BUSINESS
Startups | At $5.5 bn valuation, Byju’s is making investors sit up and take note
Byju’s valuation is making news. The sheer size of India’s education market and growth prospects could be the key factor at play
BUSINESS
India’s nutrition goals are stumped by execution challenges
Lack of timely data and weak political will are trouble spots even though the government has “a clear intent” to make India free of malnutrition
BUSINESS
Budget 2019 | Are relaxed sourcing norms for single-brand retail sign of a bigger thaw?
Things really didn’t work out with mandatory local sourcing of retail products. That possibly might force a government rethink for multi-brand retailing
BUSINESS
Budget 2019 | Clean mobility gets a big push, ball is in the automakers’ court now
Sitharaman’s proposed tax sops for buyers of electric cars, customs exemptions for car makers, investments for infrastructure development will force the industry to bite the bullet
BUSINESS
Economic Survey | Proposed citizen’s data framework is about public welfare, private profit and puts India at risk
Allowing the private sector access to select databases for commercial use can be fraught with risks
BUSINESS
Ola’s Mission: Electric – Softbank’s $250 million is only the beginning of a wave
Shared mobility is in for a renaissance – this time, electric is the catchword. Softbank’s latest funds infusion bears testimony to that
BUSINESS
Oyo has an American dream
Oyo’s American dream comes with a host of challenges despite the Indian unicorn being able to leverage on investor Airbnb’s home expertise
BUSINESS
Clean Mobility | India’s resolve to become an electric vehicle country by 2030 is taking shape
By asking Ola and Uber to transform 40 percent of their fleet to electric, the Modi 2.0 government is pushing the automobile industry to change
BUSINESS
Privacy matters | India’s resolute stand on data protection is a challenge to tech giants’ business ambitions
Besides protecting privacy of its citizens, India’s proposed Data Protection Bill aims to create an environment that would restrict dominance of foreign companies and help home-grown startups prosper.
BUSINESS
Startup Corner | Will Startup India get a fresh lease of life under Modi 2.0?
The signature scheme is plagued by many bottlenecks. The government in its new avatar must summon courage to tackle the trouble spots
BUSINESS
Tech Talk | Courtship over, Apple now ready for big India engagement
The iPhone maker’s India strategy is going through a sea change. It just can’t afford to delay the shift any further.
BUSINESS
Snack Wars | Pepsi vs farmers: Whose potato is it anyway?
The PepsiCo case has lessons for other companies that depend on a similar method of contract farming and try to enforce their exclusivity. On the flip side, this could be a blow to corporate efforts to improve productivity in the Indian farm sector as well
BUSINESS
Wallet Wars | US, China fight it out. This time, it’s WhatsApp Pay vs Paytm
WhatsApp’s reach and acceptability in India are fine, but regulatory hurdles can make life hard for the Facebook firm
BUSINESS
Sector notes | India’s automobile recovery is easier said than done
Liquidity crisis, regulatory issues, stricter emission norms, rising fuel prices, higher insurance cost and weak consumer sentiment won’t change overnight
TRENDS
Global beat | The Chinese dragon may be swallowing India’s new economy — slowly
Ctrip buying into MakeMyTrip is the latest among Chinese firms nibbling at India’s new-age firms. This could set the alarm bells ringing elsewhere
BUSINESS
Corporate Corridor | The beginning of the end for diesel cars
Market leader Maruti has just driven the first nail in the coffin. Other car makers may just follow suit
BUSINESS
Data Privacy | FTC penalising Facebook is just the beginning
By fining Facebook, FTC will send a signal to all tech firms of more crackdowns. Regulators across the world may take a cue and start investigating social media firms soon.
BUSINESS
E-commerce | Amazon bids adieu to China, will India be its lucky mascot?
The exit from China frees up cash that may be headed for India to make the most of the projected growth story, but it won’t be easy.
BUSINESS
Comment | Apple to make more phones in India, will prices drop?
With no customs duty, iPhones will get cheaper a bit. But, that may not be enough for Apple to win over India’s price sensitive consumers.
BUSINESS
Comment | Facebook’s manifesto for Indian elections: Will it work?
Facebook might have its heart in the right place when it says it is committed to fight the fake news menace, but, without making political parties accountable, there’s little social media platforms can do.
BUSINESS
Comment | India’s fake news problem won’t go, no matter what
The problem isn’t social media platforms, it is political parties who generate fake news, and nothing can stop them.
BUSINESS
Comment | Airbnb invests in Oyo to build its road to the Streets, Oyo gets a global platform
By pouring in $200 million to fuel its competitor Oyo's fire, Airbnb gets a better hold in India and China -- two markets where Airbnb has had limited luck.
BUSINESS
Comment | Netflix takes the ‘sachet’ route for India's entertainment hungry masses
Netflix takes a unique turn in India, offering a low priced mobile-only offering in a bid to grow its base of subscribers. Others in different sectors have gone down that road.
BUSINESS
Comment | Apple finally starts romancing services
From entertainment to news to financial services, Apple goes for all. But, it has nothing for India right now.
