In an era where technology is fast assimilating with everything we know, from traditional jobs to business operations, it has become imperative that one employs the new breed of professionals who have shaped their skills based on what the modern businesses and companies need. A DevOps engineer is one such profession, which combines the traditional role of a agile projektmanagement team leader with a modern-day IT professional to create a profession whose primary objective is to assimilate IT operations into traditional business environments to allow for a more robust data and information infrastructure that allows for fast-paced deployment of software as a mass-production factory would.
Who is a DevOps Engineer?
DevOps refer to the set of practices that combines software development with IT operations, essentially shortening the systems development cycle. This allows engineers to deploy code changes and deliver high-quality software within the shortest possible time.
The professional engaged in this field must have the skill set of both a software developer and IT professional to allow them to constantly update and change the code keeping it in line with the demands of the IT infrastructure.
Role of a DevOps Engineer
A DevOps engineer is rarely needed to start software development from scratch but is required to know the basics of software development languages and has to be familiar with development tools required to create code from scratch or update existing code frequently to suit software development needs. They tackle the coding and scripting that is required to connect various elements of the code such as databases, libraries, SDKs, and integrate data management and messaging tools that are essential to run the software release on various operating systems and production infrastructure. Here’s a detailed overview of the tasks and a DevOps professional:
Basic knowledge and familiarity with programming languages, Linux and at least one scripting language is needed
Should be able to work with a variety of technologies and tools, which are open-source, for ease of maintenance of source codes
Should have a detailed knowledge of multiple IT operations as well as Sysadmin roles to allow for easier deployment and integration
Should have expertise in testing and deployment of software codes
Should be familiar with a variety of automation tools that can aid in software development
Should be familiar with an agile methodology that allows for continuous iteration of software development and testing
Should be able to connect the technical and business goals of the project
What skills should a DevOps Professional have?
As a DevOps engineer, there is not a fixed set of qualifying skills that you must have. However, the following set of skills can come very handy to your job.
You must have experience in OS administration on popular operating systems like Windows and Linux.
You must have experience with automation and configuration management tools like Puppet and Chef.
You must have a basic understanding of coding and scripting with common languages like PHP, Python, Perl, and Ruby.
You must have knowledge of an OOP language.
You must have experience in IT operations with expertise in server, storage, and network device installation and monitoring.
You must have the management abilities to play a supportive and collaborative role in a team environment.
You must have strong knowledge of virtualization technologies like VMware, vSphere, etc.
You must have experience with CI/CD tools like GitHub, Red Hat Ansible, Prometheus, etc.
You must have hands-on experience with public cloud resources and services like Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, etc.
You must have experience with IT monitoring and management tools.
You must be able to troubleshoot issues in the test and production environment.
The role of a DevOps professional does not follow a traditional career track. It’s a cumulation of a variety of backgrounds into one profession to create a hybrid that suits modern software development needs. A DevOps professional is required to have the best of both system administration and programming worlds and integrate them to create a very specific skill set.
Need for a DevOps professional
The modern era is fast-paced, and starting code from scratch is not always the best possible course of action. Using pre-existing code in tandem with open-source technologies allows developers to put together programs and software that fulfill specific needs and adhere to the requirements of the client or the developer. This allows for fast-paced software development which is efficient and highly profitable as no new code needs to write thus saving a lot of time.
This approach has greatly reduced software development cycles and allowed for easily modifiable source code that can be changed to meet the changing needs and demands of businesses. The testing and deployment processes have become much more important as they decide whether the new code is stable and able to run on popular Operating systems and fulfill client demands. The code needs to be able to handle frequent and incremental changes which is why a DevOps professional needs to be aware of various coding and scripting concepts and be able to integrate various management and other tools into the software.
DevOps Salary
As a DevOps engineer, you have a hybrid set of skills that are unique and gained from your personal experience. It’s dependent on your job description and how much work you do in the team as a DevOps engineer. The scope of your salary is decided by the functions you undertake as a DevOps professional. As per the DICE Tech Salary Report 2019, a DevOps engineer had an average salary of $110,000 annually. This figure is influenced by the geographic location of your job as well as the range of work you must do. The pay grade sits comfortably above that of IT professionals such as software engineers, developers, systems engineers, project managers, and such. DevOps is a rising profession with more and more business enterprises feeling the need to have a professional DevOps engineer which can allow them to speed up software development cycles.
