businessline's State of the Economy Podcast

While commercial vehicles have remained stable, there is a shift towards higher-tonnage trucks due to increased demand for transportation, says Vinod Aggarwal, President, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, in conversation with businessline’s Ronendra Singh.  The auto industry has witnessed a remarkable performance in fiscal year 2024, with passenger vehicle sales reaching 4.2 million unit...

In this episode of the State of the Economy Podcast, Subramani Ra Mancombu speaks to Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder of Sattva Consulting on the issue of water scarcity in Indian agriculture, highlighted in the report “Transforming Crop Cultivation: Advancing Water Efficiency in Indian Agriculture.” Co-released by the DCM Shriram Foundation and Sattva Knowledge Institute, this report calls for ac...

In this State of the Economy podcast, anchored by businessline’s Chitra Narayanan - Shiv Shivakumar, Operating Partner, Advent International, and Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner/CCO, Bang In The Middle, look at the concept of nation branding, dissecting successful examples from around the globe, while shining a spotlight on India’s work and the untapped potential.  Shiv Shivakumar highlights Indi...

In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s Anjana PV discusses various methods of measuring India's digital economy. The podcast is joined by Deepak Mishra, Director and CE of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), and Mansi Kedia, Senior Fellow at ICRIER. The discussion explores the need for a new framework to assess digitalisation a...

In the latest episode of the State of Economy podcast, businessline’s Shishir Sinha discusses with DK Srivastava,Chief Policy Advisor, EY, recent data releases, particularly focusing on GST numbers and the PMI manufacturing index, both showcasing substantial growth.  Srivastava interprets these indicators as reflections of the Indian economy's buoyancy in the last quarter of FY24, with manufacturi...

In this ‘State of the Economy’ podcast hosted by businessline’s Parvatha Vardhini C, Ashish Shanker, MD&CEO, Motilal Oswal Private Wealth, starts by telling us what lies ahead for the equity markets after the relentless rally of the last 3 years. He feels that though India remains strong fundamentally with good growth rates, globally, the picture is not so great. Interest rates have not come off a...

There is a need for sustained investment in research and development to drive sustainable innovation and address complex defence challenges, says Vijaykrishnan Narayanan, Coordinator, INDUS-X Academic Collaborations, in conversation with businessline’s Dalip Singh.  Singh kicks off the conversation by emphasising the unique perspective an academician brings to the podcast on defence. He highlights...

In the latest episode of the State of the Economy Podcast, Vikram V, Vice President and Sector Head Corporate Ratings at ICRA, discusses the PM Surya Ghari Yojana, a scheme aimed at revitalising the rooftop solar sector in India. Vikram explains that the scheme offers subsidies to reduce the capital cost of setting up rooftop solar plants and electricity bills for consumers. The subsidy is aimed a...

In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, TE Raja Simhan speaks to Ankit Kumar, founder and CEO of Gurgaon-based Skye Air Mobility, about drone technology and its impact on logistics.  Ankit shares insights about drone technology and its role in logistics. He highlights how government policies, especially since 2018, have paved the way for widespread adoption, revolutionising industries...

In the midst of election fervour and the bustling currents of Corporate India, there emerges a discourse that’s setting the business world abuzz: the draft Digital Competition Bill, heralded by the Centre. This legislative proposal, still in its nascent stages following the inter-ministerial committee’s report, stands at the verge of reshaping India’s digital landscape. With the digital economy po...

As cybersecurity continues to evolve, it is important for companies to safeguard their digital assets and maintain trust in an increasingly interconnected world, says Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco, in conversation with businessline’s Hamsini Karthik.    The discussion begins with a focus on the increasing importance of cybersecurit...

In this episode of the State of the Economy Podcast, PT Jyothi Datta looks at the latest developments in pharmaceutical marketing practices with Varsha Rajesh, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences lawyer from Nishith Desai Associates. The Department of Pharmaceuticals issued the recently updated Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) 2024, which aims to redefine the boundaries bet...

