it was conversational, contextual and rooted in curiosity. She was not performing an interview; she was engaging with a business. That difference is immediately apparent to employers.

MUMBAI: Fino Payments Bank, promoted by Fino PayTech, received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in early December 2025 to transition into a small finance bank, enabling lending operations after restructuring. Fino PayTech’s major shareholders are Bharat Petroleum, ICICI Bank group, Blackstone and Intel Capital. In an interview with TOI, Rishi Gupta, MD & CEO, Fino PB speaks about the roadmap for the transition.What kind of advantage do you get in forming a small finance bank because of your legacy as a payments bank?Unlike most SFBs, which emerged a decade ago from microfinance and carry that structure, our model starts digital-first and transaction-led, with liabilities at its core. Scale is the initial advantage: over 20 lakh merchants and 1.6 crore customers form a ready base, with 60 lakh customers active on UPI, allowing deposits and loans to be layered onto existing payment relationships.Deposits exceed Rs 3,000 crore, parked in-house and with partner banks at under 2% cost. Raising Rs 600–800 crore annually at low cost supports a stable CASA and cheaper funding. Distribution provides the edge. A nationwide merchant network doubles as both lead generator and borrower pool, turning payments rails into credit channels.Timing strengthens the case. With AI at the threshold of banking, it can improve onboarding, call-centre operations, fraud control, and process efficiency. The next pivot is secured lending, run on a low-fixed-cost, low-paper model. Payments remain the engine, with over Rs 1,700 crore flowing through transactions and set to continue under the SFB.Where will you invest to facilitate this transformation into an SFB?Spending will largely be on technology. In Jan, we are migrating our core banking system from FIS to Finacle, while hollowing out the core. Heavy digital investment over the past two–three years continues. The build stays light. Plans call for 100+ branches and 100+ asset centres over three years under a hub-and-spoke model.The aim is to keep fixed costs low, avoiding a branch-heavy reset. Asset centres will manage merchants and loans, while branches gather liabilities. The model remains merchant-first, targeting the middle of the pyramid through a tech-led merchant network rather than a universal-bank sprawl. Nationwide last-mile reach allows customers to move from small-value accounts to higher balances, alongside small-ticket credit such as micro loans, two-wheelers, and affordable housing. CapEx remains disciplined, with IT spending of about Rs 100–150 crore over the next two–three years.What products will you offer on the lending side?The focus will be on secured credit, where technology sharpens risk filters but touch-and-feel remains the cornerstone. We will start with affordable housing for the core customer, add micro loans against property, small-ticket merchant/MSME loans, and gold loans. Personal loans will be offered selectively, using customer and merchant data to price risk.Roughly 35–40% of merchants already borrow elsewhere; the effort is to migrate them onto our platform. Merchants are incentivised to provide better leads.We will eventually introduce secured credit cards, with limits linked to deposits, likely a year or two from now. Co-branded cards are not part of the current plan, though not ruled out. Insurance and mutual fund distribution will also be added.What kind of hiring do you plan?We will hire selectively, adding 500–600 staff over two–three years across corporate and field roles to open branches, asset centres, and strengthen headquarters. We start from scale: Rs 1,700 crore in revenue, 3,000 employees, and offices across states and districts. Much of the infrastructure already exists, reducing build-out time and cost. The real edge is liabilities. In banking, deposits decide winners.What kind of culture do you want to establish in the bank?We have evolved from a business correspondent to a payments bank to an SFB, led by a team with five–seven years of tenure that built the payments platform. Our DNA is merchant-led, anchored in personal connect, local trust, and last-mile reach. That focus remains.Equally important is digital connect. Customers are moving online; so are we, expanding UPI and allied lines. The DTP model—digital, distribution, partnerships—continues to drive growth, backed by 250+ partnerships. What worked for the payments bank carries into the SFB.Do you see becoming a universal bank at some point?Yes, that is an ambition. We became a payments bank in 2015 and received the SFB licence in 2025. If operations go well and execution is strong, there is no reason not to aim for a universal bank licence by around 2035. The rules allow an application after five years of operations. The transition framework is already set out in policy. If the conditions are met, there is no reason not to apply.What will be the impact of transformation spending on the bottom line? Do you plan to raise capital?We will remain profitable. Costs will rise in the first year or two as systems are built and staff hired, but revenues will follow. This is a two–three year play, not a quarter-by-quarter exercise. There is no likelihood of a loss. We made Rs 108 crore in profit last year and expect to remain profitable, even if incremental costs trim margins in the short term.Capital is not a constraint. We are above regulatory thresholds, and our initial two–three year plan does not require fresh capital. We are not looking to raise funds in the next financial year. That could change only if a clear growth opportunity or prudential need emerges. For now, capital is adequate.What will happen to the business correspondent division now that you will be competing with banks you provide BC services to?The business correspondent (BC) business has multiple options. It could be hived off into a group company or sold, either now or later. No decision is imminent, and all options remain open. The BC business contributes about Rs 140–150 crore, or roughly 8% of revenue, so any change would not materially affect the overall business.Under regulations, an SFB cannot house a BC arm or act as a corporate BC for another bank. That structure works for a payments bank but not within an SFB. If the BC business is carved out as a separate company, it can be appointed as the bank’s corporate BC. Merchants are independent entrepreneurs, often running kirana or other local shops, operating on fixed and commission-based arrangements. About 2,000 people manage the merchant network.