TRADE talks between India and the US have hit a roadblock over disagreements on duties for auto components, steel and farm goods, Indian government sources said to Reuters, dashing hopes of reaching an interim deal ahead of president Donald Trump's July 9 deadline to impose reciprocal tariffs.
Here are the key issues at play:
HURDLES TO A TRADE DEAL
India's dependence on agriculture – a major source of rural jobs – has made it politically difficult for New Delhi to accept US demands for steep tariff cuts on corn, soybean, wheat and ethanol, amid risks from subsidised US farm products.
Domestic auto, pharmaceutical, and small-scale firms are lobbying for only a gradual opening of the protected sectors, fearing competition from US firms.
The US is pushing for greater access to agricultural goods and ethanol, citing a significant trade imbalance, along with expanded market access for dairy, alcoholic beverages, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.
"LACK OF RECIPROCITY"
Despite India offering to cut tariffs on a range of farm products, give preferential treatment to US firms, and increase energy and defence purchases, Indian officials say they are still awaiting substantive proposals from Washington amid Trump's erratic trade policies.
Indian exporters remain concerned about US tariff hikes, including a 10 per cent average base tariff, 50 per cent on steel and aluminium, and 25 per cent on auto imports, as well as a proposed 26 per cent reciprocal duty that remains on hold.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Indian policymakers see the US as a preferred partner over China but remain cautious about compromising policy autonomy in global affairs.
The US is India’s largest trading partner and a major source of investment, technology, energy, and defence equipment.
TENSIONS OVER PAKISTAN
India remains wary of deeper strategic ties after Trump’s perceived tilt toward Pakistan during a recent conflict between the neighbours, which raised doubts about US reliability.
GROWING INDIAN EXPORTS TO US
New Delhi is confident exports will continue to grow, especially in pharmaceuticals, garments, engineering goods and electronics, helped by tariff advantage over Vietnam and China.
India's goods exports to the US rose to over $87 billion in 2024, including pearls, gems and jewellery worth $8.5 billion, pharmaceuticals at $8 billion, and petrochemicals around $4 billion.
Services exports – led by IT, professional and financial services – were valued at $33 billion in 2024.
The US is also India's third-largest investor, with over $68 billion in cumulative FDI between 2002 and 2024.
US EXPORTS TO INDIA
US manufacturing exports to India, valued at nearly $42 billion in 2024, face high tariffs, ranging from 7 per cent on wood products and machinery to as much as 15 to 20 per cent on footwear and transport equipment, and nearly 68 per cent on food.
According to a recent White House fact sheet, the US average applied Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff on farm goods was 5 per cent compared to India’s 39 per cent.
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Vedanta Resources, which is based in the UK and owned by Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal, has been working on reducing its debt. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
VEDANTA LTD said on Thursday that its parent company, Vedanta Resources, has signed a loan facility agreement worth up to £438 million with international banks to refinance existing debt.
The refinancing move, where old loans are replaced by new ones, often at better terms like lower interest rates, has led ratings agencies such as S&P Global Ratings and Moody's to upgrade their outlook on the company this year.
According to Vedanta's exchange filing on Thursday, the lenders involved in the deal include Standard Chartered Bank and its Mauritius unit, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreqbank, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.
Vedanta Resources, which is based in the UK and owned by Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal, has been working on reducing its debt.
The company lowered its net debt by £876m, bringing it down to £8.1 billion in fiscal 2025.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Trump said that while deals are being made with some countries, others may face tariffs.
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Friday said a "very big" trade deal could be finalised with India, suggesting significant movement in the ongoing negotiations between the two countries.
“We are having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one. Where we're going to open up India," Trump said at the “Big Beautiful Bill” event at the White House.
The president also mentioned a trade agreement with China but did not provide details. "Everybody wants to make a deal and have a part of it. Remember a few months ago, the press was saying, 'You really have anybody of any interest? Well, we just signed with China yesterday. We are having some great deals," he said.
‘Some we are just gonna send a letter’
Trump said that while deals are being made with some countries, others may face tariffs. "We're not gonna make deals with everybody. Some we are just gonna send a letter saying thank you very much, you are gonna pay 25, 35, 45 per cent. That's an easier way to do it," he said.
Trump's comments come as an Indian delegation led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agarwal arrived in Washington on Thursday for the next round of trade talks with the US.
