Battery Storage Tender: Coal India invited bids for an EPC 187.5 MW/750 MWh BESS project at Choutuppal substation in Telangana, with 15 years O&M; bid deadline is Aug 19 and EMD is ₹50 lakh. Renewables Market Shift: IEX shares fell after the Supreme Court declined to hear its market-coupling challenge, keeping regulatory work with CERC on track—an overhang for India’s power exchange liquidity model. Rooftop Solar Push: Delhi plans to revise its solar policy to cut upfront costs by paying generation-based subsidies upfront (aiming to cover ~90% of installation cost). Apple Contract Manufacturing Tax Relief: India proposed extending tax exemptions for foreign firms supplying machinery to contract manufacturers until 2041—seen as a boost for Apple’s India iPhone ramp-up. AI vs Jobs: Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu warned IT hiring is stalling as budgets shift to AI and data-centre costs, raising concerns for youth employment. Data Centres & Real Estate: A report flags India’s data-centre pipeline could drive ~4.33 lakh ecosystem jobs and ~195 million sq ft housing demand by 2030. Rail Infra & Wildlife: A tiger-corridor rail line in Central India got SC-NBWL in-principle clearance with mitigation conditions. Road Safety/Quality: NHAI ordered a probe and debarred three engineers after fresh surface damage on the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway within weeks of opening. Startup Ecosystem: Google selected 20 AI-powered startups for its 2026 Play Accelerator India programme, offering equity-free mentorship on AI integration and global scaling.