India’s biggest GST shake-up since 2017 is here. The new structure with just two slabs 5% and 18% plus a steep 40% for sin and luxury goods, promises cheaper essentials and faster refunds. But will consumers and businesses really feel the difference? On this episode of The Morning Brief, host Anirban Chowdhury is joined by Bipin Sapra, Partner - Leader, Indirect Tax & Economic Policy at EY, to unpack NextGen GST 2.0. From challenges of compliances to resolving inverted taxation issues, to Centre–State revenue tussle, to export efficiencies, they explore how these reforms could change spending, business margins, and the economy at large.
At the ET World Leaders Forum 2025, Archana Rai, Economic Times’, Editor, South speaks with Rajat Taneja, President Technology at Visa, about how India is shaping the future of payments. The discussion spans India’s trillion-dollar digital opportunity, the growing role of AI in fraud prevention, and Visa’s cutting-edge innovations from tokenized credentials and biometrics to agent-led e-commerce. Rajat noted that one-time passwords are no longer foolproof as they can be compromised, arguing that trusted platforms will shape the future of secure payments. Stressing AI’s transformative role, he also called for closer cooperation with regulators to build safer, faster digital transactions. He further highlights India’s pivotal role in Visa’s global R&D, while offering perspectives on regulation, financial inclusion, and the essentials of safe online shopping.
In this episode of Corner Office Conversations, host Ratna Bhushan sits down with Vipul Parekh, co-founder of BigBasket, to discuss how India’s leading online grocer is gearing up for the festive season amid the quick commerce boom. From IPO buzz and profitability challenges to category expansion beyond groceries, Parekh shares insights on competition with Swiggy, Zepto, JioMart, and Amazon, and BigBasket’s strategy around dark stores, assortment, and growth. With the Tata Group backing and a rapidly evolving e-commerce market, this conversation explores what it takes to stay ahead in a fiercely contested space.
Over the last five weeks, The Morning Brief explored the investment stories shaping southern India through exclusive conversations with senior ministers from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. From manufacturing and infrastructure to IT, green energy, and start-ups each state is vying to stand out in India’s growth race. In this wrap-up episode of our special series South Capital, hosts Nidhi Sharma and Dia Rekhi break down the key takeaways, the sectors to watch, and how competitive southern states really are when it comes to attracting investments.
Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a buzzword in film editing rooms — it is beginning to script, generate, and even direct visual storytelling. In the second part of our special series on AI filmmaking, hosts Anirban Chowdhury and Rajesh Naidu speak to acclaimed director Shakun Batra — the creative force behind Kapoor & Sons and Gehraiyaan, now experimenting with AI-powered cinema. From building entire car chases through prompts, to rethinking workflows where “post becomes the new prep”, Shakun shares how AI is democratising imagination by freeing filmmakers from the traditional constraints of cost and scale. He also addresses the tough questions: authorship, ethics, data ownership, and whether AI can ever capture the “soul” of storytelling.Tune in.
In this episode of South Capital, the focus is on Tamil Nadu, India's manufacturing powerhouse and one of its most industrialized states. Known as the “Detroit of Asia” for its auto sector and the “Manchester of the South” for its textiles, Tamil Nadu plays a pivotal role in India’s GDP, exports, patents, and electronics manufacturing, including iPhone assembly. Host Dia Rekhi speaks with Tamil Nadu’s Industries Minister TRB Rajaa, who shares the state’s vision of becoming a $1 trillion economy, a goal built on decades of progress in education, manufacturing, IT, textiles, electronics, and renewable energy. He underscores the state’s strengths in women’s empowerment, robust infrastructure, and policy consistency, while highlighting new opportunities in semiconductors, technical textiles, shipbuilding, seafood processing, and offshore wind. Tamil Nadu also hosts India’s largest base of MSMEs, many of them women-led, which drive innovation and strengthen supply chains. Unlike states that compete domestically, Tamil Nadu positions itself against global economies, striving to stand out as a leader in industry, sustainability, and investment. With infrastructure upgrades, climate-resilient planning, and green energy targets set ahead of national goals, Tamil Nadu is firmly establishing itself as a global industrial hub.
For months, India has felt the squeeze of China’s export chokehold on rare earth magnets vital for EVs, fertilizers key to food security, and raw materials that keep pharma running. Automakers faced stalled assembly lines, farmers braced for higher costs, and drugmakers feared supply disruptions. Now, with Prime Minister Modi set to visit China for the SCO summit, a narrow trade package is on the table. Host Anirban Chowdhury speaks with ET’s Sharmistha Mukherjee, Shambhavi Anand, Vikas Dandekar, and economist Sachin Chaturvedi to unpack the freeze, the fragile easing, and the big questions: Can India trust Beijing as a trade partner? Could pharma rivals really collaborate? And can China balance out an increasingly protectionist U.S. in this tense economic triangle?
