Runtime | Indian Tech News | Thursday, September 4th, 2025

Welcome to Runtime’s daily Indian tech news roundup, hosted by Caleb Friesen. Today, Google plans Pixel 10 manufacturing in India, the Delhi High Court dismisses Ultrahuman’s lawsuit against Oura, Raphe mPhibr opens a major drone facility in Noida, TCS and IIT Kanpur’s AIRAWAT partner on AI-driven smart cities, eight funds launch the India Deep Tech Investment Alliance, the Government of India backs 15–20 indigenous AI models, and Tata EV turns potholes into a Harrier EV marketing campaign.

0:00 Google Is Making Pixel 10s in India
0:37 Ultrahuman Lawsuit Dismissed by Delhi High Court
1:24 Raphe mPhibr Opens New Drone Facility
1:58 TCS and IIT Kanpur AIRAWAT Research Foundation New Partnership
2:44 India Deep Tech Investment Alliance
3:21 GoI to Support 15-20 Indigenous AI Models
4:21 Tata EV Pothole Marketing

Google Is Making Pixel 10s in India

Google is preparing to manufacture Pixel 10 smartphones in India for both domestic sales and exports. Google is in talks with Foxconn, Dixon Technologies, and Bhagwati Products as local production partners. The first Pixel 10 devices in India were imported from Taiwan, but since the Pixel 8, Google has been expanding its local assembly capacity. Google’s move follows Apple and Samsung, who are also producing smartphones in India to strengthen supply chains and meet rising demand.

Ultrahuman Lawsuit Dismissed by Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has dismissed Ultrahuman’s patent infringement lawsuit against Finnish wearable company Oura. The court ruled that Ultrahuman failed to disclose that the US International Trade Commission had already found Oura’s claims valid. The ITC issued exclusion and cease-and-desist orders banning Ultrahuman smart rings and components from being imported or sold in the United States. Ultrahuman has said it will refile the lawsuit in India to defend its intellectual property. The Delhi High Court ruling and the ITC decision both represent major challenges for Ultrahuman’s growth strategy.

Raphe mPhibr Opens New Drone Facility

Defence tech and drone startup Raphe mPhibr has inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Noida, featuring India’s largest aero engine test bed. Raphe mPhibr was founded in 2016 by Vishal Mishra and Vivek Mishra and has grown from a 10-person team to employing more than 600 scientists and engineers. The new Raphe mPhibr facility includes an aero engine test bed, an additive manufacturing centre, and a composite polymer unit. Raphe mPhibr will use the facility to manufacture payload drones and guided missile drones, strengthening India’s defence tech ecosystem.

TCS and IIT Kanpur AIRAWAT Research Foundation New Partnership

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and IIT Kanpur’s AIRAWAT Research Foundation have announced a partnership to drive sustainable urbanisation in India. TCS and AIRAWAT Research Foundation will use artificial intelligence, digital twins, and remote sensing to improve how Indian cities are designed and managed. With India expected to add 416 million urban residents by 2050, TCS and AIRAWAT aim to reduce flooding, improve air quality, and increase green spaces. TCS brings expertise in simulation and data integration, while AIRAWAT Research Foundation provides research in urban planning for climate-resilient Indian cities.

India Deep Tech Investment Alliance

Eight venture capital and private equity firms from India and the United States have launched the India Deep Tech Investment Alliance. Members include Accel, Blume Ventures, Celesta Capital, Premji Invest, Gaja Capital, Ideaspring Capital, Tenacity Ventures, and Venture Catalysts. The India Deep Tech Investment Alliance has pledged over $1 billion in the next decade to fund Indian deep tech startups. Sectors of focus include artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, space, biotech, energy, and quantum technologies. By pooling resources, the India Deep Tech Investment Alliance aims to close India’s gap in long-term funding for deep tech.

GoI to Support 15-20 Indigenous AI Models

Abhishek Singh, CEO of IndiaAI, announced that the Government of India will support 15 to 20 indigenous AI models. Four AI startups — Sarvam AI, Soket AI, Gnani.ai, and Gan.ai — have already received funding, with eight more in the final selection stages. Nearly 38,000 GPUs are available at subsidised rates of Rs 65 per GPU-hour compared to global rates of Rs 220–264. According to Abhishek Singh, around 30 AI prototypes funded by the Government of India are moving toward deployment in ministries for tuberculosis triage, crop advisory, disaster alerts, grievance redressal, and education.

Tata EV Pothole Marketing

Tata EV is using potholes in Indian roads to market the Harrier EV, showcasing its off-road handling capabilities. The Tata EV campaign has attracted attention for its creativity but also highlights India’s road quality issues. Ather Energy has also tapped into this theme with its AtherStack 7.0 pothole alerts.