Mint Primer

Russia’s partial mobilization of reservists, announced on Wednesday by President Vladimir Putin, makes it clear that the war in Ukraine is far from over. A renewed high-intensity conflict is bad news for the global and Indian economies. Mint explains

Power distribution companies delaying payments to generating companies are now falling in line. Mint explores how things have changed.

On 13 September, a group of 13 companies urged the US Congress to approve a bill designed to rein in Big Tech firms. Dubbed the Klobuchar bill by many, it could be important not only to the US but to global antitrust regulators as well. Mint explains.

India introduced the pre-packaged insolvency resolution process in April 2021 as an alternative process for MSMEs. However, it has only two cases admitted under it so far. Mint explores the reasons.

The government will announce the National Logistics Policy (NLP) on 17 September, aiming to bring down logistics costs and address challenges plaguing importers and exporters. Mint's Ravi Dutta Mishra and Subhash Narayan examine how the policy could accelerate freight movement. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

The road ministry’s technology-driven initiative has its own challenges. Are we prepared for the shift? Mint's Subhash Narayan explores this in his report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Demand for consumer and personal loans grew 18.8% in July. Is the consumption economy on the mend? Mint Jagadish Shettigar & Pooja Misra explains.

Competitiveness Roadmap for India@100. It sets out the guidelines for India to become a $20 trillion economy in 25 years. Mint's Jagadish Shettigar & Pooja Misra decodes in their report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

On Friday, after months of tensions over the war in Ukraine, Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom shut Nordstream 1, the key pipeline supplying gas to Europe, without indicating a date for resuming flows. Mint takes a look at the development and its impact.

The tragic death of former Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry has refocused public attention on car safety features and passenger habits. The modern luxury car has numerous safety features. Are they enough to bring down fatalities? Mint’s Sumant Banerji explains in his report. This episode is hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

India’s auto components sector has always imported more than it exported, leading to a trade deficit. For the first time ever, the industry saw a significant $700 million trade surplus in FY22. What led to this, and will the trend sustain? Mint explains.

Worries of a recession in the West, and a prolonged lockdown in China, have begun impacting India’s exports. Official data shows exports in August fell from July and remained little changed from a year ago. Mint explains.

The Indian economy grew 13.5% in the June quarter, much lower than the central bank’s forecast of 16.2%. While a low base has made interpreting the data difficult, another factor may have led to a distortion: the government’s deflation method. Mint explains.

The ease of doing business in India remains low, dragged down by the way contracts are enforced in the country. Recent reforms have improved the business climate somewhat, but there is a long way to go. Mint's Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra dig deeper into the issue. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

The demolition of Supertech Ltd’s twin towers in Noida was a visual spectacle and may act as a deterrent for errant developers in some ways. However, it may take a long time to clean up the excesses of the past, particularly in the NCR. Mint's Madhurima Nandy explains. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Several new artificial intelligence (AI) driven services are letting anyone create art, and even sell them as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) online. Mint's Shouvik Das and Prasid Banerjee explain how they work, the scope of such services, and possible misuse. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Did NDTV disclose the possibility that it could lose ownership of the shares? Mint's Jayshree P. Upadhyay takes a look in her report. This episode is being hosted by Alisha Sachdev.

Are the sunny days of multiple offers and big hikes over for employees as the tech sector faces a margin crunch? Mint's Devina Sengupta explains in her report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Marketing practices of pharma firms are under scrutiny after tax officials searched the premises of a drugmaker, and an association of medical representatives moved the Supreme Court alleging unethical marketing practices by drugmakers. Mint's Priyanka Sharma and Gireesh Chandra Prasad examine the issue in their report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

India and the UK recently concluded the fifth round of talks for a free trade agreement (FTA), designed to encourage trade and investment relations. Expectations are that an FTA will be signed by October 2022. Mint's Jagadish Shettigar and Pooja Misra explores in their report the ambit and potential of the India-UK FTA. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Milk prices are rising, as producers and marketers pass on higher costs to consumers. Amul and Mother Dairy raised milk prices by ₹2 each this week, the second such hike this year. Mint's Suneera explores in her report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

Worries of a sustained slowdown in China as a result of its zero-covid strategy are troubling policymakers and trade experts worldwide. Mint's Ravi & Dilasha Seth explores in her report. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.

The Reserve Bank of India’s latest Industrial Outlook Survey shows that despite input cost pressures, businesses are optimistic about demand, and business sentiments are positive. Why does RBI conduct this survey and how does it help policymaking? Mint explains.

Air travel is facing a new crisis of delays, cancellations, and lost or delayed baggage, prompting Emirates to term the situation an ‘airmageddon’. The reason: A severe staff shortage at airlines and airports. This Mint Primer is written by Alisha Sachdev and presented by Prasid Banerjee explaining, what should you know before packing bags?

India is hoping to become a gold price-setter with the International Indian Bullion Exchange (IIBX), now open at the Gujarat International Finance Tech City (GIFT) - International Financial Services Centre. Mint's Jayshree P. Upadhyay explains in her report the challenges and opportunities before IIBX. This episode is being hosted by Prasid Banerjee.