In the roads and highways segment, the government continues to prioritize the expansion and enhancement of the national highways network.

By Sushi Shyamal VemuIndia’s infrastructure sector is experiencing a significant transformation, as major developers and Infrastructure Funds shift their focus from isolated project implementation to developing large-scale infrastructure platforms. This change is driven by increased government spending, a more robust regulatory environment, policies oriented toward growth, and reliable financing mechanisms. Following the union budget in 2021, which marked a pivotal move toward capital expenditure, the government has steadily increased its allocations for infrastructure with the aim of stimulating economic demand and delivering major projects. The FY26 union budget earmarked ₹11.21 lakh crore for infrastructure—a 10% year-over-year rise, accounting for 3.1% of GDP estimates. In the roads and highways segment, the government continues to prioritize the expansion and enhancement of the national highways network. For FY26, the Ministry of Roads Transport & Highways (MoRTH) received a budget of ₹2.7 lakh crore, targeting 6,376 km of new bids, major expansions, and brownfield expressway projects. Over the past five years, NHAI has constructed between 4,200 and 6,500 km of national highways annually.Until 2020, India had only a handful of expressways—such as Mumbai–Pune, Delhi–Agra (Yamuna), and Bangalore–Mysore corridor connecting key cities. MoRTH is now building 27 expressways and access-controlled corridors, totaling 9,860 km at a cost of ₹4.2 lakh crore. State governments are also at the forefront, working on landmark expressway projects like Maharashtra’s Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway and Ganga, Purvanchal, Bundelkhand expressways in Uttar Pradesh, connecting Bangalore city to Chennai, Pune and Nagpur in the south thereby enhancing both intra- and inter-state connectivity. These ambitious plans will deliver modern economic corridors, improve logistics efficiency, connect pilgrimage sites, and depend heavily on hybrid financing to attract private investment and foreign capital.Through the Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLP) program, MoRTH is establishing 35 infra logistics parks—each over 100 acres—with multimodal transport access, modular warehouses, and container terminals near ports to optimize freight movement and reduce shipping costs and times. Additionally, the Port Connectivity Project seeks to upgrade last-mile connectivity to all active and under-construction ports, with 108 projects identified and 36 already completed. In line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 infrastructure vision, the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model has evolved considerably. The government is proactively engaging private investors, refining concession agreements, and promoting stable, consultative policy approaches across sub-sectors such as roadways, renewables, and ports & infra-logistics. These efforts have enhanced investor confidence and reinforced policy continuity. Innovative funding models also play a critical role. Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), regulated by SEBI, have matured from niche products for institutional investors to mainstream vehicles providing transparent, efficient, and long-term yield-oriented returns for both domestic and institutional capital providers. The potential reclassification of InvIT units to equity status promises to stimulate even greater participation from long-term capital sources. While early InvITs focused primarily on roads and power transmission assets, the next phase includes diversification into sectors like renewable energy, digital infrastructure, ports, airports, warehousing, and infra-logistics. InvITs are managing assets exceeding ₹7 lakh crore, with several new listings planned for 2026, aiming to bridge India’s infrastructure funding gap and recycle primary capital for institutional investors. The approach to financing highways is undergoing a major overhaul, with MoRTH raising ₹1.06 lakh crore so far through TOTs (Toll-Operate-Transfer) and InvIT. While NHAI’s current InvIT is privately listed (NHIT), a new public InvIT is being set up to facilitate retail participation alongside institutional investors such as Infrastructure funds, mutual funds, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds. Private entities and developers are seizing opportunities in sectors like roads, renewables, and infra-logistics, benchmarking infrastructure quality against global standards for connectivity, safety, and operational excellence. There is a growing shift toward greener, low-carbon construction, with organizations investing in AI technologies to increase productivity, harness modular construction, manage resources efficiently, and ensure safer, more reliable journeys and services by analysing large datasets and optimizing project lifecycles.(Sushi Shyamal Vemu os Partner, Infrastructure Practice and Investment Banking Advisory at EY India. Views expressed are personal)

