The Morning Brief

The skincare landscape in India has been significantly reshaped since the pandemic. Terms like serums, active ingredients, double cleansing, guasha tools, glass skin, and the Korean clear skin regime have become household names among skincare enthusiasts. A new phenomenon, ‘Sephora Kids’ is now making waves in the US, where preteens and early teens are increasingly using anti-aging products. This...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal exchange sharp accusations as the battle intensifies in the last leg of the 18th Lok Sabha Elections. In this episode of Polls On My Pod, we explore the unique electoral landscapes of Punjab and West Bengal, where local issues and state policies shape voter sentiment. From the farmer protests in Punjab affecting BJP’s prospects to Mamata Banerjee’s...

A small revolution has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir! Record numbers of people, from first-time voters to those who have boycotted elections for decades, came out to vote for a new government. Even Kashmiri migrants returned home to participate. In this election special series ‘Polls On My Pod’, we explore the implications of these elections, the highest turnout in 35 years for the Anantnag-Raj...

The ripple effect of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has stretched far beyond its epicenter, reaching as far as Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu -- India’s knitwear capital. Tiruppur, often dubbed ‘Dollar Town,’ is renowned for contributing over 50% to India’s knitwear exports. However, the city now faces a crisis. Rising energy costs, inflation, reduced Western consumption, and local challenges like insufficient...

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) proposed changes for project financing could significantly alter how infrastructure and real estate projects are funded. The central bank has suggested increasing the provisioning for all project-backed loans to enhance accountability and project viability. A recent government survey of 1,873 projects revealed substantial delays and cost overruns, highlighting the...

Taunts and titters are flowing thick and fast as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections heat up after the apex court’s recent interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. In this episode of The Morning Brief's special election podcast, 'Polls On My Pod', we dive into the elections in Delhi and Haryana – two small but crucial north Indian states. Here, the fight isn't just about numbers; it's about prestige. Li...

Haldiram's, a bhujia maker that started from a modest shop in Bikaner, is now a multi-billion-dollar business wooed by private equity giants, at valuations topping a staggering Rs 70,000 crore. What makes Haldiram's so attractive? Is public listing a possibility too? Can its GenNext continue to steer the group towards more growth?  In this episode, host Ratna Bhushan explores the group’s fascinati...

After years of relentless effort, India has signed a contract with Iran to operate its port of Chabahar. The port can potentially give India a firm foothold in global trade opening up easy routes to Afghanistan, and access to Central Asia and Europe. It will help India rival Pakistan’s Gwadar port and China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. But US’ sanctions on Iran and its trade partners loom...

US-based trading firm Jane Street Group has taken 2 former employees to court for allegedly stealing a confidential and immensely valuable trading strategy for the Indian derivatives market that helped it rake in a billion dollars. This has raised questions about trading firms’ profits coming at the expense of unsophisticated mom-and-pop traders. The Morning Brief’s latest episode lays threadbare...

For this episode of Polls On My Pod, we travelled through India's coal belt, where mining threatens elephants & villagers. Tribals, facing crop destruction, demand solutions. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, a once Naxal-controlled region recently held elections. Villagers, for the first time, voted in their own villages, boosting turnout! Is development possible without harming the environment? Can c...

Macrotech Developers, led by MD Abhishek Lodha, is aiming to be more than just a sales-topping builder. Lodha wants the company to be a consumer goods firm, focusing on accessibility and desired locations for homebuyers. This comes with a boom in India's luxury housing market and a predicted threefold growth in the realty sector by 2034. Listen to Hosts Anirban Chowdhury and Kailash Babar on The M...

From BTS to Bibimbap, K-culture is taking over India's Gen Z! But it's not just K-Pop and K-Dramas anymore. Studying abroad in South Korea is becoming super popular. But why the sudden surge? Host Prachi Verma dives into the reasons behind the "K-College" craze!  South Korea offers high-quality education, lower costs compared to Western countries, and a chance to experience the Korean culture firs...

Budget airline IndiGo is shaking things up! It just ordered a bunch of giant Airbus A350 planes, which translates to things the LCC has never offered before: long haul international flights and a semi premium product. This could be a game changer for Indian aviation, given it controls more than 60% of the market. The new planes are expensive to own and fly, competition is fierce, and it'll take ti...

