Mint Bangalore
What will it take for India to build its own SpaceX?
SpaceX completed its record public listing in the US on 12 June, and became the fifth-largest company in the world. In many ways, SpaceX remains an outlier—its reusable rocket technology is unmatched at its scale. Can India become just as big one day?...
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Nvidia pitches India AI at friendly prices
As artificial intelligence (AI) advances at a rapid pace, making the technology accessible to everyone without limitations will be key to unlocking its benefits. To achieve that, chipmaker Nvidia believes reducing the “cost per intelligence” can have a...
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E-bikes likely to get energy star ratings
India plans to introduce standardized energy-efficiency labelling for electric two-wheelers (e2Ws) to help lower charging costs and enable consumers to make informed choices, according to four people aware of the development. The labelling is expected...
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What a strong El Niño may have in store for India
Forecasters have confirmed the arrival of El Niño, the warming of the equatorial Pacific that is known to disrupt weather patterns worldwide. This year’s El Niño is expected to be among the strongest in decades and could persist into early 2027. Mint...
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What US curbs on Anthropic’s AI mean for India
On Friday, the US asked Anthropic to deny access to foreign nationals to its powerful new AI models. Stakeholders in India are alarmed. Some believe India is missing the bus on foundational models, with others underlining the criticality of sovereign...
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BACKROOMS
A furniture store owner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his therapist (Renate Reinsve) discovers a seemingly endless series of rooms in the basement. This psychological horror film by 20-year-old Kane Parsons has become one of the surprise hits of the year. (In...
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COLUMNS
Share (%) of respondents, by level of rooftop solar awareness and willingness to adopt HIMANSHU HOW MUCH FOREX WILL RBI’S SCHEME FOR DEPOSITS ATTRACT? SMALL TALK: WHY BUSINESS SCHOOLS MUST TEACH THIS SKILL >P13 >P12 >P12
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COLUMNS
Year-on-year change (%) in consumption of the following petroleum products, May 2026 DEVINA MEHRA EL NIÑO COULD REWRITE THE RULES OF INDIA’S FMCG SECTOR >P13 >P12 IN EDUCATION, LESS IS MORE: DO NOT OVERBURDEN SCHOOLS >P12
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Flex-fuel vehicles hit the road, but it’s a long journey
The launch of a flex-fuel Maruti Suzuki car and a Hero MotoCorp motorcycle has sparked intense debate over these vehicles’ near-term prospects. Alongside the inauguration of first E85 fuel pump in New Delhi, it marks India’s most aggressive flex-fuel...
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India’s big local solar cell push: what it means
India’s push for a solar manufacturing ecosystem entered a new phase this month. Large, government projects must now use locally-made solar cells. While the move is seen boosting manufacturing, it may also influence costs, project timelines and power...
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MÉXICO 86
A fictional retelling of one bureaucrat’s determination to win Mexico the bid to host the 1986 World Cup. Gabriel Ripstein’s film stars Gabriel Luna (Netflix) FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER This anthology film by Jim Jarmusch looks at three fractured...
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Big funds may drive greenfield infra PPP
Private equity firms, pension funds and sovereign wealth funds may get to invest across a range of infrastructure projects at the earliest stage as part of a new public-private partnership (PPP) model, two people aware of the plans said. The new...
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True North to sell Cloudnine stake as co eyes fresh funds
Private equity firm True North is looking to sell its over decade-old stake in Bengaluru-based maternal and child healthcare chain Cloudnine Hospitals as the company prepares to raise $250-300 million in a fresh funding round, according to two people...
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How companies are using workers to train robots
Companies are now recording workers going about their tasks to train humanoid robots that might later replace them. The row over Pronto filming workers at customer homes flags concern over surveillance, consent and whether India’s laws are prepared....
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Why are deal sizes shrinking for consumer firms?
Consumer and retail firms are seeing more deals, but for way lower values, shows a Grant Thornton Bharat report for January-March. While there was a boom after the pandemic, investors are now wary, with only health-focused deals showing resilience....
