GURUGRAM: Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, today announced the launch of a new edition of its flagship scooter – the Suzuki Access. Introducing the new Suzuki Access Ride Connect Edition, the scooter now features a Bluetooth-enabled multi-function Coloured TFT Digital Instrument Cluster, seamlessly blending modern technology with enhanced visual appeal. This upgrade comes with the addition of a vibrant and refreshing new Pearl Mat Aqua Silver colour, joining the existing palette.

Commenting on this latest offering, Deepak Mutreja, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. said, “The Suzuki Access has long been a trusted companion for urban riders, and with its latest upgrade, we are adding a new layer of modern functionality and flair. The Coloured TFT Digital display and the elegant new colour elevate the everyday riding experience while staying true to the scooter’s strength of reliability, comfort, and efficiency.”

The fully digital instrument cluster of Access with Suzuki Ride Connect features a 4.2-inch coloured Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) display with a clean and intuitive layout that provides the information the rider requires. With its brighter visuals, faster refresh rates, higher contrast ratios, and more accurate colours, the display offers maximum visibility both day & night and in any riding situation.

Adding to the excitement, the Suzuki Access Ride Connect TFT Edition debuts a new Pearl Mat Aqua Silver colour. With its subtle matte sheen, this striking hue enhances the scooter’s urban appeal, complemented by its legacy of dynamic acceleration, enhanced fuel efficiency, advanced technological features, comfortable riding experience, and practical conveniences.

The Suzuki Access Ride Connect TFT Edition is available at all Suzuki Motorcycle India dealerships across India for INR. 1,01,900/- (ex-showroom Delhi). The scooter is offered in five colour options, including the newly introduced Pearl Mat Aqua Silver, along with the existing Metallic Mat Black No. 2, Metallic Mat Stellar Blue, Pearl Grace White, and Solid Ice Green colours available in the Suzuki Access range.

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Since entering the Indian market in 2019, Avaloq has built a robust presence in Pune, growing to over 170 employees across project delivery, product development, banking operations, cloud technology, and corporate services. As a key orchestrator in the financial ecosystem, Avaloq welcomed leading banks, wealth management firms, and fintech companies to explore the trends driving innovation in the industry. Attendees included representatives from NatWest, HSBC, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, DBS, Accenture, Infosys, HCLTech, Synpulse, TecFinics, and Tech Mahindra.

The event provided a platform for insightful discussions on critical advancements shaping the wealth management sector, with a focus on cloud transformation, strategic partnerships, and enhancing operational efficiency. Key topics covered included:

• India’s growing wealth and investment needs

India’s financial wealth is projected to grow significantly. This is mostly driven by economic expansion, rising affluence, and increasing demand for professional financial advice. Avaloq showcased its wealth management and private banking solutions, emphasizing how digitalization can support the growing demand of India’s affluent population. The discussions highlighted India’s readiness for more sophisticated investment solutions and the role of technology in meeting these needs.

• Cloud transformation

Cloud technology is revolutionizing the wealth management industry. The adoption of cloud solutions is enabling financial institutions to enhance operational efficiency and scalability, crucial for meeting the evolving expectations of investors.

• Artificial intelligence

The collaboration with NEC Corporation drives controlled innovation in AI, focusing on responsible and transparent use. AI is transforming the wealth management industry by enhancing operational efficiency and providing personalized client experiences. AI-driven tools can analyze vast amounts of data to offer tailored financial advice and automate routine tasks, allowing experts to focus on more complex issues.

• Enhancing operational efficiency

Various strategies to improve operational efficiency were explored, including the consolidation of technology systems Various strategies to improve operational efficiency include the consolidation of technology systems into a single platform with harmonized data. This approach helps financial institutions reduce costs and streamline processes. Operational efficiency is critical for maintaining competitiveness, especially as firms face increasing regulatory pressures and the need to deliver high-quality client service.

• Integration capabilities

As financial institutions expand their service offerings, especially in growth markets, they often rely on a complex ecosystem of point solutions to meet evolving client needs. However, managing multiple disparate systems can lead to inefficiencies and higher operational costs over time. Avaloq emphasized the importance of consolidating technology systems in a single platform with harmonized data for enhanced operational efficiency and long-term scalability.

