Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa has unveiled a groundbreaking 10-minute ambulance service specifically for residents of Gurugram. Users of the Blinkit app can now conveniently order ambulance services directly to their location within just 10 minutes during emergencies.

In a detailed post on X, Dhindsa emphasised that this initiative is a significant step toward addressing the need for fast and reliable ambulance services in urban areas. The initial launch will feature five ambulances operating in Gurugram, with plans to introduce the option for booking Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances as the service expands to additional regions.

“As we expand the service to more areas, you will start seeing an option to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the @letsblinkit app,” he said.

All ambulances will be equipped with vital life-saving equipment, including oxygen cylinders, automated external defibrillators (AED), stretchers, monitors, and essential emergency medications. Each vehicle will be staffed by a trained paramedic, an assistant, and a qualified driver to ensure optimal care during emergencies.

“Our ambulances are equipped with essential life-saving equipment, including oxygen cylinders, AED (Automated External Defibrillator), stretcher, monitor, suction machine, and essential emergency medicines and injections,” he said.

Although Dhindsa did not disclose the pricing of this service, he highlighted that generating profit is not the primary objective. “We will operate this service at an affordable cost for customers and invest in really solving this critical problem for the long term. We are carefully scaling this service up as it is important and new to us. Our aim is to expand to all major cities over the next two years,” he stated.

“Profit is not a goal here. We will operate this service at an affordable cost for customers and invest in really solving this critical problem for the long term,” the Blinkit CEO said.

This ambulance service marks Blinkit’s second significant launch within the week. Previously, Dhindsa announced the introduction of an electric vehicle fleet designed to handle large orders, including electronics and party supplies, emphasizing their current availability in Delhi and Gurugram with plans for expansion to other cities soon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed strong condemnation regarding the alleged terror attack in New Orleans that resulted in 15 fatalities.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the cowardly terrorist attack in New Orleans. He added that his thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. May they find strength and solace as they heal from this tragedy, he continued.

On January 1, an army veteran with an Islamic State flag in a pickup truck drove into a crowd of New Year’s celebrants in New Orleans, claiming the lives of 15 people and injuring numerous others. The FBI identified the attacker as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, aged 42, a Texas-based American citizen. Records suggested his previous employment as a Houston real estate agent and his military service as an IT specialist.

The police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, called Jabbar a terrorist, while the FBI confirmed discovering an Isis flag in the vehicle. Furthermore, FBI agent Alethea Duncan said on Wednesday that investigations were underway, mentioning that authorities do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible.

The police said the incident took place around 3:15 am (0915 GMT) near Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter, packed with people celebrating the start of 2025. The FBI said that the suspect drove a white Ford F-150 electric pickup into a group of pedestrians. It added that two homemade bombs were also found and neutralized.

The police superintendent said that the accused was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could. He also noted that driving at very high speed and in a very intentional manner, he was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden termed the attack despicable and revealed that Jabbar had published online videos before the incident indicating that he was inspired by Isis. The US President additionally mentioned that authorities were investigating possible connections between this incident and a subsequent explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck near a Donald Trump-owned hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, which led to one casualty, whilst noting no established links thus far.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has contributed to empowering small businesses and revolutionising e-commerce, thus playing a vital role in furthering growth and prosperity.

The ONDC, endorsed by the government, aims to counteract the platformisation prevalent among major tech companies by unbundling the components of product discovery, seller interactions, and logistics involved in e-commerce transactions. It has already been applied in food delivery services, e-retail ordering, and, most notably, cab and auto rides, serving as an alternative to Uber and Ola.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also highlighted the network’s achievements over the past three years, stating that ONDC “has not only achieved numerous milestones but also empowered businesses, especially small enterprises,” creating a level playing field within the market, which garnered Modi’s approval.

While various food delivery, e-commerce, and cab-hailing platforms have joined ONDC, alongside logistics partners and app discovery platforms, some established services like movie and event ticketing providers, such as BookMyShow and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), have not yet participated. These platforms often maintain exclusivity over travel and event bookings, accompanied by relatively high digital service fees. A senior ONDC official noted efforts are ongoing to encourage these platforms to onboard.

The government’s objective is to transform the e-commerce market’s structure from a “platform-centric model to an open-network model.” The ONDC draws inspiration from the successful Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which enables users to send and receive money across different payment platforms. Similarly, the government aims for buyers and sellers in the e-commerce sphere to conduct transactions regardless of their registered platforms, meaning a buyer registered with Amazon could purchase goods directly from a seller using Flipkart.

To facilitate such transactions, the government has mandated that companies register on the ONDC. After launching a pilot in several major cities last year, thousands of sellers have already been onboarded onto the platform; however, Amazon and Flipkart have yet to integrate their core shopping platforms into the ONDC network.