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Why the monsoon forecast has got alarm bells ringing
The prospects of a normal monsoon have dimmed. The IMD now expects rains at 90% of normal levels, downgrading its April forecast. If that materializes, 2026 will be the driest year since 2015. How will this affect the economy and food prices? Mint...
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With the finals over, what now for ISL?
ISL, won by East Bengal FC this year, showed that Indian football has the capacity to enthral, but can it find a way to sustain itself? The league is battling instability, an uncertain future for clubs, players and the broader Indian football ecosystem.
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Right to know
A swirl of questions arose this week after video clips went viral online that showed workers wearing headbands mounted with what looked like cameras. One was of a garments facility that had rows of people with digital crowns whirring away at work. What...
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Can film workers’ union demand boycott of actors?
On Monday, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) urged Hindi film producers not to work with actor Ranveer Singh. The move followed a failed mediation between the actor and Excel Entertainment. Why has this union stepped into the...
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India, US sign framework on critical minerals
India and the US on Tuesday signed a framework on mining and refining of critical minerals and rare earths, a year after China threw global supply chains into chaos with an export ban on rare earth magnets which are used in a variety of industries. The...
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What 5G network slicing means for mobile users
A decade after the net neutrality battle, concerns have resurfaced over whether some users could receive better network access. Airtel’s new priority 5G postpaid plans have triggered fears that telcos may create premium fast lanes. Mint explains what...
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Why is India stepping up Ebola screening?
Ebola, an often fatal viral infection, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. India, yet to report a case, has stepped up airport surveillance, issued travel advisories and postponed the India-Africa Forum Summit in...
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THE MASTER IN COLOUR
Nemai Ghosh’s vivid colour portraits of Satyajit Ray at a Delhi exhibition reveal the filmmaker at work and in repose. These rare photos turn a new lens to Ray’s creative life and cinematic legacy.
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As US AI giants boom, a reality check for India
While AI leaders Anthropic and OpenAI are said to eye IPOs at $1 trillion valuation each, the scene in India has been subdued since its muchtouted February AI Impact Summit. Most local AI firms are yet to make much headway, and enterprises are still...
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Why more fuel price hikes are round the corner
Over the week, petrol and diesel prices have been hiked by nearly ₹4 per litre. With crude still at over $100 a barrel and no end in sight to the West Asia war, some analysts say fuel prices must go ₹11-14 higher to cover retailer losses. Mint breaks...
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AI brings fresh challenges for the banking industry
Trity posture, including hiring highly-skilled talent across security engineering, developer security operations, redteaming or simulation of cyber attacks, and AI security,” said Ramesh Lakshminarayanan, group head of information technology and chief...
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Sanctions don’t work
America has reportedly extended the waiver of its sanctions on purchases of Russian crude oil by another 30 days, just days after it expired. This reduces uncertainty over India’s oil imports from Russia, even as New Delhi has made it clear that...
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Adani to outsource chunks of business to vendor network
Billionaire Gautam Adani is looking to outsource vast swathes of the group's operations to its vendors while conserving management bandwidth for strategy, research and finance, following the global playbook of multinationals such as Apple and Hyundai,...
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KARTAVYA
A gritty crime drama starring Saif Ali Khan as a small-town cop trying to protect a young boy accused of murder as well as his brother who’s in trouble with the local panchayat. Directed by Pulkit. (In theatres)
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Why India ordered an abrupt ban on exports of sugar
India has banned exports of raw, white and refined sugar till 30 September, in a sharp shift from the earlier “restricted” export regime to a “prohibited” category. The immediate trigger is the worry over domestic availability and inflation. Mint...
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Why the PM wants households to use less cooking oil
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged Indians to reduce the use of imported oils, both crude and edible, to help conserve foreign exchange amid a widening current account deficit and a weakening rupee. But what does the West Asia war have to do with...
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Why ride-hailing platforms are facing GST review
Ride-hailing app firms following the subscription model—where drivers pay a fixed fee instead of the app charging a commission on each ride— do not pay GST and are pushing for the status quo to continue. The GST Council is set to review the GST law....
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Should India act on China’s supply chain regulation?
