Tag: Sri Lanka

PhonePe partners with PickMe to enable contactless payments for Indian travellers in Sri Lanka

National, 11th June 2024: PhonePe, today announced its collaboration with PickMe, Sri Lanka’sleading ride-hailing platform, to enable seamless UPI-based QR payments for Indian travellers in Sri Lanka. The partnership signifies a major step forward in enhancing their travel experience through the convenience of cashless transactions on their PickMe rides from the moment they exit the Bandaranaike International Airport.

New-PhonePe-Logo

 While travelling, managing foreign currency and ensuring enough cash on hand for various expenses can often become a hassle. By integrating PhonePe’s UPI-based QR payment system into their platform, PickMe aims to minimise that stress for Indian travellers visiting Sri Lanka. PhonePe users can make secure and quick payments for their rides with UPI.

 Commenting on the collaboration, Ritesh Pai, CEO, International Payments at PhonePe, added, “Our partnership with PickMe exemplifies the company’s commitment to provide Indian travellers with convenient and trusted payment solutions. Travel is all about exploring new cultures, where food and local shopping are an integral part of that adventure. Previously, navigating payments in a new country could be a hassle. Now, with PhonePe, Indian tourists visiting the beautiful island nation of Sri Lanka can enjoy the ease and security of UPI payments for their rides.”

 Jiffry Zulfer, CEO of PickMe added, “Currently, we are the only ride-hailing platform in Sri Lanka to offer such a service to Indian travellers, and we hope to continue to innovate so that we make our ride-hailing service a convenient, safe and cost-effective mode of transportation for everyone. This collaboration not only enhances the convenience for Indian travellers but also supports our mission to drive digital transformation in Sri Lanka’s transportation sector. By enabling QR payments, we are making travel easier and safer for tourists while also providing a new revenue stream for our drivers.”

 The collaboration follows the launch of PhonePe last month, wherein the Indian High Commissioner H.E. Santosh Jha had urged companies in Sri Lanka to engage with Indian companies to build on the UPI stack for innovations in hotel bookings, cab bookings, delivery services etc. The High Commissioner commended such collaborations saying, “I am confident that with greater commercial engagement in the fintech sector, India and Sri Lanka will unlock innovation and transformation in the digital domain.”

 Sri Lanka is one of the most popular destinations among Indian travellers. This collaboration underscores PhonePe’s commitment to adding more value to the overall experience of Indian travellers by allowing them to use familiar services like UPI during their visit.

Success of CMAI FAB Show 2024 Beckons a Bright Future for India’s Textile & Apparel Industry

CMAI FAB Show 2024

Mumbai, April 19, 2024: The Fabrics, Accessories & Beyond Show 2024 (FAB Show 2024), hosted by the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), wrapped up its 4th edition on a successful note consequently boosting Textile industry sentiments with exceedingly high business prospects. The three-day event, which took place from April 15 to April 17 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, outperformed industry expectations with an estimated business generation of more than 2,100 crores.

The trade show successfully attracted 10,200 trade visitors from 320+ cities across India which included over 1,500 elite platinum buyers. Moreover, overseas buyers from 16 countries mainly Bangladesh, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Russia, Hong Kong, USA, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Nepal also visited the show. The presence of sourcing heads from renowned brands and retail majors like Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Bestseller, Gokaldas Exports, Kora, Mufti, Pepe Jeans, Reliance Brands, Shoppers Stop, Soch, Stori, Spykar, Westside and many others further boosted industry confidence thus reflecting the event’s importance as a prime sourcing platform.

Speaking about the success of FAB show, Rajesh Masand, President, CMAI expressed, “The impact of this grand sourcing event will resonate across the garment industry supply chain, promising not only immediate business but also long-term strategic developments and new sourcing relationships for all stakeholders involved. The remarkable success of this year’s show reflects a buoyant industry outlook, fuelling optimism for a robust recovery in the upcoming seasons. This resurgence comes at a crucial time as our industry was stressed with tepid demand and recent challenges like the amendment affecting MSME payments. With the positive momentum generated by the FAB Show, there is a renewed confidence that the industry outlook will soon be back on growth path.”