Anirban Mukherjee, Managing Director for India at Avaloq, commented: “India’s financial landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation, and within this dynamic environment, Avaloq, a specialist in wealth management and private banking solutions, is poised to carve a significant niche. While the nation’s focus often gravitates towards the mass-market digital banking revolution, a quieter yet equally potent shift is occurring: the rapid expansion of India’s affluent population. As India’s wealth accumulates, the demand for personalized, robust, and technologically advanced wealth management platforms will inevitably surge. Our goal at Avaloq is to help financial institutions address the specific wealth management needs of these new investors.”

Reflecting on the event, Pascal Wengi, Managing Director for Region International at Avaloq, stated: “India’s wealth management industry is evolving rapidly, driven by economic growth, rising affluence, and increasing demand for professional financial advice. Our first Avaloq India Community Connect event in Pune provided a valuable forum for industry leaders in Pune to discuss key trends and strategies to improve client service and scale operations efficiently. As the market develops, technology will be a key factor in enabling firms to offer seamless, personalized, and efficient wealth management services. With 40 years of experience in wealth management technology, we look forward to supporting financial institutions in establishing and expanding their specialized wealth management services to better meet the needs of affluent investors in India.”

Avaloq India Community Connect discussed the challenges posed by fragmented technology ecosystems and highlighted the importance of integrated platforms that support both front and back-office functions. As India’s wealth management industry becomes more sophisticated, a harmonized, scalable approach to technology will be essential to help the country’s banks and wealth managers address investors’ evolving expectations.

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BHIM users can now contribute to their existing NPS accounts with ease, eliminating the need to remember complex details. Instead, users can make contributions using just their registered mobile number and minimal customer parameters, making retirement planning as easy as a few clicks. Contributions made through BHIM are fully processed and invested within one business day, ensuring timely investment.

Rahul Handa, Chief Business Officer, NBSL, said, “The addition of NPS contributions on BHIM marks a significant stride in making essential financial services more accessible to millions across India. By enabling NPS contributions directly on BHIM, we are fostering a culture of proactive retirement planning and long-term security for all. This initiative is a pivotal step towards a more resilient nation, showing our commitment to financial inclusion and the evolution of BHIM as a comprehensive financial platform.”

Commenting on the launch, Noopur Chaturvedi, CEO, of NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), said, “We are delighted to have BHIM, now available for NPS investments powered by Bharat Connect. This enables BHIM users to effortlessly contribute to their NPS accounts directly through the app. Our goal is to enhance financial accessibility and inclusivity for all citizens across India, and this initiative is a testament to that commitment.”

The NPS has experienced significant growth, with more than 38.25 lakh retail accounts as of September 2024. This new feature is expected to further drive NPS adoption, helping individuals build a reliable income stream for their post-retirement years.

Here’s how users can avail this feature on the BHIM app:

• Click on ‘View All’ under the ‘Recharges and Pay Bills’ section on your BHIM app home screen
• Click on ‘NPS’ under the ‘Other Categories’ section and enter the following details:
  • Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) or 10-digit mobile number
  • Date of Birth
  • Tier
  • Contribution Amount
• Tick the checkbox to agree to the Terms and Conditions and tap ‘Get Bill Details’
• Tap on ‘Bill Info’ to review details of NPS investment and the amount of breakup
• Select your preferred payment mode, hit/tap ‘Pay’, and complete the payment

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MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Shri T. Rabi Sankar today announced the launch of product offerings aimed at transforming the ATM infrastructure in the country. Unveiled in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024, the initiatives include UPI Interoperable Cash Deposit (UPI-ICD) and banks showcasing Digital Banking Units (DBUs).

The introduction of UPI ICD allows customers to deposit cash at ATMs operated by banks and white-label ATM operators (WLAOs) using UPI to their bank account or any other bank account without the need for a physical card. These ATMs are cash recycler machines that are used for both cash deposits and withdrawals. Leveraging their mobile numbers linked to UPI, virtual payment addresses (VPA), and account IFSCs, customers can now make cash deposits, making the process more seamless, inclusive, and accessible. Consumers will be able to access these features as the banks gradually roll them out.

