The Morning Brief

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...

The Great Indian Bustard, a majestic bird on the brink of extinction, is caught in a conflict between conservation and renewable energy. Out of this battle has come a landmark judgement from the Supreme Court: the fundamental right against the adverse impact of climate change. Host Anirban Chowdhury explores both sides of the legal tussle and analyses the newly adjudicated fundamental right. Can i...

Ever wondered how the guys behind those outrageously funny AIB sketches became the masterminds behind crazy-effective ad campaigns? Buckle up, because in this episode, we dive into the world of Moonshot with Deviah Bopanna himself! Deviaha, along with his fellow AIB writers, took their signature brand of sharp wit and unapologetic humor and turned the advertising world on its head. Host Apoorva Mi...

Vistara pilots are unhappy with a new contract which makes many of them fly more and earn less. Several have stayed away from work, leading to flight cancellations and travel headaches. The airline has maxed out pilot schedules, leaving no wiggle room for contingency rostering. This mess highlights the challenges of merging Vistara with Air India, known for its own labor issues. It's not uncommon...

India's audit profession is at a critical juncture. From risks rising for auditors, increased public scrutiny, audit fees becoming a bone of contention and a decline in students pursuing Chartered Accountancy.. the list of challenges galore. However, the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is driving positive change, and the demand for specialized forensic audits is growing. Host Kiran S...

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi rallying his troops with the war cry of "Ab ki baar chaar sau paar," the stage is set for a gripping electoral showdown. From the BJP's strategic moves, including partnerships with regional heavyweights like Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, Jayant Chaudhary's RLD, and others, to the intricate balancing act of the Opposition's INDIA bloc, host Nidhi Sharma talks about the...

We all know content is king, and Indian entrepreneurs are taking the podcast world by storm. But why? Are these shows just a branding and marketing exercise disguised as content for their hosts and guests? Apoorva Mittal gets into the details with Ankur Warikoo , Entrepreneur and Content Creator, and Shantanu Deshpande , Founder of Bombay Shaving Company & Host of The Barber Shop Podcast. Tune...

Indian stock market is testing for same-day trade settlement (T+0), which will make it among the fastest stock markets in the world: faster than Wall Street which takes 2 days to settle trades. While still optional and limited to a few stocks, it’s an aggressive move. The layers of its complexity were recently compared by Sebi chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch to peeling an onion. But cutting onions b...

Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart seem to have alarmed the e-commerce OGs Amazon and Flipkart as quick commerce is not just about onions and tomatoes now. There’s a lot more added to the cart! While shopping for groceries, you can also add jewellery, cosmetics, clothing, and toys to your basket. And all this in just under 15 minutes. So, can quick commerce take on the e-commerce behemoths? Mu...

The Tata Group is investing a whopping Rs 91,000 crore to build India's first semiconductor fabrication plant! Semiconductors are the brains of modern devices, from toasters to phones to electric vehicles. The Indian government aims to make India a $1 trillion electronics hub in 5 years, and Tata – also the only Indian supplier to Apple – is at the forefront of this mission. Are the conglomerate’s...

Did you know? 9 out of 10 transgender individuals in India face barriers in earning a livelihood, while a staggering 60% have never attended school? Discrimination, harassment, and social rejection are everyday realities for many. But amidst these challenges, there are rays of hope. Firms like Tata Steel, Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, Publicis Sapient, are leading the charge towards inclusion. Joi...

Warmer winters, unseasonal rains, and extreme summers seem to be the norm. And worse, much of it seems unpredictable. From clothing brands to dining tables to boardrooms, businesses are talking about adapting all-weather strategies. Some of the large corporations have already collaborated with weather forecasters. Even as we are bracing for red hot times, weather events also lead to new technology...

The JSW Group-MG Motor wants to bring the “Maruti moment” to the Indian EV industry. The steel major and Chinese auto giant have ambitious targets of flooding the market with new, flashy models and clocking 1 million sales volume by as early as 2030. The number is several multiples of the total EVs sold in India last year. Are these realisable targets? Will the partnership help MG to expand in a m...