This year’s FAB Show was a focal point for industry Innovation and Sustainability, showcased by over 200 domestic exhibitors, including major names like Grasim, Arvind, Siyaram’s, Gokul Print, Jindal, Banswara Syntex, Ruby Mills, Bhagwan Enterprise apart from many MSME’s. Noteworthy participants from diverse sectors such as fabric suppliers, accessories manufacturers, and software developers demonstrated their latest offerings and services to a discerning audience.

“FAB Show 2024 has set a new benchmark for success in the textile & apparel industry, reflecting our commitment to driving growth and sustainability,” said Naveen Sainani, Chairman FAB Show, CMAI. The Sustainability zone was a major attraction at the fair which showcased fabrics crafted from waste, recyclable materials and educated about benefits of waste water management promoting innovation & circularity which is a cornerstone of CMAI’s holistic strategy to engage, educate, and inspire the garment industry. He further elaborated “Our environment is changing and if the world can’t avoid deforestation, we need to invest in reforestation. On behalf of the 2876 visitors who pledged to voluntarily become earth warriors, CMAI will be planting 2876 tree saplings to create a healthier environment, fight climate change, and protect biodiversity”.

The Surat Pavilion organized by the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI) showcased over 40 leading fabric manufacturers for the fourth consecutive edition of FAB. One of the key reasons for the popularity of the Surat pavilion amongst the visitors is their ability to present the latest trends and understand the needs of the garment industry. Speaking about the current business landscape, Siddharth Dhawan, Director, Gokul Tex Print – a leading fabric manufacturer from Surat, expressed, “We have seen a steady growth over the last year, which slowed down in the last few months due to the MSME payment amendment that came in. This year, we are confident that starting June till December, signs of growth will become evident as we deliver the merchandise to manufacturers, which they will provide in the market.” Another participant, Ritesh Patel, Director, Surbhi Textile Mills from Surat said “We received an extraordinary response for all of our products and the presence of buyers from all across the country gave us a great exposure. We are looking forward to participate in the next CMAI show”.

The Fab Show - Post Release Image - 5

Speaking about their business outlook, Murugan Thenkondar, President – Marketing & Global Head – Business Development, Aditya Birla (Cellulosic Fibres) stated “The export market is facing a lot of turbulence currently and our domestic market has been growing steadily which is the reason we are exhibiting here. CMAI has been highly successful in presenting the textile value chain to participate mainly in cloth manufacturing brands, yarns, weavers, knitters, spinners and fibres thus offering a one-stop-destination to meet sourcing requirements. Distinguishing from other fairs, FAB is an excellent annual platform for the domestic customers and we are seeing a lot of positive energy at the show”.

Sailesh Kukreja, Managing Director, Bhagwan Enterprise from Mumbai elatedly said “We thank CMAI for implementing innovative measures to ensure the presence of buyers from across the country that made the fair a thrilling success. The exhibition was well organized and the on-spot visitor registration process was very swift. The overall publicity campaign was very well designed and consistently created a buzz on social media. We look forward to participating in all upcoming CMAI fairs and hope for a grander success”.

Speaking about Sustainability, J.P. Singh, Director, Ramtex – Parmeshwari Silk Mills from Ludhiana said, “We are committed to Sustainability and have adapted eco-friendly processes to save approximately four lakh litres of water daily. It is heartening to see that consumers are getting more environment-conscious by the day and are preferring eco-friendly fabrics such as ours. Our main markets have been Punjab, Haryana and Delhi; however, we have started receiving increased demand through our distributors from Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Indore too.”

A lucky draw contest was also held on all the three days of the show wherein Rupees 10 lacs worth of scooters, gift cards and holiday vouchers of leading brands were handed out to visitors and exhibitors.

CurveUp now offers free AWS re/Start cloud skills training program in Sri Lanka

In order to address the widening skills gap in the cloud computing sphere and provide individuals the opportunity to build cloud skills, CurveUp, a leading technology consultancy and education provider, is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide free cloud computing skills development and job training through the AWS re/Start program across Sri Lanka.

