Harassment arrests at TCS - Asian Tech Roundup

Plus: Tesla’s humanoid robot plans for Shanghai

Welcome to Computing's weekly roundup of tech news in Asia. This time we look at alleged harassment at a TCS office, robot plans for Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory and North Korean cybercriminals targeting macOS users.

In a week of bad headlines for the Indian tech sector, an exploitation scandal has erupted at an office of one of the largest of its giants, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

Police are investigating allegations that between February 2022 and March 2026, claims of repeated sexual harassment by multiple female employees at TCS’s office in Nashik, Maharashtra went unaddressed, despite complaints to HR.

In March 2026, one employee filed a complaint to the police, accusing a colleague of deception, sexual exploitation, and harassment. This led to an investigation by Nashik Police, who encouraged other victims to come forward.

By 3^rd April, nine complaints had been registered: eight by women alleging sexual harassment, assault and religious coercion, and one by a male employee citing religious insensitivity.

The police commissioner heading the case said the suspects – who hold senior roles, including team leaders and training officials - allegedly misused their authority to harass juniors. It is also alleged that they were working together.

Six employees and an assistant general manager have been arrested, with an eighth suspect still at large. The manager was remanded for allegedly abetting harassment by ignoring complaints, with investigators pointing to her lack of cooperation and potential to tamper with evidence.

The case has brought to light systemic failures in addressing workplace harassment and sexual violence in India.

TCS says it has suspended the suspects and is cooperating with the police.

China

• Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory is being positioned as a central hub for mass production of the Optimus humanoid robot, with executives describing the facility as a “golden key” to scaling manufacturing. Source
• Apple’s iPhone shipments in China surged 20% in the first quarter of 2026, outperforming competitors despite a 4% drop in the overall market, as rising memory chip prices pushed up costs. Huawei also expanded, while Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor saw declines. Source
• China imposed new restrictions on electric vehicle technology exports, requiring special permits and complicating plans for battery makers to expand abroad, while simultaneously increasing investment in overseas energy projects. Source
• Despite US technology curbs, China continues to profit from the AI boom, remaining deeply integrated in Asian supply chains and benefiting from increased US AI spending. Source
• AI technology is being used to support conservation efforts for endangered species, with new tools helping researchers monitor and protect wildlife. Source
• Huawei has unveiled a new foldable smartphone, likely to have similar features to the anticipated Apple iPhone Fold. Source
• Dishan Technology is reportedly close to achieving a breakthrough in 2nm AI chip development, which could advance China's semiconductor capabilities. Source
• YMTC, China’s ⁠largest maker of NAND flash memory chips, plans to build three new factories, each with a capacity to produce 100,000 wafers per month. Source

India

• Indian authorities are investigating Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) after a police sting uncovered allegations of sexual harassment and religious bullying among staff at the IT services giant. Source
• Shares in Wipro fell 2.9% after the company issued a weak revenue forecast for the current quarter. The outlook has raised worries about the profitability of India’s IT sector. Source
• YouTube’s new AI avatar tool for Shorts has raised concerns in India over deepfake risks and personality rights, prompting calls for clearer regulations and safeguards. Source
• India is emerging as a leader in agentic AI adoption across Asia with the highest concentration of “expert” agentic AI users of any country surveyed. Australia and Japan are at an intermediate stage, according to an OutSystems report. Source
• India’s smartphone shipments fell 3% year-on-year in Q1 2026, marking the weakest quarter in six years, as AI-driven component shortages and price hikes - especially for memory - hit consumer demand and stretched upgrade cycles. Source

Japan

• Sony will receive up to ¥60 billion ($380 million) in subsidies from the Japanese government for a new image sensor factory in Kumamoto to supply autonomous driving and AI technologies. Source
• JX Metals Circular Solutions has developed a process to recover 90% of lithium from old electric vehicle batteries. Source
• Japan’s space exploration agency (JAXA) believes a poorly specified adhesive was to blame for failure of a satellite launch using its locally developed H3 rocket last year. Source
• Japan’s translation industry is rapidly adopting GenAI, with major firms integrating the technology and smaller agencies facing pressure to adapt or risk being left behind. Source

North Korea

• Two Americans have been sentenced to prison for facilitating a scheme that placed North Korean IT workers in over 100 US companies, generating $5 million for the regime through stolen identities and remote access. Source
• North Korean cybercriminals are targeting macOS users with social engineering tactics, including fake Zoom software updates, to steal credentials and cryptocurrency. Source

South Korea

• South Korea is set to provide free mobile services to 7 million users, aiming to improve digital access for low-income households. Source
• Samsung's 2nm chip yields remain too low to attract top-tier clients like Apple, NVIDIA and AMD away from TSMC, according to an industry report. Source
• Samsung has requested a court to block unions from holding a strike amid continuing unrest at the tech giant. Source
• AI chip startup DeepX is preparing to go public to capitalise on the growing demand for AI hardware. Source

Taiwan

• TSMC reported a 58% rise in first-quarter profit, driven by record demand for AI chips, with revenue from AI accelerator products expected to double despite US-China trade tensions. Source
• But TSMC has warned that rising gas prices, driven by the Iran conflict, could dent its future profit margins. Source

Elsewhere in Asia

• Australia: Research suggests most Australian children under 16 are still accessing restricted social media platforms, despite a government ban. Source
• Indonesia: The FBI and Indonesian National Police dismantled the W3LL phishing network, which enabled over $20 million in fraud attempts and stole thousands of account credentials globally. Source
• Malaysia: A new report compares Malaysia’s MyDigital ID with similar digital identity models in Estonia, Singapore and India and finds it promising, but at an early stage. Source
• Singapore: Singaporean datacentre provider STT GDC has launched an AI testing hub, offering local businesses access to advanced tools and infrastructure at a claimed low cost. Source
• Southeast Asia: The region leads globally in AI optimism, but its governance frameworks are lagging, raising questions about readiness for widespread adoption. Source