While India is about to see the dance of democracy, AAP’s only national face Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested. Kejriwal is the fourth AAP leader to be arrested and his incarceration comes as the biggest blow to the Aam Aadmi Party. Can he govern and mobilise from behind the bars? On the flip side, it could potentially galvanise the BJP’s opposition like never before just ahead of the polls. Host...

In the tech hub of India, Bengaluru, the reality for many is a daily scramble – not for coding glory, but for a sip of water. Mumbai is feeling the pinch too, with taps running dry 15% of the time. But with a growing population and thirsty industries, isn't there a way out of this water crisis? Climate change is just adding fuel to the fire. Can technology be our knight in shining armor, or can a...

Fly91 – India’s newest airline – has taken flight. The regional airline flies into a dynamic, fast growing, cut throat, semi-oligopolistic market which has been the burial ground for more companies than it has nurtured. Almost no regional airline has survived here. But Manoj Chacko ’s airline is backed by his crystal clear vision, a simple expansion plan, a brilliant main team and a solid initial...

From production tools to actual music creation, AI is tearing into every segment of the music industry. The latest fad is the scarily accurate regeneration of artists’ voices: from Drake to Kanye West, Michael Jackson to SP Balasubrahmanyam. But the trend has raised excitement and alarm in equal measure. So while AR Rahman has done it the right way in a recent Rajinikanth film: with permissions an...

A.M. Naik , a legend in Indian industry, rose from L&T engineer to Chairman. Over 58 years, he transformed L&T into a global giant, building essential infrastructure and iconic projects like the Statue of Unity, India's 1st nuclear submarine, the K-9 Vajra, Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Anil Manibhai Naik described winning ET’s Lifetime Achievement award as the crowning accomplishment of his prof...

Ranjan Pai, the head of the Manipal Education and Medical Group, has been quietly but aggressively backing tech unicorns in recent months. Firstcry, Bluestone, Purplle - the list goes on! He has also made a reappearance at troubled companies Pharmeasy and in a way in Byju’s through the latter’s acquired company Aakash Institute. So, what makes him such a sought-after investor? And how does someone...

Thejna John is a happy woman. Last year, the relapse of an acute form of blood cancer despite a bone marrow transplant, had made her doctors give up all hope. In October, came a breakthrough. India approved the CAR T-Cell therapy, a revolutionary treatment for some forms of cancer. Thejna was one of the first cancer patients to undergo treatment in India. She is now cancer-free.   The potential of...

The RBI's recent actions on certain fintech businesses have sparked debate. Is it a necessary clean-up or an excessive crackdown? Host Anurpiya Nair explores this hot topic as she delves into the recent strict orders and what it means for the future of fintech in India. Is this a positive step towards a healthier financial ecosystem, or an unnecessary hurdle for innovation? Listen to R Gandhi , Fo...

Celebrating 40 years, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories stands out in the Indian pharma industry for its focus on governance and innovation. Founded in 1984 by scientist Dr Anji Reddy, the company has had a history of bold moves like early public listing, investing in drug discovery or hiring an expat CEO. Little wonder that the company has ended up being a CEO factory for the Indian pharma industry. The co...

Social media fuels global aspirations for Gen Z, but wages stay flat. The result? "Doom spending" - stress shopping with credit or BNPL. Can "loud budgeting" - publicly declaring financial goals - be the answer? Will Gen Z find financial freedom through social media... or get trapped in debt? Is loud budgeting the key? Host Shabori Das dives deep into these opposing trends on The Morning Brief wit...

Over 150 Indian apps vanished from Google Play Store after they refused to pay the big tech giant higher fees. The apps were re-instated after govt intervention but the battle rages on. Developers say Google's new billing system is an imposition. The charges are too high. Google says over 200,000 app developers are paying up. Why do only ten have a problem? With Bharat Matrimony founder Murugavel...

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's CEO, is steering the company towards profitability, a feat many doubted possible. In an exclusive interview with ET, he dives deep into Uber's India strategy. He stated that one of the complications in India is that regulations often change locally from one locality to the other and how unlike competition, Uber continues its sharp focus on its ride hailing business. What...