ATMs with open architecture can host bank apps positioning them as DBUs offering cash deposits, withdrawals, and other banking services such as opening bank accounts, applying for credit cards, initiating fixed deposits, applying for safe deposit lockers, etc.

Additionally, today at the GFF 2024, Shri Vivek Deep, Executive Director, RBI announced the rebranding of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) to Bharat Connect. This is an important step to refresh and strengthen the BBPS brand. Bharat Connect embodies NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited’s (NBBL’s) values and vision for stakeholders and customers, going beyond a bill payment system to create an ecosystem that connects individuals and businesses, through an integrated platform.

The launches took place in the presence of Shri Ajay Kumar Choudhary, Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director, NPCI.

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BENGALURU: Amazon.in today announced the launch of Creator University and Creator Connect. Creator University is an education program designed to equip content creators with the tools and knowledge necessary to prosper within the dynamic creator economy. The program will cater to a broad spectrum of content creators, encompassing both established and aspiring influencers. Through a curated selection of resources, the program provides participants with the foundational knowledge and practical strategies to cultivate a sustainable business in the Amazon marketplace.

Creator Connect is a series of in-person events designed to foster connections, learning, and growth for creators within the Amazon ecosystem. These events are strategically timed around major sales and Amazon initiatives to achieve two goals: generate excitement for upcoming promotions and attract new creators to the Amazon Influencer Program. Creator Connect offers a variety of interactive experiences, including workshops led by influencers, opportunities to meet with Amazon leaders and established creators, product showcases, trend discussions, and more. The first Creator Connect event, “A Summer Escape,” kicks off on June 3rd, 2024 in Mumbai and will focus on building a community of fashion and lifestyle creators coinciding with Amazon Fashion’s Wardrobe Refresh Sale.

“At Amazon, we recognize the immense influence content creators have on today’s consumers. Creator University and Creator Connect is our way of empowering these creators, both established and aspiring, with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive within the Amazon ecosystem. Through these programs, creators will gain valuable resources, connect with industry leaders, and build a sustainable business on our platform. We are committed to fostering a collaborative community where creators can learn from each other and drive informed purchase decisions for our customers,” said Kishore Thota, Director, of Shopping Experience, India & Emerging Markets, Amazon.

Some of the key benefits of Creator University include:

• Expansive Educational Curriculum: Creator University offers a treasure trove of informative content, meticulously designed to address the multifaceted needs of content creators. This comprehensive curriculum incorporates in-depth video tutorials, informative articles, and interactive workshops, encompassing a wide range of topics – from cultivating a robust audience to optimizing content for optimal performance within the Amazon ecosystem.
• Insights from Industry Leaders: Gain invaluable knowledge gleaned from the experiences of established Amazon creators and industry veterans. Creator University offers insightful case studies and testimonials, providing participants with a unique opportunity to learn from the successes and challenges of others.
• Actionable Strategies for Success: Creator University empowers participants with practical guidance on every facet of content creation on Amazon. Learn how to identify the perfect products to recommend, craft compelling and engaging content, and effectively drive targeted traffic to Amazon.
• Fostering a Collaborative Community: Creator University fosters a vibrant community of creators, providing a platform for connection and collaboration. Engage in insightful discussions and forge valuable connections through dedicated forums designed to encourage knowledge exchange and peer support.

In recent years, Amazon has introduced several programs for Content Creators. In 2022, Amazon.in introduced Amazon Live – a unique live shopping program on Amazon.in where customers can directly interact with content creators who showcase products, answer customer questions in real time, run polls, and offer limited duration deals. Amazon.in also has Amazon Influencer Program is a vital resource for influencers to monetize their content. Through this program, influencers gain access to tools that enable them to select and recommend Amazon’s products and services to their followers while earning commissions on qualifying purchases. Influencers can monetize their content by sharing their storefront URL or affiliate links, expanding their reach, and attracting new customers with their posted content. These initiatives underscore Amazon’s commitment to creating an enriched shopping ecosystem while empowering creators, influencers, and small businesses in the process.

