Mint Bangalore
STIRRING UP THE HOT CHOCOLATE
Unlike coffee, which is largely for grown-ups, everyone loves hot chocolate. New cacao cafés have turned bean-to-bar chocolate into a craft beverage, adding new flavours and even spices to tap into nostalgia while creating something new.
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Flickers of inflation
For policymakers in India, the inflation scenario is starting to turn troublesome, with both consumer and wholesale prices showing notable increases. Government data released on Tuesday showed the wholesale index 9.9% higher last month than in June...
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Birla co to buy Sprng Energy from Shell in $1.8 bn deal
Billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla has made his biggest bet yet on India’s clean energy sector, acquiring Sprng Energy from Shell at an enterprise value of $1.8 billion. The deal will more than double the renewable power capacity of the Aditya Birla...
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PE investors back to school post pandemic detour
Private equity (PE) investors are accelerating their return to schools after a five-year lull, reversing a pandemic-era trend when they shifted capital into fastgrowing edtech companies. Now, as investors become more selective about edtech...
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KING JACK
LOUNGE TRAVELS TO PANRUTI, FAMOUS FOR ITS GI-TAGGED JACKFRUIT THAT’S NOW ON FINE-DINING MENUS. THE TASTE OF THIS VERSATILE FRUIT CHANGES DRAMATICALLY AS IT MATURES—EACH STAGE HAS ITS OWN CULINARY USE
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Screen limits
The digital diffusion of creative output seems to be making India’s Information Technology Act of 2000 work overtime. Its Section 69A, which empowers the state to block content for national security, public order and so on, was invoked by the Centre in...
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Street rattled, oil soars as Iran peace deal crumbles
The ceasefire in the Persian Gulf crumbled on Wednesday as the US and Iran tangled over alleged breaches, rocking global markets that had barely stabilized in the wake of a tentative peace treaty in June. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump...
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Why India is doubling down on regional air
RADHIKA P. NAIR Jodhpur’s new Rajputana-style airport terminal went viral after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on Saturday. But the event also saw the formal launch of UDAN’s next phase—the ₹28,840-crore Viksit UDAN. Why expand a scheme...
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Tractor dumping puts India-China trade ties to test
The Indian government has launched an investigation into the alleged dumping of electric tractors from China. Mint explains why the probe matters—and why it could become a broader test of India-China business ties, with implications beyond electric...
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Lenders raise the bar for Vi’s big loan
Vodafone Idea’s(Vi) ₹35,000-crore debt plan is facing scrutiny, with lenders prevailing upon the company to scale back its financial projections, while also demanding a corporate guarantee from another Aditya Birla Group firm, according to two people...
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Jaden Smith wants you to be a superhero
From actor and musician to luxury creative director, Jaden Smith discusses his evolving career, his vision for Christian Louboutin menswear, embracing criticism, and designing shoes that inspire confidence.
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Why Indian IT is betting big on European assets
Recent acquisitions by Indian IT services companies signal a shift from their earlier reluctance to buy European assets to viewing the region as a key growth market. Several factors are driving this growing appetite for Europe. takes a look. Why do...
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Tata Sons IPO in focus as RBI defines ‘indirect receipts’
Aweek after raising hopes that Tata Sons could avoid a mandatory listing, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday inserted a key definition that was absent in its updated guidelines, leaving the Tata holding company’s listing fate dependent on the...
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Why Zerodha wants to be a merchant banker
Broking platform Zerodha wants to add another business to its growing financial services portfolio: investment banking. Can a discount broker carve out a niche in a business dominated by established investment banks? explains. Are merchant banking and...
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Why is India’s satellite internet policy in limbo?
India’s commercial satellite broadband service rollout remains stuck nearly four years after Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb got the first licence in 2022 and then Jio-SES and Starlink got theirs. The regulator’s spectrum norms also came a year ago. So,...
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Why is quantum computing the new global race?
Quantum computing was long seen as a technology stuck in the future with unstable qubits and high error rates. Leaps by Google, Microsoft, IBM, etc. now challenge the view and governments see it as a strategic capability with economic and security...
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REBELS OF THE EMPIRE
An exhibition in London revisits the lives of Punjab’s Sophia Duleep Singh and her sisters, highlighting their activism, adventures and contributions to the suffragette movement and women’s rights in Britain.
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Trippy creativity
Under-invoiced exports and over-invoiced imports, with the difference stashed away abroad in collusion with allied agents, were once a classic way for resident Indians to jump capital controls that kept them from sending wealth overseas. Once India’s...
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Tata Sons may get hope of IPO relief from RBI update
In what could provide a breather for Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has seemingly removed a contentious definition of indirect public funds received by non-bank financiers. The previous definition, if...
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What US waiver on Iran oil sales means for India
The US has waived sanctions on Iran’s petroleum sales for 60 days as talks continue on a final peace deal, a move seen boosting global energy supplies. Given Iran’s proximity to India and its importance to major buyers such as China, Mint assesses what...
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COLUMNS
Year-on-year change (%) in domestic wholesale dispatches of passenger vehicles, by key segment Mini cars Compact cars Mid-size cars Multi-utility vehicles Premium cars 140.2 24.8 -4 -10.5 KAUSHIK BASU THE US-IRAN DEAL COULD WIDEN INDIA’S STRATEGIC...
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SBI to package, sell retail home loans as deposits lag credit
India's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), is "seriously considering" securitizing part of its home loan portfolio, chairman C.S. Setty said, as the bank prepares to diversify its funding sources beyond deposits to boost lending. Setty did not...
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YouTuber-directors are calling the shots
The breakout success of horror films like Backrooms and Obsession at the box office signals a shift in Hollywood, as a new generation of YouTube creators brings digitalnative storytelling instincts to the big screen.
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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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