Corner Office Conversation is The Economic Times’ flagship interview podcast featuring unfiltered, one-on-one conversations with some of India and the world’s most powerful business leaders. Hosted by ET’s top journalists and editors, this fortnightly show goes beyond headlines and press releases to explore how CEOs and founders think, decide, and lead in an era of disruption. From Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber), and Roland Busch (Siemens) to Adar Poonawalla (Serum Institute), Suresh Narayanan (Nestlé India), and Ravi Kumar S (Cognizant), these conversations uncover personal leadership playbooks, global strategy pivots, lessons from failures, and bold visions for the future — across industries like tech, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and consumer goods. New episodes drop every alternate Monday.
Markets took a breather after Monday’s rally. Indian benchmark indices ended lower in a choppy Tuesday trade, dragged by banking heavyweights HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank.
Karnataka drives 65% of India’s aerospace and defence output, over half of its machine tools, and 60% of its biotech exports but much of that growth is concentrated in and around Bengaluru. This week, we unpack the state’s broader industrial ambitions and historic legacy from the Wadiyar dynasty’s investments in education to Asia’s first hydroelectric power in Mysore and the streetlights of Bengaluru in 1905. Host Nidhi Sharma speaks with Karnataka large and medium industries minister M.B. Patil on the state’s new industrial policy, the Invest Karnataka Forum, and its efforts to spread growth across districts. But with neighbouring states like Andhra snapping at its heels with faster land clearances and aggressive pitches, can Karnataka stay competitive and inclusive?
Virtual Reality in India has long been seen as a futuristic gaming gimmick flashy, expensive, and niche. But that’s changing. Host Anirban Chowdhury and ETs Rajesh Naidu talk to national award winning film maker Ram Madhvani (Neerja, Aarya) who is reimagining VR as a cultural and spiritual experience. His latest project? A five-minute immersive film on the Bhagavad Gita not for streaming, but to be experienced through VR headsets in temples, forts, and museums across India. With plans to roll out 100 such films by 2028 and place headsets in cultural hubs, Madhvani wants to democratize VR not through Silicon Valley, but through Bharat. Priced at just ₹100, these bite-sized experiences could bring in pilgrims, students, and families, not just gamers and techies. As India’s spiritual tourism surges and the government pushes cultural pride, could this be the unlikely tipping point for VR adoption in the country? We dive into the vision, the tech, the economics and the big bet on storytelling as India’s gateway to the metaverse.
Indian markets ended in the red today, as rate-sensitive sectors reacted negatively to the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy decision. The central bank held interest rates steady and maintained a neutral stance, in line with expectations, but disappointed investors hoping for a more dovish signal amid global uncertainty.
Kerala, India’s smallest southern state by area, is often celebrated for its pioneering “Kerala Model,” where social progress laid the foundation for economic growth. Decades of focus on education and healthcare have led to high literacy, long life expectancy, and rising per capita income. But today, the state grapples with fresh challenges: outward migration of skilled talent, an ageing population, growing healthcare needs, and limited land for industrial growth. In this second installment of South Capital, host Nidhi Sharma speaks with Kerala’s Industries Minister P. Rajeev on how the state plans to attract investments while balancing growth with sustainability and social equity.
Indian markets trimmed early losses but still ended lower on Thursday. Sensex dropped 296 points, Nifty closed below 24,800. That’s a nearly 3% fall for July overall!
Once valued at over ₹1 lakh crore, Anil Ambani’s Reliance ADAG group is now facing one of its biggest reckonings. The Enforcement Directorate has launched a sweeping probe into alleged loan fraud and money laundering worth over ₹24,000 crore—spanning Yes Bank transactions, shell firms, and suspected quid pro quo deals with Rana Kapoor’s family offices. In this episode, host Anirban Chowdhury, ET’s banking editor Sangita Mehta and its tracker of financial wrongdoings Rashmi Rajput unpack the Grand Thornton audit red flags, the delays in enforcement action, and the high-stakes legal and financial fallout. Tune in.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is set to lay off around 12,000 employees, its biggest workforce reduction to date. While the move might seem driven by automation, the company attributes it instead to a widening skills gap. As TCS shifts to newer technologies and agile delivery models, many existing roles especially at the mid and senior levels no longer align with business needs. Bench policies are also being tightened, with extended periods of unassigned time potentially leading to termination. TCS says it will offer support to affected employees, including severance pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement assistance. In this episode, Host Anirban Chowdhury, ET’s Beena Parmar and UnearthInsight CEO Gaurav Vasu unpack how this signals a larger industry shift where digital transformation is reshaping not just what tech companies do, but how they need to do it.