 

AWS re/Start is a 12-week training program that covers fundamental AWS Cloud skills as well as practical career skills, such as interviewing and resume writing, to help individuals prepare for entry-level cloud roles.

 

The IT sector in Sri Lanka employs 150,000 people, exhibiting tremendous interest in the sector. The internet penetration has covered more than 50% of entire the population and the post-Covid environment has further enabled online-based learning in Sri Lanka 2 . Together, CurveUp and AWS re/Start are helping to build an inclusive, diverse global pipeline of new cloud talent by engaging individuals who otherwise might not have had access to this career path.

 

The program helps prepare unemployed or underemployed individuals, including those without any IT experience or traditional higher education, who are seeking to launch new careers in the highly evolving technology sector. Mohammed Fawaz, Founder of CurveUp said, “Sri Lanka undoubtedly has immense potential when it comes to its diverse pool of talent and resources. We couldn’t be happier with this collaborative effort with AWS. Initiating the AWS re/Start program may open doors to many opportunities to people willing to develop their knowledge and skills in cloud, and we look forward to welcoming individuals from all walks of life.”

 

The program focuses on skills development, including for Linux, Python, networking and security, and relational databases, and will include scenario-based exercises, hands-on labs, and coursework. The program will be taught through an online learning platform by certified and experienced trainers. AWS re/Start is free to learners, and also covers the cost to take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. This AWS Certification helps validate the cloud skills of the leaners with an industry-recognized credential.

 

Emmanuel Pillai, Head of AWS Training and Certification, Amazon Web Services Singapore Private Limited in ASEAN, said, “As a native Sri Lankan, I am proud to see the AWS re/Start launch in this country. AWS re/Start brings “net-new” talent into the workforce, establishing a win-win-win scenario for individuals to launch successful careers in cloud, organizations to increase their competitive edge with in-demand talent, and communities to thrive and grow. We are proud to work with CurveUp to build the diverse, robust cloud workforce of the future enabling organizations to accelerate their innovation with the AWS Cloud.”

 

Ultimately, AWS re/Start helps individuals prepare for entry-level cloud roles, such as cloud operations, site reliability, and infrastructure support. This collaboration with AWS re/Start allows CurveUp to nuture cloud talent in Sri Lanka and create a strong learning environment which benefits the industry at large. CurveUp can also identify and fulfil untapped talent and may provide them with job opportunities by connecting them with many large employers in the country.

 

The AWS re/Start program is part of Amazon’s efforts to help 29 million people globally grow their cloud computing skills for free by 2025.

Over 50% of internet users in Asia will be using digital financial services by 2025

Analysts of the international fintech holding UnaFinancial revealed that more than half of internet users in the developing countries in South and Southeast Asia will be using digital financial services by 2025. Besides, by 2027 even digitally underdeveloped countries in the region will provide access to the Internet and digital technologies to 85% of the population.
The research considered the penetration of digital financial services in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
As the development of online financial services largely depends on access to the Internet, the analysts made a forecast of the maximum Internet penetration for each country first. This level can be as high as 81-85% depending on the age structure of the population.
UnaFinancial
Taking into account the Internet penetration rate of the previous years, as well as the government measures towards digitalization and the impact of Covid-19, the analysts have predicted that Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, India, and Sri Lanka will reach the maximum possible Internet penetration of 81-85% by 2025. The two remaining countries, Laos and Myanmar, will reach this level in 2027.
Given the year of the maximum Internet level for each country, the experts estimated the penetration of digital financial services. The forecast considered the share of the population having online financial accounts and the increase of financial inclusion during the previous years.
It revealed that in most countries, more than 50% of internet users will be using digital financial services by 2025-2027. In India, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia the level of financial services penetration will be especially high – from 62% to 69%. Meanwhile, in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar it will be relatively low. In these countries, the development of online financial services can be faster if the government takes a combined approach to develop financial technologies in terms of the legal framework and increase of digital and financial literacy.