AI-generated image for representation purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to tech labs. OpenAI launched ChaGPT in 2022. Since then AI chatbots have become mainstream with big tech companies not only developing their own AI tools but also fostering partnerships to make them accessible to more users. As access expands and costs come down, AI tools are moving beyond early adopters and becoming part of routine digital life. In 2025, we saw Google, Perplexity and OpenAI announce free access to their premium AI services in India. Google partnered with Jio to offer Gemini Pro at no extra cost for 18 months. Similarly, Perplexity partnered with Airtel to offer 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription free of cost to all its 360 million customers. OpenAI also made ChatGPT Go available at no cost for 12 months for eligible users in India. In this story, we look at what these offers include and who benefits the most.

Google partners with Reliance to bring Google AI worth Rs 35,100 for free

In October 2025, Google announced a strategic partnership with Reliance Intelligence to offer Google’s AI Pro plan, and with it the latest version of Google Gemini, to Jio Unlimited 5G plan users at no extra cost for 18 months. Announcing the partnership, the US-based tech giant said “We are excited to expand access to our most powerful AI models to more people across India, and can’t wait to see how our world-class tools deliver powerful benefits in people’s everyday lives.”“Through a new strategic partnership with Reliance Intelligence, we’re bringing together our most capable AI models and powerful tools, giving millions of their users access to the Google AI Pro plan at no extra cost for 18 months,” it added.

What is Google AI Pro

With a Google AI Pro membership, one gets expanded access to certain AI features built by Google. It includes 2 TB of expanded storage and additional benefits to optimize Google usage. Users also get access to AI credits with the Google AI Pro membership that can be used across Whisk and Flow. Google AI Pro members get 1,000 monthly AI credits.

Who are eligible for free Google AI Pro

Google’s free AI offer was initially available to Jio users between 18 to 25 years of age. It was eventually expanded to every Jio user nationwide. The offer can be activated via MyJio app.

Benefits under Jio-Google free AI offer

As announced by the company, eligible Jio customers gain access to Google’s most capable Gemini 2.5 Pro model in the Gemini app. Jio users also get higher limits to generate stunning images and videos with the company’s state-of-the-art Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 models, expanded access to NotebookLM for study and research, 2 TB of cloud storage across Google Photos, Gmail, Drive and for backing up WhatsApp (on Android) and more. In a press release, the company stated that the offer has a combined value of approximately Rs 35,100.“Today’s announcement will put Google’s cutting-edge AI tools in the hands of consumers, businesses, and India’s vibrant developer community,” Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said in an official statement then.“Through our collaboration with strategic and long-term partners like Google, we aim to make India not just AI-enabled but AI-empowered — where every citizen and enterprise can harness intelligent tools to create, innovate, and grow,” Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani said.Notably, Google offered Indian students a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan earlier this year.