In April, the Chinese government issued Decree 834, which imposed curbs on multinational companies operating in the country. Mint examines what this decree is all about, its motivation, its implications for India, and what the government should do to...
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Trump-Xi Beijing summit: what is on the table?
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a two-day summit in Beijing on 14-15 May. The meeting comes at a time when the world is riven by wars and trade disruptions. Mint looks at the possible outcomes and implications for...
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HOLIDAYS FOR THRILL SEEKERS
From paragliding solo in Bali to shredding waves in Sri Lanka, the “active holiday” is set to be 2026’s biggest travel trend. Discover some of Asia’s best destinations to recharge with movement and get the adrenaline pumping.
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Can India really put data centres in earth’s orbit?
Four Indian startups have joined Elon Musk in claiming they can build AI data centres in space. But despite the hype, the technology remains highly complex, capital-intensive, and tough. Mint explains why orbiting satellites running AI workloads could...
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Do AI-led flows rule?
The weak performance of Indian shares hasn’t just dampened wealth creation, it has also put India’s stock market at risk of being overtaken in terms of capitalization by the bourses of smaller economies. Catching up fast are Taiwan and South Korea; the...
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Why RBI wants to keep India’s gold at home
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) brought over 100 tonnes of gold back to India in the six months to March, taking the total gold reserves stored in India to 680 tonnes. Mint takes a look at why the RBI and other central banks are bringing gold back...
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What the ethanol push means for carmakers, buyers
The Centre has moved to formally include higher ethanol blends— E85 and E100—under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules through a draft amendment, open to public comments till 28 May. The move signals a renewed push to increase ethanol blending in the fuel...
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Why India rolled out emergency alerts on phones
On Saturday, millions of phones across India simultaneously blared a loud alert. India was testing a multilingual broadcast system developed by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for emergency warnings. Why is India rolling out this system?...
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‘BENNE DOSA’ RISING
From a small-town staple to a social media sensation, benne dosa is drawing the crowds— the buttery dosa with crisp edges is made for the camera. What began as a trend in Mumbai is now playing out across cities.
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Musk vs Altman: what it means for OpenAI’s future
A public feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman is playing out in court. Musk calls OpenAI a “stolen charity”, challenging its shift from a non-profit research lab to a commercial AI firm. The case may reshape how OpenAI is funded and operates. Mint...
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India eyes reserves for critical minerals
India is planning to build a sixmonth strategic reserve of critical minerals to shield its green energy and manufacturing sectors from supply shocks and price swings, two people aware of the matter said. The Union ministries of mines and heavy...
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Solar glut sinks exchange power prices to near zero
Even as India’s electricity demand hit record highs in April, power prices crashed to near-zero during peak solar hours during the month—a paradox driven by too much renewable energy chasing too little flexible demand. For the second time in two...
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How does India’s policy panel on AI affect startups?
The government has set up an inter-ministerial advisory body, the AI Governance and Economic Group, to act as a central node for shaping and coordinating policy on artificial intelligence. Mint breaks down how this new body will change things for...
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MAPPING LIGHT AND PLACE
Paresh Maity’s Luminous Terrains looks at diverse landscapes across regions, where light becomes a medium to express the external world and the artist’s personal understanding of place.
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DO PERSONALITY-LED PARTIES DELIVER ON DEBUT?
Tamil Nadu voted across all 294 assembly seats on 23 April, with popular actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam making its electoral debut. If it does well, it would defy the general dismal record of similar such ventures in the past. Debut...
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What you should know about RBI’s e-mandate rules
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has tightened and consolidated rules for e-mandates—automated instructions that allow recurring payments—to improve transaction processing by payment system operators. Mint explains what has changed and why it...
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Apple CEO shift: A hardware bet in the age of AI
Apple has named John Ternus as its next CEO, succeeding Tim Cook. The timing of the transition and choice of a hardware leader comes as AI reshapes Big Tech. The move signals Apple’s bet that tightly integrated devices will remain central to its...