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MUMBAI: Equinix, Inc., the world’s digital infrastructure company, today announced the general availability of Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, a new virtual routing service to help enterprises easily connect applications and data across multiple clouds and on-premise deployments. Equinix Fabric Cloud Router can help customers simplify their complex cloud-to-cloud and hybrid cloud networking challenges by providing an easy-to-configure, enterprise-grade, multi-cloud routing service that can be deployed in under a minute. Utilizing Equinix’s secure private connectivity, customers can connect applications across public clouds in more locations than any other service.

“Modern IT environments are highly digitized and distributed. TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group research shows that in 2023, 94% of organizations are now using multiple unique public clouds, and the top drivers behind this adoption are to optimize performance and scale applications. The network connectivity that supports these multi-cloud applications must provide the same ability to scale and improve performance. Equinix, with its extensive cloud on-ramp availability and low network latency combined with the recently added Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, is well positioned to deliver these capabilities.” commented Bob Laliberte, Principal Analyst, ESG

Customers can deploy Equinix Fabric Cloud Router in all 58 Equinix Fabric-enabled markets globally, including India, with low latency connectivity to all major cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, as well as hundreds of other service providers like Akamai, ServiceNow and Zoom. Delivered as a service on demand and in near real-time, Equinix Fabric Cloud Router can remove the costs and complexities of owning and operating a physical router or licensing a virtual router. By removing these limitations, customers can improve application performance, reduce cloud costs, and accelerate services to market. Enterprises can also accelerate their multi-cloud adoption by avoiding vendor lock-in with Equinix’s cloud-agnostic service, eliminating networking constraints, and enabling them to choose the right cloud environment and provider for specific workloads.

“Multicloud networking is hard, but now with the launch of Equinix Fabric Cloud Router we are simplifying it for businesses everywhere by helping users connect different clouds in as little as 45 seconds. This is what you’d expect from Equinix, the leader in multi-cloud networking,” said Arun Dev, Vice President of Digital Interconnection at Equinix. “By combining Equinix’s steadfast commitment to cloud and network neutrality that has spanned more than 25 years, our leading access to cloud on-ramps, and the largest selection of cloud providers and services partners, Equinix is uniquely positioned to provide the on-demand digital infrastructure today’s enterprises need.”

Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, a key component of Platform Equinix®, helps customers meet those demands in four specific ways:  

Multicloud Performance – Customers achieve low latency between all major cloud providers with Equinix’s industry-leading cloud-adjacent locations around the world, eliminating the need to backhaul traffic through a remote location. This superior cloud-to-cloud networking performance enables customers to quickly and easily support evolving infrastructure demands, like cloud migrations.

Private Connectivity – By easily deploying private network connections, customers can avoid exposing sensitive data and network infrastructure to the risks of the public internet and support data sovereignty requirements.

Enterprise-Grade – Customers can act with confidence knowing they are supported by a 99.999% uptime SLA and can scale bandwidth and connectivity across clouds without constraint using speeds up to 50Gbps, with hundreds of gigabits of aggregate throughput supported per router.

Lowering Costs – Enterprises can reduce cloud egress costs by up to 75% using private cloud connections rather than egress over the internet. Built-in Equinix Fabric Cloud Router resilience can save IT teams even more by eliminating the need for expensive redundant routers. Delivered as a service, customers can pay only for what they need without being locked into long-term contracts and have the flexibility to scale up and down as needed.

“The distributed cloud is increasingly important as organizations need the flexibility to work with workloads and data in specific locations and across multiple clouds. With Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, customers can deploy and manage a high-performance multi-cloud networking architecture more quickly and cost-effectively.”, said Yogesh Kaushik, VP, Product Management, Networking Services, Oracle

Kunal Thakkar, VP, of Product and Solutions Engineering, Apcela said, “Multicloud networking is a critical component of the networks we build and run for our digitally transforming enterprise customers. We achieve network cost optimization and operational efficiencies by using Equinix Fabric. It is globally consistent and enables us to achieve high levels of network automation for cloud providers. We’re excited about the launch of Equinix Fabric Cloud Router, which will enable us to achieve even higher levels of cost and performance efficiency and help advance our mission of becoming a truly global Network as a Service (NaaS) provider.” 

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