Airtel partners with Perplexity to offer benefits worth Rs 17,000 for free

Airtel announced its partnership with Perplexity in July 2025. “Bharti Airtel has partnered with Perplexity, to offer 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription free of cost to all its 360mn customers,” the telecom operator said in a press release then. Under the partnership, Airtel users get free access to Perplexity Pro worth Rs 17,000. Commenting on the partnership, Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel said, “We’re thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with Perplexity, bringing their cutting-edge AI capabilities exclusively for Airtel customers. This collaboration will bring the powerful and real-time knowledge tool for millions of users at their fingertips, at no extra cost. This first of its kind Gen-AI partnership in India is focused on helping our customers navigate the emerging trends in the digital world with confidence and ease.”Aravind Srinivas – Cofounder, CEO – Perplexity said “This partnership is an exciting way to make accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India—whether a student, working professional, or managing a household. With Perplexity Pro, users get a smarter, easier way to find information, learn, and get more done.”

What is Perplexity Pro

Perplexity Pro is the advanced version of the Perplexity tool. It is claimed to be a smarter, faster way to search, research, and boost your productivity. Key capabilities include:

Exclusive features of Perplexity Pro are:

Ideal use cases of Perplexity Pro

For students: Working on a 100-page dissertation has never been easier. Students can upload their PDFs, summarise key points, compare credible sources, and even turn raw data into charts—all in minutes, not weeks.For Professionals: No more sifting through endless reports. With Perplexity Pro, professionals can boost productivity by pulling competitive insights, summarising industry papers, and turning spreadsheets into interactive dashboards in seconds.“Perplexity has a free offering, which offers powerful search functions, while the Pro version provides enhanced capabilities for professionals and heavy users. Perplexity Pro includes more daily Pro searches per user, access to advanced AI models (e.g., GPT 4.1, Claude) and the ability to select specific models, deep research, image generation, file uploads and analysis, as well as Perplexity Labs, a unique tool that brings ideas to life. Perplexity Pro is priced globally at *INR 17000 for a year,” Airtel said in a press statement.

How to avail Perplexity Pro at no cost with Airtel

Those interested can follow the steps below:

Who can access the offer

As announced by the telecom company, eligible users include:

OpenAI offers ChatGPT Go for free in India

Starting November 4, 2025, Sam Altman-led OpenAI is giving ChatGPT GO subscription for free to all users in India. The move is aimed to counter rival Google and Perplexity which as mentioned above has partnered with leading telecom operators Jio and Airtel to offer access to their respective AI models for free.

What is ChatGPT Go

ChatGPT Go is a low-cost subscription plan that provides expanded access to ChatGPT’s most popular features at an affordable price. The price costs Rs 399 per month in India. As listed on OpenAI help page, ChatGPT Go offers everything included in the Free plan, along with:

Who are eligible

As stated by OpenAI on its help page, eligibility and terms to get free access to ChatGPT Go for 12 months are as follows:

Note on UPI payments: OpenAI clarifies that if one uses UPI for redeeming the promotion, he/she may temporarily see a charge of INR (₹) 1 on their account every billing basis. The charge is required for purposes of using UPI as a payment method, and will be refunded.

How to get ChatGPT Go for free

OpenAI has listed steps to access ChatGPT Go for free. These includeStep 1: Sign up for ChatGPT, if you’re new, or login to your account if you already have one.Step 2: Click on Try ChatGPT Go or go to Settings → Account → Try ChatGPT GoStep 3: During checkout, add a payment method – you will not be charged (see special note on UPI).Step 4: Upon completion of checkout, your promotional subscription will be active, and renew automatically on a monthly basis for 12 months.Step 5: You can review terms from Settings → Account anytime.If you have already subscribed to ChatGPT Go from ChatGPT Web, or Google Play store, OpenAI will automatically move your next billing date back by 12 months. No action is required on your part. However, if you have subscribed to ChatGPT Go from the Apple app store, you must cancel your current subscription, wait for the end of your final billing period and then redeem from the Apple app store.