From entry-level buyers to aspirational middle-class families, the demand for housing spans across various income brackets, showcasing a remarkable shift in mindset and purchasing power, says Pankaj Narang, Co-Founder & Director, Blitzkrieg Co., in conversation with businesline’s Abhishek Law. Narang starts by shedding light on the evolving consumer preferences driven by changing landscapes and gr...

In the latest episode of businessline's "State of Economy" podcast, Amiti Sen speaks to Ajay Srivastava, founder, Global Trade Research Initiative on India's latest milestone in international trade—the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.   The agreement, named the India-EFTA Tr...

In this episode of the State of the Economy Podcast, businessline’s Lokeshwarri speaks with Sandeep Yadav, Head-Fixed Income at DSP Mutual Fund , on the current state and future trajectory of interest rates, with a focus on both US and Indian bond yields.   The conversation kicks off with Lokeshwarri probing Sandeep on the eagerly anticipated US Fed rate cuts, particularly amidst the backdrop of t...

Founders of early-stage startups need to focus on problem-solving rather than merely catering to customer requests, say Mansi Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of DigitalPaani, and Shyam Menon, Co-Founder of Bharat Innovation Fund, in conversation with businessline's Kurmanath K V. Jain emphasises the significance of scalable solutions tackling environmental challenges, while Menon discusses red flags in s...

In this State of the Economy episode, Subramani Ra Mancombu speaks to former Union Agriculture Secretary Siraj Hussain on the report of the expert committee headed by him on the promotion of warehoused-based sales with a focus on e-Negotiable Warehouse Receipts. The report was submitted last week to help improve warehouse-based sales of agricultural produce. The committee’s focus is on promoting t...

Reasons why India is the global leader in copper recycling include efficient collection systems and minimal loss during processing, according to Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director, International Copper Association, India.   In this State of the Economy podcast with businessline’s Subramani Ra Mancombu, Karmarkar starts by elaborating on the significance of the stock and flow model, emphasising its...

In a conversation with businessline, BYD India’s Sanjay Gopalakrishnan projected a 30 to 40 per cent increase in overall EV sales in 2024. The company said it aimed to capitalise on this momentum by introducing a ‘diverse range of EVs tailored’ to Indian consumers’ preferences. The BYD SEAL, launched recently, boasts of a 650-kilometre range. It has had more than 200 bookings received within days...

Come March and women are celebrated, felicitated and pampered by brands. Marketers put out campaigns galore paying tributes to women consumers, offering discounts and incentives. How effective are these International Women’s Day marketing campaigns? Meanwhile, while women’s day gets a lot of noise and visibility, marketers have also taken to celebrating other days in a big way too – be it Father’s...

In this State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s Haripriya takes valuable insights from Sindhu Gangadharan SVP & MD,SAP Labs India and Vice Chairperson, nasscom, Sangeeta Gupta Sr. Vice President, and Chief Strategy Officer at nasscom, and Jagdish Mitra Head - India Business and Corporate Affairs, Tech Mahindra. Assessing India's position in the rapidly evolving global tech landscape, with a f...

In this episode of State of Economy, businessline’s Shishir Kumar Sinha talks to Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist, Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) to dissect macroeconomic trends, exploring manufacturing growth dynamics, delving into GST collections, addressing inflation concerns, and forecasting future rate revisions.  The podcast begins by addressing the issue of divergences b...

In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s Rishi Ranjan Kala speaks to Vijayanand Samudrala, President, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, on the EV mobility movement in India. Samudrala shares insights on India’s journey towards electrification, from its inception to the current surge in momentum. From two-wheelers to commercial vehicles, he shares how EVs are reshapi...

 Using quantitative strategies in investing and risk management is one of the evolving concepts in stock markets. In this State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s Parvatha Vardhini C speaks to Siddharth Vora, Head of Investment Strategy and Fund Manager at Prabhudas Lilladher on applying quantitative techniques to investment decisions.  Siddharth acknowledges that the markets have remained lac...

In recent years, a significant legal tussle has emerged between domestic startups and tech giant Google over the latter’s app billing practices.  At the heart of this dispute lies the issue of fair competition, revenue sharing, and control over app distribution channels. The controversy — which had its genesis in year 2020–revolves around Google's imposition of a mandatory 30 percent commission on...