Rahul Gandhi's strategic move to contest from Rae Bareli, a seat steeped in history, sets the stage for intense electoral drama. From interesting contests in Madhya Pradesh to the new factor of Rajput agitation in Gujarat and the nationwide impact, host Nidhi Sharma dissects the battlegrounds and issues shaping the upcoming elections. Tune in for exclusive insights and expert analysis from ET’s C...

In this episode of The Morning Brief podcast, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar talks about his role in the elections, Biden’s “xenophobic” remark, terror elements in Canada, problems in Pakistan and Myanmar, his critique of Nehru’s foreign policy and what OTT series he is currently watching with ET.  Tune in now!  If you like this episode, check out more Corner Office Conversations from the...

Wipro, a leading Indian IT company, has been under the spotlight for a string of high-profile exits. CEO Thierry Delaporte's abrupt resignation before his term's end follows a trail of senior departures, including CFO Jatin Dalal and growth officer Stephanie Trautman. Can Wipro's new captain, veteran Srinivas Pallia, navigate the choppy waters? This episode of The Morning Brief podcast dives deep...

Food delivery giants Swiggy and Zomato are set to battle it out on the stock exchange! But can Swiggy challenge the reigning champion Zomato? Hosts Mugdha Variyar and Apoorva Mittal dive deep into this delivery duel as they analyse Swiggy's story, Zomato's dominant market share, and what it all means for investors. Hear from market analyst Karan Taurani of Elara Capital and cloud kitchen brand Gho...

In this episode of The Morning Brief’s election special series “Polls On My Pod," we delve into the recent challenge of credibility surrounding the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. As the battle of rhetoric escalates between political heavyweights, the Election Commission of India has taken the unprecedented step of serving notices to the BJP and Congress for alleged violations of the model code of condu...

The RBI has barred Kotak Mahindra Bank from signing up new customers through online and mobile banking channels and issuing fresh credit cards. The move–a bankers’ biggest nightmare–has resulted in Kotak Mahindra Bank losing a billion dollars in market value, and third place in market cap to its nearest rival Axis Bank on the bourses. The Morning Brief’s latest episode sheds light on the reasons b...

Ravi Kant Jaipuria, Chairman of RJ Corp is responsible for 1/6th of the world guzzling Pepsi. His company Varun Beverages is PepsiCo’s best bottler in the world. The markets love the company whose stock has surged by 300% in two years. But there’s much more to Jaipuria’s nearly $3 billion business empire: QSRs, tea parlours, stem cells and schools. In a candid chat with host Ratna Bhushan on The M...

The insurance’s removal of age caps for buying insurance policy can be the start of much needed reforms in this sector. But questions on expense and accessibility remain. In this podcast, we break down the intricacies of these regulatory amendments, especially for senior citizens with pre-existing conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Anirban Chowdhury and Shilpy Sinha talk to Dr S Prakash MD...

On this episode of ‘Polls On My Pod,’ host Nidhi Sharma dissects the surprising turnout in the first phase of India's 18th Lok Sabha elections. With a notable 3% decrease compared to parliament election 2019, several questions arise: was it the scorching heat, voter fatigue, or a growing sense of apathy? This episode delves into the factors behind this decline and brings you firsthand accounts fro...

Alarmed by recent reports of questionable ingredients in baby food, protein powders, and even masalas, The Morning Brief podcast delves into the state of India's processed food industry and its product safety system. Host Kiran Somvanshi dissects the issue with Dr. Arun Gupta , convenor of Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest or NAPi, Award-winning journalist Michael Moss , author of ‘Sugar, Salt...

The world of media and entertainment is going through an era of generational disruption. Some find it scary; others are excited at the fast and furious pace of mega consolidation. Host Arijit Barman sits down with Arjun Nohwar , the GM of Warner Brothers Discovery in South Asia to talk about content, commerce and cinema navigating this landscape. On a personal note, Arjun’s own career path is as i...

India gears up for its most extensive electoral journey yet! The 18th Lok Sabha elections kick off this Friday, April 19, spanning across seven phases. With 102 Lok Sabha constituencies up for grabs in the first phase across 21 states, the battle for governance begins! Join us for an exclusive two-part episode of The Morning Brief podcast diving deep into the heart of the electoral battleground. I...