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How sub-normal rains may affect reservoir levels
Low rainfall may hit India’s water reservoir replenishment, raising concerns among farmers and policymakers. Water reservoir levels stand at 44.7% of total capacity as of 9 April, better than last year, but experts warn that weak rainfall could hurt...
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Top pvt banks wary post strong Q4 as war clouds view
Top private lenders led by HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank reported strong growth numbers in the quarter just gone by, but have turned cautious on business prospects in fiscal 2027 as the West Asia war and consequent economic disruptions stoke...
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SPACES WHERE ART IS BORN
A new book, Portrait of an Artist, takes readers into the studios of 68 artists, including Akbar Padamsee and Tyeb Mehta, and shows the messy, meditative, creative and emotional spaces in which their ideas take shape.
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Oppo to Samsung raise prices by up to 40% on chip deficit
The West Asia war and a memory chip scarcity have finally spilled over into smartphone prices, with leading smartphone makers raising prices by as much as 40%. India’s top three smartphone brands Vivo, Oppo and Samsung, and their smaller rivals...
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India eyes space surveillance. What could play spoiler?
Amid the raging West Asia war, Indian space firms are seeing keen interest for surveillance services in the region. This signals big potential, but the journey seems complicated, as local and global regulations may pose challenges. Mint spells out the...
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Food delivery in 10 mins: Can Swish crack the code?
SAMIKSHA GOEL Swish, a snack and fresh food delivery platform, raised $38 million recently. Food delivery majors Swiggy and Zomato both scaled back their bets on 10-minute food delivery after struggling to make the economics work. So what is Swish...
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Why weight loss has set off a drug price war in India
Novo Nordisk slashed prices of Ozempic and Wegovy by up to 48% on Tuesday, after losing patent exclusivity in India. Local copycats are sparking a price war, making semaglutide accessible, yet raising concerns about misuse. Mint decodes the impact on...
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War: It’s a lose-lose
With Washington shifting the goalposts of its war against Iran so frequently, observers find it hard to determine which way it is headed. The latest in the clash saw the US reportedly striking an Iranian ammunition dump in Isfahan with a 900kg bunker...
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Street bids adieu to FY26, its worst year since covid
The Indian markets ended fiscal year 2026 (FY26) on a forgettable note, with benchmark indices logging their worst annual performance since the covid-19 pandemic six years ago. A sharp selloff on the last trading day sealed the weak finish. The Nifty...
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EPL, Indovida to merge into $2 bn packaging giant
Private equity giant Blackstone and Thailand's Indorama Ventures have agreed to combine their packaging businesses in India, creating a $2 billion giant with annual sales of about $1 billion. Blackstone-backed EPL on Sunday informed exchanges that it...
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PROJECT HAIL MARY
A science teacher wakes up to realise he’s on an interstellar craft, the lone survivor on a mission called Project Hail Mary. This film, starring Ryan Gosling, is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. (In theatres)
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Will US ruling on social media hit Big Tech in India?
A US court has delivered a significant ruling on Big Tech’s design playbook, finding that Meta Platforms and Google built features that foster addiction among young users. With India weighing age-based curbs, the ruling could hasten a broader reset....
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Push for oil storage, piped gas transition
New Delhi is accelerating a multi-billiondollar expansion of its strategic crude reserves and forcing a nationwide shift to piped cooking gas, as a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz threatens energy supply for its 1.4 billion people. The Indian...
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What’s changed in Sebi’s new rules on conflict?
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Monday tightened conflict-of-interest rules, bringing its top leadership under a stricter disclosure and investment regime amid heightened scrutiny of governance standards. Mint explains the new...
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Why India stares at an LNG squeeze, and what it can do
India imports 50% of its liquefied natural gas needs from West Asia, mostly from Qatar. With the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Ras Laffan industrial city, much of India’s imports are halted. Mint takes a look at the impact on the...
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Tata chip unit raises $735 mn from five foreign banks
Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd (TSML) has raised ₹6,835 crore (about $735 million) from five foreign banks to fund its ₹91,000 crore semiconductor fabrication facility in Gujarat. The lenders have put conditions on ownership, branding and...
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