Markets extended losses today as multiple headwinds weighed on investor sentiment. The Sensex dropped 572 points, closing at 80,891, and the Nifty fell 156 points, ending at 24,680.
Sensex jumped 540 points, Nifty closed above 25,200, thanks to a tariff-cutting deal between the US and Japan that boosted hopes around India-US trade talks.
It’s been a turbulent fortnight for corporate leadership, with sudden CEO exits at companies like HUL, Coca Cola bottler HCCB, L’Oréal, Diageo, Kenvue and WPP. In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Ratna Bhushan speaks to ET’s Associate Editor Arijit Barman and Vibhav Dhawan, Partner at Positive Moves Consulting to unpack what’s driving this churn: from slowing demand to soaring competition, from tariff pressures to slackening control over ad networks, from a lack of focus on growth to a push for next-gen leadership. Why is the top job turning into a revolving door? Are CEOs fall guys? Is the traditional playbook outdated? And are short tenures the new normal? Listen in.
Corner Office Conversation is The Economic Times’ flagship interview podcast featuring unfiltered, one-on-one conversations with some of India and the world’s most powerful business leaders. Hosted by ET’s top journalists and editors, this fortnightly show goes beyond headlines and press releases to explore how CEOs and founders think, decide, and lead in an era of disruption. From Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber), and Roland Busch (Siemens) to Adar Poonawalla (Serum Institute), Suresh Narayanan (Nestlé India), and Ravi Kumar S (Cognizant), these conversations uncover personal leadership playbooks, global strategy pivots, lessons from failures, and bold visions for the future — across industries like tech, healthcare, manufacturing, finance, and consumer goods. New episodes drop alternate Monday.
Markets took a beating today! Sensex down 500 points, Nifty slips below 25,000. So, what triggered the sell-off? Sensex closed at 81,757. Nifty ended at 24,968. ₹2.6 lakh crore in market value wiped out. Broad sell-off across financials, autos, FMCG, and pharma.
India’s aesthetic legacy is lighting up luxury runways across Paris and Milan from Louis Vuitton’s “Voyage to India” to Prada’s controversial Kolhapuri-inspired sandals. But behind the global admiration lies a deeper story: one of borrowed beauty, blurred boundaries, and battles for credit. We explore the fine line between celebration and exploitation. Fashion scholar Phyllida Jay joins host Apoorva Mittal to unpack how India stands between being endlessly mined for design and finally demanding recognition. With GI tags, artisan invisibility, and IP inequalities at the forefront, this is a look at what happens when the world wears India without saying her name. Credits: Louis Vuitton.
What happens when a global FMCG giant hits pause on its playbook and places a bold new bet on leadership? In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Ratna Bhushan speaks with Sandip Ghose, HUL veteran and currently Managing Director of MP Birla Cement, and ET’s Senior Editor Sagar Malviya to unpack the high-stakes leadership transition at Hindustan Unilever Limited, where the abrupt exit of CEO Rohit Jawa has made way for marketing veteran Priya Nair. From long-standing market pressures and legacy baggage like GSK’s Horlicks to shifting consumer trends, the conversation traces the strategic recalibrations underway at HUL. With insights into the contrasting legacies of Jawa and his predecessor Sanjiv Mehta, the episode explores what Nair’s digital-first, premium-led approach could mean for the company’s growth story. Will her vision reinvigorate investor confidence and steer HUL through a slowing consumer cycle? Or is this a bigger story about transformation, expectation, and the evolving DNA of leadership in Indian corporates?
Markets ended deep in the red this Friday, and there wasn’t just one reason. There were four reasons including TCS' Q1 earnings, Sebi's crackdown on pump and dump operations in the markets.
Indian markets ended in the red on Thursday, dragged down by losses in IT and financial stocks, as investors turned cautious ahead of TCS earnings and amid persistent uncertainty over a potential US-India trade deal.
In a significant development, SEBI has barred Jane Street, one of the world’s leading proprietary trading firms, from participating in Indian markets. The action follows concerns over aggressive options trading strategies and suspected manipulation, particularly around Bank Nifty’s weekly expiries. This move reflects the regulator’s growing focus on tightening control over algorithmic and high-frequency trading, especially by foreign players. Host Anirban Chowdhury discusses the implications with ET’s Sugata Ghosh and Reena Zachariah as well hedge fund executive Mayank Bansal, on SEBI’s toughest crackdown on a global trading firm. Tune in. Credits: Bloomberg Television, Business Today, CNBC-TV18
Indian indices stayed muted today, but all eyes are on Donald Trump and his looming tariff bomb. The Sensex ended flat, up just 9 points. Nifty? Almost unchanged at 25,461.
After a two-day losing streak, the Indian stock market made a sharp comeback on Monday! The Sensex jumped 678 points, and the Nifty came close to touching the 25,000 mark.