Talks ahead of July 9 deadline
Both countries are working on an interim trade agreement and are aiming to conclude it before July 9. The US had announced high tariffs on April 2, but the Trump administration suspended them until July 9.
Agriculture and dairy remain sensitive areas for India, which has not included dairy in any of its free trade agreements so far. India is cautious about offering duty concessions in these sectors.
The US is seeking duty reductions on items such as industrial goods, automobiles (especially electric vehicles), wines, petrochemical products, dairy products, and agricultural goods like apples, tree nuts, and genetically modified crops.
India, on the other hand, wants duty concessions for sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas.
ASDA, one of Britain’s largest supermarkets, has reported a pre-tax loss of £599 million for 2024, swinging sharply from a £180 million profit the previous year.
The loss comes despite total sales rising by over £1 billion to £26.8bn, as the retailer faces mounting debt costs, falling sales, and spiralling spending on a major IT overhaul, the Telegraph reported.
The main blow to Asda’s finances has come from its heavy debt load, a legacy of its £6.8bn buyout by the Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital in 2021.
According to the report, the company’s debt pile, now close to £5bn, has become much more expensive to service as interest rates have risen. Last year, finance costs jumped by 38 per cent to £611 million, up from £441 million the previous year
Asda said it was forced to pay higher rates after refinancing part of its debt, putting further pressure on its bottom line.
Another major factor behind the loss is the ongoing “Project Future” – Asda’s multi-year plan to separate its computer systems from former owner Walmart. The project has been beset by delays and cost overruns, with total spending now approaching £1bn, far above its original budget
Last year alone, Asda spent £310m on the IT transition, which has included job cuts and outsourcing as the company tries to control costs. Problems with the new systems have also led to pay errors for thousands of staff.
While overall revenue rose thanks to new store openings, underlying sales have slipped. Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, fell by 3.4 per cent to £21.7bn, with food sales down 3.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, Asda’s share in the UK grocery market has dropped to a record low of 12.1 per cent, with the retailer losing ground to rivals such as Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl
Despite efforts to win back shoppers with price cuts and a new convenience store push, Asda was the only major supermarket to report a sales decline in recent months, analysts said.
The company’s results were also hit by a £378m impairment charge, reflecting a drop in the value of its stores and assets. These one-off costs, combined with the IT spending, were singled out by Asda as the main reasons for the headline loss.
“The reported overall loss is the result of two significant one-off costs,” an Asda spokesman said, pointing to the impairment and Project Future costs. “These are not recurring costs and do not reflect the underlying performance of the business”
Allan Leighton, who returned as chairman last year, has launched a price war and cost-cutting drive to try to restore Asda’s fortunes. He has described many of the company’s problems as “self-inflicted” and is aiming to “turn it into what it was”. However, he has warned that a full recovery could take several years.
Despite the bleak headline numbers, Asda insists its core business remains profitable, with a pre-tax profit of £115m before exceptional items. Adjusted earnings before rent also rose slightly to £1.14bn.
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Mounjaro, or tirzepatide, is part of a new class of weight-loss medications, with trials showing patients losing an average of 20 per cent of their body weight after 72 weeks.
ELI LILLY said on Thursday that it has received approval from India's drug regulator to launch pre-filled injector pens of its weight-loss drug, Mounjaro.
The move gives the company more options to compete with Novo Nordisk, which recently launched its weight-loss drug Wegovy in the country.
Lilly began selling Mounjaro in India in late March for treating diabetes and obesity. Until now, it was available only in 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials.
"With this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment," Lilly India President Winselow Tucker said.
According to a company statement, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has approved Mounjaro KwikPen, for once-weekly use, in six dose strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg.
The approval will allow Lilly to compete more directly with Denmark-based Novo Nordisk, which launched Wegovy in India on Tuesday with multiple dose strengths and an “easy-to-use” pen device.
India, with a rising number of diabetes and obesity cases, presents a major market for weight-loss drugs. A study published in the medical journal The Lancet ranks India among the top three countries globally for high obesity rates.
Lilly did not share pricing details. Each Mounjaro pen will have four fixed doses of 0.6 ml.
Mounjaro and Wegovy are part of a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These help regulate blood sugar levels and slow digestion, which makes people feel full for longer periods.
In India, both companies are expected to face competition from domestic generic drugmakers that are working on lower-cost versions of Wegovy. The drug’s active ingredient, semaglutide, is set to go off patent in India next year.
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury