Mint Bangalore

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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)

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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?...

‘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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

JAMES BOND GOES BROWN

Bait,

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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)

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

WAR THROUGH WOMEN’S EYES

Nalini Malani’s Of Women Born transforms a warehouse in Venice into an immersive animation chamber, layering myth, memory, and feminist critique through drawings, soundscapes and shifting projections on violence and history.

What is making Nvidia rework its success strategy?

Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, launched two new chips on Monday. Chief Jensen Huang said it was changing strategy: after three years of training artificial intelligence, its new chips will now be optimized to run AI. Does this make any...

Why Instagram’s end to encryption raises concerns

Meta will discontinue end-to-end encrypted direct messages on Instagram from 8 May, less than three years after its launch. The rollback comes at a time when encrypted messaging is facing growing scrutiny from governments concerned about crime and...

Why definition of ‘industry’ is now under SC review

The Supreme Court on 14 March set up a nine-judge Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, to revisit the 48-yearold definition of “industry”. The interpretation will determine which organisations and employees fall under labour...

Investors scramble for cover as Nifty’s 52-week low looms

Investors have ramped up purchases of a hedge to protect their portfolios, fearing that the escalating war in West Asia could sink Nifty 50 to its 52-week low this month, even as analysts expect an odd bounce during the correction. The demand for the...

MEMORY BANK

Corp bond market sees March chill as oil drives up yields

Corporate bond markets are navigating an unusual March this year, as borrowing plans stall in a month that typically sees a rash of bond sales. The surge in bond yields triggered by rising crude oil prices has prompted several borrowers to either defer...

Is govt’s order to divert gas open to legal challenge?

The West Asia war has sparked a crunch in gas supply. The Centre has set out gas use priorities in an order, which also discourages firms receiving pooled gas from legally challenging its decision. Mint explains the order, and whether courts can still...

Why eateries are raising the alarm over LPG supply

The restaurant industry has raised concerns after a government order prioritizing cooking gas for household use triggered confusion over the availability of commercial cylinders used by eateries. Mint explains what the order says and how the industry...

Law firms field force majeure queries

As the conflict in West Asia has nearly frozen all trade movement through the Strait of Hormuz, Indian law firms have seen a surge in queries from companies seeking clarity on whether they can invoke a rare clause to mitigate risk—force majeure. It is...

Bulls not buying the dip as caution rules

When stock markets tank, intrepid investors troop in to buy the dip. This time, though, the signs are missing. With the Iran attack widening into a regional conflict, investor sentiment remains significantly subdued, raising the possibility of further...

Gorillaz are reborn on their India-inspired ninth album

Born from personal loss and an immersive journey across India, The Mountain is Gorillaz’s new album. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett discuss blending electro-hop with Indian sounds to explore memory and rebirth.

What the Iran war means for Street and your stocks

With the Strait of Hormuz blockade threatening energy supplies and squeezing margins for oil and chemical firms, investors are caught between gold’s safe-haven appeal and rising macroeconomic headwinds. Mint explains what the war in West Asia and the...

BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI

Wong Kar-Wai’s long-gestating series is finally streaming. The Hong Kong director of In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express helms this 30-epsiode series set in the Shanghai of the 1990s. It stars Hu Ge, Ma Yili, Tiffany Tang and Xin Zhilei. (MUBI)

NFRA to widen yearly reviews to strengthen audits

India’s National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) will review financial statements of more companies as part of its annual inspection of audit practices this fiscal, according to two persons aware of the matter. The authority will cover financials...

The AI onslaught is on. Are India’s IT giants ready?

On Tuesday, Nasscom projected flat growth for India’s IT sector, a day after Jefferies cut target prices for the country’s Big Four IT firms, reflecting concerns over how the sector is preparing to navigate the onslaught of artificial intelligence. Is...

Tata Sons board defers call on Chandra’s 3rd term

The board of Tata Sons on Tuesday deferred a decision on reappointing N. Chandrasekaran as chairman for five more years after objections from Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata, two executives aware of the matter said. The development signals continuing...

RBI deal protects Clearing Corp from EU interference

Centre to merge tax, financial accounting regimes

India is preparing to merge its diverging tax and financial reporting frameworks into a unified system, two people aware of discussions said, in a move aimed at dismantling one of the most cumbersome hurdles for corporate India. The overhaul seeks to...